The Running Man--Lesson 3--Running Back to God

Discussion Questions:

1. How have you seen God work through the messes of your life? Did you learn anything from the way God patiently worked with Jonah to call him back to Him?

2. How does your prayer life provide a diagnosis of the condition of your walk with God?

3. In what ways does God’s pursuit of Jonah surprise you? How does casting him into the deep and causing His waves to pass over him show God’s love for Jonah?

4. Why is it important to understand God’s affinity for process when it comes to His work in our lives? How does it help to see that not all steps of the process will feel good?

5. How does God use even rebellion to carry out His will? Can you give an example?

6. How is resurrection a key part of the story of Jonah? How is it a key part of your own story?

The Running Man--Lesson 2--Running to the Right Finish Line?

Discussion Questions:

1. In what ways does sin affect your prayer life?

2. How have you seen God take a heart of stone and turn it into a heart of flesh? What does it take on our part for this to happen?

3. Are there times when you have slid into a mindset of trying to please God through your efforts? How has that worked out for you?

4. How have your efforts of self-protection, self-preservation, or trying to provide for yourself hindered God’s ability to bring His grace and mercy into your life?

5. What are some ways that you saw the story of Jonah being a sign of the work of Jesus on our behalf?

6. Do you see hypocrisy in the way Jonah refers to God in V. 9 while admitting that he is running away from the work God wanted him to accomplish? How might this be true of your own evangelistic efforts?

The Running Man--Lesson 1--Running Away From God

Discussion Questions:

1. What are some things God has asked you to do that have made you really uncomfortable?

How have you seen God grow your character and faith through challenging

commandments or assignments He has given you?

2. Why would God choose a highly nationalistic and prejudiced man to be His

representative and messenger to Ninevah? What lessons about God do you learn from

His choice?

3. What kinds of things might God call you to do, knowing that it is just as much for your

character development as it is to help someone else?

4. Jonah has to pay to run away from God. How is the price much more than he thought it

would be? How did his running cost others?

5. How comforting is it to know that there is really no running away from God—that He is in

constant pursuit of you?