You have a choice to follow God, and you have a choice to show compassion to others.
Questions!
What are some of the regrets that were possibly going through the people of Jericho’s minds?
Who are the people in your life that are hurting, filled with fear and consumed with pain? How can you show some compassion to them?
How could your city, your province or state, your country be different if the compassion you demonstrate becomes contagious and others start showing compassion along with you?
If compassion costs me and you something, does it also give back something? If so, what does compassion give to you when you extend it to others?
Growth Tip
Turn on your compassion sonar. Our world is hurting it needs people to see the hurt and not turn away. Our world needs compassion from you and me!
Prayer Requests
At the end of your discussion, go around the group and ask for prayer requests.
If you follow Jesus with courage, it can be scary. I know that sentence sounds a bit funny, but it’s true—the more courage we often need, the more terrifying the situation. We often find our security in the provision vs the provider. When we do this, it makes following Jesus pretty scary and hard!
Listen to the drastic decision the first disciples made to follow Jesus with courage. They left everything, including a lot of fish, which for them would have been as good as money since they were professional fishermen. To say this would have been scary would be an understatement – it was terrifying!
There is nothing more important than following Jesus. At times it will probably be scary, but you can do it with courage. Be sure to listen to the discussion questions, and be sure to download the discussion guide! There you will hear me talk about finding our courage in our provider, not in his provision.
There is nothing more important than following Jesus.
Questions!
Name one person in your life that you admire for the way they follow Jesus. What is something you can learn from their example?
Sometimes to leave behind things in our lives to follow Jesus is scary. Talk about some of the fears you have in leaving everything to follow Jesus as Peter did.
Talk with each other about valuing our provider, God, more than his provision.
Prayer Requests
At the end of your discussion, go around the group and ask for prayer requests.
Tips and Tricks for leading a discussion
Ask additional questions to help expand people’s thoughts.
Let people think in silence. Wait for them to respond.
Repeat the last three words of someone’s statement turning it into a question.
Growth Tip
Who are people in your life that you look up to? People that are great at following Jesus. People that are an example of how to follow Jesus!
You can pray to begin your relationship with Jesus!
Jesus, I need you. Forgive my sinful mistakes. I am giving you control of my life. Thank you for your love! Amen
We will discuss how to have courage when following Jesus. There is nothing more important than following Jesus. We can be afraid when we follow Jesus and at the same time have courage!
There is nothing more important than following Jesus.
Questions!
Name one person in your life that you admire for the way they follow Jesus. What is something you can learn from their example?
Sometimes to leave behind things in our lives to follow Jesus is scary. Talk about some of the fears you have in leaving everything to follow Jesus as Peter did.
Talk with each other about valuing our provider, God, more than his provision.
Prayer Requests
At the end of your discussion, go around the group and ask for prayer requests.
Tips and Tricks for leading a discussion
Ask additional questions to help expand people’s thoughts.
Let people think in silence. Wait for them to respond.
Repeat the last three words of someone’s statement turning it into a question.
Growth Tip
Who are people in your life that you look up to? People that are great at following Jesus. People that are an example of how to follow Jesus!
You can pray to begin your relationship with Jesus!
Jesus, I need you. Forgive my sinful mistakes. I am giving you control of my life. Thank you for your love! Amen
Have you ever wanted to see someone suffer and hurt badly because you are so angry? God wants to be compassionate, not angry! Unfortunately, when I am upset, I tend to be mad, not sympathetic. It’s not always easy to be compassionate and not angry.
I remember my older brother and me; we would play for hours across the street on these huge sandpits. Every once in awhile, we would get furious at each other, and our playtime would end in a fight. Has that ever happened to you?
Today we are in part 4 of the story of Jonah. The final story of this series and maybe the most bizarre. Now, this part of the story shows us something incredibly important about God. People often leave this part of the story out, but it’s essential. God wants to show his compassion. Compassion is when we feel sorry for someone else. We notice their pain, and we want to do something to help them feel better.
Well, up to this point in the story Jonah ran away from God and swallowed by a massive sea creature. The sea creature spat out Jonah onto dry ground. Jonah went to the Great city of Nineveh and told them that in 40 days, their city would be destroyed.
If you have not already done so, please sign up to be a discussion leader. It does not matter your age or bible understanding. If you can be a good listener and contribute to the discussion, then you would make a great discussion leader, when you sign up, we will send you a few emails with several tips and tricks that will help you to start and lead a discussion group. Since we are not able to meet in person, I think you could even do a discussion via a group chat.
Remember God wants to be compassionate, not angry.
Jonah stands up on shore after a massive sea creature spat him out. Jonah now has a choice. Will he follow God or continue to run away! God’s love is so much greater than sin! It doesn’t matter how badly we have messed up; God wants us. He wants to be in a relationship with us and live connected with him!
Tell me, would you rather drown or be eaten by huge fish? Learn from Jonah’s story that no matter what the situation is, it is never too late to turn back to God. Listen to Jon tell the second of a four-part series of Jonah
Jesus is a grapevine. Probably not what most you think of when you hear the name, Jesus. He says one of the most remarkable things ever recorded in scripture and it applies to his followers today too!
The promise of the Holy Spirit is so significant. It changes everything in life! Listen to Jon Drebert tell the story of the promise of the Holy Spirit and when the Holy Spirit came.
Jon tells the story of Peter going fishing and Jesus meeting him on the shore. In this story, Peter is forgiven and restored. We can all be forgiven and restored no matter what our past may be.
