Jonah: You Can't Outrun God's Grace

 

Study Guide for Week of August 31, 2025

This Week's Scripture: Jonah 1:1-17; Jonah 2:1 and 10; Jonah 3:1-10 

Crossroads Community Group Guide

A. Welcome: Welcome everyone, especially new people, and read aloud the purpose of your group.

B. Purpose: Our purpose is to spread the Kingdom of God. We do this by multiplying groups of people who care for each as God's family. We begin by inviting new people to our group and building them to be followers of Jesus. Each person here has the potential to be empowered to start and be the leader of a new group and spread God's kingdom.

C. Worship Time (Optional): Spend a few minutes singing a worship song. Here is one you may want to use: I I Give You My Heart (or pick your own YouTube video that shows the lyrics.)

D. Video Message                                                                  

       

E. Upcoming Events: Crossroads Website        

F. Review:

1. How did you do with what you want to apply from last week?
2. Who did you invite to the group for this week?

G. Opening Question (an icebreaker - a simple question to introduce the main theme):

• Can you think of anyone who other people think do not deserve to be saved by God?

H. Background Information for this study: 

Jonah is a great story about God's grace. Grace means forgiveness and mercy from God that we do not deserve. As you go through the book of Jonah with your group notice where you see God's grace being given to different people. Read big chunks or sections and then discuss where you see God's grace and how it applies to us today.

Key to understanding Jonah's reaction is to understand that Nineveh was an enemy of Jonah's people and he may have had family members killed, kidnapped or raped by them.  

First Section:Jonah 1:1-17 and 2:1 and 10. Jonah couldn't outrun God's grace.

Second Section: Jonah 3:1-10. Nineveh couldn't outrun God's grace.

Third Section: Jonah 4:1-16. God's grace exceeds our comprehension

In this study be sure to make a practical application to each section. Make application to your life including what you will do to tell other people the message.

J. Word: Read the scriptures above by section. Read it in smaller portions aloud together several times. (The goal is for everyone to understand the Bible story or verses by retelling them in their own words; keep at it until everyone knows the story or verses.)

1. What key (important) words do you see in these verses?

2. Tell in your own words what happens in these verses.

3. What are the details?

4. What jumps out at you and catches your attention?

5. What details can you add to what others in the group have said?

K. Discuss the following general questions together. (The goal is to use these general questions to guide a discussion. The leader should not speak for more than 30% of the time; let the group discover what God is saying to them.)

1. What catches your attention in these verses?

2. What new thing did you discover in the story or verses that you did not know before?

3. What did you learn about God (Father, Jesus or Holy Spirit) from the story?

4. What do you learn about people from the story?

5. What important lessons for us do you see in this story?