Gospel BC – Jonah

Day 1: The Mission We Run From

Summary:
Jonah didn’t flee because he didn’t know God’s will—he fled because he did. God’s call to go to Nineveh confronted not just Jonah’s fears but his prejudice. Jonah ran from God’s mission, but God’s mercy chased him down.

Read:

• Jonah 1:1–3

• Matthew 28:18–20

• Psalm 139:7–10

Background:
Nineveh was the capital of Assyria—Israel’s most feared enemy. Jonah’s assignment wasn’t just difficult; it was personal. The idea that God might forgive people Jonah hated was more than he could bear.

Key Words:

• Nineveh – a wicked, violent Gentile city

• Tarshish – symbolic of escape and rebellion

• Call – God’s command to participate in His redemptive plan

Theological Truths:

“When God designs to save a people, He sends them the word of the Gospel, even though He must compel His messengers to carry it.” — John Calvin

God’s will for His people includes proclaiming His grace even to those we dislike or fear.

Questions for Reflection:

1. What has God clearly called you to do that you may be avoiding?(MULTILINE)

2. What fears or prejudices make you hesitate to obey?(MULTILINE)

3. How might God be pursuing you in the places you’ve run?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Ask God to reveal any personal Tarshish in your life—areas where you’re fleeing instead of following—and surrender them in prayer.

Day 2: Grace for Our Enemies

Summary:
Jonah fled because he knew God was gracious. The story forces us to ask: Do we rejoice when God saves our enemies, or do we sulk like Jonah?

Read:

• Jonah 4:1–3

• Romans 5:8–10

• Luke 6:27–36

Background:
Jonah was angry not because God was unjust, but because He was just too merciful. His nationalism and bitterness clouded his theology.

Key Words:

• Grace – unearned, freely given mercy of God

• Compassion – God’s loving concern for all people

• Enemy – not just political foes, but relational ones

Theological Truths:

“There is no sin so great, but that Christ is greater still.” — Martin Luther

God’s love reaches even those we fear or loathe—just as it reached us.

Questions for Reflection:

1. Who in your life feels undeserving of grace?(MULTILINE)

2. Have you ever resented God’s mercy toward someone else?(MULTILINE)

3. What does your attitude toward your enemies reveal about your understanding of the gospel?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Write the name of someone who has wronged or threatened you, and pray for them by name, asking God to show them His grace.

Day 3: You Can’t Outrun God

Summary:
Jonah tried to flee from God’s presence, but God’s will chased him down. Our disobedience doesn’t just affect us—it affects those around us too.

Read:

• Jonah 1:4–17

• Hebrews 12:5–11

• Matthew 5:14–16

Background:
Jonah’s rebellion endangered the sailors. Though Jonah was the prophet, his disobedience made him a curse instead of a blessing—until God intervened.

Key Words:

• Storm – God’s loving discipline

• Obedience – joyful surrender to God’s will

• Blessing – our role in God’s redemptive plan

Theological Truths:

“The will of God is not a burden but a blessing, even when it leads through storms.” — R.C. Sproul

God’s mission will be fulfilled—with or without our cooperation.

Questions for Reflection:

1. How is your disobedience affecting others?(MULTILINE)

2. Have you mistaken God’s discipline for abandonment?(MULTILINE)

3. Are you bringing light or bringing storms to others?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Confess one area where you’ve said “no” to God’s call. Ask someone to hold you accountable to say “yes.”

Day 4: The God Who Relents

Summary:
Jonah’s five-word sermon sparked repentance in a wicked city. While Jonah sulked, the Ninevites fasted. God relented, because He delights in mercy.

Read:

• Jonah 3

• Jeremiah 18:7–10

• 2 Peter 3:9

Background:
Nineveh’s repentance was immediate and complete. The people and even animals mourned. God, who is both just and merciful, responded not with wrath but with grace.

Key Words:

• Repent – a change of mind and direction

• Relent – God’s response to sincere repentance

• Warning – God’s gracious invitation to change

Theological Truths:

“Repentance is not the cause of mercy, but the condition of it.” — Charles Spurgeon

God’s judgment is real, but so is His mercy—for all who turn to Him.

Questions for Reflection:

1. Do you underestimate the power of repentance—your own or others’?(MULTILINE)

2. How does Nineveh’s response challenge your assumptions about people far from God?(MULTILINE)

3. Have you assumed some people are “too far gone” to change?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Reflect on one area where you need a Nineveh-like turnaround. Fast from something this week and use the time to seek God in repentance.

Day 5: A Greater Jonah Has Come

Summary:
Jonah is a mirror for our hearts—but Jesus is the Savior we need. Where Jonah fled, Jesus obeyed. Where Jonah sulked, Jesus rejoiced. Jesus is the true and better prophet.

Read:

• Matthew 12:39–41

• Luke 9:51

• Philippians 2:5–11

Background:
Jesus referred to Jonah as a sign, pointing to His own death and resurrection. He is the greater Jonah—running not from judgment but toward it, for our salvation.

Key Words:

• Sign of Jonah – Jesus’ death and resurrection

• Obedient Servant – Jesus as the perfect prophet

• Resurrection – God’s validation of Christ’s mission

Theological Truths:

“The gospel is not about what we do for God but what God has done for us in Christ.” — Michael Horton

Jesus fulfilled what Jonah could not—perfect obedience and perfect love.

Questions for Reflection:

1. How does Jesus’ obedience reshape your understanding of what it means to follow God?(MULTILINE)

2. In what ways do you still try to earn grace instead of receiving it?(MULTILINE)

3. What part of Jesus’ journey (death, burial, resurrection) most captures your heart today?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Write a thank-you letter to Jesus—expressing gratitude for His obedience, His sacrifice, and His grace. Let it fuel your mission to share His love.