Jonah_Part_1.pdf

Devotional

Day 1: Sharing Jesus Is More Than an Invitation

Evangelism is not just about inviting someone to a church service or event. It is about intentionally sharing the truth of who Jesus is and what He has done in your life. This kind of sharing requires vulnerability and honesty, as it means opening up about your own experiences with God and how He has changed you. It is easy to rely on programs or events to do the work of evangelism, but true Gospel-sharing happens in personal conversations and relationships.

When you share your story, you are offering something real and meaningful—your own encounter with the living God. This is what makes evangelism powerful: it is not a script or a formula, but a genuine testimony of God’s work in your life. As you consider what it means to share Jesus, remember that your story matters, and God can use it to reach others in ways you may not expect.

“Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.” (Psalm 66:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: Who is one person in your life you could share a specific story of how Jesus has changed you, rather than just inviting them to church?

Day 2: God Crosses Every Barrier to Reach the Lost

God’s pursuit of people is relentless and boundary-breaking. The story of Jonah shows that God is willing to send His messengers into places that are uncomfortable, unfamiliar, or even hostile. He cares deeply for those who seem far from Him, and He desires that everyone has the opportunity to hear the truth. No one is beyond the reach of God’s grace, and He often calls His people to step out of their comfort zones to share His message.

This challenges us to see others through God’s eyes, not as outsiders or enemies, but as people He loves and wants to redeem. Sometimes, God may ask you to go to places or people you would not naturally choose. When you follow His leading, you become part of His mission to bring hope and salvation to all.

“And the word of the Lord came to Elijah: ‘Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.’” (1 Kings 17:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a person or group you tend to avoid or overlook? What would it look like to intentionally reach out to them with God’s love this week?

Day 3: Justice and Mercy—God’s Heart in Balance

God’s call to Jonah was not only a warning of judgment, but also an invitation to mercy. God’s justice means that evil and wrongdoing must be confronted, but His mercy always offers a way back. This balance is at the heart of the Gospel: God does not ignore sin, but He also does not withhold forgiveness from those who turn to Him.

When you share the Gospel, you are not condemning others, but inviting them into the same mercy you have received. It is important to remember that God’s desire is for redemption, not destruction. As you speak truth, do so with compassion, offering hope and a path to restoration.

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. (Joel 2:12-13, ESV)

Reflection: Is there someone you have been tempted to judge or write off? How can you pray for them and look for ways to extend God’s mercy instead?

Day 4: Your Story Can Reveal God to Others

Jonah’s reluctant testimony to the sailors led them to recognize God’s power and reality. In the same way, your honest account of what God has done in your life can have a profound impact on those who do not know Him. You may feel unqualified or hesitant, but God can use your story—even your struggles and failures—to reveal Himself to others.

Sharing your testimony is not about having all the answers, but about being real about your journey with God. Sometimes, it is in your weakness or reluctance that God’s strength is most clearly seen. Trust that He can use your words, however imperfect, to draw others to Himself.

“I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” (Psalm 78:2-4, ESV)

Reflection: What is one part of your story with God that you have been hesitant to share? How might God use even your struggles to encourage someone else today?

Day 5: Stepping Across Lines for the Sake of the Gospel

The Gospel calls us to cross boundaries—of race, culture, politics, or comfort—for the sake of others. Jonah was sent to a people he did not want to reach, yet God’s love extended even to them. If you truly believe that what God has done for you is worth sharing, you will be willing to step into unfamiliar or uncomfortable places so that others can experience His love and transformation.

This may mean reaching out to someone very different from you, or entering a space where you feel out of place. It is not always easy, but God promises to go with you. As you step out in faith, you become part of His work to bring hope and new life to the world.

“And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:16, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to cross a boundary—whether social, cultural, or personal—to share God’s love with someone who might not expect it?

Sermon Summary

of the Sermon**

Today we began a new series on the book of Jonah, focusing on what it truly means to share the Gospel. The message emphasized that evangelism is not just inviting people to church, but actually telling others about who Jesus is and what He has done. We explored how God goes to great lengths to make sure people hear the Gospel, even sending His prophets to places and people who seem far from Him. Jonah’s story is not about a big fish, but about God’s heart for all people, even those we might consider enemies or outsiders. We saw how Jonah’s reluctance and eventual testimony led people who didn’t know God to recognize His power and truth. The challenge for us is to consider whether what God has done in our lives is worth sharing, and if we are willing to cross boundaries to tell others about Him.

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Key Takeaways

1. Evangelism Is More Than Invitation Evangelism is not simply inviting someone to church or an event; it is intentionally sharing the truth about Jesus—who He is and what He has done in your life. This distinction matters because it calls us to a deeper, more personal engagement with others, rather than relying on programs or events to do the work for us. True evangelism requires vulnerability and a willingness to speak about our own encounters with God.
2. God’s Relentless Pursuit of the Lost The story of Jonah shows that God is willing to cross every boundary—cultural, national, even moral—to reach people with His message. He sends His messengers into uncomfortable and even hostile places because His desire is for all to hear the truth. This challenges us to see the world through God’s eyes, recognizing that no one is beyond the reach of His grace, and that He may call us to go where we least expect.
3. God’s Justice and Mercy Go Hand in Hand The call to Jonah was not just about warning Nineveh of judgment, but about offering them a chance to turn from their ways. God’s justice demands that evil is confronted, but His mercy always provides a path to redemption. This balance reminds us that sharing the Gospel is not about condemnation, but about inviting others into the same mercy we have received.
4. The Power of Personal Testimony Jonah’s reluctant sharing of his story with the sailors led them to recognize the reality of God. Our testimonies—honest accounts of what God has done in our lives—can have a profound impact on those who do not know Him. Even when we feel unqualified or unwilling, God can use our stories to reveal Himself to others in unexpected ways.
5. Crossing Boundaries for the Sake of the Gospel The question we must wrestle with is whether we are willing to cross lines of race, culture, or politics to share God’s truth. The Gospel calls us out of our comfort zones and into places where we might not naturally go. If we truly believe that what God has done for us is worth sharing, we will be willing to step into unfamiliar territory so that others can experience His love and transformation.

Bible Study Guide

**Bible Study Discussion Guide: Jonah – Crossing Boundaries for the Gospel**

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### Bible Reading

- **Jonah 1:1–16**
- **Mark 16:15**
- **1 Peter 3:15**

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### Observation Questions

In Jonah 1:1–2, what specific command does God give to Jonah, and what is Jonah’s initial response?
According to Mark 16:15, what does Jesus command His followers to do?
In Jonah 1:8–10, how do the sailors react when Jonah shares who he is and what he has done?
What does 1 Peter 3:15 say about how we should talk to others about our faith?

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### Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jonah was so reluctant to go to Nineveh, even though he was a prophet of God?
What does God’s willingness to send Jonah to Nineveh tell us about God’s heart for people who seem far from Him?
How does Jonah’s story challenge the idea that evangelism is just inviting someone to church?
What does it look like to “give an answer for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15) in real life, especially with people who are different from us?

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### Application Questions

The sermon said evangelism is more than just inviting people to church—it’s sharing who Jesus is and what He’s done in your life. When was the last time you shared your personal story of faith with someone? What made it easy or hard?
Jonah was called to cross cultural and national boundaries to share God’s message. Are there people or groups in your life that you find it hard to reach out to? What holds you back?
God’s justice and mercy go together—He confronts evil but also offers a way out. How can you share both truth and mercy when talking about your faith with others?
Jonah’s reluctant testimony still led others to recognize God. Have you ever felt unqualified or unwilling to share your faith? What happened, and what did you learn from it?
The sermon challenged us to see if what God has done in our lives is worth sharing. What is one specific thing God has done for you that you could share with someone this week?
Are there “boundaries” (like race, culture, or politics) that you feel God might be asking you to cross for the sake of the Gospel? What would it look like to take a first step?
Think about someone in your life who doesn’t know Jesus. What is one practical way you can move beyond comfort and start a conversation about faith with them this month?

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Sermon Quotes

Evangelism isn’t just inviting people to church or to an event. Evangelism is telling others about who Jesus is, what He has done for you, and sharing the Gospel. Outreach is good, but it’s not the same as evangelism.

The book of Jonah isn’t about a big fish—it’s about crossing lines to tell others about God’s justice, righteousness, and morality. My hope is that we get excited about telling others about Jesus.

God goes to great lengths to make sure people hear the Gospel. There are entire books in the Bible dedicated to showing how far He’s willing to go so that everyone has a chance to know Him.

The Assyrian Empire was brutal and inhumane, yet God still sent Jonah to proclaim His truth to them. Even those who seem farthest from God are not beyond His reach or His desire for them to hear the Gospel.

God tells Jonah to go to a people who don’t know Him, and Jonah runs in the opposite direction. But even in his disobedience, Jonah’s testimony leads others who don’t know God to believe in Him.

This is the power of sharing your testimony: when you tell your story, people who don’t know God can come to believe that your God is real and active in the world.

The question we all have to ask ourselves is: Is what God did for me worth telling others about, so He can do it for them? Are we willing to cross racial, cultural, and political lines to share the truth of God’s Word?

For God to be truly just, people and nations who do wrong will be judged. But God’s justice is always paired with His desire for everyone to hear the truth and have the opportunity to respond.

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