People God Uses- Jonah
Small Group Notes

Ben spoke to the Church about how God uses us Yes really He uses us! And Ben proved that using a well known story in the Old Testament.

 

“If you pick up a Bible, you pick up something very powerful. If you listen to the declared word of God, you are listening to dangerous stuff – it changes lives!”

 

From the story of Jonah we learn that,

 

“Once God calls us to a task, he will hold us to it. If we avoid it, he has a habit of bringing us back to the point of decision again. He did it to Israel on the borders of the Promised Land; he did it to Jonah; my own suspicion is that he has done it to us. It seems to me that we have been where we are now before.”

 

Ben also challenged us with this question:

 

“Why did God use Jonah so powerfully? Simply this – he obeyed. He was one of God’s doves. He may have been silly and senseless at times, but he was precious to God and God honoured his word spoken through Jonah.

 

God is able to change us later – he’s got a lot of time on his hands. What matters now, more than anything else, for us who believe, is that we obey.

 

Let’s stop looking at ourselves and seeing all the problems. Instead, let’s listen to what he is asking of us, do what we hear him say to us – and then see what he will do:

·         for us,

·         in us and

·         through us.”

 

(1)        Share with the group a word from God to you that has been significant in your growth in God.

 

(2)        The Bible uses various symbols to describe the effect it can have on people. In the talk on Sunday examples given included:

·         Fire

·         Water

·         Rock

·         Hammer

·         Double-edged sword

 

 

(3)        What do you think the Spirit is currently saying to LWCC?

 

(4)        Like Jonah, we have been entrusted with a message. Let’s stop looking at ourselves and seeing all the problems. Instead, let’s listen to what he is asking of us, do what we hear him say to us – and then see what he will do:

·         for us,

·         in us and

·         through us.

 

What is your expectation of what God will do as we take this word seriously?