Key Points

Jonah is graced with new life on land and given a second chance.

Although Jonah is obedient and does what the Lord asked him to do, as he goes into Nineveh, he will soon be very angry.

God’s forgiveness and mercy was good for Jonah; in Jonah’s heart, His mercy and forgiveness was not for the Ninevites.

Jonah was not only a runaway prophet, but he was also someone that needed God’s heart for the lost.

We too, are sometimes much like Jonah when we carry bitterness around in our heart when we should be offering forgiveness and mercy.

Perhaps we can say the Gospel is centered on the forgiveness of sin, and Jesus asked us to forgive others as He has forgiven us.

Forgiveness does not come naturally; it comes from the fruit of the spirit and from a complete understanding of the centrality of the cross.

If we are going to forgive, we must walk around the cross as long as it takes to understand how much it cost Jesus to pay for our sin.

Jesus teaches that withholding forgiveness is making someone still pay for their sin. When He absorbs our sin and takes the punishment for our sin, He makes the payment on our behalf so that it is no longer held against us as a debt.

It has been said that when we focus on withholding forgiveness toward someone, they become more important to us than God Himself.

Discussion Questions

What did the Holy Spirit impress upon you during the message on Sunday?

What are your thoughts after seeing that, between the two services, 70% of the people at our church are holding onto bitterness and unforgiveness?

It was suggested to take a walk around the cross long enough to take in the Gospel to help someone forgive the other. What do you see as you take a walk around the cross?

Pray together and ask the Lord to bring faith to the group that He will go ahead of you as you forgive.