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Read Jonah 1:4-6.

1. In this week’s session, Eric Mason describes the storm as a “Divine interruption.” What does he mean by that? How has God used “Divine interruptions” in your life to get your attention?

2. Jonah goes down to Joppa, down into the ship, and he lies down to sleep. In what ways are these events intended to help us see Jonah’s downward spiritual spiral? Have you ever spiraled like this?

3. Jonah’s physical sleep is a metaphor for the fact that he is not spiritually awake. In what ways is he spiritually asleep? Do you feel spiritually awake or asleep? How about the Church? How about the world?

4. Pastor Mick used our Membership Covenant as an example of being spiritually awake or spiritually asleep. What do you think about that example?

5. Pastor Mick said there is collateral damage when we are spiritually asleep. What did he mean by that? Who was Jonah’s (potential) collateral damage? Have you ever caused such collateral damage? Have you ever been someone else’s collateral damage?

6. Pastor Mick shared two different interpretations of why the crew threw cargo into the sea. What were those two interpretations? What did you think about the less traditional (less literal) interpretation?

7. In verse 6 of the KJV, the ship captain refers to Jonah as “O sleeper” and he tells him to “arise.” Read Ephesians 5:14 and see how these verses compare. What might God be telling us through verses like these?

8. Are there ways that we (individuals and the Church) are asleep and need to arise? Explain.

Prayer of the Week:
Almighty God, we confess that Jonah’s story is our story too. Sometimes we find ourselves spiritually drowsy. Sometimes we even run away from you when you call us. Forgive us, Lord. Thank you for never giving up on us. Thank you for relentlessly pursuing us. Wake us up, O Lord. Help us to rise up as your church and speak your truth to this hurting and broken world. Help us to share your Good News with all the collateral damage out there. Work in us and through us to help others come to repentance and find redemption in Christ Jesus our Lord. We pray all of this in the strong name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.