Sunday School Lesson by Bill Boyd
FreedomBaptistChurch Pastor
=THE BOOK OF JONAH=
Lesson 15
AIM: To teach my class that God hates all sin not just the sin in our enemies lives!
POINT OF CONTACT: Read - Jonah 4:1-4. Jonah had not let it sink down into his heart that just one soul was priceless to the Lord Jesus Christ, and he must be taught this lesson! God loves everyone - John 3:16. The depths of God’s mercy and grace are endless!
I. JONAH’S MAIN CONCERNS - John 4:5
A. His personal material comfort - more concern over self and the temporary than eternal!
1. He slept through a violent storm and laid back in ease under a booth to await their judgment!
2. His provisions for himself were insufficient so the Lord caused a gourd to grow over his booth!
3. Faith and trust in temporary good works are not sufficient to wash away our wicked sin - Rom. 4:5!
B. In order to teach Jonah the value of one soul, God prepared him some visual aides!
1. God prepared the great fish, the gourd, a worm, and a vehement {burning, hot} wind!
2. The things that we spend most of our time on are only temporarily - Mt, 6:19-21; James 4:14.
C. The worm, picturing Jesus’ crucifixion, destroys the works of man-made religion - Titus 3:5.
1. Temporary self-works dry up and blow away with the wind - they do not stand the tests of life!
2. Calvary cancels out all efforts of man to provide his own shelter - death to all works - Eph. 2:8,9.
3. The cross and crucifixion of Jesus is God's answer to all human effort to save self - John 14:6.
4. Building your own booth of good works will not shelter you from the flames of hell!
II. BETTER FOR ME - Jonah 4:3,8
A. How un-Christ like - Luke 19:10. Real, “Christians” care about the souls of men!
B. The selfish, take care of #1 attitude of God's people - John 13:34,35; I John 3:18.
1. We are more concerned with our temporary pleasures, possessions than with the eternal souls of men!
2. Proof is not in what we say but in what we do - Matthew 7:16-20; James 2:18.
C. It may well be better for you at the moment, but not later - Romans 14:10,12; I John 2:28.
1. If you had the opportunity to witness to someone but did not - Isa. 1:15; Ez. 3:17-19; Acts 20:26,31.
D. God has His own way of dealing with believers who need an attitude adjustment - Ps. 51:10!
1. Far better for believers to judge themselves than for God to have to - I Corinthians 11:31!
III. THE LESSON OF GOD’S LOVE - Jonah 4:11
A. Jonah would have rejoiced to see Nineveh destroyed - to be Christ-like is to be heartbroken!
B. Multitudes claimed the name, “Christian” but have very little resemblance to Christ!
C. Jesus loved us before He saved us, while we were sinners - Romans 5:8; Revelation 1:5.
D. If you say that you love God, then prove it - John 14:15Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8.
E. God is patient with sinners and with backslidden believers - II Peter 3:9.
IV. HATING SINNERS BUT NOT SIN
A. Jonah hated these Ninevites because of their cruelty and vicious acts of violence!
1. When torturing an enemy, they would tie their arms above their head, make a cut in their skin, take a
type of pliers, grab the skin at the cut and peal them like a banana!
2. Jonah ran in hatred and in fear of these murdering barbarians, desiring God to kill them!
B. It's easy to see the sin in the lives of others but extremely difficult to see our own sin!
1. Jonah's hatred, in God eyes, was just as bad as their murderers - I John 3:15.
2. Not witnessing when we have a God-given opportunity is sin - Ezekiel 3:17-19.
1