Running from God’s Mission! Jonah 1     1. RECEIVING GOD’S MISSION   “...your wickedness rises before me; it smells to highest heaven” (Jonah 1:2, LB).     2. RUNNING FROM GOD’S MISSION   3. CONSEQUENCES OF RUNNING FROM GOD   *Running from God can be dangerous   *Running from God can cause hardship to others   *Running from God can lead us to despair   “Though the question about race comes last in the sailors’ list [“What is your mission? What is your country? Who are your people?”], Jonah answers it first. “I am a Hebrew,” he says before anything else. In a text so sparing with words, it is significant that he reverses the order and puts his race out front as the most significant part of his identity. . . . Jonah’s relationship with God was not as basic to his significance as his race. That is why, when loyalty to his people and loyalty to the Word of God seemed to be in conflict, he chose to support his nation over taking God’s love and message to a new society.” Timothy Keller, Rediscovering Jonah (pp. 50-51).   “As long as serving God fit into Jonah’s goals for Israel, he was fine with God. As soon as he had to choose between the true God and the god he actually worshiped, he turned on the true God in anger. Jonah’s particular national identity was more foundational to his self-worth than his role as a servant of the God of all nations. The real God had been just a means to an end. He was using the God to serve his real god.” Ibid, p. 216.     4. GOD’S GRACE STILL PREVAILS, EVEN WHILE WE RUN!   *God uses our bad choices for His good purposes   *God loves to shower us with second chances   “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10-14-15)     Small Group Discussion Questions:   What stood out to you from today’s message? Where does God want you to be more missionally active? What prevents you from engaging missionally with non-believers?