This small group guide includes ten in-depth lessons for one-to-one discipleship, small group, or large group settings. Explore this resource and find a God who relents, a God who is sovereign, and a God who is present among the mercies and trials of life.
Jonah: Grace for Sinners and Saints offers Scripture-based, theologically rich content with an easy-to-follow structure to engage readers. Duguid explores how we are more like Jonah than we might think, bringing the text to life by examining our own motives and affections.
Duguid doesn't leave readers in the judgment and spiritual arrogance of Jonah. He shows us the good news that the Lord is in charge, even over those who try to run from him.
With rich discussion questions, exercises, and articles to encourage thoughtful responses to the text, this study guide helps readers see Jesus more clearly in the themes found in the book of Jonah.
"Jesus puts the cookies on the lower shelf. He spoke directly: 'Who do you say that I am?' He spoke simply: 'You serve either God or money.' He spoke personally: 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Similarly, in this book, Iain Duguid puts the cookies on the lower shelf. He connects the Bible and your life with directness, simplicity, and personalness. You will be blessed."
David Powlison, Executive Director, Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation
"Be warned: This may be the most uncomfortable Bible study your small group has ever tackled. Look honestly at the ugly heart of the prophet Jonah—self-righteous, explosive, sulking, despairing, compassionless, resentful, self-focused—and you will see yourself reflected in that mirror. Be encouraged: Jonah's patient, gracious, and merciful God sent Jesus into death's depths and raised him again to extend amazing grace to Nineveh, Jonah, and you."
Dennis E. Johnson, Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology, Westminster Seminary, California
"This slender volume contains everything needed for a life-changing study of the book of Jonah. First, it is rigorously biblical as it comes from the careful pen of Iain Duguid, distinguished Old Testament scholar and pastor. Second, it is redolent with Christ-centered application. Third, each chapter is structured with a uniquely wrought format that maximizes the application to the heart. Jonah: Grace for Sinners and Saints is a one of a kind and will grace the life of the church!"
Kent Hughes, Sr. Pastor Emeritus of College Church in Wheaton; visiting professor of pastoral theology at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia
"Studying the Bible is all about listening: listening to the text, listening to the life situation surrounding the text, listening to the community that comes together around the Word, and most of all, listening to the silence of the Spirit, the chief Interpreter of the text. Iain Duguid's Jonah: Grace for Sinners and Saints is the first study I've ever seen that takes into account this entire range of engagement."
Michael Card, Bible teacher; songwriter
"Nothing is more vital to our intimacy with Christ than spending time with him in his Word. But a lot of Bible studies stop short and only deal with concepts and ideas and never really speak to our hearts. That's why I'm so excited about this series. Each author writes about the unique gospel insights he or she has gained from Scripture and has created a small group study that will help people actually encounter Christ and be changed by the power of his grace. God has used this material powerfully in my life, marriage, and ministry, and that is my prayer for you as well."
Bob Osborne, Executive Director, Serge
Jonah: Grace For Sinners And Saints is a 119 page softback book. It is designed as a small group Bible study with the overarching purpose of not just learning about Jonah but to discover God and his saving grace and power. It is also designed to help the student learn to see others who need God and share God with them, as Jonah did with the Ninevites. It is best if each participant has their own study guide. While designed for discussion and small groups or Bible classes, I found it easy enough to use individually and was able to learn a lot on my own. I really like the way this is set up. I appreciate that the Bible is the dominant text referred to in the study and that the author’s article expounds upon that without replacing it. So often, we find the author’s words being the focus rather than God’s words. This series seems to be doing a great job of keeping the focus where it should be: God’s Word. I do wish the Leader’s Notes were integrated with the chapters, though I understand why they are not. If I was a participant in a group study, I think I would like them being at the back. However, doing the study as an individual, the notes being at the back means I often forget about them when doing each section so I lose out on that information being helpful to me. Salvation Discussion Since this is an Old Testament book, there is not as much of a discussion about the process of salvation for you and me but rather the process of God sending his message of necessary repentance to Ninevah. The focus of the study of Jonah is more on the power and sovereignty of God, the need for repentance, and understanding the nature of God rather than on the element of eternal salvation through the New Testament covenant. I did not note anything of concern in this study.
I love how this short study tackles the story of Jonah and shows how applicable the book of Jonah is for each of our lives. I appreciated how this book had a section where we are encouraged to examine our feelings towards various things to see if we really are like Jonah. Iain puts some of those things into more modern concepts to help readers relate. I also really appreciated the section on hoe God doesn't change, since it's always an important reminder! This is an excellent study to go through.
"Jonah: Grace for Sinners and Saints", a study in "The Gospel-Centered Life in the Bible", written by Iain M. Duguid, tells the story of Jonah and Nineveh and shows us God's heart toward all peoples and nations. This ten-week study can be used in small groups or individually and teaches us how this Old Testament story fits in with the gospel message. God's love and grace is prevalent in Jonah not only for Jonah but also for the Ninevites, showing us that God cares for all and offers His grace to everyone. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from New Growth Press through Audra Jennings PR. I was not required to write a review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Jonah: Grace for Sinner and Saints is a study guide with leader’s notes, and it is from The Gospel-Centered Life in the Bible series. The goal of this study guide is “bigger than merely to study the book of Jonah. You will also keep your eyes on Jesus and the good news of God’s love and power to save you as well as learn how that power takes you beyond yourself to love others – especially those who don’t yet know Jesus.” The book contains eight lessons, and each lesson starts with a big idea and a Bible conversation. The Bible conversation section is a suggested scripture reading and some discussion questions about the scripture being read that day. Then, there is an article written by the author to extend your thinking about the passage that was read. There is also a discussion section to encourage interaction in a small group, and the lesson ends with wrap-up and prayer. There are leader notes in the back of the book. After reading through it, this is a study that I would love to lead and/or participate in with a small group of ladies. I would recommend this study guide for use in a small group, for those who want to dig deeper into their Bibles
Jonah: Grace for Sinner and Saints is a study guide with leader’s notes, and it is from The Gospel-Centered Life in the Bible series. The goal of this study guide is “bigger than merely to study the book of Jonah. You will also keep your eyes on Jesus and the good news of God’s love and power to save you as well as learn how that power takes you beyond yourself to love others – especially those who don’t yet know Jesus.” The book contains eight lessons, and each lesson starts with a big idea and a Bible conversation. The Bible conversation section is a suggested scripture reading and some discussion questions about the scripture being read that day. Then, there is an article written by the author to extend your thinking about the passage that was read. There is also a discussion section to encourage interaction in a small group, and the lesson ends with wrap-up and prayer. There are leader notes in the back of the book. After reading through it, this is a study that I would love to lead and/or participate in with a small group of ladies. I would recommend this study guide for use in a small group, for those who want to dig deeper into their Bibles. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, New Growth Press, in return for an honest review.
Growing as a Christian is not simply a matter of learning about the bible or trying hard to live according to it. Instead you must grow in your awareness that you need Jesus every day to help you turn from yourself and turn toward him and others. The heart of the gospel message is to know we need forgiveness, to ask God for forgiveness for Jesus's sake, and then to extend to others the grace we have been given. Jonah is a study about faith and the error of where our faith is placed. Jonah represents our faith in ways that we deal with anger, justification, and the sovereignty of God. Jonah also shows the contrasting faith of Jesus dealing with suffering and hope. The question of what makes me angry and what gives me comfort can be rooted where we place our faith. Jonah's emotions are what drove him and God in his grace is asking Jonah and us about our feelings. This part of the study is valuable to those that seem to be driven by despair. Despair is the not the fruit of faith but the lack of hope. Why are you angry? Why are you jealous? Why are you bitter? God is calling us to answer these questions just as he did Jonah and Cain. The study is filled with contrasting truths for us to examine our hearts and not be left without hope but put our faith in the One that knows our hearts better than we do. This study is geared toward a group but it is also beneficial as individual study as well. The group is designed to share struggles of faith and come along side so all in the group may be strengthen in faith. It is faith that pleases God. Highly recommend.
I love this series of books by New Growth Press! Kudos to the publisher for producing such top-notch materials for group and even personal study. Old Testament scholar Ian Duguid who writes very accessibly, keeps our eyes focused on Jesus through the study of Jonah's life and ministry. This book, designed as a group study, consistently points to the greater Jonah - Christ Himself. The book has 10 chapters, and each chapter has a big idea, a Bible conversation, an article, discussion questions and a personal exercise, concluding with a final wrap-up and prayer (same format as followed in most books in the series). The author begins by presenting the big picture from Jonah's life, showing us that we are much like Jonah in our rebellion against God's grace and mercy. Next, Duguid looks to Jonah 1 and shows us why we run from God. The fish, the plant, the worm, the wind, and even pagan sailors run to do God's will, but Jonah runs away from God. Duguid writes, "He(Jonah) wasn't afraid of danger or failure in Nineveh; he was afraid of success.....Jonah quit and ran away from God because the Lord violated his sense of what kind of God he should be. This is the same reason we turn our backs on God." Duguid rightly points out that when we run away from God, like Jonah, we go downward and inward. Duguid then looks to Mark 4:35-41 (Jesus sleeping in a storm) and Luke 22:39-46 (Jesus awake and troubled in another storm), beautifully showing us the contrast between Jonah and Jesus. Jonah was judgmental and without mercy toward hardened sinners while the greater Jonah went to the cross to rescue them. Jonah preferred to die rather than say yes to God's will, while Jesus was willing to die so that He could do the Father's will. Duguid then gets practical: he shows us how Jonah's story helps us respond in at least three ways to the storms of our life, like the scrambling sailor (trusting in our own resources), the sleeping Jonah (running away from God), or the person of faith (trusting God's fatherly care). Again, brilliant insights! Then, from Jonah's prayer in Jonah 2, the author shows us how God's sovereignty trumps Jonah's rebellion. Jonah's prayer sounds pious, but it lacks repentance! He rationalizes his own heart rebellion (claiming to be an insider) while magnifies the sins of the pagan sailors (marking them as outsiders). Duguid quips, "Perhaps it is little wonder that at the end of Jonah's psalm the fish vomited him out onto the dry ground. It seems the fish could not stomach him any longer." Well, well! From Jonah 3, Duguid shows us why Jonah was given a second chance – God was calling Jonah to obey Him in the most difficult area of his life! But the way in which Jonah fulfilled his call revealed the hardness of his heart. His terse message revealed a lack of love for the Ninevites. Nineveh however did repent, because the Lord showed them mercy! Duguid rightly says that Jonah’s problem was not really with the people of Nineveh, but rather with the “sovereign, gracious, unchanging character of God”. This, he suggests is our fundamental problem as well – God doesn’t work according to our rules! We really need to repent of trying to govern the world, just like Jonah needed to. From Jonah 4, Duguid looks at the heart of Jonah’s anger and ours. He suggests that Jonah’s anger “flowed from disappointed expectations about the Lord.” Jonah received grace upon grace from God but refused to show that same grace to the Ninevites. God’s response to Jonah’s anger is again more grace. This grace was in the form of joys and trials (a plant to shade Jonah, a worm to kill the plant and a wind that roasted him). Duguid concludes, “The Lord was challenging Jonah’s prideful anger to invite him to deeper fellowship where he could acknowledge his need of grace and see the Lord’s amazing patience with him.” Overall, this was such an insightful book! Duguid’s writing is skillful much like a surgeon, piercing the heart with precision. He writes with a gospel focus, pointing us to Christ chapter after chapter. Duguid shows us that we too, like Jonah, have received grace upon grace in Christ and that should move us to show compassion to others. What a great and merciful God we serve! 5 stars for this book!
