Theme:
Faith
Title:
What are you running towards?
Desired Outcomes:
The aim of this uGroup is to help members see the power of what you run towards and
how “God sustains what he sends”. That we should have faith even when we do not
know how it will end.
Core Scriptures:
- Jonah 1
Welcome:
Any fun and welcoming Icebreaker that gets the members moving, on their feet, where all the members can participate in. If there are new members be careful not to create a space where they feel exposed or uncomfortable.
Word:
Introduce the message by asking the following question:
- What does it mean to have
faith?- Make it inviting that people will speak on their own and ask the people that did not say
anything of what their thoughts are?
- Make it inviting that people will speak on their own and ask the people that did not say
- Read Hebrews 11:1-3
- Explain to the uGroup that faith is not something that is seen
but found in the substance of our hope based on who we believe our God is.
- Explain to the uGroup that faith is not something that is seen
- Read Jonah 1:1-3
- Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to
Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before
Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down
to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it,
to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
- Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to
- Why do you think God would use Jonah?
- Do you think Jonah had the right to be afraid?
- Do you believe that God would have protected Jonah if he went?
- Fear can let us run away from what we need to face. That is not what God wants
us to live (2 Timothy 1:7) - Do you believe that God speaks in your life?
- When God speaks, do you stand up to run away or run with God?
- How you stand up is important.
- Read Jonah 1:3-9 “I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. ” (9)
- What stood out for you?
- You can fear God and believe that He created the heaven and the ocean and still
choose to run away when He calls. - Why do you think someone who believes, worships and fears God would run
away? - Did Jonah put God first?
- Did Jonah trust that God would protect him?
- What do you think Jonah needed to put God first?
- 1 John 4:18 – Perfect loves drives out all fear.
- Proverbs 3:5 – Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding
- Romans 8:28 – All things work together for good to those who love God, to those
who are called according to His purpose.
- Jonah 1:12 "And he said to them, “ Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will become
calm for you. For I know that this great tempest is because of me.”
- What do you think made him be willing to jump in the sea? Discuss
- Jonah 1:17 NKJV "Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."
- What do you think it meant that God provided a great fish?
- God provided for him a way even though he ran away. This shows that we have a
merciful God that chose to work through us in spite of our flaws. - After Jonah repented in chapter 2, he was finally willing to face that which God
asked of him and after the call came again (Jonah 3:1-2), he went and the
Nineveh’s turned towards God and God did not bring wrath on them but rather
salvation.
Finish the word saying we should spend time in God’s presence and Word because
it will give us faith so that we will trust God and not run away but rather run towards what
has called us to.
Hebrews 12:1-2 – Run your race