Grace to Revive

Written By Todd Jones

OUTLINE

Grace to Revive (Jonah 3:1-10)

I. Jonah’s Repenting — Revival Begins With Me (vv. 1–4)

  • Jonah as a living picture of the Gospel

  • Revival starts with the awakening of God’s people

  • Repentance before evangelism; humility before power

II. Nineveh’s Repenting — Revival Can Come to Anyone (vv. 5–8)

  • Genuine faith evidenced by sorrow, prayer, and turning from sin

  • Repentance dethrones pride and changes behavior

  • No one is beyond the reach of God's mercy

III. God’s Relenting — Revival Comes From God’s Grace (vv. 9–10)

  • God does not change in nature, but responds to human repentance

  • Mercy is not earned; it is granted

  • God always gives judgment to sinners and grace to repenters

  • Substitutionary atonement as the foundation of forgiveness

SERMON APPLICATION QUESTIONS

1. Revival Starts With Me

Scripture: Jonah 3:1–2
Question: What attitudes, habits, or hidden sins might be preventing revival from beginning in your own heart?
Leader Insight: Focus discussion on personal responsibility rather than cultural critique. The aim is conviction without shaming—confession leads to hope, not despair.

2. Repentance Before Ministry

Scripture: 2 Chronicles 7:14
Question: Do you spend more time praying for revival around you than repenting before God personally?
Leader Insight: Emphasize that effective evangelism flows from personal holiness, not strategy, talent, or outrage at society.

3. Getting Off the Throne

Scripture: Jonah 3:6
Question: Where in your life are you still “on the throne”—trusting your comfort, control, or resources instead of God?
Leader Insight: Encourage concrete examples: finances, parenting, schedule, reputation, marriage conflict, Morningside involvement.

4. Repentance Involves Humility, Not Just Emotion

Scripture: Jonah 3:5
Question: When you experience conviction, do you respond with brokenness or do you defend and justify yourself?
Leader Insight: Contrast worldly sorrow (“I feel bad”) with biblical repentance (“I change my ways”). Encourage testimonies of humble obedience.

5. Repentance Changes How We Pray

Scripture: Jonah 3:8
Question: Does your prayer life reflect desperation for God like the Ninevites, or convenience and routine?
Leader Insight: Challenge small group members to evaluate prayer not by length but by dependence, urgency, and surrender.

6. Turning From Sin, Not Just Feeling Bad About It

Scripture: Jonah 3:8; James 2:18
Question: What specific action steps should you take to turn away from patterns of sin this week?
Leader Insight: Help the small group move toward practical repentance—blocking websites, seeking accountability, apologizing, deleting apps, setting boundaries.

7. Repentance Affects Our Relationships

Scripture: Matthew 5:23–24
Question: Who do you need to reconcile with as an expression of genuine repentance?
Leader Insight: Encourage humility and forgiveness, but avoid forcing disclosures that require privacy or safety considerations.

8. No One Is Beyond God’s Reach

Scripture: Jonah 3:5; 2 Peter 3:9
Question: Who are the “Ninevites” in your life—the people you’ve written off as unreachable or undeserving of grace?
Leader Insight: Challenge heart attitudes, not political opinions. Discussion should cultivate compassion, not controversy.

9. Will You Obey Without Guaranteed Outcomes?

Scripture: Jonah 3:9
Question: Do you obey God only when you believe it will benefit you, or will you obey even when results are uncertain?
Leader Insight: Tie to the king’s “Who knows?” posture—obedience without entitlement is true faith.

10. Revival Is a Continual Return to Christ

Scripture: James 4:8
Question: What rhythms of confession and spiritual renewal do you need to build into your life to keep from drifting spiritually?
Leader Insight: Encourage ongoing repentance as a lifestyle, not a crisis response. Point toward communion, Morningside community, and daily Bible reading.

Todd Jones
Next

Grace for Second Chances