Embassy pastoral assistant John Pai preaches this Sunday (August 21, 2022) on Jonah 4. The big idea this week is when we anger over God’s lack of divine justice, God teaches us about His divine compassion. Jonah is angry over God’s compassion for Nineveh, and God teaches Jonah a lesson about who He is: a compassionate God. God displays both justice and compassion on the cross, where Jesus absorbed God’s wrath while dying and resurrecting for us who have been shown His grace and mercy. The Scripture readings from our worship service were from Exodus 34:1-9 and Romans 15:5-6.

Discussion Questions:

1. Have you or someone you know experienced a person who is angry with God for His compassion? How did it impact your daily life or their daily life?
2. How do you or have you seen others respond when they believe that God is being unjust?
3. Are their ways you struggle with grace and mercy?
4. What circumstances have you related to how Jonah feels towards God’s grace and mercy to others?
5. How have you or others left or gone away from situations that you believe justice should have been done? How does leaving impact God’s justice or grace and mercy?
6. What are things or circumstances in your life that you have seen God prove more than you can yourself?
7. How do you respond to God when He provides whatever is needed to save you from your own evil?
8. What are the things in your life that are providing happiness for you outside of God?
9. Are there times when you can relate to Jonah and don’t believe there are people who deserve forgiveness?
10. Do you care more for the things God created and gave you than the Creator and Giver Himself?
11. All of us have been called by faith but our actions have said otherwise and not living by faith. How has God responded to you?
12. How do you respond to God when you realize God has compassion for you and your enemies?
13. How do you know whether or not you believe and live out that God will act in His justice how and when He wants to?
14. How does knowing what Jesus did for us through His death, resurrection, and ascension help us to trust God’s justice and compassion?
15. How does Jesus help us to move from anger and selfishness to live in light of the gospel and have compassion for our enemies?