Whale, I Didn't See That Coming: Second Chances

1. What's the best second chance you've ever been given? (a job, driver’s test, getting a warning for speeding, etc) How did that second chance affect you?

2. Jonah 3 begins with "The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time." Why do you think that simple phrase is so encouraging? 

3. Garry described grace as "getting what we don't deserve" and mercy as "not getting what we do deserve." Which of those concepts is easier for you to accept? Which one is harder to believe applies to you, too?

4. Jonah's experience inside the fish prepared him and became part of his credibility when speaking to the people of Nineveh. How have difficult experiences, failures, or mistakes in your own life helped you better understand or encourage someone else?

5. The Ninevites responded with repentance - a change of heart that led to a change of direction. What's the difference between feeling sorry for something and genuinely repenting? Is there an area of your life where God may be inviting you to make an about-face?

6. Garry ended the message with this question: "What second chance is God offering you?" As you reflect on your life right now, is there an area where God may be inviting you to trust him, return to him, or take a step of obedience?

This week, ask God: "How can you use my story to help someone else?" Pay attention to opportunities to share a lesson you've learned, a way to encourage someone who's struggling, or to offer hope from an experience you've lived through.