Why would God send Jonah to an enemy of God’s people? Another thing that makes this book interesting is the fact Jonah resists the call. He’s a prophet of God given the words of God for Assyria, and Jonah runs. What does the flight of Jonah reveal about him, us, and God?

Everyone is a worshipper. The question is what and whom do we worship? Our identity and calling as worshippers and disciples do not happen in isolation. They happen in a family we call the Church.

As couples submit to Christ and one another, we get a glimpse into our union with Christ. And we also get a practical way to love our wives: as Christ laid his life down for the church, we are to lay down our live for our spouse. How can marriages be driven and centered on Christ?

Will power and mere effort will not allow us to live God honoring lives. We needed greater power (Holy Spirit), and greater motivations.

We can’t talk about the gospel and Christ and not talk about his bride. Through the church the manifold wisdom of God will be revealed to our society.

In a world riddled with disunity, racism, class divide, and demonization… the gospel speaks with power. God is in pursuit of one new humanity where our common ground is Christ, not race, gender, background, political, or economic standing.

The Christian life isn’t static. Paul gives an example of how we are to pray for more of God’s wisdom, love, knowledge, revelation, and power.

What are the elements of this great hymn which covers our past, present, and future?

Malachi ends with a great summary of two kinds of people: those who are righteous and follow God, and those who do not. It becomes a question for Israel and for us today, how shall we live? For God, or not?

We give because God is generous to us, we give because he gave his only son to be poor, so we could be rich in him. God’s people should be a generous people.