The story of Jonah is first and foremost about God. It’s a story that shows us God’s unrelenting grace for undeserving people. And, it’s a story for people like us, people who run from God and need second chances. The story of Jonah shows us a God whose love never stops and never quits, who is always and forever pursuing and redeeming us.
In this sermon, we’ll explore three themes from the story:
- Uncomfortable Call: God sends Jonah to pursue his worst enemies. It’s an uncomfortable call for Jonah. And while we expect that God’s prophet would answer that call, Jonah instead chooses to run.
- Unexpected Flight: Jonah won’t give his enemies a second chance for three reasons. His autonomy was threatened. His identity was threatened. Hi prejudice was threatened. Like Jonah, we are far too often prone to this kind of disposition. We also tend to run from God.
- Unrelenting Grace: Jonah ran from God, but God runs after Jonah. If God loved Jonah less, He would have let him go. But the fact that God pursues Jonah with the storm proves how much God loves Jonah. This demonstrates how God is unrelenting in His grace for undeserving people.
Takeaways:
- Running from God is normal…and nuts.
- God may send a storm to wake you up.
- God will never stop pursuing you.
Jonah 1:1-6
Questions about this sermon can be emailed to livingthemessage@moodychurch.org
