Jonah 1:1-3 When God Says Go and You Say No

Описание: Wednesday 2/11/26

You Can Run from God’s Will, but You Cannot Escape God’s Presence | Jonah 1

The book of Jonah is far more than a children’s story about a great fish—it is a searching revelation of the heart of God and the heart of man. In this opening message from Jonah chapter 1, we uncover what happens when a believer knows God’s will but refuses to follow it.

Jonah was not a novice prophet. He had already seen God work through his ministry, yet when the Lord commanded him to go preach to the wicked city of Nineveh, Jonah chose rebellion instead of obedience. Rather than traveling hundreds of miles toward God’s call, he attempted to flee thousands of miles in the opposite direction—teaching us a sobering truth: you can run from God’s will, but you cannot escape God’s presence.

This sermon explores the powerful themes that shape the book of Jonah:

• God’s Sovereignty — The Lord rules over wind, waves, nations, and even the path of a runaway prophet.
• God’s Mercy — Extended to pagan sailors, a violent Gentile city, and even a disobedient servant.
• The Danger of Religious Pride — How easy it is to value personal comfort over the souls of others.
• God’s Heart for the Nations — A reminder that His compassion reaches far beyond our borders.

We also see Jonah pointing forward to Jesus Christ, “a greater than Jonas,” who entered the depths of death and rose again to offer salvation to the world.

In this message, you will discover:
• Why God calls His people to difficult assignments
• What Jonah’s flight reveals about the human heart
• How disobedience often disguises itself as busyness
• The spiritual cost of running from God
• Why storms are sometimes instruments of God’s pursuing grace

Jonah’s downward journey—down to Joppa, down into the ship, down into the sea—mirrors what happens in every life that quietly redirects away from clear obedience.

Ask yourself:
Are you running from something God has clearly called you to do?
Are you resisting His mercy toward someone you feel does not deserve it?
Are you spending more energy fleeing than it would take to simply obey?

Remember: You are never freer than when you are inside the will of God.