Examining the Story of Jonah and Human Tendencies to Run from God

This is part 3 of a sermon series on Jonah entitled “Surprised by Grace.”

In this sermon—“Divine Intervention”—we see God go after Jonah in a storm. It seems at first that this storm is divine punishment fueled by God’s anger toward Jonah for running away. But it’s actually divine intervention fueled by God’s affection for Jonah.

When we run, God will send storms—usually in the form of consequences. But each storm God sends is a merciful intrusion designed to wake us up and set us free.

God is in the business of relentlessly pursuing rebels like us and he comes after us not to angrily strip away our freedom, but to affectionately strip away our slavery to self so that we might become truly free.

Jonah 1:4-10