September 17, 2023
Pastor Ricky Smith
Sermon Notes
Jonah 1:4-16
But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.” And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
I. Teachable Moments
God will never give up on you!
Psalm 24:1–2
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters
II. Rebellion Does Not Go Unnoticed
The Lord will make a storm to wreak havoc and wreck our plans when we refuse to obey.
III. Caught In The Storm
Our rebellion doesn’t just affect us. It hurts the people we love the most.
IV. What Do We Do In The Storm?
Next Steps
- I confess my sin and turn to Jesus as King for the first time
- I surrender to God and recommit to follow His plan.
- I choose to guard my heart from willful rebellion to God.
Deep Dive
- Why did Jonah run from God?
- Read Jonah 1:16. What can we learn from the sailor’s example?
- Compare Jonah 1:16 and Mark 4:41. How can we better view and respond to God?
Springboard
- Read Genesis 1:20-21; what do we learn about the “Great Fish” from this passage? Where did it come from?
- What is being communicated to the reader when Jonah is swallowed by the Great Fish?
- Read Matthew 12:38-40; how does Jesus view the story of Jonah, and why is it important?