Embracing God's Call: From Resistance to Restoration

Today’s gathering began with an invitation to recognize the beauty and abundance of God’s creation, both around us and within our relationships. We entered worship with gratitude, acknowledging God’s presence and the unique way He meets us when we come together. Through confession, we admitted the ways we fall short—failing to rejoice, to trust, to share the good news—and received the assurance that in Christ, we are forgiven and set free.

Turning to the story of Jonah, we explored not just a familiar children’s tale, but a profound reflection of our own hearts. Jonah, called by God to deliver a message of mercy to the brutal and feared people of Nineveh, chose instead to run in the opposite direction. His reasons were not trivial; the Assyrians were infamous for their cruelty, and Jonah’s reluctance was rooted in real fear and deep-seated resentment. Yet, God’s call was clear, and Jonah’s flight led him down, down, down—into the hold of a ship, into a storm, into the sea, and finally into the belly of a great fish.

This descent is not just Jonah’s story, but often ours as well. We, too, have moments when God’s voice is unmistakable—through Scripture, through dreams, through circumstances—and yet we resist, preferring comfort, safety, or even our own sense of justice over God’s call to compassion, forgiveness, and risk. Sometimes, like Jonah, we try to separate our worship from our obedience, thinking we can honor God on our own terms while running from His purposes.

But God’s pursuit is relentless, not to punish, but to restore. The storms that arise in our lives may not always be direct interventions, but they are opportunities to pay attention, to recognize our need, and to turn back. Even at our lowest, when we feel farthest from God, repentance—turning around—is always possible. God waits with outstretched hands, ready to restore us, to bring our lives and our worship back together, and to send us out again as agents of His mercy.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God is a Speaking God God’s nature is to communicate—He speaks through creation, through Scripture, through dreams, and through the circumstances of our lives. The same Spirit who spoke to Jonah and the prophets is present and active today, inviting us to listen and respond. When we immerse ourselves in God’s Word, we open ourselves to the creative and life-giving power of His voice. [33:42]
• 2. Resistance to God’s Call is Often Rooted in Real Fear Jonah’s reluctance was not mere stubbornness; it was shaped by the real threat and trauma associated with the Assyrians. Our own resistance to God’s call often comes from places of pain, fear, or past wounds. God understands these fears, but still calls us to trust Him beyond our comfort and to extend compassion even to those we find hardest to love. [41:35]
• 3. Worship is a Lifestyle, Not an Event Jonah could claim to worship God while running from Him, but true worship is not compartmentalized. It is a whole-life orientation—bringing every thought, word, and action under God’s authority. When our worship and our daily living are aligned, we experience the fullness of God’s presence and purpose. [49:50]
• 4. God’s Pursuit is Relentless and Restorative God does not abandon us when we run; instead, He pursues us, sometimes through storms or hardship, not to destroy but to restore. The descent into difficulty can be the very place where we encounter God’s mercy most profoundly. Even at rock bottom, God’s grace is available, and His desire is always to bring us home. [52:38]
• 5. Repentance is Always Within Reach No matter how far we have gone, or how long we have been running, the invitation to turn around remains open. Repentance is not about shame, but about returning to the God who waits with open arms. In surrender, we find restoration, purpose, and the joy of being sent again into the world as bearers of God’s love. [54:31]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [06:10] - Call to Worship and Opening Prayer
• [12:22] - Assurance of Forgiveness
• [18:52] - Offering and Introduction to Jonah
• [19:21] - Jonah’s Flight and the Storm
• [21:21] - Jonah Thrown Overboard
• [24:53] - Children’s Lesson: Jonah’s Pouting
• [27:34] - God’s Compassion for All
• [30:24] - God Speaks: The Nature of Prophecy
• [33:42] - How God Speaks Today
• [37:45] - The Fearsome Reality of Nineveh
• [41:35] - Our Own Reluctance and Resistance
• [43:16] - The Cost of Compassion
• [44:50] - God’s Storms and Second Chances
• [49:50] - Worship as a Way of Life
• [51:29] - Jonah’s Descent and Surrender
• [54:31] - The Invitation to Return
• [56:15] - Apostles’ Creed and Announcements
• [58:07] - Blessing and Sending Forth

Bible Reading

Jonah 1:1–17 (ESV) — Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.
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.
And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Observation Questions

1. What reasons did Jonah have for running away from God’s command to go to Nineveh? ([40:30])
2. How did God respond to Jonah’s attempt to flee, and what did He use to get Jonah’s attention? ([44:50])
3. In the story, how did Jonah describe himself to the sailors, and what does this reveal about his attitude? ([47:12])
4. What was the sailors’ reaction after the storm stopped, and what did they do in response? ([21:21])

Interpretation Questions

1. Jonah’s reluctance to go to Nineveh was rooted in real fear and resentment. How does understanding the brutality of the Assyrians help us empathize with Jonah’s decision, and what does this say about the challenges of obeying God when it feels unsafe? ([41:35])
2. The sermon mentioned that sometimes we try to separate our worship from our obedience, like Jonah did. What are some ways people today might try to “worship God” while still running from His purposes? ([48:27])
3. The storm in Jonah’s story was not just a punishment, but an opportunity for Jonah to pay attention and turn back to God. How might difficult circumstances in our own lives serve a similar purpose? ([52:38])
4. The sermon says that repentance is always within reach, no matter how far we have run. What does this teach us about God’s character and His desire for restoration? ([54:31])

Application Questions

1. The sermon talked about God speaking through Scripture, dreams, and circumstances. When was the last time you sensed God speaking to you? How did you respond? ([33:42])
2. Jonah’s resistance was rooted in real fear and pain. Is there a situation or person in your life where you feel God is calling you to act, but fear or past hurt is holding you back? What would it look like to trust God in that area? ([41:35])
3. The idea that “worship is a lifestyle, not an event” challenges us to bring every part of our lives under God’s authority. Are there areas of your life where your actions don’t match your worship? What is one step you could take this week to align your life and worship? ([49:50])
4. The sermon described God’s pursuit as relentless and restorative, not punishing. Can you think of a time when a “storm” in your life actually led you closer to God? How did that experience change you? ([52:38])
5. Repentance was described as “turning around” and returning to God, not about shame. Is there something you need to turn from or surrender to God right now? What would it look like to take that first step? ([54:31])
6. Jonah cared more about his own comfort and sense of justice than about the people God wanted to reach. Are there people or groups you find hard to love or forgive? How might God be inviting you to extend compassion, even when it’s difficult? ([27:34])
7. The sailors in the story responded to God’s power with awe and worship. How can you cultivate a greater sense of awe and gratitude for God’s presence in your daily life? ([21:21])