Sunday 10/18/2026 "Hearing God’s Call" Jonah 1:1-3 Pastor Rick Schulze

Devotional

Day 1: When the Call Comes Like a Burning Bush

God’s voice breaks into ordinary moments with unmistakable clarity. Jonah heard a direct command to confront Nineveh’s sin, just as Moses encountered a bush that burned without being consumed. These calls weren’t vague suggestions but specific, urgent assignments. God still speaks this way—cutting through distractions, naming places and purposes. His voice may startle, but it carries divine authority. The challenge isn’t whether God speaks, but whether we’re listening. [36:02]

“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.”
(Jonah 1:1-3, ESV)

Reflection: When has God’s call disrupted your routine? What specific task or conviction have you hesitated to embrace, and why?

Day 2: Unqualified but Equipped for the Unplanned

Jonah felt unprepared to confront Nineveh, just as Moses doubted his ability to speak. Yet God doesn’t call the equipped—He equips through the calling itself. Noah built an ark without blueprints, Abraham left home without a map, and ordinary believers today step into roles they never trained for. Resistance often masks fear of inadequacy, but obedience unlocks God’s sustaining power. [39:45]

“But Moses said to the Lord, ‘Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent… I am slow of speech and of tongue.’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.’”
(Exodus 4:10-12, ESV)

Reflection: What mission have you avoided because you felt unqualified? How might God’s presence compensate for your perceived lack?

Day 3: Nineveh’s Shadow and the Call You’d Rather Avoid

Jonah’s assignment felt dangerous and undeserved—Nineveh was Israel’s enemy. Yet God’s call often pushes us toward those we’d rather ignore. The Assyrians’ “wickedness” (Jonah 1:2) didn’t disqualify them from mercy, just as our own past doesn’t limit God’s purpose. Running from hard calls, like Jonah’s flight to Tarshish, delays redemption for others and growth in us. [42:37]

“The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”
(Matthew 12:41, ESV)

Reflection: Who or what situation feels like your “Nineveh”—a place of reluctance? What grace might await if you stopped resisting?

Day 4: Hearing God in the Third Watch of the Night

Samuel needed Eli’s help to recognize God’s voice, just as believers today need community and quiet to discern His call. Noise drowns divine whispers—social media, busyness, even religious routines. Yet God persists, speaking through Scripture’s clarity, others’ wisdom, and the Spirit’s nudge. Like Samuel, our posture must shift from confusion to “Speak, Lord, your servant hears.” [37:20]

“And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant hears.’”
(1 Samuel 3:10, ESV)

Reflection: What clutter muffles God’s voice in your life? What step could you take this week to create space for intentional listening?

Day 5: When Obedience Feels Like a Speed Bump

The pastor admitted fleeing his call before surrendering—a journey mirroring Jonah’s. Resistance often feels safer than obedience, but delay drains joy. God’s patience doesn’t mean approval; He waits, but He still expects movement. Like Jonah paying fare for a sinking ship, our detours cost more than the mission. Surrender isn’t weakness—it’s trading our plans for His purpose. [47:36]

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
(2 Peter 3:9, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been “stuck” in reluctance? What would it look like to trade your resistance for trust today?

Sermon Summary

Jonah 1 begins with a real man receiving a real call from God. Second Kings identifies Jonah by his father and his hometown, and Jesus refers to Jonah repeatedly. The account is not a fantastic fable with a few lessons tucked inside. God’s dealings with Jonah reveal his character and expose the resistance of a man called to go where he did not want to go.

God’s call is personal. God did not leave Jonah to pick up an assignment from the priest or the townspeople. God spoke directly to him and gave him a task he had not dreamed about. That same personal call can take a believer somewhere that was never on the radar. God does not have to explain the whole journey, give an end date, or show the final results. God gives the next step and calls for obedience.

God’s call does not depend on somebody already feeling ready. God called Noah to build an ark, Abram to leave familiar surroundings, Moses to stand before Pharaoh, and Samuel before he recognized the Lord’s voice. God supplied what each assignment required. His power, not human confidence, made the difference. His preparation often comes along the way, as obedience puts the next step into motion.

God’s call also comes with a purpose. God did not tell Jonah merely to take a trip or check things out. God named Nineveh, confronted its wickedness, and sent Jonah to call its people to repentance. His initial call confronts sinners with their own sin and offers forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. His subsequent calls appoint particular areas of service. That service may take place in a church, in Bible translation, at a computer, or on a factory floor.

God still speaks through Scripture, through the Holy Spirit in prayer, through confirmation from others, and in that still, quiet voice. Neglect of the Bible can hide an unwillingness to hear something uncomfortable. Familiarity with God’s voice grows through time spent with him, just as a familiar voice becomes recognizable through years together.

God’s purpose calls for a response, not simply recognition. His invitation brings people into a relationship that makes his reality visible to others, even through hard times. Resistance becomes a “speed bump” in the way. God calls his people to listen, respond, and follow, then watch what he will do.

Key Takeaways

1. God gives steps before full explanations. God’s personal call does not come with every detail of the future attached. His direction gives enough for obedience without handing over control of the whole journey. Faith takes the next step because God is speaking, not because the outcome is already clear. [32:15]
2. God supplies what his assignments require. God’s call often reaches people before they feel prepared or willing. His work in Moses shows that reluctance and weakness do not leave him short of power. His preparation unfolds through obedience, so a sense of inadequacy need not become a reason to refuse him. [39:23]
3. Bible neglect can conceal deliberate resistance. Avoidance of Scripture can be more than a problem with time or understanding. Resistance sometimes stays away because God might name something that needs to change. God’s written Word brings that resistance into the open and calls for a willingness to hear before the assignment is comfortable. [55:25]
4. God’s purpose reaches ordinary places of work. God’s call to service is not limited to a church position or a paycheck from a ministry. His purpose can turn an ordinary workplace into a place where hurting people receive prayer, care, and a faithful witness. The call to serve requires attention to the people already nearby, not merely a search for a different title. [1:02:27]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[24:11] - Jonah Is a Real Historical Account
[28:27] - God Calls Jonah to Nineveh
[29:34] - God’s Call Is Personal
[33:16] - God Calls Noah, Abram, Moses, and Samuel
[38:43] - God Prepares Those He Calls
[41:30] - God’s Call Has a Specific Purpose
[43:29] - The Call to Repentance and Salvation
[47:08] - From Resisting the Call to Following
[50:26] - Ministry Beyond Church Positions
[53:27] - Recognizing God’s Voice
[1:00:29] - Responding to God’s Call
[1:04:14] - Prayer and Reflection

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Jonah 1:1-2
“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.” [24:38]

2 Kings 14:25
“He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher.” [25:13]

Matthew 12:39-41
“But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.” [26:34]

Observation questions

What details in 2 Kings 14:25 identify Jonah, and how do they connect him with the man introduced in Jonah 1:1? [25:13]
In Jonah 1:1–2, what does God make clear about Jonah’s destination, his task, and the reason for sending him? What details about the journey are not given? [28:36]
How did Jonah receive his assignment, and how was that different from receiving direction from a priest or the townspeople? [29:56]
What examples from the lives of Noah, Abram, Moses, and Samuel show God calling people before they felt ready or knew what lay ahead? [39:36]

Interpretation questions

God gave Jonah a clear assignment without explaining the whole journey. What is the difference between having enough direction to obey and having enough information to feel in control? [32:28]
God saw Nineveh’s wickedness and sent Jonah to confront it. What does this reveal about God’s concern for sin and his purpose in sending someone to call sinners to repentance? [43:03]
How does God’s provision for reluctant people such as Moses challenge the belief that someone must feel confident before accepting an assignment from God? [40:15]
Jonah received a personal assignment, but God’s call to repentance addresses every sinner. Why is it important to distinguish the call into a relationship with God from a particular call to service? [43:42]

Application questions

Is there an area where you sense God calling you to act, but you are waiting to know how everything will turn out? What might one faithful next step look like? [33:09]
When have you felt too inexperienced or inadequate to serve? What help, training, or encouragement might allow you to move forward while trusting God to provide what you need? [39:45]
Avoiding Scripture can sometimes hide an unwillingness to change. Have you noticed that happening in your own life? What could help you approach the Bible with greater honesty and openness this week? [55:38]
God calls sinners to repentance and offers forgiveness. Is there something you have been excusing or putting off bringing to him? What would turning toward him look like in that situation? [46:28]
What tends to crowd out time with God in your daily life? What small change could help you listen more attentively through Scripture, prayer, and fellowship with other believers? [58:42]
God’s call to service reaches ordinary workplaces and daily routines. Who near you might need a listening ear, practical care, or an offer of prayer? How could you take a thoughtful first step toward that person this week? [01:03:01]

Sermon Clips

43s

#GodEquips

“All of these people that were called by God, they were not ready for that call. They were not planning this. They hadn't gone to school for this. And yet, calls them to specific things and trains them and gives them what they need to accomplish the task to which they are called. And he's gonna work the same way in lives. He's gonna call us. He's gonna challenge us. He's gonna allow us to do the task that he calls us to do. And he's gonna equip us and train us in the process.”

40s

#BibleStudy

“Let me just step on a few toes. People will avoid reading the Bible because they do not want God to speak to them. Because God might call them to do something they don't want to do. People avoid the scriptures because they say they don't understand them. They don't understand because they don't spend any time with them. You need to read the Bible. You need to be getting to know God. And this is one of the best ways to do that.”

50s

#HearGodsVoice

“How do you know what God's voice sounds like? By listening. Listening. It's gonna take experience. If you wanna know what God's voice sounds like, push out all the clutter that's in your mind. Push out all the clutter that's in the world around you. And sit and spend time with the Lord. It's gonna be prayer. It's gonna be bible study. It's gonna be sharing and fellowship with others. We need all of these things because God's gonna speak to us and we are going to know what his voice sounds like.”

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