Recreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley—Service, March 2, 2025

Jonah and Jesus

Today, Pastor Michael is continuing the story of Jonah and his continual running from God, notably because he did not agree with a decision made by the Lord to warn the city of Nineveh’s citizens of immenent destruction.  Jonah did not like God showing mercy to the Ninevites, so he was trying to get as far away from the situation as he could!

Big problem, though.  You cannot run away from the creator of the universe!

At this point in the story, Jonah is in the belly of a whale (fish in those days) due to him being cast into the sea by sailors who wanted to appease God for Jonah running from Him. 

So Jonah is praying fervently to God from the belly of the whale, obviously knowing God called the storm and the fish, as part of a plan to show Jonah, you can’t run from God.  And Jonah heartily repented in prayer and the Lord made the whale spit Jonah out to dry land. 

Today’s take away is, “Swallowed by sin, set free by the Savior.”

Today’s verses can be found in Jonah 1: 17 - 2: 10.

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.