Running from God

Have you ever felt frustrated with God—or struggled with the idea that His grace is available to anyone?In this opening message of our Jonah series, we explore one of the most confronting truths of the gospel: God’s grace is both beautiful and deeply challenging. Through Jonah 1, we see a prophet running from God, wrestling with obedience, and struggling with the reality that God’s mercy extends even to those he despises.This sermon unpacks three key movements in the story: • Jonah’s flight • God’s pursuit • The echo of the gospel in JesusAs Jonah runs in the opposite direction, God pursues him—not to punish, but to restore. And in the storm, the sailors, and even the great fish, we see a God who is relentlessly committed to saving, redeeming, and showing mercy.Ultimately, Jonah’s story points us to Jesus—the greater and better Jonah—who didn’t run from God’s will, but obeyed fully, even to death on a cross, so that we could receive grace we could never earn.