‘Bringing the rebel to repentance’ (Jonah 1:3-12)

In this second message on the book of Jonah, Rev Peter Phillips explores the rebellious response of the prophet to the Lord’s command to go to Nineveh and preach against their evil. This response of Jonah is indicative of all humanity. None of us, by nature, want to serve God. We would all much rather please ourselves! But God cannot have it that way, and went to great lengths to bring his disobedient prophet back into line and to seeing his own need of mercy.

Message

Outline

  1. Jonah’s rebellion against the Lord
  2. Jonah’s rebellion revealed
  3. Jonah’s repentance unto life
  4. Jonah’s restoration to a right relationship with God

• Acknowledging sin and what it deserves

• Knowing and believing that God has provided a Saviour

• Turning from sin and trusting in God’s provision

‘Compassion for outsiders’ (Jonah 1:1-2)

In this message preached at St John’s in July 2022, Rev Peter Phillips explores the opening verses of the prophet Jonah, revealing God’s heart for those who are ‘beyond the walls’ and who do not belong to the covenant family of faith.

Message

Radio Service

00:00 Welcome
Song: Rejoice the Lord Is King
00:19 Introduction
00:37 Prayer
05:54 Bible reading: Jonah 1:1-18
Song: Come Praise and Glorify
06:46 Shorter Catechism Introduction
08:13 Catechism Questions 187-192
14:37 Bible reading: Luke 4:14-30
Song: Christ Is Mine Forevermore
Sermon: Jonah 1:1-2
Song: We’ve a Story to Tell
16:16 Closing

Outline

‘Compassion for outsiders’

1) Taking Jonah seriously

2) Taking Jonah to heart

‘God’s saints in tight spots’ #2: Jonah (Jonah 2:1-10)

The story of Jonah is one of the most well-known in the Scriptures. It’s not everybody that gets swallowed by a huge fish and lives to tell the tale. Talk about socially isolating!  But what was Jonah doing in that ‘tight spot’ and what does a ‘socially isolating’ Jonah teach us? This message on Jonah 2:1-10, examines Jonah’s prayer and what we can learn from it.

Full service

00:00 Introduction
Song: All creatures of Our God and King
00:49 Prayer
06:30 Children’s talk (with thanks to Kidswise; see also Big Picture Bible Crafts #44)
Song: God is everywhere
Song: Are you serving Cap’n Jesus?
11:59 Bible reading: Jonah 2
13:29 Bible reading: Luke 15
Song: My heart is filled with thankfulness
15:45 Sermon: Jonah 2
Song: In Christ alone
37:36 Benediction
Song: I will trust my saviour Jesus

‘The Bible’s whale tale…Jonah, Jesus and you’ (Jonah 1:1-17)

While many regard the story of Jonah as told in Jonah 1:1-17, as just a ‘whale tale’, the Bible presents it as fact. While the details of the story are summed up, by the following headings; God said ‘go’, Jonah said ‘no’, the wind went ‘blow’, the sailors went ‘throw’ and the fish went ‘swallow’, Jesus also added ‘so’… He made it clear in Matthew 12 that not only was the tale of Jonah true, but it also pointed to his own death and resurrection as the means of salvation. Those who heard Jesus did not believe him and those who hear the gospel today also face the same hurdle of unbelief.