God's Hard-Hearted Servant

Thesis: Too often Christians think of Bible in a personal way, looking at every verse to give application to living life. But Jesus said all scripture was and is about him.

1. JONAH GOES AWOL

   • Received God's grace, but didn't want it
     poured out on others
   • Wanted his own plan for self and others
   • Worried more about his name, nation and
     politics than Christ
   • Didn't embrace Christ's work, but his own

2. JONAH GETS EATEN

   • Believers experience distress, dispair
     and hopelessness
   • Don't look at circumstances, but look to
     God (Christ)
   • God is always at work in trials
   • Jesus is the Great Deliverer

3. JONAH GAZES ON FORGIVENESS

   • God has a steadfast plan of forgiveness
     for his people
   • God delights in repentance

4. JONAH GRUMPY ABOUT GRACIOUSNESS

   • God relented from judgment, Jonah angry
     about it
   • Christians miss joy of Gospel due to
     personal preferences not coming about
   • Jonah pleads for death rather than exulting
     God's mercy
   • We ask God to favor us, but not others

CONCLUSION: Jonah isn't a story about Jonah overcoming a fish eating him; it's about the grace, mercy and forgiveness available to anyone who places their trust and faith in Christ.