What is the most important thing about you? As we arrive at the end of Jonah's epic story, we begin to finally see God reveal Jonah's deepest heart. What does Jonah care most about? Through the object lesson of a plant and worm, God not only reveals Jonah's heart, but ours as well. Along the way, we discover the most important thing about God too - that He loves humans more than we ever thought possible.
Do You Do Well? (Jonah 4:1-4)
In all sincerity, how are you doing today? Is it well with your soul today? How would you answer God if that question was posed to you today? Listen in as Mike Lilley teaches us about how Jonah was doing after God showed great mercy on the city of Nineveh. Why was Jonah so angry? Is God neglecting justice for the sake of mercy? Listen in today to learn how God's deepest character and what makes Him uniquely able to be both just and merciful at once.
Keep the Change (Jonah 3:1-10)
In this story from Jonah today, we see a stunning change happen in the city of Nineveh. Jonah gets a second chance at obedience, the Word of God is delivered, and then repentance rolls throughout the city and the great compassion of God is seen. This is a great model for how change happens for us as well. Listen in today then and discover afresh how true changes settles deep into us.
Death, Deliverance & Debt (Jonah 2:1-10)
Can you imagine what you would do if you were such a position as Jonah - literally caught in the belly of a "great fish"?! Jonah pours his heart out to God. Listen in today as we learn from Jonah's almost unbelievable experience, and how he can get to the place of saying, "Salvation belongs to the LORD!"
The Gospel in Jonah (Jonah 1:11-17)
What does Jesus have to do with Jonah? As the runaway prophet gets thrown overboard and hits the water, eventually finding himself famously in the mouth of a great fish, we see the stormy sea between Joppa and Tarshish calmed and the foreign sailors saved. When confronted with troubles and problems of various kinds in our lives, what will calm our troubled souls? Listen in today as we learn about sacrifice, substitution, and satisfaction - the heart of the Christian Gospel.
The Kind of Faith the World Really Needs (Jonah 1:7-10)
When the microphone gets passed to you, and the spotlight is on you to speak, what hope would you speak to someone in trouble? When Jonah finds himself in that place, we learn about where he finds his truest identity. Listen today as we see how insufficient Jonah's shallow faith is for the fearful sailors in the storm, and instead what kind of faith the world then and now needs from us. As we learn, it begins with not simply understanding “who” we are, but more so “Whose” we are.
Sleep in the Storm (Jonah 1:5-6)
When bad or stressful or stormy things happen to you in life, do you ever find yourself wanting to escape it or just sleep it off? Listen in this morning as we learn about Jonah's deep sleep during the midst of his storm, and contrast it with the sleep of peace that Jesus shows us from a similar story in the New Testament.
The Storm of Holy-Love (Jonah 1:4)
When storms come to us in life (pains, troubles, trials, etc.), often we are quick to ask "why?" But as we learn today from God's intervening storm in Jonah 1:4, there is something meaningful for us in the storms of life. Listen in today as we learn about God's character of perfect holiness and love, and how they meet us in grace in the storms of life, helping us to see Jesus clearly amidst the waves and wind.
Fleeing the Presence of the LORD (Jonah 1:3)
"Is God really good?" When we scan the pages of Scripture, we find this to be a theme that is repeated in a diversity of ways, by a diversity of people throughout history. In this second sermon in the 11-week series in the book of Jonah, listen in as Mike Lilley traces Jonah's response to God's call. Why does Jonah choose to flee the opposite direction? His refusal to obey exposes his sin before God, bringing about great personal cost. But, more so, what does it show us about God Himself? Is He good? Is there any hope for us as people who are "prone to wander" and "prone to leave the God we love"?
The Story of God & Evil (Jonah 1:1-2)
As we begin a new 11-week series in the Old Testament story of Jonah, we ask ourselves, who is the book of Jonah actually all about? Listen in today as we learn from just the first 2 verses about the heart of the pursuing God, the reality of evil, and how God uses a prodigal, flawed prophet to not only bring Good News to an enemy city... but also to change the heart of the man himself.