Although he wrote the book himself around 800 B.C., the prophet Jonah did not cast himself as the hero of the Story. Instead, Pastor Steve, points out that Jonah is a history lesson about the real Hero of the story, namely the living God. Through a collection of scripture and real-world examples Pastor Steve passionately reveals to us that just as Jonah ran from God’s presence, we also run from His presence and just as God pursued Jonah and brought him to the end of himself, so too, God in His grace, brings us to the end of ourselves in order to offer us Himself. Jonah is the good news of Jesus Christ for all especially those of us who find ourselves as great sinners on deck in the midst of God’s storm of pursuing grace.

Jonah Week 1 | The Rebellious Prophet (Jonah 1:1-17)
preached by Pastor Steve Tompkins | 8.10.08

Listen right here by clicking the play button above. You can also listen to the audio or download audio on our Mars Hill Media site by clicking here .

Below I’ve included all of the Scripture references from Pastor Steve’s sermon. You may use them to follow along while you listen to the sermon and/ or they make for an excellent personal study in the Scriptures.

Exodus 34:6
6The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

Jonah 1:1-2
1Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”

Jonah 1:3
3But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.

Jonah 1:4-6
4But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. 6So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.”

Jonah 1:7-10
7And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

Numbers 32:23
23But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the LORD, and be sure your sin will find you out.

1 Timothy 5:24
24The sins of some men are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.

Jonah 1:11-15
11Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. 12He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” 13Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14Therefore they called out to the LORD, “O LORD, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.” 15So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.

Mark 2:15-17
15While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” 17On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jonah 1:16-17
16Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows. 17And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Genesis 50:20
20As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Romans 8:28
28And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Matthew 12:39-40
39But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Matthew 16:24-25
24Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.