Sermons on Jonah 1:3-6:

A Disturbing Call From A Merciful God Series

Contributed by Allan Quak on Feb 17, 2020

The call by God for Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach is a call which confronts Jonah with a disturbing dynamic of God’s unanticipated mercy. Jonah finds this call too disturbing so he goes in the opposite direction to run away from the call of God.

Message Jonah 1:1-3 A Disturbing Call From A Merciful God I don’t have definitive proof but it would be my educated opinion that the story of Jonah … specifically the part where Jonah is swallowed by a large fish or whale … is one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. Ask anybody who Jonah ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-3

Denomination: Baptist

Our Identity Before A Merciful God Series

Contributed by Allan Quak on Feb 21, 2020

Jonah professes to be a Hebrew who worships the Lord. However, because he cannot accept the unanticipated mercy of God Jonah behaves like cargo. We are cargo when we don't speak to God.

Message Jonah 1:4-17 Our Identity Before A Merciful God Last week we ended with Jonah in the town of Joppa paying the fare to sail for Tarshish. Jonah did this because he found the mercy which God was extending to the town of Nineveh too disturbing. A succinct visual summary of the actions of ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:4-17

Denomination: Baptist

1. Living In Rebellion Series

Contributed by Grant Adams on Nov 29, 2020

One of the unfortunate things about the book of Jonah is: most people know only about the great fish, but they know nothing of the great God.

One of the unfortunate things about the book of Jonah is: most people know only about the great fish, but they know nothing of the great God. Jonah is for real! He was the son of a Amittai. 2 Kings 14:25. A prophet who prophesied in the time of Jeroboam II. Our main concern should not be whether a ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-6

Denomination: Baptist

2. The Futility Of Running From God Series

Contributed by Grant Adams on Nov 29, 2020

We cannot run away from God. We all try sometimes. We all try to make our own choices do our own thing. We never seem to learn the futility of it all.

I. A Deliberate Choice 1. The Ship 2. Life is made up of choices. Hebrews 11:24-25 3. Jonah made a deliberate choice to rebel against God. a. Tarshish was the farthest point that he could flee. As much as 1,600 – 2,000 miles b. Jonah refused to surrender his will to God’s will. 4. The idea was, “I ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:3-10

Denomination: Baptist

22 The 2nd Commission Series

Contributed by Michael Collins on Dec 24, 2020

This devotion is about the 2nd call of God to Jonah to go and preach to the people of Nineveh. This is the 22nd of 31 devotions on the book of Jonah, where a comparison is made between Jonah and The Church-at-large, in the light of the present global pandemic.

Jonah 3:1 – “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time…” When we read the above words of the Lord to Jonah in Jonah 1:2, “Arise, go ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 3:1, Jonah 1:2-3, Isaiah 65:2-3

Denomination: Independent/Bible

A Big Fish Tale / All Lives Matter

Contributed by Darian Catron on Jul 21, 2016

The story of Jonah is not just a Big Fish Tale. It's a true story with an incredible message relevant to our time. It's a message about a God who cares for all lives, even those of our enemies and those who hate us.

INTRODUCTION: Today I want to tell you a BIG FISH TALE. How many fishermen do we have here today? Now our fish tales are always the truth, right? I caught a fish this big! But there's a story in the Bible about a Big Fish and about a man who lived to tell the tale. BODY: Let's Turn in your ...read more

Scripture: Nahum 3:1-4, Psalm 139:7-10, Matthew 5:43-45, Jonah 1:1-11

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Running From God Series

Contributed by Stephen Sheane on Sep 2, 2016

3 reasons why trying to run from God is a bad idea

JONAH - RUNNING FROM GOD A drunk husband came home late and snuck up the stairs quietly. He looked in the bathroom mirror and bandaged the bumps and bruises he’d received in a fight earlier that night. He then proceeded to climb into bed, smiling at the thought that he’d pulled one ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-12

Denomination: Christian Missionary Alliance

When God Calls Series

Contributed by Greg Nance on Jul 11, 2015

Are we reluctant or willing when God commissions us? Jonah is a great study in God's heart verses our own when it comes to mercy and grace.

Join me in a look at Jonah. 2 Kings 14: 23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, became king in Samaria, and reigned forty-one years. 24 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Here Am I...send Someone Else, Pt. Two

Contributed by Chris Beam on Jul 15, 2015

Part two of Here am I...Send Someone Else

Series: Jonah and the City Here am I…Send Someone Else, Pt. Two Jonah 1:3 Last week I preached the first half of this message but in order to get you all to lunch on time, I cut it off where we will pick up this morning. Last week we looked at Jonah’s call, this week we’ll be ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:3

Denomination: Baptist

A Pursuing God Series

Contributed by Mark Sanders on Aug 10, 2015

The first sermon in a series on Jonah, concentrating on 3 timeless truths: God takes notice of sin (and takes it seriously), running from God is not healthy, and God always pursues us.

(Slide #1) The Running Man: A Pursuing God Jonah 1 In 1987 a movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger called “The Running Man” came out. This was a movie about a futuristic game show (set in todays time) that used convicted criminals as what they called “Runners” who, if ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-17

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Sin Rocks The Boat Series

Contributed by Chris Swanson on Oct 29, 2022

When an evil empire displayed its power before God and the world through various demonstrations of inhumane mercilessness, that is when Jonah heard God instruct him to proceed to call the people to repent for their sins.

When an evil empire displayed its power before God and the world through various demonstrations of inhumane mercilessness, that is when Jonah heard God instruct him to proceed to call the people to repent for their sins. In verses 1-3: God called Jonah to do a work in Nineveh, an important city ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-17

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Protesting Prophet Series

Contributed by Chris Swanson on Oct 31, 2022

Jonah sinned and ran from God; the sailors were spared and came to God.

Fear of God – Scared 1:3 In verses 1-3: Jonah is referenced in 2 Kings 14:25. He prophesied during the rule of Jeroboam II, the king of Israel from 703-753 B.C. He might have been one of the youthful prophets of the school referenced regarding Elisha's service (2 Kings 2:3). Jonah was called ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-17

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Unanticipated Direction Series

Contributed by Jason Jones on Nov 16, 2022

Six Truths for Unanticipated Storms

Jonah was a prophet of God from the northern kingdom of Israel. God called him to go to wicked and cruel people and preach judgment and repentance. Assyria was a rising world power in the mid 740’s BC and was expanding its territory with ruthless invasions of other nations resulting in torturous ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-17

Denomination: Baptist

Why Does Jonah Run From God, And Choose Death Over Life? (Jonah 1:1-16) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Aug 25, 2022

A reading of Jonah, that lets the book tell the story at its own pace.

Part of being a pastor or teacher in any church, is having this desire deep inside of you to teach through the book of Jonah. You can't help yourself. It preaches too well; it's too good of a story to ignore. Plus, every pastor knows the OT is hard and scary, but they also know they are ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-16

You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide Series

Contributed by John Bright on Jun 22, 2023

A four part series on Jonah. A good reminder that you can run… but you can’t hide from God! Teaching sheet at the end of the text. Updated September, 2025

“You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide” Jonah 1:1-16 Pastor John Bright Jonah 1 “1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-16, Psalm 32:3-4, Romans 8:12-16, 1 Corinthians 1:27, Psalm 118:8  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist