Series on Jonah

“You can run on for a long time…” | 1

Preacher: Kim Beales

Date: 28th November, 2021

Passage: Jonah 1:1-17

Blurb: In this sermon we begin a 4 part series on the book of Jonah. Jonah is on the run from God, and is trying to escape God's call to preach a challenging message to the great Assyrian city, Nineveh. As we read on, we discover that Jonah is not merely a book about a prophet on the run, it's a biting critique of spiritual pride, and religious nationalism. To write anyone off as unworthy of hearing God's message is to misunderstand the gospel and the heart of God. Are we on the run from God? Are we ready to do what God has for us to do? Come join us as we delve into the book of Jonah.

Swallowed by a big fish! | 2

Preacher: Kim Beales

Date: 5th December, 2021

Passage: Jonah 1:17 to 2:10

Blurb: We start this sermon with Pac-man, the great 1980's gobbling game, for in this sermon we explore a biblical theology of swallowing and gobbling up. Jonah is swallowed by a big fish and in the belly of this great creature of the sea he writes a poem of repentance before being spewed back onto dry land! Jonah's experience is not dissimilar from Israel's who experience being swallowed up by the Assyrian & Babylonian empires. Similarly we'll see how Jesus picks up on the theme of Jonah as a sign of his death and resurrection, in which death is swallowed up in victory. Come join us as we explore Jonah chapter 2.

Nineveh’s surprising turn | 3

Preacher: Kim Beales

Date: 12th December, 2021

Passage: Jonah 3:1-10

Blurb: Jonah finally goes to Nineveh. He announces his message: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown", and extraordinarily, Nineveh repents! In this sermon we explore the character of God, and in particular we'll delve into God's judgment and God's mercy, most perfectly expressed in the cross. We'll see that it is right for God to experience anger at the atrocities of this violent city. Yet equally, we'll see that God's anger stems from a profound love, and we'll ponder the anguish God experiences at human injustice. Come join us as we explore God's character, and see how we ourselves might learn from Nineveh's surprising and unexpected repentance.

“God sends Jonah a leafy plant!” | 4

Preacher: Kim Beales

Date: 19th December, 2021

Passage: Jonah 4:1-11

Blurb: God forgives Nineveh and Jonah is so deeply offended he wants to die! It is dramatic, humorous and over the top! "How dare you?" thinks Jonah. Jonah is yet to fully understand himself, Israel, God or the nations. In as much as we do not wish for another to receive God's mercy, we have failed to understand God's mercy for ourselves. So God sends Jonah a leafy plant, then promptly removes it, teaching him (and us) an urgent and important lesson about what God cares about, and helping Jonah (and us) get some much needed perspective