May 21, 2017 – “Children’s Stories: Jonah”

An audio recording of the sermon from May 21, 2017 is available for listening and downloading at this link.

The Scripture readings are Jonah 3:10-4:11 and Matthew 12:38-45.

An excerpt from the sermon:

“The problem the story of Jonah puts to us is whether we’re willing to let God be God, whether we’re willing for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jonah speaks for a lot of us when he says that the reason he’s so angry with God is that, “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” When another person or another nation has brought pain into your life, the last thing you want is for God to “slow to anger and abounding in love.” You want God to crush them, to get even. But you know how God is. You’ve known all along. He isn’t going to do it, most likely. God is going to be God. This, Jonah says, is why he ran away to Tarshish. It’s why a lot of us run away from God.”