Tonight’s message centers on Jonah’s calling and his attempt to run from the Lord, reminding us that even those chosen by God can resist His direction. Jonah was a prophet entrusted with a clear commission: go to Nineveh, a wealthy but deeply wicked city, and warn them of God’s coming judgment. Instead of obeying, Jonah fled toward Tarshish, beginning a downward spiral that illustrates what happens when God’s people resist His will. The preacher emphasizes that every believer has a place and purpose in the body of Christ, and rebellion—whether quiet or obvious—creates distance from God, invites conviction, and eventually carries a price. Jonah’s journey shows how disobedience leads us lower and lower, dulling our sensitivity to God’s presence until we can no longer feel His correction. Yet even in the storm, God’s mercy calls His people back to obedience, reminding the church that others suffer when we refuse our calling. The message closes with a plea for believers to rise, obey, and return to the work God has given them before the cost grows too high and the world around us perishes without warning.
Whitwell, Tennessee — Fairview Union Church
