Sermon Outline on Jonah: God's Purpose in Trial

Bibliaon Team

Created and reviewed by our editors

Many times the Lord allows us to go through trials with the goal of perfecting us. This sermon outline, based on the book of Jonah, addresses God's purpose in the midst of trials and how this can affect our lives.

Text: Jonah 1:1 - 2:10

Purpose of the Sermon: To lead the listeners to the decision of wanting to do God's will in the face of the difficulties they face, so that the sovereign purpose of the Lord may be fulfilled in their lives.

Theme: God's Purpose in Trial

Introduction

1. The Backstory:

The prophet Jonah, according to 2 Kings 14:25a, was from a village in the north of Israel, near Nazareth, called Gath-Hepher.
The Word of the Lord came to Jonah clearly and explicitly.
He was to preach to the great city of Nineveh:

¹The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ²“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

- Jonah 1:1-2

Jonah was the only prophet in the Old Testament sent by God to preach to the Gentiles (non-Jews).
However, he went in the opposite direction from the command given by God:

³But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.

- Jonah 1:3

This attitude of Jonah led him to experience a great trial: he was swallowed by a great fish.
However, it was this trial that made Jonah change his mind and led him to decide to seek to fulfill God’s purpose for his life.
In the belly of the fish, Jonah decides to obey God.

2. Main Idea:

God is in control of all the difficulties we face, guiding all the events around us, so that His purpose may be fulfilled in us and through us."

I. The trial has the purpose of awakening us spiritually

⁴Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. ⁵All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. ⁶The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”

- Jonah 1:4-6

The Lord caused a great and violent storm to hit the ship Jonah was on: v. 4
The sailors were terrified and began to cry out, each to their god, and throw the cargo into the sea: v. 5a
However, the Bible says Jonah was fast asleep: v. 5b
He was probably very tired, as he had walked about 50 kilometers to Joppa to board the ship.
The captain woke Jonah to cry out to his god: v. 6
Many times, God allows a trial to come in order to spiritually awaken us.
Spiritual inertia is a great obstacle to God’s purpose being fulfilled in our lives: "Get up and call on your god!"

II. The trial has the purpose of correcting us in relation to the will of God

⁷Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. ⁸So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”⁹He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” ¹⁰This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)

- Jonah 1:7-10

The sailors decided to cast lots to determine who was to blame: v. 7
The lot fell on Jonah, and the sailors, realizing he was the one responsible, questioned him about who he was: v. 8
By declaring he was "a worshiper of the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land," he was saying he did not serve a god of a specific cause, but the sovereign God over all things: v. 9
This made the sailors even more terrified, given the prophet’s foolishness: v. 10
All that happened was allowed by God so that Jonah would realize the seriousness of his situation and correct his path.

III. The trial has the purpose of protecting us in the face of adversity

¹¹The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” ¹²“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” ¹³Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. ¹⁴Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” ¹⁵Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. ¹⁶At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.

Jonah’s Prayer

¹⁷Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

- Jonah 1:11-17

As the storm intensified, the men on the ship asked Jonah what they should do to him: v. 11
Jonah offers himself as a sacrifice to save the lives of the men, acknowledging his mistake: v. 12
However, the sailors tried their best to reach land and avoid throwing Jonah into the sea: v. 13
Being thrown into the sea in the midst of a storm is certain death.
In the end, they give up and ask God for forgiveness for having to throw Jonah into the sea: v. 14
When Jonah is thrown into the sea, the storm ceases: v. 15
The sailors then worship the Lord: v. 16
The Lord causes Jonah to be swallowed by a great fish: v. 17
Jonah did not die in the sea because the fish swallowed him—giving him a "ride."
In the belly of the fish, Jonah was protected from drifting at sea or drowning.
The trial, many times, can be a protective measure from God for us.
God's corrective discipline can protect us from a greater evil.

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

- James 1:2-3

IV. The trial has the purpose of making us seek God's presence

¹From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. ²He said:

“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. ³You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. ⁴I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ ⁵The engulfing waters threatened me,the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. ⁶To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. ⁷“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. ⁸“Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. ⁹But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’” ¹⁰And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

- Jonah 2:1-10

Jonah prays to the Lord from inside the fish: v. 1
Jonah's prayer reveals a deep brokenness before God.
Jonah's situation makes him cry out for help: v. 2
He recognizes that all of this comes from the Lord: v. 3
The prophet longs to be in the presence of the Lord again: v. 4
He acknowledges that his situation is desperate: v. 5
However, he believes that God has the power to revive him: v. 6
Jonah knows that his prayer has reached the Lord: v. 7
Because he knows that God is merciful: v. 8
He then promises to do God's will: v. 9
Then God makes the fish vomit Jonah onto dry land: v. 10
Suffering can bring us closer to God.

Conclusion

1. Jesus and the "Sign of Jonah":

³⁸Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” ³⁹He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. ⁴⁰For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

- Matthew 12:38-40

2. Application:

The story of Jonah was used by Jesus as a prophetic sign of His death and resurrection.
The death of Jesus was a moment of trial for the Lord, which resulted in our salvation.
Just as it was with Jonah, and also with Jesus, God has a purpose in allowing us to go through trials.

Here are a couple of more sermons you can read:

Bibliaon Team

Bibliaon's Editorial Team consists of mature Christians with several years of experience in Bible teaching and in writing, all with a genuine commitment to Jesus and the Word of God.

Introduction

1. The Backstory:

2. Main Idea:

Conclusion

1. Jesus and the "Sign of Jonah":

2. Application:

Here are a couple of more sermons you can read:

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