September 28

Application Questions:

1. Can Anyone Outrun God?
Proverbs 15:3 – “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.”
What are some of the common “Tarshishes” people run to when trying to avoid God’s presence?

2. Pride or Grace?
Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
Why do so many resist God’s grace, even when it is freely offered? How does pride often stand in the way?

3. The Price of Disobedience
Jonah 1:3 – “He paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.”
In what ways does disobedience usually end up costing more than people expect?

4. The Downward Path of Sin
James 1:15 – “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
How does one small step of disobedience often lead to a downward spiral?

5. When God Sends a Storm
Jonah 1:4 – “But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.”
What kinds of storms might God use to interrupt someone’s plans and turn them back to Him?

6. Chastening as Love
Hebrews 12:6 – “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”
How can God’s discipline be seen as an expression of love and grace rather than only punishment?

7. The Storms That Wake Us Up
Numbers 32:23 – “Be sure your sin will find you out.”
What are some examples of storms or consequences that serve as warnings before sin fully destroys?

8. Loving the Prodigal
Luke 15:17 – “And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”
What are wise ways to show love to prodigals without preventing them from experiencing the storms that may bring them home?

9. Grace in the Hard Places
Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
How have storms or hardships often been used by God to bring about spiritual growth and deeper trust in Him?

10. Responding to God’s Pursuing Love
Psalm 139:7–8 – “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.”
If God pursues people with relentless grace, how should that truth shape the way His people live, worship, and obey?

Outline:

Title: Grace in the Storm
Text: Jonah 1:3-5

Introduction

• Storms are devastating but can also be instruments of grace.

• Hurricane Helene as an illustration of destructive power.

• Jonah’s storm shows God’s grace at work in the life of a runaway prophet.

I. The Delusion of Our Pride (v. 3)

• Jonah rises up, but runs the opposite direction.

• Pride deceives us into thinking:
  A. We can outrun God (Prov. 15:3; Job 28:24).
  B. We can pay for grace (Eph. 2:8–9).

• Application: modern “Tarshishes” (busyness, entertainment, ambition, bitterness).

II. The Descent of Our Disobedience (vv. 3–5)

• Jonah “went down” repeatedly—geographically and spiritually.

• Disobedience always takes us lower and always costs more.

• Sin’s trajectory: temptation → sin → death (James 1:15).

• Application: sin never leaves us where we started.

III. The Determination of God’s Grace (vv. 4–5)

• “But the LORD…” interrupts Jonah’s rebellion.

• God hurls a targeted storm, not to destroy Jonah but to rescue him.

• Divine chastisement is an act of love (Heb. 12:6).

• Illustration: storms as “stones of love” preventing eternal ruin.

• Application: God pursues His children with relentless grace, even through storms.

Conclusion

• God’s grace is relentless, determined, and often disguised as discipline.

• Storms may feel harsh, but they are storms of love.

• There is always hope for prodigals, because God sends storms of grace to bring them home.