Teaching Tuesday: Bible Stories - Jonah and the Big Fish

Series: Bible Stories
Sermon: Jonah and the Big Fish (8.17.25)
Watch the messages HERE. 

“But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.” – Jonah 1:3

Jonah’s story is often remembered for the giant fish, but the heart of it is a wrestling match between God’s call and Jonah’s comfort. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, a city full of wickedness and hostility toward Israel. Jonah knew this mission would cost him—his safety, his reputation, maybe even his life. So, he ran.

Faithfulness always comes with a cost. For Jonah, obedience meant walking into enemy territory with a message they didn’t want to hear. For us, it might mean speaking truth when silence would be easier, forgiving when bitterness feels safer, or standing alone when compromise would reduce our anxiety. It might mean saying “no” to the things of this world that draw us away from God. 

Eventually, Jonah found out that running from the cost doesn’t make it disappear—it only makes the price higher. His detour landed him in a storm at sea, then overboard ship, then swallowed by a fish. Avoiding obedience will always lead to greater pain than the obedience itself.

When Jonah finally went to Nineveh, the cost was still real. He risked rejection and anger. But the reward? An entire city repented. People turned from evil. God’s mercy was put on display in a way Jonah never could have orchestrated on his own.

Jesus referenced Jonah’s story in Matthew 12:40–41, pointing to his own mission—one that cost him everything. The cross was not convenient. It was not safe. But because of His faithfulness, we receive the ultimate reward: eternal life with God.

Faithfulness will stretch you. It may cost you comfort, time, pride, or control. But the reward—seeing God’s kingdom advance, watching lives change, experiencing his presence forever—is always worth it.

Where is God asking you to be faithful right now? What step of obedience have you been avoiding because of the cost? Like Jonah, you can’t outrun his call. And like Jonah, you’ll discover that the cost of faithfulness pales in comparison to the joy of watching God work.

Pray this today: Lord, give me the courage to obey you, even when it’s costly. Remind me that your plans are always worth it, and help me trust that your reward is greater than my fear. Amen.

TO KNOW GOD AND MAKE HIM KNOWN! 

- Pastor Brady