God Is in Control: Lessons from Jonah's Fish | Justin Cooper

Main message: The sermon uses Jonah’s time in the great fish to show what the “whale” teaches about God: He is sovereign, able to preserve His people, eager to bring prodigals home, committed to getting sinners preached to, and ultimately a picture pointing to Christ’s death and resurrection. The story of Jonah is also presented as a real miracle and a preview of Jesus’ victory over death, hell, and the grave.

Key points:

• God is in control of all things: weather, animals, people, plants, and circumstances.
• God can preserve His children even in severe, dark, and frightening trials.
• God wants prodigals to repent and return to Him.
• God wants sinners to hear preaching so they can repent and be saved.
• Jonah’s three days in the fish point to Jesus’ three days in the grave and His resurrection.
• The sermon stresses faith in the Bible’s miracles as literal, historical events.

Scriptures mentioned: Jonah 1:17, Jonah 2:3-6, Psalm 115:3, Proverbs 16:9, Psalm 135:6, Psalm 34:4, Psalm 34:6, Psalm 34:8, Psalm 34:19, Isaiah 43:2, 2 Peter 2:9, Luke 15, Matthew 12:40