Don’t Miss the Move
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the full sermon here.
Preached by Pastor Mike Woodard
Follow The Valley Church
We’re wrapping up our series on The Gospel of Jonah—a story that reveals the constant collision between our will and God’s will. Jonah’s journey shows us that when we cling to our own definition of “good” and “right,” we risk missing incredible moves of God. The truth is, we all have a little Jonah in us. Our desires often clash with God’s desires, and the call of faith is to surrender and trust His perspective over our own.
Like a parent protecting a toddler from danger, God often redirects us even when we don’t understand. Jonah experienced this firsthand. God called him to preach to Nineveh, but Jonah resisted, convinced that the people didn’t deserve mercy. Yet despite Jonah’s running, God used storms, a fish, and even a plant to teach him about surrender and compassion. And while Jonah should have been celebrating the repentance of an entire city, he sulked instead—because his definition of justice didn’t align with God’s mercy.
The lesson is clear: when we let pride, entitlement, or self-centeredness shape our view, we miss the chance to rejoice in God’s work. Jonah cared more about a plant providing him shade than about thousands of people made in God’s image. And sometimes, we do the same—resenting God’s goodness toward others while overlooking His faithfulness in our own lives.
But the story doesn’t end there. Jonah ultimately points us to Jesus, the greater Jonah. Where Jonah ran from his calling, Jesus embraced His. Where Jonah complained about mercy, Jesus embodied it fully. Just as Jonah spent three days in the fish, Jesus spent three days in the tomb—and unlike Jonah, Jesus conquered death forever. He doesn’t stand back in anger over our sin but steps into our brokenness with love, compassion, and grace.
The book of Jonah leaves us with a question: will we surrender our will to God’s, or cling to our own? The choice determines whether we sulk or celebrate, whether we miss God’s work or join Him in it. True freedom and joy come when we wave the white flag of surrender, trust His heart, and rejoice in His mercy—not just for us, but for all people.