Pastor Jonathan Laurie shares lessons from the story of Jonah, a reluctant evangelist who ran from God’s calling.

Notes:

Focus verse - Jonah 2

Matthew 23:25–27 (NKJV)
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.

“Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”

Jonah 4:3 (NLT)
“Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

#1 God Appoints Circumstances to Bring Us Back

Sometimes we think God is punishing us.

God paid Jesus back for our sin.

Jonah was a historical, biblical character.
2 Kings 14:25

Matthew 12:40 (NKJV)
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

God appoints circumstances and storms.
Not to pay us back, but to bring us back.

#2 God Still Sees in the Dark
Jonah 2:1 (NLT)

Read: Jonah 2:1–9 (NLT)

While Jonah sat in darkness inside the great fish, he prayed.
God heard and delivered Jonah out of his fishy prison.

Psalm 139:11–12 (NLT)
I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night—
but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.

Israel worshipped one God — the true Creator.

Romans 12:1 (NKJV)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Read: Jonah 2:10 –3:5 (NKJV)

#3 Saved From and Saved For

God rescued Jonah from darkness so Jonah could reach others in darkness.

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 (NLT)

Mark 16:15–16 (NLT)
And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.

Romans 10:14 (NLT)
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?

Learn more about this year's Harvest Crusade!

---

Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org.

This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Revisit this timeless interview as Pastor Greg Laurie sits down with his mentor, the late Pastor Chuck Smith, to share the origins of the Harvest Crusade and captivating behind the scenes stories.

Since its inception as the “Summer Harvest” in 1990, the Harvest Crusade has far exceeded the expectations of both pastors. Over the years, millions have attended, and hundreds of thousands of coming to faith stories have been created. Join us for the 2025 Harvest Crusade on July 19 and become part of this remarkable story!

--

Learn more about Greg Laurie and Harvest Ministries at harvest.org.

This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pastor Greg Laurie has pointed out before how pervasive loneliness is. Well, today is National Cheer Up the Lonely Day. What? You didn’t know? But today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg doesn’t offer warm platitudes to make us smile, he introduces us to the Friend who sticks closer than a brother. From a recent Harvest Crusade, he shows us how Jesus offers connection and purpose . . . and He offers the promise of eternal life.

Listen on harvest.org

---

Learn more and subscribe to Harvest updates at harvest.org

A New Beginning is the daily half-hour program hosted by Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Southern California. For over 30 years, Pastor Greg and Harvest Ministries have endeavored to know God and make Him known through media and large-scale evangelism. This podcast is supported by the generosity of our Harvest Partners.

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.