Boundaries mark the limits within which we live our lives. Boundaries become a religious issue when we claim that the cultural or community boundaries that “we” have created are God’s boundaries. And this brings us to the heart of the book of Jonah and his great struggle. As a part of the covenant community, Jonah understood that those who lived outside of what was acceptable (living as faithful Jews) were thought to be beyond the bounds of God’s blessings, outside the boundaries of God’s grace and love, while those who were faithful Jews were tempted to take pride in their moral superiority and to take comfort in their special access to God.
This series of five (5) sermons explores the struggles that Jonah had to accept and follow a God whose love knew no boundaries. The more we come to know Jonah, the more we come to know ourselves but even more importantly, we also come to know intimately the God of Jonah whose love transcends all human boundaries in order to save and change lives for eternity. Jonah, it is a whole lot more than a fish story!
