How God Draws Near : The Seven Words of Worship: Surrender

Series: How God Draws Near : The Seven Words of Worship

Sermon Title: Surrender

Speaker: Sam Rainer

Date: March 2, 2025

Reflect

Can you think of a time when you had to completely surrender control in your life—whether to another person, a situation, or to God? How did it make you feel?
f you could compare surrendering to God to any everyday experience (e.g., driving a car, trusting a parachute, etc.), what analogy would you use? Why?

Read Jonah 2:1-10. How does Jonah’s prayer reveal his understanding of God’s grace and sovereignty? What shifts in his attitude do you see?
Jonah was in a place of deep distress when he finally surrendered in prayer. Why do you think we often wait until we are desperate before turning to God? Can you think of other biblical figures who had a similar experience?
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” The original Hebrew meaning of “be still” implies stopping our striving and surrendering. How does this relate to Jonah’s experience in the fish?

What does true surrender look like in your daily life? What areas do you still wrestle with giving God control?
How can you practice growing in surrender in the coming week?

Jonah 2:9 declares, “Salvation comes from the Lord.” Why is this a central truth of Scripture? How does this shape how we approach God?
Compare Jonah’s response in the fish (Jonah 2) to his response later when Nineveh repents (Jonah 4). What does this contrast reveal about surrendering to God’s will?
Jonah is given a second chance after his rebellion. How does this encourage us in our own walk with God when we fail?

Jonah 2 is unique: It’s the only chapter in Jonah written in the first person, which suggests it was a deeply personal experience Jonah felt compelled to share.
The meaning of “surrender”: In the Old Testament, surrender is a military term, meaning submission to another’s authority. In the New Testament, it’s linked to self-denial and following Christ (Matthew 16:24).
The Sheol imagery: Jonah describes his experience as being in “the belly of Sheol” (v.2), an Old Testament term for the realm of the dead. This mirrors Jesus’ burial and resurrection (Matthew 12:40).
Jonah’s prayer is filled with Psalms: Many phrases in Jonah 2 come from different Psalms, suggesting Jonah was steeped in Scripture and prayed using God’s Word.

Psalm 37:4 – “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
- Shows that surrendering to God aligns our desires with His will rather than just granting our wishes.
Matthew 16:24 – “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.”
- Connects to Jonah’s lesson—true discipleship means self-denial and surrendering control to God.
Romans 12:1-2 – “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice… Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
- Surrender is an act of worship, and worship should transform our lives.
Luke 15:11-32 (The Prodigal Son) –Like Jonah, the prodigal son ran from the Father, but upon returning in surrender, he was met with grace.
Philippians 2:8 – “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
- Jesus’ ultimate act of surrender provides the model for us.
Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
- Jonah’s rescue foreshadows how salvation is entirely by God’s grace, not our efforts.