Jonah
God Answers Prayer, 13 October 2019
God Answers Prayer
Series—Jonah
Jonah 2:1-10
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: God invites us to pray prayers of repentance which can lead to redemption.
After running from God and His instructions to preach to the great city of Nineveh, Jonah finds himself miraculously in the belly of a fish (not an actual spaceship!).
The last verse of Jonah, chapter one says,
Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17)
His story is similar to that of the prodigal son, a rebellious man who came to his senses and came home, so to speak, grateful for the kindness of the Father who brings him to repentance, sparing his life.
Imagine God gave you an assignment which you completely ignored; you fled! The next thing you know, you’re inside a fish. You can’t get any cell phone service. Your phone battery is dead, anyhow. You’ve tried to sleep, had an unusual craving for seafood, and felt left in the dark! We can only imagine what those three days were like, but Jonah, chapter two tells us…
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. (Jonah 2:1)
This doesn’t merely say Jonah prayed.
This doesn’t merely say Jonah prayed to the LORD.
It says Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.
Is God your LORD? I bring up this word “LORD” often because its real meaning is so foreign to our culture, even our church culture. We like to use God for our purposes. Bless me, LORD! Help me, LORD! Heal me, LORD! The all-caps, by the way, indicate the original Hebrew usage of the sacred name of God, a word Jews refuse to pronounce but is probably something like Yahweh. Jonah prays to the Almighty, sacred, holy, awesome One.
When is the last time you prayed? What did you pray?
Our prayers are often more like wish lists for Santa than authentic conversations with our Creator. Right?
How big is your God?
How great is your God?
How awesome is your God?
G. Campbell Morgan said, “Men have been looking so hard at the great fish that they have failed to see the great God.”
How awesome is your God? If He’s just your genie in a bottle, your SOS, your sky fairy, He’s way too small.
If we could truly grasp Who it is we pray to, not only would our prayers be different, our lives would be different.
I must confess I’ve prayed some really pathetic prayers.
“God, please help everyone in the whole wide world.”
“God, bring peace to the world.”
“God, please feed all the starving children while we enjoy this feast.”
William Law said, “He who has learned to pray has learned the greatest secret of a holy and happy life.”
He said:
“In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me. (Jonah 2:2-3)
He’s in a fish and he’s testifying to God’s answer! Is he grateful? Absolutely! His life was spared. He knows he sinned against God and now he repents. He’s not just admitting wrong, he’s turning away from his rebellion and moving toward God. Repent means to turn, to do a 180. Although the sailors physically hurled Jonah into the sea, he realizes it was God who was behind it, loving discipline.
How do you respond to discipline? Hebrews 12 tells us we can despise it and fight, resist it and face even greater discipline, or submit and grow in faith and love. God’s discipline is never to harm us, but rather to help us grow like an athlete’s muscles grow from training. The Father chastens/disciplines only His own children (Hebrews 12:8).
God invites us to pray prayers of repentance.
Jonah continues…
I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head. (Jonah 2:4-5)
This is a vivid description of his frightening, aquatic experience. Remember, he’s praying from the belly of a fish, and yet he is grateful. He worships God, the one from whom he was running days earlier. He knows God’s character and mercy.
One writer noted how up until now, Jonah continues to go down—down to the city of Joppa, down into the sides of the ship, and he continues…
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, LORD my God,
brought my life up from the pit. (Jonah 2:6)
He went down into the fish’s belly. Running from God is a sure way to go down! But now that Jonah has repented, he begins to look up…from the pit…to God.
“When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple. (Jonah 2:7)
He looked up to God’s holy temple, following the instructions of 1 Kings 8:38-40. He knew and claimed God’s promises.
They say there are no atheists in fox holes or when a plane is about to crash. Why do we remember God when we’re facing death? Why don’t we remember God in the midst of life?
“Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’ ” (Jonah 2:8-9)
Jonah is back in the game. His faith is engaged. He knows his God. He recognizes the futility of idols. His near-death experience has transformed Jonah from a rebel to a worshipper.
What worthless idols are in your life? For Jonah, it was extreme patriotism and bigotry toward the Ninevites. John Calvin said Jonah’s sin was that he was “very inhuman” toward the people of Nineveh, refusing to see them as masterpieces created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. He makes vows to God, the only One who can save. He is no doubt recalling the psalms when he speaks of salvation:
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. (Psalms 37:39)
But what worthless idols are in your life? What’s more important to you than loving God and loving people? Pleasure? Entertainment? Money? Power? Sex? Popularity?
There is no mention of the fish, the smell, the darkness, the discomfort, or even his own sin. He doesn’t ask for a housing upgrade, yet God obviously hears his prayer. In chapter one, God provided the fish. Chapter two ends by showing God’s activity again.
And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. (Jonah 2:10)
Just for fun, I looked up this verse in several translations, most of which used the same verb to describe Jonah’s transport to the beach!
God invites us to pray prayers of repentance which can lead to redemption.
So What?
The moral of this story is…well, let’s go back to last week’s big idea:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Today’s big idea is
Prayer matters, no matter what you’ve done.
God spared Jonah’s life. If the story ended here, we’d see disobedience followed by prayer and God’s intervention.
We were created for relationship with God. That means God loves to hear our voice. I believe the most beautiful sound in the universe to God is your voice. When is the last time He heard it?
A few weeks ago, we talked about prayer in our study of the book of Colossians.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)
Prayer is more than talking to God.
Prayer is more than talking with God.
Prayer is being with God, which may sometimes involve silence, listening, stillness.
Are you ok with that? For some of us, slowing down and quieting down is not easy. Is anybody with me? I like to be busy, productive, and sometimes noisy…but it’s not ideal for relationships. I get annoyed when I’m talking with someone and they keep checking their phone…or even worse, start texting or talking as if I didn’t exist.
Prayer is being with God. It’s about building a relationship. We need to talk and listen…and always be fully present.
When you pray, begin with God. In his book The Rest of God, author Mark Buchanon writes,
“Are you in the midst of a situation where, as you pray, you find yourself putting the problem first? If so, you’re starting where you should end. You’re rehearsing the problem, making it seem larger than it is, when what you need to do is rehearse God’s greatness and bigness. Then the problem shrinks to its right portions.”
I love that! Start with God. Look what He has created. Remember how He has been faithful. Use the book of Psalms to guide you into praise and adoration of our awesome God so you know who you’re dealing with!
Recently I was burdened by a number of situations out of my control and I prayed, “Help, God!” Pausing to acknowledge WHO I was talking with—starting with God and His greatness—would’ve certainly given me greater peace and confidence.
I love that we can talk with God anytime, 24/7. We’re not a burden. We’re not an interruption. He wants us to pray. He invites us to pray.
Some of us don’t pray because we’re not sure God hears us. He does. Even from a fish!
Some of us don’t pray because we’re afraid of what God will say. He loves you. Really.
Some of us don’t pray because we feel unworthy. We are, but He still loves us.
It’s never too late to repent, to turn, to agree with God that you screwed up.
It’s never too early, either!
Take a moment to reflect upon your life. How did you get here?
Maybe you’ve made some wise choices and you’re enjoying the fruit of those decisions. Praise God. Thank Him for giving you wisdom, freedom, education, and opportunity.
Perhaps you’ve made some poor choices and you’re in the belly of a fish, so to speak. It’s dark. It’s smelly and cold. You really want out. Surrender to God. He hears you. No matter what you’ve done or who you are, He loves you and will forgive you if you trust Jesus, if you surrender your life to Jesus, if you make him your Savior and your LORD. You can begin by simply saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If you’ve been running, stop, repent, turn, and run to the God who created you and loves you more than you can imagine.
Waiting
In a matter of hours, Jonah’s prayers were heard and he went to the beach. Sometimes God’s response to our prayers takes longer…maybe days, months, even years. I don’t always understand His timing, but I know it’s perfect, because He is perfect. His ways are perfect.
There are some situations I’ve been praying about for years, but I refuse to quit…and I know He wants me to continue. Jesus was talking with his friends about prayer and said,
“…Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10)
God always answers the prayers of His children.
He might say yes. He might say no. He might say wait. Be he always answers.
Do you know God? Really? If not, you can begin today. Repent. Turn away from your selfish living and run to Jesus, the one who proved his love by giving his life on the cross.
If you do know God, you’ve been commissioned to help others know God. Faith is personal, but not private. Good news needs to be shared.
God wants nothing more than a relationship with us where we talk, where we listen, where we do life together. Does that describe your life?
One of the greatest thrills of knowing God is when we make a request and He responds. Today and every Sunday we invite you to come forward and receive prayer…for anything. God answers prayer, but first we must pray!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Jonah
Jonah 2:1-10
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: God invites us to pray prayers of repentance which can lead to redemption.
After running from God and His instructions to preach to the great city of Nineveh, Jonah finds himself miraculously in the belly of a fish (not an actual spaceship!).
The last verse of Jonah, chapter one says,
Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17)
His story is similar to that of the prodigal son, a rebellious man who came to his senses and came home, so to speak, grateful for the kindness of the Father who brings him to repentance, sparing his life.
Imagine God gave you an assignment which you completely ignored; you fled! The next thing you know, you’re inside a fish. You can’t get any cell phone service. Your phone battery is dead, anyhow. You’ve tried to sleep, had an unusual craving for seafood, and felt left in the dark! We can only imagine what those three days were like, but Jonah, chapter two tells us…
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. (Jonah 2:1)
This doesn’t merely say Jonah prayed.
This doesn’t merely say Jonah prayed to the LORD.
It says Jonah prayed to the LORD his God.
Is God your LORD? I bring up this word “LORD” often because its real meaning is so foreign to our culture, even our church culture. We like to use God for our purposes. Bless me, LORD! Help me, LORD! Heal me, LORD! The all-caps, by the way, indicate the original Hebrew usage of the sacred name of God, a word Jews refuse to pronounce but is probably something like Yahweh. Jonah prays to the Almighty, sacred, holy, awesome One.
When is the last time you prayed? What did you pray?
Our prayers are often more like wish lists for Santa than authentic conversations with our Creator. Right?
How big is your God?
How great is your God?
How awesome is your God?
G. Campbell Morgan said, “Men have been looking so hard at the great fish that they have failed to see the great God.”
How awesome is your God? If He’s just your genie in a bottle, your SOS, your sky fairy, He’s way too small.
If we could truly grasp Who it is we pray to, not only would our prayers be different, our lives would be different.
I must confess I’ve prayed some really pathetic prayers.
“God, please help everyone in the whole wide world.”
“God, bring peace to the world.”
“God, please feed all the starving children while we enjoy this feast.”
William Law said, “He who has learned to pray has learned the greatest secret of a holy and happy life.”
He said:
“In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me. (Jonah 2:2-3)
He’s in a fish and he’s testifying to God’s answer! Is he grateful? Absolutely! His life was spared. He knows he sinned against God and now he repents. He’s not just admitting wrong, he’s turning away from his rebellion and moving toward God. Repent means to turn, to do a 180. Although the sailors physically hurled Jonah into the sea, he realizes it was God who was behind it, loving discipline.
How do you respond to discipline? Hebrews 12 tells us we can despise it and fight, resist it and face even greater discipline, or submit and grow in faith and love. God’s discipline is never to harm us, but rather to help us grow like an athlete’s muscles grow from training. The Father chastens/disciplines only His own children (Hebrews 12:8).
God invites us to pray prayers of repentance.
Jonah continues…
I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head. (Jonah 2:4-5)
This is a vivid description of his frightening, aquatic experience. Remember, he’s praying from the belly of a fish, and yet he is grateful. He worships God, the one from whom he was running days earlier. He knows God’s character and mercy.
One writer noted how up until now, Jonah continues to go down—down to the city of Joppa, down into the sides of the ship, and he continues…
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, LORD my God,
brought my life up from the pit. (Jonah 2:6)
He went down into the fish’s belly. Running from God is a sure way to go down! But now that Jonah has repented, he begins to look up…from the pit…to God.
“When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple. (Jonah 2:7)
He looked up to God’s holy temple, following the instructions of 1 Kings 8:38-40. He knew and claimed God’s promises.
They say there are no atheists in fox holes or when a plane is about to crash. Why do we remember God when we’re facing death? Why don’t we remember God in the midst of life?
“Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.’ ” (Jonah 2:8-9)
Jonah is back in the game. His faith is engaged. He knows his God. He recognizes the futility of idols. His near-death experience has transformed Jonah from a rebel to a worshipper.
What worthless idols are in your life? For Jonah, it was extreme patriotism and bigotry toward the Ninevites. John Calvin said Jonah’s sin was that he was “very inhuman” toward the people of Nineveh, refusing to see them as masterpieces created in the image of God with dignity, value, and worth. He makes vows to God, the only One who can save. He is no doubt recalling the psalms when he speaks of salvation:
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. (Psalms 37:39)
But what worthless idols are in your life? What’s more important to you than loving God and loving people? Pleasure? Entertainment? Money? Power? Sex? Popularity?
There is no mention of the fish, the smell, the darkness, the discomfort, or even his own sin. He doesn’t ask for a housing upgrade, yet God obviously hears his prayer. In chapter one, God provided the fish. Chapter two ends by showing God’s activity again.
And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. (Jonah 2:10)
Just for fun, I looked up this verse in several translations, most of which used the same verb to describe Jonah’s transport to the beach!
God invites us to pray prayers of repentance which can lead to redemption.
So What?
The moral of this story is…well, let’s go back to last week’s big idea:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Today’s big idea is
Prayer matters, no matter what you’ve done.
God spared Jonah’s life. If the story ended here, we’d see disobedience followed by prayer and God’s intervention.
We were created for relationship with God. That means God loves to hear our voice. I believe the most beautiful sound in the universe to God is your voice. When is the last time He heard it?
A few weeks ago, we talked about prayer in our study of the book of Colossians.
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)
Prayer is more than talking to God.
Prayer is more than talking with God.
Prayer is being with God, which may sometimes involve silence, listening, stillness.
Are you ok with that? For some of us, slowing down and quieting down is not easy. Is anybody with me? I like to be busy, productive, and sometimes noisy…but it’s not ideal for relationships. I get annoyed when I’m talking with someone and they keep checking their phone…or even worse, start texting or talking as if I didn’t exist.
Prayer is being with God. It’s about building a relationship. We need to talk and listen…and always be fully present.
When you pray, begin with God. In his book The Rest of God, author Mark Buchanon writes,
“Are you in the midst of a situation where, as you pray, you find yourself putting the problem first? If so, you’re starting where you should end. You’re rehearsing the problem, making it seem larger than it is, when what you need to do is rehearse God’s greatness and bigness. Then the problem shrinks to its right portions.”
I love that! Start with God. Look what He has created. Remember how He has been faithful. Use the book of Psalms to guide you into praise and adoration of our awesome God so you know who you’re dealing with!
Recently I was burdened by a number of situations out of my control and I prayed, “Help, God!” Pausing to acknowledge WHO I was talking with—starting with God and His greatness—would’ve certainly given me greater peace and confidence.
I love that we can talk with God anytime, 24/7. We’re not a burden. We’re not an interruption. He wants us to pray. He invites us to pray.
Some of us don’t pray because we’re not sure God hears us. He does. Even from a fish!
Some of us don’t pray because we’re afraid of what God will say. He loves you. Really.
Some of us don’t pray because we feel unworthy. We are, but He still loves us.
It’s never too late to repent, to turn, to agree with God that you screwed up.
It’s never too early, either!
Take a moment to reflect upon your life. How did you get here?
Maybe you’ve made some wise choices and you’re enjoying the fruit of those decisions. Praise God. Thank Him for giving you wisdom, freedom, education, and opportunity.
Perhaps you’ve made some poor choices and you’re in the belly of a fish, so to speak. It’s dark. It’s smelly and cold. You really want out. Surrender to God. He hears you. No matter what you’ve done or who you are, He loves you and will forgive you if you trust Jesus, if you surrender your life to Jesus, if you make him your Savior and your LORD. You can begin by simply saying, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If you’ve been running, stop, repent, turn, and run to the God who created you and loves you more than you can imagine.
Waiting
In a matter of hours, Jonah’s prayers were heard and he went to the beach. Sometimes God’s response to our prayers takes longer…maybe days, months, even years. I don’t always understand His timing, but I know it’s perfect, because He is perfect. His ways are perfect.
There are some situations I’ve been praying about for years, but I refuse to quit…and I know He wants me to continue. Jesus was talking with his friends about prayer and said,
“…Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10)
God always answers the prayers of His children.
He might say yes. He might say no. He might say wait. Be he always answers.
Do you know God? Really? If not, you can begin today. Repent. Turn away from your selfish living and run to Jesus, the one who proved his love by giving his life on the cross.
If you do know God, you’ve been commissioned to help others know God. Faith is personal, but not private. Good news needs to be shared.
God wants nothing more than a relationship with us where we talk, where we listen, where we do life together. Does that describe your life?
One of the greatest thrills of knowing God is when we make a request and He responds. Today and every Sunday we invite you to come forward and receive prayer…for anything. God answers prayer, but first we must pray!
God Pursues the Disobedient, 6 October 2019
God Pursues the Disobedient
Series—Jonah
Jonah 1:1-17
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Today we celebrated Jesus as our Savior. He died on the cross and rose from the dead to demonstrate his power over sin and death. He not only conquered the grave, he offers forgiveness for all of our rebellion against God. I love that Jesus is our Savior! But he’s more than just Savior.
As our founder A.B. Simpson said in his four-fold gospel, Jesus is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. We love that Jesus saves us. We love it when he brings healing. We look forward to the return of the King. But his role of sanctifier is a bit different. You might say sanctifier means through the power of the Holy Spirit if we submit to him and his lordship, Jesus is enabling us to become like himself. A disciple of Jesus is someone who looks and acts and thinks like Jesus. A disciple becomes like their mentor, their leader. Jesus is not looking for fans. He’s looking for disciples who make him Lord of their lives, master of their lives, people who will say, “Jesus, I give you my life.”
When you do that, you give up control. You surrender your preferences and rights. You let Jesus take the wheel while you jump in the back seat! If God were insecure or mean, this would be a frightening exercise, but I’m here to tell you
God is trustworthy.
God is love.
God has better plans for you than you could ever imagine.
God is not out to harm you.
God wants the very best for you.
And sometimes God’s will doesn’t make sense…at least in the moment.
It can be dangerous to use words like “always” and “never,” but the big idea today is:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Jonah is one of the most well-known characters in the Bible. He’s mentioned in one, small, four-chapter book which bears his name—and briefly by Jesus—but his story is remarkable. It’s so remarkable, in fact, that many have questioned whether it describes real events or if it’s just a poetic analogy. I believe it’s real—especially since Jesus refers to him—and I believe his life can teach us a lot about our lives.
There are four chapters in the book of Jonah and we’ll cover each one of these four weeks in October. Written around the time of Hosea and Amos, many believe Jonah himself wrote this book between 793 BC and 753 BC. He was likely a part of a group of young prophets who were in training together. While you may find parts of the book familiar, I think you’ll be surprised at some new things we’ll discover together.
So let’s dive in…
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2)
He was supposed to travel 500+ miles northeast, but instead, he headed in the other directions toward Tarshish. Maybe he thought God would choose someone else for the assignment if he was able to get away from Nineveh!
How does God speak?
God speaks through the Bible, through circumstances, through people, through dreams,…
How can you be sure it’s God?
Seek wise counsel. Fast and pray. Be still and listen. As far as I know, God won’t text you, but if you seek Him with all of your heart, I believe you will find Him and His will.
God gives Jonah a simple, clear assignment to go to the city of Nineveh and preach. Why does God care about these wicked people? He loves them. He created them. He wants them to repent, turning away from their sins and following Him. Today, He still desires for every man, woman, and child to know and worship Him. That’s why we’re so passionate about not only Toledo, but also the ends of the earth. We want everyone to know about Jesus, and today, even with the Internet and iPhone, there are billions of people who haven’t experienced God’s love, mercy, and grace. We’ve got work to do, family!
But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. (Jonah 1:3)
One of the most tragic phrases in the entire Bible is, “But Jonah ran away from the LORD.” Why? Jonah’s narrow patriotism was greater than his theology. His disdain for another people group was stronger than his love for God.
It’s easy to criticize Jonah for this rejection of God. After all, we can read his entire story in a matter of minutes. We read of the consequences of his disobedience.
But don’t we do the same thing? Don’t we run from God sometimes? Don’t we sometimes pretend we didn’t read that in the Bible or fight what God is speaking to us?
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Why? Because He’s God and you’re not! He knows best. Really. He’s faithful. He’s trustworthy. He knows what He’s doing! He’s not out to get you or harm you. He loves you more than any mother or father or friend or spouse could ever love you.
Jonah’s headed away from Nineveh. He’s on his way to Tarshish. Did God see him? Yes!
Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. (Jonah 4-5a)
Here’s God’s prophet, Jonah, on a ship with pagan sailors who worship other gods. They’re afraid of sinking in this nasty storm. Obviously their false gods did nothing to help them!
Have you ever been in a boat during a storm? It can be scary!
Notice this storm was sent by the LORD. He controls everything, including the weather!
Warren Wiersbe wrote, "God was no longer speaking to Jonah through His Word; He was speaking to him through His works: the sea, the wind, the rain, the thunder, and even the great fish. Everything in nature obeyed God except His servant!"
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. Jonah 1:5b)
How in the world can he be sleeping during this storm? Perhaps he had lost sleep arguing with God about going to Nineveh. Maybe he was exhausted from running from God.
Hundreds of years later, Jesus would be sleeping on a boat during a big storm, too!
The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” (Jonah 1:6)
Evidently Jonah was willing to share his faith with the sailors, just not the Ninevites.
Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” (Jonah 1:7-8)
We often skip over this detail about casting lots, but it is one way people made decisions back in the day. In fact, Judas’ replacement among the twelve disciples was made by casting lots (Acts 1:26).
God speaks through the Bible, through circumstances, through people, through dreams,…but casting lots? It’s actually mentioned seventy times in the Old Testament and seven times in the New Testament. The practice was similar to us flipping a coin or rolling dice. Today, we can discern God’s word and will through the Bible and the Holy Spirit rather than casting lots.
Do you think Jonah was convicted when they asked about his occupation?
He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” (Jonah 1:9)
This is one of many biblical mentions of creation, a bold declaration of Jonah’s faith in God…a God he is not willing to obey…a God he’s running from…a God who is functionally not a god at all in Jonah’s life as he rebels.
This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.) (Jonah 1:10)
They were terrified, but at least they got to the root of their problem. Jonah’s disobedience affected others…and our disobedience usually does, too.
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” (Jonah 1:11)
This strikes me as an odd question. If I knew a godly man was responsible for a calamity, I’d ask him to pray to his god to stop it. They ask, “What should we do to you?”
Jonah does not repent. He does not ask God to give him a second chance. Maybe he didn’t believe God was even capable of forgiving his disobedience. Maybe you feel God is incapable of forgiving your sins…if so, you’re very mistaken!
“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” (Jonah 1:12)
Jonah knew he was to blame. It must’ve been a shocking admission of responsibility for him to claim his actions were the cause of the storm. I wonder if they really thought getting rid of Jonah would calm the storm. Clearly that wasn’t their first thought because the text continues…
Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried out to the LORD, “Please, LORD, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, LORD, have done as you pleased.” Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. (Jonah 1:13-16)
It took removing Jonah for God to calm the storm, resulting in new believers. The presence and preaching of prophets is supposed to lead to repentance, but in this case, the absence of the prophet led to spiritual awakening! God works in mysterious ways! First, the sailors were afraid of the storm, and now they greatly feared—they reverenced—God.
There’s one final verse in this chapter, a little “P.S.”
Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17)
It doesn’t say a whale, but a “huge fish” was “provided” by the LORD. I’m not sure if Jonah fully appreciated the fish during those three days and three nights, but it was the LORD’s provision.
So What?
I think the message is simple: Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
God can redeem anything. Here He even redeems Jonah’s disobedience to cause a revival among pagan sailors! But Jonah obviously suffered greatly for his rebellion against God.
I’ve told the story before, but years ago I was asked why I would leave a nice, comfortable job in Chicagoland to go to Ann Arbor and start a church from scratch. I often remarked, “God called me to plant a church and I don’t want to end up in the belly of a fish!” One time after speaking to a group about our plans for the new church, a man came up to me and said, “I’m Jonah and I’ve been in a fish for many years, running from God who wants me to move to Colorado!” I said, “What are you waiting for? Load up and go west, young man!”
We’ve all had moments when we’ve run from God. Sometimes the consequences are severe, other times we may not even be aware of our disobedience. The point remains:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
This is a huge challenge in our culture today. We live in a consumeristic culture which says it’s all about us, our choices, our decisions, our control, our preferences. Some people have even been taught that if you follow Jesus, you’ll be happy, healthy, and wealthy…and they’re so surprised when they encounter the slightest bit of discomfort or, worse yet, pain and suffering.
Jesus did not come and die to make you happy. He came to make you holy.
You and I can save ourselves a lot of heartache if we just obey God the first time (spoiler alert: Jonah made it to Nineveh, but he took a smelly detour getting there!). You either trust God and make Him LORD or you don’t. But please don’t call yourself a Christian if you’re not going to follow and obey him!
I’m challenged by this chapter. Every day I make multiple decisions to follow or flee from God. What do I do with my money? What goes on my calendar? How do I treat people…including the annoying driver on the Trail! What will I do with my body? What will I put into my mind? And yes, with whom will I share the good news of Jesus?
As we were reminded this morning during communion, Jesus died for me. Will I live for him?
I want to ask you two simple yet profound questions. These questions are the primary tools I use in discipling people to become like Jesus.
What if He sends me to Africa…or Afghanistan…or Columbus?! What if He wants me to change my sexual behavior, my entertainment consumption, my loose tongue, or my laziness? Then again, what if He simply wants to sing over you, His precious child, and remind you of how much you are loved by Him? What if He wants you to indulge in sabbath rest or delight yourself in Him? Maybe He wants you to smell the roses, dance, sing, or just smile. Whatever it is,…
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
And also,
Always obey God, even when you do feel like it!
Jonah’s disobedience caused others to suffer. Likewise, our obedience may cause others to flourish, to be encouraged, to grow, to experience Jesus. We obey God first and foremost because He is God and because we love and trust Him, but obedience can also bless others.
Closing Challenge
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—Jonah
Jonah 1:1-17
Series Big Idea: The prophet Jonah reveals God’s grace for all nations.
Big Idea: Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Today we celebrated Jesus as our Savior. He died on the cross and rose from the dead to demonstrate his power over sin and death. He not only conquered the grave, he offers forgiveness for all of our rebellion against God. I love that Jesus is our Savior! But he’s more than just Savior.
As our founder A.B. Simpson said in his four-fold gospel, Jesus is our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King. We love that Jesus saves us. We love it when he brings healing. We look forward to the return of the King. But his role of sanctifier is a bit different. You might say sanctifier means through the power of the Holy Spirit if we submit to him and his lordship, Jesus is enabling us to become like himself. A disciple of Jesus is someone who looks and acts and thinks like Jesus. A disciple becomes like their mentor, their leader. Jesus is not looking for fans. He’s looking for disciples who make him Lord of their lives, master of their lives, people who will say, “Jesus, I give you my life.”
When you do that, you give up control. You surrender your preferences and rights. You let Jesus take the wheel while you jump in the back seat! If God were insecure or mean, this would be a frightening exercise, but I’m here to tell you
God is trustworthy.
God is love.
God has better plans for you than you could ever imagine.
God is not out to harm you.
God wants the very best for you.
And sometimes God’s will doesn’t make sense…at least in the moment.
It can be dangerous to use words like “always” and “never,” but the big idea today is:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Jonah is one of the most well-known characters in the Bible. He’s mentioned in one, small, four-chapter book which bears his name—and briefly by Jesus—but his story is remarkable. It’s so remarkable, in fact, that many have questioned whether it describes real events or if it’s just a poetic analogy. I believe it’s real—especially since Jesus refers to him—and I believe his life can teach us a lot about our lives.
There are four chapters in the book of Jonah and we’ll cover each one of these four weeks in October. Written around the time of Hosea and Amos, many believe Jonah himself wrote this book between 793 BC and 753 BC. He was likely a part of a group of young prophets who were in training together. While you may find parts of the book familiar, I think you’ll be surprised at some new things we’ll discover together.
So let’s dive in…
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:1-2)
He was supposed to travel 500+ miles northeast, but instead, he headed in the other directions toward Tarshish. Maybe he thought God would choose someone else for the assignment if he was able to get away from Nineveh!
How does God speak?
God speaks through the Bible, through circumstances, through people, through dreams,…
How can you be sure it’s God?
Seek wise counsel. Fast and pray. Be still and listen. As far as I know, God won’t text you, but if you seek Him with all of your heart, I believe you will find Him and His will.
God gives Jonah a simple, clear assignment to go to the city of Nineveh and preach. Why does God care about these wicked people? He loves them. He created them. He wants them to repent, turning away from their sins and following Him. Today, He still desires for every man, woman, and child to know and worship Him. That’s why we’re so passionate about not only Toledo, but also the ends of the earth. We want everyone to know about Jesus, and today, even with the Internet and iPhone, there are billions of people who haven’t experienced God’s love, mercy, and grace. We’ve got work to do, family!
But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. (Jonah 1:3)
One of the most tragic phrases in the entire Bible is, “But Jonah ran away from the LORD.” Why? Jonah’s narrow patriotism was greater than his theology. His disdain for another people group was stronger than his love for God.
It’s easy to criticize Jonah for this rejection of God. After all, we can read his entire story in a matter of minutes. We read of the consequences of his disobedience.
But don’t we do the same thing? Don’t we run from God sometimes? Don’t we sometimes pretend we didn’t read that in the Bible or fight what God is speaking to us?
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
Why? Because He’s God and you’re not! He knows best. Really. He’s faithful. He’s trustworthy. He knows what He’s doing! He’s not out to get you or harm you. He loves you more than any mother or father or friend or spouse could ever love you.
Jonah’s headed away from Nineveh. He’s on his way to Tarshish. Did God see him? Yes!
Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. (Jonah 4-5a)
Here’s God’s prophet, Jonah, on a ship with pagan sailors who worship other gods. They’re afraid of sinking in this nasty storm. Obviously their false gods did nothing to help them!
Have you ever been in a boat during a storm? It can be scary!
Notice this storm was sent by the LORD. He controls everything, including the weather!
Warren Wiersbe wrote, "God was no longer speaking to Jonah through His Word; He was speaking to him through His works: the sea, the wind, the rain, the thunder, and even the great fish. Everything in nature obeyed God except His servant!"
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. Jonah 1:5b)
How in the world can he be sleeping during this storm? Perhaps he had lost sleep arguing with God about going to Nineveh. Maybe he was exhausted from running from God.
Hundreds of years later, Jesus would be sleeping on a boat during a big storm, too!
The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” (Jonah 1:6)
Evidently Jonah was willing to share his faith with the sailors, just not the Ninevites.
Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” (Jonah 1:7-8)
We often skip over this detail about casting lots, but it is one way people made decisions back in the day. In fact, Judas’ replacement among the twelve disciples was made by casting lots (Acts 1:26).
God speaks through the Bible, through circumstances, through people, through dreams,…but casting lots? It’s actually mentioned seventy times in the Old Testament and seven times in the New Testament. The practice was similar to us flipping a coin or rolling dice. Today, we can discern God’s word and will through the Bible and the Holy Spirit rather than casting lots.
Do you think Jonah was convicted when they asked about his occupation?
He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” (Jonah 1:9)
This is one of many biblical mentions of creation, a bold declaration of Jonah’s faith in God…a God he is not willing to obey…a God he’s running from…a God who is functionally not a god at all in Jonah’s life as he rebels.
This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.) (Jonah 1:10)
They were terrified, but at least they got to the root of their problem. Jonah’s disobedience affected others…and our disobedience usually does, too.
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” (Jonah 1:11)
This strikes me as an odd question. If I knew a godly man was responsible for a calamity, I’d ask him to pray to his god to stop it. They ask, “What should we do to you?”
Jonah does not repent. He does not ask God to give him a second chance. Maybe he didn’t believe God was even capable of forgiving his disobedience. Maybe you feel God is incapable of forgiving your sins…if so, you’re very mistaken!
“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” (Jonah 1:12)
Jonah knew he was to blame. It must’ve been a shocking admission of responsibility for him to claim his actions were the cause of the storm. I wonder if they really thought getting rid of Jonah would calm the storm. Clearly that wasn’t their first thought because the text continues…
Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried out to the LORD, “Please, LORD, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, LORD, have done as you pleased.” Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. (Jonah 1:13-16)
It took removing Jonah for God to calm the storm, resulting in new believers. The presence and preaching of prophets is supposed to lead to repentance, but in this case, the absence of the prophet led to spiritual awakening! God works in mysterious ways! First, the sailors were afraid of the storm, and now they greatly feared—they reverenced—God.
There’s one final verse in this chapter, a little “P.S.”
Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. (Jonah 1:17)
It doesn’t say a whale, but a “huge fish” was “provided” by the LORD. I’m not sure if Jonah fully appreciated the fish during those three days and three nights, but it was the LORD’s provision.
So What?
I think the message is simple: Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
God can redeem anything. Here He even redeems Jonah’s disobedience to cause a revival among pagan sailors! But Jonah obviously suffered greatly for his rebellion against God.
I’ve told the story before, but years ago I was asked why I would leave a nice, comfortable job in Chicagoland to go to Ann Arbor and start a church from scratch. I often remarked, “God called me to plant a church and I don’t want to end up in the belly of a fish!” One time after speaking to a group about our plans for the new church, a man came up to me and said, “I’m Jonah and I’ve been in a fish for many years, running from God who wants me to move to Colorado!” I said, “What are you waiting for? Load up and go west, young man!”
We’ve all had moments when we’ve run from God. Sometimes the consequences are severe, other times we may not even be aware of our disobedience. The point remains:
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
This is a huge challenge in our culture today. We live in a consumeristic culture which says it’s all about us, our choices, our decisions, our control, our preferences. Some people have even been taught that if you follow Jesus, you’ll be happy, healthy, and wealthy…and they’re so surprised when they encounter the slightest bit of discomfort or, worse yet, pain and suffering.
Jesus did not come and die to make you happy. He came to make you holy.
You and I can save ourselves a lot of heartache if we just obey God the first time (spoiler alert: Jonah made it to Nineveh, but he took a smelly detour getting there!). You either trust God and make Him LORD or you don’t. But please don’t call yourself a Christian if you’re not going to follow and obey him!
I’m challenged by this chapter. Every day I make multiple decisions to follow or flee from God. What do I do with my money? What goes on my calendar? How do I treat people…including the annoying driver on the Trail! What will I do with my body? What will I put into my mind? And yes, with whom will I share the good news of Jesus?
As we were reminded this morning during communion, Jesus died for me. Will I live for him?
I want to ask you two simple yet profound questions. These questions are the primary tools I use in discipling people to become like Jesus.
- 1. What is God saying to you?
- 2. What are you going to do about it?
What if He sends me to Africa…or Afghanistan…or Columbus?! What if He wants me to change my sexual behavior, my entertainment consumption, my loose tongue, or my laziness? Then again, what if He simply wants to sing over you, His precious child, and remind you of how much you are loved by Him? What if He wants you to indulge in sabbath rest or delight yourself in Him? Maybe He wants you to smell the roses, dance, sing, or just smile. Whatever it is,…
Always obey God, even when you don’t feel like it!
And also,
Always obey God, even when you do feel like it!
Jonah’s disobedience caused others to suffer. Likewise, our obedience may cause others to flourish, to be encouraged, to grow, to experience Jesus. We obey God first and foremost because He is God and because we love and trust Him, but obedience can also bless others.
Closing Challenge
What is God saying to you?
What are you going to do about it?
Jonah, 6 July 2014
06 07 14 Filed in: Sermons | Most Unread Bible Books
Big Idea: God can be trusted and obedience is His love language.
Series Introduction
Do you like books?
The Bible. It’s a great book. It’s a big book. Actually, it’s 66 books.
Over the past three and a half years since I’ve served as your pastor, we’ve examined several of these 66 books. Specifically, we have studied James, John, and Ephesians. They are all popular books found in the New Testament.
But what about the other 63? What about the Old Testament and those short New Testament books nobody every seems to talk about?
Recently a list was assembled of the least-read books of the Bible according to BibleGateway.com. This series will look at several of them, beginning with a popular story in an unpopular book…Jonah.
Most of you know the story. God sends Jonah to Nineveh, but Jonah runs from God. He's swallowed by a great fish, puked back up, and then goes to Nineveh to obey God…sorta! There’s a lot more to the book of Jonah than a whale—and there might not have even been a whale!
Before we look at the text of these books, we will briefly examine the context. This is essential when reading anything, especially the Bible. It has been said that you can make the Bible say anything you want, and that’s largely true, especially if you ignore the context, miss the big picture of the story of God, and merely extract sound bites. So here’s a little context:
First, the genre or type of literature is narrative. It tells a story. It is not poetry or a scientific textbook or a history book.
Second, the author was likely Jonah.
Third, the date of the writing is between 782 and 745 BC.
The location of the beginning is the city of Joppa.
Jonah is one of the minor prophets.
Veggie Tales made Jonah the subject of their first feature film.
Many know the main story. God tells Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh, a wicked city but not a pagan city. They knew and worshipped God…at least they did at one point. This was not an evangelism mission to proclaim good news to unbelievers but a prophetic mission to call backslidden believers to repentance.
The story
The book of Jonah can be summarized in twenty words. Are you ready?
God decrees
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (1:1-2)
Jonah flees
But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. (1:3)
Storms follow
Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. (1:4)
Fish swallows
But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. (1:17)
The book of Jonah is either historical or allegorical/parabolic. For thousands of years it was believed to be a true account of actual events. In the 19th century, however, some began considering it a parable or allegory because of the alleged impossibility of surviving 3 days and nights in the belly of a fish.
It seems many now believe the events were possible and large fish—not necessarily whales—have been discovered. Some say it was a shark. There is an account of a sailor in 1758 that fell overboard in the Mediterranean and swallowed by a shark (Carcharias). Upon being hit by a cannon ball, the shark vomited out the sailor who was picked up by a boat with little injury. (Haupt: Jonah’s Whale in American Philosophical Society, vol. 46, 1907)
Some used to believe there were no whales in the Mediterranean, but sperm whales are found there and are large enough to swallow a man. The head of a giant sperm-whale may be more than 30 feet long!
I believe it is an historical account, but even if it was merely a story designed to teach like Jesus’ parables, it packs a punch! It’s also worth noting how Jesus referred to Jonah (Matt 12:38-41, Luke 11:29-30, 32).
Second chances
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” (3:1-2)
Jonah advances
Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city — a visit required three days. (3:3)
God relents
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. (3:10)
Now we come to the part of the story I want to emphasize.
Jonah’s lament
But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. (4:1)
Why? He hated the Ninevites. They were like Buckeyes! LOL! Seriously, though, they turned away from God and he didn’t want God to waste His love and blessings on those who abandoned the faith. It sounds a lot like the older brother in the story of the Prodigal son, doesn’t it?
Jonah is so upset about God showing grace—unmerited favor—to the Ninevites that he wants to die!
Jonah’s case
Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” (4:3)
These are strong words! Fortunately for the people of Nineveh, God wins the debate!
God’s grace
But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” (4:11)
So What?
Jonah disobeyed, obeyed, and was angry that God was gracious (ironic!). So what?
Are you obeying God? Obedience is His love language. Obey and avoid the detour!
Are you compassionate for others? Regardless of how they look, smell, vote, talk or act, they are created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. Jonah wanted the Ninevites destroyed. God had other ideas. It’s not our place to judge. The Great Commandment is to not only love God but to love others, and, of course, we love God by loving others.
God is in control. We are not. The book of Jonah is about God’s all-sovereign power and care. He is the God of second chances. He’s the God of mercy and grace.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series Introduction
Do you like books?
The Bible. It’s a great book. It’s a big book. Actually, it’s 66 books.
Over the past three and a half years since I’ve served as your pastor, we’ve examined several of these 66 books. Specifically, we have studied James, John, and Ephesians. They are all popular books found in the New Testament.
But what about the other 63? What about the Old Testament and those short New Testament books nobody every seems to talk about?
Recently a list was assembled of the least-read books of the Bible according to BibleGateway.com. This series will look at several of them, beginning with a popular story in an unpopular book…Jonah.
Most of you know the story. God sends Jonah to Nineveh, but Jonah runs from God. He's swallowed by a great fish, puked back up, and then goes to Nineveh to obey God…sorta! There’s a lot more to the book of Jonah than a whale—and there might not have even been a whale!
Before we look at the text of these books, we will briefly examine the context. This is essential when reading anything, especially the Bible. It has been said that you can make the Bible say anything you want, and that’s largely true, especially if you ignore the context, miss the big picture of the story of God, and merely extract sound bites. So here’s a little context:
First, the genre or type of literature is narrative. It tells a story. It is not poetry or a scientific textbook or a history book.
Second, the author was likely Jonah.
Third, the date of the writing is between 782 and 745 BC.
The location of the beginning is the city of Joppa.
Jonah is one of the minor prophets.
Veggie Tales made Jonah the subject of their first feature film.
Many know the main story. God tells Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh, a wicked city but not a pagan city. They knew and worshipped God…at least they did at one point. This was not an evangelism mission to proclaim good news to unbelievers but a prophetic mission to call backslidden believers to repentance.
The story
The book of Jonah can be summarized in twenty words. Are you ready?
God decrees
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” (1:1-2)
Jonah flees
But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. (1:3)
Storms follow
Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. (1:4)
Fish swallows
But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. (1:17)
The book of Jonah is either historical or allegorical/parabolic. For thousands of years it was believed to be a true account of actual events. In the 19th century, however, some began considering it a parable or allegory because of the alleged impossibility of surviving 3 days and nights in the belly of a fish.
It seems many now believe the events were possible and large fish—not necessarily whales—have been discovered. Some say it was a shark. There is an account of a sailor in 1758 that fell overboard in the Mediterranean and swallowed by a shark (Carcharias). Upon being hit by a cannon ball, the shark vomited out the sailor who was picked up by a boat with little injury. (Haupt: Jonah’s Whale in American Philosophical Society, vol. 46, 1907)
Some used to believe there were no whales in the Mediterranean, but sperm whales are found there and are large enough to swallow a man. The head of a giant sperm-whale may be more than 30 feet long!
I believe it is an historical account, but even if it was merely a story designed to teach like Jesus’ parables, it packs a punch! It’s also worth noting how Jesus referred to Jonah (Matt 12:38-41, Luke 11:29-30, 32).
Second chances
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” (3:1-2)
Jonah advances
Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city — a visit required three days. (3:3)
God relents
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. (3:10)
Now we come to the part of the story I want to emphasize.
Jonah’s lament
But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. (4:1)
Why? He hated the Ninevites. They were like Buckeyes! LOL! Seriously, though, they turned away from God and he didn’t want God to waste His love and blessings on those who abandoned the faith. It sounds a lot like the older brother in the story of the Prodigal son, doesn’t it?
Jonah is so upset about God showing grace—unmerited favor—to the Ninevites that he wants to die!
Jonah’s case
Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” (4:3)
These are strong words! Fortunately for the people of Nineveh, God wins the debate!
God’s grace
But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” (4:11)
So What?
Jonah disobeyed, obeyed, and was angry that God was gracious (ironic!). So what?
Are you obeying God? Obedience is His love language. Obey and avoid the detour!
Are you compassionate for others? Regardless of how they look, smell, vote, talk or act, they are created in the image of God with dignity, value and worth. Jonah wanted the Ninevites destroyed. God had other ideas. It’s not our place to judge. The Great Commandment is to not only love God but to love others, and, of course, we love God by loving others.
God is in control. We are not. The book of Jonah is about God’s all-sovereign power and care. He is the God of second chances. He’s the God of mercy and grace.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Just Like Jonah, 27, February 2011
28 02 11 Filed in: Sermons | The (Second) Greatest Story Ever Told
Big Idea
God told Jonah to be a part of His search and rescue mission. Because he really didn’t care about the people of Nineveh, he took a detour! LORD, break my heart for the things that break Yours.
Notes
God lost something…and He wants it back.
God uses people to reach people.
“You are the salt of the earth.” - Jesus
The “found” have to be willing to become “finders.”
Most Christ-followers are not involved in the one thing that is most important to God—the search and rescue mission.
“Normal” Christianity at the outset was contagious Christianity.
Why aren’t we more engaged in outreach?
- Fear
- Inconsistency in our lives
- We really don’t care
Jonah was running away from God’s search and rescue mission.
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:
“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. - Jonah 1:1-3
Jonah was running away from God’s search and rescue mission.
“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” - Jonah 1:12
But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. - Jonah 1:17
And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. - Jonah 2:10
God cares as much about the messenger as He cares about the mission.
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” - Jonah 3:1-2
The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. - Jonah 3:5
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. - Jonah 3:8
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.
God’s great desire is to free people trapped in sin; to forgive them and bring them home. - Jonah 3:10
There is NO sin that is a match for God’s grace.
Jonah proclaimed a 40-day window of opportunity for Nineveh.
E.A.C.H. is our proclamation of a 40-day grace period for southeastern Michigan.
Podcast
You can listen to the podcast here.
God told Jonah to be a part of His search and rescue mission. Because he really didn’t care about the people of Nineveh, he took a detour! LORD, break my heart for the things that break Yours.
Notes
God lost something…and He wants it back.
God uses people to reach people.
“You are the salt of the earth.” - Jesus
The “found” have to be willing to become “finders.”
Most Christ-followers are not involved in the one thing that is most important to God—the search and rescue mission.
“Normal” Christianity at the outset was contagious Christianity.
Why aren’t we more engaged in outreach?
- Fear
- Inconsistency in our lives
- We really don’t care
Jonah was running away from God’s search and rescue mission.
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai:
“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. - Jonah 1:1-3
Jonah was running away from God’s search and rescue mission.
“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” - Jonah 1:12
But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. - Jonah 1:17
And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. - Jonah 2:10
God cares as much about the messenger as He cares about the mission.
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” - Jonah 3:1-2
The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. - Jonah 3:5
But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. - Jonah 3:8
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.
God’s great desire is to free people trapped in sin; to forgive them and bring them home. - Jonah 3:10
There is NO sin that is a match for God’s grace.
Jonah proclaimed a 40-day window of opportunity for Nineveh.
E.A.C.H. is our proclamation of a 40-day grace period for southeastern Michigan.
Podcast
You can listen to the podcast here.