Jonah 1:1
"The LORD gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 "Get up and go
to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen
how wicked its people are." 3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite
direction to get away from the LORD. He went down to the port of Joppa, where
he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board,
hoping to escape from the LORD by sailing to Tarshish. 4 But the LORD hurled a
powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break
the ship apart. 5 Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to
their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all
this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. 6 So the captain went down
after him. "How can you sleep at a time like this?" he shouted.
"Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare
our lives." 7 Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended
the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified
Jonah as the culprit. 8 "Why has this awful storm come down on us?"
they demanded. "Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are
you from? What is your nationality?" 9 Jonah answered, "I am a
Hebrew, and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the
land."
1.
Don't
copy the world to win the world, opposites attract.
1.
When
God told Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh to repent, the prophet turned the
other direction and fled.
1.
Spot
someone who runs from commitment, and you'll find a person who lacks character.
1.
Jonah
was dealing with human nature, our inclination to run from responsibility in favor
of serving self.
1.
Jonah
saw Nineveh as this evil culture that didn't deserve a warning, that didn't
deserve salvation and rescue.
2.
God
asks this leader to commit to influencing his generation.
1.
At
this point, the leader discovers how much he/she's embraced the cause.
1.
You
can measure how much you've embraced the cause by how much you serve it.
2.
You
can measure how much you've embraced the cause by how much you invest in it.
1.
Time.
2.
Treasure.
3.
Talent.
3.
You
can measure how much you've embraced the cause by how much you've surrendered
to it.
1.
If
you continually run from opportunities to minister, in the wrong direction,
you're not submitted to it.
4.
You
can measure how much you've embraced the cause by how much you call others to
commit as well.
2.
Jonah
teaches us the consequences of avoiding God's call to commitment:
1.
Vs.
1-3 If we run from commitment and influence we miss the privilege of
partnership with God.
1.
Partnered
with God for purpose and destiny, I can think of nothing greater.
1.
Jesus
surrendered fully to the cause of heaven.
2.
Jesus
committed sincerely.
3.
Jesus
responded with rescue.
4.
Jesus
inspired with influence.
2.
Vs.
4 If we run from commitment and influence our choice damages more people than
we know.
1.
Great,
meant it took 3 days to see all of Nineveh.
2.
Great
city meant many things but most important was that it was 120,000 people
great.
1.
Who
is need of rescue, yet we reject influencing them?
2.
Who
is need of encouragement, nevertheless we refuse to make time for them?
3.
Who
is need of direction, still we are unwilling to guide them?
3.
Vs.
5-8 If we run from commitment and influence we become hardened and desensitized
to the tragedies we cause.
1.
Jonah,
down in the hold of the ship, catering to his personal needs that was his
MO.
3.
God
is calling us to "great influence."
1.
He
is calling us to have great influence.
1.
This
means making friends and ministering to people.
2.
Placing
our lives into our communities and embracing opportunities to serve.
2.
He
is calling us to impart great influence.
1.
Christ
is calling us to disciple and teach discipline into the lives of others.
2.
If
you are a committed Christ Follower you should be influencing.
3.
If
you are a Christ Follower you should be teaching someone, encouraging them and
bringing them up to the next level in God.
1.
There
is always another level, God is always waiting on you.
2.
Hunger
for God's Word translates to a hunger for Him, to know Him and embrace His
cause.
3.
Hunger
for worship translates to a passion for Him embracing the changes His presence
and influence is having in you and upon you.
2.
The
light shines and the darkness can never extinguish it!!
1.
Who
among us hasn't heard God telling us to do something we really didn't want to
do?
1.
At
this time Nineveh was Israel's most dreaded enemy.
1.
Imagine
God calling you to minister to ISIS, Islamic Terrorists, serial killers, or sex
traffickers.
1.
"God so loved the world..."
2.
Sometimes
it's easy to convince ourselves that we know better than God what needs to be
done.
1.
This
is mistrust in it's simplest form.
2.
This
is faithlessness in operation.
1.
This
can happen in any and all of our relationships and circumstances.
3.
We
are living in dark times.
1.
Opposition
to the Gospel is widespread around the world and especially in our own nation.
1.
People
are confused, unclear, rebellious, and untaught.
2.
Our
mission is clear.
1.
We
will "proclaim the hope of Jesus Christ by all means possible, to all we
can, in the United States and all across the globe."
4.
As
we shine the love of Jesus Christ into places of great darkness, bold
Christians rise up and fulfill their purpose so that:
Isaiah 9:2
NLT "The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who
live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine."
5.
This
is talking about and referencing Jesus Christ, "The Light of the
world."
Illustrate
here: Have a
lighter to light near a white wall or screen. Can use a candle if so desired.
1.
Fire
casts no shadow.
2.
The
reason why the flame does not make a shadow is because "it" itself is
the source of light.
John 1:4-9
NLT [4] "The Word gave life to everything that was created, and His
life brought light to everyone. [5] The light shines in the
darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. [6] God sent a
man, John the Baptist, [7] to tell about the Light so that everyone
might believe because of His testimony. [8] John himself was not the light; he
was simply a witness to tell about the Light. [9] The One who is the True Light,
who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world."
3.
Jesus
Christ is the Word.
4.
The
Word is our power.
5.
The
Word is our light.
6.
In
the Word resides forgiveness, grace, mercy and love.
1.
In
Christ. In Him, He is the embodiment and source of all love.
2.
We
couldn't visualize, experience, or comprehend love without Him.
7.
The
Word is life, Eternal Life.
1.
Jesus
Christ's virgin birth, His life, His actions, His attributes, His compassion,
His death, His burial, and His resurrection.
1.
God
created a perfect world.
2.
Sin
came in and destroyed the world.
3.
Jesus
came to save it.
4.
You
can receive it.
1.
This
is Good News, this is the Gospel,
this is what we are to tell everyone!
John 8:12
NLTb "I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won't have to
walk in darkness, because you will have the Light that leads to life."
6.
We
have the light, the light lives in us and guides our every step.
1.
No
shifting changing shadows, only the source, the reason for the light.
2.
Follow
it, it's the light that leads to life.
1.
That's
truth, follow it, it will lead you to the right place every time.
John 12:46
NLT "I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all
who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark."
1.
"All,"
sounds like everyone to me.
2.
If
you put your trust in Him, you will no longer remain in the dark.
1.
Following
light, following truth, you don't want to walk in darkness.
1.
As
a matter you refuse to walk in darkness any longer.
3.
The
Word became flesh and made His home among us.
John 1:14a
NLT "So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of
unfailing love and faithfulness."
1.
Leaders
lose their right to be selfish.
Jonah 2:2
He said, "I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and He answered me.
I called to You from the land of the dead, and LORD, you heard me!"
9 "But
I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my
vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone."
2.
God
told Jonah to call the people of Nineveh to repent.
1.
They
had lived a life of pride and selfishness, guilty of: evil plots against God,
exploitation of the helpless, cruelty in war, idolatry, prostitution, and
witchcraft.
2.
These
people were ruthless causing heartless acts of cruelty all over the world.
1.
But
when Jonah ran from God he was guilty of the same things!
1.
God
desires His people to to proclaim His love in words and actions to the whole
world, not just those like us.
1.
He
wants us to be missionaries wherever we are, wherever He sends us.
3.
God
humbled Jonah and gave him perspective in the belly of the fish, where he got
his heart right through a profound worship experience.
1.
Don't
negate worship.
2.
Don't
put it off or make it seem insignificant.
3.
Don't
skip or skimp on opportunities to worship Christ!
1.
Forgive
me but I don't want to talk to you, when worship is going on.
2.
I'm
not trying to ignore you, or disregard you, I'm trying to connect with Him.
1.
His
presence is vitally important to me.
2.
And
I need the encouragement and sincere worship brings repentance.
4.
Once
Jonah repented, he was ready to call others to repent.
1.
People
do what people see.
1.
God
sent a man to speak deliverance.
2.
God
sent a person to minister.
3.
God
sent a person to serve.
1.
What
might have happened had Jonah failed to go?
2.
What
if he had rejected God's call to influence?
1.
History
would be tragically different.
4.
When
Jonah ran he held up deliverance for 120,000 people.
5.
It's
interesting to think that every major character in the story of Jonah obeys
God.
1.
The
storm, the sailors, the fish, the king, the Ninevites, the vine, the worm, and
the east wind all obey God, every character except for Jonah, the leader God
chose.
1.
Despite
Jonah's disobedience, his lack of perspective, his cultural prejudice, his
self-righteousness, his wrong motives, and his bad attitude, God never gave up
on him.
Jonah
3:6-10 NLT [6] "When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he
stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself
in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. [7] Then the king and his nobles sent
this decree throughout the city: "No one, not even the animals from your
herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. [8] People and animals
alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God.
They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. [9] Who can
tell? Perhaps even yet God will change His mind and hold back His fierce anger
from destroying us."
6.
When
Jonah's message of judgment reached the king of Nineveh, he immediately
repented.
1.
The
king then used his influence to bring about citywide revival and salvation.
1.
When
God saw his response, He had compassion on the Ninevites and did not destroy
them.
7.
No
one is beyond salvation, the gospel is for all who will repent and believe.
Matthew
5:14 "You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot
be hidden."
16 "In
the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone
will praise your heavenly Father."
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