WW23: Session 1
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Preconceived notions about Jonah
There was a whale? WRONG
Jonah’s the good guy? Nope, God is.
What is the story even about? What’s the purpose?
What I pray we will all see throughout the whole book of Jonah is...
God displays His love by sovereignly working to save undeserving sinners for His glory and their good. Will you fight Him or follow Him?
God did not need Jonah to accomplish His will
God does not need us to accomplish His will.
God accomplished redemption in spite of Jonah.
God accomplishes redemption in spite of us
We see that
God is loving
Man is selfish
God is sovereign
Man is powerless
God is Creator
Man is created
God is just
Man is unjust, hypocritical
God is patient and kind
Man is impatient, unkind, cruel, hateful
We learn about
The Love that God has shown us
The Love we are called to show others
God’s will and our responsibility
WHERE ARE YOU WITH ALL OF THIS?
DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A FOLLOWER OF GOD?
DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A RECIPIENT OF HIS LOVE?
DO YOU VIEW OTHERS AS UNDESERVING OR TOO FAR GONE?
DO YOU HAVE A HARD TIME FOLLOWING CERTAIN COMMANDS OF GOD?
ARE THERE CERTAIN THINGS THAT GOD TELLS YOU TO DO, BUT YOU DON’T WANT TO DO THEM AND YOU DON’T WANT THE INTENDED RESULT?
NO AMOUNT OF EFFORT ON YOUR PART WILL BE ABLE TO STOP GOD FROM ACCOMPLISHING HIS WILL; AND YOU WANT TO BE ON HIS TEAM.
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. 4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.” 7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. 11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. 12 He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. 17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
God gave a very clear command
Jonah very clearly disobeyed
He disobeyed
Fully committed to that disobedience
Let’s think on the significance of this. What’s going on and why?
Jonah is a prophet of the Lord
23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, began to reign in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. 24 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. 25 He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher.
Jonah is very “pro-Israel” and “anti-foreigners” — especially Assyria
Jonah identifies himself as one who fears God (1:9)
9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
Who is Nineveh/Assyria?
Pagan
Wicked, violent, evil, immoral
“The bloody city, all full of lies and plunder—no end to the prey” (Nahum 3:1)
“There is no easing your hurt; your wound is grievous. All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you. For upon whom has not come your unceasing evil.” (Nahum 3:18-19)
Think if Las Vegas and ISIS joined into one city together.
Assyria (Nineveh is part of Assyria) has caused much harm to Israel; and Jonah who fears God and is a prophet of God...
Hates Assyria
Doesn’t want to go to Assyria
Doesn’t want to see them repent and experience forgiveness.
Jonah has determined they deserve judgment and they’re going to get it.
Not only is this a difficult command to follow, even if Jonah followed it, he doesn’t want the outcome that it produces.
What we’ll see is that when God gives a command to his people, he expects them to follow it. When they don’t (for whatever reason that may be), they will not succeed in opposing God.
We can learn from Jonah’s response to God’s commands. We can learn “what not to do”...
1. Follow God willingly, no matter how difficult the command (vv. 1-3)
1. Follow God willingly, no matter how difficult the command (vv. 1-3)
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.
EMPHASIZE (Cross Reference)
Colossians 3:1-5; 12-15
English Standard Version Chapter 3
3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:
English Standard Version Chapter 3
12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
ILLUSTRATE
Zaccheus and the Rich Young Ruler
APPLY
What are the commands that God has given us?
Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, strength
Love others as you love your self
Make disciples
How do we act like Jonah in response to these commands?
We decide who’s worth showing love to
We decide when and who hears the gospel (if we ever share)
We decide the extent that we’ll forgive someone
We decide when it’s appropriate to get angry
We decide when it’s ok to lie or “bend the truth”
OK, so we’ve established that Jonah has not obeyed. He disobeyed, and willingly.
What happens next?
The LORD hurled a GREAT wind upon the sea, to the point where there was a mighty tempest (huge storm) on the sea, threatening to break up the ship.
CARGO SHIPS breaking in half
These are experienced sailors, it’s their livelihood, and they are afraid, that’s when you know it’s bad
Man’s failed attempts
Hurling cargo
Crying out to false gods
Casting lots to figure out why this is happening
They tried rowing towards land
God is in COMPLETE control
Caused the storm to start
Controlled the “casting lots” so that they knew it was Jonah
Caused the storm to get more and more intense
Stopped the storm as soon as Jonah was hurled into the sea
Caused a GREAT fish to swallow up Jonah
We see time and time again that God is in control, God has the ability to do things and accomplish His will…even when it appeared impossible…
God displayed these things in opposition to Jonah’s DISOBEDIENCE. If he has control and can do these things opposing Jonah, think about the confidence and peace that he could have had in obeying God by going to Nineveh!?
2. Trust God confidently, no matter how impossible the circumstance (vv. 4-5, 7, 11-15, 17).
2. Trust God confidently, no matter how impossible the circumstance (vv. 4-5, 7, 11-15, 17).
4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.
7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.
11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. 12 He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.
17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
EMPHASIZE (Cross Reference)
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
ILLUSTRATE
Joseph (Genesis 39; 42-44)
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego (Daniel 3)
The Cross (Matthew 27-28)
APPLY
You may not know what will happen, but you can know what you should do.
God has given you His Word. You can know what you are supposed to do.
Then, commit to doing that no matter the circumstance.
Develop your convictions NOW.
Do not wait until you’re in the midst of trials and temptations to develop your convictions, beliefs, and faith,
However, we need to go deeper than words, deeper than actions, we need to get to the heart. Jonah was a prophet of God, he said that he feared God, but look at his actions:
He ran away from God
When the sailors cried out to their gods, Jonah didn’t
When he fled from the presence of God, he did not fear but the sailors were exceedingly afraid
When Jonah wanted to resist God and die, the sailors still feared the LORD and did not want to kill His prophet (even at the risk of dying)
Even in throwing Jonah overboard, they feared God, asked for the Lord’s favor, and came in humility. They were more concerned with pleasing God than they were with protecting their own lives.
Jonah? He was so wrapped up in his own will and desires, he couldn’t care less what it was costing others.
In all of this, we see two very different responses and two very different outcomes depending on the person’s posture towards God...
3. Fear God reverently, no matter how great the cost (vv. 5, 9-10, 13-16).
3. Fear God reverently, no matter how great the cost (vv. 5, 9-10, 13-16).
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.
9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
EMPHASIZE (Cross Reference)
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
ILLUSTRATE
The disciples continuing to preach the gospel (Acts 5)
27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
Examples of people hiding Jews during the holocaust
APPLY
Are you fearing other people or things?
What risks do you face if you obey God?
What risks do you face if you disobey God?
What value is there in disobeying God?
What value is there in obeying God?
Look at the example of:
Lying
Selfishness
Gluttony (lack of self-control)
We see that God’s prophet, Jonah, directly disobeyed God and opposed His will. However, God used those things to bring about the repentance and belief of the sailors. God accomplished His purpose in that situation, but we’ll see that Jonah’s disobedience and opposition led to a miserable time rather than joyfully serving God and advancing His will.
Closing
Closing
God displays His love by sovereignly working to save undeserving sinners for His glory and their good. Will you fight Him or follow Him?