III. But for Grace...God Resuces!

Concept called “misery threshold,” which is akin to a physical pain threshold. Each person has a threshold for the misery they can endure before they turn to extreme measures. Ph.D. Psychology Today

Be thankful if you have never had to discover your misery threshold…but

(S1) —

Have you ever prayed in a time of desperation?

— When it seemed there was no way out? Ever prayed a prayed for someone you know who was in a dark place with no where to turn?

Most often people discover their misery threshold by trying to avoid painful areas in their life…

Demographic Study/Spiritual crisis/One needed thing/HOPE

Our mission/offering Hope—a way up, out, and through by connecting people to Jesus

Today; Jonah’s prayer of desperation…knee deep in whale blubber. Not only is he in a physically dark place, but due to his disobedience to God. Jonah is in a spiritual crisis! His only way out is up and through by an honest conversation with God.

(S2) —

Last week we looked at Job a hero of the faith, who spent his a life running towards God—didn’t deserve…Today, Jonah who was certainly no hero—running in the opposite direction—disobeying a directive from God—deserving...

Even if we never discover our misery threshold, and pray you don’t, if we’re honest there is a little of Jonah in all of us. In some way, at some time, we have all gone in the opposite direction from where God would have us be.

Chasing satisfaction in a wordly vision (that won’t last)—living in way that is not Christ-like/God honoring—running from a fruitful marriage—avoiding our calling to serve

In his rock bottom moment Jonah discover this one thing. The one he had been running from, was the one he needed to turn to—His prayer of desperation, is his finding his way back to God.

We could imagine Jonah’s best advice for us—Don't go there! But if you do find yourself in the opposite place the Lord wants you, the good news is, there is a BUT GOD…

SERIES— Jonah’s BUT GOD!

6 “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.”

(S3) — Title

Jonah’s prayer of desperation—turning to the only one who could save him—'BUT for GRACE...GOD RESCUES!'

PRAYER

(S4)

Jonah the Book—4 chapters

Some have tried to claim Jonah’s story as only a fable/tall tale/children’s story/seminaries…but the Bible, and early historians, tell us other wise.

— The bible speaks of Jonah as a living prophet

2 Kings 14:25 “He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel...in accordance with the word of the Lord...spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.”

— Josephus (an early Jewish historian) also regarded him as historical figure rather than fictional

— Jonah is the only "minor prophet" mentioned by Jesus.

— The apostle Paul may have been also been alluding to him in...

1 Corinthians 15:4 “that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”

Therefore, its a whale of a story, and its true!

Before we dive into Jonah’s prayer, its important we have some context (ch.’s 1&2), to better understand how he got here.

First, we learn that Jonah was SENT by God…

(S5)

Jonah 1:1–2 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.”

Sent to a great city—capital of the Assyrian Empire during a period of their dominance throughout the ancient Near East (ca. 703–612 bc).

“Bible frames Nineveh as a thoroughly evil city/an enemy of Israel.” It was believed that it’s people and their ways were evil and deserved God’s judgement.”

Sent to deliver some bad news (prophets role), to a city called Nineveh.

—an Assyrian city located on the eastern bank of the Tigris River (Iraq).

— It’s said to have watered the biblical Garden of Eden (importance to God)

Sent to a place Jonah did not want to go—he despised Nineveh, and is disappointed that Yahweh wants to spare them.” The reason he ran in the opposite direction!

Ever find yourself thinking, God why would you want to save that person?

Jesus/Thief on Cross

Jonah was sent to bring God’s message of salvation to people who didn’t deserve it…

(S6)

Second, we learn of Jonah’s Disobedience—how he got in the belly of a fish

Jonah 1:3 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.

Tarnish (a port city) exact location is not known—In most references in the Bible, the place name is used to imply somewhere a great distance away.

He literally FLEES from God, sailing in the opposite direction, and away the assignment given him. Who thinks this isn’t going to turn out good already?

— The Lord sends a great wind. The crew fears for their life (4-5)

— Jonah goes below deck to sleep (6)— overconfident?

— The crew cast lots and responsibility for peril falls on Jonah

— He is thrown into the turbulent seas in the dark of night…and God intervenes

(S7)

Jonah 1:17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

And you think you had a bad day, how about three in a row! Jonah probably would have preferred 3 days and nights at a local Marriott

—Instead, he finds himself at his rock bottom— in the belly of a fish, swallowed whole but kept alive

Jonah the disobedient prophet discovered you can’t run or hide from God!

If we’re honest, don’t we all have a bit of Jonah in us— human nature to run/avoid the truth of the pain in our life

1 Corinthians 4:4–5 “ It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives.

Talking to people when their faced with losing a job, home, our their marriage is falling apart—there is a greater sense of urgency—You worry less about trivial things...

How did I get here? Is a question often asked of the person who finds them self in the company of misery. Ever find yourself asking the same?

So it was for Jonah—only one thing on his mind—but first he had to come to his senses. He was in a spiritual crisis! It was time for an honest conversation with God…

(S8)

1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.

Imagine that for a moment—Not your ideal prayer room! Sloshing around in sea of yuk

—I don’t like to see the inside of any fish let alone want to be in one?

Jonah’s Prayer (2 parts)

1. Jonah’s distress—4-6a

2. Jonah’s But God—6b-9

Jonah’s prayer is his way out—Four things we can learn about his escape plan

I. Jonah’s CALLING out to God

(S9)

1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 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.

Two parts—A verbal crying out...with death knocking at his door—A CALL for help, for God to intervene

Stories of near death experiences—light, glory...

Jonah ain’t there—from the realm of the dead, I called to YOU…his personal plea for help

Psalm 28:2 “ Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.”

Jonah knows that without God, he is never going to get out of this alive!

Matthew 12:39 “He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

Without Jesus, who likens himself as a sign like Jonah, we are never going to get out of this world alive!

— We too find our way back from a place of desperation, by CALLING out to the one who saves

II. Jonah’s CONFESSION to God

(S10)

3 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. 4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ 5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head.

His confession of…

— God’s divine intervention. He knew it was God who threw him into the sea .

— his separation from God—the loneliness…

— his own doing in it all. He could not blame the sailors or the storm, or the whale...

Jonah knows he must answer to the Lord alone.

Ever found yourself blaming others for your circumstances…

Romans 10:9 (ESV) “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Even in his near death experience…he sees hope—yet I will look again…

We find our way back from a place of desperation, by CONFESSING to God, where we have fallen short

III. Jonah’s CONFIDENCE in God to save him

(S11)

6 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.

Even though he didn’t deserve it…he looked to what he knew of God—But for Grace, Job was confident in God’s rescue plan.

Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Jesus is God’s rescue plan for all who have this confidence in God’s grace

Psalm 27:13 “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”

We find our way back from a place of desperation, by our confidence in Jesus who went to a place of desperation to save us

IV. Jonah’s CONVICTION before God

(S12)

7 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. 9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good.

His conviction in three ways…

1. Jonah REMEMBERS

…who God is and his petitions rise up…

2. Jonah RECALLS

…how he got there

His way of life—His preferences over God’s — His DISOBEDIENCE

3. Jonah vows to RETURN

to his worship of God…

John 4:21-23

We find our way back from a place of desperation, by our CONVICTION before Jesus—remembering. recalling and returning

(S14)

I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’ ” 10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Not sure what Jonah was expecting—God’s mighty harpoon...certainly not to come out as part of the whales vomit (10)

Sometimes the only way out is up, and through our mess…

Maybe you have never found yourself in a place of desperation? But all of us will find ourselves in a place of spiritual Crisis?

Bethany Hamilton —At just 13 years old, professional surfer Bethany Hamilton's life changed forever when she lost her left arm in a shark attack. Devastated and in pain, Hamilton could have given up on her dreams of surfing competitively. Instead, she refused to be defined by her disability, returning to the water just one month after the attack. Through sheer determination and an unyielding love for the sport, Hamilton went on to become one of the top female surfers in the world, inspiring countless others to overcome their obstacles and pursue their passions fearlessly.

Do you need to CALL out to God

What do you need to CONFESS

Do you have CONFIDENCE in Jesus who saves?

How about your CONVICTION of getting right with God

(S15)

Matthew 12:41 The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here.