Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Please open your Bibles to the Book of Jonah.

While you are turning to Jonah, let me provide you with a little historical background.

The events of Jonah take place approximately between 800-750 BC.

In secular history, some speculate Homer may have been writing or had just completed the Iliad and Odyssey.

The first Greek Olympics were established and Rome was founded and ruled by the legendary Romulus.

In Biblical History, Jonah is the first prophet to arrive approximately 50-100 years after Elisha and Elijah.

He is alive during the ministries of Amos and Hosea and dies shortly before Isaiah arrives on the scene.

He appears to be a successful prophet.

Did you know he is mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25 (NASB95) — 25 He (Jeraboam II) restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which He spoke through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher.

Now when I said “Book of Jonah”, what is the first image that appears in your mind?

The Whale, some kind of really big fish?

Jonah and the whale is one of the most memorable scenes in the Bible.

Yet, this big fish is not the most important character in the story.

So who is?

Now, some of you may be thinking, Jonah is the most important character.

And if so, you are getting warmer.

One sermon was titled about Jonah how: “He can run, but he can’t hide”.

By the way, did you know where that expression can from “He can run, but He can’t hide”.

That quote came from the famous boxer, Joe Louis.

One of greatest boxers of all time!

It was 1941, and he was facing Billy Conn who was lighter and faster and was planning a “hit and run” strategy to defeat Joe Louis.

And that’s when the Joe Louis said before the fight “He can run, but he can’t Hide”.

Then in the 13th round, behind in points, Joe Louis, nicknamed the “Brown Bomber” knocked Billy Conn out to win the match.

Now Our Jonah is not in a boxing ring but he is running way.

But He is not running away from an opponent.

He is running away from the most important person of this story.

This person is not His enemy, but loves Him infinitely.

He has called Him to be a prophet, and has an immeasurably, important mission and lesson for him to learn.

PROPOSITION

Along with Jonah, we will learn 7 keys principles on how God’s grace prevails over man’s sin so that we rightly respond to His grace when we sin! [REPEAT]

TRANSITION

So who is the most important person in Jonah?

Read with me Jonah 1:1-3

The most important person in the story of Jonah is not the whale, nor is it Jonah, but God.

Do you see the phrase the “Word of the Lord came”.

At first blush this may seem to be an “audio only” experience…but did you see the phrase repeated two times in verse 3, “from the presence of the Lord”.

We not only have audio, but video!

God has shown up in person.

God is talking face to face with Jonah!

Theologians calls this a theophany.

Now the question before us is, who is the Word of the Lord?

i. Could it be the God the Holy Spirit?

No…He never takes the form of a person in the Bible, he is described as fire, dove, comforter, but He has never taken the form of a person.

ii.

Could it be God the Father?

No… John 1:18 (NASB95) — 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He(Jesus) has explained Him.

iii.

Therefore, it must be the God the Son, Jesus Christ.

Now you may be thinking, John, I need more proof!

One verse is not enough to convince me.

And the Berean in you is right to think so!

The key verse and why this must be Jesus is

a.

John 1:1 (NASB95) — 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

– The apostle John uses this term “The WORD” because it’s how the Old Testament refers to Christ.

Let me give you two more examples of the “Word of the Lord” personally appearing.

Genesis 15:4–6 (NASB95) — 4 Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him (Abraham), saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” 5 And He(the Word) took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.”

And He (the word) said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 Then he (Abraham) believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

- Abraham met and believed in the Word, the Pre-incarnate Jesus!

A second example,

1 Samuel 3:7 (NASB95) — 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him….

Verse 10 Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel!

Wow!

The boy Samuel meets the Lord Jesus!

I further believe that on the road to Emmaus, Jesus pointed out several of these very passages regarding Himself as the “Word of the Lord”.

This is an amazing study, and if you stop and think for a moment, how was it possible that Israel did not recognize Jesus?

When Jesus is the very one who spoke in person to Adam, to Moses, to Abraham, David, and to each of the prophets about Himself!

Let us return to the text, so here is the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus, and he has a mission for Jonah, three commands: Arise, Go, Cry/Proclaim

“Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.”

So what do you know about God’s Grace Prevailing Over Man’s Sin”.

First, we learn that God’s grace prevails in spite of the fact that.

Principle #1 - God Knows Every Detail About Your Sin

“The Ninevites’ wickedness, their sin, all the specifics details, has come up before throne God”.

This idea that God is all knowing is expressed all over the Bible.

One of the best examples is right before the flood:

Genesis 6:5 (NASB95) — 5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

God knows the sins of Nineveh and He has chosen Jonah to deliver a message.

This is how God works.

He uses people to confront sin.

This is one of the reasons you and I have each other…so that we don’t remain in our sin!

Now Jesus comes to Jonah with this assignment.

There should only be one response to such authority and power…obedience!

But what does Jonah do in verse 3? He runs away!

He flees to Tarshish, that’s over 2000 miles away!

Now before you throw Jonah under the proverbial bus or chariot of his day, all of us do this.

We all have a knowledge of God like Jonah and even more so!

Yet, when God calls us to obey, do we disobey?

Do we run in the exact opposite direction to His Word, His Will, and His Ways?

Are you running right now from God!

If so, then consider this question…

TRANSITION

Can you really run from God?

The answer is yes [PAUSE]…for a little while, but not for long before serious consequences catch up with you!

This brings us to another insight regarding how God’s grace prevails over Man’s sin.

Principle #2 - God pursues Sinners

We read in verse 4…

Jonah 1:4 (NASB95) — 4 The LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up.

This is no ordinary storm.

It’s of divine origin.