Jonah 1

Lessons from Jonah 1

Read Jonah 1

1. Do not run from your service :1-3

What is our service?

Jesus – Greatest Command - Matt. 22:37-40 Love God / neighbor

John 13:34-35 A new command

Love how - Matthew 25, Good Sam Luke 10

2. Be prepared to jettison your baggage :4-5

All of us have baggage

Ideas of what to expect of God, church, friends

Pharisees baggage - tradition - Matthew 15:1-2

Pharisees baggage - a sign - Matthew 16:1-4

Racial - cultural differences – care for widows Acts 6

Jew / Greek - slave / free - Galatians 3:23-29

3. God notices us :5-6

Easy to feel alone - 1000 ways to talk yet lonely

God knows AND cares

Knows - Judges 6:25 Gideon Father’s bull, 2nd  7 yrs old

Matt - do not worry, he knows - Matthew 6:25-34

Cares

Cast your anxieties on him 1 Peter 5:6-7

4. God is not one of many :5-6

A jealous God - 7 times in OT

2nd of 10 commandments - no other gods Exodus 20:3

Gideon - let Baal fight for himself Judges 6

Elijah - Baal or LORD who is god? 1 Kings 18

Be careful to follow another god.

2025 - control, science, medicine, politics

5. God is greater than our efforts :13

Not in tabernacles made by man Acts 7 – Stephen

as if he needed anything Acts 17 - Paul at Athens

Not effort but faith

Like a seed – tell the mountain - Matt 17:20-21

Faith Hope and Love – 1 Corinthians 13

6. Make vows and keep vows :16

Israel often made vows – God always showed grace

Give grace and accept grace

Love others like Christ - grace / forgiveness

Story of Israel - Peter - Paul - Us

7. God's provision may surprise you :17

Nehemiah – provided a burnt city

Esther – provided a risk to her crown

Naaman – provided dunk in the river

Elijah - not in the wind, earthquake but still voice - 1 Kings 19:9-14

Jesus - strength in forgiveness - crucifixion - could have called legions Matt. 26:53-54

Provision may not look like what we had in mind

Jonah is told to go - we are told to go

Jonah is told to obey - we are told to obey

Jonah is told to have faith – we are told to have faith

Are you walking in GOD's path?

Are you obeying GOD's command

Are you following GOD's word

If not why not?

God called you

He told you what you must do

He loves and cares for you

He knows you and wants you

He provides for you now and in heaven

If you came to him and ran away - he offers grace and love

Won't you come to him now