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Introduction

Last week we said:

We can all identify with storms in our lives. Some come out of nowhere. Some leave us feeling stranded. Some of them feel like the “Perfect Storm.”

What we will see today is that even though storms come for many reasons and in many forms, the end result should be the same - worship. God can use storms to get your attention.

Three main characters: God, Jonah, and the Sailors

Four areas in which they intersect: storm, revelation, prayer, worship

Main story is about God

While Jonah and the crew of the ship he took from Joppa are the focal points for the part of the story told in 1:4–16, God is the one who controls the events. It was God’s command to his prophet that evoked Jonah’s futile response of flight in the first place. It was God who hurled his wind at the sea to produce the life-threatening storm. God caused the lots to designate Jonah to the crew as the source of their distress, and God calmed the sea suddenly when Jonah was thrown overboard. Imagine being one of the sailors when the empty ship arrived back at port in Joppa. When the others proposed worshiping as a group at a shrine of Yahweh to show their lasting gratitude, would it be easy to say “Not me—some other time, perhaps”? What had happened to the sailors was probably the most awesome and shocking experience of their lives. Could they ever forget what they had seen Yahweh, Jonah’s God, do?

Stuart, Douglas. 1987. Hosea–Jonah. Vol. 31. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

Jonah 1:4–13

The Storm (4-6)

“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.”

Sometimes storms come when we least expect and for reasons we do not understand . (Sailors)

Sometimes storms are God’s way of correcting us back to faith and mission. (Jonah)

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.”

The Revelation (7-13)

God wants you to know him! This is the main point.

The truth of God requires a response. (Sailors)

We can know truth about God and still be far from him. (Jonah)

The question is, now that God has our attention, how should we respond?

The Prayer (14-15)

Jonah 1:14–15

“14 Therefore they (the sailors) 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.”

Prayer confirms our heart’s intent. (Sailors)

The Sailors are no longer praying to their gods, they are praying to Yahweh.

They heard Jonah’s testimony.

They recognized God’s sovereignty and called upon God’s mercy.

This is the gospel!

Their actions confirm the sincerity of their prayers.

Lack of prayer confirms our heart’s intent. (Jonah)

Jonah doesn’t pray.

Even while the sailors pray to God, we don’t have any record that Jonah prayed.

He is not ready / willing to give himself to God’s mercy.

Jonah is a hypocrite.

He claims to be a prophet yet refuses to declare God’s Word

He claims to follow the Lord but is running from his presence

He states he fears Yahweh but displays no faith.

Jonah 1:9 ESV

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.”

fear = worship (translated this way in NIV and others)

“I worship God but I will not do what he says”

This is an oxymoronic statement and is the very definition of a hypocrite.

Hypocrites were actors who wore a mask.

Three things about hypocrites:

Hypocrisy is devious and dangerous

hypocrisy is devious and can sneak into our lives with barely a notice

hypocrisy is dangerous and can have serious spiritual consequences.

Matthew 7:22–23 ESV

22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Fighting against sin is not the same as hypocrisy

ILLUST - Saying I am a chess player would be hypocritical. Playing soccer poorly is not hypocritical

3. False Christians do not negate the truth of God.

The sailors did not say, “Jonah is not acting like a prophet; therefore I don’t believe Yahweh exists.”

So today, Christian hypocrites do not negate the truth of Christ.

The New American Commentary: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah 2. The Storm at Sea (1:4–6):

“There is extreme irony here: a “heathen sea captain” pleaded with a Hebrew prophet to pray to his God. It is sobering to see one who might be termed an “unbeliever” pleading for spiritual action on the part of a “believer.” The “unbeliever” saw the gravity of the situation while the prophet slept. It is a sad commentary when those who are committed to the truth of God’s word have to be prodded by a lost world into spiritual activity.”

Ouch! But how much of the church today is like this? We are born into Christianity and quickly lulled into religiosity such that our reactions and responses to the storms around us are no different than the world around us.

Jonah should have been the first to his knees - the first to pray; instead, it takes the prodding of the pagan to get him to act like the ‘called of God’ that he was.

Maybe this is why - Jonah misunderstands God and his intentions. he believes the storm is sent to destroy him. He believes it is the relentless pursuit of a vengeful God.

He chooses to throw himself in the face of the angry storm rather than into the hands of a merciful God. He’d rather perish than pray.

This is confirmed (Jonah overboard was not repentance) because they try to row to shore (take Jonah bak to mission) and are thwarted because Jonah has not yet repented

Our own solutions to our rebellion rarely works - God wants repentance.

God does not want to force his will - he invites his presence.

› *What is your response to a storm - pray or paddle?

Jonah tossed into sea

He would even die so that the sailors might be spared, but would not preach so that Nineveh might be. The contrast is evident in the way the story is told. The sailors are willing to do whatever Yahweh wants, as soon as they can find it out. Jonah already knows exactly what Yahweh wants, but tries to escape it.

Stuart, Douglas. 1987. Hosea–Jonah. Vol. 31. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

Why would God want Jonah thrown into the sea? Why would Jonah need to be sacrificed to save the sailors? Isn’t that cruel?

The ESV Study Bible Chapter 1

1:15 The saving of mariners through the sacrifice of Jonah prefigures the salvation of all nations through the death of Christ (

1 John 2:2 ESV

2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

They believed the testimony of Jonah about God, they trusted in the sacrifice of God’s chosen man, and they cried out to God for His mercy.

This is a whisper of the gospel!!

The Worship (16)

Jonah 1:16

“16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.”

Salvation from God should always lead to worship

The pagan sailors begin to worship Yahweh. It would seem they made a serious decision - the sacrifice likely did not happen on the boat (they had already thrown the cargo overboard) (and vows needed to be made once they were on land) so they sailors had time between the storm and their acts of worship.

The stopping of the wind is one thing, the stilling of the seas is another (greater) miracle.’

When we worship. . .

Fear of the Lord replaces our fear of the storm. (Sailors)

God’s goal in the storm (for both the pagan sailors and rebellious Jonah) is worship.

Fear (v4) is explained by Jonah’s fear (v9) of Yahweh, and later replaced by the fear (v16) and worship of God.

This story shows us that the pathway through the storm is the same whether we are the victim of the storm or the reason for it. Recognize God, Pray, Worship.

Refusal to worship has serious consequences . (Jonah)

Jonah still needs to learn his lesson.

While the newly converted sailors are now singing worship songs, Jonah is still sinking.

GOD IS SOVEREIGN. We can save ourselves much heartache and difficulty if we would simply recognize this and worship.

Conclusion: Lessons from the Storm

What we learn from Jonah:

It’s possible to know about God and not be in right relationship with him.

Storms in our lives can be used to discipline us.

What we learn from the sailors:

God alone is sovereign.

God can reach anyone who is willing.

God can use storms to teach us about himself.

What we learn about God:

God wants to save people.

He shows us this in Jonah. He shows us this in Jesus.

Another time there was a rocking boat, a cry out to God, a stilled storm resulting in worship.

Mark 4:35–37 ESV

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.

The sea / water + storm = death

Mark 4:37–41 ESV

39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Jesus is greater than the storm! Jesus is sovereign over the storm just as Yahweh is sovereign over the storm because they are both God

Jesus conquers the storm of death he doesn’t do it unwillingly or resistant to Gods will like Jonah

ILLUST - “The Guardian” – the rescue swimmer entered into the storm to reach the person caught in the storm. He gave his life so the person could be saved and make it through the storm.

I know what you’re saying, “That all sounds great, Jason, but the sailors worshipped when the storm stopped. Mine is still rocking. And as a matter of fact, there are some people I would like to throw overboard and that might make my storm stop.”

Mark 4:37–41 ESV

37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

What was the lack of faith? It wasn’t that they should have been able to still the storm.

It was that they felt God had abandoned them to perish in the storm while the Lord of the storm was with them IN the storm.

Jesus entered the storm to get us through the storm and he is with us in the storm.

Jesus is with you in the storms of life

Jesus stilling the storm

Storms get our attention. What is God saying to you today?

What is rocking your boat today?