Sermon Tone Analysis

We’re going to pick up where we left off in our GO series.

So please turn to .

We’re going to pick up where we left off in our GO series.

Go

We’re going to pick up where we left off in our GO series.

So please turn to .

We’re going to pick up where we left off in our GO series.

PRAY

In chapter 1, God tells Jonah to go to the great city (map) of Nineveh.

Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire, about 550 miles from Israel.

That’s about a 4 week journey for Jonah.

Remember, the whole premise of this series is from – “Go and make disciples of all nations – all ethnic groups, baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

Kerry talked about that a few weeks ago.

Jonah doesn’t want to go.

He does not like the Assyrians - he doesn’t like “those people.”

So he runs away.

Remember, God cares about “those people.”

That’s the theme of this book.

And “those people” are people we normally do not associate with for whatever reason.

It could be physical (don’t like the way they look or they scare me), location (that’s out of my way), emotional (“those people could bring up painful memories), even political or spiritual.

I want you to write down two things: This is not in our notes – God changed a few things yesterday.

We ignore “those people” for many reasons, and I would say more times than not, our reasons fall under the category of pride.

If you and I refuse to love “those people,” the people God calls us to love it’s called pride and pride is sin and sin hinders the work of God.

1) Write down the name of someone you are actively helping to know Christ or to grow in their obedience to Christ?

We call that discipling?

Who are you actively discipling?

If you don’t have a name to write down, you need one – so I challenge you to bring that to the Lord this week.

Pray about it.

2) Write down the name of someone (or people group) whom God wants you to talk to – that He wants you to share your faith in Christ, maybe confront them on a particular sin or whatever – but you have either refused or have been fearful to do so.

How is that pride?

Well, in Jonah’s case, he believed he deserved God’s mercy but “those people” didn’t.

“I’m an Israelite, I’m in - too bad for “those people.”

That’s pride - and there is no room for pride in God’s Kingdom.

If your pride is preventing you from loving “those people,” you need to pray, repent and ask God to help.

This is a good time to do a plug for China – I just got the dates, so if you’re interested in going – let me know.

So Jonah runs the other direction, gets on a ship, God sends a storm, the sailors toss him over, God sends a fish to rescue Jonah.

Talk about a creative rescue mission.

God is creative.

People who say the Bible is boring - never really read the Bible.

We’ll come back to those names toward the end, but for now, let’s do a quick review of Jonah.

Let’ pick it up in

So, Jonah’s back on land, covered in fish puke and then what?

Well, Jonah’s had quite the traumatic experience.

Does Jonah get a week off to recover?

Does God send Jonah to counseling for Post Traumatic Swallowed-by-a-Fish Syndrome?

We don’t know.

All we know is what God’s Word tells us - and we’re led to believe that what happened next was relatively soon.

And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

So, Jonah’s back on land, covered in fish puke and then what?

Well, Jonah’s had quite the traumatic experience.

Does Jonah get a week off to recover?

Does God send Jonah to counseling for Post Traumatic Swallowed-by-a-Fish Syndrome?

We don’t know.

All we know is what God’s Word tells us - and we’re led to believe that what happened next was relatively soon.

In chapter 1, God told Jonah to go to the great city (map) of Nineveh.

Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire.

They’re the bad guys – “those people” – and Jonah hated them so Jonah he refused to go.

So Jonah ran the other direction, boarded on a ship, God sent a storm and a fish to get Jonah back on track toward Nineveh – toward “those people.”

Why was it so important for Jonah to go to Nineveh?

And as we get into that - I have two truths to uncover this morning:

Because God cares about “those people” – which is the theme of this book – that God cares about “all people” – even the ones you and I don’t care about.

Here’s the thing – God shows His love and care for “those people” how?

When His people go ….

WHAT GOD EXPECTS

What does that mean?

When it comes to God’s mission for us - to go and make disciples, what does He expect?

We all have “those people” in our lives.

For today’s message, “those people” are the ones whom God has specifically directed us to go to, to talk to, to love etc. Could be a family member, a co-worker or children in China – but we have yet to go because of either fear or disobedience.

I think fear and disobedience are wreaking havoc in Western Christianity.

And our world is in desperate need of Christians who will courageously obey God.

And that’s exactly what Jonah did – with all his character defects and disobedience, he eventually obeyed and went to Nineveh.

So let’s get back into the story.

Then the word of Yahweh came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

Jonah obeyed the word of Yahweh and went to Nineveh.

This is a parallel to chapter 1 verses 1-3 when God spoke to Jonah the first time.

God is simply repeating His initial command to Jonah.

God didn’t change anything because of the traumatic events.

God is saying, “Jonah, get up, take a shower man, you stink and complete the mission I gave you.

Put the disobedience behind you, put the storm behind, put the fish behind you and go.”

This is a parallel to chapter 1 verses 1-3 when God spoke to Jonah the first time.

God is simply repeating His initial command to Jonah.

God didn’t change anything because of the traumatic events.

God is saying, “Jonah, get up, take a shower man, you stink and complete the mission I gave you.

Put the disobedience behind you, put the storm behind, put the fish behind you and go.”

Let’s begin with

And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

So, Jonah’s back on land, covered in fish puke and then what?

Well, Jonah’s had quite the traumatic experience.

Does Jonah get a week off to recover?

Does God send Jonah to counseling for Post Traumatic Swallowed-by-a-Fish Syndrome?

We don’t know.

We don’t know if he had any recovery time.

All we know is what God’s Word tells us – and it’s very clear that God had some high expectations for Jonah.

And so this morning we’re going to look at what God expects and next week we’ll look at what God accomplishes when we meet those expectations.

I don’t know where you’re at, but some of you might be in a similar situation.

God gave you a mission, or a passion, or a dream some time ago and you have yet to fulfill it.

And life hasn’t turned out the way you thought.

And you’re reading this story about Jonah and you’re thinking - “that’s me.”

And so God might be telling you the second time, “Get up, some of you might need a shower, and complete the mission.

Forget about the wasted years, forget about the storms - forgetting what is behind and press forward and complete the mission.”