Pirate Parlay

Introduction

Explain the system of Parlay in the Pirates of the Caribbean.

When pirates from the same crew would get into fights, one of them might invoke parlay which meant that they had to take their dispute to the captain before they could physically fight with each other.

Jonah had a big problem with the Ninevites and he thought it was his responsibility to proclaim their destruction to them (“Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown).

Recap

After running away, being thrown into the sea, living in the belly of a fish for 3 days, and being vomited onto dry land, Jonah has gone to Nineveh and preached the message God gave him.

Ninevites actually repent.

Jonah goes up out of the city and finds a place to watch and see what happens to the Ninevites, but tells us that God relented of the disaster He said He would bring.

Explanation

Jonah is angry and displeased that God has decided to show the Ninevites mercy even though he himself was recently a recipient of God’s mercy.

Let’s give Jonah the benefit of the doubt:

Assyria was a military threat to Israel

God could have made an example out of Assyria for Israel to see and repent from their sins

Assyria did eventually invade Israel

The Problem with Jonah’s view:

He had a “better them than us” mentality

He had a short-sighted view

He had a narrow-minded approach to the family of God

Illustration

Application

When you see that kid at school who comes from a Muslim family, an atheist, a homosexual, that kid who’s not athletic, that kid who has a hard time socializing, understand that God wants them just as much as He wants you.

1. If you are a beneficiary, you should also be a benefactor.

Explanation

Jonah didn’t just run away from Nineveh because he was scared of the Ninevites. That might have been part of it, but he also ran away because he knew that God would show them mercy if they repented of their sins. Jonah had hatred in his heart for the Ninevites which, as we see, is not the heart of God.

Jonah hates the Ninevites so much that he would rather die than be the guy who delivered the message of hope and repentance to the Ninevites.

God asks him this question: “Do you do well to be angry?”

Illustration

If you slapped your cousin and you got $100 Billion, what would you do with it?

You may not think that you’re blessed now, but a human life is more valuable than any amount of money. God has given you that and with that comes an incredible amount of potential. Are you going to use your life to bless yourself or to bless others?

Application

“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” -

God doesn’t bless us so we can sit back be comfortable. God doesn’t bless us so we can think, “Better them than us.” God blesses us so that we can bear fruit and bless others. If God has given you athletic ability, use that to bless others. If God has given you intelligence, use that to bless others. If God has given you popularity, use that to influence and encourage others in a positive way.

What others am I talking about?

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” -Matthew 5:44

2. God gives and He takes away.

Explanation

Jonah was happy when God gave him something that benefitted him (by the way this happened while Jonah was literally sitting and watching to see if God would instead destroy Nineveh) that he did not do anything to deserve. Then, it’s taken away and he wants to die again.

Illustration

-Giving dogs treats vs. pretending to give dogs treats

-I’ve had to take away toys from my dog before because she ripped them open and started pulling stuffing out that she could choke on

-Have you ever had to take something away from a baby that they really enjoyed?

Application

It is a mystery to me why God loves us so much and wants to bless us when we continually turn away from Him and sin, but it is also a mystery to me why God allows disaster to happen (Hurricane Michael). I know God uses those things and turns them around for good. I know God does those things and points people to Himself, but it is a mystery why He sometimes does things the way He does. We can try to explain it all from an earthly perspective, or we can understand that there are bigger things in play—that this life is temporary and short. We can see things from an eternal perspective and have the mindset of .

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” -Romans 8:18

3. If you have received something, understand that you are not entitled to anything.

Explanation

Since Jonah apparently forgot about this great act of mercy God had on him by sparing his life in the most bizarre way by sending a fish to gobble him up and spit him back up on dry land, God performed another act of mercy on Jonah by causing a plant to grow to give him some shade.

Jonah’s attitude was based on his circumstances. When God gave him physical blessing he was happy and when God took it away he wanted to die, but the thing is, Jonah didn’t do anything to earn the mercy he received. In fact, what he earned and deserved was punishment. What we have all earned is eternal punishment.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -

Illustration

Two old friends who bumped into one another on the street one day. One of them was on the verge of tears. His friend asked, “What has the world done to you, my old friend?”

The sad fellow said, “Let me tell you. Three weeks ago, my uncle died and left me $40,000.”

“That’s a lot of money.”

“But you see, two weeks ago, a cousin I never even knew died, and left me $85,000 free and clear.”

“Sounds like you’ve been blessed…”

“You don’t understand!” he interrupted. “Last week my great-aunt passed away. I inherited almost a quarter of a million.”

Now he was really confused. “Then, why do you look so glum?”

“This week… nothing!”

That’s the trouble with receiving something on a regular basis. Even if it is a gift, we eventually come to expect it.

Application

Have you received that which you cannot earn—eternal life in Christ Jesus? What you earn is death, but you can still receive eternal life by grace through faith in Jesus.