The Lord Comes After His Own

INTRO:

Last Week:

Book of Jonah

God calls us to service

we have a response in that call

God’s pursuit of His people

Romans 8:38

Romans 8:38–39 ESV

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing Keeps God from Coming After Us

Jonah 1:3–6 ESV

3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. 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.”

Jonah 1:3-6

History of Mariners

Experienced fishermen

Basically lived at sea

Knew how to navigate storms

Big deal that this storm scared them

Why did this storm come?

Because Jonah tried to run from the Lord

The Lord sent a massive storm to get Jonah’s attention

Running in Disobedience Brings the Discipline of the Lord

Who likes to be disciplined? Why do we get discipline?

to correct behavior

Hebrews 12:7–11 ESV

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:7-11

If you receive discipline from the Lord it means two things:

What was the fruit of

God is correcting things in you to make you holy

You are a child of God, you belong to His family

Hebrews 12:8 ESV

8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

Hebrews 12:

If there is no conviction over your sin

If discipline does not come from when you sin

You are not a child of God, you’re not a Christian

The Gospel Saves

But there is hope though! - Jesus Christ

Why did God send Jonah to Nineveh?

Call them to repentance

Same message is here for you today!

Just as Jonah was sent by God to preach repentance to Nineveh, Christians are called to preach repentance through the Gospel!

Romans 10:

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Confession and repentance!

Because He has called us

Because He has chosen us