Aftershock - Fear of the Lord

INTRO:

SB Games start next week!

Exciting games

Great opportunity to bring friends who normally wouldn’t go to church!

Book of Jonah, What it means to be called by the Lord

Last week - Jonah’s sin affected others, not just himself; same as our sin

This week - How God uses us to show others Himself

Called to be a Witness

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Jesus’ final words to His disciples

Called to be witnesses for God

How do we witness for God?

Jonah was a witness for God

Look at how God uses Jonah’s discipline to reveal Himself to others

Jonah 1:4–5 ESV

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.

Jonah 1:

What were the mariners afraid of?

The raging storm

afraid of the physical peril that they were facing

Jonah 1:9–10 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.” 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.

Jonah 1:9-

Mariners became exceedingly afraid

Were they afraid of the storm?

not anymore, they were afraid of the one who sent the storm - The God who made the sea and dry land

Jonah 1:16 ESV

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

Jonah 1:

The men were in reverent fear of Yahweh

seeing the storm, knowing the one who sent it, and then seeing it stopped made them cast away false idols and worship the one true God

Proverbs 1:7 ESV

7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Living as a Witness

Romans 12:1 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

The fear of the Lord brings about sacrifice

we are to be a living sacrifice seeking to worship God with our lives

Even in difficult situations our anchor is Christ

Look at the apostles

Acts 4:18–19 ESV

18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge,

Acts 4:19

Next chapter, charged with the same thing

stated the same thing

beaten and released

rejoiced to suffer for the Gospel

No matter the circumstances the Gospel can be preached by God using us in various situations

Do I have to convince anyone of the Gospel?

NO

be a witness and when the Holy Spirit reveals Himself reverent fear and worship of God occur

Did Jonah have to give a lecture about who God was? Did he have to have a 12-step program to reveal God?

No, his life was a living sacrifice (literally) to the greatness of God

Live a life that points to Christ, even in your being disciplined, point to Christ!