Resisting Commitment

Resisting Commitment

C.I.T.: Jonah resisted and rebelled against the will of God.

Thesis Christians must be obedient to Christ in order to continue in the peace and joy of the Lord

M/O: Consecrative

S/0: Christians will repent of resisting and rebelling against the will of God.

Related Scripture Passages: ; ;

Title: "Resisting Commitment"

CONFRONTING CASUAL CHRISTIANITY, Charles Stanley,

Broadman Press, 1985, p.91-114. Criswell Study Bible

Introduction:

Why is it that we resist and rebel in our commitment to the Lord Jesus? Why in the world would we, knowingly go against the clearly revealed will of God for our lives? It seems to be a foolish thing to resist and rebel against the very one who desires the very best for us, doesn't it?

Jonah, the prophet in this story, is the epitome of a person who knew exactly what God wanted him to do and yet resisted and rebelled against that call.

1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because their wickedness has confronted Me.” 3 However, Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the LORD’s presence. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish, from the LORD’s presence. 4 Then the LORD hurled a violent wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose on the sea that the ship threatened to break apart. 5 The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his god. They threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel and had stretched out and fallen into a deep sleep. 6 The captain approached him and said, “WHAT are you doing sound asleep? Get up! Call to your god. Maybe this god will consider us, and we won’t perish.” 7 “Come on!” the sailors said to each other. “Let’s cast lots. Then we’ll know who is to blame for this trouble we’re in.” So they cast lots, and the lot singled out Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us who is to blame for this trouble we’re in. What is your business and where are you from? What is your country and what people are you from?” 9 He answered them, “I’m a Hebrew. I worship Yahweh, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were even more afraid and said to him, “What is this you’ve done?” The men knew he was fleeing from the LORD’s presence, because he had told them.

Jonah 1:1–10 NLT

1 The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” 3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. 4 But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. 5 Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. 6 So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.” 7 Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. 8 “Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?” 9 Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” 10 The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the Lord. “Oh, why did you do it?” they groaned.

Through Jonah we will learn why we sometimes resist our commitment to God.

I-RESISTING THE CALL OF GOD ()

Jonah 1:1–5 NLT

1 The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” 3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. 4 But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. 5 Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold.

Jonah 1:1–5 NLT

1 The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” 3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. 4 But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. 5 Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold.

A-God's call

1-Jonah had already committed himself to God as his prophet.

a. Obedience in proclaiming the word of God should have been natural.

been natural.

2-Jesus has called you to some basic commitments when He called you to salvation.

called you to salvation.

a. The commitment to follow Him.

1) Just as He called the disciples to do.

“Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you

Matthew 4:19 NLT

19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”

fish for people!”

b. The commitment to witness ()

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has

Acts 1:8 NLT

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

come on you, and you will be My witnesses in

Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends

of the earth.”

c. The commitment to be faithful to the Assembly

“And let us be concerned about one another in order

to promote love and good works, not staying away

Hebrews 10:24–25 NLT

24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

but encouraging each other, and all the more as you

d. The commitment to diligently seek to understand and obey God’s will and ways

obey God’s will and ways

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a

worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly

2 Timothy 2:15 NLT

15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.

teaching the word of truth.”

e. The commitment to pray.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT

17 Never stop praying.

B-God's Specific Call ()

Jonah 1:1–2 NLT

1 The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

Jonah 1:1–2 NLT

1 The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

1-Jonah was specifically called to go to a particular place-Nineveh.

Nineveh.

a. Even more specifically, he was called to preach a warning message to them.

warning message to them.

2-Jesus calls each one of us to perform specific tasks.

a. He calls us to specific acts of material stewardship.

b. He calls some to preach ..at home..overseas..etc.

c. He calls some to teach.

d. To witness to a specific person

e. To minister to a specific person

C-Resistance to His Call ()

Jonah 1:3 NLT

3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.

Jonah 1:3 NLT

3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.

1- Jonah bought a ticket and headed the opposite direction.

direction.

2- Jesus is calling you to a specific task, are you running from him?

running from him?

II-REASONS FOR RESISTING GOD'S CALL ( )

“But Jonah was greatly displeased and became furious. 2 He

prayed to the LORD: “Please, LORD, isn’t this what I said

while I was still in my own country? That’s why I fled

Jonah 4:1–3 NLT

1 This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. 3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

toward Tarshish in the first place. I knew that You are a

merciful and compassionate God, slow to become angry, rich

disaster. 3 And now, LORD, please take my life from me,

for it is better for me to die than to live.”

A-We are afraid:

1-of failure

a. Bailey Smith's Testimony--"Was willing to do anything but fail."

but fail."

2-of criticism

a. Might not live up to other people's expectations and be criticized.

be criticized.

3-of success

a. This was Jonah's problem ... he was afraid that he would succeed and Nineveh would repent and be spared.

would succeed and Nineveh would repent and be spared.

1) He resented the fact that God would use the hand of Assyria to chasten Israel, and extend grace to the capital city of Assyria.

Assyria to chasten Israel, and extend grace to the

capital city of Assyria.

B-We are selfish

1-God's call doesn't mesh with our plans ()

my own country? That’s why I fled toward Tarshish in the

Jonah 4:1–2 NLT

1 This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.

first place.”

a-Plans for personal independence.

1) America is geared to "Do it my way" ideology.

b-Personal comfort without a thought to the eternal destiny of others.

destiny of others.

1) We seek Air-Conditioned comfort while people we know are headed for the furnaces of Hell!

know are headed for the furnaces of Hell!

C-We have a poor self-image

1- "Lord, I'm inadequate" cop-out argument.

III-HOW WE RESIST HIM

A-We argue with Him

1-Like Moses did at the burning bush ()

a-We use every argument possible.

1) Who am I?

2) Who are you?

3) What will I say?

4) I can't talk well enough.

5) I don't know my Bible well enough.

B-We substitute our plan for His.

1-Like King Saul ()

a. He was ordered by God to completely wipe-out the Amalekites, but substituted his own plan for God's. The results were devastating.

Amalekites, but substituted his own plan for

God's. The results were devastating.

C- We deny His call altogether.

1-Like the rich young ruler.

(HCSB)

“If you want to be perfect,” Jesus said to him,

“go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and

()

you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow

Me.” 22 When the young man heard that command, he

Matthew 19:21–22 NLT

21 Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

went away grieving, because he had many possessions.”

a. He ignored the divine call for the sake of the world.

world.

b. PRINCIPLE: If God tells you to do something, you fall on your knees and seek His mind about it. What you get while on your knees is far safer than what you get while standing up." (Dr. Charles Stanley)

you fall on your knees and seek His mind

about it. What you get while on your knees

is far safer than what you get while

standing up." (Dr. Charles Stanley)

D- We run from it.

1-Like Jonah--There is nowhere you can go to hide from God.

God.

IV-RESULTS OF RESISTING GOD (;)

A-It costs you peace (1:11-17)

this sea that’s against us?” For the sea was getting worse

and worse. 12 He answered them, “Pick me up and throw me

into the sea so it may quiet down for you, for I know that

I’m to blame for this violent storm that is against you.”

13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry

land, but they couldn’t because the sea was raging against

them more and more. 14 So they called out to the LORD:

Jonah 1:11–17 NLT

11 And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?” 12 “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.” 13 Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” 15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! 16 The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. 17 Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.

“Please, Yahweh, don’t let us perish because of this man’s

life, and don’t charge us with innocent blood! For You,

Yahweh, have done just as You pleased.” 15 Then they

picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea

stopped its raging. 16 The men feared the LORD even more,

and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows. 17

Now the LORD had appointed a huge fish to swallow Jonah,

and Jonah was in the fish three days and three nights.”

1-Jonah lost all external and internal peace.

B-It costs you Joy (4:3)

Jonah 4:3 NLT

3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

better for me to die than to live.”

1-Jonah lost his joy...became depressed.

CONCLUSION:

A-How much has it cost you to resist and rebel against the will of God?

will of God?

B-He will forgive you if you will repent and surrender to him today.

him today.

1. You will never regret your decision to do so.