Sermon for Nov. 10, 2019

This morning,,, my scripture reading will be a little different since I'm using two different books of the Bible.

First I'll read Jonah chapter 1 verses 1 through 6.

Then I'll read Mark chapter 4 verses 35 through 41.

And I'll be reading the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

We are going to look at the similarities and differences in these two stories this morning by comparing the acts of both Jonah and Jesus.

Beginning in chapter 1 verse 1 in Jonah:

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.”

Then we will turn to Mark chapter 4 and begin reading in verse 35:

35 On that day, when evening had come, He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took Him along since He was already in the boat. And other boats were with Him. 37 A fierce windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him up and said to Him, “Teacher! Don’t You care that we’re going to die?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then He said to them, “Why are you fearful? Do you still have no faith?”

41 And they were terrified and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

God bless the reading and the hearing of your word this morning.

Let us pray:

Dear Lord, as we begin this morning, we ask that you open our ears to hear and our hearts and minds to receive the message that you have for us today,,, In Jesus' name I pray,,, Amen.

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Do you remember where Jesus made the comparison of himself to Jonah in : 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

If you really begin to study the scriptures of Jesus and Jonah,,, you find several things of interest.

One thing that has stood out to me was the fact that both Jesus and Jonah were sleeping during the storm.

They were both waken up by others and questioned during the storm.

I wanted to look at the difference between Jesus asleep on the boat during the storm and Jonah asleep during the storm on the ship that he had managed to get a ride on to Tarshish.

This morning we will look at these two different stories and try to see the similarities and the differences and try to see how they will help us in our walk with God this week.

(4:35)

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God wanted Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell them to repent or face judgement.

Jonah didn't want to go and that's why he ends up on the ship headed to Tarshish.

God tells him to go one direction and he is going in another direction.

So as soon as we begin to read in the scripture of Jonah,,, we can see that he isn't obeying God the way that he should.

We just barely get through verse two and beginning in verse three,,, Jonah is already in disobedience to God!

Compare that to Jesus who is always doing God's will,,, every time in scripture you will only read that Jesus is doing exactly what God sent Him here to do!

If you read the scriptures before this event or any part that comes after this event,,, the outcome is always the same,,, Jesus did exactly what God sent Him to do!

I don't believe that it takes a computer genius to figure out which one we should model our life around.

I think that's pretty obvious.

It would have sure saved me a lot of hard times if I would have obeyed sooner,,, and I'm not talking about my accident either.

I've told you before that I don't believe that God caused my accident,,, it was my choices that led up to my accident,,, but I will admit that if I had been living my life better and been more obedient,,, I might have been paying better attention and it would not have happened.

It was my choices that caused it and I believe that God took a bad situation and made something good out of it just like He promised to always do for us as Christians! (Remember .)

I can't begin to explain how much better my life has been since I answered God's call the way that I should have many years ago.

What I mean is that even though there are still times in my life that are hard,,, It's so much better knowing that I'm aware of God's presence every day now.

Being obedient has calmed my soul which was lacking the presence of God in my life all the time.

Now,,, instead of just calling on God when I'm already in trouble,,, I know that He is here and available and I'm in discussion with Him about it as it happens.

(6:59)

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In the last part of verse 5 in chapter 1 of Jonah it says: Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel and had stretched out and fallen into a deep sleep.

And in the first part of verse 38 of Mark chapter 4 it says: 38 But He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion.

We know that both men are in a boat during a storm.

You can see from the words in these two scriptures that both Jonah and Jesus are sleeping.

You can also see from the rest of the scriptures that everyone else is awake and afraid for their lives.

You also see that both are told to wake up by those that are terrified.

In both cases the sea is calmed.

And in both scriptures,,, the people are afraid after the sea has been calmed instead of being relieved.

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It's the differences in their sleeping that caught my attention when you study these two scriptures.

Jesus was sleeping the sleep of someone that knows that He has done everything that God has expected of Him.

His soul was at peace with God.

He was resting peacefully,,, even knowing that the storm was coming up,,, Jesus was able to sleep.

I'm sure that it was a restful sleep.

Jonah on the other hand was sleeping because he was exhausted!

When you have been disobedient to something that God wants you to do,,, it's hard to go to sleep.

And when you do go to sleep,,, then,,, I'm also reasonably sure that it wasn't a restful sleep!

Jonah knew that he was disobeying God and he was probably worried about the consequences although we aren't told that.

So I imagine that Jonah was sleeping from exhaustion at this point.

He has gone as far as he can go on his own and it's very tiring!

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Then we get to the part where Jesus and Jonah are told to wake up because they are going to die.

It's amazing to me that in both accounts they try to take care of it themselves before they wake up the one that can really help,,, Jonah because he is a prophet of God and knows that he didn't follow God's command and Jesus because He is following all of God's commands.

How many times are we the same way.

We try to take care of the problem ourselves,,, then if we fail,,, then we pray.

How much faster would our problems disappear if we went to God in prayer first.

(9:21)

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But both Jesus and Jonah are awake.

At this point Jesus knows what to do and at first it appears that Jonah is clueless as to what to do but he eventually comes to a decision.

After he is thrown overboard,,, the sea is calm.

After Jesus rebukes the wind and the waves,,, the sea is calm.

And in both boats,,, the sailors are terrified!

After God has displayed His mighty power,,, it's always frightening.

It's during the times when we have been rescued from the storms of our life that we truly realize just how mighty God is and how helpless we are!

The disciples should have known.

That's why Jesus questioned them about their faith.

The sailors were just as speechless as the disciples.

One day Jesus is coming back and His power will be just as evident as it was to the sailors that night.

The sailors in both boats were convinced of God's mighty power after the storm was calmed!

(10:28)

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We know from scripture that Jonah,,, after being swallowed by the whale and then being spit out on dry land,,, went on to Nineveh in obedience to God.

The story doesn't end there but we will leave it here for now.

Jesus continues doing the will of God as He was doing when this story began and He continues in obedience today.

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My question for you this morning,,, is which do you want to copy?

Do we do as Jonah and go the way that we want to go in disobedience to God?

I know from my own experience that doesn't work very well.

You can make it on your own for awhile but you will be worn out by the stress of disobedience in your life.

You might not even realize that's what is wrong but if you aren't following God's plan for your life you will be worn out trying to do everything yourself.

I know that when I totally gave up and began to live the way that God intended for me to live,,, that gave me the peace of God that has allowed me to truly rest when I lay down at night now.

And God will do the same for you.

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When we let Jesus be our role model and strive to really live the way that God intended us to live,,, that's when we have the peace of God that will get us through anything that life can throw at us.

But if we continue to go our own way,,, then like Jonah,,, we may find ourselves exhausted and still not able to rest the way that we need.

God also might be sending storms your way to put you back on the right path!

That's what He did for Jonah.

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It would be much easier if we decide to follow Jesus now before the storms hit.

Because the storms will still come!

Jesus never said that following Him would be without problems and that includes storms.

But they are so much easier to get through if Jesus is a part of your day as you go through them.

Jesus promised the disciples that when He left God would send the Holy Spirit to help us through each day because He knew that we would need help.

In it says:

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

The Holy Spirit is always with us and guiding us,,, it's our choice to either listen and obey or ignore and go our own way like Jonah did!

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So as we leave here today,,, I want us to remember these two parts of scripture and the things that were the same and the things that were different.

Remember the one that we need to copy as always,,, is Jesus.

(13:19)

Also realize that if we continue to live our life as we want to live,,, like Jonah,,, we will be exhausted.

We will run until we can't run any farther,,, then we will collapse.

We won't be able to experience the peace of God unless we decide to follow Jesus.

I would much rather know that I have tried to do everything that God wants me to do,,, than try to run anymore,,, and I'm sure that you do too!

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If you feel like you aren't experiencing God's peace the way that you should,,,

Let me remind you that Jesus said that His peace is always available,,, but you have to make that choice.

It will not be forced on you,,, that is something that you must decide to do.

If you have never made the commitment to allow Jesus to be your Personal Savior,,, please make that decision today.

We aren't promised tomorrow,,, so the choice must be made today.

We don't know the hour or the day when Jesus comes back nor do we know if we will be called home,,, we are just told to be ready.

And to be ready,,, you must have made the decision to follow Jesus,,, be sure that you have made that decision today!

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So as we sing our final hymn,,, let me remind you that the alter is always open,,,

If you feel God speaking to you,,, don't hesitate to come,,, maybe you just have questions,,, God will answer,,, you just have to ask Him,,, whatever the need may be,,,

As we sing the final hymn,,, come if needed!

Oakdale - Hymn Page -

Seminary - Hymn Page - 382

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