The Persistence of God's Call

This morning, I get to introduce our new message series! Andy John, Alan, and I will be preaching out of the book of Jonah. We aren’t necessarily moving verse by verse through the story; however, we are looking intently at three key attributes of God that are found in the book.

Most often when Jonah is preached, it is very man focused. We focus all of our attention on the details of the story from Jonah’s perspective. Our goal is to focus on what the book of Jonah teaches us about who GOD is!

We will preach on...

The Persistence of God’s Call

The Passion of God’s Care

The Power of God’s Control

You won’t want to miss any of these! Each of these messages will be so good and will help paint a more full picture of the God that we serve.

Before we dive into my message for today, “The Persistence of God’s Call” I want to make sure you understand what’s going on in the book of Jonah, because it is very different from many of the other prophetic books. While many of the prophetic books are full of sermons from the prophet, the book of Jonah instead tells a story.

I’ll give you the bird’s eye view of the story and then we will zoom in on part of it, OK?

So, God calls this prophet named Jonah to go to Nineveh, the capital city of the the Assyrian empire and let them know that they are sinning against the one true God. Instead of listening to God, Jonah disobeys. God uses some creative ways to change Jonah’s mind (which we will talk about today). Jonah finally obeys God and goes to the city, tells them to stop sinning in a 7 word sermon and they actually do! The whole city turns to God. WOW! God used Jonah to change a whole city! He must be pumped right?

Instead of being happy for them, Jonah is mad that God would show mercy to such an evil city. The book ends with God interacting with Jonah and posing some spiritually deep questions about Jonah’s heart. And it just ends! It literally ends with God asking a question to Jonah! And we don’t hear his answer! We don’t even know if he learned from this experience. I’m telling you, it’s such an interesting book!

Now that you have a grasp of the whole story, let me read the first few verses, pray, and then we will start breaking this thing down, alright?

Jonah 1:1–3 CSB

The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.” 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.

PRAY 4.5

I know some of our type-A folks at East love a good outline! Today, the points will be a little confusing. I’m going to give you 1a and 2a then 1b and 2b and then 3a and 3b. It will all make sense when we get there.

Here’s the first thing we see

1a. God called Jonah to a clear task

What do we see at the beginning? THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO JONAH!

What a way to start, right? Just a sidenote...

Anytime you see the word LORD in all caps like it is in this passage, take note of that. It’s the Hebrew word YAHWEH. That’s a very intentional, and personal name for God.

So, the WORD OF YAHWEH came to Jonah. What was the word?

“Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it.” Jonah can’t say that God wasn’t clear. Well, where do you want me to go God? What do you want me to do there? I mean, this is a pretty clear word, right? You might expect the great prophet Noah to obey such a clear task as this! But he doesn’t.

Well, he obeys the first part! He does “get up.” But instead of going ______ to Nineveh, he FLEES _________ to Tarshish. I know what you are thinking, “Heath, I don’t know ancient geography! How am I supposed to know that he was heading in the opposite direction?” Look at the next words. They are four scary words!

“from the Lord’s presence.”

What we realize here is that Jonah wasn’t actually fleeing TO Tarshish. He wasn’t going just to “see the sights of Tarshish.” He wasn’t thinking vacation time! No, he wasn’t fleeing TO Tarshish, he was fleeing FROM the Lord’s presence.

The second thing I want you to take note of is that… 7.75

2a. Jonah chose disobedience over God’s presence

Because we are all human beings just like Jonah, you may be quick to make excuses for the guy. Is this really that big of a sin? You can look in the Bible and see guys and gals who do a lot worse things than this! David has already been king! Remember what he did!

But in the book of Jonah God is giving a clear picture of sin and disobedience here. For Jonah to choose to disobey God in this clear task, he is actually fleeing from God’s presence.

Before we get to the crazy stuff that happens next, let’s settle in here for a second and talk together, alright?

How could Jonah be so blatantly disobedient to such a clear task?

That’s a great question! But it’s not the most pressing one!

The most important question for those of us who are Christians today is...

“Why are we so blatantly disobedient to such a clear task?”

You see, not only did God call Jonah to a clear task,

1b. God called US to a clear task, too

Our clear task comes from the mouth of Jesus himself recorded in Matthew 28:18-20.

Matthew 28:18–20 CSB

Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus is saying to his disciples, “You have seen my power and the authority I have here on earth. You have seen me heal the sick, raise the dead, and even be raised myself. I can get stuff done. So trust my power and just be obedient to this one clear task: MAKE DISCIPLES. I’ll work out the details!”

That’s the task that Jesus gave to his disciples and it’s the task he has laid before all of us! And yet, you and I still choose all to often to be disobedient to this task!

Just like Jonah, we have heard the call of God on our lives. We know what he wants us to do. But instead of doing that one thing, we go another way.

I know what some of you are thinking, “I may not do what God calls me to do all the time, but I wouldn’t say that I run from God’s presence like Jonah does!” I’m so glad you thought that! Cause it’s what I think too! But it’s a dumb thought!

I have 2 children: Elsie Jo our daughter is 6 and Daniel our son is 4. When my daughter was young I thought she was “strong willed.” That’s parent code for “My kid can be a real jerk sometimes.” And then we had Daniel. This kid is the most stubborn, bull-headed kid I have ever been around! I mean, “He’s VERY strong-willed.” We are learning how to deal with him though. Prayers are appreciated, please!

When Daniel is in his room playing and I tell him it is time to get in the bathtub, I usually get two responses. The first, he will run and down the hallway away from me and hide in the living room. The second, he just keeps playing with his toys and ignores my voice.

Guess what? I don’t like either one! Why? Because in both situations my son is being disobedient to me! Just because he didn’t blatantly run in the other direction from me doesn’t mean he isn’t in trouble? Right? Amens from parents please?

God is a Father too, y’all. And when he has clearly stated for us what he expects us to do, and we rebelliously choose not to do what he has said, it doesn’t matter what our response looks like. It is SIN and it is a move on our part away from his presence. Some people find themselves running from obedience to God and they turn to partying and relationships. That’s not good! But I know that others keep showing up for church week after week, putting on a happy face as they sit their family in the living room in front of the livestream.

Listen, neither of these are better than the other! They are both wrong and sinful, and make a statement about our desire for God’s presence. 15

You see,

2b. We choose disobedience over God’s presence, too

We are JONAH!

I hope that is landing with you today!

But there’s good news! The book of Jonah doesn’t end at verse 3! What a sad story that would be! “Jonah, go to Nineveh and preach to them about me so they may turn to me and experience my presence and power.” Jonah says, “Nah God. Not today.” And then God says, “Ok Cool, man. Sorry to bother you.” Shortest book of the Bible right there!

But, as I’ve already told you, Jonah does end up going to Nineveh. And they do repent as a result of Jonah’s preaching. But how did he get there? The story right now seems that he is heading in the other direction!

The reason he winds up in Nineveh is simple...

3a. God persistently pursues Jonah

That’s it! Jonah has already said NO to God’s plan and is fleeing from him to Tarshish. He boards a boat full of polytheistic sailors who don’t know the one true God. Instead of being a light in a dark place to these men, he actually tells them that he is running from the presence of Yahweh his God. They don’t teach you that in any evangelism class I’ve been in, right?

But on the way to Tarshish, a terrible storm blows up. As these unbelieving sailors are struggling to keep the boat afloat, Jonah steps up and intervenes because he has been right there by them the whole time sharing his faith with them… (SHAKE HEAD) No. Jonah is not sharing about God with the unbelievers. He is sleeping below deck. As the storm gets worse, the captain actually wakes him up in verse 6...

Jonah 1:6 CSB

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.”

They are calling out to every god imaginable at this time hoping one of their pagan gods will save them.

In verse 9, Jonah finally shares about his god with them...

Jonah 1:9 CSB

He answered them, “I’m a Hebrew. I worship the Lord, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.”

They lose their minds! They realize now that this is all his fault! He is running from the God who made the sea! Look at verses 11-13...

Jonah 1:11–13 CSB

So they said to him, “What should we do to you so that the sea will calm down for us?” For the sea was getting worse and worse. He answered them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea so that it will calm down for you, for I know that I’m to blame for this great storm that is against you.” 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.

Notice, these are some men of integrity. They don’t just pitch him over board. They try a little more to get back to land, but they can’t. The storm is getting worse and worse.

And it’s then they agree to throw him over to his inevitable death...

This would, again, be a heavy handed moral lesson. Don’t be disobedient to God or he will cause a storm to kill you.

But what happens next in the story?

Jonah 1:17 CSB

The Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

God rescues Jonah with a huge fish! We often think of this fish as a punishment for Jonah’s disobedience. The fish was actually his rescue! God was going to give him a second chance! While in the fish, miraculously living in the acids of the fishes innards, Jonah repents. Then the fish spits the undigested Jonah out on to dry land. He is saved!

Then we see these words that will sound familiar...

Jonah 3:1–2 CSB

The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach the message that I tell you.”

Will Jonah follow God’s command this time? Will he be obedient to God?

Jonah 3:3 CSB

Jonah got up and went to Nineveh according to the Lord’s command. Now Nineveh was an extremely great city, a three-day walk.

He Got UP, and went to Nineveh. The great prophet was finally obedient to God’s call.

But I don’t want to focus on Jonah here. What decision had Jonah made for himself? It was to be disobedient, right?

But God stayed after Jonah. He had a plan that involved Jonah and he pushed for his obedience. God persistently pursued this rebellious prophet! God didn’t just let Jonah say no and walk away! He went after him!

This is great NEWS for us in the book of Jonah! God was persistent in his calling.

I am so glad that God didn’t leave Jonah alone in his disobedience. Yes, I hope that for Jonah’s sake, but more for mine! Because if God stayed after a disobedient doofus like Jonah, I am just crazy enough to believe he will pursue me too!

3b. God persistently pursues US too

That’s the beauty of Ephesians 2:10!

Ephesians 2:10 CSB

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

God has called us to take part in his mission in the world! We all play a part, but we have to be obedient to the call he has placed on us! And when we aren’t he often gives us opportunities to repent and get on the right track. He puts people in our lives to encourage us, challenge us, or equip us for the task.

Listen folks, I don’t know the names nor the situations of every person who may watch this message either today or in the future. But if this day, you know beyond any shadow of a doubt that you are being disobedient to the call of God to make disciples just like Jonah was, just admit it. Maybe you are running from it, or maybe you are just ignoring it. Either way, own up to it! Man up!

Just as God gave Jonah a second chance through a big-mouthed fish, you too are being given another chance today through a big-mouthed preacher! Stop fighting against God and his plan. Give in and follow him to do all that he has called you to do!

That next step may be for you to contact that friend, neighbor, or coworker and have a conversation about how Jesus has changed your life and he could change theirs too!

it may be to invite some younger believers into a regular rhythm of Bible study and accountability with you. The pastors of all three of our campuses would love to help show you what that looks like.

A step may also be to join one of these three campuses as a covenant member. That’s a big deal, but we would love to show you what that means and looks like.

For some of you, maybe you aren’t running from obedience to God because you have never followed him to begin with. Maybe you would admit that you are not a Christian, you have never called on the name of Jesus to change your life and save you. Today, I want to tell you that you can!

God did not leave us to flounder on this earth as hopeless sinners! He actually made a way for us to be made right and to be changed. It was in the blood of his Son Jesus. If we will call out to Jesus and ask him to save us believing that he died on the cross for our sins and was raised up to new life three days later for our victory, we can be saved.

No matter what God may be speaking to you right now, respond. Tell God what’s on your heart in the best way you know how. The worship team is going to lead us in one more song and then Pastor Alan will close out our service by telling you how you can let us know what decisions you made today and to fill you in on what’s coming up this week.

Let’s pray together and then we will sing together!

Pray