Part 1.3 - A Prophet On The Run
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last Sunday, we began looking at the life of Jonah in a series of messages called “A Prophet On The Run” - I’d like to continue this thought tonight.
Last Sunday, we looked at “Running for God” - “Running from God” - and “Running Into God” … With the help of the Lord, we are going to continue looking at “Running Into God”...
We left off last Sunday evening talking about this storm and how the sailors around Jonah knew about a disturbance before Jonah did…What was Jonah doing during all this?
5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.
6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.
The frightened sailors, as the people of the world will do in life’s storms, turned to their powers, their prayers and then, finally to God’s people.
How sad to find the church asleep in the ship of salvation while a world perishes!
I’ve often said it blows my mind that the only one in that boat that knew the one true God of Israel was sleeping - he was doing nothing to help the situation!
It must have seemed ironic to Jonah that the sailors demanded that he call on his God, after all, his only reason for being on that ship was to escape his God.
What a shame it is for the church to be asleep while the world around it is perishing and sinking into eternity without Christ.
Over and over, God’s Word tells His people to wake up...
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
There was an old time preacher that said, “If the sleeping folk will wake up, the sinful folk will confess up, the stingy folk will pay up and the complaining folk will shut up—then we will have revival.”
Did you realize that God’s storms are acts of love?
His fierce winds are meant to drive us to Him for shelter…We see this in the case of Jonah, who represents the saved, and the sailors, who represent the lost...
God’s righteous anger drive the saved to confession, and it drives the lost to conversion...
Let’s look at these verses tonight and see what the Lord has for us…First of all, I want you to notice:
I-The Confession of the Saved
I-The Confession of the Saved
We pick up here with the storm raging and I want you to notice where the sailors begin their search for an answer...
We see the Exposure in this verse:
7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
Donald Barnhouse said, “Man may throw the dice, but it’s God who makes the spots come up.”
23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.
Sin is the great detective, it always finds you out! Sin is the great runner, it always catches up with you. Sin is a huge spotlight exposing what is hidden. Sin is the biggest blabber-mouth, revealing secrets.
We see the Examination next:
8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?
9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
The lot falling on Jonah was viewed by the sailors as an accusation, so they begin examining him by asking several questions…They wanted to know what evil Jonah had done to someone else.
And, let me just say in passing...Just like these sailors, the world puts the church on trial.
They asked him about his occupation and what a shame they had to ask this. If he was living right they would have known he was a prophet.
Jonah’s conduct did not reveal his creed.
No one should really have to ask a Christian if they are one.
Our life, conduct, and conversations should obviously reveal that we are born again. Our actions, modest attire, appetites, admiration, adoration for the Lord, and articulation or speech should show others we have been saved.
We also see an Explanation in verses 9-10:
Jonah, knowing God had found him, stood up and confessed his God and his sin (10).
He was not ashamed of who he was. He was a “Hebrew,” the name Jews used in their dealing with Gentiles.
He was not ashamed of Whom he served—“The God of heaven who made the sea and dry land.”
Let me tell you something right here…If we, as Christians, won’t stand up and be unashamed of God and the Gospel, to the point we accept ridicule if need be, then we will never influence others!
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
We then see the Execution:
10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.
12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.
Jonah’s conviction led to confession.
To spare these heathen sailors Jonah bowed beneath the rod of God and became his own judge and jury.
Jonah reached great heights of love and courage when he said, “…cast me forth into the sea...” in verse 12.
We see here:
1. Submission to the Wrath of God.
Jonah was ready to take his trip to God’s woodshed, even if it meant death.
2. Sacrifice For the Wicked.
In all this, Jonah is a wonderful picture of the Messiah that would come after him, Jesus Christ. Jesus threw Himself into the fury of God’s storm to rescue those far from God. However, there are many differences between Jonah and Jesus, and one of the greatest was that Jonah was disobedient and guilty, and Jesus was completely obedient and innocent.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
2-The Conversion of the Lost
2-The Conversion of the Lost
While God’s storm was at work chastising Jonah, it was also at work converting the sailors.
Because of Jonah’s sin, the sailors were under the sentence of death.
By one man’s sin came death. This is what happened when Adam sinned. Paul said in
17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
The remedy for this situation was the sinner must die.
Let me make another point about Jonah and Jesus...Jesus was without sin and took our place just as Jonah offered to die that others might live.
Peace came to the ship when Jonah offered his life as a sacrifice and peace came to mankind when Christ died on the cross and arose from the grave.
13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.
Proud men reject God’s offer of salvation and continue to row harder to save themselves just as these sailors tried to do.
Watch what happens though in verse 14...
14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.
I believe these men got saved...
Jesus said we are recognized by our fruits, and we see fruits of conversion right here:
1. Supplication (14). They begged God for mercy. What breathing is to a newborn baby, prayer is to a newborn child of God.
2. Submission (15). They obeyed God and threw Jonah overboard. This is a picture of repentance where we throw out of our lives what God tells us to.
3. Sacrifice (16a). They feared God and offered sacrifices.
4. Sanctification (16b). Their vows pointed to the future, what they would do when back in port. For the saved, conversion is the beginning. Sanctification is the continuing. And glorification is the culminating.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Fulfillment of Jonah’s message brought conviction, confession, and conversion.
Their obedience brought calm and peace. The same truth holds for us, too. The storm in their lives brought them to the Lord. The psalmist spoke of this in his life.
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; That I might learn thy statutes.
If we insist on disobedience and rebellion, sooner or later, we will become a man overboard, tossed about, out of control, sinking, floundering, and useless. Where are you now in your life? Are you going to Nineveh in obedience or to Tarshish in rebellion?
Are you overboard … useless, sinking, out of control, tossed about by your circumstances?