Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
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Introduction
Quick Review from Last Week:
Not just a story for kids or a story about a guy and a big fish
A complex and carefully crafted story for adults
Uses SATIRE to teach us a lesson and gets us to look at life and ourselves in ways we might not normally...
SATIRE SLIDE
We looked at the book as whole last week and I asked you to read the whole thing 3 times this week…???
Now, we’re jumping into the first chapter…and it is as rich and packed with action…gets started fast...
Pay special attention to three characters and the comparison and contrast between the last two:
God…always a main character
Jonah (the Prophet)
Pagan Sailors
The Command From God (1:1-2)
No messing around…God gives Jonah a clear command—to go to Nineveh and pronounce judgement against it for the evil they had done.
Note: Jesus has give US a clear command too (more on that as we go along…but we’re kind of in the same boat).
Remember, this Assyria is a great nation—but it’s wicked and immoral—the enemy of Jonah and Israel (hard to find a modern example…closest = political divide in our nation…Jews & Nazi’s in WW2)
Jonah should have been excited to give this judgement and promise of destruction…should have rushed to it.
But nope...
Jonah Runs from God’s Presence (1:3)
Note: Jonah isn’t just ignoring the command…He flees the very presence of the Lord (twice in this verse)
Reminds me of Adam & Eve…hiding from God because of their disobedience
This seems to be our natural response of disobedience…we flee or hide from God
But of course, Jonah’s not getting away that easily...
God’s Intervention (1:4)
God directly intervenes by sending a massive wind and storm that puts the ship and everyone in it in grave danger…serious business here!
And this is where the comparison and contrasting begins…watch the difference between Jonah and the sailors (pagan sailors)...
The Crisis Begins (1:5-6)
What do you notice as you compare & contrast Jonah and the sailors as the crisis begins?
Sailors: Fear Cried out to their gods Took action (threw cargo overboard)
Jonah: Apathy Fell asleep Had to be woken to do anything!
Side note…watch to see how long before Jonah actually prays to God for help, guidance, or anything...
Just getting started…the sailors are desperate so they turn to desperate measures...
The Culprit Identified (1:7-10)
Casting lots was not unusual in ancient times (even the apostles used them)…and in this case the desperate sailors use it to identify the culprit
And it worked!
Jonah is identified…and the sailors ask him 5 questions…(see above)
Jonah’s response is unbelievable…gives his nationality: “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
HA! What a joke!
He didn’t fear God…he ran from Him..and why to the sea if he knew God had made it and controlled it?
Statement at first looks and sounds righteous and genuine…but it’s anything but!
It’s prideful, nationalistic, and pretentious!
Would be like me saying: Yeah, I disobeyed God…but I’m an American so it’s all good!
(Come to think of it…)
Instead of worrying about blame…the sailors look for a solution, but there are no good ones...
The Solution to the Problem (1:11-16)
Don’t get fooled into thinking Jonah is doing the noble or right thing here just because we know what happens next.
In the middle of this raging storm, Jonah proposes the sailors hurl him overboard, two questions:
What did Jonah assume/think would happen as a result?
DEATH (this is his first attempt at dying instead of obeying…SELFISH)
Why did Jonah direct the sailors to toss him overboard (putting his death on their heads) instead of doing it himself?
SELFISH & COWARDLY
And again…how do the Sailors respond to Jonah’s selfish and cowardly solution?
They take ACTION---lookiing for answers while Jonah looks for escape—by trying to row to shore instead (while Jonah looks on and waits)
They cried out to YAHWEH—to Jonah’s God this time---asking for FORGIVENESS & GRACE (note: Jonah still hasn’t prayed ONCE!)
They take ACTION again—tossing Jonah overboard…and the sea instantly becomes calm!
But they’re not done...
They WORSHIP YAHWEH---offering Him sacrifice and vows of service, turned their fear of GOD into the fear of the Lord.
LOOK AT THAT ALL AGAIN, from the beginning…
Who Should We Act Like?
Remember: Supposed to be comparing & Contrasting (SATIRE)...
Jonah
Fleeing from God’s presence when He asks us to do something we don’t want to do.
Being apathetic to the problem instead of finding solutions or fessing up (sleeping)
Responding with prideful, pretentious nationalism instead of humility and fear
Acting selfishly and cowardly and putting everyone else at risk for your own sin
Pagan Sailors
Take the crisis seriously and recognize the severity of the problem (even though you didn’t cause it)
Recognize a spiritual problem and seek spiritual answers
Do everything you can to solve the problem instead of just hoping it will all work out
Ask for God’s grace, guidance, and forgiveness and worship Him when He resolves the issue.
Of course the answer is as obvious as it is ridiculous—SATIRE—the story tells us to ACT LIKE THE PAGAN SAILORS NOT LIKE THE PROPHET OF GOD!
But the really cool thing about this chapter is that there is another COMPARE & CONTRAST we’re compelled to examine…but this time it’s Jesus and the disciples in the middle of a storm...
Jesus and the Storm
Any of this sound familiar?
A great storm that threatens the boat and everyone in it
Jesus asleep in the bottom of the boat (as Jonah was)
Disciples wake Jesus up…asking Him questions.
And make no mistake—as Matthew, Mark, and Luke each tell this story…they have the Jonah account in mind (and expect we will too!)
But that’s where the similarities end…similar problem, but much different result…remember, Jesus is the better, perfect Jonah!
Two Groups to Compare Here:
The Pagan Sailors and the Disciples (simple)
Pagan Sailors respond in FAITH (even though they are afraid)
The Discipleship respond in FEAR (and Jesus questions their faith)
Jesus and Jonah (more complex)
Jonah is DISOBEDIENT and runs from God
Jesus is OBEDIENT and rests in God
Jonah is asleep as a result of APATHY
Jesus is asleep because of His AUTHORITY
Jonah is SELFISH and COWARDLY
Jesus is SELFLESS and POWERFUL
Jonah is the CAUSE of the problem
Jesus is the SOLUTION (has the power to calm the sea
The Bottom Line
Here’s the bottom line (in two parts)...
The satire in this chapter is designed to get us to question how we respond when God asks us to do something we don’t want to do (JONAH) or when life brings us storms that aren’t our fault (PAGAN SAILORS)
Will we respond like Jonah or like the Pagan Sailors?
Ask Yourself but BE HONEST!
Comparing this story to the Jesus Storm shows that Jesus is the PERFECT Jonah who empowers us to respond to God and the storms the way He wants us to (instead of how our sin prompts us to).
Romans 7:15–25 (ESV)
For I do not understand my own actions.
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