The Power of Grace
Jonah 1-4
I know for sure that God wants me to speak on this subject and from this text this morning. Melissa and I were flying back from Nashville yesterday and we had a connecting flight that went through Jacksonville, Florida. After our two-hour layover, I looked out of the window and saw our plane at the gate and I had complete confirmation that I was to preach on this subject and use this text about Jonah and the whale.
Show picture of the plane (we were on a Southwest plane that was painted like Shamu the whale) J
So let’s suffice it to say that I was totally and completely able to relate to Jonah as I was in the belly of Shamu for an hour and thirty minutes. Yuck…
Seriously, I love the story of Jonah and have since I was a young lad. It is one of the first stories that I can remember learning in Sunday School. One thing is certain, it is one of those stories that skeptics like to use to show why they don’t believe in the authority and integrity of God’s Word.
Now I know that over the years many a person has struggled with this story, but you know; I know one person who didn’t struggle with it at all… JESUS. Jesus referenced Jonah and this story in Matthew 12:40 as a historical reality. Over the years I have found myself on in the midst of many debates and have found myself in long discussions with both skeptics and believers. Can I give you my strategy for when I find myself in those debates and discussions? Here it is and it won’t cost you a dime. My strategy is simple, I just go with Jesus’ take on things… especially when the topics we are discussing seem difficult to SWALLOW. Pardon the pun!
Now the story of Jonah isn’t about a man who simply got swallowed by a big fish. Actually it is a story that hits much closer to home for us because it is about a man to whom we can often relate.
You see, my goal this morning isn’t to point out his disobedience and then point out how we so often struggle with obeying God’s directives. That is too obvious and, most likely, some of you have already run ahead of me and thought, “okay, Will is going to point out Jonah’s disobedience and then threaten us with being swallowed by a whale over at Sandbridge Beach if we don’t straighten up!” Of course, that is a completely valid preaching point! J But that is not what I want to point out this morning.
What I want to point out this morning is the irony of the story of Jonah. And it is an irony that most people in this room will understand. Here is what I want to focus on this morning… the story of Jonah is really about God’s GRACE being demonstrated to a man who struggled with the whole concept of grace. I am sure that if you were to conduct a brief interview with Jonah he would tell you that he needed grace. Most of us acknowledge our faults and imperfections.
HOWEVER, Jonah’s struggle wasn’t with having a willingness to acknowledge and accept God’s grace. Jonah’s struggle was with his willingness to demonstrate and extend grace to others, you know, to people who didn’t DESERVE it. Now before I push on let me take a moment and state the obvious! If you DESERVED it… it wouldn’t be GRACE!
Let’s take a moment and review the context. If you remember, God came to Jonah and instructed him to go to the city of Nineveh and warn the people that if they didn’t repent that God would destroy their city. Jonah was presented with an opportunity to be a missionary to those needy people and become a bearer of good news. But the problem was that Jonah had no desire to go to Nineveh and actually would have been quite delighted if God choose to wipe them off the face of the earth.
Now when we read this story sometimes we don’t understand why Jonah didn’t want to go. We might just chalk it up to Jonah being a bigot or something. However, when we better understand the context we might find ourselves better able to relate to Jonah. You see; Nineveh was the Capitol city of Assyria. The Assyrians were a vile and ruthless people who turned torture into an art form. The Assyrians were known for dismembering and disfiguring people and I am sure that Jonah was all too familiar with their brutal and barbaric practices. I bet if you were to ask Jonah he would tell you that the people of Nineveh were a people who deserved to be destroyed by the righteous hand of the Lord. Jonah felt their destruction was not only warranted but also JUSTIFIED.
Now let me pause right here and ask you, “Are there any people you feel that way about?” Now before you answer too quickly let me ask a couple of follow up questions. How do you think many Americans may have answered that question on the afternoon of December 7, 1941? Or how would we have answered that question on the afternoon of September 11, 2001? Now before you get angry with me, I am NOT saying that we didn’t have the right to feel anger and hurt. I am not saying that we shouldn’t have defended ourselves because I believe we had every right to do so! I can admit to you today that I have thought that there are some parts of this world that would be better as a parking lot instead of a terrorist state.
Now the reason I use these analogies is because I want you to understand to how Jonah may have been feeling. In his mind he felt like they were vile people who would deserve every ounce of punishment that the Lord had planned for them. And one thing we know for sure, Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh!
And you know, not only can we understand that… we can also relate to it. Sometimes if the truth were known about us there are certain situations and certain people that we are graceless towards. People who have committed crimes, or young people who have made a mess of their lives and will have to live with the consequences of that bad decision the rest of their lives. We are graceless often towards people who have wronged us, or someone that we love. As a parent, I can understand that. I used to hear my dad tell people, “Say what you want to say about me but don’t ever mess with my kids.” I feel the same way.
Here is what I want you to understand today. GRACELESSNESS is never a proper and acceptable response for a Christian! One of the things that has grieved my heart for a number of years is that some of the most GRACELESS people I know have been people who give testimony to being redeemed by the GRACE of God.
When I pastored in Ohio we used to support a little school down in the mountains of KY called Oneida Baptist Institute. Oneida was a school that took troubled kids, from troubled homes and taught them a great work ethic, while at the same time providing an education. You couldn’t listen to Barkley Moore, the President of Oneida, without being moved with compassion and wanting to empty your wallet to support the life changing ministry of Oneida. We had one lady in our church that became a huge champion of our mission efforts. This lady would go to the school monthly (a 4 hour drive, over 200 miles away) and reach out to demonstrate God’s grace to those who were often overlooked in society. I realize that at first glance that sounds like a great testimony… well, it is, until you learn that this same women wouldn’t talk to several people who sat in the same row with her at church! This person even had family members that she wouldn’t talk to, who also attended church with her.
Listen folks, I believe that GRACELESSNESS is becoming an epidemic in the church today. And if we don’t rise up and deal with it, then not only will we not be who God is calling us to be, but we will not be effective ambassadors of God’s Gracious Love to all people.
Let me tell you… this problem absolutely breaks my heart because I know GREAT people who are absolutely trapped in a state of GRACELESSNESS and they are not the people God wants them to be and they are not being used by God as they could be. They need to be freed from the chains of GRACELESSNESS!
We have to take this seriously… you know, surveys are telling us more and more that both young people and the unchurched are seeing the church as being irrelevant in society. And why shouldn’t they, because the church today isn’t seen as ambassadors of grace, but are all to often judgmental and hard hearted. How effective will we be in reaching your children and grandchildren if they don’t see the church standing in stark contrast to a GRACELESS world?
This morning, I am not reacting to anything about Great Bridge Baptist. I can’t believe I am about to say this, because I never use this kind of language but I feel like this is a prophetic word for us, and for the church in America. Our country needs Jesus more than it does Mitt Romney. What kind of hope will they have in seeing Jesus, if His own people aren’t demonstrating His gracious love to them and to each other? We have to get GRACE right because God uses Grace to draw people unto Himself.
Let me ask you this morning, are you struggling with demonstrating GRACE to someone? Let me just say one more time it is unacceptable for a child of God to withhold Grace. It is of primary importance spiritually that you are able to demonstrate Grace because without it… you will never truly represent Christ.
Maybe this morning you are in need of Grace. We sing a song sometimes that reflects how I am feeling right now. I am so glad church that God’s Grace is greater than my sin. Maybe you are here and you feel like you need a second chance, a fresh start, a new beginning. If you feel that way, then please know that God is able, and stands ready to make your second chance a reality.
This weekend, I feel like we lost a spiritual giant. Chuck Colson was a man who became a compass for us after he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. Last night I read a quote from Senator Mitch McConnell of KY that said, “Chuck Colson's life stands as a permanent rebuttal to the cynical claim that there are no second chances" --US Senator Mitch McConnell
I am so thankful for the power of grace! An injection of grace is just what the doctor ordered to treat the human condition! Let’s take a couple of moments this morning to point out where grace can be found in the story of Jonah.
We see God’s grace….
I. When God Ruins Our Plans
A. Jonah Decided to Disobey God and not go to Nineveh
Jonah had determined in his own mind that he was not going to Nineveh. If you remember last week we discovered that Nineveh was the capitol of Assyria. As you may know, the Assyrians were barbaric and brutal people. I have no doubt that Jonah was very familiar with their practices and therefore determined in his own heart that he was not going to obey God and go to Nineveh. And not only did he determine this in his heart, I believe he rationalized it in his own mind.
When you stop and think about it Jonah is no different from you and me. If you give any of us in this room enough time we can rationalize our actions and even justify our inactions. Now I will grant you that most of us don’t just thumb our nose up at God and say, “Too bad, I’m not doing it because I hate those people.” No we tend to cloak it in more tasteful, sophisticated terms like, “I would love to but I am just too busy at work.” Or, “God, I sense you want me to stop and help these people but if I do, I am going to be late for an appointment.” Or perhaps, “God I know you want me to talk to these folks about you but I just don’t feel adequate for what you are asking me to do.”
I guess we need to give Jonah some props this morning because when he determined he didn’t want to go, he didn’t hide his motives. Jonah didn’t like the people of Nineveh and in his mind the world would be a better place if God just wiped them off the face of the earth!
So Jonah calls AAA and changes his trip tick! Instead of going to Nineveh like God had directed, Jonah gets a ticket aboard the SS Minnow for the city of Tarshish! Now when Jonah disobeys He goes all out. Tarshish wasn’t just a couple of towns over… it is 2,300 miles west, on the far end of the Mediterranean Sea!
Here is what is interesting to me about his reaction. You would think that if Jonah was going to disobey God and run from God that he would run someplace familiar, some place that he would feel safe. But instead of going someplace safe, he chooses a destination where he has never been, that required a dangerous mode of transportation that would take him through some very dangerous waters. But when you think about it Jonah’s reaction probably isn’t that difficult for us to understand because people today do the very same thing. You know, when people run from God they run to the strangest of places and sometimes even the most dangerous of places. How many of us know people who ran to alcohol, drugs, or even people who they knew didn’t have their best interest at heart? What I hope you will discover about God is that running from Him never makes sense, because God always has your best interest at heart.
Okay, back to Jonah. Jonah goes to the dock and boards the SS Minnow for Tarshish. After they get just a little ways into their journey and a storm kicks up and threatens the safety of boat and the crew. The Skipper orders the crew to begin throwing items overboard so as to lighten the load of the ship while at the same time praying to their various gods. But when the crew saw no end in sight they determined that they were being punished for someone who was on board the ship. And since Jonah had the guilty countenance (I’m making that up) they confronted him in verse 8 of chapter 1 “tell us who is responsible” and “ what must we do to make this go away?”
B. I think it was at this point that Jonah realized, “You can run, but you can’t outrun God!”
But you know what is even more amazing is Jonah’s reaction to the crew. Instead of dropping to his knees and repenting he tells them to throw him into the sea. I find it absolutely remarkable that Jonah would rather die than obey God.
Now I know that when most people read this they think, what a horrible story. However, when I read it I can’t help but think WOW… what a GRACIOUS GOD. For just a minute take a moment and look at it from God’s perspective. Jonah basically tells God, “I don’t care what you want to happen, I am not going to obey your directions.” Now what choice does God have? God could have said “fine” do what you want? God could have struck him down! But that is not what God did because God is a gracious God. You see, not only did God love Jonah but God also loved the barbaric people in Nineveh.
So very graciously, God ruined Jonah’s plans and taught Jonah that no matter how far or fast he tried to run that he couldn’t outrun God.
But we also see God’s grace:
II. When God doesn’t Give Up on Jonah
Okay, so now Jonah is all wet. Jonah has run from God and is now in OVER HIS HEAD! J Oh come on! That is funny!
Now even though Jonah had given up on the people of Nineveh God had not. And so God intervenes and provides a great fish to swallow Jonah, and the Bible teaches us that Jonah was in the belly for three days and three nights. Can you imagine being there in the dark with seaweed all over you?
I would be freaking! I am such a chicken. I mean every time I am in the water over at Sandbridge Beach and a piece of seaweed just touches me I am screaming like a little girl! So I can’t even imagine this scenario.
However, I do have a question, “how long do you think it took Jonah to begin bargaining with God for another chance? I bet in the first few hours Jonah made 150 different deals with God! Now I know you are thinking, “Will, how do you know that?” That is a great question. The reason I know is because that is exactly what we do with God whenever we are in a jam. How many of you have made deals with God whenever you have been in a jam? Okay, now how many of you if you had honored your promise would not be sitting here this morning but rather would be serving God as a missionary in Tanzania because you promised to go on the foreign mission field?
I think we see God’s grace in a couple of ways at this point.
First, even though Jonah had given up on the people of Nineveh God never gave up on Jonah. Even though Jonah was defiant, God was still watching over him, waiting for the right moment to reel him back in. Now that was really funny! J
Second, God heard his cries from the belly of the fish. I love the opening line of Chapter 2 “in my distress I called to the Lord.” Now I know that is pretty common for most of us but listen to the last part of the verse, “and He answered me.” The question I am left with when I read this is why would God answer the prayers of one who turned his/her back on Him and then only ask for God’s help after hitting rock bottom? The Answer… GRACE! Think about it, how much weight does a prayer of sorrow carry from inside the belly of a great fish? If you are completely honest with yourself you can admit that is a pretty self-serving prayer! But even when the results of Jonah’s disobedience CONSUMED him, he called out to God and God both heard and answered him.
This really teaches us an amazing truth about God and the purpose of His discipline. God’s discipline is never intended to hurt us but rather to bring us back to Him.
Third, God Used Jonah whenever he surrendered to God. I know I am running out of time but I can’t end the message without giving you one of the greatest examples of grace. I think it is absolutely phenomenal that God will use imperfect people! I mean let’s face it… that is all He has to work with.
Conclusion
God’s grace is both powerful and effectual and Jonah’s life illustrates that beautifully for us. Perhaps you are here this morning and you, like Jonah, stand in need of God’s grace. This morning I can’t think of anything better than for you to run towards God because, in all honesty, you can’t outrun Him. If you sense you need God then come to Him and discover the power of His Grace.
Perhaps you are here this morning and you need to extend grace. I had an older gentlemen in Manchester, KY tell me once that he had to exorcise some demons in his life. That is a phrase that I have heard often and actually can relate to at times. One of the things I have been exorcising the past few years is an unforgiving spirit and even some bitterness. I have been asking God to free me from that bitterness and help me become an ambassador of His grace. God has used those prayers to inspire me to make some phone calls, seeking to make things right, and to extend grace.
May I ask you this morning if there is some bitterness you need to be set free from? Is there someone you need to extend grace to? If so, then let’s leave this place today with a desire to be freed from our feelings and determined to represent God’s grace to all those who stand in need of grace.
You see, the power of Grace is not only seen in us but also through us, as it impacts others around us!
Jonah 1-4
I know for sure that God wants me to speak on this subject and from this text this morning. Melissa and I were flying back from Nashville yesterday and we had a connecting flight that went through Jacksonville, Florida. After our two-hour layover, I looked out of the window and saw our plane at the gate and I had complete confirmation that I was to preach on this subject and use this text about Jonah and the whale.
Show picture of the plane (we were on a Southwest plane that was painted like Shamu the whale) J
So let’s suffice it to say that I was totally and completely able to relate to Jonah as I was in the belly of Shamu for an hour and thirty minutes. Yuck…
Seriously, I love the story of Jonah and have since I was a young lad. It is one of the first stories that I can remember learning in Sunday School. One thing is certain, it is one of those stories that skeptics like to use to show why they don’t believe in the authority and integrity of God’s Word.
Now I know that over the years many a person has struggled with this story, but you know; I know one person who didn’t struggle with it at all… JESUS. Jesus referenced Jonah and this story in Matthew 12:40 as a historical reality. Over the years I have found myself on in the midst of many debates and have found myself in long discussions with both skeptics and believers. Can I give you my strategy for when I find myself in those debates and discussions? Here it is and it won’t cost you a dime. My strategy is simple, I just go with Jesus’ take on things… especially when the topics we are discussing seem difficult to SWALLOW. Pardon the pun!
Now the story of Jonah isn’t about a man who simply got swallowed by a big fish. Actually it is a story that hits much closer to home for us because it is about a man to whom we can often relate.
You see, my goal this morning isn’t to point out his disobedience and then point out how we so often struggle with obeying God’s directives. That is too obvious and, most likely, some of you have already run ahead of me and thought, “okay, Will is going to point out Jonah’s disobedience and then threaten us with being swallowed by a whale over at Sandbridge Beach if we don’t straighten up!” Of course, that is a completely valid preaching point! J But that is not what I want to point out this morning.
What I want to point out this morning is the irony of the story of Jonah. And it is an irony that most people in this room will understand. Here is what I want to focus on this morning… the story of Jonah is really about God’s GRACE being demonstrated to a man who struggled with the whole concept of grace. I am sure that if you were to conduct a brief interview with Jonah he would tell you that he needed grace. Most of us acknowledge our faults and imperfections.
HOWEVER, Jonah’s struggle wasn’t with having a willingness to acknowledge and accept God’s grace. Jonah’s struggle was with his willingness to demonstrate and extend grace to others, you know, to people who didn’t DESERVE it. Now before I push on let me take a moment and state the obvious! If you DESERVED it… it wouldn’t be GRACE!
Let’s take a moment and review the context. If you remember, God came to Jonah and instructed him to go to the city of Nineveh and warn the people that if they didn’t repent that God would destroy their city. Jonah was presented with an opportunity to be a missionary to those needy people and become a bearer of good news. But the problem was that Jonah had no desire to go to Nineveh and actually would have been quite delighted if God choose to wipe them off the face of the earth.
Now when we read this story sometimes we don’t understand why Jonah didn’t want to go. We might just chalk it up to Jonah being a bigot or something. However, when we better understand the context we might find ourselves better able to relate to Jonah. You see; Nineveh was the Capitol city of Assyria. The Assyrians were a vile and ruthless people who turned torture into an art form. The Assyrians were known for dismembering and disfiguring people and I am sure that Jonah was all too familiar with their brutal and barbaric practices. I bet if you were to ask Jonah he would tell you that the people of Nineveh were a people who deserved to be destroyed by the righteous hand of the Lord. Jonah felt their destruction was not only warranted but also JUSTIFIED.
Now let me pause right here and ask you, “Are there any people you feel that way about?” Now before you answer too quickly let me ask a couple of follow up questions. How do you think many Americans may have answered that question on the afternoon of December 7, 1941? Or how would we have answered that question on the afternoon of September 11, 2001? Now before you get angry with me, I am NOT saying that we didn’t have the right to feel anger and hurt. I am not saying that we shouldn’t have defended ourselves because I believe we had every right to do so! I can admit to you today that I have thought that there are some parts of this world that would be better as a parking lot instead of a terrorist state.
Now the reason I use these analogies is because I want you to understand to how Jonah may have been feeling. In his mind he felt like they were vile people who would deserve every ounce of punishment that the Lord had planned for them. And one thing we know for sure, Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh!
And you know, not only can we understand that… we can also relate to it. Sometimes if the truth were known about us there are certain situations and certain people that we are graceless towards. People who have committed crimes, or young people who have made a mess of their lives and will have to live with the consequences of that bad decision the rest of their lives. We are graceless often towards people who have wronged us, or someone that we love. As a parent, I can understand that. I used to hear my dad tell people, “Say what you want to say about me but don’t ever mess with my kids.” I feel the same way.
Here is what I want you to understand today. GRACELESSNESS is never a proper and acceptable response for a Christian! One of the things that has grieved my heart for a number of years is that some of the most GRACELESS people I know have been people who give testimony to being redeemed by the GRACE of God.
When I pastored in Ohio we used to support a little school down in the mountains of KY called Oneida Baptist Institute. Oneida was a school that took troubled kids, from troubled homes and taught them a great work ethic, while at the same time providing an education. You couldn’t listen to Barkley Moore, the President of Oneida, without being moved with compassion and wanting to empty your wallet to support the life changing ministry of Oneida. We had one lady in our church that became a huge champion of our mission efforts. This lady would go to the school monthly (a 4 hour drive, over 200 miles away) and reach out to demonstrate God’s grace to those who were often overlooked in society. I realize that at first glance that sounds like a great testimony… well, it is, until you learn that this same women wouldn’t talk to several people who sat in the same row with her at church! This person even had family members that she wouldn’t talk to, who also attended church with her.
Listen folks, I believe that GRACELESSNESS is becoming an epidemic in the church today. And if we don’t rise up and deal with it, then not only will we not be who God is calling us to be, but we will not be effective ambassadors of God’s Gracious Love to all people.
Let me tell you… this problem absolutely breaks my heart because I know GREAT people who are absolutely trapped in a state of GRACELESSNESS and they are not the people God wants them to be and they are not being used by God as they could be. They need to be freed from the chains of GRACELESSNESS!
We have to take this seriously… you know, surveys are telling us more and more that both young people and the unchurched are seeing the church as being irrelevant in society. And why shouldn’t they, because the church today isn’t seen as ambassadors of grace, but are all to often judgmental and hard hearted. How effective will we be in reaching your children and grandchildren if they don’t see the church standing in stark contrast to a GRACELESS world?
This morning, I am not reacting to anything about Great Bridge Baptist. I can’t believe I am about to say this, because I never use this kind of language but I feel like this is a prophetic word for us, and for the church in America. Our country needs Jesus more than it does Mitt Romney. What kind of hope will they have in seeing Jesus, if His own people aren’t demonstrating His gracious love to them and to each other? We have to get GRACE right because God uses Grace to draw people unto Himself.
Let me ask you this morning, are you struggling with demonstrating GRACE to someone? Let me just say one more time it is unacceptable for a child of God to withhold Grace. It is of primary importance spiritually that you are able to demonstrate Grace because without it… you will never truly represent Christ.
Maybe this morning you are in need of Grace. We sing a song sometimes that reflects how I am feeling right now. I am so glad church that God’s Grace is greater than my sin. Maybe you are here and you feel like you need a second chance, a fresh start, a new beginning. If you feel that way, then please know that God is able, and stands ready to make your second chance a reality.
This weekend, I feel like we lost a spiritual giant. Chuck Colson was a man who became a compass for us after he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. Last night I read a quote from Senator Mitch McConnell of KY that said, “Chuck Colson's life stands as a permanent rebuttal to the cynical claim that there are no second chances" --US Senator Mitch McConnell
I am so thankful for the power of grace! An injection of grace is just what the doctor ordered to treat the human condition! Let’s take a couple of moments this morning to point out where grace can be found in the story of Jonah.
We see God’s grace….
I. When God Ruins Our Plans
A. Jonah Decided to Disobey God and not go to Nineveh
Jonah had determined in his own mind that he was not going to Nineveh. If you remember last week we discovered that Nineveh was the capitol of Assyria. As you may know, the Assyrians were barbaric and brutal people. I have no doubt that Jonah was very familiar with their practices and therefore determined in his own heart that he was not going to obey God and go to Nineveh. And not only did he determine this in his heart, I believe he rationalized it in his own mind.
When you stop and think about it Jonah is no different from you and me. If you give any of us in this room enough time we can rationalize our actions and even justify our inactions. Now I will grant you that most of us don’t just thumb our nose up at God and say, “Too bad, I’m not doing it because I hate those people.” No we tend to cloak it in more tasteful, sophisticated terms like, “I would love to but I am just too busy at work.” Or, “God, I sense you want me to stop and help these people but if I do, I am going to be late for an appointment.” Or perhaps, “God I know you want me to talk to these folks about you but I just don’t feel adequate for what you are asking me to do.”
I guess we need to give Jonah some props this morning because when he determined he didn’t want to go, he didn’t hide his motives. Jonah didn’t like the people of Nineveh and in his mind the world would be a better place if God just wiped them off the face of the earth!
So Jonah calls AAA and changes his trip tick! Instead of going to Nineveh like God had directed, Jonah gets a ticket aboard the SS Minnow for the city of Tarshish! Now when Jonah disobeys He goes all out. Tarshish wasn’t just a couple of towns over… it is 2,300 miles west, on the far end of the Mediterranean Sea!
Here is what is interesting to me about his reaction. You would think that if Jonah was going to disobey God and run from God that he would run someplace familiar, some place that he would feel safe. But instead of going someplace safe, he chooses a destination where he has never been, that required a dangerous mode of transportation that would take him through some very dangerous waters. But when you think about it Jonah’s reaction probably isn’t that difficult for us to understand because people today do the very same thing. You know, when people run from God they run to the strangest of places and sometimes even the most dangerous of places. How many of us know people who ran to alcohol, drugs, or even people who they knew didn’t have their best interest at heart? What I hope you will discover about God is that running from Him never makes sense, because God always has your best interest at heart.
Okay, back to Jonah. Jonah goes to the dock and boards the SS Minnow for Tarshish. After they get just a little ways into their journey and a storm kicks up and threatens the safety of boat and the crew. The Skipper orders the crew to begin throwing items overboard so as to lighten the load of the ship while at the same time praying to their various gods. But when the crew saw no end in sight they determined that they were being punished for someone who was on board the ship. And since Jonah had the guilty countenance (I’m making that up) they confronted him in verse 8 of chapter 1 “tell us who is responsible” and “ what must we do to make this go away?”
B. I think it was at this point that Jonah realized, “You can run, but you can’t outrun God!”
But you know what is even more amazing is Jonah’s reaction to the crew. Instead of dropping to his knees and repenting he tells them to throw him into the sea. I find it absolutely remarkable that Jonah would rather die than obey God.
Now I know that when most people read this they think, what a horrible story. However, when I read it I can’t help but think WOW… what a GRACIOUS GOD. For just a minute take a moment and look at it from God’s perspective. Jonah basically tells God, “I don’t care what you want to happen, I am not going to obey your directions.” Now what choice does God have? God could have said “fine” do what you want? God could have struck him down! But that is not what God did because God is a gracious God. You see, not only did God love Jonah but God also loved the barbaric people in Nineveh.
So very graciously, God ruined Jonah’s plans and taught Jonah that no matter how far or fast he tried to run that he couldn’t outrun God.
But we also see God’s grace:
II. When God doesn’t Give Up on Jonah
Okay, so now Jonah is all wet. Jonah has run from God and is now in OVER HIS HEAD! J Oh come on! That is funny!
Now even though Jonah had given up on the people of Nineveh God had not. And so God intervenes and provides a great fish to swallow Jonah, and the Bible teaches us that Jonah was in the belly for three days and three nights. Can you imagine being there in the dark with seaweed all over you?
I would be freaking! I am such a chicken. I mean every time I am in the water over at Sandbridge Beach and a piece of seaweed just touches me I am screaming like a little girl! So I can’t even imagine this scenario.
However, I do have a question, “how long do you think it took Jonah to begin bargaining with God for another chance? I bet in the first few hours Jonah made 150 different deals with God! Now I know you are thinking, “Will, how do you know that?” That is a great question. The reason I know is because that is exactly what we do with God whenever we are in a jam. How many of you have made deals with God whenever you have been in a jam? Okay, now how many of you if you had honored your promise would not be sitting here this morning but rather would be serving God as a missionary in Tanzania because you promised to go on the foreign mission field?
I think we see God’s grace in a couple of ways at this point.
First, even though Jonah had given up on the people of Nineveh God never gave up on Jonah. Even though Jonah was defiant, God was still watching over him, waiting for the right moment to reel him back in. Now that was really funny! J
Second, God heard his cries from the belly of the fish. I love the opening line of Chapter 2 “in my distress I called to the Lord.” Now I know that is pretty common for most of us but listen to the last part of the verse, “and He answered me.” The question I am left with when I read this is why would God answer the prayers of one who turned his/her back on Him and then only ask for God’s help after hitting rock bottom? The Answer… GRACE! Think about it, how much weight does a prayer of sorrow carry from inside the belly of a great fish? If you are completely honest with yourself you can admit that is a pretty self-serving prayer! But even when the results of Jonah’s disobedience CONSUMED him, he called out to God and God both heard and answered him.
This really teaches us an amazing truth about God and the purpose of His discipline. God’s discipline is never intended to hurt us but rather to bring us back to Him.
Third, God Used Jonah whenever he surrendered to God. I know I am running out of time but I can’t end the message without giving you one of the greatest examples of grace. I think it is absolutely phenomenal that God will use imperfect people! I mean let’s face it… that is all He has to work with.
Conclusion
God’s grace is both powerful and effectual and Jonah’s life illustrates that beautifully for us. Perhaps you are here this morning and you, like Jonah, stand in need of God’s grace. This morning I can’t think of anything better than for you to run towards God because, in all honesty, you can’t outrun Him. If you sense you need God then come to Him and discover the power of His Grace.
Perhaps you are here this morning and you need to extend grace. I had an older gentlemen in Manchester, KY tell me once that he had to exorcise some demons in his life. That is a phrase that I have heard often and actually can relate to at times. One of the things I have been exorcising the past few years is an unforgiving spirit and even some bitterness. I have been asking God to free me from that bitterness and help me become an ambassador of His grace. God has used those prayers to inspire me to make some phone calls, seeking to make things right, and to extend grace.
May I ask you this morning if there is some bitterness you need to be set free from? Is there someone you need to extend grace to? If so, then let’s leave this place today with a desire to be freed from our feelings and determined to represent God’s grace to all those who stand in need of grace.
You see, the power of Grace is not only seen in us but also through us, as it impacts others around us!
