It's Not Too Late For Jonah The Rebel Series

Sermon for August 01, 2009

Sermon Series: It’s Not Too Late:

Sermon #3: It’s Not Too Late for JONAH, the REBEL

Scripture Ref: Jonah 1:1-4

1. Now the word of the LORD came unto JONAH, the son of AMATAI, saying, 2. Arise, go to NINEVEH, that great city, for their wickedness is come up before ME. 3: But JONAH rose up to flee unto TARSHISH from the presence of the LORD, & went down to JOPPA & he found a ship going to TARSHISH, so he paid the fare thereof & went down into it, to go with them unto TARSHISH from the presence of the LORD.

Introduction:

Most of us have heard of JONAH since we were CHILDREN through BIBLE STORIES being read to us; either by our MOTHERS or by SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS. & there are many people who BELIEVE that JONAH is nothing more than a FICTICIOUS CHARACTER that makes a GOOD STORY for children. However, JONAH is a REAL PERSON. He is 1st mentioned in the book of II Kings chapter 14:25.

It wasn’t long after the days of the prophets ELIJAH & ELISHA that JONAH came upon the scene in NOTHERN ISRAEL during the days when JEROBOAM was their king.

1: The CALLING & ASSIGNMENT from the LORD: An HONOR:

Jonah 1:1-2 ‘Now the word of the LORD came unto JONAH, saying, Arise, go to NINEVEH, that great city & cry out against it, for their wickedness is come up before ME.’

This ENTIRE BOOK of JONAH deals with HOW WE RESPOND to the CALL of GOD.

I want to BEGIN this morning by saying to us,

It is an HIGH HONOR & a BLESSING to be CHOSEN & CALLED by GOD to DO ANYTHING we can for HIM.

Often time people ARGUE, “I cannot do anything!”

The LORD doesn’t ask us to DO ANYTHING we’re NOT ABLE to do.

So rather than going about trying to EXCUSE OURSELVES & trying to find A WAY OUT we should be going about with this ATTITUDE about OURSELVES:

“I’m NOT the HOTTEST ITEM on PLANET EARTH but with the LORD’S ANNOINTING I’ll DO the BEST I CAN for GOD.”

Philippians 4:13 ‘I CAN DO – ALL THINGS--- through CHRIST which strengthens me.’

Brother A J Tomlinson, one of the FOUNDING FATHERS of the CHURCH of GOD denomination used to carry A SIGN with him from CONVENTION to CONVENTION as he BOOSTED the WORK of the LORD. It read:

‘A WORK for EVERYONE & EVERYONE a WORKER.’

JESUS told us that rather than being CONCERNED with what we have LAID UP on EARTH such as MATERIAL & MONATARY things we should STRIVE to LAY UP in HEAVEN AHEAD of us TREASURES that CANNOT be TAKEN AWAY from us. The ONLY WAY we can LAY UP TREASURES in HEAVEN which will be WAITING for us ---is for us to be DOERS & NOT just HEARERS today!

Now would be an EXCELLENT TIME for us to ask ourselves SERIOUSLY; “WHAT am I DOING for GOD?”

As LITTLE as GIVING a THIRSTY PERSON a CUP of WATER in the NAME of the LORD will BRING about the BLESSINGS & the ANNOINTING of GOD into our lives.

Being FAITHFUL to GOD is the BEST WAY I know for GOD to BLESS our lives!

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So GOD INSTRUCTS JONAH, “Get up & go to NINEVEH & PREACH to them saying, GOD has seen your WICKEDNESS & UNLESS you REPENT within 40 DAYS, GOD will DESTROY this place.”

2: JONAH’S FREE WILL DECISION: NO!

Jonah 1: 3 ‘But JONAH rose up to flee unto TARSHISH from the presence of the LORD, & went down to JOPPA, & he found a ship going to TARSHISH, so he paid the fare thereof, & went down into it to go with them unto TARSHISH from the presence of the LORD.’

The phrase: ‘You can RUN but you CANNOT HIDE’ is never any MORE TRUE than when you’re referring to SOMEONE who is trying to RUN FROM the LORD. There is NO HIDING from GOD!

NINEVEH was to the North East

JONAH went to TARSHISH which was as far West as he could go.

TOTAL REBELLION:

A PROPHET – A MAN of GOD: TOTAL REBELLION:

JONAH goes down to a seaport town called JOPPA & there he finds a COMMERCIAL SHIP headed to TARSHISH & he paid them A FARE to allow him to sail with them to TARSHISH.

We don’t have to be a PROPHET to try to RUN from WHAT GOD is trying to get us to do.

We’re NOT ANGELS or SPIRITUAL ROBOTS who are FORCED to DO the WILL of the LORD. We have the FREEDOM of CHOICE --- We can CHOOSE to say YES or NO.

HOWEVER, it’s going to COST US SOMETHING when we DECIDE to REBEL AGAINST the LORD.