Jonah On Board?

Jonah On Board?

Jonah 1:1-3NKJV

A small girl was asked to pray over the family meal. It was her first time ever, trying to emulate how her parents prayed, this is how she prayed: "Thank you Lord, for this meal you have REPAIRED for us.” Jonah spit up out of the fish, is the meal repaired for the people of Nineveh."

And yes, Jonah repaired for the people of Nineveh! P.H

Jonah, son of Amittai, was a prophet from the town of Gath-hepher (2 Kings 14:25). Instead of going East to preach to Nineveh (modern-day: Iraq) in obedience to God, Jonah went to the port of Joppa and sailed as far West as possible to Tarshish. -2,500 miles. However, God had different plans for Jonah as well as the great city of Nineveh, despite Jonah’s disobedience.

Jonah 1:1-3NKJV Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

God has a Nineveh for everyone of us- a place we don't want to go; a command we don't want to obey.

-Notice, twice in three verses, the Bible makes it clear that Jonah was fleeing from the presence of the Lord.

Life is full of choices.

Dad, I’m not at all sure I can follow you any longer in your simple Christian faith, stated the clergyman‘s son, when he returned from the University for the holidays, with a fledging scholars, assured arrogance. The father made fun of his young son, who was lost, as C.S. Lewis put it, in the invincible arrogance of his intellect. Son, the father said, that is your freedom. -Your terrible freedom.

There are eight points in these 3 verses of scripture:

1. The Lord gave a message to Jonah...

The Lord still gives messages. Did you know that you’re a message?

Paul writes of his fellow believers in,

2 Corinthians 3:2-3TPT For your very lives are our “letters of recommendation,” permanently engraved on our hearts, recognized and read by everybody. 3 As a result of our ministry, you are living letters written by Christ, not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God—not carved onto stone tablets but on the tablets of tender hearts.

As believers, We are Jesus’ epistle. We are His letter for the world.

Psalms 147:5TPT “How great is our God! There’s absolutely nothing his power cannot accomplish, and he has infinite understanding of everything.”

Listen to me, you are Jesus’ messenger!

Rev. Charles Cowman (1868-1924), was a missionary evangelist in Japan. He wrote:

Our vital need is for a vital faith in God- In the omnipotent God. When oppressed with staggering problems, do not consider their boundaries, but re-discover the boundlessness of God.

Romans 11:33TPT “Who could ever wrap their minds around the riches of God, the depth of his wisdom, and the marvel of his perfect knowledge? Who could ever explain the wonder of his decisions or search out the mysterious way he carries out his plans?”

The message God gives to me might look and sound different than the message God gives to you.

What message has God given to you? What can stop the message? Prejudice. Jonah detest the Ninivites. -Love covers all!

2. God's call will be of significance. -God told Jonah to arise and go to Nineveh... -Huge city.

There could be a Nineveh with your name on it. P.H

God told Jonah to announce judgment against it, because I (God) have seen how wicked its people are.”

3. Jonah got up and traveled in the opposite

direction. -We make our choices.

To do God’s work there is a price to pay. Usually like- 10, 20, 30 years. -Fruitfulness wins every time.

Jonah went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish...

Apply this scripture, Psalm 37:23NKJV The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.

4. God is patient with misguided people.

Verse 3b...He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.”

Again, Tarshish is the farthest point of the sea in the opposite direction from Nineveh. -Maybe you’re going in the opposite direction! P.H

You pay for detours. -Somebody’s got to pay. For Jonah, the entire crew seemingly would pay.

The winds and storm brought desperation.

5. Jonah confesses... who he really is.

Jonah 1:9NKJV So he said to them, “I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”