Jonah and God’s Plant Text: Jonah 4:5-11
So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. 6 And the LORD God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7 But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8 And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!"10 But the LORD said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”
Introduction: When reading the book of Jonah one can find the answers for many of the problems of our society. We hear over and over again the beginning of Jonah’s rebellious ways on how he fled to Tarshish (West) when God had called him to Nineveh (Northeast) Therefore; one reads the beginning of Jonah fleeing an assignment from God almighty! We have heard the story of Jonah and the whale (Modified fish), and mostly as children we conclude that Jonah is made whole once he prays and the fish spits him on shore.
I.Jonah, like many men and women aren’t healed. In-fact many individuals today are half-way delivered! They call themselves saved, but still full of themselves! By watching many believers you would almost think God is a loose canon, but God calls the wayward back home; He calls His children back to their first love!
A.If I’m preaching unto you this morning don’t raise you’re hand! Full of pride, self-pity, rebellion, lust, anger, and you’ll pout to get you’re way! Right now, there are men in this house that desire respect and complete submission from their loved ones and their peers without earning it!
B.I was listening to a group of men talking, and they were talking about real men being turned off of Christianity because of the pastor’s language and even the songs we sing aren’t manly enough. It sounded good, but after much prayer I feel as though there’s some pride and fleshly issues that need to be killed!
C.If this isn’t a manly statement I don’t know what is! Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
D.Jonah hates his assignment in the church (I mean in Nineveh.) He’s full of his desires and passion; He’s full of the flesh! He’s prejudice, and he has murder in his heart!
E.I Peter 5: 5-11 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
F.God hasn’t changed His assignment for any of us. He has called us to love Him! Vs.5-6 say’s that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”
G.Like Jonah, we are more concerned about our comfort than we are what God officially assigned us to do! God’s given planet earth an assignment and that assignment hasn’t changed. He said “to love Him and to love our neighbor as ourselves!”
H.God’s more concerned about souls than He is your personal comfort! John 3:16-19 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
I.In the beginning God gave Adam instructions to live inside of Eden, and Jesus has given us instructions to live in His kingdom! God said from the very beginning, walk in fellowship, be fruitful, take dominion, use your authority, and love good and hate evil!
J.The fact is, Jonah loved the plant ( temporary) more than he did souls (eternal)
K.How about you, “what do you really love and care about?” Is that a manly question? Here’s God’s prayer for you! I Peter 5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
