Do You Have Good Reason To Be Angry With God? Series

Do You Have Any Good Reason to be Angry With God?

Jonah: It’s More Than Just a Fish Story Series

Sept. 3, 2006 FBC, Chester Mike Fogerson, Pastor

Introduction:

A A new resident was walking down a street and noticed a man struggling with a washing machine at the doorway of his house. When the newcomer volunteered to help, the homeowner was overjoyed, and the two men together began to work and struggle with the bulky appliance. After several minutes of fruitless effort the two stopped and just stared at each other in frustration. They looked as if they were on the verge of total exhaustion. Finally, when they had caught their breath, the first man said to the homeowner: "We’ll never get this washing machine in there!" To which the homeowner replied: "In? I’m trying to move it out of here!"

1 Not on the same page, either was Jonah & God.

2 We’ll see an adult/believer acting like a child/unbeliever.

B Jonah 4

1 Jonah’s anger towards God was birthed out of his (Jonah’s) not sharing the same concern as God (ETS)

2 Our relationship with God flourishes when we become passionate about what God is passionate about (ESS)

3 I pray you’ll fall in love with the things God loves, especially lost people (objective)

C How would you answer the questions God asked Jonah? (PQ)

1 Let’s look at the two questions God asked Jonah in order to help us see if we love the things God loves, especially lost people.

2 Pray

Conclusion:

A Jonah’s anger towards God was birthed out of his (Jonah’s) not sharing the same concern as God (ETS) Our relationship with God flourishes when we become passionate about what God is passionate about (ESS)

1 We’ve looked at the two questions God asked Jonah in order to help us see if we love the things God loves, especially lost people.

a Do you have a good reason to be angry?

b Should I not have compassion on Ninevah?

2 I pray you’ll fall in love with the things God loves, especially lost people.

a Our way or God’s Way.

b Talk about the lost or we talk to the lost.

B How would you answer the questions God asked Jonah? (PQ)

When Henry Ford purchased a large insurance policy, the Detroit news papers blazoned the fact, since the amount was so large and he was so prominent. The story was read by one of Ford’s old friends, who I happened to be in the insurance business. The old friend went to confront Ford to see if the story was true. When Ford assured him that it was, the friend asked him why the policy was not purchased from him, since he was a personal friend and had been in insurance for many years. Ford’s reply was, "You never asked me."

How many of our friends can say to us, "You never asked me," as to our sharing Christ with them?

God’s concern is people.

And He uses you and me to reach them.

Do you share God’s concern? Do you have a passion for people?

I "Do you have good reason to be angry?" v. 4

A To Jonah, it was a disaster that Ninevah averted disaster.

1 His anger could have grown for a few reasons:

a His reputation as a prophet had been damaged when they repented (40 days)

aa He’s embarrassed, pride is bruised, reputation is damaged. "You may say in your heart, ’How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ 22 "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. Deut 18:21-22 (NASB)

bb ...for I knew...really saying, "I knew better!"

cc He’s ripping on God for being compassionate, gracious, slow to anger

b He wanted Ninevah to be destroyed for their wickedness.

aa This was Israel’s enemy, deserved to die/be destroyed...WRATH

bb Jonah, who despised the Ninevites, was used by God to help rescue them. (IL) Scoring a touchdown for the other team.

2 Jonah’s answer to God’s question was not given verbally. Then Jonah went out from the city and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and sat under it in the shade until he could see what would happen in the city.

a He walks away because he’d rather have his way than to see souls saved, God’s way.

b If he couldn’t have his way, he’d rather be dead (forgot the storm & fish)

3 Jonah was angry because Ninevah (Israel’s enemy) were embraced by God as sons.

a Ninevah didn’t open a seminary, temple, synagogue, church