Sermon Central
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Jonah God's Disciplinary Love Series
Contributed by Neal Gracey on May 5, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: Since the beginning, man has been catching fish. Rarely does a fish catch a man. Well, there are a few times when a shark will bite, or swallow and kill a person, but that’s not what I’m talking about. There have been a few instances when a person has bee
Happy “Disciplinary” Weekend, Everyone!
James Bartley is one such a man, (1870–1909) is the central figure in a late nineteenth-century story according to which he was swallowed whole by a sperm whale. He was found a day later (36 hours) in the stomach of the whale, which was dead, washed up on the shore.
It was said that he was in the whale for 36 hours and it was also said that his skin had been bleached by the gastric juices, and that he was blind the rest of his life. He was, however, supposed to have returned to work within three weeks in some accounts. He died 18 years later and his tombstone in Gloucester says "James Bartley- a modern day Jonah.
The Bible character Jonah is another. It just so happens that our Sunday school lessons for the next 4 weeks are on the book of Jonah. Lesson 1 explains how God loves us so much that t times we need disciplined to get us back in line with God’s will. He never disciplines us to hurt us, but to make us better and more like Christ.
The word “discipline” is related to the word “disciple” by the way. So what’s the connection here, spiritually? Well, sometimes parents have to discipline their children to help them in their discipleship. Why do we discipline? Because we love them! In this week’s lesson, we will see how God disciplines Jonah because He loved him.
Friends, the book of Jonah is said to be one of the greatest learning stories ever because it has so many powerful lessons in it. We learn about discipline, protection, God’s love for the lost, and God’s love for the world and everyone in it.
Soooooooooooooooooooooooo, we will read about a storm, the calming of that storm, and the results. This is a whale of a story, friends; a story that many do not believe ever happened. But, let me just say to you…crazier things have happened that have been used by God to get the best results for His glory. How about the time He left heaven and manifested Himself into human flesh so He could be and feel and understand and love and die and save because we were dead in our sins and trespasses?
Think about this…we are born into a storm, and when we accept Christ as our Savior, although the physical sometimes doesn’t change, our spiritual storm has calmed. Has your spiritual storm calmed? Are you still in your sins and trespasses? Accept the saving work of Jesus on the cross and Him as your Savior and then your spiritual storm will cease.
Join us this Sunday for a little taste of some spiritual discipline, Big Fish Style!!!
I will make you fishers of men,
Fishers of men, fishers of men.
I will make you fishers of men,
If you follow Me.
If you follow Me,
If you follow Me,
I will make you fishers of men,
If you follow Me.
Hear Christ calling "Come unto Me
Come unto Me, Come unto Me."
Hear Christ calling "Come unto Me
I will give You rest."
"I will give you rest.
I will give you rest.
Hear Christ calling "Come unto Me
I will give You rest."
Deacon, rng
