20070527 – What in the world is God doing? (Jonah/Acts 2)
INTRO– How many of you like surprises? Think, now…
Jonah is full of surprises – or God is…
• Tomorrow morning you’re going!
• Nineveh
• The fish is a surprise – oh no you don’t
• And Nineveh holds still more surprises – Jonah is sick of them.
Maybe it should be Jonah and the Ninevites? How about … the Lord?!
Big question: God’s love for people we don’t like.
Bigger question: How do we handle what God is doing… esp. when it’s a “surprise”
YOU – Do you like to know what to expect? Do you hate surprises?
Does what God is doing ever worry you? Could I see that map?
GOD – Jonah – imagine his call! His surprise…
Nineveh is farthest from his mind, much farther from his heart.
Joking, right?
What in the world are you doing, Lord? A big unnamed question in Jonah.
Destination to ship to fish to Nineveh to response (refrain)
It’s a question others are asking – sailors… Ninevites…(imagine! Don’t like it)
What in the world is God doing?
FF a few hundred years: It’s Pentecost – the first “Christian” Pentecost.
120 of Jesus followers are gathered to pray and they are asking…
What in the world are you doing?
He’s died (okay…) He’s risen (alright,) He gone (huh?) and they wait…
What in the world is God doing?
Then, that morning, the Holy Spirit says its time to move.
Wind rushes, floating flames appear, they start talking other languages.. (fear)
What in the world is God doing?!
3000 come to Christ. How are we going to handle that – we’re not leaders!
Think of the trouble this is going to get us into! (and it does…)
Put it together for a moment: Neither has a clue… (off the map)
Jonah would rather die (he says so) than deal with what God is doing.
Jesus’ disciples would die to be part of it. (wait! Go! Swing! Now!)
Greatest fear – to be out of step with God.
YOU - Where are you in the story? Crossroads? Running from or into?
WE – Barna – How are we going to deal with What God is Doing?
Give ourselves away; give ourselves fully – no matter how much we don’t get it.
