JONAH 1:13
ROWING ROWERS REACH REASON
I. RESPECT:
A. Response:
B. Resourceful.
C. Resilient.
II. RISKS:
A. Resistance.
B. Retention.
C. Ruination.
III. REMEDY:
A. Recognition.
B. Removal.
C. Restoration.
With Jonah’s confession over, the sailors decided that they would not throw him overboard, but would attempt to make it to land somewhere soon. The storm was so ferocious, that for the first time, the text tells us that the sailors began skimming the horizon for land-any land upon which they could drive the boat lest they all perish at sea.
Perhaps they realized that they had wasted valuable time in talking with Jonah and now the best response to all was to head for land before the angel of death settled in upon them. Taking the oars in hand, these seamen began the difficult task of steering this sea-going vessel against the wind and head for shore. Since this storm was not like any other storms they had ever encountered, the task they set for themselves proved to be an impossible one to say the least.
The scene must have seemed to be very strange to anyone who would by chance look upon this spectacle at that time. There stood Jonah, holding on to what ever he could hold to keep from being thrown into the sea, in spite of his earlier plea to be tossed overboard. Down in the hold the sailors were busy manning the oars and the rest of the passengers were just as scared as everyone else. However, in spite of the efforts of these sailors, the work they were attempting to accomplish was not succeeding and the ship was being held in place by strong winds and surging waves.
As I study this particular verse of my text, I see three things about these sailors, which play a vital role in this entire scene before us, and I see some very practical applications to people who are rowing against the currents of their lives and the possible reasons for their lackadaisical experience. The first thing I note is that I do have a great deal of RESPECT for these sailors. The second thing I note about this verse is that in spite of what these sailors were trying to do, there were inherent RISKS involved. Then, I note the REMEDY of the situation at hand.
I. RESPECT: In spite of the spiritual condition of these sailors, regardless of their belief in their own gods, I have to commend these men because of who they were and what they were willing to do. They had just heard Jonah’s plea to be taken up and thrown overboard, but instead of that, these men returned to their oars and tried to bring all-including this renegade prophet to land.
The Response of these men under such trying circumstances is laudable. They refused to participate in the demise of a prophet of God. Unlike so many people who absolutely refuse to recognize God, His Church, His people, and His prophets, these sailors recognized that the God of Jonah was superior to their gods and they were not willing to incur any more of His divine wrath by hurting, harming or destroying His prophet. They had respect for God unlike so many today who try to debase the God of the universe in any way possible. The reaction of these men to Jonah’s plea was to turn to their oars and not to throw him overboard.
Not only do I find a great deal of admiration for these sailors in their answering Jonah by not throwing him overboard, but also I respect them for their Resourcefulness. They turned to help all on board-including Jonah, by taking to their oars and doing their best to get the boat to land. These men had done all they could do and the last thing that could be done was to row and row hard. I also note that these men-at least as far as the text shows-did not waste their time in bemoaning their circumstances and whining, but took to their oars as if every life on board depended upon them which in reality was true. Mark down two areas of high esteem for these men.
The third part of my admiration for these men has to do with their Resilience. These men had just been given a brief introduction about the God of all gods; they had just met a prophet of this God; they had been made aware of the fact that this God was the only God; they had just come to hear that this God of Jonah was the Creator and sustainer of all life on this planet; and, they were face to face with a Deity that was holding them in suspension while they tried to sort things out for all concerned. These men did not turn and jump overboard, they did not curse this God, they did not even curse Jonah, instead they accepted what they had and turned to trying to save the passengers on board. They were a hardy bunch of men and they refused to go down without giving their all to saving as many as possible. Somewhere they had developed good work ethics and they were determined to succeed. I have to admire any person who is willing to work against all odds just in order to help someone else. These sailors are to be admired-oh, that more church people would emulate them-working for one another and for Christ, regardless of the costs.
II. RISKS: While I have great respect for these sailors, I cannot but help think that they incurred some terrific chances as they left off talking with Jonah and returned to man their oars.
The first chance they took was that they were going to go backwards and not forward in their struggle with the sea. The Resistance they faced in trying to do the impossible is admirable. However, I find it so much like mankind when faced with God’s message, that people take a risk and would rather fight against impossible odds and against all resistance to follow God’s teaching, rather than simply submit to God. Jonah offered them a way out of this storm, yet due to their kindness, they assumed a great risk-even at the loss of all on board-and attempted to do something impossible-row to the shore. Too many people, when they come face to face with what God says, seem to turn their backs on a simple solution of obedience and instead spend much effort and time resisting God’s overtures.
Not only did these sailors assume a great risk in resisting God’s plan for them, they also decided to hold on to the very trouble that brought them to this point in their lives. They could have tossed Jonah overboard and everything would have calmed down for them. Instead of that, they allowed Jonah to remain among them and tried to row to safety. Jonah here, serves as a type of sin which men wish to carry with them, rather than ridding themselves of it. The only way to make progress with God is to rid all sin from one’s life and the goal will be reached. These sailors, kind as they were, held onto the trouble and fought a losing battle. God wants His children to live a good and clean life and to cast overboard all sin and strains of evil in our lives. Sometimes that includes saying goodbye to ones we have as friends and even family. Jesus said that He came to set father against son and mother against daughter. The way to Heaven is to chuck overboard all that hinders one from success in the Christian life. If these sailors would have dispensed with Jonah immediately, the storm would have ceased and all would have been safe. Yet, they did not do this and the risks they assumed in their Retention of the problem almost sunk them.
Lastly, the RISKS these sailors took in harboring Jonah was spelling out their Ruination. One cannot ignore God’s warning to live apart from sin and expect to have a good Christian life. Today’s Church seems to be caught in the popular psyche, that all is well as long as we love God and He loves us. The idea of calling sin for what it is-sin-seems to be almost outdated. In place of denouncing sin to a lost world, we would rather enjoy a “touchy, feely good feeling” rather than seem like we are out of touch with the rest of society. We are assuming a grave risk by not denouncing sin and riding ourselves of it. As long as we let it abide with us, we are running the risks of our own Ruination.
These sailors, good intentions and all, were assuming grave RISKS, by harboring Jonah. May we not do the same to our demise and not allow any Jonah to abide in our hearts.
III. REMEDY: I have already alluded to part of the solution to the problem of these sailors in their struggle with the sea that day so long ago. However, with time permitting, I would like to explore a bit more of the answer to the situation at hand.
Part of the answer to these sailors rowing, rowing, and not getting anywhere is the fact that they did not recognize the seriousness of Jonah’s rebellion. In order for any person to make it to Heaven, one must come face to face with the fact that God hates sin and He hates it in the lives of those who would want to serve Him. The Bible clearly states that to serve God means one is to “come out from among the world and be separate.” Some bodies of believers have taken this quite literally and sought to live apart from all else claiming their separateness was a sign of holy living. What God wants is a clean Church and a clean saint, living for Him in the midst of a polluted world. When sin is exposed in one’s life, the simple fact of the matter is to see it as God sees it-a cancer on the soul and it is to be dealt with post haste. These sailors, with all of their admirable qualities, did not recognize just how terrible rebellion against God was and they tried to solve the situation by rowing and not riding themselves of the problem at hand.
I am convinced that part of the Church’s malaise today is that so many do not recognize the seriousness of sin. Today, we have young people as well as older church people who are co-habituating without the sacred oath of marriage and claiming all is okay with them and God. Today, we are seeing church people, churches, and denominations accepting the “Gay life style” as being okay. We are witnessing the breakdown of morals, ethics, and religious values growing at an alarming rate in and out of our churches and many refuse to see or recognize that these things are against God and His Word. Jesus asked that when He returns to the Earth, would He find any faith. That question includes His Church. It is time to recognize sin and rebellion and then to do what these sailors should have done then but did not do it until their strength gave way: Remove the rebellion.
What is there about the human heart that makes it so hard to rid itself of all that is not of God? These sailors were trying with all of their earthly strength to reach safety and were not making headway. The same picture is seen among so many people who are striving to get to Heaven by their own strength and they are not making it, because they have not the courage to act or will not remove the troubling sin in their lives. Paul told us to lay aside the sin that so easily besets us. Notice his description of that sin: it is that sin which so easily besets us. For each one of us there is that peculiar besetting sin, which Paul said to lay it aside and then run the race set before us.
These sailors had an “easy, besetting sin” among them and in spite of their best effort, they were not running the race set before them. The scene is so typical of so many today. God does not call anyone to do anything that will hurt one. He calls us to do that which is best for us and He wants us to lay aside all that which is not of Him and make spiritual progress toward our Heavenly Home.
The last part of this idea of fixing the situation out there on the high sea that day was first to recognize the situation at hand, then to remove the hindrance and finally to Restore the ship aright and head for safety.
There is something special about the saint of God who recognizes the evil of his/her heart and then takes steps to rid that sin from one and gain a new restoration with God. This idea of living for God is certainly not a static venture. It is one that is always calling the saint to better one’s life and to live with the anticipation of gaining the approval of God by one’s dedication to Him.
These sailors were struggling against impossible odds. They had done all they could and when told to throw Jonah overboard, they refused for various reasons and tried to secure safety in their own labor. They found that they were wrong. Luckily, they made this discovery before the ship sank. However, I am convinced that some people who call themselves Christians and who refuse to follow God never have this Restorative relationship with Him. The end result is that they will have lived their lifetime striving in their own way and strength to make it to Heaven only to be turned aside because they carried the sin which so easily beset them unto their death.
Jesus urges His saints to live in this restorative lifestyle when He said that at the end there will be some who will claim to know Him and who really thought they served Him only to hear the words, “Depart from me, I never knew you.” What these sailors needed to realize that day, with disobedience on board their ship, all efforts of salvation would prove useless. They finally came to their senses later and did remove Jonah from among their midst and they were safe at last. It is a shame more so called Christians do not learn what these sailors learned. These sailors eventually were able to reach land and delivered their passengers to the port of call; they made it. However, oh many so-called Christians will not make the safety of the harbor unless they follow the example of these hardy sea-going men.
