JONAH 1:15
CLEANSING CORRUPTION CREATES CALMNESS
I. CRISIS:
A. Credence.
B. Condemnation.
C. Concluded.
II. CLEANSING:
A. Comprehensive.
B. Conspicuous.
C. Cathartic.
III. CALMNESS:
A. Certifiable.
B. Comparable.
C. Continuance.
The sailors have now, at last, come to the realization that their only hope for survival was to rid the boat of Jonah. Speaking from a human viewpoint, these seasoned men of the sea had done all they could to save every passenger on this ship, but reality dictated that specific action had to be taken to save the ship and the passengers.
Again, I have to commend these hardy men for their patience and for their endurance. For men who knew not the God of the Hebrews when this voyage began, these men came to worship this God and to become believers in Him. Even though Jonah disobeyed God and did not go to Nineveh at first but bordered this ship, his influence and testimony helped set the stage for these men’s ultimate conversion to God. It is amazing how God can make all circumstances work to His glory. God’s message and messenger arrived at Nineveh and were met with great success; however, along the way, Jonah’s journey with these sailors helped to convert them to God. We do not know the final results of these sailors. With the closing of chapter one, these men fade from the narrative and Jonah writes about what happened to him as he finally obeys God. Even though we do not have any more record of these men and what happened to them, we do know that God knows and this is all that really matters in the final count of life’s living.
As I study this verse before me, I see where it divides into three parts-each with a great significance in this story of Jonah and its impact on the lives of those he met so long ago.
The first part of this verse, “So they took up Jonah,” relates to what I feel is the CRISIS these men faced that day with Jonah on board. I also view this first part as relating Jonah to sin and what these men did to rid their bark of this heinous affront to God. The second part of this verse, “…and cast him overboard into the sea” has to do with these men CLEANSING the sin from their midst both on a corporate and a personal level. The last part of this verse, “and the sea ceased from her raging” speaks of the CALMNESS that resulted from the cleansing of the sin which was with them. Hence, this verse speaks to me of doing away with the problem of sin-its tempests, storms, and consternations-and the peace-contentment, calmness, and serenity-that comes in its place.
I. CRISIS: The sailors now arrived at a crossroad of which, one route had to be taken over the other. The situation was dire and the need for action was now. There were to be no more delays. With all of their kindness and unwillingness to harm any passenger, especially this one who believed in God, they had to act fast. They knew that all of their actions were now very limited and they had a problem which demanded an action. Such is the type of Sin in one’s life. One can try to mollify it as long as one can, but when the reality of its awfulness is revealed-actions have to be taken to rid it from one’s life or to allow it to drag one down into Hell, itself.
For the first time-it appears-from the text, these men gave Credence to the fact that Jonah, a type of sin at this point due to his rebellion, was the problem. These men had skirted the issue of just what to do with Jonah and for the most part-they did nothing. Now, they came to believe that Jonah was the problem and he had to be dealt with a firm hand. When sin rears its ugly head, one has to believe that it is sin and not a “quirk” of human nature, but sin, sin and still sin.
We are so busy, in today’s world, to dress up sin as something that can be talked away with trained counselors, yet that will not solve the sin issue. There is nothing wrong in talking with a good Christian counselor, but talking about something which is in reality sin, will never be solved-it has to be cast overboard. Medicine, holidays, getting off by one self, wholesome therapy, self-help plans and actions are good in their places but they cannot rid the sin of one’s heart. When sin is recognized with all of its rebellion-it has to be expunged from the heart by the grace of God. These sailors, realized the real situation-rebellion-and finally accepted Jonah for who he really was-a type of hindrance, a sin-if you please-and he had to be cast overboard.
Not only did these sailors come to give Credence to the reality, but they also gave Condemnation to Jonah and his actions. No longer were they going to pat him on the back and say, “We can work this out.” They were done with him, “lock, stock and barrel.” These sailors had done all they could to placate the person and the problem, but when they finally came to grips with their situation in this newest CRISIS they passed their sentence of Condemnation upon the sin as represented by Jonah and tossed him over the side of the ship. Why do not more people do as these sailors did, “Condemn and do away with sin when it makes its presence known and felt”?
Wrapped up within this latest CRISIS of these sailors giving Credence to Jonah serving as a type of sin, and for passing their unified Condemnation on him, these men Concluded their calamity by dealing a “knock-out” punch to their situation by breaking all ties with Jonah and his rebellion. The only way to gain victory over any sin which so easily besets us, is to recognize it as sin-believe it to be sin, and give Credence to the fact that sin is existing where it should not be. Next, once the issue is solved as to what is the real issue-sin, then it has to be Condemned outright and done so both in private and in public if the need arises. Once these things are completed, the end results are easy to obtain-Conclude the stalemate by withdrawing from sin. These sailors did it-we must do likewise.
II. CLEANSING: Once these sailors recognized that they would have to remove Jonah who also represents sin in one’s life, the action that followed was swift and complete. These sailors felt that a total cleaning of the ship was of the utmost importance.
The first thing I note about the removal of the problem and of that for which Jonah stood was the CLEANSING which was to be Comprehensive. There was no longer any need to mollify him and his actions-it was time to make a complete clearing out all for what this man stood. He was a renegade from God; he brought the ship to near extinction; he caused the ship to loose its cargo; and, he almost caused the loss of all lives on this vessel. It was time he went and he was to take all that belonged to him. May we learn a lesson from these men! When sin is discovered and when the results are evident as to just what sin has done and will do to our lives-it is time to make a Comprehensive clearing out of the dastardly deed.
Not only was the clearing out of the situation necessary, I notice something else about these men and their actions of tossing Jonah over board. The riddance of Jonah and the type of sin for which he stands was complete, but it also was done in a Conspicuous manner-it was done in front of all present. There is no such thing as a silent Christian. There is no such thing as being a secretive Christian in our society. The way of the cross demands a change in the sinner’s life. Paul said, “all things have become new,” and that is exactly what it means to serve Christ. Serving Christ will be evidenced sooner or later. One cannot light a light and hide it under a bush. The light of Christ shines forth into a blackened world through His saints and He calls us to be a Conspicuous Christian for Him. Jonah was tossed over board and all saw the riddance of that which was their hindrance.
Besides the CLEANSING being complete and done in front of all, the clearing out of the problem was a very Cathartic move by these sailors-now the ship could begin to sail, as it was suppose to sail. Getting rid of sin in our lives is not only spiritually important, but it is also healthy. In the Bible, Jesus never touched any one and made that one worse. Every time He touched someone-He made that one better. The same is true for salvation. Following Jesus is not only good “Soul-food” it is also good, “Health-food.” Sin is a cancer on the soul as well as the mind and body. Ridding ourselves of sin is healthy no matter how one chooses to look at it. Once Jonah was gone-health, good sea health-was now applied to not only the ship, the sailors but also the Sea itself.
III. CALMNESS: Following the casting away of old Jonah along with the resulting effects, reveals the contrast between what went before with Jonah on board and what followed after he was gone. While Jonah was on board, there were cross-currents of sympathy and anguish as to just how to proceed with this rebellious man. Besides having to deal with Jonah, there was the ever-growing threat of the ship being capsized and all perish. The storm which brewed ever so ferociously was both on the inside and outside of the ship, along with inner turmoil in the hearts of the sailors.
Is not this always a type of sin? Where ever sin is found-there is always trouble and torment. The Bible speaks so eloquently that there is no rest to the sinner; and, may I add, there is little to no rest to those who are close to a sinner. Any sinner can keep his/her family in turmoil in a host of ways. But, cast out the sin-and peace will follow. It did here for these sailors and it is the same for all who cast overboard all that which is not of God. Not only is there peace in the absence of sin, but there is immediate tranquility. It happened here and it will happen again to anyone who rids oneself of sin.
The first part of this CALMNESS of which I speak is what I call a Certifiable serenity which followed the overthrow of Jonah.
The text states that there was an immediate cessation of the storm and the waves. This peace and tranquility was visible to all and all felt the soothing effects of the decision to cast over board the troublemaker. No one on board had to ask if the storm was over-they all knew it, felt it and saw it. There is something very remarkable about someone who turns his all to Christ and throws all the sin of his life to the depths of the ocean. People notice. There is a calmness about one who turns to follow Christ and it is evidenced quite rapidly.
Everyone knew when the transformation happened-it was evidenced by all on board. When a member of the family turns one’s heart to Christ-the family knows it. No one has to broadcast it, but there is something about turning all over to Christ that brings rewards and serenity to everyone connected with the newfound Christian. Even the neighbors, family and one’s fellow workers, all know and sense that there has been a change when sin is expunged from the heart. One cannot hide it nor should one want to hide it. There is a definite change that happens when sin is gone.
A second part of my third main heading, CALMNESS, is what I call a Comparable drawing between the before and the after of the removal of all impediments-namely Jonah here and sin in our lives. The Scripture is correct when it speaks of there being an immediate cessation of all the storms that enveloped the ship. Certainly one can read for oneself and take stock in the fact that yes, there was a raging storm with Jonah on board and now there was calmness with him being gone. With the problem gone, the scene before us changes completely. The same can be said of ridding one’s heart and soul of the sin problem-there are comparable differences between the former and the latter.
I am reminded of the story of an alcoholic who became a Christian and cleaned up his life for himself and his family. After a period of time serving Christ, a skeptic met the new Christian and thought that he could somehow ensnare this neophyte about the Bible.
“Say,” said the supposed intellectual to the bumpkin. “Tell me, did Christ really turn the water into wine at that wedding feast?”
Not being too sure of the answer to this question, the former drunk scratched his head and replied, “Well, I cannot say a lot about that incidence in the Bible since I was not there, but I can tell you this, in my house, Christ has turned alcohol into furniture.” The before and the after contrast reveals the Comparableness of serving Christ. These sailors knew what they had just endured with Jonah on board and now with Jonah gone-they had a point of reference of what it was to remove all hindrances in their journey towards Tarsus.
The last part of this third major point of my sermon is what I call the Continuance of this tranquility. As long as the sailors harbored Jonah, there was strife-the moment they cast him overboard-there was peace. Not only was there peace instantly, but that peace they found stayed with them because Jonah was gone. As long as one rids one’s life of sin through the shed Blood of Christ, one will have a continuing supply of peace. One of the reasons that some Christians do not have this sustainable peace is because they have not cast overboard all that is opposed to Christ. Jesus is still correct, “One cannot serve God and mammon.” James warns in his writing about a double-minded man who is unsteady in all his ways. Christ stands at the crossroads of time and eternity and bids all to come unto Him and follow Him with one’s all. There is no such thing as following Christ only partially. There is no peace to that one who harbors sin and yet tries to serve Christ. No, for the peace that passes all understanding, it means that all sin has to be expunged at the foot of the Cross. Once sin is removed, there is a sweet assurance that one does indeed belong to God and that peace is sustainable as long as we walk with Him.
These sailors realized that simple fact-we need to recognize this in our lives today. Surely, Cleansing Corruption Creates Calmness.
