A Hampered Mission requires...
RESCUING THE MISSION-III—Jonah 1:4-17
Rescue:
B—One day a college professor of Psychology was greeting his new college class. He stood up in front of the class & said, "Would everyone who thinks he or she is stupid please stand up?"
After a minute or so of silence, a young man stood up.
"Well, good morning. So, you actually think you’re a moron?" the professor asked.
The kid replied, "No sir, I just didn’t want to see you standing there all by yourself.
God must go to great lengths to rescue his mission as well.
Need:
God’s mission must be rescued from the pull of sin that so easily lures & sways us.
God rescued His mission from Jonah’s obstinance.
A hampered mission can be rescued.
What can be done to rescue God’s mission from sin/worldly/human disruption/corruption/indulgence?
10 discoveries that can rescue God’s mission.
A hampered mission can be rescued thru Awareness/Discovery of...
1. INTERVENTION(:4-5)
2. LIMITATION / Desperation(:5a)
3. PLIGHT of Others(:5b-6)
4. SOURCE(:7)
5. WORLDVIEW(:8-9)
6. SEPARATION(:10-11)
7—A hampered mission can be rescued/restored thru
Discovery of SOLUTION(:12-13)
Explanation:(:12-13)Removal
:12—“And he said to them, “Pick me up & throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.”
Removal of that which causes difficulty...
But...is our ‘solution’ short-sighted/limited?
:13—“Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them.””
Secondary solution—... Avoidance, Denial, Overriding, Circumventing —thru fleshly means!
BECAUSE...A Moral dilemma existed—Jonah’s sacrifice.
Primary solution—Jonah’s acceptance of responsibility for God’s call.
—A hard choice.
The solution is tied directly to Jonah!
—Jonah’s decision played directly into God’s future solution for all of mankind in Jesus’ sacrifice.
Argumentation:
Rev. 3:8—“‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, & have kept My word, & have not denied My name.”
1Cor, 10:13—“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; & God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”
Rev. 3:20—“Behold, I stand at the door & knock. If anyone hears My voice & opens the door, I will come in to him & dine with him, & he with Me.”
Illustration:
Teen-Pregnancy/Frightening/Man’s-Flesh’s solution—Abortion—quick, permanent, seemingly easy/God’s solution—Accept responsibility of parenthood/Discovery of SOLUTION
God convicts you regarding mission to a particular people/You surrender money—but it is never enough/You surrender time(short-term)—but it is not enough/God wants you completely!/Discovery of SOLUTION
?What SOLUTION honors God?
Application:
?Has Discovery/Awareness of SOLUTION rescued God’s mission?
?Is God able to rescue His mission from your sin?
8—A hampered mission can be rescued/restored thru
Discovery of GUILT(:14)
Explanation:(:14)Justice/Prayer/Opposition
“Then they called on the LORD & said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life & do not put innocent blood on us; for Thou, O LORD, hast done as Thou hast pleased.”
“Then they called on the LORD”—Heathens called on YHWH(as a god among many).
“Thou, O LORD, hast done as Thou hast pleased”—
God’s choice to act in this manner?
Jonah brought guilt on others because of his choice?
*Jonah chose death over service—Was this God’s choice?—
His permissive will or His will?
Sailors uneasy about the decision to fulfill Jonah’s request.
No one wants to be guilty, particularly when there can be no penance/forgiveness.
Argumentation:
Heb. 10:21-22—“& since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience & our bodies washed with pure water.”
Josh. 24:14—“Now, therefore, fear the LORD & serve Him in sincerity & truth; & put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River & in Egypt, & serve the LORD.”
Deut. 21:9—“So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the LORD.”
Mat. 27:22-25—“Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water & washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” And all the people answered & said, “His blood be on us & on our children.””
Ezek. 33:6-9—“‘But if the watchman sees the sword coming & does not blow the trumpet, & the people are not warned, & the sword comes & takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’ “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth & warn them for Me. “When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ & you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. “Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, & he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.”
Illustration:
Tough love toward child/Bill & Brenda had a son(Zachary) who, as a teen, was rebellious/Bucked their discipline/Wouldn’t live by their rules/True thorn in their side/Would neither work nor go to school/Irresponsible/Disrespectful of others/Hung with druggies, deadbeats & losers/Bill & Brenda continually prayed about their situation/They convicted to to him $2000 & kicked him out with an ultimatum—He couldn’t come back until willing to follow the rules of the household/Discovery of GUILT
Racoon Trap/Catches neighbor’s dog/Change method of hunting/Discovery of GUILT
Good & necessary actions producing guilt
Application:
?Has Discovery/Awareness of GUILT restored your mission?
?Is God able to rescue His mission from your sin?
9—A hampered mission can be rescued/restored thru
Discovery of COMPLIANCE(:15-16)
Explanation:(:15-16)Action/Work
:15—“So they picked up Jonah & threw him into the sea, & the sea ceased from its raging.”
“They...threw him into the sea”
—Decision left a sinking feeling in their hearts.
“The sea ceased from its raging”
—The sailors discovered that God really is the God who made the sea & the dry land(:9)
—When Jesus was ‘thrown’ to the cross, God the Father stopped His raging against sin, by opening up a way to overcome it.
:16—“Then the men feared the LORD greatly, & they offered a sacrifice to the LORD & made vows.”
“Offered sacrifices”—Gave of possessions recognizing a god of power to be appeased.
“Made Vows”—Promises/Commitments—?Live differently, Publically recognize God...?
Decision to follow solution’s design as revealed thru Jonah.
Argumentation:
Rom. 3:21-26—“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law & the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just & the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
1Jn. 2:1-2—“My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; & He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; & not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.”
1Jn. 4:10—“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us & sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
Ps. 34:18—“The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.”
Ps. 51:17—“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken & a contrite heart-- These, O God, You will not despise.”
Mat. 9:12-13—“When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. “But go & learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy & not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.””
Illustration:
Boss orders Hot Krispy Kremes/Bring back Hot Dunkin Donuts/Didn’t comply=Disappointment-Rejection-Further affliction & trouble/Discovery of COMPLIANCE
Titheing always a challenge for the Smiths/Stan became convicted one day during a Sunday School class/Committed to tithe/Never missed the money/Held onto more than they ever had/Truly brought peace to the household/Discovery of COMPLIANCE
Application:
?Has Discovery/Awareness of COMPLIANCE restored your mission?
?Is God able to rescue His mission from your sin?
10—A hampered mission can be rescued/restored thru
Discovery of INCONCEIVABILITY(:17)
Explanation:(:17)Unimaginable/Incomprehensible/Salvation/ Transformational
:17—“Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days & three nights.””
Argumentation:
Isa. 55:8-9—“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isa. 59:1—“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not so short That it cannot save; Neither is His ear so dull That it cannot hear.”
1Cor. 2:7-12—“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”
Rom. 8:28—“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
1Jn. 4:19—“We love Him because He first loved us.”
Lk. 10:21-24—“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit & said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven & earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise & prudent & revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, & no one knows who the Son is except the Father, & who the Father is except the Son, & the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Then He turned to His disciples & said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; “for I tell you that many prophets & kings have desired to see what you see, & have not seen it, & to hear what you hear, & have not heard it.””
Illustration:
I would have never thought it possible for the world to be spherical. Or that people in Antarctica wouldn’t be upside down, or us sideways/ Discovery of INCONCEIVABILITY
I would have never thought it possible for a voice to be carried over a wire/ Discovery of INCONCEIVABILITY
I would have never thought it possible for water to fall from the sky/Discovery of INCONCEIVABILITY
I would have never thought it possible for lightning to exist/Discovery of INCONCEIVABILITY
We can examine these things, but we would never have conceived of them of ourselves.
*I would never have thought it possible for me to be saved!/Discovery of INCONCEIVABILITY
Some people—Biblical scholars—Who Disbelieve:.....Jonah was in the fish—God created the universe & everything in it in seven days—Languages miraculously changed in an instant at the city of Babel— All breathing animals were represented in the ark—The world was flooded & Noah’s family alone remained & survived thru the ark—The >600,000 Israelites crossed the red sea on dry ground—The wall of Jericho fell down flat—Jesus is the Son of God & thus is the Christ—Salvation can come miraculously to you from hearing a mere word from God—God can love even me/Discovery of INCONCEIVABILITY
Application:
?Has Discovery/Awareness of INCONCEIVABILITY restored your mission?
?Is God able to rescue His mission from your sin?
CONCLUSION:
Action:
A hampered mission can be rescued thru Awareness/Discovery of...
7. SOLUTION(:12-13)
8. GUILT(:14)
9. COMPLIANCE(:15-16)
10. INCONCEIVABILITY(:17)
1. INTERVENTION(:4-5)
2. LIMITATION / Desperation(:5a)
3. PLIGHT of Others(:5b-6)
4. SOURCE(:7)
5. WORLDVIEW(:8-9)
6. SEPARATION(:10-11)
