Dakota Community Church
July 3, 2011
Summer on the High Seas 1 - Jonah
Luke 6:46-49
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
a. What is the foundation?
Sound doctrine: hearing, knowing, practicing; the words of Jesus
Your life is the house – the words of Jesus heard and practiced is the foundation of rock
Jesus takes the time to address the lukewarm – those building on any other foundation
b. Why is the foundation important?
Eventually there will be a storm with your name on it.
Luke 6:49
…a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
I was 33 years old before I faced my first foundation exposing torrent.
I was in my forties before I could admit that my house was built on sand and could no longer make excuses for Gods failure to support my theological assumptions.
It was devastating, I wanted to quit, I was drowning in doubt and depression, for a number of years I floundered between various winds of doctrine – until its destruction was complete!
c. How is the foundation established?
I. Come to Jesus – you have to come to Jesus, and keep coming to Him.
What are you coming to?
Rule keeping and ritual
Emotional experience
Vague spirituality
Morality and good works
Scriptural education
John 5:39-40
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
A solid foundation is built by coming to Jesus! THE REST IS SAND!
What are the popular substitute foundations at DCC?
What do we jump to when someone asks about our fellowship?
Youth focus, children’s education, political zeal, social issues – none of these can be allowed to supplant Christ.
II. Hear the words of Jesus
We serve a God who speaks.
We have the written word and the Spirit who never contradicts the written word.
There is no relationship without truth.
III. Put the words of Jesus into practice
We have no foundation if all we hear remains unpracticed.
How the gospel work itself out in your life?
What does what you believe look like?
If the grace of God towards you does not affect the way you live you have likely not been regenerated and you certainly are building on sand!
Today’s text:
Jonah 1:1 – 3:3
1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD.
4 Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.
But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish.”
7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”
9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.”
10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.)
11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”
12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”
13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried to the LORD, “O LORD, please do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him.
17 But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.
Jonah 2
1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2 He said:
“In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.
3 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’
5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God. 7 “When my life was ebbing away I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. 9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.” 10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Jonah 3
1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days.
1. Torrential storm impact
It is possible to live in a house built on the sand for a very long time. (Manitoba Flood 2011)
Don’t miss the horrific reality of storm devastation by “Bible Story Booking” it.
Jonah 1:4-5
4 Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.
2. Only myself to blame
Jonah 1:1-3
The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
3 But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish.
Accepting personal responsibility for the consequences of our own sinfulness is not popular today but it is central to the gospel. The mercy of God leads us to repentance!
Galatians 6:7-8
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
James 1:13-14
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Proverbs 1:29-31
Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
Jonah ran away from God, most of the time we run from Him as well.
As Christians we want Jesus to remain the Lord of all at the centre of our lives.
What is your life centred on?
What do love to talk about?
What does your mind drift to thinking about when it is care free?
How do you define yourself?
Career? A Relationship? Your Family? Ministry? A Cause or movement, maybe a political agenda? A hobby? A talent? Your house or possessions? The latest tech toy? The cult of the new? An ever changing cycle of these?
We want to stay close enough to the blazing fire of the cross to be continually showered with its sparks and to find the flame of our love for Christ freshly kindled in doing so.
Like Jonah though we are bent toward running; which lands us here:
3. The gospel solution
Jonah 2:1-2
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2 He said:
“In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.
Jonah 2:7-9
“When my life was ebbing away I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. 9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.”
Jonah 3:1-2
1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
When the storm is the result of our own actions, the solution is repentance and the forgiveness of sins; we throw ourselves on the mercy of God because He is merciful.
Relief comes immediately – circumstances may take a while. (Hockey Manager Illustration)
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
