Foolish things to confound the wise 1 Corinthians 1:27
God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1. From time to time I will hear someone say that God is to Awesome and to great to be interested in the affairs
of individuals.
• They feel like the universe is so big and that they are so small that they must be so insignificant to God…
unimportant in the eye of the one who created the universe
• But I want you to understand today that God is very interested in you and the affairs of your every day life
• Turn with me to Jonah 4:7 …I want us to read something very important
• "But God prepared a worm…..and it smote the gourd that it withered."
• God prepared a worm….How amazing…God used a worm that he prepared to accomplish his good will in the
life of Jonah
2. God prepares the events that happen in your life….they don't just happen
• In Jonah Chapter 1:17 God prepared a fish….He used the fish to transport Jonah to Nivah
• In Jonah Chapter 4:17 God prepared a gourd…to give shade to Jonah from the hot sun
• In Chapter 4:6 God prepares a WORM
• In Chapter 4: 8 God prepared the wind
• God is always preparing …and he will use the simplest of things, people, events…to accomplish his good
pleasure
• Why is this so hard to understand
3. How many ate a piece of bread this week.. (God had a hand in preparing that bread)
• Last winter He sent the snow…..In the spring time he sent the rain
• In the summer He sent the sunshine…
• God was working a full year before you buttered your toast you ate this morning
# Didn’t God said way back in Noah's day God said Seedtime and harvest would not cease (Gen 8:22)
• The bread you eat daily depends on that promise
4. The same principal applies in your salvation
• Sin didn't take God by Surprise
• Your redemption was planned…GOD ORDAINED from before the foundations of the world
• The entire History of the Israel has been in preparation for the coming of His son
• Abraham and Isaac….Jacob Judah, David, and Mary and others were all carefully selected
3. Bethlehem was selected as His birthplace long before the calendar was changed from BC to
read AD
• Yes God moved on Agustus Ceasear and the entire Roman Empire moved
• Then when the fullness of time had come…when preparation had been made…
• God sent forth His son born of a virgin and she called his name Jesus
5. God said in Isaiah 65:24 "Before they call, I will answer"
• Listen….Every answered prayer is a testimony of God's PLANNING
6. That's why when we go through great trial and tribulation we can say:
Rom 8:28-31
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If
God be for us, who can be against us?
• Do you believe this today….That all the things that happen to you that seem bad are working together for
your good
II. Not only does God prepare but He often uses humble instruments
1. God prepared a WORM to get Jonah’s attention…….a simple worm
• A common worm dispised by everyone…was prepared by God
• I Cor. 1:28 says that God uses the BASE things of the world, and the things that are despised …To brig to
nothing the things that are
A. Jonah was pouting….a pouty preacher……………..isn't that amazing.....But God prepares a worm to humble his
prophet
# God used a runt shepherd boy to humble the giant Goliath
# Jeremiah was a young person who lacked an education and God sent him to Judah
# Amos was a herdsman and God sent him to the court of Israel
# A farmer used an ox goad to bring a great victory
# Jesus chose fisherman and tax collectors to stand before kings and important dignataries
# An little known SS teacher, by the name of Kimble won a student in his class named Dwight to the Lord in 1858
Dwight was a shoe clerk who became a great evangelist…his full name was Dwight L. Moody…He wasn’t well
educated and he was despised by the prominent preachers of his day….But DL Moody preached with an
evangelistic fury like no other of his day
• Fredrick B Myer heard him preach and was stirred like never before in his ministry to win the lost
• He sailed to America and preached on a American college campus
• His preaching brought a student named J. Wilber Chapman to Christ
• Chapman became employed in YMCA work and hired a former ball player name Wlliam Ashley to do
evangelistic work with him
• William Ashley (Billy Sunday) won 1000;s to Christ
• He preached a revival in Charlott NC and the local men were so enthusiastic about winning souls they booked
Mordiceai Hamm to preach another revival
• Mordicai Hamm preached and a tall lanky fellow named Bill gave his heart to the Lord
• That boy named bill is know throughout the world as Billy Graham
• Billy Graham has won millions to Christ
• ALL BECAUSE an unknown SS named Mr. Kimbel reached out to a shoe clerk in his SS and led him to Christ at
his place of business.
• Maybe you think teaching a SS class is not very important….you may be the link to another Billy Graham
evangelist
2. Many unknown names are behind the Great bible characters and their success
• An unnamed little boy gave Andrew his lunch and Jesus used it to feed 5,000
• An unnamed disciples lowered Paul over the wall in a basket to save his life
• An unnamed servant slave girl told Naaman the Syrian Gneral who was a leper about Elijah
• He was healed and took the God of Abraham as his God and went home to Syria and all of his days Israel had
peace with Syria
• All these and many more were unknown to you and me But God knows every one of their names
• He knows your name and He prepares your ways and people around you to accomplish His good purposes
for you
III. God prepares, God uses humble instrument & thirdly God works in strange ways
• Listen to Jonah Chapter 4:7 It (the worm) smote the gourd , that it withered
• Jonah was happy about the gord……He was angry when it withered away….
• Yet the hand of the Lord was in it!
• This is not a very easy lesson to learn in life
• Its easy to understand when God adds or multiplies….wow blessings for sure
• But its hard when He starts subtracting
• Listen Have you ever been upset when a good GOD-GIVEN gift has been taken from you
• It becomes harder to sing like you used to sing
• Maybe you even start mumbling or complaining…Why me Lord….
• Why have you discomforted me and destroyed my Joy
1. We must learn to praise our God in any situation we face…Good or Bad
• Our attitude must be OH LORD WHAT DO YOU WANT TO WORK OUT THROUGH ME….even in the worst of
situations
# Joseph was in the pit and the prison system of his day
• When it was all over years latter listen to what Joseph said to his brothers
• He was able to tell them God was good to me in a bad situation
• Gen 45;5 " It was not you but God who sent me into the dungeon…why
• TO PERSERVE YOUR LIFE…..TO PREPARE BEFOREHAND FOR YOUR GOOD
# Paul & Silas were cast into prison for preaching faithfully
• His back beaten…..His wrists and ankles bloody from the stocks
• Listen to what he wrote latter in 2 Cor 1:3,4 "The God of ALL COMFORT; who comforts us in all our
tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which ARE IN TROUBLE, BY THE COMFORT WHEREIN WE
OURSELVES ARE COMFORTED OF GOD.
2. The book of Jonah tells a rugged story
• It is a message to the transgressor…Proverbs 13:15 says the ways of the transgressor is hard
• But thank God it is a story with another message also…
• It is a message of love and tenderness….
• It is a love story ….a story that reveals the heart of God
• John 3:16 says For God so loved the world that he GAVE
• God loved Jonah….a preacher with preconceived ideas who because of stubborn pride rebelled against Gods
plan
• The preacher was wrong and the city of Ninivah was wrong…..But God loved both
a. The story involves a man running from God….trying to sleep in a boat going in the wrong direction
• It involves a raging storm….that’s usually what happens to individuals running from God
b. It involves repentance and a moral awakening of an entire city
• A 40 day ultimatum was given and the entire city repents in sack cloth and ashes
• It the story of a predjudice preacher….
• It’s the story of Gods love and mercy to all his people and those who were his enemies
• God wants to redeem not to destroy…If you are here today understand god loves you
• He will move oceans to get your attention
• He will prepare a fish….a wind…..a worm…..a bush or whatever else He needs to …
• He will get your attention
Do you know what I realized from this story….Jonah had forgotten the comfort of the Gourd
• You see he took every day for granite
• He took the blessing of God as if they were common place and for him only
• Blessings for him and cursing's for His enemies
• But God is not like that my dear friends…..HIS COMPASSSION AND MERCY OVERFLOWS
Lam 3:22-24
22 It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
All God asks of you is to simply say God I am sorry I have been wrong…be merciful to me a sinner You see this is the real story of Jonah…..And the Bible in miniature.
1. Are you running from God today?
2. Have you been taking the blessing of God for granite…..
3. Are you upset with God for something that has happened to you…
4. Do you think its unfair that god has extended His mercy to those you think deserve His justice
