As we continue into this exploration of the life of Jonah – it is interesting to discover how much we are like him. Many times in our lives we have to deal with God giving us a word. Whether it is directly from the Word of God (the Bible), or by the Man of God (the Preacher) or by Inspiration of God (the Holy Spirit) – often times we do not respond too well to His communication.
Some of us have become masters in the area of ignoring the Word of God. Our Bibles are not worn from use; rather they are immaculate replications of the original purchase. Some of our Bibles still contain the “snap, crackle, pop” of the day that they were purchased or presented some years ago.
Some of us have become masters in the area of ignoring the Man of God. Some of us do not come to hear what the Lord’s word has to say, we want to be entertained. Some of us can sleep during the introduction and points and then snap out of it when the Man of God begins the Celebration and Intonation – in other words, whoop.
Some of us have become masters in the area of ignoring the Holy Spirit. Our ears are not attuned to looking for a Word from Him. We do not seek his advice or counsel. Some of us don’t even believe that the Holy Spirit even speaks or leads, as if that is a doctrine from another place or planet.
Jonah is like us.
As he begins to flee from his home region of Gath-Hepher after hearing the audible Voice of the Lord, he has purchased a secondary seat on a Phoenician Vessel which is heading to Joppa. Although God has told him – not asked him, not advised him, but told him – to go to Ninevah, Jonah has chosen to engage himself in an “Exit Stage Right” theology.
When:
Running away is better than running to.
When going down to Joppa is better than going up to Ninevah.
When going down into a ship is better than riding high on a Camel.
When going down into the sea is better than traveling on dry land.
Jonah is traveling via a sea faring Grain Vessel. There were faster boats – called Men of War – they were much lighter but they could not survive a storm. Most civilians who traveled in that day traveled by land – via carriages, chariots and cargo transportation. However, Jonah chose to travel dangerously – by sea.
It is interesting to note that passengers who traveled by sea were considered extras. The cargo was more important that human travelers. A traveler would have to bring your own food and be responsible for your own nighttime lodging as the ships very rarely traveled at night due to the uncertainty of the travel lanes.
There were two main times of the year to travel. First, the safe travel period was considered to be between March 26th and September 14th of the year. However, the Romans were more adventurous – they allowed ships to travel between March 11th and November 9th – during the stormy season.
That’s why the Apostle Paul pleaded to have his journey extended via boat – because when the storm came, the ship caught the Northeast wind. They had to lower the mainsail, use a small sail at the bow of the ship, throw the grain overboard, and run a cable from the prow to the stern to prevent the ship from breaking its bow.
Jonah is now on the sea. He must have felt awfully smug by now. After all – it looks like he has gotten the last laugh. He has defeated the will of God for his life. He has refused to go and preach in Ninevah. He would not have to face the descendents of those who pillaged his parents’ homeland. He has actually begun to feel that perhaps he was right. There is a place you can go to flee from the presence of the Lord.
However, may I suggest that there is no hiding place from God?
There is no mountain high enough.
There is no valley low enough.
There is no planet far away enough.
There is no depth of the sea low enough.
There is no room dark enough.
There is no location discreet enough.
There is no train fast enough.
There is no building high enough.
There is no bullet fast enough.
God is everywhere! God decides that Jonah has gone far enough. In our text, the Bible says, “But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea.” Coverdale edition puts it like this – “God hurled a great wynde (sic) into the sea.”
God has a way of using the elements to get our attention. Anybody here who has been through a God generated storm understand that wind will grab your attention!
God generated a windstorm during Noah’s flood.
God generated a windstorm during the plague of Locusts.
God generated a windstorm during the Red Sea crossing.
God generated a windstorm during the Quail plague in the wilderness.
God generated a windstorm after the Mt. Carmel conquest.
God generated a windstorm during the meeting with Elijah at Mt. Horeb.
God generated a windstorm during the translation of Elijah.
God generated a windstorm during Daniel’s vision of the 4 beasts.
God generated a windstorm as He talked with Job.
God generated a windstorm on the Sea of Galilee with the Disciples that went from the East to the West.
God generated another windstorm on the Sea of Galilee with the Disciples that went from West to the End.
God generated another windstorm on the Day of Pentecost.
God generated a windstorm when Paul went into Rome.
Somebody here today, God has generated some windstorms in your own personal life – to get your attention, to stop you, to make you think, to make you reconsider, to help you out, to protect you, to correct you, to encourage you.
God has thrown a windstorm into the Sea and He has generated a tempest – a storm in the storm. Let me draw a picture – this is not a mild breeze. This is not a hit and miss. This is a major situation. God has entered into the picture of Jonah’s life – with some major stuff.
Let me share somebody here some grief – if you’re not careful, God will have to let some major stuff go down in order to get your attention:
He will turn your world upside down. He’ll make your friends become your enemies. He’ll remove the hedge of protection from around you to get your attention.
The storm has hit and not only is it directed at Jonah – but other folk are suffering behind this thing:
The Ship’s Captain wasn’t running away.
The Ship’s Crew wasn’t running away.
The Ship’s Cargo wasn’t running away.
The Ship’s additional passengers weren’t running away.
But they got caught up in the disobedience of Jonah. Let me tell somebody here that your disobedience may be hindering some family members from getting to know Jesus. Your disobedience may be hurting people on your block. Your disobedience may be causing people on your pew to stop praising God. Your disobedience may be causing a ministry to stop functioning.
And your disobedience can scare folk. Check this out – the mariners were afraid. But these were the professionals – they had seen storms. They knew the difference between hurricanes and tornados. They knew the difference between a category 1 and category 2 storms. They knew the difference between a rogue wave and a spout. But the ones who were used to storms were getting scared.
Let me tell somebody here that sometimes when you’re running from God – you’ll do some stuff that will scare somebody who’s experienced in an area of sin and rebellion.
You’ll do so much cocaine – you’ll scare the average cocaine user.
You’ll drink so much Hennessey – you’ll scare an alcoholic.
You’ll commit so much sexual sin – you’ll scare a prostitute.
You’ll steal so much – you’ll scare a thief.
You’ll lie so much – you’ll scare a bonafide liar.
You’ll brag so much – you’ll scare a sho’ nuff braggart.
You’ll sin so much – even sinners will say that’s a shame.
Is there anybody here that sinned so much, that even sinners said you need to quit?
You were at the bar and the bartender called a cab for you.
You were in the alley and the drug dealer wanted to make sure that you made it out alive.
You were in a gossiping group and they shut it down because you told so many tales you contradicted yourself.
Not only were the Mariners afraid, but the text says “and they prayed.” That sounds good. After all, Jesus said “men ought to always pray and not faint.” But the actions of Jonah did not promote proper prayer but it caused powerless prayer to go forth.
Check out the text – they prayed to their own gods. This was not an Ecumenical Prayer Service. It was an interfaith Prayer Service. I don’t get involved with Interfaith Prayer Services because when Buddhists call on Buddha, they get a disconnected message. When Muslims call on Allah, they get a no longer at this address message. When Hindus call on their ancestors, they get a busy message. But when a child of God calls upon the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the whole world can be turned upside down.
Somebody here needs to understand that our God is an awesome God. But the Old Testament says that our God is ONE. There is only One God. He did not attend God high school and was part of a graduating class. He is the ONE and only. He is alpha and omega – beginning and end.
Not only did Jonah’s actions cause an Interfaith Service, but it also caused a loss of financial gain. Notice that the Mariners don’t make money just because their ship pulls into port. You don’t make money just because you show up to your job in the morning. The Mariners make money when the cargo that they left from Gath-Hepher makes it to Joppa.
The Mariners lost money because they had a disobedient believer in their midst. When you stop worshipping God, the Devil can’t make money on you!
You’ll wear your church clothes to the Club.
You’ll wear your usher’s uniform to the Grocery Store.
You’ll use your choir robe to dust your house.
You’ll use your Bible as a door stop.
You’ll use your Sunday school book as scratch paper.
They threw their cargo – the grain – overboard. They decided to take their chances with a lighter cargo than to make a financially killing.
You would think that Jonah would be sad about this. You would think that Jonah would have taken note of the sacrifices of all of these people. You would think that Jonah would have been sitting there with a thick blanket around him and saying “Man, this is terrible.”
But ….
He….
Is…
asleep….
While the action is going on, on the upper portion of the ship – Jonah is asleep in the lower portion of the ship. He is oblivious of what’s happened. He is incoherent as to what has taken place – he is asleep.
I know how this must look to you. After all, the wind is making noise. The mariners are making noise. Prayer is going on. The sea is roaring. And Jonah is asleep.
Don’t be too quick – there are some Jonah’s here today:
The Choir was lifting up the name of Jesus – and you were asleep.
The Deacons led us in Prayer and Praise – and you were asleep.
The Ushers seated others to their seats – and you were asleep.
And I’m preaching right now – and when you hear the tape – you will find out that you were asleep.
When miracles took place – you were asleep.
When hospital visits needed to be made – you were asleep.
When God was blessing His people – you were asleep.
When Tithes were being given – you were asleep.
When souls needed to be witnessed to – you were asleep.
When shouting was going on – you were asleep.
It’s one thing to sing the song, “Do not pass me by…”
But it’s another thing to be asleep when He passes by….
I don’t know about you – but being asleep when God is moving is not a good thing. My parents are from Louisiana – and during the summer we would visit Shady Grove and Jonesboro. And every now and then the storms would rise. Granddaddy and Grandmamma would make us turn off everything. Gather in the center of the room. And pray to the Lord – and wait until the storm was over.
Somebody here – there is a storm in your life. Don’t go to sleep. Don’t act as if there is not a storm. But you need to call on someone who is a way maker!
Don’t drift off to sleep.
Don’t nod off.
Don’t yawn.
Don’t get comfortable.
Don’t pull out your pillow.
The storm is raging!
The storm winds are blowing!
It’s time to do what the Disciples did. When a storm blew into their lives – they didn’t look for Jonah. They went and found Jesus. He was asleep to – but He is different from Jonah.
Jonah was sound asleep.
Jesus was aware that there was a storm.
Jonah didn’t have disciples.
Jesus had disciples!
Jonah didn’t have power to stop the storm.
Jesus has the power to stop a storm.
Somebody here ought to call on Jesus in your storm!
(close……
