Not for Prophet
Text: Jonah 1:1-16
Introduction: (The week of August 18 to September 2, 2005) This has been a difficult week for most of us as we have contemplated the devastation that has taken place in the south because of Hurricane Katrina. We are told that as many as 10,000 people may have perished in what has become the deadliest storm in U.S. history. Even today victims are still struggling to get even the most basic supplies -- food and water -- in order to keep their loved ones alive. As a pastor I have I have prayed for those who are suffering while thinking long and hard about the question that many of us are asking: "Why did this happen to them?" Certainly we know about the reputation of New Orleans, a city known for its moral decadence. So we ask, "Is this the result of God’s judgment on the people who live there?" There is obvious biblical precedence for such a thing (Noah and the flood -- See Genesis 6:5-7; Abraham, Lot and Sodom and Gomorrah -- See Genesis 18:20). Others wonder, "Where is God in all this? If He’s so loving and kind, why doesn’t He do something?"
As to the answer of the first question, I would not presume to speak for God as to why this took place. He knows, but He has not chosen to inform me and is under no obligation to do so. Together we’ll have to trust that He is too good to do wrong, too wise to act foolishly and too powerful to see His plans frustrated.
The second question is a little easier to answer. "Where is God in all this? I’ll tell you...He’s seen in the common grace that is evident in the kind and caring action of thousands who have offered their help. He is seen in the overwhelming response of believers from around the world who are letting their light shine. He is seen in that He restricted the progress of the hurricane so that countless more lives were not lost (See Genesis 8:2). He is seen in His gracious exposure of man’s limitations that we might look to Him. (There is nothing like a little chaos to cause us to understand that God is all we need.) God has not stopped loving people, created in His image and for His glory. God’s love is an unrelenting love. It does not give up. It does not grow discouraged and distracted. The same love that God is demonstrating for the people in Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia is seen in the passage that we are going to be looking at together today. Turn in your Bibles to Jonah 1 and let’s consider together 3 characteristics of His unrelenting love.
I. You cannot explain it (See Jonah 1:1, 2). God’s unrelenting love often makes no sense to us. He loves the unlovable. In this case He was declaring His love for the people of Nineveh, much to the dismay of Jonah. A city originally built by the great grandson of Noah -- Nimrod, son of Cush (See Genesis 10:11), Nineveh was a prominent city in the Assyrian kingdom inhabited by 120,000 people. Most were evil and wicked (See Nahum 3:5-7) and deserving of God’s righteous wrath. At first glance, we would think that Jonah would be delighted to take the message of their impending destruction to them. It’s only when we consider Jonah 4:2 and realize there is implied in Jonah’s message the opportunity for repentance that we understand his hesitation. He simply could not fathom the unrelenting love of God for a people who were flagrant perpetrators of the worst kind of crimes. Application: I wonder how many of us are just like Jonah. It makes sense for us to love those who are for whatever reason lovable. But to love those who are evil and who are bent on wickedness seems beyond the realm of possibility. Often we forget that we are who we are only because of God’s matchless grace (See 1 Corinthians 15:10). Yet somehow we tend to think of ourselves as more deserving of God’s love than the next guy. The truth is that we are no better than anyone else (See Psalm 14:2, 3). God loves us, not because we deserve it, but because it is His nature to love (See 1 John 4:8). Illustration: This was a difficult concept for the Pharisees to grasp during the lifetime of Christ. They could understand God’s love for them because they were righteous. But how could God love sinners (See Luke 15:1, 2)? Someone told me recently that Mickey Mantle gave his life to Christ six months before he died. I have to admit I was skeptical because I know he was a drunkard who lived an immoral life. I wonder if I’m not guilty of the same false assumption...only good people can come to faith.
II. You cannot escape it (See Jonah 1:3-6). Try as Jonah might, he was unable to flee from the task to which God had called him. God loved the people of Nineveh and by the shear force of His sovereign will Jonah was going to preach to them. What did Jonah do to avoid answering the call of God? He decided to run as far away as possible (Jonah boarded a ship for Tarshish which was likely on the western side of Spain). If the people of Nineveh were going to be given an opportunity to repent, it wasn’t coming from him! Yet God’s unrelenting love pursued the messenger even as he fled. He sent a great wind on the sea resulting in a violent storm that threatened to break up the ship. When the sailors questioned the source of the storm, lots were cast and it fell to Jonah. Here are a couple of thoughts related to Jonah’s experience for us to consider.
A. God’s inescapable love means that He will bring suffering to some for the benefit of others. The sailors were put through a harrowing experience in order that Jonah might be brought to repentance and obedience. The people of Nineveh would perish without the prophet fulfilling his duty. The Apostle Paul attributed his suffering to the same thing (See 2 Corinthians 1:3-6a).
B. God inescapable love means that He will use anything to achieve His purposes. In this case, the sailors cast lots to find out who was responsible. This was common for people in the Middle East, even for the Hebrews who believed that God would overrule the lot (See Proverbs 16:33). God can not only use an exercise of chance to bring about His will, but He can use a hurricane or the act of terrorist to do the same thing (See Romans 8:28; Genesis 50:19-21). Illustration: In his book The Treasure Principle Randy Alcorn shares this story: In 1990 he was the pastor of a large church, earning a decent salary and considerable book royalties. He participated in a peaceful, non-violent protest at an abortion clinic. As a result he was arrested and sent to jail. Ultimately, the clinic won an 8.4 million dollar judgment against him and the others. They were ordered to pay the funds to the clinic. He told the judge that he would pay anything he owed, but he couldn’t give it to support abortions. Then he learned that his church was about to receive a writ of garnishment demanding that they surrender 1/4 of his wages to the clinic. He was forced to resign his position and take a job at minimum wage. Did he curse God for his misfortune and suffering? No -- As a matter of fact, he declared that it was one of the best things that ever happened to him. Randy saw God take his understanding of God’s ownership of his life to a new level. He can to understand in a new way that everything he had was the Lords. As a matter of fact, when the 10 year lawsuit had expired and Randy had the opportunity to work for more than minimum wage, he rejected a raise saying, "God provides for us faithfully."
III. You cannot exhaust it (See Jonah 1:7-16). God not only loved the people of Nineveh and His rebellious prophet, but he also loved the sailors who worshipped other gods in ignorance. When they discovered that Jonah worshipped the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land, they became very afraid. They rightfully deduced that this was occurring because he had run away from the Lord. Jonah instructed them to throw him into the sea and it would become calm again. Reluctantly they did so. Their prayer tells us something about the transformation that was taking place inside of them. They prayed to God for forgiveness, obeyed the command of His prophet, feared God, gave thanks and made religious promises to Him. Cleary they had come to exercise faith in the God of Jonah! Application: God’s love had redeemed what might be referred to as the secondary characters of this story. That’s the beauty of God’s love. He loves everyone! In fact, it is what sets the Christian understanding of God apart from every other religion.
Conclusion: At a comparative religions conference, the wise and the scholarly were in a spirited debate about what is unique about Christianity. Someone suggested what set Christianity apart from other religions was the concept of incarnation, the idea that God took human form in Jesus. But someone quickly said, “Well, actually, other faiths believe that God appears in human form.” Another suggestion was offered: what about resurrection? The belief that death is not the final word. That the tomb was found empty. Someone slowly shook his head. Other religions have accounts of people returning from the dead. Then, as the story is told, C.S. Lewis walked into the room, tweed jacket, pipe, arm full of papers, a little early for his presentation. He sat down and took in the conversation, which had by now evolved into a fierce debate. Finally during a lull, he spoke saying, “what’s all this rumpus about?” Everyone turned in his direction. Trying to explain themselves they said, “We’re debating what’s unique about Christianity.” “Oh, that’s easy,” answered Lewis. “It’s grace.” The room fell silent. Lewis continued that Christianity uniquely claims God’s love comes free of charge, no strings attached. No other religion makes that claim. After a moment someone commented that Lewis had a point, Buddhists, for example, follow an eight-fold path to enlightenment. It’s not a free ride. Hindus believe in karma, that your actions continually affect the way the world will treat you; that there is nothing that comes to you not set in motion by your actions. Someone else observed the Jewish understanding of the law implies God has requirements for people to be acceptable to him and in Islam God is a God of Judgment not a God of love. You live to appease him. At the end of the discussion everyone concluded Lewis had a point. Only Christianity dares to proclaim God’s love as unconditional and unrelenting. An unconditional love that manifests itself in grace.
