THEME: God reveals His mission through His Word, His Spirit, wise counsel, and His work in circumstances around you. (Principle 5 from MADE TO COUNT)
Introduction: Have you ever made a lousy decision?
As you’re laughing, you’re probably really thinking, “What do you mean?” A bad decision. “I’ve made more than I can recount!”
But just to make you feel better. Try these on for size.
· In 1955, Sam Phillips of Memphis, Tennessee sold to RCA Victor Records his exclusive contract for a relatively unknown singer and whose future he wasn’t quite sure. The name…ELVIS PRESLEY!
· 17 publishers turned down the book M*A*S*H that later went on to be a box-office hit movie as well as a very successful syndicated television show.
· In June of 1938, action comics introduced Superman. He was the creation of Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel who believed that some money in the pocket was more valuable than a comic character in a book and sold their rights to their publishers for $130.00. In the mid-1960’s General Motors launched its new compact Chevrolet Nova in Mexico. They could not understand why in the world such a well-designed and economical car didn’t sell…that was until they discovered that no va means “it doesn’t go” in Spanish.
We’ve all been there. And some bad decisions can be recovered from without a lot of difficulty or embarrassment. Others carry great costs.
But there’s one area we can’t afford to make a bad decision on and that’s what God wants to do in and through our lives – if we miss that one – we miss it all!
God has a mission for every one of our lives and He never wants to play hide-and-go-seek with us concerning His plan. He clearly wants to lay it out before us and then allow us the absolute sheer joy of joining in the ride of adventure with Him that will change our life forever. And He’s constantly working in multiple ways to show us His mission and direction so that we can join Him in what He’s doing to change the world around us. The choice of whether we jump on a ride of adventure, or run the other way at full speed comes down to the choices we make. No place better is this evidenced than the book of Jonah.
God used many of the same ways to reveal His mission to Jonah that He does to us today. Let’s take a look at how Jonah missed.
I. God Guides by His Word.
The Book of Jonah launches right into God’s direction for Jonah’s life mission, “The Word of the Lord came to Jonah, son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because its wickedness has come up before me.’”
God has historically spoke His Word to those whom He calls to recall His will. And its intent is to give direction and guidance in life.
Have you ever wondered what the most unread book in America is? It’s not the Bible as you might guess but the car owner’s manual! Now the question comes, who in the world reads a car owner’s manual? Can you imagine a more boring read!?
But think about it. What’s the purpose of an owner’s manual? It is to (1) Help the vehicle operate at maximum effectiveness and (2) Avoid major breakdown. That’s exactly the purpose of God’s owner’s manual (His Word) for our life.
But when do you most often read the car owner’s manual? You got it, when you’re not operating effectively or you’ve experienced a breakdown. It’s all too often the same with God’s Word.
Yet the scripture is very clear that He gave His Word for our guidance in our mission. The 119th Psalm gives a prayer and a promise that the impact of God’s Word in our guidance…
“Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” (Psalm 119:18)
“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105)
In addition, God in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 guarantees us that every single word of scripture comes from the very breath of God and is useful for four things in our life…
1. Teaching us how to walk in the calling and mission of God.
2. Rebuking us when we’re not walking there.
3. Correcting us and showing us how to get back to walking there.
4. Training us to obediently stay there once we’re on course.
And the result is that the person of God who does so will be ready for everything God brings their way.
Unfortunately, Jonah was convinced He knew better than God the mission for his life and how to fulfill it so rather than following God’s Word, he abandoned it and went the opposite direction.
II. God Guides by His Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit of God constantly throughout scripture guides men and women on their mission. It is one of the very purposes God attributes to Him.
“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears and He will tell you what is yet to come.” (John 16:13)
Though this is a New Testament promise, it is evident throughout the whole Old Testament that the Spirit of God is alive and well and actively ready and willing to guide God’s people. But nowhere do you find Jonah seeking the Spirit’s direction. It’s as though he felt that by making his own decision, he could comfortably be at peace. That he was doing the right thing based on his reasoning that the Assyrians at Nineveh were far too wicked to repent, therefore, why even go. It made no sense whatsoever.
How much better to jump on a cruise sheep, nestle down in the hold and go to sleep – at peace with himself.
Here is a great warning for every Christ follower simply saying that you’re making the right choice because you have a “sense of peace” can be dangerous ground on which to walk. Jonah obviously felt somewhat peaceful inside though he was running 180° opposite the direction God’s mission for him would have led. Therefore, a simple “sense of peace” alone cannot be an adequate judge as to whether God’s direction is being followed. Far more important than a mere sense of peace is an active act of obedience!
III. Jonah ignored the opportunity for wise counsel.
When God gave Jonah such an amazing mission, it is understandable that he swallowed hard wondering how a Jew could attempt to go On Mission to one of the most ruthless and blood-thirsty groups of people the world of that day knew. They were well known for their torture and slaughter of people who opposed them or stood up to them. So who is Jonah to go to the city and call them to repent?
If only Jonah would have sought godly counsel of people who walked with God and knew that “His ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8)
Even when the odds seem overwhelming and the risk unprecedented, God says…
“My purpose will stand and I will do all that I please.” (Isaiah 46:10)
And that is after He has told us repeatedly in Isaiah 45, “I, the Lord, do all these things…I am the Lord, and there is no other.”
But Jonah determined that he knew better on his own than the possibility of any wise spiritual counsel from others who walk with God. And thus it is that God warns us…
“Plans fail for the lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.”
Again, God cautions, “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15)
So who do you seek for counsel when dealing with the major decisions of life? Who do you believe with all you heart can give you counsel God would approve to help you fulfill the calling and mission He has uniquely crafted and shaped for you. Jonah missed it,…let’s make sure you don’t!
IV. God Guides Through His Work and Circumstances Around You.
When God saw that Jonah had missed all the opportunities thus far given to discovering God’s mission for his life, God moved in to orchestrate the circumstances. It is here that we discover the well known story of Jonah and the big fish. While many have snickered at the famous “fish story” as though it were a fairy tale rather than historical fact, history would prove otherwise. There are accounts of people swallowed by whales and at least one man swallowed by a sperm whale, later found alive, in the whale’s stomach.
The reality is that God can orchestrate any number of circumstances to get our attention when we choose to ignore the guidance He’s otherwise offered. And even though there may be some tough lessons involved in the journey, it is all intended to work for our good…and His glory!
“And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose for those God knew, he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son…” (Romans 8:28-29)
God is using the circumstances of our lives as polishing stones to constantly smooth the rough edges, burs of resistance and rebellion, sharp edges of over-confidence and self-dependency in order to make us smooth and useable in His hand. And so it was that God not only orchestrated the circumstances of the great fish to swallow Jonah, but to offer him a journey of reflection and reversal, and then delivered him safely at the mission point to which he was ultimately called from the beginning.
Conclusion: And so it goes, God constantly reminds His people that He not only calls them On Mission but stands ready to guide them in the mission as long as they are ready to trust and obey…
· “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go, and I will guide you with my eye upon you.”
· “Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (Isaiah 30:21)
· Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will make your way straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
And when we do, we find the ride of our life into the adventure of being On Mission with God!
Perhaps it could not be better conveyed than a wonderful poem entitled The Road of Life with which we close.
The Road of Life
At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge,
Keeping track of the things I did wrong,
So as to know whether I merited Heaven or hell when I die.
He was out there sort of like a president.
I recognized His picture when I saw it,
But I really didn’t know Him.
But later on when I met Christ,
It seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride,
But it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Christ
Was in the back helping me pedal.
I don’t know just when it was that He suggested we changes places,
But life has not been the same since.
When I had control, I knew the way.
It was rather boring, but predictable…
It was the shortest distance between two points.
But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts,
Up mountains, and through rocky places at breakneck speeds,
It was all I could do to hang on!
Even though it looked like madness, He said, “Pedal!”
I was worried and was anxious and asked,
“Where are you taking me?”
He laughed and didn’t answer, and I started to learn to trust.
I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure.
And when I’d say, “I’m scared,”
He’d lean back and touch my hand.
He took me to people with gifts that I needed,
Gifts of healing, acceptance and joy.
They gave me gifts to take on my journey,
My Lord’s and mine…
And we were off again.
He said, “Give the gifts away;
They’re extra baggage, too much weight.”
So I did-to the people we met; and I found that in giving I received,
And still our burden was light.
I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life.
I thought He’d wreck it; but He knows bike secrets-
Knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners,
Knows how to jump to clear high rocks,
Knows how to fly to shorten scary passages.
And I’m learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places,
And I’m beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face
With my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ.
And when I’m sure I just can’t do any more,
He just smiles and says…”Pedal.” - Author Unknown
