Rescuing The Mission-3

A Hampered Mission requires...

RESCUING THE MISSION-III—Jonah 1:4-17

Rescue:

B—One day a college professor of Psychology was greeting his new college class. He stood up in front of the class & said, "Would everyone who thinks he or she is stupid please stand up?"

After a minute or so of silence, a young man stood up.

"Well, good morning. So, you actually think you’re a moron?" the professor asked.

The kid replied, "No sir, I just didn’t want to see you standing there all by yourself.

God must go to great lengths to rescue his mission as well.

Need:

God’s mission must be rescued from the pull of sin that so easily lures & sways us.

God rescued His mission from Jonah’s obstinance.

A hampered mission can be rescued.

What can be done to rescue God’s mission from sin/worldly/human disruption/corruption/indulgence?

10 discoveries that can rescue God’s mission.

A hampered mission can be rescued thru Awareness/Discovery of...

1. INTERVENTION(:4-5)

2. LIMITATION / Desperation(:5a)

3. PLIGHT of Others(:5b-6)

4. SOURCE(:7)

5. WORLDVIEW(:8-9)

6. SEPARATION(:10-11)

7—A hampered mission can be rescued/restored thru

Discovery of SOLUTION(:12-13)

Explanation:(:12-13)Removal

:12—“And he said to them, “Pick me up & throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.”

Removal of that which causes difficulty...

But...is our ‘solution’ short-sighted/limited?

:13—“Nevertheless the men rowed hard to return to land, but they could not, for the sea continued to grow more tempestuous against them.””

Secondary solution—... Avoidance, Denial, Overriding, Circumventing —thru fleshly means!

BECAUSE...A Moral dilemma existed—Jonah’s sacrifice.

Primary solution—Jonah’s acceptance of responsibility for God’s call.

—A hard choice.

The solution is tied directly to Jonah!

—Jonah’s decision played directly into God’s future solution for all of mankind in Jesus’ sacrifice.

Argumentation:

Rev. 3:8—“‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, & have kept My word, & have not denied My name.”

1Cor, 10:13—“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; & God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”

Rev. 3:20—“Behold, I stand at the door & knock. If anyone hears My voice & opens the door, I will come in to him & dine with him, & he with Me.”

Illustration:

Teen-Pregnancy/Frightening/Man’s-Flesh’s solution—Abortion—quick, permanent, seemingly easy/God’s solution—Accept responsibility of parenthood/Discovery of SOLUTION

God convicts you regarding mission to a particular people/You surrender money—but it is never enough/You surrender time(short-term)—but it is not enough/God wants you completely!/Discovery of SOLUTION

?What SOLUTION honors God?

Application:

?Has Discovery/Awareness of SOLUTION rescued God’s mission?

?Is God able to rescue His mission from your sin?

8—A hampered mission can be rescued/restored thru

Discovery of GUILT(:14)

Explanation:(:14)Justice/Prayer/Opposition

“Then they called on the LORD & said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life & do not put innocent blood on us; for Thou, O LORD, hast done as Thou hast pleased.”

“Then they called on the LORD”—Heathens called on YHWH(as a god among many).

“Thou, O LORD, hast done as Thou hast pleased”—

God’s choice to act in this manner?

Jonah brought guilt on others because of his choice?

*Jonah chose death over service—Was this God’s choice?—

His permissive will or His will?

Sailors uneasy about the decision to fulfill Jonah’s request.

No one wants to be guilty, particularly when there can be no penance/forgiveness.

Argumentation:

Heb. 10:21-22—“& since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience & our bodies washed with pure water.”

Josh. 24:14—“Now, therefore, fear the LORD & serve Him in sincerity & truth; & put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River & in Egypt, & serve the LORD.”

Deut. 21:9—“So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the LORD.”

Mat. 27:22-25—“Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water & washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” And all the people answered & said, “His blood be on us & on our children.””