Say What Lord! (Part 1) Series

Title: Say What Lord? (Part 1 Of A Series Entitled – The Extent Of God’s Mercy)

Text: Jonah 1:1-17

Pray!!!

Introduction:

- This morning we are starting a new sermon series from the book of Jonah entitled, The Extent Of God’s Mercy.

- The book of Jonah shows the Christian that God is a God of mercy and compassion.

- God is not all about judgment and gloom, but rather He is a God that is concerned for all people.

- The book of Jonah shows us God’s compassion and mercy, when Jonah disobeys, when he confesses, when he is reluctant to go to Nineveh and when he complains to God that He forgave the people of Nineveh.

- The sermon series will show us that all of us have a little Jonah in us.

- How do we respond to disaster, God voice, miracles, and leading?

- We can all be people of great spiritual depth but miss God’s will for our lives.

- If it wasn’t for the compassion of the Lord where would you and I be.

- With all our shortcomings and our disobedience, God continues to show us mercy, wooing us to His side.

- The book of Jonah teaches us about God’s mercy in the midst of human rebellion towards God.

- Also the book of Jonah teaches us that God responds quickly with obedience.

- The moment we decide to align ourselves with God in obedience deliverance comes quickly and abruptly.

- The sea became a dead calm when obedience was administered and Jonah was spared and vomited onto shore from the belly of a fish when willing to obey.

- The message is God responds to obedience.

- Jonah also teaches that God moves quickly on disobedience.

- Judgment will follow any believer who decides to live in sin.

Transition:

- So this morning message is on Jonah’s response to God’s call.

- God has given each church a call and each person a call, how do we respond?

- I have entitled this message this morning, “Say What Lord!”

- It’s the response that we at times give God concerning His business and direction.

- It was Jonah’s response when God gave him direction and the plan for his life.

- Jonah said, “Say What Lord! I don’t think so, I think I will do this instead”.

- We have all given that response to God, because we were unsure of what God was asking, or we knew what God was asking but chose disobedience.

- What can we learn from Jonah so that we don’t make the same mistake he did.

- I believe there are 3 areas that we need to consider in the first chapter to help become all that God wants us to be.

- These 3 area will help the church, our families and us personally become all that God wants us to become.

- Here they are:

Point 1: Consider The Commission (Read Vs 1-6)

- Every One of us is commissioned by the Lord and has a purpose.

- This church has a purpose and the purpose of this church will not be completed, until the church is called.

- Nothing happens by chance, God has already set the plan in motion for each and everyone of us.

- Jonah had a commission from the Lord, a specific call to duty.

- Wickedness had reached the Throne Of Heaven and God had had enough.

- What can we learn from this commission to Jonah?

1. God delights in using people

- Evil reached God’s face and He decided to commission Jonah to preach repentance.

2. There is a specific task to do.

- Jonah was called specifically by the Lord, and heard His voice very clearly.

3. We also see that it’s up to us to either obey or disobey.

- Sometimes people don’t like what God tells them, because we don’t like what we hear, or we don’t like the direction.

- God’s direction for all of us is to stretch us beyond our limits.

- Whether we want to or not.

- If we could all just realize that God has a destiny for us, it would put so much of our problems and situations into perspective.

- When we get busy with God’s business, the focus will tend to shift from us and our personal business to God’s.

- The scripture repeatedly says that if anyone wants to follow the Lord, we must deny ourselves and follow Him.

- That does not mean we move into a cave of isolation and stay there until we die.

- It means we live life under His terms and rules which will make life exciting, fun and purposeful.

- The Bible encourages us by saying, the just shall live by faith.