Sermon # 14 - Stay United, Prayerful And Obedient Series

We read in Jonah 1:11, Then they said to him, "What shall we do to you, that the sea may be calm to us?" For the sea was raging and growing more tempestuous. (AFV)

The events that preceded this verse were that the ship on which Jonah voyaged was faced with a severe tempest. The mariners somehow realized that someone on that ship was responsible for the furious storm that they encountered. They cast lots and found that Jonah was the one who had disobeyed God. God’s instruction to Jonah was straight forward. He was asked him to go and preach against the city of Nineveh. Jonah who did not wish to obey God, went in the opposite direction towards Tarshish. Now that Jonah was found out, the men on the ship asked him what they were to do for the tempest to subside. They knew that if the storm continued, their ship would be destroyed, and all of them would lose their lives in the bargain.

No one should ever think that they can disobey God, and escape without being found out, for that is an unwise thought. God knows everything, and there is nothing that is hidden from His sight. The sins that some people commit, not only affects them, but also has adverse effects on the lives of those around them.

As we continue to compare the life of Jonah with the church today, we will try to understand what the Lord is teaching us through this incident. None of the people aboard the ship that Jonah voyaged in anticipated that they would encounter a tumultuous situation. They probably assumed that they would have a safe journey to their desired destination. The reason for this calamity was the disobedience of one man, who decided to walk away from God’s command.

Even in the church there are those people who are trouble makers. Initially one cannot identify them as they too seem to blend in and enjoy being part of the fellowship. However as time goes by, we can identify them as those who will create all sorts of problems and issues. In Jonah’s case they found out the person responsible by casting lots, which is not a probability in a church. Nonetheless, we have the responsibility to identify such people in our midst. Let us look at some of the ways we can recognize such people.

Forgive each other as Christ forgave

We read in Colossians 3:13, Tolerate the weaknesses of those in the family of faith, forgiving one another in the same way you have been graciously forgiven by Jesus Christ. If you find fault with someone, release this same gift of forgiveness to them. (TPT)

As human beings whenever we come together, we will have to deal with each other’s weaknesses. There will be difference of opinion in various matters. Nonetheless, we must be willing to forgive one another, the exact same way Jesus forgives us. The forgiveness that Jesus offers is unconditional, and we find it hard to share this kind of forgiveness with those who offend us in any way. Sometimes when there is a trivial matter, instead of sorting it out with the person concerned, there are those who seeking to justify themselves, will share this with others, and complain about the one who offended them. They are desperate for the support of people, and would delight to have more people on their side. If we come across such people, we should most certainly be wary of them. If the church were likened to the ship that Jonah travelled in, we should be very careful about those who hinder the progress of the Church of God.

1. Learning to speak right

We read in Proverbs 16:28, Troublemakers are always causing problems. Their gossip breaks up the closest of friends. (ERV)

There are two kind of people Proverbs talks about. One group are troublemakers who create confusion and chaos in a place where there is peace and harmony. The other group are those who gossip, and the trouble with such people is that they will never speak about the issues to the person concerned, but will speak about it to everyone else. If we want to progress in our faith walk with the Lord, it is imperative that we avoid such people.

Nowhere can we find a church that is without fault. When we come across such failings, we must make sure to share them with those who can help set them right. Never share these things with those who are not connected to the problems as it only causes division.

Proverbs 16:28 warns us that a person who gossips can even separate very close friends. If we face a situation where someone comes and gossips to us about someone else, we must firstly discern as to what their purpose is for doing so. Secondly, we must also be cautious as the ones who gossip to us will also gossip about us.