The Cost From Running And The Blessings For Obeying The Call Of God

The Cost from Running and the Blessings for Obeying the Call of God

Jonah 1:1-3:10

By Clarence E.Weaver, Sr.

Introduction

Through out time God has called ordinary people to do extraordinary work for building the Kingdom of God. When God call you to work for his kingdom, he doesn’t ask you for a resume to see your experience, education, or reference. He knows everything about you.

Romans 8:29-30 says, "For those he predestined, he called; those he called, he justified; those he justified, he also glorified" NIV.

When God call you to carry out the great mission he has commission you to perform the job. He doesn’t want any justification or explanations why you can’t do the job, but he rather you to be obedient and carry out the order. God doesn’t want us doing good and godly things in the wrong way, at the wrong time, or for the wrong reason. He wants you to do the job the way he told you to accomplish the job.

Isaiah 55:11 says, "so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Many of you sitting here today under the sound of my voice has been called by God to carry out a mission for his kingdom. Jonah’s mission to bring the Word of God to his enemies, the people in Ninevah, but He refused and ran away from his calling. Many of us are like Jonah. When it comes to wittiness to our enemies or to people of different faith instead of standing, run away. Jonah is transparent, he was prejudice, bigoted, stubborn, open rebellious, and spiritually insensitive, but he reminds us too much of ourselves. Most of what we see about Jonah we see in ourselves. We have the same personalities of being fearful, spiteful, and proud. Others prophets ran to the LORD. He ran from him. Brothers and sisters I will present to you this morning the warning for running from God and the blessings for obeying God:

I. Don’t Let Your Past, Present, and Pride Cause You to Run

II. Running Leads To Disaster and Endanger the Live of Others

III. Running with a Proud Conscience will Cause you to be Swallow Up

IV. Obedience is Better than Sacrifice

V. God Gives Second Chance For Obedience

VI. Obedience Changes Condemnation into Victory

I. Don’t Let Your Past, Present, and Principle Cause You to Run

A. Don’t let your past cause you to run away from the call of God. Like Jonah, we often receive clear instruction God yet still feel frightened and uncertain about where God is taking us. When we are following God new direction for our life, don’t let the awareness of your past in sins, enemies, or maybe a sufficient temptation cause you to distrust God’s leading. God want us to face our problems with forgiveness and love.

B. Don’t let your present cause you to run away from the call of God. You may have grown up hating people for reasons that still continue in your present life today. God knows the depth of human shame, and only he can heal the pain in your life. Sometimes we do not have a choice about what happen to us. But the choices we make concerning the disgraceful incidents in our lives are crucial to our well-being during the rest of our lives. Jonah hated Nineveh and he responded with anger and indifference. When God call you for his mission, we must not answer by only to limit our ministry to our on people. God want people to proclaim his love in words and action to the whole world.

Matthew 28:19-20(19)Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age NIV.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life John 3:16 NIV.

C. Don’t let pride cause you to run from the call of God. Pride will keep you from repairing broken relationship. Defending what we know to be wrong is a costly and futile effort. Jumping to wrong conclusion, responding to others with prejudice, and misunderstanding other people’s intentions are all familiar mistakes we make. God want us to put pride aside our pride and seek reconciliation, even if we feel like we are the offended party. God is trying to use you for his glory.

Will you answer God’s call? Remember God is the same God yesterday, today, and forever more. Attacks come toward all who stand for something. When your feet are firmly planted in principle and pressure mounts to compromise, brace yourself with courage. God will fill your life with boldness when standing for him.