Introduction

Good morning, beloved. It is a joy and a privilege to gather together in the house of the Lord, to lift our hearts and voices in praise, and to immerse ourselves in the truth of His Word. As we gather today, let's remember that we are not alone. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, those who have gone before us, those who are with us now, and those who will come after us, all united by the same faith, the same hope, and the same love.

Today, we find ourselves in the book of Jonah, an intriguing piece of Scripture that speaks to us across the centuries. Let's read together from Jonah 1:1-3: '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.' But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.'

In these verses, we see a man called by God, yet resistant to that calling. We see a man who, rather than embracing his divine assignment, chooses to run from it. And we see a man who, in his flight, experiences the consequences of his refusal.

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, “If God calls you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king.” These words remind us that God's calling on our lives is of the utmost significance. It is not to be taken lightly, nor is it to be ignored. It is a sacred trust, a divine mandate, and it carries with it both great responsibility and great reward.

Let's bow our heads in prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your Word, which is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. We thank you for the story of Jonah, which teaches us about your calling and our response to it. We ask that as we reflect on this text, you would open our hearts and minds to receive your truth. Help us to recognize the assignments you have given us, to resist the temptation to run from our calling, and to understand the repercussions of refusal. Guide us, Lord, in your truth and teach us, for you are God our Savior, and our hope is in you all day long. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Recognizing Your Assignment

In the heart of the Scripture we've just read, we find a man named Jonah. Jonah was not an ordinary man, he was a prophet, a man chosen by God to deliver His messages to the people. The assignment given to Jonah was not an easy one. He was asked to go to Nineveh, a city known for its wickedness, and preach against it. This was a daunting task, a task that Jonah did not want to take on.

The first thing we need to understand is that recognizing our assignment is not always a straightforward process. Sometimes, like Jonah, we may be given a task that seems too difficult or too daunting. We may feel ill-equipped or unprepared. We may even feel scared. But it's important to remember that God does not call the equipped, He equips the called. He does not give us tasks that we cannot handle. Instead, He gives us the strength, the courage, and the wisdom to carry out the tasks He assigns us.

This brings us to our second point. Recognizing our assignment requires us to listen to God's voice. In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it can be easy to drown out the voice of God. We get caught up in our own plans, our own desires, and our own agendas. But if we want to recognize our assignment, we need to make time to listen to God. We need to quiet our minds, open our hearts, and truly listen to what He is saying to us.

Thirdly, recognizing our assignment often involves stepping out of our comfort zones. Jonah was comfortable in his life. He was a prophet, respected and revered by his people. Going to Nineveh meant stepping out of his comfort zone. It meant facing potential ridicule, rejection, and even danger. But God's assignments often require us to step out in faith, to go places we've never been, to do things we've never done. It's in these moments of discomfort that we grow, that we learn, and that we become the people God wants us to be.

Finally, recognizing our assignment is not a one-and-done deal. It's a continuous process. Just as Jonah had to continually choose to follow God's assignment, so too do we. Each day presents new challenges, new opportunities, and new decisions. Recognizing our assignment means continually choosing to follow God, to listen to His voice, and to step out in faith.

In the story of Jonah, we see a man who struggled with his assignment. He ran from it, he tried to avoid it, but in the end, he could not escape it. And through his struggles, we learn valuable lessons about recognizing our own assignments. We learn the importance of listening to God's voice, of stepping out of our comfort zones, and of continually choosing to follow God's lead.

Resisting Your Calling

The story of Jonah is a vivid illustration of a man who knew his divine assignment but chose to resist it. Jonah's resistance was not a passive act of omission but an active decision to flee from the presence of the Lord. He boarded a ship to Tarshish, a city in the opposite direction of Nineveh, the place God had called him to go. This act of disobedience set in motion a series of events that would forever change Jonah's life.

Jonah's resistance to his calling is not unique. Many of us can relate to his reluctance. We too have felt the tug of a divine assignment, only to respond with hesitation or outright refusal. We too have tried to run from our calling, to escape the demands it places on us, and to avoid the changes it requires of us. But as Jonah's story reminds us, resistance is futile. God's calling on our lives is not a suggestion; it is a command. And when we resist it, we not only miss out on the blessings it brings, but we also set ourselves up for unnecessary hardship and pain.

The Hebrew word for 'flee' used in Jonah 1:3 is 'barach.' This word carries the connotation of running away in haste, of retreating in fear. It is used in other parts of Scripture to describe a similar act of flight. For example, in Genesis 39:12, when Potipar's wife tried to seduce Joseph, he did not hesitate but 'fled and ran outside.' In 1 Kings 19:3, when Elijah heard that Jezebel was seeking to kill him, he 'arose and ran for his life.' In both cases, the act of fleeing was a response to a perceived threat, a reaction to a situation of danger or discomfort.

But in Jonah's case, the threat was not external; it was internal. It was not a physical danger but a spiritual challenge. Jonah was not running from a person or a place; he was running from a calling. And in doing so, he was running from the very presence of God.

Jonah's resistance to his calling was not just an act of disobedience; it was also an act of unbelief. He did not trust that God knew what was best for him. He did not believe that God could use him to bring about change in Nineveh. And he did not have faith that God would be with him every step of the way. This lack of trust, belief, and faith led Jonah to resist his calling and to run from his divine assignment.

But Jonah's resistance did not deter God. Despite his disobedience, God remained committed to his divine assignment. God pursued Jonah, even in his flight. He sent a violent storm to stop him in his tracks. He prepared a great fish to swallow him up. And he gave him a second chance to fulfill his calling. This relentless pursuit is a testament to God's grace and mercy, and it serves as a reminder that God's calling on our lives is irrevocable.

In the same way, our resistance to our calling does not deter God. Despite our hesitation, our doubts, and our fears, God remains committed to us. He pursues us, even in our flight. He uses circumstances, people, and even our own mistakes to draw us back to Him. And He gives us second, third, and fourth chances to fulfill our calling. This relentless pursuit is a testament to His grace and mercy, and it serves as a reminder that His calling on our lives is irrevocable.

Repercussions of Refusal

As we turn our attention to the repercussions of refusal, we find ourselves standing at the crossroads of decision and consequence ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO