The following are sermon notes from The Rebel Jonah Sermon Series week 2. To read more about this series, including the introduction and listen to audio content click here.
This week we covered all but one verse of the last part of chapter one (Jonah 1:7-16).
The Lots are Cast:
The storm rages. The waves pound and buckle the boat. The men find themselves at their wit’s end. Having done all they can do they turn to casting lots. Make no mistake, this is not a sign of faith, this is a sign of desperation.
What do you do when you’re completely desperate? Where do you turn?
As the lots are cast these men see what has caused their calamity: Jonah’s disobedience. Jonah’s sin is made public for all to see. God wants everyone to see that His servant Jonah has disobeyed Him and ran. He want’s everyone to know why this storm is raging. Jonah alone is able to calm the storm.
There are times when God may choose to publicize your sin to others in an effort to encourage your repentance.
This is to be seen as kind grace, since God has chosen to discipline you for your disobedience rather than dismiss you all together! Let’s be clear. God is required to do nothing here. Yet, it is His kindness and love calls Jonah to repentance and obedience.
Continued Rebellion:
Jonah knows what is needed: His body, off the boat (Jonah 1:12). Even after the men know exactly what needs to happen, they still resist. What about Jonah? Couldn’t he have simply jumped off the deck of the boat? Of course! Jonah still believes he can continue in his path!
We are no different! We will so often know exactly what the Lord requires of us, yet we continue to disobey. We may even confess as Jonah did, but confession and repentance are two different things. Jonah confessed that the storm is a result of his own disobedience, but he has not repented. Jonah knows what his act of repentance would be and that is to leave the boat. We convince ourselves that there is no storm, there is no God calling us to repentance, there is nothing we must do. And we’re wrong.
Repentance and The Plan:
Finally, Jonah is cast into the sea and the storm ceases. This is Jonah’s repentance. He has relinquished control to God. No longer is Jonah running. In addition, the enormity of the events around Jonah’s repentance cause the men on the boat to cry out to God.
In many ways, Christian’s who unashamedly repent of their sins before unbelievers, have the unique opportunity to witness God saving those who are involved in our repentance.
God will do what pleases Him (Jonah 1:14). What pleases God is for His word to be preached and people to come to salvation. This is why the storm! This is why Jonah’s swimming! This is why the rage and the rain! So that others might know the love of God! This is His will, this is His plan. So you and I are to follow His plan. All Christians are to be about His will and do what pleases God!
Tough questions:
- What is God calling for you to repent of?
- What have you confessed to recently that you need to fully repent of?
- Who are you sharing God’s love with?
- How will you intentionally share the Good News with someone this week?
To read more about the book of Jonah and explore more resources concerning this study including audio content click here.
