(Audio and Text)
Title: ARSIC
V3: Acknowledgement
-The Soldiers technically threw Jonah overboard, but Jonah understood that the Lord made that the ONLY path forward
-“Your Billows” and “Your Waves” Jonah demonstrates his undertanding that Nature is not just some benign, impartial power, but it is one of many tools created by God, and used by God to bring about His will at any given time.
(John Piper got in some hot water over his collapsing bridge comments)
Piper:
Tonight for our family devotions our appointed reading was Luke 13:1–9. It was not my choice. This is surely no coincidence. Oh, that all of the Twin Cities, and beyond, in shock at this major calamity, would hear what Jesus has to say about it from Luke 13:1–5. People came to Jesus with heart-wrenching news about the slaughter of worshipers by Pilate. Here is what he said:
There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Jesus implies that those who brought him this news thought he would say that those who died, deserved to die, and that those who didn’t die did not deserve to die. That is not what he said. He said, everyone deserves to die. And if you and I don’t repent, we too will perish. This is a stunning response. It only makes sense from a view of reality that is radically oriented on God.
All of us have sinned against God, not just against each other. This is an outrage ten thousand times worse than the collapse of the 35W bridge. That any human is breathing at this minute on this planet is sheer mercy from God. God makes the sun rise and the rain fall on those who do not treasure him above all else. He causes the heart to beat and the lungs to work for millions of people who deserve his wrath. This is a view of reality that desperately needs to be taught in our churches, so that we are prepared for the calamities of the world.
V4: Repentance
-Jonah understands, and even accepts his fate. There is no argument from Jonah here about his impending death, but he decides, while the power in still in him, and even though God won’t look at him, he will use the last of his life to “look again toward your holy temple.”
-Jonah wants his last action be an act of praise to God, regardless of his fate.
-How many people will turn to God in the 11th hour? And how many will truly mean it? And, let’s just be honest for a moment…as believers we REALLY want them to mean it, don’t we? It makes the funeral a LOT easier, doesn’t it? It makes the sting of our grief a bit easier to bear, doesn’t it?
-The truth is, I’m sure some of these last minute conversions are real, and some are not. God knows, and that’s sufficient for me.
-But Jonah, prior to all these events, does already have a relationship with God. Yes, this story is largely about Jonah’s pride causing him to stubbornly disobey God…but if Jonah does not “look toward the holy temple one last time…and drifts into the abyss and drowns…does Jonah wake up in Heaven or Hell?
-Ouch…that’s a tough one to muck through, isn’t it? Thoughts?
-In as much as I truly believe that my wife is saved (I would not have fallen in love with her, and married her otherwise), is as much as I have seen vast evidence that Mary is saved, do cannot guarantee her salvation to you.
-That is between her and the God that she serves.
-Likewise with Jonah, I tend to BELIEVE he is saved, because he seems to have a relationship with God…but he does not always obey.
-And we find ourselves on a slippery slope here because we are all going to be like Jonah in this moment in this way: How many of you believe you will die, with a full knowledge, and repentance of every sin you have committed?
-How many of you right NOT are bearing unrepentant sin? Sin you have carried for years, sin you have not conquered yet….your salvation is dependent upon a belief, not a check list of repentance…your salvation is about Jesus, not about you!
-What I find encouraging about what Jonah thinks will be his last action, is that it is an act of repentance and contrition.
V5/6: Salvation
-What Jonah professes here is the truth that Jonah was beyond the ability to save himself. If had had been Michael Phelps in SCUBA gear, he still would have died, the only thing that was going to bring him from the Abyss was the power of God.
-When we realize we are powerless to save ourselves (dead in sin means dead in sin) we then can truly understand grace as more that just a nice gesture or “chance” that God give us.
V7: Instinct
-What happens when Jonah’s “soul faints within him”?
-He remembers the Lord, and prays to him.
-Why does he do this? Desperation? Conditioning? Resignation?
-I’d like to offer this: This action is his instinct, because it is his nature. It is what he is, in his truest, most basic moment. He is a Jew, who loves God, who realizes that he has done wrong (more on that in a moment) and wants to make his last action one of praise.
V8,9,10 Conclusion
8 “Those who regard worthless idols Forsake their own Mercy.” Those who have Gods before you give away their eternal reward in favor of an immediate reward, or much lesser value, and of no lasting consequence. (How long could we dwell on that?)
9
But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the Lord.”
-But not me! I will give myself fully to you, I will do so with a thankful heart! I have vowed my life, my soul, my all in all, and I gladly give myself, unconditionally to you now, because You, and you alone, are the one who choses to save me, or choses NOT to save me.
-(When Jonah says salvation is of the Lord, I don’t think he’s saying, “Salvation is not from someone else”…a Priest’s approval, a Parent’s approval, another believer’s approval, etc.)
-He’s saying, “My Salvation is up to YOU. So do with me as you will!” (Sharon, much like the illustration we talked about…)
10 So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
God: Get out of here, the original work I have designated you for is NOT done yet.