The book of Jonah is only 4 chapters long but is packed with valuable lessons that we can all learn from and apply to our lives. Last sunday nights message was about 5 of these lessons that we can apply to our lives.
Lesson 1: When god speaks listen and respond with action (obedient action).
God had given Jonah the task to going to the Ninevites, a wicked and violent people and telling them to repent of their sins, but instead of obeying God, Jonah chose to disobey and turn and run away from the Lords task for him. He then had to face the consequences of his disobedience. You may never be called to speak to an entire city and ask them to repent and turn from their sins but God has indeed put a task in front of all of us as laid out in mathew 28:18-20. This commandment from God (The Great Commission) is a task he has laid out for all his people. When we feel the lord speaking to us to approach someone to speak to them about the Lord often times we rationalize and make excuses as to why we dont want to do it or cant do it, and we turn and go the other way just like Jonah did. God desires obedience from his children just as a father his child.
Lesson 2: When we choose to disobey god and sin, not only does it effect us, but it can effect others as well.
As jonah goes to escape God's plan for him he gets onto a boat filled with several mariners. These mariners were blissfully unaware of what was about to take place. Jonah's disobedience not only put himself in great harm but he also got the mariners involved as well. These men were fearful for their lives because of the sin of Jonah and actually cried out to God on Jonah's behalf that they might be spared. Gods wrath came upon their boat because of Jonah's disobedience. Sinful actions can effect many people, contrary to what we often believe.
In verse 9 of chapter 1 Jonah says the following "I am a Hebrew and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven who made the see and the dry land" The only problem with Jonah saying this is that he was telling the mariners this on the boat as God was bringing judgement upon him. You see Jonah's actions did not line up with his words. He was running from the Lord which shows that Jonah temporary set his fear of the Lord aside to follow his own will. At this point it is clear that Jonah understood that he was in the wrong (so it could be said that by repenting to the lord he did indeed fear him). As we live our lives as christians we need to be ever so careful to follow our words up with actions that match. The group DC Talk has a song in which they play a soundclip that says the following: " The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is christians, their aknowledgies with their lips, they walk out the door and are denied by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world, simply finds unbelievable." People examine the lives of others and if our lives as christians are no different than that of the worlds, how can they ever come to know christ through us.
Lesson 3: Let your words and your actions line up.
Lesson 4: When we sincerely ask for forgiveness and repent of our wrongdoing, God is quick to respond with forgiveness and mercy towards us, because of his love for us.
What an awesome thing that we serve such a merciful and loving God! We all screw up from time to time. Sometimes when christians stray from the lord and sin piles up, it can feel like a feat to get ourselves out of what we've gotten ourselves into.Ssometimes we feel like God wont take us back or we're not worthy, but God reassures us that though we may be a thousand steps out of his will, its only one step back to him. Jonah understood that he had made a mistake by disobeying God. He repented of his wrongdoings in chapter 2 by crying out to the Lord and the Lord responded by having the fish spew Jonah out onto land.
Lesson 5: Dont put God in a box. Let him work and dont limit his ability.
Jonah had a restrictive view of God. He believed God was merciful and loving but he kind of limited that only to the chosen people of Israel. He failed to comprehend the full extent of gods mercy and grace. He was actually mad at God because he spared the Ninevites. Jonah wanted everyone who opposed God to be destroyed. He didnt feel that the Ninevites were worthy to be saved. Often times we can do the same thing. We can rely on our own wisdom and understanding and have a sense of self righteousness. As christians our goal should be to think as god thinks and see as god sees. Often we have people in our own lives who we feel are "Beyond Redemption" and we dont go near them with a ten foot pole. God spoke about loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. Its not an easy task but those people who we wont go near are in need of Christ just as much as the next person. Dont put limits on God, he is capable.
