Jonah and the Whale…one of the great Bible stories we were taught as children in Sunday School. Maybe we learned cute little songs about it. I remember one Christian comedian who had a pretty good routine about Jonah showing up on the shores of Nineveh, with his clothes torn and his skin bleached white from the gases in the whale’s stomach, saying, “Repent!”
However, the book of Jonah isn’t just a children’s story, and it is more than good material for a comedian. Jonah actually serves as an object lesson for us today.
Now, when we think of the Old Testament prophets, we picture them as great men of God. We naturally assume they lived wonderful godly lives. And this may well be true of most of the prophets. We really don’t read anything negative about the character of such men as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea. In fact, within the book of Daniel, we read a great deal about his integrity and devotion to God.
But Jonah serves as a negative example. He’s the example of what not to do. We can encourage and exhort each other by saying, “Don’t be like Jonah.” Why? Because when God called Jonah, he ran the other way. He was in such open rebellion that God had to use a violent storm and a large fish to get him to where he was supposed to be.
Now, as we learned on Sunday, Nineveh was the capital city of the Assyrian Empire. The Assyrians were a warring nation. They thrived on invading other countries and doing horrible things to their people. The Assyrians had not invaded Israel (the northern kingdom) or Judah (the southern kingdom), the Israelites were probably afraid of that happening. They certainly knew of the Assyrians’ reputation, and they viewed the Assyrians as their enemies. In a word, the Israelites were afraid of the Assyrians, and they hated the Assyrians.
So we could understand why Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh. He must have been afraid of what they might do to him. He probably thought, “If I go there, no one will ever hear from me again.”
I find it interesting that, when God told him to go to Nineveh, Jonah didn’t question it. He didn’t argue with God as Moses did in Exodus 3. He didn’t question whether or not he had clearly heard God, as Gideon did in Judges 6. He knew he had heard from God, and he knew what God had told him to do. He just didn’t want to do it, so he ran the other way.
Another thing I find interesting, as we will see later in our study, is that once God used Jonah as fish bait, Jonah did say a prayer of repentance. Funny how being in the belly of a whale will do that to you. By all indications, God forgave him, but God still said, “You’re going to Nineveh!” There are times when, in our obstinance and rebellion, we can force the hand of God, so that He will “force” us to do what He commands us to do.
So Jonah found himself in Nineveh, prophesying destruction and calling for repentance. Lo and behold, the people repented. God forgave them and lifted the judgment against them. Most evangelicals would have been elated by this. Certainly, the Ninevites were rejoicing in their newfound faith and the forgiveness of God. In fact, I would wonder whether or not they invited Jonah to stay and pastor the First Baptist Church of Nineveh (see, even I can have fun with this story).
So how did Jonah respond? Well, he didn’t start shouting, “Praise the Lord!” And I don’t suppose he had any desire to stay and be their pastor. Jonah got downright mad. And he effectively said to the Lord, “Okay God, do you want to know why I ran to Tarshish? This is why! I knew that if I came here and preached the message you told me to, these people would repent, and You would forgive them. I knew it, because I know that’s the kind of God You are. I know that nobody’s perfect. I recognize that I had to repent of my own sin. But come on, God. The Ninevites? Really? Have You forgotten what these people are like? Heck, they aren’t even people. They’re barbarians. They’re animals. They don’t deserve Your forgiveness!”
Oops!
Now what about us? Who comes to mind when we think about those who don’t deserve God’s grace? Is it the drug dealers downtown? Is it the prostitutes who walk the highways? Maybe it’s the business tycoons who make millions of dollars by making shady deals while everyone else is losing money on account of them. Perhaps we could include the Islamic terrorists and suicide bombers that still want to attack us. They don’t deserve God’s forgiveness, but we do, right? After all, we’re not nearly as bad as they are.
You know, there’s a funny thing about forgiveness. If we deserved it, we wouldn’t need it.
SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
1. In what area(s) of my life am I rebellious toward God? How far does He have to go to bring me back in line with His will? How quickly do I repent and ask for forgiveness?
2. Who do I consider to be my enemies? Do I want to see them receive God’s grace? Am I be willing to go to them with the gospel?
3. When I do hear about certain people becoming Christians—for example, someone serving a long-term sentence for a violent crime—how do I respond? Am I glad for them? Do I praise God for it? Or am I skeptical? Do I think it’s a ploy
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Fasting, Love, and Living Without Regret
A week after the passing of his mother, and only two days after her funeral, Pastor John returned to be with us at Imago Dei. Even though the leadership had told him to go ahead and take off as much time as he needed to go through the grieving process, PJ said that he wanted to go through that process, being surrounded by his church family.
Sharing this as he began his sermon, PJ pointed out that we need to be real with each other at church. When someone asks, “How are you?”, do not put on a fake smile and say everything is fine when, in reality, things aren’t going so well. Be honest enough to say, “I’m not doing so good today. I’d appreciate your prayers.”
By the same token, I would add that if things are going well for you, don’t be afraid to express that either. In general, Christians ought to be the most joyful of all people. This joy should be evident in our smiles and our attitudes when we come to church. As we come together to worship God, there certainly needs to be a sense of reverence for God in our hearts. But that doesn’t mean we have to come to church looking like we’ve been sucking on sour lemons.
So regardless of how things are going for you, be real enough to express that when you come to church and someone asks how you are.
Having spent a few days in fasting while he was in Dallas, John wanted to share some thoughts about fasting with us. His first point was that fasting and prayer are essential to experiencing God in our lives. Then we learned that sorrow and needing to make a big decision in your life serve as two reasons for fasting. I would add that repentance is another reason for fasting. In several places within the Old Testament, when the nation of Israel had been living in disobedience to God, a priest, prophet, or sometimes a king would call the nation to repentance, prayer, confession, and fasting. They were being called back to God.
I think this would be a good time to point out the effects of fasting, other than the fact that by the end of the fast, you are hungry. When I think of this, I quickly remember Jesus’ words to Satan when He was tempted in the wilderness. When Satan challenged Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matt. 4:4). This tells me that fasting reminds us that we are dependent upon God for our sustenance in life. The very breath we have in our bodies is a gift from Him. Fasting is intended to be an expression of our dependence upon God.
Second, I would point out that it is not just fasting, but fasting combined with prayer, that is essential to experiencing God. We do not fast just to see how long we can go without food. A time of fasting is to be a time of prayer, and probably some Bible reading as well. It is a time of talking to God, listening to God, seeking His will, seeking His face, communing with Him at the deepest levels of intimacy.
For how long should you fast? I think we should be wary about setting any definite guidelines. Matthew 4:2 says that Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. PJ’s recent fast lasted four days. Once, while in college, I participated in a 24-hour fast. The duration of the fast is not as significant as the purpose for the fast and your sincerity about it. However, I think most would say that if you just skip dinner one evening, that’s not much of a fast.
When done properly, fasting is an expression of our love for God, which brings us to the point that love overcomes any obstacles. At first, one might wonder what this has to do with fasting. And I will admit that at first, I struggled to come up with a proper transition between these two points. But let me submit to you that, as we learned on Sunday, love empowers us to lose the ability to be selfish. Fasting, as an exercise in self-discipline, can be a practice in selflessness. In addition, as we focus on God during a fast, God touches us with His love, which provides the supernatural ability to overcome any obstacle that would hinder us in loving God and loving other people.
This love is spoken of in I Corinthians 13, and Paul’s quintessential description of love ends with the statement, “Love never fails” (v. 8). And saying that love overcomes any obstacles is simply another way of stating the same truth.
Now, when we spend our lives loving God and loving those around us, we can live life without regret. In a world that focuses on success in business and finance, this is very important. For how often have we heard of a wealthy businessman, at the end of his life, say he regrets the fact that he was so preoccupied with building his empire that he never took time to love those who were closest to him? We have heard it many times. By contrast, we do not often hear anyone complain that he spent too much time with his family.
This idea of living without regret echoes the exhortation we find in both Colossians 1:9-10 and Ephesians 4:1. The passage in Colossians takes the form of a prayer as Paul writes, “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with all the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” In Ephesians 4:1, this exhortation to walk in a worthy manner actually takes the form of a command: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” And when you go on to read the next several verses in Ephesians 4, you will see that, for Paul, walking in such a manner means loving one another. So we have come full circle.
SOME QUESTIONS
1. Am I facing any situations that may call for fasting? Do I recognize the benefits of fasting, as well as the proper attitude toward fasting? (For those who have fasted before) Is my fasting an expression of my love for God, or is it just a religious duty?
2. Read I Corinthians 13:1-8, which talks about the characteristics of love, and Ephesians 4:1-3, where we are commanded to walk in a manner worthy of the calling of God in our lives. What similarities do you see between these two passages? How do they solidify the connection between the point that love overcomes any obstacles and the exhortation to live life without regret?
Sharing this as he began his sermon, PJ pointed out that we need to be real with each other at church. When someone asks, “How are you?”, do not put on a fake smile and say everything is fine when, in reality, things aren’t going so well. Be honest enough to say, “I’m not doing so good today. I’d appreciate your prayers.”
By the same token, I would add that if things are going well for you, don’t be afraid to express that either. In general, Christians ought to be the most joyful of all people. This joy should be evident in our smiles and our attitudes when we come to church. As we come together to worship God, there certainly needs to be a sense of reverence for God in our hearts. But that doesn’t mean we have to come to church looking like we’ve been sucking on sour lemons.
So regardless of how things are going for you, be real enough to express that when you come to church and someone asks how you are.
Having spent a few days in fasting while he was in Dallas, John wanted to share some thoughts about fasting with us. His first point was that fasting and prayer are essential to experiencing God in our lives. Then we learned that sorrow and needing to make a big decision in your life serve as two reasons for fasting. I would add that repentance is another reason for fasting. In several places within the Old Testament, when the nation of Israel had been living in disobedience to God, a priest, prophet, or sometimes a king would call the nation to repentance, prayer, confession, and fasting. They were being called back to God.
I think this would be a good time to point out the effects of fasting, other than the fact that by the end of the fast, you are hungry. When I think of this, I quickly remember Jesus’ words to Satan when He was tempted in the wilderness. When Satan challenged Him to turn stones into bread, Jesus answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matt. 4:4). This tells me that fasting reminds us that we are dependent upon God for our sustenance in life. The very breath we have in our bodies is a gift from Him. Fasting is intended to be an expression of our dependence upon God.
Second, I would point out that it is not just fasting, but fasting combined with prayer, that is essential to experiencing God. We do not fast just to see how long we can go without food. A time of fasting is to be a time of prayer, and probably some Bible reading as well. It is a time of talking to God, listening to God, seeking His will, seeking His face, communing with Him at the deepest levels of intimacy.
For how long should you fast? I think we should be wary about setting any definite guidelines. Matthew 4:2 says that Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. PJ’s recent fast lasted four days. Once, while in college, I participated in a 24-hour fast. The duration of the fast is not as significant as the purpose for the fast and your sincerity about it. However, I think most would say that if you just skip dinner one evening, that’s not much of a fast.
When done properly, fasting is an expression of our love for God, which brings us to the point that love overcomes any obstacles. At first, one might wonder what this has to do with fasting. And I will admit that at first, I struggled to come up with a proper transition between these two points. But let me submit to you that, as we learned on Sunday, love empowers us to lose the ability to be selfish. Fasting, as an exercise in self-discipline, can be a practice in selflessness. In addition, as we focus on God during a fast, God touches us with His love, which provides the supernatural ability to overcome any obstacle that would hinder us in loving God and loving other people.
This love is spoken of in I Corinthians 13, and Paul’s quintessential description of love ends with the statement, “Love never fails” (v. 8). And saying that love overcomes any obstacles is simply another way of stating the same truth.
Now, when we spend our lives loving God and loving those around us, we can live life without regret. In a world that focuses on success in business and finance, this is very important. For how often have we heard of a wealthy businessman, at the end of his life, say he regrets the fact that he was so preoccupied with building his empire that he never took time to love those who were closest to him? We have heard it many times. By contrast, we do not often hear anyone complain that he spent too much time with his family.
This idea of living without regret echoes the exhortation we find in both Colossians 1:9-10 and Ephesians 4:1. The passage in Colossians takes the form of a prayer as Paul writes, “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with all the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” In Ephesians 4:1, this exhortation to walk in a worthy manner actually takes the form of a command: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” And when you go on to read the next several verses in Ephesians 4, you will see that, for Paul, walking in such a manner means loving one another. So we have come full circle.
SOME QUESTIONS
1. Am I facing any situations that may call for fasting? Do I recognize the benefits of fasting, as well as the proper attitude toward fasting? (For those who have fasted before) Is my fasting an expression of my love for God, or is it just a religious duty?
2. Read I Corinthians 13:1-8, which talks about the characteristics of love, and Ephesians 4:1-3, where we are commanded to walk in a manner worthy of the calling of God in our lives. What similarities do you see between these two passages? How do they solidify the connection between the point that love overcomes any obstacles and the exhortation to live life without regret?
Friday, July 15, 2011
The Basis of God's Choice
When the Israelites wanted a king, and God finally gave in to their demands, He instructed the prophet Samuel to anoint Saul to be their first king. I Samuel 9 tells us that Saul’s father was a man of wealth, that Saul himself was very handsome, and that he was the tallest man in the land.
Wealthy, tall, dark, and handsome—the kind of guy every little girl dreams of marrying when she grows up. And Saul was certainly the kind of guy everyone would expect to have as king. He was the most obvious choice. And he was the man God chose to be the king. It was the perfect situation. That is, until Saul’s true character came out. After his repeated disobedience to God, God had to reject him as king.
So in I Sam. 16, God sent Samuel to a little obscure village called Bethlehem. There, he was to have a church service, and God told Samuel, “Make sure invite a man named Jesse to church. One of his sons is going to replace Saul as king.”
So they held the church service. Jesse came to church, bringing his family with him. They offered the sacrifice. Maybe Samuel preached a sermon and led them in a verse or two of “Amazing Grace” (everyone knows Samuel was a good Baptist). Then the time came to anoint the next king.
Samuel stood up, glanced at Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, and thought, “There. That’s him. A big, strong, tall, handsome guy. Just like Saul. Perfect stock for being a king.” But before he could call Eliab forward to be anointed, God told Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him” (v. 7).
So Samuel took a look at Jesse’s next son, and then his next, and then his next, and on down the line. Each time, God said, “No, that’s not him.” After looking at seven fine young men, each of whom God rejected, I wonder if Samuel wasn’t a bit confused. “But God, you told me to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be the next king. Now they’re all here, and You’ve rejected them all. I’m beginning to look like a fool.”
Ah, but they were not all there. Everyone forgot the runt of the litter. David, the youngest, the least important. All they used him for was to tend the sheep. But surely, God’s not going to make this little shepherd boy the next king of Israel, is He? What could a kid like that know about being a king?
Pastor Wil’s sermon this past Sunday pointed out that the basis of God’s choice is contrary to human reasoning. The latter half of I Sam. 16:7 says, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
Second, we saw that God’s choice is conditioned upon the heart’s response (to God). If God looks on the heart, what did God see when He looked upon David’s heart? The overall testimony of the Bible is that David was a man who loved God and who praised God. And his praise to God was an expression of his love for God.
Finally, we saw that the basis of God’s choice is characterized by heavenly recognition. That is, God will always let us know who His choice is. Verse 12 of our text tells us that when David came in, God told Samuel, “There! That’s him. I’m going to make him the next king of Israel. Anoint him.” It was clear, unmistakable instruction from God. In addition, verse 13 says that after Samuel anointed David, “The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward.”
For the Christian, this last point is not to be missed. When God chooses to use you in a certain way, His Holy Spirit will enable you to do what He has called you to do. So often, we shy away from serving God in a way that He might be calling us toward, because we feel we are not capable of it. We’re not up to the task. But I am reminded of a song lyric I have heard, which says, “God doesn’t always call the equipped, but He will equip the called.”
And how does God equip us? In the same way He equipped David for kingship. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can do what God calls us to do.
With that in mind, let us not miss the point that God often calls the least likely to do great things for God. The reason He calls the least likely is so that, when they, in the power of the Holy Spirit, do that which they couldn’t do on their own, God gets all the glory.
Some Questions to Consider
1. To what area(s) of ministry might God be calling me?
2. Do I feel capable and qualified for what I sense God may be calling me to? Does that call coincide with my spiritual gifts, natural talents, and abilities?
3. What fears do I have about serving God? Am I willing to surrender those fears to Him and trust Him to enable me to do what He wants me to do?
Wealthy, tall, dark, and handsome—the kind of guy every little girl dreams of marrying when she grows up. And Saul was certainly the kind of guy everyone would expect to have as king. He was the most obvious choice. And he was the man God chose to be the king. It was the perfect situation. That is, until Saul’s true character came out. After his repeated disobedience to God, God had to reject him as king.
So in I Sam. 16, God sent Samuel to a little obscure village called Bethlehem. There, he was to have a church service, and God told Samuel, “Make sure invite a man named Jesse to church. One of his sons is going to replace Saul as king.”
So they held the church service. Jesse came to church, bringing his family with him. They offered the sacrifice. Maybe Samuel preached a sermon and led them in a verse or two of “Amazing Grace” (everyone knows Samuel was a good Baptist). Then the time came to anoint the next king.
Samuel stood up, glanced at Jesse’s oldest son, Eliab, and thought, “There. That’s him. A big, strong, tall, handsome guy. Just like Saul. Perfect stock for being a king.” But before he could call Eliab forward to be anointed, God told Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him” (v. 7).
So Samuel took a look at Jesse’s next son, and then his next, and then his next, and on down the line. Each time, God said, “No, that’s not him.” After looking at seven fine young men, each of whom God rejected, I wonder if Samuel wasn’t a bit confused. “But God, you told me to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be the next king. Now they’re all here, and You’ve rejected them all. I’m beginning to look like a fool.”
Ah, but they were not all there. Everyone forgot the runt of the litter. David, the youngest, the least important. All they used him for was to tend the sheep. But surely, God’s not going to make this little shepherd boy the next king of Israel, is He? What could a kid like that know about being a king?
Pastor Wil’s sermon this past Sunday pointed out that the basis of God’s choice is contrary to human reasoning. The latter half of I Sam. 16:7 says, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
Second, we saw that God’s choice is conditioned upon the heart’s response (to God). If God looks on the heart, what did God see when He looked upon David’s heart? The overall testimony of the Bible is that David was a man who loved God and who praised God. And his praise to God was an expression of his love for God.
Finally, we saw that the basis of God’s choice is characterized by heavenly recognition. That is, God will always let us know who His choice is. Verse 12 of our text tells us that when David came in, God told Samuel, “There! That’s him. I’m going to make him the next king of Israel. Anoint him.” It was clear, unmistakable instruction from God. In addition, verse 13 says that after Samuel anointed David, “The Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward.”
For the Christian, this last point is not to be missed. When God chooses to use you in a certain way, His Holy Spirit will enable you to do what He has called you to do. So often, we shy away from serving God in a way that He might be calling us toward, because we feel we are not capable of it. We’re not up to the task. But I am reminded of a song lyric I have heard, which says, “God doesn’t always call the equipped, but He will equip the called.”
And how does God equip us? In the same way He equipped David for kingship. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can do what God calls us to do.
With that in mind, let us not miss the point that God often calls the least likely to do great things for God. The reason He calls the least likely is so that, when they, in the power of the Holy Spirit, do that which they couldn’t do on their own, God gets all the glory.
Some Questions to Consider
1. To what area(s) of ministry might God be calling me?
2. Do I feel capable and qualified for what I sense God may be calling me to? Does that call coincide with my spiritual gifts, natural talents, and abilities?
3. What fears do I have about serving God? Am I willing to surrender those fears to Him and trust Him to enable me to do what He wants me to do?
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