Jonah 1:4-16 - Crime and Punishment

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David Thomas

FHCC

Jonah: Undeserved Mercy • Sermon • Submitted 18 days ago • Presented 17 days ago • 38:07

Jonah 1:4–16

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The God of the Bible is the One who runs towards us, while we attempt to run from Him.

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We live in an environment that has many livestock pens and a few feedlots. I have found that frequently I am made aware of these locations way before I actually see them. An aroma permeates which can be unpleasant to cityfolk, but to ranchers it is the smell of money. It is the natural by-product of grass converting into meat. While not the most pleasant, it is a natural and beneficial process.

I’ve noticed a similar aroma when in the presence of toddlers. However, while cattle just do what they need wherever they may be, I’ve noticed toddlers like to hide when filling a diaper. What is amazing about a toddler hiding in a corner is that the stench of their action is not limited to their hiding place. A loving parent will soon become very aware of what is happening, and innocent bystanders may also get caught up in the unpleasantness.

In today’s text Jonah attempts to hide from God’s presence, but finds himself in the stink of a storm. This storm doesn’t only impact Jonah, but the whole ship of innocent sailors are forced to deal with the unpleasantness that Jonah has brought into their ship.

Sometimes we need a reminder of just how small we are compared to the majesty of God.

God’s Presence& Power (Jonah 1:4)

We saw in the first 3 verses of this book that God is the primary character. He initiates action while Jonah seems to be minding his own business, Phoenician sailors are doing business as usual, and Ninevites (whom we will meet in chapter 3) are just doing what Ninevites do.

Jonah can run, he can sleep, but he cannot escape

The very God who spoke to Jonah on dry land is now the God who is going to get his attention on the Sea.

Jonah mistakenly thinks that he can avoid the eternal, omnipresent God by simply getting off dry land. Even the one we call a prophet had a limited understanding of the God whom he represents.

God hurls a storm and sailors hurled cargo

God controls creation while we attempt to control circumstances.

I continue to be amazed at the many ways God can use creation to reveal himself.

In Genesis 6 God tells Noah to build a boat, and He uses a flood.

When the Israelites came to the Red Sea after leaving Egypt, God splits the water and sends a wind that dries the river bottom so they could walk through safely. Then uses that very same water to destroy the Egyptians who were pursuing them.

In the daytime a large migration of wanderers couldn’t all be near the front of the group, so what does God use that allows everybody to see that He is the one leading them? A pillar of cloud.

In the nighttime when clouds are hard to see, what does He use? A pillar of fire.

With David God uses a small stone in a sling.

With Daniel God uses lions

With Elijah God uses stones, animals, water & fire

Later God will send a whirlwind, then His voice will follow behind the whirlwind.

During Christ’s ministry he uses demons, disease, disasters, disbelief and hunger to prove His superiority.

At Calvary God blocked out the Sun when Jesus died.

On the Day of Pentecost God uses something that looks like fire and sounds like wind.

This use of natural phenomena may be why many tried to find some theological significance to the Eclipse last Monday. Sometimes an event like that is not to indicate a new thing, but to remind that at Creation, He set all the stars and planets in orbit to indicate that we are a SMALL part of His glorious plan. Eclipses like the ones that have impacted very narrow slivers of America were not seen at all in other parts of the world. And eclipses over other continents don’t merit any attention where we live..

Transition: To Jonah who thought he could hide from God’s presence; To Americans who were just reminded that we are a small part of God creation. Today’s text reminds that God’s Presence and Power are infinitely greater than any of our wildest imaginations.

Jonah’s Path “from” God

I put the quotations marks in this heading because Jonah was no further from God’s presence than when he visited the Temple of Sacrifice or heard the word of the Lord in v.1

Our disobedient, rebellious paths don’t remove us from God, although increasing disobedience can manifest greater breaks in intimacy with God.

avoidance - asleep in the boat (v.5b)

As we are studying this book together, I am preparing with a Cohort of other pastors who are also preaching this book to their congregations. Tom in Loomis. NE and Eric in Omaha get together with me for 2 hours on zoom each week to discuss what these verses mean and what might be the message for our people.

Last week I called attention to Jonah’s going down (2x in v.3). Tom pointed out that not only did he go down (v.5), but he was fast asleep.

Jonah’s lack of concern for himself

Yesterday, at the very moment that I was working on this sermon the tornado sirens were tested. Here in Tornado Alley, we have heard these sirens so often that we tend to disregard them. When the news tells us to take cover, Kansans often head to the yard to see if we can see something for ourselves. We tend to disregard our own safety. Even though a storm was raging that prompted experienced sailors to begin hurling cargo, Jonah was so apathetic that he gave it no attention.

4. lack of concern for those around him.

Livestock and Toddlers have no concern for how their stench may have negative impact on others. They are oblivious to their impact around them.

God is hurling a storm to get Jonah’s attention, while he sleeps and others panic.

Much social posturing and (in my opinion) misinformation is being promoted in regards to carbon footprint. Whatever your opinions may be about the human impact on the ozone layer, we must agree that we all share the same planet, that will one day be replace by a New Heaven and a New Earth.

5. Jonah demonstrates an avoidance of his impact and influence on those around him. They were in peril due exclusively to his disobedience.

6. What peril do our neighbors face while we are “asleep” regarding our obligation to make disciples?

affirmation - the God of the Hebrews is over sky, sea and land. (v.9)

1. When confronted with his apathy directly in v.8, Jonah begins to move towards accountability.

2. He affirms that his God not only is present in Judah and Israel, but the his God is the one who created both land and sea and as Creator of the sea, had authority over the sea.

3. All 3 of the synoptic Gospels include a statement about Jesus’ divinity because He had authority over wind and water. (cf. Luke 8 and Mark 4)

Matthew 8:27 (ESV) — And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

admission - Jonah’s disobedience was the cause of all the trouble and fear (v.12)

In v.11 the sailors say “based upon your assertion that your God controls the storm, what has to happen for the sea to become calm?”

Verse 12 connects the dots: I disobeyed God…God controls the sea…God is using the storm to punish my disobedience…get rid of me, the storm will no longer be necessary.

When you leave the parking lot after church you will approach 8thSt and you are forced to make a decision to go East or West. Most of you will choose East. Then you will be faced with another decision. Will I go South toward Bazaar or North towards Strong City. The choice to not go one way does not get you any closer to the other. (I may just go straight to the parsonage).

Repentance and Surrender are two complimentary decisions. We turn from and we turn to. Jonah has turned from Nineveh, but he hasn’t made it to Tarshish. We have to keep reading into the next chapter before we find Jonah’s turn to Nineveh. Just because he has stopped moving toward one goal, does not mean that he has embraced the opposite.

Transition: The very God whom Jonah has been (in his mind and behavior) fleeing, is simultaneously drawing the sailors toward Himself.

The Sailors’ Path TOWARD God

They are not consciously choosing forward movement, God is drawing them in like a fish on a line.

We frequently think of being a Christian as crossing a line—you are on one side or the other. And there are only 2 eternal destinations. But there is usually movement toward, across, and from that line of faith, just as pregnancy, birth, & maturity involves several growth stages

I’m familiar with one organization that has identified 14 steps toward conversion and 14 steps of discipleship toward Christlikeness. A person who was once an Angry atheist will most often become softened before ever bowing to the Lordship of Jesus.

We see an example of that in the sailors on the Vessel Tarshish.

personal religion(v.5a)

Each sailor had his own preferred god - each cried to his god

Notice the the in the Captains quotation in v.6—perhaps the god will give a thought to us. This indicates that movement is about to happen. The small g god is any of many, the definite article indicates a unique or specific god.

recognition of God’s power (v.10)

The sailors connected Jonah’s disobedience to the deity who is sovereign over their dilemma. It appears these sailors fear God (in 10-11) more than Jonah does.

I notice that the sailors connected God’s power to Jonah’s disobedience before Jonah admitted his fault (in v.12)

But recognizing God’s power is not the same as surrendering to His lordship.

Tried to row beyond God’s influence (v.13)

Even recognizing God’s ability to cause the tempest, they still considered that their abilities may allow them to escape this God’s actions.

They couldn’t ignore God’s power, but they still thought they could overcome it in their own effort.

Isn’t that the sad condition of many?

The first time I saw the movie based upon Dan Brown’s book the Da Vinci Code I was shocked at the early scene of a priest who was beating his own back with a flagellum. The flagellum in biology is like the tail of a fish that permits movement, but the flagellum in Roman history is a whip. To this day in many countries under Spanish influence, people whip themselves in an attempt to prove to God that they are capable of earning their desired outcome. The message of the Gospel is that the price has been paid. The sacrifice has been made. The wrath has been expiated. Do not attempt to do for yourself, what Jesus has already done! Enduring a sermon when you’d rather be on the boat or golf course doesn’t undo God’s wrath. Putting a $20 in the offering plate that you could have spent on yourself doesn’t buy your way out of the consequence of sin.

Reverence of the supremacy of Lord (v.16)

The same Lord we mentioned last week who notices and draws near Is the Lord who receives their reverence.

We don’t know if this is mere “foxhole” reverence or genuine respect.

There is no mention of repentance, but there is reverence. There is no record that they turned FROM their gods, but at the least they added tribute to the Lord to their list of religious duties.

Lots of promises are made in Emergency Department hallways. The shot that goes in and out at the buzzer, the kick that goes wide right to avoid overtime. The gust of wind that carries the ball over the fence. These are all situations where sacrifices are dedicated and vows are made. My first thought regarded sacrifice by fire (Abraham & Isaac, Elijah and prophets of Baal). But after research, the word “offered” is not restricted to fire—if it was an animal it can mean slaughtered, or grain offerings were waived, and drink offerings were pouredout. Only God and these sailors know what this offering looked like or the nature of their sacred promises.

Conclusion:

God’s beautiful presence was on that ship. God’s beautiful presence is in this place.

If you, like Jonah, have been asleep toward your own need or the needs of those around, stop running! The prodigal son was welcomed with feasts, blessing and affection when he returned to his Father!

If you, like the Sailors, have been moving toward the God who loves you. Stop resisting. Stop trying to earn His favor. Admit your shortcomings, trust that Jesus fully satisfied the payment for those sins, and receive the adoption that He offers.

The God of the Bible is the One who runs towards us, while we attempt to run from Him.

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