November/01/ 2020
Storm Stories
Part 2
Jonah’s Storm
Jonah 1:1-4 NIV “The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.”
Good news/Bad news #1
Good news: God wants to speak to you.
Verse 1 "The word of the Lord came to Jonah…”
John 1:1 & 14 NIV 1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14…The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
Bad News: When God speaks to you He will often ask you to do some things that you don’t want to do.
Verse 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
Good News/Bad News #2
Good news: We have a choice.
Verse 3 "But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.”
Bad news: Every choice has a consequence.
Verse 4 "Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up."
Verse 5 "all the sailors were afraid…”
Jonah 1:5-12 “All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish.” 7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land. ”10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”
Proverbs 28:13 BSB "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."
Good News/Bad News #3
Good news: God will get you where He wants you.
Jonah 3:1-3 NIV "Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh…”
Romans 11:29 KJV ”the gifts and callings of God are without repentance."
Bad News: It might not be a comfortable ride.
Jonah 1:12-17 NIV “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” 13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried to the Lord, “O Lord, please do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O Lord, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the belly of the fish three days and three nights."
