From The Boat To The Belly To The Beach With A Burp

Introduction

Burping competition

Look at the story of story of Jonah

  • Jonahs story is about a man that said NO when God said GO

When God says go and you say no

  • God = Go to Nineveh
  • Jonah = I don’t want to – Went in the opposite direction (TARSHISH)
  • Didn’t want to help God rescue Nineveh

Jonah didn’t know that he was a marked man – Spray Target

  • Can't hide from God
  • E.g. God playing...Where’s Wally?

Psa 139:7-12 NIV Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? (8) If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. (9) If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, (10) even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. (11) If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," (12) even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

God wants to send you some gifts when you are on the run

Jon 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.

When Jonah ran away God sent 3 gifts to Jonah

  • He will do the same for you

1. Storm – to get your attention

It won’t kill you – to shake up your life

  • Got my attention Lord
  • Moved past the whisper (dove v seagull)

Jonah was asleep in the middle of the storm

  • No amount of rebuking will still the storm

Storm affecting other people

  • Your disobedience will have a negative effect on others

2. Captain

Jon 1:6 NIV 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."

Captain had to wake up Jonah

  • God sent friend – leader (bold enough) to wake you up
  • We want to rebuke the captain

If not listening to the storm the captain is coming

  • Captain = is their something that you need to tell me
  • Humility and brokenness to receive the captain

Captain will throw you in the deep end

Jon 1:15 NIV Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.

  • E.g. teaching our kids to swim – matter of life and death

Get out of control and to get over board

  • Gift of a captain is an awesome gift
  • All need friends in high places

3. Whale

  • Most misunderstood of all
  • Not a big bad fish

Jon 1:17 NIV But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

Shelter

  • From the storm
  • Stopped him from drowning

Transportation

  • Whale will take you in the right direction

Solitude – time to think (Think tank)

  • No interruption for 3 days and 3 nights
  • It was there – he remembered God

Jon 2:1-10 NIV From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. (2) He said: "In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. (3) You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. (4) I said, 'I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.' (5) The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. (6) To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God. (7) "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. (8) "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. (9) But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD." (10) And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

If God is sending a whale – get in it

  • Time where God can take you deep – if you let him
  • David learnt to sing in times of trouble
  • Choice to get in the whale

In the whale you learn what life is all about

Conclusion

Made good on his vow to God

  • I’m going to just do it
  • Felt God spit me out
  • Wasn’t graceful – spat into obedience (winning ugly – still a win)

City of Nineveh was saved