WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.640 Good morning, good morning. 00:00:05.100 --> 00:00:06.240 Here we go, right. 00:00:07.140 --> 00:00:13.259 Man, those last few words to that song, prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. 00:00:13.720 --> 00:00:15.640 ! Prone to leave the Lord I love. 00:00:17.460 --> 00:00:21.539 Maybe many of us aren't actively running away from God. 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:22.359 Maybe we are. 00:00:23.660 --> 00:00:25.420 But, man, aren't we just prone to wander? 00:00:25.980 --> 00:00:27.320 If you're not running away from God, 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:29.080 don't you have those moments where you just wander? 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:31.579 Actually, that song speaks to me. 00:00:31.759 --> 00:00:34.739 Honestly, there's some of the lyrics in that song, 00:00:34.899 --> 00:00:37.000 that's old English that takes me time to digest. 00:00:37.700 --> 00:00:41.019 But that last bit just always gives me a nice final left hook. 00:00:41.259 --> 00:00:44.000 Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:45.280 Don't you feel that wandering? 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:49.200 Like every day as you leave the body of Christ, as you leave Sunday, 00:00:49.299 --> 00:00:50.780 and then you go to your work, 00:00:50.939 --> 00:00:53.820 and your heart just is prone to wandering. 00:00:54.060 --> 00:00:54.439 Mine does. 00:00:55.560 --> 00:00:56.899 Lord, I feel it. 00:00:56.939 --> 00:00:58.079 Prone to leave the Lord I love. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:00:59.839 That just sounds so ironic. 00:01:01.619 --> 00:01:03.679 I've also been thinking about Jonah this whole week, 00:01:03.899 --> 00:01:05.819 and it's just, what's the Jonah in me? 00:01:06.340 --> 00:01:10.480 Actually, I was talking to Aaron and a couple of, Aaron and a few of the Young Life staff, 00:01:10.519 --> 00:01:12.319 we were talking about just talks, I think, 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:17.719 and she had this idea about presenting a series through the form of almost like a TV series. 00:01:17.719 --> 00:01:21.179 And it just made me think, man, this story is so rich. 00:01:21.480 --> 00:01:24.879 This story is so rich with just following the story of Jonah, 00:01:24.980 --> 00:01:27.340 and it just, I had, who's watched 24 here? 00:01:27.420 --> 00:01:29.239 Has anyone watched 24, the series, Jack Bauer? 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:30.920 Oh, actually, one thing. 00:01:30.920 --> 00:01:32.560 Is it still stuffy? 00:01:33.239 --> 00:01:33.460 Is it? 00:01:34.219 --> 00:01:38.040 Danny, would you mind checking just behind this curtain, the air con, what the situation is? 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:39.680 Is it high, low, medium? 00:01:40.180 --> 00:01:40.359 High. 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:41.939 We're all high. 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:43.820 There's a few just all along that curtain. 00:01:43.939 --> 00:01:44.920 If you can just have a look. 00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:45.579 As long as it's all. 00:01:45.579 --> 00:01:50.519 As long as we're high, then that's good. 00:01:50.879 --> 00:01:51.659 We're all maxed out. 00:01:51.739 --> 00:01:52.179 Okay, that's good. 00:01:54.439 --> 00:01:55.579 Yeah, 24, Jack Bauer. 00:01:55.780 --> 00:01:58.319 Before, every episode is like previously on 24. 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:03.780 And as I was just looking, man, previously in Jonah, this last week, 00:02:03.780 --> 00:02:07.759 last week I started Jonah, verses 1 to 6, and I was talking to Danny, 00:02:07.759 --> 00:02:11.180 and it's like, man, even within six verses, there's so much that's packed to there. 00:02:11.819 --> 00:02:13.960 You know, I asked the question, do you want to hear the voice of God? 00:02:14.599 --> 00:02:15.460 And then I said, do you really? 00:02:16.160 --> 00:02:18.240 Do you actually really want to hear from the voice of God? 00:02:18.380 --> 00:02:22.260 What if he tells you something that puts your people's lives at risk? 00:02:22.480 --> 00:02:25.800 What if he tells you something that you don't really want to hear 00:02:25.800 --> 00:02:26.939 and you don't really want to do? 00:02:27.300 --> 00:02:28.100 Then what do you do? 00:02:28.260 --> 00:02:30.160 Do you have a God of your own making? 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:33.360 You have a God that you want him to tell you about things, 00:02:33.700 --> 00:02:35.040 to do things that you want. 00:02:35.240 --> 00:02:36.080 Do we have that? 00:02:36.420 --> 00:02:37.920 And are you running away from him? 00:02:37.980 --> 00:02:40.160 Are you actually trying to run away? 00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:42.500 And is the devil providing the transportation for you? 00:02:42.680 --> 00:02:43.800 He goes down to Joppa. 00:02:43.920 --> 00:02:44.939 He goes down to the pit. 00:02:44.939 --> 00:02:46.240 He goes down to the boat. 00:02:46.359 --> 00:02:47.819 It's just easy to do it. 00:02:48.120 --> 00:02:51.659 And every time we want to run away from God, I'll tell you, the devil is right there, 00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:53.859 just going, hey, there's a right. 00:02:54.340 --> 00:02:54.960 Come along. 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:55.740 It's easy. 00:02:56.939 --> 00:02:58.759 And then you're going to get eaten up by a big fish. 00:02:58.759 --> 00:03:02.179 Do you want to hear the voice of God? 00:03:02.179 --> 00:03:04.019 Are you actually trying to run away? 00:03:04.099 --> 00:03:05.739 Is the devil providing transportation? 00:03:06.299 --> 00:03:09.399 And what do you actually rely on when you are in a storm? 00:03:10.019 --> 00:03:11.819 When you're in a storm, that's what I've been thinking about this week. 00:03:11.899 --> 00:03:14.840 If I'm in a storm, what is God trying to reveal to me? 00:03:15.259 --> 00:03:18.699 What is he trying to use the storm for to grow me, to wake me up? 00:03:18.699 --> 00:03:22.659 And then finally is my private faith of any public good. 00:03:22.879 --> 00:03:25.560 As people come to me, hey, this world is on fire. 00:03:26.119 --> 00:03:30.000 Our office is filled with just toxicity and gossip. 00:03:30.479 --> 00:03:31.979 What are you going to do about it? 00:03:32.079 --> 00:03:33.719 Are you contributing to it? 00:03:34.299 --> 00:03:35.479 Or are you in slumber? 00:03:36.359 --> 00:03:40.319 Or are you running away and just completely trying to hide and not be any public good? 00:03:40.419 --> 00:03:42.859 Are you even just heavenly minded with no earthly good? 00:03:42.860 --> 00:03:45.200 So that was previously in Jonah. 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:46.520 And now we move into the next one. 00:03:46.580 --> 00:03:48.780 And remember I said last week, Jonah is not about the fish. 00:03:49.220 --> 00:03:51.240 It's not about the great whale. 00:03:51.820 --> 00:03:52.640 It's about sin. 00:03:53.740 --> 00:03:54.340 And what is sin? 00:03:54.420 --> 00:03:55.980 Sin is just running away from God. 00:03:56.100 --> 00:03:57.220 Sin is ultimately God. 00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:00.440 I don't trust you, so I'm going to choose my own way. 00:04:01.140 --> 00:04:01.920 That's what it is. 00:04:02.200 --> 00:04:03.340 That's what Jonah is about. 00:04:03.560 --> 00:04:05.360 That's what life is here about. 00:04:05.640 --> 00:04:09.680 We are constantly, constantly trying to remind ourselves, do we actually trust God? 00:04:10.140 --> 00:04:10.720 Do we trust God? 00:04:10.720 --> 00:04:11.620 Are we choosing our own way? 00:04:11.620 --> 00:04:13.420 Or are we choosing his way? 00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:14.200 The harder way. 00:04:14.300 --> 00:04:16.660 The way that goes up and not down. 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:20.300 And so we're going to move in now into the second half of chapter one. 00:04:20.939 --> 00:04:21.980 And it just continues. 00:04:22.139 --> 00:04:22.740 It continues. 00:04:23.060 --> 00:04:24.379 And you see Jonah's heart. 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:25.819 And actually, I'm going to go through verse by verse. 00:04:25.899 --> 00:04:26.860 We did six verses last week. 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:27.639 Today will be 11. 00:04:28.060 --> 00:04:28.639 But don't worry. 00:04:28.800 --> 00:04:29.720 There will be short ones. 00:04:30.100 --> 00:04:31.420 And it's fascinating. 00:04:31.540 --> 00:04:37.560 As the story unfolds in this episode today, you will see Jonah's heart exposed even more. 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:39.840 And they're right in the thick of it in the storm. 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:42.459 I'm going to ask Juju to come up and read us the word of God. 00:04:43.719 --> 00:04:44.799 So can I invite you? 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:46.119 Can we stand for the word of God? 00:04:46.219 --> 00:04:50.739 And let's prepare our hearts to receive from him what it is that he wants to say to us today. 00:04:52.019 --> 00:05:04.579 Again, completely aware that you can neither see me nor, or definitely not Juju, nor the, but I hope that you can just open your heart and just really just receive the word. 00:05:04.579 --> 00:05:08.539 This is the word of God, God Almighty of heaven and earth. 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:13.639 And he speaks to us now through Jonah chapter one, verse seven to 17. 00:05:17.039 --> 00:05:20.099 Jonah chapter one, verse seven. 00:05:20.100 --> 00:05:28.900 And they said to one another, come, let us cast lots that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us. 00:05:29.320 --> 00:05:31.700 So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:36.540 Then they said to him, tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. 00:05:36.660 --> 00:05:37.600 What is your occupation? 00:05:38.100 --> 00:05:39.120 And where do you come from? 00:05:39.960 --> 00:05:40.820 What is your country? 00:05:41.340 --> 00:05:42.540 And of what people are you? 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:48.720 And he said to them, I'm a Hebrew and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land. 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:53.600 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, what is this that you have done? 00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:58.840 For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord because he had told them. 00:05:59.840 --> 00:06:04.420 Then they said to them, what shall we do to you that the sea may quiet down for us? 00:06:04.640 --> 00:06:06.700 For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. 00:06:07.160 --> 00:06:10.120 He said to them, pick me up and hurl me into the sea. 00:06:10.500 --> 00:06:12.940 Then the sea will quiet down for you. 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:17.140 For I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you. 00:06:17.139 --> 00:06:24.259 Nevertheless, the men rode hard to get back to dry land, but they could not for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 00:06:25.039 --> 00:06:26.339 Therefore, they called out to the Lord. 00:06:27.039 --> 00:06:32.139 Oh, Lord, let us not perish for this man's life and lay not on us innocent blood for you. 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:34.439 Oh, Lord, have done as it pleased you. 00:06:34.439 --> 00:06:40.060 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea and the sea seized from its raging. 00:06:41.160 --> 00:06:45.779 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. 00:06:46.459 --> 00:06:49.079 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:52.879 And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:54.519 This is the word of the Lord. 00:06:55.339 --> 00:06:56.220 Praise be to God. 00:06:56.220 --> 00:06:56.980 Thank you. 00:06:57.120 --> 00:06:57.900 Please take a seat. 00:07:00.980 --> 00:07:02.220 So Jonah's about to turn. 00:07:02.300 --> 00:07:06.000 He's about to, I mean, he was angry and he was running away, but he's about to turn. 00:07:06.060 --> 00:07:09.920 He's about to do what God asked him to do, but not before a big fish intervenes. 00:07:10.120 --> 00:07:11.920 And you see a little bit more about his heart. 00:07:12.180 --> 00:07:14.360 Okay, so the sailor wakes him up. 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:15.380 He's sleeping. 00:07:15.480 --> 00:07:18.460 He's having a nap in the hardest storm that these sailors have experienced. 00:07:18.460 --> 00:07:21.000 And he's having a nap deep in the boat. 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:22.880 So he goes and goes, what are you doing? 00:07:23.380 --> 00:07:24.620 How are you still sleeping? 00:07:24.620 --> 00:07:25.780 Cry out to your God. 00:07:25.939 --> 00:07:26.879 You look like a prophet. 00:07:26.980 --> 00:07:28.100 You look like a religious man. 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:31.280 You've got to have something to help us with here. 00:07:32.379 --> 00:07:33.980 And then it jumps to verse seven. 00:07:34.139 --> 00:07:42.100 And it's interesting because it says, and they said to one another, come, let us cast lots and that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us. 00:07:42.220 --> 00:07:42.980 What does that tell you? 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:43.699 What does that tell me? 00:07:43.939 --> 00:07:47.959 That even with that sailor going up to Jonah and saying, hey, what have you got? 00:07:48.019 --> 00:07:48.740 How can you help us? 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:49.720 Jonah does what? 00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:50.980 Stay silent. 00:07:51.860 --> 00:07:54.459 He knows what the problem is, but he stays silent. 00:07:54.620 --> 00:07:59.100 To the point where they have to cast lots to find out whose problem it is. 00:07:59.720 --> 00:08:00.459 Isn't that interesting? 00:08:00.579 --> 00:08:06.899 So he gets woken up from his slumber, doesn't really still say anything, please the fifth, and just stays completely silent. 00:08:07.060 --> 00:08:09.800 And the sailors are all still trying to figure out what to do. 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:11.259 So they don't know what to do. 00:08:11.319 --> 00:08:17.840 And near ancient times, they would cast lots, which is just an arbitrary way to just kind of draw straws and to see whose problem it is. 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:21.660 And God uses even something like that to show them that it is Jonah. 00:08:21.660 --> 00:08:26.360 And it's only at that point, it's only at that point does Jonah start confessing. 00:08:26.960 --> 00:08:27.800 And it's interesting. 00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:29.100 So he stays silent. 00:08:29.540 --> 00:08:32.259 They start to do a castle, usually just either using some rocks. 00:08:32.820 --> 00:08:36.420 And then from there, they're highlighted that it is Jonah who is the cause of this. 00:08:36.419 --> 00:08:41.079 And then they said to him, tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:41.919 What is your occupation? 00:08:42.219 --> 00:08:43.139 And where do you come from? 00:08:43.299 --> 00:08:44.079 What is your country? 00:08:44.319 --> 00:08:45.240 And of what people are you? 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:49.599 They just bombard him with questions whilst the storm is happening. 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:52.759 So you can imagine just the drama that's unfolding. 00:08:53.199 --> 00:08:54.019 You can see it. 00:08:54.120 --> 00:08:56.539 If it was a TV series, you could actually see it happening. 00:08:56.679 --> 00:08:57.079 It's dark. 00:08:57.159 --> 00:08:57.819 It's got to be dark. 00:08:57.899 --> 00:08:58.299 It's raining. 00:08:58.740 --> 00:09:00.919 And they're just getting tossed back and forth. 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:01.719 And go, why? 00:09:02.139 --> 00:09:02.779 Who are you? 00:09:02.899 --> 00:09:03.620 Who sent you? 00:09:03.779 --> 00:09:04.620 What do you do here? 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:05.899 And it tells me one thing. 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:12.000 When storms happen, actually, they serve as great exposures to what our identity actually is. 00:09:12.379 --> 00:09:16.859 When we have storms in our lives, it reveals who we actually are. 00:09:17.319 --> 00:09:21.120 And what we have here is the sailors going to Jonah, tell us who you are. 00:09:21.459 --> 00:09:22.219 And what do they ask him? 00:09:22.259 --> 00:09:23.399 They ask him three things, actually. 00:09:23.639 --> 00:09:25.319 They ask him what his purpose is, occupation. 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:27.479 They ask him which place he comes from. 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:30.500 And they ask him the people, what kind of person he is. 00:09:30.920 --> 00:09:32.820 Purpose, people, place. 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:35.440 It's all about identity. 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:40.159 Every time a storm happens in my life, it actually challenges my identity. 00:09:40.360 --> 00:09:41.080 Does it challenge yours? 00:09:41.899 --> 00:09:46.519 It actually exposes what I'm doing, where I'm going, what I think I'm doing. 00:09:46.820 --> 00:09:50.340 The moment there's something that's happening in my life that is out of my control, 00:09:50.340 --> 00:09:55.720 let's say the storm really is just a symbol of just us living a life that is out of our control. 00:09:56.580 --> 00:09:56.800 Okay? 00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:57.479 We are helpless. 00:09:58.299 --> 00:10:01.019 It's in that moment our identity gets revealed. 00:10:01.419 --> 00:10:04.500 It's in that moment we actually find out what we were actually here for. 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:05.419 That's the question that you have. 00:10:05.500 --> 00:10:08.799 Once you have something that's happened to you that isn't what you want, what are you asking? 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:11.000 Oh, what on earth am I here for? 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:12.839 What's my purpose in life? 00:10:12.959 --> 00:10:13.699 What's my mission? 00:10:14.179 --> 00:10:16.459 These people are asking him that, what is your occupation? 00:10:16.620 --> 00:10:18.039 What do you actually do? 00:10:18.319 --> 00:10:20.599 Now, bear in mind, they're not asking him because they're interested. 00:10:21.319 --> 00:10:23.740 They're asking him because they want to try and save themselves. 00:10:23.740 --> 00:10:27.100 So they're trying to find the answer to the problem. 00:10:27.100 --> 00:10:30.480 And so they bombard him and they ask him, what is your purpose? 00:10:30.560 --> 00:10:34.600 And it makes me think, when we tackle storms, do we think about that? 00:10:35.159 --> 00:10:37.600 Or if I asked you right now, what is your purpose? 00:10:38.180 --> 00:10:39.180 What is your occupation? 00:10:39.800 --> 00:10:40.820 What is your mission? 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:42.100 Would you have an answer? 00:10:42.100 --> 00:10:47.620 Stephen Covey in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Successful, Effective People. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:50.159 Sam, what is, I completely just tongue-tied there. 00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:53.820 Yes, actually Sam is the expert on this. 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:55.300 He trains and teaches about this. 00:10:55.560 --> 00:10:56.620 So I'm going to embarrass him a little bit. 00:10:56.940 --> 00:10:59.560 One of them is about, you need to have a mission statement, right? 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:02.879 If you're going to be highly successful and highly effective, you need to have a mission statement. 00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:03.420 What does that mean? 00:11:03.560 --> 00:11:04.960 You need to know what you're doing in life. 00:11:05.800 --> 00:11:08.300 You need to know which direction you're heading in. 00:11:09.159 --> 00:11:09.500 Why? 00:11:09.740 --> 00:11:11.839 Because, now, again, I'm quoting, actually, I have a quote. 00:11:12.199 --> 00:11:12.620 I have a quote. 00:11:13.719 --> 00:11:18.019 It says, a personal mission statement becomes the DNA for every other decision we make. 00:11:18.419 --> 00:11:22.079 A personal mission statement becomes the DNA of every decision that we make. 00:11:22.139 --> 00:11:25.059 When you have your mission statement, when you know what your life is about, 00:11:25.059 --> 00:11:27.259 it will impact all your other small decisions. 00:11:27.979 --> 00:11:31.899 Why do we keep, repetitively remind ourselves of the mission statement here? 00:11:31.939 --> 00:11:33.639 Because our hearts are prone to wander. 00:11:34.099 --> 00:11:36.839 We can turn up, not really thinking about why we're gathering. 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:39.040 And instead, we're not gatherers, we're just wanderers. 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:47.460 But when we sit down and we go, okay, I'm sat here in this crowded and stuffy room on a Sunday morning because of this. 00:11:48.800 --> 00:11:50.580 That's our mission statement as a gathering. 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:55.820 But really, what we're trying also to do is that each person here has their own mission statement, 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:59.180 has their own statement that, okay, this is why I was created. 00:11:59.280 --> 00:12:00.820 Now, of course, there is a bigger picture here. 00:12:00.820 --> 00:12:01.820 Genesis 126. 00:12:01.820 --> 00:12:04.680 Why was mankind created in the first place? 00:12:04.780 --> 00:12:10.240 To create culture, to organize culture so that it would reflect the glory of God. 00:12:10.540 --> 00:12:15.780 So whatever field you're in, you're supposed to take those elements and arrange them and reorder them 00:12:15.780 --> 00:12:18.300 so that they would reflect the beauty and the glory of God. 00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:20.760 That's why you're here, whichever field that you're in. 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:22.879 The mission statement is so important. 00:12:22.980 --> 00:12:24.620 And these guys are asking him, what is your mission statement? 00:12:24.780 --> 00:12:26.040 What is your occupation? 00:12:26.180 --> 00:12:26.800 What do you do? 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:32.099 Out of interest, put your hand up if you feel as though I'm not going to put you on the spot and ask you to recite it. 00:12:33.019 --> 00:12:37.459 Who here has a good idea of what they're made for, what their mission is? 00:12:38.719 --> 00:12:39.359 Don't be shy. 00:12:39.459 --> 00:12:40.359 Again, I'm not going to embarrass you. 00:12:41.319 --> 00:12:41.539 Brilliant. 00:12:41.620 --> 00:12:45.240 We've got about 10%, 20% of people here. 00:12:45.699 --> 00:12:46.279 You see, that's key. 00:12:47.179 --> 00:12:50.199 We need to know what we're actually here to do. 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:52.159 And if you didn't put your hand up, that's okay. 00:12:52.620 --> 00:12:53.559 So go find Sam. 00:12:53.779 --> 00:12:54.579 He's at the back there. 00:12:54.580 --> 00:12:58.560 And he, the one who's carrying the baby, he's pretending to look elsewhere. 00:12:59.020 --> 00:13:01.560 He, he will help. 00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:04.139 What's your occupation? 00:13:04.800 --> 00:13:05.379 What's your mission? 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:06.040 What's your purpose? 00:13:06.120 --> 00:13:06.660 What are you here for? 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:08.940 Then the second is, what place are you from? 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:09.900 What country are you from? 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:10.220 Why? 00:13:10.820 --> 00:13:19.220 Because when you find out where you came from, that'll give you a little bit of a better idea as to your trajectory, your direction, where you're heading. 00:13:19.220 --> 00:13:24.000 Sometimes I'm at, I feel as though I'm often, always at crossroads going, God, where next? 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:24.480 What next? 00:13:24.580 --> 00:13:25.759 What do, which way do I go? 00:13:25.800 --> 00:13:26.340 What do I do? 00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:27.160 Do you have that? 00:13:27.960 --> 00:13:31.660 And at that moment, I found it supremely helpful sometimes just to look back. 00:13:31.659 --> 00:13:34.579 Just to look back and see, man, where was I born? 00:13:35.939 --> 00:13:38.199 What were the experiences I had as a child? 00:13:38.719 --> 00:13:40.299 The cultures that I was seeped in. 00:13:41.059 --> 00:13:42.459 The experiences I had in work. 00:13:43.079 --> 00:13:47.319 The call of God on our lives, on Christina and I on my life as we, as we went into ministry in England. 00:13:47.379 --> 00:13:49.240 As we went from England to Hong Kong. 00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:54.720 Now, when I'm stuck at a crossroad and going, I don't know where I'm supposed to head, looking back has helped me. 00:13:55.399 --> 00:14:02.039 Because it helped me get, oh, okay, I may not know exactly where I head, but turning my, just doing a 180 and turning around, I can see where I came from. 00:14:02.139 --> 00:14:05.740 And that helps steady me, and that helps remind me of the direction that I'm heading in. 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:08.500 It's interesting what storms can do. 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:10.820 Let's not despise the storm when it comes at us. 00:14:10.820 --> 00:14:18.419 Let us look back and go, okay, storm, you have something that God is trying to reveal to me about my purpose, about the place that I'm from, 00:14:18.419 --> 00:14:19.679 and the people. 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:21.240 Finally, the people. 00:14:21.339 --> 00:14:22.399 He says, who are you? 00:14:22.459 --> 00:14:23.000 Where are you from? 00:14:23.059 --> 00:14:23.759 Who are your people? 00:14:23.860 --> 00:14:24.939 Why are they asking that question? 00:14:25.199 --> 00:14:30.620 They're asking that question because during that time in this polytheistic culture, which is where everyone had multiple gods, 00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:35.539 often the God that you worship was tied in with the people that you are. 00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:36.579 Okay? 00:14:36.579 --> 00:14:41.120 So whichever culture you were born in, whichever race you are, that's the God that you are worshiping. 00:14:41.559 --> 00:14:42.659 Why is that important? 00:14:42.819 --> 00:14:47.219 Because what they're trying to ask as the storm is happening, as they're constantly losing balance is, 00:14:47.220 --> 00:14:48.500 who do you trust? 00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:51.240 Who do you trust and can we trust that person? 00:14:51.460 --> 00:14:52.420 Can we trust that God? 00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:56.860 We want to know who you trust to see if he can help us here. 00:14:58.160 --> 00:15:00.920 Every storm, every storm reveals our identity. 00:15:01.660 --> 00:15:05.600 Every storm within that identity reveals our purpose, or at least asks us that question. 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:06.740 What is our purpose? 00:15:07.160 --> 00:15:08.639 What is the place that we've come from? 00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:10.899 And who are the people that we are coming from? 00:15:10.899 --> 00:15:16.159 That is what the storm is doing to Jonah here, through these sailors. 00:15:16.620 --> 00:15:18.699 And then comes his answer. 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:20.559 His answer is fascinating. 00:15:20.740 --> 00:15:22.100 His answer says this. 00:15:22.759 --> 00:15:25.840 He stands up and then he says, verse 9, 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:28.000 I am a Hebrew. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:30.539 If you're following in your notes or your Bible. 00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:36.419 And he said to them, I am a Hebrew and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. 00:15:36.419 --> 00:15:39.240 He answers their questions backwards. 00:15:39.439 --> 00:15:40.620 He starts with their last question. 00:15:40.959 --> 00:15:44.299 They ask him at the end, you know, who are your people? 00:15:44.659 --> 00:15:45.579 He starts with that. 00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:46.479 He says, I am a Hebrew. 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:47.299 What does that tell you? 00:15:47.539 --> 00:15:53.799 In the midst of the storm, your identity and your priority will be surfaced and it will be revealed. 00:15:54.439 --> 00:15:55.519 What was Jonah's? 00:15:56.860 --> 00:15:58.079 The fact that he was a Hebrew. 00:15:58.240 --> 00:16:01.059 And you can kind of imagine how he would have responded to them. 00:16:01.059 --> 00:16:07.379 I, pagan sailors, sinners, people that I'm trying to run away from. 00:16:08.259 --> 00:16:11.599 I am of a people that are more superior to you. 00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:14.219 I am a Hebrew. 00:16:14.379 --> 00:16:17.839 Remember last week I told you, Jonah was a nationalist. 00:16:18.139 --> 00:16:24.219 He supported the King Jeroboam II who had an expansion policy that would be ruling over all the nations around Israel. 00:16:24.299 --> 00:16:27.659 So he was all for, he was highly partisan, he was racist. 00:16:27.659 --> 00:16:30.759 So he starts up by just saying, I am a Hebrew. 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:38.439 In the midst of the storm, the key identity that you hold on to will be the thing that is exposed. 00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:41.279 Have a think back to the last storm that you've been in. 00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:47.759 The last time you felt as though things were out of control, when your identity was threatened, 00:16:48.419 --> 00:16:52.799 it's at that moment you'll realize what you were holding on to as your core identity. 00:16:52.799 --> 00:17:00.879 It's in the midst of a storm when a banker realizes, man, the market hasn't been good these last few years, 00:17:00.959 --> 00:17:03.959 but so much of my identity is in that thing. 00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:08.680 And you see, when we hold on to something that is our key prime identity, 00:17:09.019 --> 00:17:12.399 and when things are going out of control, that's when we get crushed. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:18.400 If your core identity is as a banker and the markets go down, then you get crushed and then you're all over the place. 00:17:20.780 --> 00:17:26.720 When your identity is as a boyfriend and your relationship doesn't go well, suddenly you're crushed. 00:17:27.019 --> 00:17:29.940 Why? Because your main identity is in that very thing. 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:34.380 I told you when I first got injured and Kenneth and I had the same injury, 00:17:34.740 --> 00:17:37.280 as for basketball players, that injury is called the kiss of death. 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:44.500 A little disclaimer to that, that injury is the kiss of death to professional basketball players. 00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:49.059 Why? Because your performance, your margins are so thin. 00:17:49.859 --> 00:17:54.279 The Achilles being weakened really reduces that first step and that explosiveness, 00:17:54.399 --> 00:17:58.339 so it's the kiss of death for them because their margins are so thin. 00:17:59.399 --> 00:18:01.059 For me, it's not really the kiss of death. 00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:04.960 Because my margins, it really doesn't matter how well I play. 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:10.120 So my identity wasn't threatened because my Achilles ruptured. 00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:10.920 Does that make sense? 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:15.400 Because I, well, I was heading towards the NBA, but I wasn't quite there yet. 00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:18.059 So my identity wasn't as an NBA player. 00:18:19.360 --> 00:18:26.440 But every time we have a storm, it reveals what you actually truly, really, deeply care about. 00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:33.660 The key here is, for Jonah, it was in his status as a Hebrew. 00:18:34.700 --> 00:18:37.059 His biggest thing was politics. 00:18:38.400 --> 00:18:39.720 Have you met people like that? 00:18:40.360 --> 00:18:43.180 Has Hong Kong gone through something quite similar? 00:18:43.640 --> 00:18:45.799 Maybe even not so far in the distant past? 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:49.620 Whereas, hey, we were identified as first name or actually, 00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:52.880 it came a point, it often didn't even really matter what your name was. 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:57.440 It was just which color you were, which side you supported. 00:18:58.700 --> 00:19:00.820 And so through the midst of things going out of our control, 00:19:00.940 --> 00:19:04.280 suddenly we, is revealed what our core identity is. 00:19:05.080 --> 00:19:08.060 Jonah here exposes himself, and he's like, I am a Hebrew. 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:09.300 And then it gets even more stupid. 00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:11.740 Honestly, his answer, he goes, I am a Hebrew. 00:19:12.940 --> 00:19:15.740 He doesn't actually talk about his occupation and his mission. 00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:19.920 He's like, I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:22.220 who made the sea and the dry land. 00:19:23.500 --> 00:19:24.820 Just stop a second. 00:19:25.620 --> 00:19:29.180 They are being thrown back and forth in the sea. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:34.140 And you've got here a nationalist saying, I am a Hebrew. 00:19:34.759 --> 00:19:39.920 I fear the Lord who is in control of the very sea that is going to kill us. 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:42.759 Can you see the hypocrisy? 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:45.700 Can you see the irony in this? 00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:49.920 Isn't this one of the biggest challenges that the world has when they look at Christians? 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:55.240 Because you say you worship and you follow a God whom you completely trust, 00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:57.700 and yet you are riddled with fear. 00:19:58.039 --> 00:20:01.299 You are holding on to every single little thing that you have. 00:20:02.620 --> 00:20:03.740 Our actions betray us. 00:20:04.340 --> 00:20:06.080 Our anxiety betrays us. 00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:07.960 Our fears betray us. 00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:09.079 You profess to believe. 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:12.680 I profess to believe in a God that is in control of everything, 00:20:12.840 --> 00:20:14.259 whose grace is sufficient for me, 00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:18.680 who will supply every single need of mine. 00:20:19.120 --> 00:20:24.019 Yet, the moment something happens, I'm like, ah! 00:20:25.600 --> 00:20:27.279 God, will you really give me that? 00:20:27.360 --> 00:20:28.500 Will you really look after my family? 00:20:28.579 --> 00:20:29.500 Will you really do this? 00:20:29.840 --> 00:20:31.100 Don't you find that interesting? 00:20:32.840 --> 00:20:35.779 Isn't that the hypocrisy that people look at and go, well, you know what? 00:20:35.779 --> 00:20:37.299 You have the same worries as me. 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:40.200 You have the same idols as me. 00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:41.980 You're fighting for the same things as me, 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:44.319 and yet you profess to have a God that is in control of everything, 00:20:44.399 --> 00:20:45.339 who loves you dearly. 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:47.559 If he loves you so dearly, why are you so worried? 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:52.960 If he loves you so dearly, why are you so worried? 00:20:53.059 --> 00:20:57.160 So you see here, Jonah is just, again, once again, exposing, 00:20:57.319 --> 00:20:59.599 exposing what we as Christians often have. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:01.480 Now, they ask him, what have you done? 00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:02.059 Who are you? 00:21:02.099 --> 00:21:04.399 And then they ask him, and of course, they're outraged at this point, 00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:06.740 because they said, he said, verse 10, 00:21:07.060 --> 00:21:08.040 what is this that you have done? 00:21:08.120 --> 00:21:10.060 For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord 00:21:10.060 --> 00:21:12.040 because he had told them, I am a Hebrew. 00:21:12.340 --> 00:21:15.400 I fear the Lord who controls the whole heaven and earth, 00:21:15.540 --> 00:21:17.620 and I am trying to run away from him, 00:21:17.660 --> 00:21:19.860 and that is why you guys are going to die. 00:21:21.660 --> 00:21:22.440 Can you just imagine? 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:26.259 But again, often I think I say the same things, 00:21:26.300 --> 00:21:28.300 maybe not in those specific words, 00:21:28.780 --> 00:21:30.900 but my actions, my thoughts, my worries betray me. 00:21:30.900 --> 00:21:33.880 And so they look at him and they go, what have you done? 00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:34.960 You idiot. 00:21:35.560 --> 00:21:39.380 You're running away from the God who controls this whole sea, 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:41.800 and now we're going to pay for it. 00:21:42.019 --> 00:21:43.700 So they ask him, what can we do? 00:21:43.820 --> 00:21:45.100 So they first ask him, what have you done? 00:21:45.180 --> 00:21:46.660 And then they say, what can we do? 00:21:47.840 --> 00:21:51.140 And again, I don't see, now commentators here are saying, okay, 00:21:51.740 --> 00:21:52.700 he then offers an idea. 00:21:52.820 --> 00:21:53.600 He offers a suggestion. 00:21:54.060 --> 00:21:55.480 Pick me up and hurl me into the sea, 00:21:55.480 --> 00:21:56.400 because that will solve it, 00:21:56.440 --> 00:22:00.980 because he's just confessed that he's the cause of all of this. 00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:02.860 And so commentators here are wondering, okay, well, 00:22:03.299 --> 00:22:04.380 did he have a change of heart? 00:22:04.759 --> 00:22:06.500 Did he suddenly repent and go, okay, well, 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:09.579 actually, no, I really should start following God now. 00:22:10.140 --> 00:22:13.779 Or actually, is he almost just continuing down this path 00:22:13.779 --> 00:22:16.019 of just being resentful? 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:18.460 Tim Keller, in his book, The Prodigal Prophet, 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:21.880 which has a lot of incredible ideas about this book, 00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:23.680 he says it's probably somewhere in the middle. 00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:25.400 As I look at this, I'm like, you know what? 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:27.240 I don't think Jonah really still gets it. 00:22:27.299 --> 00:22:28.620 I don't think he's truly repentant. 00:22:28.820 --> 00:22:30.519 He's looking at these people going, okay, 00:22:30.660 --> 00:22:31.900 well, these people are going to die. 00:22:33.220 --> 00:22:34.120 It's because of me. 00:22:35.080 --> 00:22:37.240 The solution really is that they're going to have to pick me up 00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:38.500 and hurl me off into the sea. 00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:42.660 The question is, why didn't he just jump off himself? 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:47.740 If he knew he was the problem, why didn't he just jump off? 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:49.200 He's like, guys, I'm sorry, man. 00:22:49.539 --> 00:22:52.560 That lot thing that you just did with those little pathetic little stones 00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:54.519 shows me, and you're right, it's me. 00:22:54.740 --> 00:22:57.419 I'm running away from the one who you can't really want to run away from. 00:22:58.059 --> 00:22:58.460 My bad. 00:22:58.720 --> 00:22:59.339 I'm just going to go. 00:22:59.639 --> 00:23:00.319 You guys stay here. 00:23:00.359 --> 00:23:01.799 I'm just going to go to the back and jump off. 00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:04.980 No, he says, okay, pick me up and hurl me off the sea. 00:23:05.019 --> 00:23:09.419 And I just have this image of just a defiant, defiant Jonah going, 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:10.179 that's it. 00:23:10.259 --> 00:23:13.500 I would rather die than go to Nineveh. 00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:18.680 I would rather die than surrender my core identity, which is as a Hebrew, 00:23:19.299 --> 00:23:20.599 which is to hate the Assyrians. 00:23:20.859 --> 00:23:23.480 I would rather die than trust in you, God. 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:28.900 I would rather die and be hurled into the sea than go there willingly myself. 00:23:30.039 --> 00:23:34.400 For me, this passage here, this scripture seems to show that. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:36.000 Because otherwise, why else would he say? 00:23:36.299 --> 00:23:37.619 So he puts it onto them. 00:23:38.399 --> 00:23:42.279 And interestingly, the sailors show that actually they are better human beings 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:43.059 than even him. 00:23:43.859 --> 00:23:48.099 And they just say, okay, well, that's a bit of an awkward solution. 00:23:49.659 --> 00:23:51.000 We've just started getting to know you. 00:23:52.619 --> 00:23:58.359 Verse 13 says, nevertheless, the men rode hard to get back to dry land, 00:23:58.439 --> 00:24:01.079 but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 00:24:01.959 --> 00:24:05.519 And these guys are like, okay, I know that might be the solution. 00:24:06.239 --> 00:24:06.859 We know that might. 00:24:06.939 --> 00:24:07.539 But you know what? 00:24:07.619 --> 00:24:09.619 We're not going to do that because that's a jerk move. 00:24:10.259 --> 00:24:11.759 We're going to try and get through this together. 00:24:11.859 --> 00:24:13.219 We're going to try and survive this together. 00:24:13.359 --> 00:24:14.639 So we're going to row harder and harder. 00:24:14.839 --> 00:24:16.079 Now, what they didn't understand, of course, 00:24:16.099 --> 00:24:19.039 that this really was about Jonah and his God. 00:24:19.219 --> 00:24:22.539 And this really would have been stopped if they just won't want. 00:24:22.579 --> 00:24:24.279 If he could jump into the sea himself, that would be great. 00:24:24.339 --> 00:24:24.959 So they would be innocent. 00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:27.879 But then, actually, that really was the problem. 00:24:27.979 --> 00:24:30.500 So they tried to do the very thing that often we try to do 00:24:30.500 --> 00:24:32.139 whenever we're in a storm, which is, you know what? 00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:32.959 We're in trouble. 00:24:33.159 --> 00:24:35.979 We're just going to try and row harder and harder and harder and harder 00:24:35.980 --> 00:24:39.279 to see if we can get back there ourselves and see if we can save everyone. 00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:44.259 Unfortunately, that's a message, again, in the gospel that tells us 00:24:44.259 --> 00:24:46.240 you'll never be able to save yourself. 00:24:46.859 --> 00:24:48.859 The sea just gets more and more tempestuous. 00:24:48.940 --> 00:24:50.359 It just gets more and more violent. 00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:54.139 And the whole point is that you can't get back there yourself. 00:24:54.140 --> 00:24:58.700 However hard you try, however admirable your intentions are, 00:24:58.900 --> 00:25:01.640 you won't be able to get back there yourself. 00:25:02.080 --> 00:25:03.380 Has anyone been in the ocean? 00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:06.160 And, I mean, who's a regular swimmer in the sea? 00:25:07.320 --> 00:25:10.160 I guess surfers often have to do some, right? 00:25:10.360 --> 00:25:10.800 Somewhat. 00:25:12.440 --> 00:25:15.259 Again, I'm still sat here, so the story ends well. 00:25:16.040 --> 00:25:17.700 But I remember there was one moment. 00:25:17.740 --> 00:25:20.980 I think we were on our Young Life staff retreat in, where was it? 00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:25.720 And we took out the kayaks, and we're all grown adults, 00:25:25.819 --> 00:25:29.799 so I thought we'd be safe, and life jackets are for losers. 00:25:30.299 --> 00:25:32.539 And then they're not for losers, by the way. 00:25:32.680 --> 00:25:33.460 They are not for losers. 00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:34.660 They are very important. 00:25:35.819 --> 00:25:39.460 I remember going out in the kayak with some of the colleagues that we had, 00:25:39.500 --> 00:25:41.319 and it was just a really nice time, and it's summer. 00:25:41.980 --> 00:25:43.039 And then I was like, you know what? 00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:44.860 The shore is not that far away. 00:25:45.059 --> 00:25:47.500 Probably maybe that back window there. 00:25:47.500 --> 00:25:50.480 And I'm like, hey, it's so nice. 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:51.000 I'm so hot. 00:25:51.059 --> 00:25:51.779 I'm just going to jump in. 00:25:51.940 --> 00:25:53.279 Guys, you guys carry on. 00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:54.940 I'm just going to meet you at the shore. 00:25:55.859 --> 00:25:58.039 And then I jump in, and then I just start swimming. 00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:01.000 And then a minute into it, I'm like, I'm still in the same place. 00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:05.119 In fact, the shore seems to be moving further and further. 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:07.000 And I'm just swimming. 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:08.420 I'm like, okay, come on, come on, come on, come on. 00:26:08.700 --> 00:26:10.559 I mean, I'm not the greatest swimmer, but I got all the badges. 00:26:10.700 --> 00:26:13.480 I swam like 200 meters and 400 meters in the swimming pool. 00:26:13.779 --> 00:26:14.960 I had no waves, by the way. 00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:16.600 I'm completely ill-equipped for this. 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:18.319 And I'm just swimming, and it's just not moving. 00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:22.620 And then I was like, man, this is going to be a really sad way to go. 00:26:22.860 --> 00:26:23.400 Like, no one, no one. 00:26:24.299 --> 00:26:26.160 Of course, at that point, the staff have all just gone. 00:26:26.259 --> 00:26:28.519 They're just like, they're kayaking and elsewhere, and they're just all laughing. 00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:30.259 And I'm like, this will be it. 00:26:30.340 --> 00:26:31.240 No one will even know. 00:26:32.140 --> 00:26:33.519 I mean, it'll take them half an hour. 00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:36.019 They'll only realize when no one's paying for the kayak. 00:26:36.779 --> 00:26:38.460 It's like, oh, where's the guy who's, oh, where's James? 00:26:38.600 --> 00:26:38.840 Nice. 00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:40.360 So I'm just saying, oh, man. 00:26:40.579 --> 00:26:42.620 This is, of course, I had to take lots of breaks. 00:26:42.619 --> 00:26:44.599 I did make it back just about in the end. 00:26:44.859 --> 00:26:49.159 Actually, my brother and Alex have a really fun story that is on similar notes. 00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:54.339 Because my brother, feeling as though he was a very strong man, when he proposed to Alex, 00:26:54.339 --> 00:27:02.459 he said he would borrow our inflatable kayak from Decathlon, which has one or two holes in it. 00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:04.740 But they're only very small ones. 00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:05.980 So as long as you go fast, you're OK. 00:27:07.339 --> 00:27:15.000 And so he took his girlfriend at the time and his bearded dragon, because he thought that would be cool. 00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:17.159 It's overcompensating. 00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:22.640 So then from there, he goes towards Round Island. 00:27:22.759 --> 00:27:26.519 So they set off Deepwater Bay, and they head towards Round Island, which isn't really that far. 00:27:27.140 --> 00:27:29.300 OK, it's the same as me looking at the shore, granted. 00:27:30.580 --> 00:27:34.040 And of course, it took them a fair while to come back. 00:27:34.080 --> 00:27:34.740 How long did it take? 00:27:36.180 --> 00:27:38.160 The first 30 minutes when we did our travel. 00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:38.640 Yeah. 00:27:39.140 --> 00:27:40.259 The first second now and after. 00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:45.039 So you're saying that when you did it on your own with me, it took 30 minutes. 00:27:45.619 --> 00:27:49.160 But without me, it took an hour and a half. 00:27:50.440 --> 00:27:51.920 Just clarifying, that's what you're saying. 00:27:53.299 --> 00:27:55.759 So of course, I think it was Uday who was waiting for them at the shore. 00:27:55.879 --> 00:27:56.640 Was that you, Uday? 00:27:57.039 --> 00:28:00.460 Because you were tasked to kind of renew their parking, and you just had to keep going and going. 00:28:00.460 --> 00:28:11.100 All that to say, man, the ocean is quite something, and you'll never get to the shore yourself. 00:28:13.079 --> 00:28:21.620 Despite how strong you think you are, we're all really just as weak as Joe when it comes to the gospel message. 00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:23.819 You cannot get there yourself. 00:28:24.360 --> 00:28:27.279 It reminds me, when they asked Jonah, what must we do to be saved? 00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:34.079 It reminds me of Acts 2.37, when Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, preaches the gospel to them. 00:28:34.359 --> 00:28:40.119 Preaches the kerygma, which is, hey, we are sinners, but through Christ, we can be saved. 00:28:41.259 --> 00:28:45.139 And they're cut to the heart, and they ask him, what must we do to be saved? 00:28:45.619 --> 00:28:46.399 And he says, repent. 00:28:46.779 --> 00:28:47.700 Repent, and you'll be forgiven. 00:28:48.460 --> 00:28:49.440 And that's all you have to do. 00:28:49.879 --> 00:28:50.779 It's not grow harder. 00:28:51.299 --> 00:28:53.339 It's not find a stronger partner. 00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:55.079 It's not find a stronger church. 00:28:55.079 --> 00:28:55.819 It's just repent. 00:28:56.500 --> 00:28:56.960 Just flow. 00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:59.880 And there were moments as I was swimming back again, I was getting out of it. 00:28:59.940 --> 00:29:05.740 I was like, you know, I'm just going to rest here for a second and just let the waves just take me. 00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:12.299 But honestly, the gospel really is that we can't row back ourselves. 00:29:13.960 --> 00:29:18.640 What must happen, though, what has happened is that there was a sacrifice that was made. 00:29:18.700 --> 00:29:20.380 And that's where the story continues. 00:29:20.380 --> 00:29:26.140 So you can imagine Jonah, completely reluctant, completely defiant, says, just pick me up. 00:29:26.340 --> 00:29:27.500 I don't know how they would have done it. 00:29:27.520 --> 00:29:28.440 It would have been a little bit awkward. 00:29:28.800 --> 00:29:31.240 Maybe he just like planked and say, just take me. 00:29:32.140 --> 00:29:34.020 I would rather die than do what God says. 00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:35.080 And they take him. 00:29:35.400 --> 00:29:38.100 And then they say, God, please don't blame us for this. 00:29:38.600 --> 00:29:40.160 It's completely out of our control. 00:29:40.380 --> 00:29:41.720 This guy says it's his fault. 00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:45.400 We've tried everything we possibly could to save him and us. 00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:46.519 And it hasn't worked. 00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:49.000 So then what do they say in verse 14? 00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:52.900 Oh, Lord, let us not perish for this man's life and lay not on us innocent blood. 00:29:53.100 --> 00:29:55.039 For you, oh, Lord, have done as it pleased you. 00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:57.779 God, you do whatever you need to do. 00:29:58.200 --> 00:30:00.319 But may we be innocent in this. 00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:01.720 And they throw him overboard. 00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:06.400 The moment they throw him overboard and he splashes straight into the ocean, the seas come. 00:30:08.460 --> 00:30:13.180 Can you imagine being a sailor in that exact moment? 00:30:13.880 --> 00:30:16.700 They've been fighting this for maybe hours. 00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:25.180 And in that moment where they finally throw Jonah overboard, the sea completely stops. 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:27.880 Completely stills. 00:30:27.880 --> 00:30:36.940 I ask you, would you be filled with relief or terror in that moment? 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:43.460 The answer for me is probably a bit of both. 00:30:44.620 --> 00:30:46.920 One hand, it's kind of like, oh, my goodness. 00:30:47.640 --> 00:30:54.800 We can actually just stand still and not be rocked and not think about our wives and kids and all the people that we're going to lose because we're going to die. 00:30:54.799 --> 00:31:03.639 And I would have imagined just going, you throw him overboard and you look, you see where he's gone and he's just plummeted straight down into the bottom of the ocean. 00:31:03.720 --> 00:31:05.019 So you can't see him pop back up. 00:31:05.419 --> 00:31:09.359 And then you look up and then you realize it's actually stopped. 00:31:10.919 --> 00:31:17.639 The storm from the sky to the sea has actually stopped. 00:31:17.640 --> 00:31:24.720 At that moment, if I imagined myself being there, I would have been absolutely terrified. 00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:26.080 Why? 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:31.460 Because I'll be like, guys, we are not alone. 00:31:35.040 --> 00:31:36.340 Do you guys get what I'm getting at? 00:31:36.980 --> 00:31:38.100 They would have looked. 00:31:38.480 --> 00:31:39.540 They've tried everything. 00:31:39.539 --> 00:31:42.159 And yet all they did was this. 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:47.920 And suddenly someone who must have been watching pressed pause. 00:31:49.619 --> 00:31:51.859 The one who was in control of the land and the sea. 00:31:53.039 --> 00:31:54.579 I would have been absolutely terrified. 00:31:56.019 --> 00:31:56.839 And so were they. 00:31:57.559 --> 00:31:58.720 You look at what they say here. 00:31:59.539 --> 00:32:00.619 Verse 16. 00:32:00.619 --> 00:32:06.319 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. 00:32:07.119 --> 00:32:08.759 I would have totally done the same. 00:32:10.240 --> 00:32:10.639 Man. 00:32:11.700 --> 00:32:15.299 This prophet that was sleeping, that was running away from this God. 00:32:15.839 --> 00:32:20.220 Who can, like, all our lives we've been worshipping all different kinds of gods to help us. 00:32:20.720 --> 00:32:21.859 Basically with our livelihood. 00:32:22.119 --> 00:32:23.980 If we worship this God, maybe he'll give us more fish. 00:32:24.079 --> 00:32:26.159 Maybe this God, God of fertility. 00:32:26.420 --> 00:32:26.899 All these things. 00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:29.079 All our lives we've been worshipping all these gods. 00:32:29.159 --> 00:32:31.279 But honestly, we haven't really seen any difference in our lives. 00:32:31.319 --> 00:32:32.879 We haven't actually seen something happen. 00:32:32.879 --> 00:32:35.539 But now this guy running away from his God. 00:32:35.659 --> 00:32:37.180 And we hurl him into the sea. 00:32:37.180 --> 00:32:41.440 And suddenly, everything that was out of our control completely fizzles down and stops. 00:32:42.019 --> 00:32:43.000 I would be terrified. 00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:46.860 I'd look over and I'll see, nope, Jonah's gone. 00:32:47.380 --> 00:32:50.759 The next thing I'd do, I'd just go straight onto my knees because that God is watching. 00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:53.819 And so they fear him exceedingly. 00:32:53.900 --> 00:32:56.359 They offer sacrifices and they make vows. 00:32:57.119 --> 00:32:59.539 Interestingly, they do it all after the storm. 00:33:01.299 --> 00:33:02.299 You and your storms. 00:33:02.839 --> 00:33:03.519 Me and my storms. 00:33:03.579 --> 00:33:04.920 When we have problems, we go to God. 00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:06.059 Because we know he's there. 00:33:06.759 --> 00:33:06.940 Right? 00:33:07.279 --> 00:33:08.920 When things are going well, we're a little bit too busy. 00:33:09.299 --> 00:33:10.079 We don't really need him. 00:33:10.220 --> 00:33:11.960 So we're just kind of like, God, you just stay back here. 00:33:12.299 --> 00:33:13.980 We'll confine you when things are wrong again. 00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:23.319 And these guys, after the storm, instead of just kind of going about their way, they're like, something has happened that has completely changed the way we think about what we do here. 00:33:23.420 --> 00:33:25.620 What our understanding of life is completely. 00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:27.900 And they make vows to him after the storm. 00:33:29.160 --> 00:33:30.839 Last time you prayed to God in the storm. 00:33:31.220 --> 00:33:35.759 Last time you prayed to God about something that was out of your control and then actually resolved itself. 00:33:36.360 --> 00:33:38.099 Did you remember to go back to God afterwards? 00:33:38.099 --> 00:33:41.339 That will show you a little bit of your heart too. 00:33:41.740 --> 00:33:42.980 That's how the storm shows the heart. 00:33:43.079 --> 00:33:44.959 It shows what our identity is. 00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:53.399 It shows, actually, it shows us whether we actually truly did trust in God or we're relying on God once the situation is over. 00:33:54.419 --> 00:33:58.279 You see these guys, even though it's over, they're like, man, there's something about this. 00:33:58.339 --> 00:34:04.839 Now, there's no guarantee that they then just completely repented and left all the other idols and gods that they were chasing and just followed God. 00:34:06.139 --> 00:34:07.819 So there's no saying of that. 00:34:07.819 --> 00:34:16.900 But I like to think, even if they did keep all their other Pokemon cards, they would have looked at this one and go, actually, I've got all these other cards and I don't quite know enough yet. 00:34:17.400 --> 00:34:21.659 But man, this one, this card, this card is powerful. 00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:23.739 This card is to be feared. 00:34:25.639 --> 00:34:26.000 Exceedingly. 00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:35.400 And then, finally, we reach the main character of the show that you guys have been waiting for, which is the fish. 00:34:37.820 --> 00:34:40.160 But before the fish, I wanted to ask you a question about this. 00:34:41.340 --> 00:34:43.320 What's your understanding of the wrath of God? 00:34:46.160 --> 00:34:51.559 Tim Keller here says that, actually, the storm itself is an expression of the wrath of God. 00:34:51.559 --> 00:34:57.980 The wrath that God had towards his rebellious prophet. 00:34:59.799 --> 00:35:08.000 The act where Jonah is thrown in and suddenly the sea calms is actually an old hymn in Christ Alone says towards the end. 00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:10.679 The wrath of God is satisfied. 00:35:11.259 --> 00:35:14.219 As a sailor, he would have, they would have experienced that. 00:35:14.219 --> 00:35:17.179 They would have seen the anger of God in that storm. 00:35:17.579 --> 00:35:23.799 And they would have seen in one moment what we would sing many years later, the wrath of God is satisfied. 00:35:24.739 --> 00:35:25.819 And this is where I'll stop. 00:35:25.839 --> 00:35:31.619 But I want to ask you about what your perception of the wrath of God is, because this is essentially what is happening in the storm. 00:35:31.759 --> 00:35:33.179 There is no way to escape this. 00:35:34.239 --> 00:35:35.319 God is angry at Jonah. 00:35:35.320 --> 00:35:40.920 And so he creates a storm to wake him up that reveals his identity, reveals his idol. 00:35:43.120 --> 00:35:47.519 But here comes the biggest thing that a lot of people really struggle with, which is, man, this is one angry God. 00:35:48.280 --> 00:35:48.920 Do you have that? 00:35:50.220 --> 00:35:51.680 Isn't that the perception that you had? 00:35:51.740 --> 00:35:53.300 When I asked you last week, what is Jonah about? 00:35:53.380 --> 00:35:54.140 Oh, it's about the fish. 00:35:54.940 --> 00:35:55.920 It's about the great whale. 00:35:56.460 --> 00:36:04.080 And can't remember much else, apart from the fact that it's because if you disobey God, you'll end up in the ocean and you'll be swallowed by a big fish. 00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:05.819 And we stop there. 00:36:06.139 --> 00:36:08.079 And then we look at, man, the Old Testament is brutal. 00:36:08.299 --> 00:36:14.900 The Old Testament doesn't quite make sense because it's not a God of gentleness and kindness and love. 00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:15.880 It's a God of wrath. 00:36:16.440 --> 00:36:18.500 He's trying to drown his prophet. 00:36:20.779 --> 00:36:27.099 We actually can't ignore this because it's very important for us to understand what the wrath of God actually is. 00:36:27.960 --> 00:36:32.199 The wrath of God actually is basically God treating sin incredibly seriously. 00:36:32.199 --> 00:36:38.819 There's a strain of Christianity now that's kind of saying, hey, it doesn't matter what you do. 00:36:39.299 --> 00:36:40.480 It doesn't matter what you do. 00:36:40.719 --> 00:36:41.539 Live your life. 00:36:41.619 --> 00:36:42.239 You do you. 00:36:42.539 --> 00:36:43.179 There is grace. 00:36:43.299 --> 00:36:44.119 God will forgive you. 00:36:44.419 --> 00:36:46.819 He'll meet you exactly where you're at and you're good. 00:36:47.179 --> 00:36:48.500 He loves you no matter what. 00:36:49.379 --> 00:36:51.519 All those things are not false. 00:36:52.339 --> 00:36:53.939 God does love you unconditionally. 00:36:54.259 --> 00:36:58.879 Your grace, his grace for you, his mercy for you is always, always there. 00:36:58.880 --> 00:37:04.079 But if we ignore the wrath of God, which is when we rebel against him, what we're doing is sin. 00:37:04.119 --> 00:37:07.260 And he takes sin extremely, extremely seriously. 00:37:08.680 --> 00:37:12.400 Those areas of Christianity that say, hey, it doesn't really matter about sin anymore because it's all about love. 00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:12.660 No. 00:37:13.519 --> 00:37:14.940 You see, the sin points to love. 00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:17.880 The wrath of God is satisfied by the love of God. 00:37:18.140 --> 00:37:19.740 Tim Keller says this in his book. 00:37:19.739 --> 00:37:31.219 He says, to deny God's wrath upon sin not only robs us of a full view of God's holiness and justice, but also can diminish our wonder, love and praise of what it was that Jesus bore for us. 00:37:31.579 --> 00:37:37.619 This act, this storm, this wrath is showing that God takes sin very, very seriously. 00:37:38.099 --> 00:37:39.059 Very, very seriously. 00:37:39.399 --> 00:37:39.799 Why? 00:37:40.579 --> 00:37:44.579 Because sin, us choosing our own way, ultimately leads to our own death. 00:37:44.579 --> 00:37:53.279 If I see my children running into the street, running in front of a bus, you can bet I'm going to shout as loud as I can and it's going to sound so angry. 00:37:54.079 --> 00:37:54.519 Why? 00:37:54.719 --> 00:38:00.900 Because when they choose to run away from me and you know a bus is just about to come, man, you are going to shout. 00:38:01.039 --> 00:38:07.940 And you, that is the wrath of God coming out because he treats sin seriously, because that sin leads to death. 00:38:07.940 --> 00:38:16.900 We can't ignore that, that we are all children that have run away from him down a path that leads to destruction. 00:38:17.179 --> 00:38:18.480 That is why he is so angry. 00:38:18.900 --> 00:38:27.840 But, but, in case that triggers all sorts of thoughts for you, the wrath of God is satisfied by the love of God. 00:38:27.840 --> 00:38:36.700 Because what you see here is that instead of watching you die, he would rather throw his son into the ocean to catch you in front of that bus. 00:38:38.400 --> 00:38:43.519 We cannot not talk about the wrath of God because it's the wrath of God that points us to the love of God. 00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:54.300 And you see here, even through this storm that he's using to wake Jonah up, to cause him to repent, to bring him back, whilst also saving a whole bunch of pagans. 00:38:55.720 --> 00:38:57.079 Ultimately, what we see here is love. 00:38:57.840 --> 00:38:59.360 We need to understand that. 00:38:59.420 --> 00:39:01.760 When you have someone ask you, wait, what about the Old Testament? 00:39:02.120 --> 00:39:04.600 What about all this angry God stuff? 00:39:05.820 --> 00:39:14.740 Well, if you just read the Old Testament, if you just watched episode one and two, and you don't finish the finale, you won't know the ending of the story. 00:39:14.860 --> 00:39:16.660 You'll just see the beginning of it. 00:39:16.660 --> 00:39:27.820 You'll just see a parent in his love for his children, not wanting them to destroy themselves, not wanting them to hurt themselves, create boundaries and create things that will protect them. 00:39:27.840 --> 00:39:44.320 But you see at the end of the finale, you realize that actually this parent realizes the only way to save these sheep, the only way to save these lost children, the only way to save these rebellious prophets is to actually throw your son into the storm. 00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:49.220 So then you see the wrath of God is counted with the love of God. 00:39:49.280 --> 00:39:51.500 And that's how the wrath of God is satisfied. 00:39:52.440 --> 00:39:53.300 Let us remember that. 00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:55.820 Let us have that same fear that the sailors had. 00:39:56.480 --> 00:39:58.199 Okay, man, this God is something else. 00:39:59.920 --> 00:40:01.380 Let us fear him exceedingly. 00:40:01.840 --> 00:40:02.639 Let us worship him. 00:40:04.260 --> 00:40:05.239 I'll finish with this. 00:40:05.780 --> 00:40:07.000 Of course, the fish is there. 00:40:07.199 --> 00:40:09.599 But I also said last week, let's not get distracted by the fish. 00:40:09.599 --> 00:40:14.539 But apart from the fact, it says, verse 17, and the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. 00:40:15.219 --> 00:40:17.940 I can see this is how episode two finishes. 00:40:18.519 --> 00:40:21.019 So Jonah says you've got the sailors who are completely starting. 00:40:21.099 --> 00:40:22.380 Now the sailors have learned their lesson. 00:40:23.019 --> 00:40:23.839 They are finished. 00:40:24.119 --> 00:40:27.579 And you're not going to see them again in episode three or the rest of the series. 00:40:27.579 --> 00:40:35.139 And then I can imagine the episode finishes with just Jonah's body just floating in the ocean, in the deep, dark ocean. 00:40:36.139 --> 00:40:43.019 And then you see the fish come out, just waddling along, swimming along, and opens its mouth and just swallows Jonah. 00:40:44.960 --> 00:40:49.619 And, of course, all I really think of that, and there's nothing much more deep theologically here for me right now, 00:40:50.319 --> 00:40:53.079 but it's just that God controls the fish. 00:40:53.440 --> 00:40:54.440 He appoints the fish. 00:40:54.440 --> 00:40:58.500 The fish doesn't come just accidentally because he's looking for food. 00:40:59.559 --> 00:41:05.920 God, the creator of heaven and earth, the one whose voice started this whole thing off, 00:41:06.500 --> 00:41:13.619 the one who does whatever he wants to do, appoints a fish to go and save Jonah. 00:41:14.079 --> 00:41:18.940 So whilst the sailors have learned their lesson and they graduate and they move on, Jonah's story continues. 00:41:19.360 --> 00:41:22.460 And what we have reached is really just the halfway point nearly. 00:41:22.460 --> 00:41:27.980 And next week we look at actually what Jonah learns from this whilst being in the belly of the fish for the next three days. 00:41:28.920 --> 00:41:33.340 But for now, would we take heed of what the lesson that is being taught here? 00:41:34.300 --> 00:41:36.840 Have a think, even right now, and we're using the DBS questions here. 00:41:37.159 --> 00:41:41.400 As we've just looked through chapter one, what's God trying to tell you about him? 00:41:41.400 --> 00:41:44.079 That's what I've been thinking about. 00:41:44.200 --> 00:41:49.360 As I mull over the whole of chapter one, I'm looking, God, what is it about you that you're trying to show me here? 00:41:50.860 --> 00:41:51.860 Have a think for yourself. 00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:52.960 I'm going to use a few minutes now. 00:41:53.059 --> 00:41:54.220 There's two things I want you to think about. 00:41:54.320 --> 00:41:58.180 One, what is God trying to show you about him in this first chapter? 00:41:58.860 --> 00:42:00.440 All the way up to this fish point. 00:42:00.780 --> 00:42:03.519 And the second is, what is God trying to tell you about you? 00:42:05.220 --> 00:42:05.900 Are you the Jonah? 00:42:05.900 --> 00:42:12.099 Are you the pagan sailor who's trying everything, crying out to all the different gods, rowing as hard as you can, 00:42:12.360 --> 00:42:18.660 and not understanding the gospel that you can't get there yourself, that you need grace, that we all just need grace? 00:42:20.340 --> 00:42:21.039 What are you? 00:42:21.360 --> 00:42:22.440 What's God trying to say to you? 00:42:22.760 --> 00:42:27.079 I'm going to invite Alex and the team back up here to just lead us in a time of reflection. 00:42:29.019 --> 00:42:31.820 But I want us just to start with asking that question for ourselves. 00:42:31.920 --> 00:42:33.980 And we won't need you to share with the people around. 00:42:33.980 --> 00:42:38.219 But I truly believe the Lord has been speaking to me through this book. 00:42:38.420 --> 00:42:40.199 And I hope he's speaking to you. 00:42:41.019 --> 00:42:42.420 I know he's speaking to you. 00:42:42.880 --> 00:42:44.679 The truth is, it's whether we're actually listening or not. 00:42:45.980 --> 00:42:48.740 Can I invite you just now just to spend a few moments with me? 00:42:49.679 --> 00:42:51.820 Whether it's to close your eyes or just open up your hands. 00:42:52.699 --> 00:42:57.960 As Alex said earlier, we're here to worship him not just through song, not just in our minds, 00:42:58.099 --> 00:43:02.260 but in our souls, in our body, in every part of our being. 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:04.139 00:43:04.139 --> 00:43:34.119 Thank you.