Pay attention to signs, all kinds of signs.
For an example, here's a body language sign.
That's the first of 13 definite signs
he's not serious about you.
Ladies, if you ever go out with a guy and he does that,
smack him upside the head with a menu, then leave.
Don't tolerate that.
Here's a relational sign.
All men are idiots.
I married their king.
Both of my daughters-in-law bought and wore that T-shirt
at the beach this past week.
My wife bought me a T-shirt.
But I was too embarrassed to wear it, so.
For the 2% of people who thought I was serious
in those two slides, I wasn't.
But after seeing that on the screen,
I'm going to guess at least one of my daughters-in-law
will get that and wear it.
On a more serious note,
health signs.
This could be especially appropriate right now
if you're working outside.
Signs of a heat stroke.
My point here is that all around us,
there are signs that we need to take note of.
Signs that can help us to understand things about ourself.
We can even see that in people.
And we're going to look back in Jonah
and see some of the signs in his life
that we can learn from.
Turn, if you would, Jonah.
We're going to stay in chapter 1 a little bit longer.
We'll pick up steam as we move into chapter 2.
But this morning, I want us to look at verses 1 through 6 again
as we continue the thought,
signs of spiritual rebellion.
And we'll read the first six verses.
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah,
the son of Amittai,
saying, Arise, go to Nineveh,
that great city,
and call out against it,
for their evil has come up before me.
But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish
from the presence of the Lord.
He went down to Joppa
and found a ship going to Tarshish.
So he paid the fare and went down into it
to go with them to Tarshish
away from the presence of the Lord.
But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea.
There was a mighty tempest on the sea
so that the ship threatened to break up.
Then the mariners were afraid
and each cried out to his God,
and they hurled the cargo
that was in the ship into the sea
to lighten it for them.
But Jonah had gone down
into the inner part of the ship
and had lain down and was fast asleep.
So the captain came and said to him,
What do you mean, you sleeper?
Arise.
Call out to your God.
Perhaps the God will give a thought to us
that we may not perish.
Let's stop there for right now.
I want us to do a little bit of review,
but add on to what we looked at last week
to start with.
We began looking at this passage last time
and thinking about these signs.
There's some signs in life
that can be misleading.
And we see some in Jonah's experience.
Look first with me at deceptive signs
of spiritual wellness.
Some people like to interpret
what happens to them
or what's happening to them
as a sign.
If all's going well,
it's a good sign that
maybe God's pleased with me
or that just life is good right now.
If there's some bad things happening,
some difficulties,
I think maybe, well,
God's trying to get my attention
or it's just a negative time in life.
All these kinds of signs
don't really indicate the reality.
Jonah shows us that some signs
can be misleading.
Let's look at two.
Everything seems to be falling in place for you
is not necessarily a sign
that all is well.
When Jonah rebelled against God,
you understand,
Jonah was a man of God.
We're not talking about an unbeliever here.
We're talking about God's man,
God's prophet.
He had been used by God.
He had served one of the
northern kingdom's kings.
He's talked about in 2 Kings 14
in a positive way.
Jonah heard God's call.
He understood what God wanted him to do.
Go and preach to these evil,
wicked, ruthless people
who are the enemies of Israel.
Go and preach to them.
What did Jonah do?
He went in the opposite direction.
You look in verse 3.
He went,
found a ship
that was going in the opposite
of where God called him to go.
He found a ship going
as far away as he knew
he could go
at that point in history,
the west coast of Spain.
He paid his fare.
He got on the ship
and all was well to start with.
We don't know how long it was,
but some people think
it could have been many months
from the time
Jonah first heard God's call
till he got on the ship
and the storm struck.
So what I want us to see here is
Jonah knew what God wanted him to do,
but he said,
no, I'll not do it.
He rebelled
and he literally went away
from where God was calling him to go
and for a time
all was well.
But as you know the story,
the smooth sailing didn't last long.
The second sign,
a deceptive sign,
nothing seems to bother you.
You sleep well.
You know,
you may be at a point in life
where,
you know,
you just sort of,
you're just relaxed,
you're at ease,
not stressed,
and you think life is good.
Well,
it may or may not be.
The storm that terrified
these seasoned sailors,
it didn't bother Jonah.
He was able to sleep
in the midst of it.
But as we just read,
God worked through
the captain,
these sailors,
God worked through others
to wake Jonah up
and got his attention
both physically
and spiritually.
The storm eventually
got Jonah's attention
is what I want us to see.
Now,
let's,
I want to add something
from the last time
when we went through this.
What God did to Jonah
helps us to see
that there is always
some kind of storm
attached to
our willful sins.
There's always
some kind of storm
attached to
our
willful,
intentional sins.
look at something
Tim Keller
writes about this.
He says,
every act of disobedience
to God
has a storm
attached
to it.
But then he clarifies,
we must be careful here.
This is not to say
that every difficult thing
that comes into our lives
is the punishment
for some particular sin.
The entire book of Job
contradicts the common belief
that good people
will have lives
that go well
and that if your life
is going badly,
it must be your fault.
The Bible does not say
that every difficulty
is the result of sin.
But it does teach
that every sin
will bring you
into difficulty.
The Bible speaks
sometimes about
God punishing sin.
For example,
in Proverbs 16,
16,
the Lord detests
all the proud
of heart.
They will not
go unpunished.
God's going to punish
the prideful.
In the book of Acts,
chapter 5,
God actually killed
two church members
who lied
to him,
about him.
You can read about that
in Acts 5.
The Bible sometimes
talks about
God punishes sin
specifically,
directly.
But there are other times
when the Bible
speaks of sin
itself
punishing us.
The violence
of the wicked
will drag them away
for they refuse
to do
what is right.
I saw how that works
firsthand
and you can probably
think of your own
examples.
When I was in high school
in the 10th grade
in a P.E. class,
there was a guy
who for whatever reason,
I don't remember why,
he got so angry
he just totally
lost control
and he punched
a steel door
twice
with his fist.
I mean,
I just saw it.
He just came unglued,
went berserk
and bam, bam.
The next day,
maybe it was
a couple of days later,
I don't remember
the exact time frame
on this,
but the next time
I saw him,
he had a cast
from right here
all the way
to his elbow.
His own anger
was the cause
of his suffering.
So what I want
to see in this is,
as the scripture says,
as my example,
and you've probably
got your own examples,
sometimes
just the stupid
things that we do
or the blatantly
sinful things we do,
it bites us.
There's no one
to blame.
We just
reap what we sow.
Paul talks about that,
what we call
the law of the harvest
in Galatians 6.
Look at it.
He says,
do not be deceived.
God is not mocked
for whatever one sows,
that will he also reap.
For the one who sows
to his own flesh,
that is his sinful nature,
will from the flesh
reap corruption.
But the one who sows
to the Spirit
will from the Spirit
reap eternal life.
If we're wise,
as we read
what happened to Jonah,
we will learn
that God does not
overlook
our willful rebellion.
Right this moment,
if you are refusing
to obey God
about something
he's made known
to you very clearly,
maybe you've read it
in his Word.
Maybe there's something
that you just know
you ought to be doing
or not doing.
Maybe it involves
an attitude.
Maybe it involves
a relationship.
But right now,
if you are willfully
refusing to obey God
in something
he's made clear to you,
and all is well,
you're sleeping soundly,
don't think
that God has decided
to let it go.
Don't think
he's going to give you
a free pass.
Remember what Keller said,
every act of obedience
to God
has a storm
attached to it.
As Christians,
we need to think
of such storms
as God's
fatherly discipline.
Sooner or later,
God disciplines
his rebellious children,
and God does that.
We saw another message
a few weeks ago.
God does that
because he loves us.
Every parent here,
every child here,
who had a good,
positive,
Christian home
experience,
even if it wasn't
a Christian home,
every good,
positive home experience,
child and adult,
as a parent,
you know
parents that truly
love their children,
don't let them get by
by just whatever
they want to do.
We go,
we die on many hills
as parents
because we love
our children enough
to go through
the whatever,
to teach them
what's right,
what's wrong,
teach them consequences,
to try to help them.
what kind of child
of God are you?
Are you a foolish one
who has to learn
everything the hard way?
You have to experience
God's discipline
over and over
and over again
because you're just
so hard-headed.
You're foolish.
Or,
are you a wise child
who understands
how important it is,
how good it is
to obey God
the first time,
every time
because it will enable you
to avoid a lot of heartache,
a lot of discipline
and punishment.
Let's look now
at the definite signs
of rebellion
that we see in this chapter.
As I want us
to understand,
Jonah is a believer.
Jonah is like us.
Jonah is not some
unbelieving pagan
who doesn't care.
But in chapter one,
he acts worse
than unbelievers.
So here's the first sign
of someone rebelling
against God.
You have less
spiritual awareness
than unbelievers
around you.
That's a certain sign
that you're rebelling
against God.
When the people
you know
are not Christians,
they're more
godly
than you.
They're more wise
than you.
They're more concerned
about other people
than you.
The sailors
on Jonah's ship,
they believed
in multiple gods.
They were idol
worshipers,
we would call them.
They didn't know God,
but yet,
what they did know,
they cried out to.
They sought
what they thought
was help
from above.
Jonah had a real
relationship with God.
But when the storm
struck,
he did his best
to ignore God.
Instead of praying,
he slept.
it's a shame
when we
as Christians
who know God
through his son,
Jesus,
it's a shame
when we show
less spiritual interest
and commitment
than, say,
Muslims
who do not know God
because they reject
Jesus as God's son.
They wouldn't
think of him
thinking of him
as their savior.
Yet,
faithful Muslims
pray five times a day.
How often do you pray?
How sincerely
do you talk to God?
Faithful Muslims
take what they call,
what we would call
their Bible seriously,
the Koran.
They take the study
and understanding
of it very seriously.
how seriously
do you take
God's word?
In that it shows up,
you actually do read it.
Try to understand it
and apply it
to your life,
in your home.
Signs of rebellion.
When unbelievers
around you
are more spiritually minded,
it appears,
than you are.
Number two,
you're unfazed
by God's obvious discipline.
I don't want to spend
any time here,
really.
We've looked at it,
but don't you just
note,
a sign of real rebellion
is when
God's discipline
has no effect on you,
at least at the first.
You try to ignore God
as he attempts
to get your attention,
like Jonah
when he slept.
or you try to ignore
how your sin
is affecting
other people.
Look back
at verse six.
So the captain
came and said to him,
what do you mean,
you sleeper?
Arise,
call out to your God.
Perhaps the God
will give a thought
to us
that we may not perish.
You see,
other people
were suffering
because of Jonah's
rebellion.
They'd already lost
part of their cargo,
their income.
they're fearing
for their lives.
But Jonah just
doesn't seem to care
how his sin
is hurting
other people.
Let's go to the next one
because here's where
I want us to focus
for a little bit.
A sign that you are
really in full-blown
rebellion against God
is this.
You don't try
to cover up
your rebellion.
You don't try
to cover up.
You don't care
who knows it.
You're not ashamed.
Look at verse 10.
Then the men
were exceedingly afraid
and said to him,
what is this
that you have done?
For the men knew
that he was fleeing
from the presence
of the Lord
because he had told them.
Verse 12.
He said to them,
pick me up
and hurl me
into the sea.
Then the sea
will quiet down
for you
for I know
it is because of me
that this great
tempest
has come upon you.
Jonah
is running
from God
and for whatever
reason
he's told
these people.
He doesn't care.
He makes it clear.
All this is happening
because of me.
And it seems
this attitude
in verse 12,
he's more willing
to die
than to repent
at this point
in time.
Jonah
deliberately
rebelled
against God
by running
from God's call
to go to Nineveh
and preach.
And he wasn't ashamed.
He didn't try
to hide it.
And so here
is where we need
to make this
real personal.
Are you
deliberately
disobeying
something that
God has made
clear in his
word
and you don't
care who knows
it?
Truth is
you flaunt
your sin.
I'm thinking
about maybe
at home.
At home,
you as a boy
or a girl,
a young person,
you profess
to be a Christian.
Yet,
it's real obvious
in the way
that you talk,
your attitude
towards your parents,
you know
you're disobeying
what God says
about your attitude
towards your parents.
But you don't
seem to care.
You're not ashamed.
Or maybe
husband,
wife,
as parents,
you profess
to be a Christian.
You know
how God
says
you are
to
be
towards your spouse,
towards your children.
But you don't
give a rip.
You as a man,
the last thing
in the world
that you're thinking
about is how
to love your wife
like Christ
loves the church.
And as a wife,
rather than
having a submissive
spirit,
you've got to
I'll show you
spirit
towards your husband.
But you know
what the Bible
teaches.
You know what
a Christian husband,
wife,
parent,
child,
you know what
God expects.
And everybody
in the family
knows what
God expects.
But you live
day in and day out
in front of one another
ignoring it,
suppressing it,
rebelling against it,
disobeying it.
It's like you are
flaunting your sin
there before other
people.
That's a sign of a
hard heart.
That's a sign of
calluses developing.
That's a sign of
you're rebelling
and you don't give a rip.
Who knows it?
That's dangerous.
That is very
dangerous.
You know,
we do some things
today
in the church.
We're involved
in some things
today
in the church
that
that shows
that we don't
really
care
what the Bible
teaches
and where I'm
going this time
now
is in terms
of sexual
ethics.
In this
country today
in most
communities
premarital
sex
is just
a given.
Everybody
does it.
People who
go to church
who profess
to be Christians
a lot of times
live together.
not married.
Or if they
don't live
together
they
spend a weekend
together.
Take trips
together.
And everybody
knows they're
sleeping together
and they
don't care
who knows
it.
In the
context here
they're
flaunting
their sin
and if that's
you you're
flaunting
your sin.
some
professing
Christians
do this
and stay
active in
the church.
My favorite
TV show
is Blue
Bloods.
I like Tom
Selleck.
He's the
star.
Well in that
show and a lot
of you are
familiar with it
he is a
widower.
Well in one
episode
he spent the
night with an
old girlfriend
in a hotel
room.
The next
morning there's
a scene
showing him
up getting
dressed and
his girlfriend
asks him
where are you
going so
early?
And his
reply was
to church.
That scene
was obviously
intended to be
funny because
it was so
blatantly
hypocritical.
you see Tom
Selleck's
character
Frank
Reagan
he is a
staunch
Roman
Catholic.
He goes to
church every
single Sunday.
But in that
episode
Tom's
character
the strong
Roman Catholic
is getting
ready for
church
after a
night of
deliberate
intentional
sinful
behavior.
sin.
And that's
just not
on TV.
That is
rampant
in the
south
among
Baptists
and among
many families.
But it's
flaunting
sin.
And that's
not the
only one.
I want to
ask you
what do
you know
that you
deliberately
disobey
God about
but you
don't make
any bones
about it.
You just
do it.
That is
a dangerous
position for
you to be
in.
We cannot
turn up our
nose to
God and
the truth
of His
word
without
consequences.
And Jonah
learned it
in the
context
storm.
Now I
want to
make
something
real
clear
here
real
quick.
Over
the years
especially
in days
gone by
when I
pastored
in Seneca
from time
to time
we had
young
couples
come to
our
church
who were
living
together
and not
married.
And a
couple
about three
or four
times
they expressed
interest
these couples
in joining
our church.
And I
would go
to visit
with them.
Go to
their home
where they
were living
together.
And we'd
have good
talk and
I'd say
now listen
to say
that you
want to
join our
church
means you're
saying two
things.
Number one
I am a
Christian.
And number
two I'm
seeking to
live a
faithful
Christian
life.
And I'd
look at
them and
I'd say
you're
not married.
You're
living
together.
Sleeping
together.
You know
you're not
living a
faithful Christian
life.
And all
but one
looked at
me and
said I
know.
We know.
And I
would tell
them I'm
glad you're
coming to
church.
I want
you to
keep on
coming to
church.
But if
you really
want to be
right with
God and be
serious about
your relationship
with Him
you need to
separate now.
Date.
Get
married.
Just don't
continue in
this kind of
relationship.
But as long
as you continue
in this kind
of relationship
you cannot
join the
church.
But I
want you
to keep
on coming.
All but
one.
The ones
that lied.
All but
one came
back at
least one
time.
And one
of those
couples years
later one
of the ladies
came up to
me and
said you
don't remember
me probably
and I
didn't but
she said you
came to
our home.
My boyfriend
and I were
living together
and you
talked about
that.
And I
really got
under conviction
and I didn't
do it as soon
as I should
have but I
did separate.
We did
separate.
We did
separate.
And we're
no longer
together.
It's important
for us to speak
the truth in
love.
I did it in
love.
I didn't
offend.
I spoke the
truth.
They heard
the truth.
They believed
the truth.
They just
weren't living
it and they
even came
back.
No matter
what anybody's
condition is in
here or if
you've got family
and friends,
you bring
everybody under
the sun here
to hear the
truth of
God's word.
And my
prayer will be
that the
spirit of
God will
use the
word of
God to
change
people's
hearts.
That should
be all of
us our
goal.
But I want
to go back
to Tim Keller's
description of
sin or bring
up his
description of
sin that I
think helps us
to see the
serious nature.
I'm talking
about you.
I'm talking
about me because
we do sinful
things.
And it's a
serious thing
when I do it
and when you
do it.
Look at what
he says.
Sin is a
suicidal action
of the will
upon itself.
It is like
taking an
addicting drug.
At first,
it may feel
wonderful,
but every time
it gets harder
to not do it
again.
Sin always
hardens the
conscience,
locks you in
the prison
of your own
defensiveness
and rationalizations
and eats you
up slowly
from the
inside.
All sin
has a mighty
storm attached
to it.
The image
of a storm
is powerful
because even
in our
technologically
advanced society,
we cannot
control the
weather and
we cannot
control sin
or its
consequences.
as some
wise person
said one
time,
sin will
take you
further than
you want
to go,
keep you
longer than
you want
to stay,
and cost you
more than
you want to
pay.
It will,
you or me.
Sin is
serious
wherever it's
found.
However,
we should
not be
surprised
when people
who do not
even profess
to be
Christians,
when they
do sinful
things.
When they
do sinful
things without
being ashamed,
what do you
expect?
There's a whole
different story
when we,
professing
Christians,
deliberately
disobey
God's
word.
There's
something
terribly
wrong if
we can
willingly sin
without shame
or guilt.
It's a sign
that we're
either in
full-blown
rebellion
against God
and that
our heart
has become
hard,
or it's a
sign that
we aren't
a Christian.
If either
of those
signs are
present in
your life
right now,
the first
thing you
need to do
is admit
your sin
to God
and change
your mind
about it,
turn from
it,
repent.
If you're
not a
Christian,
put your
trust in
Jesus,
call upon
Him to
save you.
When He died
on the cross,
He paid the
penalty for
that sin.
Trust Him
now.
If you
are a
Christian,
not only
repent of
your sin,
turn from
it,
but humble
yourself before
the Lord
right now.
and commit
yourself anew
to Him
as the
real
Lord,
boss
of every
aspect of
your life.
Live to
honor Him
and please
Him.
Let's pray
together.
Father,
make it
clear how we
should respond,
every single
one of us,
and give us
the grace
to do that
right now.
And let's
just in an
attitude of
prayer,
respond to
the Lord
as He
speaks.
I would
be happy to
pray with you
during this
time right
here at the
front.
But I just
want you to
take a few
minutes to
act on what
God has made
clear to you
throughout this
message.
Let's just
pray together
in silence.
Z APPPro
to