WEBVTT

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 We will be reading Jonah chapter 1, verse 1 to 16.

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 And if you're following along in the Church Bible, you will find this on page 726.

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 Jonah chapter 1, verses 1 to 16.

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 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah, the son of Amittai, saying,

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 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it,

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 for their evil has come up before me.

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 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

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 He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish.

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 So he paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish,

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 away from the presence of the Lord.

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 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea,

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 and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

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 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his God.

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 And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them.

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 But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship,

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 and had lain down.

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 Perhaps the God will give a thought to us that we may not perish.

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 And they said to one another,

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 Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.

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 So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.

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 Then they said to him,

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 Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us.

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 What is your occupation, and where do you come from?

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 What is your country, and of what people are you?

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 And he said to them,

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 I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven,

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 who made the sea and the dry land.

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 Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him,

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 What is this that you have done?

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 For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord,

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 because he had told them.

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 Then they said to him,

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 What shall we do to you that the sea may quiet down for us?

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 For the sea grew more and more tempestuous.

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 He said to them,

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 Pick me up and hurl me into the sea.

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 Then the sea will quiet down for you.

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 For I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.

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 Nevertheless, the men rode hard to get back to dry land,

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 but they could not,

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 for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.

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 Therefore they called out to the Lord,

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 O Lord, let us not perish for this man's life,

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 and lay not on us innocent blood.

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 For you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.

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 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea,

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 and the sea ceased from its raging.

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 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly,

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 and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great. Thanks, Zoe, for reading.

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 Well, once again, welcome.

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 If you are new, my name is Kevin,

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 and great to have you with us this morning.

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 If you are visiting and I haven't met you,

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 come and say hi to me afterwards.

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 I'd love to meet you and get to know you a little bit,

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 but great to have you with us this morning.

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 Now, as you heard, we are spending the next few weeks

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 looking at the book of the Bible, Jonah,

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 this very well-known story.

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 And, of course, many of us would have heard

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 the story of Jonah and the big fish.

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 And yet, in some ways, that's the challenge

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 because we've probably, many of us have heard of it,

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 and we're so familiar with it

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 that we can miss its message.

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 I find the story of Jonah actually one of the most challenging

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 and provocative books in the Old Testament,

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 books of the Bible.

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 I find it deeply, deeply challenging.

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 And so I'm looking forward to us diving into this together.

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 We often reduce the story of Jonah

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 just to a grumpy old man and a big fish,

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 kind of like a kid's story tale.

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 But actually, its message is very deep and profound.

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 And if you know the story of Jonah,

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 right at the end, the way the book ends

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 is the last verse is God asks Jonah a question,

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 and then that's the end of the book.

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 And we don't know how Jonah answers.

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 No answer is given.

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 And the book ends on a cliffhanger,

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 and the reason for that is because

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 throughout the book of Jonah,

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 Jonah's life is going to be asking us questions,

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 asking lots of questions of us,

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 and it's challenging us the whole way through.

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 But we're going to get there in the coming weeks.

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 Now, the big idea for today,

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 some ways are simple,

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 is don't run from God.

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 Rather, trust Him.

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 Fear Him.

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 Even when His ways don't make sense to us.

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 Because He's infinitely wiser,

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 greater, and more gracious than you can imagine.

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 Don't run from God.

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 Trust Him.

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 Fear Him.

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 Even when His ways don't make sense to us.

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 Because He's infinitely wiser,

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 greater,

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 and more gracious than we can imagine.

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 So, let's dive in and look at it.

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 We've got a couple of things

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 we're going to see in this passage.

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 So, firstly,

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 let's look at Jonah's foolish run from the Lord.

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 Jonah's foolish run.

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 Now, the story begins with,

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 very famously,

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 with Jonah running from God.

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 Right?

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 Verse 1,

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 the word of the Lord came to Jonah.

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 Verse 3,

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 But Jonah ran from the presence of the Lord.

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 And this is well known to us,

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 but it's shocking to anybody that reads the Bible for the first time.

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 Why?

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 Because a prophet is somebody who's meant to stand before God,

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 stand in God's presence,

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 represent God,

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 speak for God,

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 on behalf of God.

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 But Jonah,

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 rather than standing before God,

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 is running from Him.

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 Verse 3 tells us,

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 twice,

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 Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish

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 from the presence of the Lord.

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 Again,

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 he paid the fare

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 and went to Tarshish

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 away from the presence of the Lord.

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 Now,

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 why would Jonah do this?

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 This sounds like a very foolish thing to do.

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 But actually,

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 we should have a little bit of sympathy for Jonah.

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 Maybe he shouldn't be so high and mighty.

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 Because,

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 what is the task

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 that Jonah's being asked to do?

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 Well,

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 verse 2 tells us,

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 look at what it says,

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 Arise,

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 go to Nineveh,

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 that great city,

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 call out against it,

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 for their evil

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 has come up before me.

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 Now,

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 in order to understand this,

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 we should understand a little bit about Nineveh.

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 Who were the Ninevites?

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 Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria.

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 Assyria was the world's superpower of the day.

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 At the time,

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 they kind of controlled the whole of the

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 kind of known Middle Eastern world

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 of that day and age.

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 But the Assyrians were known

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 as probably the most vicious,

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 violent,

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 and sadistic empire of the ancient world.

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 They were extremely,

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 extremely violent.

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 Historians have described them

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 as one of the most gory

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 and blood-curling histories

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 that we know of.

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 One of the emperors,

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 a guy called Shalmanessi III,

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 he used to commission for artworks

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 to be made throughout his palace

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 and his empire.

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 Stone reliefs would be carved

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 and artworks made

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 depicting people being tortured,

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 decapitated,

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 or dismembered.

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 This is the artwork around his palace

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 that he decorated his palace with

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 and his empire.

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 Assyrian soldiers would sometimes,

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 in battle,

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 they wouldn't kill their enemies,

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 but they'd cut off their legs,

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 cut off one of their arms,

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 and leave one arm still in place

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 so that they could shake the hand

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 of their victims

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 as they left them to bleed to death.

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 Other accounts tell us of sometimes,

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 one author describes the way that

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 the Assyrians would force family members

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 to march through the streets of the city

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 with poles,

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 with the decapitated heads

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 of their loved ones,

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 through the streets,

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 parading their defeat.

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 Other records have spoken about them

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 skinning their enemies alive,

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 throwing salt on the wounds,

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 and then leaving them to dry

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 and die in the sun.

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 This is one of the cruelest,

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 most violent empires

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 of the ancient world,

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 and what is Jonah being asked to do?

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 Go to their streets

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 and tell them that they are bad people

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 and that they should stop their ways.

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 One commentator said,

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 this is like a rabbi

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 standing in the streets of Berlin,

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 Germany,

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 in the 1940s,

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 crying out against the Nazi empire.

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 How long do you think

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 he's going to last?

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 And yet this is what God

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 is asking Jonah to do.

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 And so Jonah's response

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 is to run.

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 And so instead of going east

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 to Nineveh,

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 he gets on a ship

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 to go west of the land,

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 of the seas,

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 to Tarshish,

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 as far away as he can

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 from Nineveh.

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 But as the author wants us to see,

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 Jonah is not just running

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 away from Nineveh,

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 he's running away from God.

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 Twice the verse tells us,

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 verse 3,

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 Jonah rose to flee

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 to Tarshish

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 from the presence of the Lord.

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 But of course,

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 running doesn't solve

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 Jonah's problems,

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 does it?

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 No more than running

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 solves our problems.

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 Jeremiah the prophet

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 said this,

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 Can a man hide himself

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 in secret places

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 that I cannot see him?

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 Do I not fill

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 heaven and earth,

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 declares the Lord?

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 Or think of the famous

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 Psalm 139

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 that Jonah probably

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 would have known about.

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 Psalm 139,

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 David writes,

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 O Lord,

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 you have searched me

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 and you know me.

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 You know when I sit down

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 and when I rise up.

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 You search out my path

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 and my lying down.

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 You are acquainted

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 with all of my ways.

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 Where shall I go

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 from your spirit?

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 Where shall I flee

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 from your presence?

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 And yet despite all this,

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 Jonah tries to run

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 from the God

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 that he claims

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 to believe in.

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 Now,

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 before we move on

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 to the story,

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 three very brief implications,

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 a quick implications

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 for us is this.

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 Firstly,

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 if you are a follower

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 of Jesus

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 or if you're considering

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 becoming a follower

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 of Jesus,

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 when God calls us,

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 He calls us

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 to difficult things.

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 God often calls us

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 to difficult things.

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 Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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 said this,

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 when God calls a man

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 or woman to Himself,

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 He bids Him

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 to come and die,

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 to lay down our lives,

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 to pick up our cross

00:10:19.359 --> 00:10:20.119
 and to follow Him,

00:10:20.179 --> 00:10:21.759
 to die to our selfish dreams,

00:10:22.199 --> 00:10:23.299
 to die to the idea

00:10:23.299 --> 00:10:24.359
 of being our own Lord

00:10:24.359 --> 00:10:25.759
 and King and Master,

00:10:26.119 --> 00:10:27.139
 to die to the life

00:10:27.139 --> 00:10:27.639
 of comfort

00:10:27.639 --> 00:10:28.339
 and convenience

00:10:28.339 --> 00:10:29.179
 and ease.

00:10:29.959 --> 00:10:31.059
 Jesus' call

00:10:31.059 --> 00:10:32.059
 to follow Him

00:10:32.059 --> 00:10:33.159
 is not a call

00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:33.839
 to comfort

00:10:33.839 --> 00:10:34.559
 and convenience.

00:10:35.239 --> 00:10:36.179
 It's a call

00:10:36.179 --> 00:10:37.259
 to follow Him.

00:10:37.259 --> 00:10:38.559
 And as we heard last week,

00:10:38.620 --> 00:10:39.559
 where did Jesus go?

00:10:40.039 --> 00:10:41.299
 He went to the cross.

00:10:42.100 --> 00:10:42.580
 Jesus,

00:10:42.860 --> 00:10:44.100
 when speaking to His disciples,

00:10:44.539 --> 00:10:45.379
 He reveals Himself

00:10:45.379 --> 00:10:46.580
 as the Messiah King

00:10:46.580 --> 00:10:48.720
 and then His very next line is,

00:10:49.899 --> 00:10:51.360
 If anyone would come after Me,

00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:53.019
 let him deny himself,

00:10:53.179 --> 00:10:54.080
 pick up His cross

00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:55.399
 and follow Me.

00:10:56.360 --> 00:10:56.639
 And friends,

00:10:56.720 --> 00:10:57.319
 because we live

00:10:57.319 --> 00:10:58.639
 in a therapeutic age,

00:10:58.740 --> 00:10:59.580
 what that means is

00:10:59.580 --> 00:11:00.399
 we tend to think

00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:01.659
 that what feels good

00:11:01.659 --> 00:11:02.659
 must be good

00:11:02.659 --> 00:11:03.840
 or what feels right

00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:04.899
 must be right

00:11:04.899 --> 00:11:06.919
 and what feels uncomfortable

00:11:06.919 --> 00:11:07.779
 or difficult

00:11:07.779 --> 00:11:08.539
 or hard

00:11:08.539 --> 00:11:09.759
 must be wrong

00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:11.059
 and certainly not God's will.

00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:13.279
 But Jonah reminds us,

00:11:13.399 --> 00:11:14.379
 as does the whole of Scripture,

00:11:14.579 --> 00:11:15.659
 that when God calls us,

00:11:15.699 --> 00:11:17.220
 He calls us to difficult things.

00:11:17.939 --> 00:11:19.620
 He calls us to live by faith,

00:11:20.199 --> 00:11:21.139
 to trust Him,

00:11:21.659 --> 00:11:22.860
 despite the difficulty

00:11:22.860 --> 00:11:23.899
 to which He calls us.

00:11:24.459 --> 00:11:25.019
 And that leads

00:11:25.019 --> 00:11:25.959
 to the second implication,

00:11:26.579 --> 00:11:27.860
 which is that God's call

00:11:27.860 --> 00:11:29.240
 is not just that God

00:11:29.240 --> 00:11:30.939
 wants to work through us,

00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:32.519
 but God wants to work in us.

00:11:32.579 --> 00:11:33.579
 When God calls us,

00:11:33.580 --> 00:11:34.980
 He wants to change us.

00:11:35.680 --> 00:11:36.580
 The story of Jonah,

00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:37.160
 as we're going to see

00:11:37.160 --> 00:11:38.200
 over the next couple of weeks,

00:11:38.560 --> 00:11:40.680
 is God is going to change Jonah

00:11:40.680 --> 00:11:41.840
 in the process.

00:11:42.540 --> 00:11:43.600
 Jonah needs to hear

00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:44.960
 the message of God's

00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:46.520
 transforming and redeeming grace

00:11:46.520 --> 00:11:47.440
 just as much

00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:49.420
 as the Ninevites do himself.

00:11:49.900 --> 00:11:51.120
 To Jonah's great surprise,

00:11:51.280 --> 00:11:52.639
 God will work through him,

00:11:52.900 --> 00:11:53.940
 but what the book of Jonah

00:11:53.940 --> 00:11:54.620
 wants to show us

00:11:54.620 --> 00:11:55.879
 is how much Jonah himself

00:11:55.879 --> 00:11:56.720
 needs to change.

00:11:57.500 --> 00:11:58.960
 When God calls us,

00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:00.520
 He's also to call

00:12:00.520 --> 00:12:01.400
 to transformation.

00:12:02.680 --> 00:12:03.560
 Friends, isn't that true

00:12:03.559 --> 00:12:04.279
 of all of us?

00:12:04.419 --> 00:12:05.159
 When God calls you

00:12:05.159 --> 00:12:06.199
 to serve or lead,

00:12:06.899 --> 00:12:07.579
 we're not just called

00:12:07.579 --> 00:12:08.699
 to carry His message,

00:12:09.099 --> 00:12:09.859
 but to be changed

00:12:09.859 --> 00:12:10.919
 by it ourselves.

00:12:11.779 --> 00:12:12.199
 And then here's

00:12:12.199 --> 00:12:13.339
 the third brief implication.

00:12:14.019 --> 00:12:15.399
 In running from God's word,

00:12:15.619 --> 00:12:16.179
 Jonah is running

00:12:16.179 --> 00:12:17.000
 from God Himself.

00:12:17.779 --> 00:12:18.919
 You notice verse 1 says,

00:12:19.079 --> 00:12:19.939
 the word of the Lord

00:12:19.939 --> 00:12:20.719
 came to Jonah.

00:12:21.079 --> 00:12:22.219
 Jonah doesn't like the word,

00:12:22.319 --> 00:12:23.139
 so he runs away.

00:12:23.299 --> 00:12:24.619
 But what does verse 3 say?

00:12:25.099 --> 00:12:25.819
 Jonah is running

00:12:25.819 --> 00:12:27.000
 from God's presence.

00:12:27.859 --> 00:12:28.479
 Throughout the Bible,

00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:29.159
 we see these

00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:30.319
 interconnected things.

00:12:30.439 --> 00:12:31.959
 You can't reject God's word

00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:33.259
 without rejecting God Himself.

00:12:34.040 --> 00:12:34.879
 You cannot run away

00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:35.740
 from God's command

00:12:35.740 --> 00:12:36.879
 without also running away

00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:38.300
 from relationship with Him.

00:12:39.040 --> 00:12:40.360
 Jonah runs from God's word,

00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:41.460
 and he ends up running away

00:12:41.460 --> 00:12:42.620
 from the presence of the Lord.

00:12:43.460 --> 00:12:43.759
 And so,

00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:45.540
 Jonah's not convinced,

00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:46.680
 and so he runs from God,

00:12:46.740 --> 00:12:47.700
 which is a very foolish

00:12:47.700 --> 00:12:48.379
 thing to do,

00:12:48.740 --> 00:12:50.220
 because in running from God,

00:12:50.400 --> 00:12:51.900
 Jonah runs into a storm.

00:12:52.320 --> 00:12:53.600
 Look at verse 4 with me.

00:12:54.460 --> 00:12:54.660
 It says,

00:12:54.659 --> 00:12:55.519
 the Lord hurled

00:12:55.519 --> 00:12:56.980
 a great wind upon the sea,

00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:58.659
 and there was a mighty tempest

00:12:58.659 --> 00:12:59.120
 on the sea,

00:12:59.199 --> 00:12:59.759
 so that the ship

00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:01.000
 threatened to break up.

00:13:01.500 --> 00:13:02.659
 The mariners were afraid,

00:13:02.740 --> 00:13:03.539
 and each cried out

00:13:03.539 --> 00:13:04.480
 to his God.

00:13:04.579 --> 00:13:05.500
 They hurled the cargo

00:13:05.500 --> 00:13:06.240
 that was on the ship

00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:06.939
 into the sea

00:13:06.939 --> 00:13:07.740
 to lighten it.

00:13:08.279 --> 00:13:09.600
 But Jonah had gone down

00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:10.519
 into the inner parts

00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:10.939
 of the ship,

00:13:11.319 --> 00:13:12.279
 and laid down

00:13:12.279 --> 00:13:13.539
 and was fast asleep.

00:13:15.059 --> 00:13:15.319
 Friends,

00:13:15.339 --> 00:13:15.879
 here we see,

00:13:16.459 --> 00:13:18.139
 in a very vivid way,

00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:20.519
 the foolishness of sin.

00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:22.100
 And one of the lessons

00:13:22.100 --> 00:13:23.039
 we want to see here

00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:24.039
 is what Tim Keller says,

00:13:24.139 --> 00:13:25.339
 that all sin

00:13:25.339 --> 00:13:26.459
 has a storm

00:13:26.459 --> 00:13:27.559
 attached to it.

00:13:28.339 --> 00:13:28.980
 All sin

00:13:28.980 --> 00:13:29.819
 has a storm

00:13:29.819 --> 00:13:30.719
 attached to it.

00:13:31.159 --> 00:13:32.120
 And the reason for this

00:13:32.120 --> 00:13:32.579
 is actually

00:13:32.579 --> 00:13:34.319
 quite intuitive.

00:13:34.659 --> 00:13:35.559
 If you think about it,

00:13:35.779 --> 00:13:37.219
 in any area of life,

00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:38.259
 when we go against

00:13:38.259 --> 00:13:39.159
 something's purpose

00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:40.179
 or its design,

00:13:40.539 --> 00:13:41.559
 that thing strikes

00:13:41.559 --> 00:13:42.259
 back at you,

00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:42.679
 right?

00:13:42.939 --> 00:13:44.159
 If you are indifferent

00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:45.240
 about your health,

00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:46.579
 your health is going

00:13:46.579 --> 00:13:47.539
 to strike back at you,

00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:47.699
 right?

00:13:47.740 --> 00:13:48.839
 You can't be indifferent

00:13:48.839 --> 00:13:49.919
 about your health

00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:51.179
 and your physical well-being

00:13:51.179 --> 00:13:52.139
 and still live

00:13:52.139 --> 00:13:52.759
 a healthy life

00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:53.439
 and expect to be

00:13:53.439 --> 00:13:54.059
 well and healthy.

00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:55.039
 Friends,

00:13:55.059 --> 00:13:56.100
 we can't be indifferent

00:13:56.100 --> 00:13:57.759
 towards our financial lives

00:13:57.759 --> 00:13:58.860
 and expect to be

00:13:58.860 --> 00:13:59.819
 financially healthy.

00:14:00.700 --> 00:14:00.980
 Friends,

00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:02.000
 you can't take

00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:02.559
 a relationship

00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:03.460
 with your spouse

00:14:03.460 --> 00:14:04.139
 for granted

00:14:04.139 --> 00:14:05.779
 and expect a happy

00:14:05.779 --> 00:14:06.799
 and healthy marriage.

00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:08.600
 In the same ways,

00:14:08.700 --> 00:14:09.360
 we can't take

00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:09.840
 a relationship

00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:11.000
 with the sovereign God

00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:11.600
 for granted,

00:14:11.799 --> 00:14:12.379
 be indifferent

00:14:12.379 --> 00:14:13.179
 towards Him

00:14:13.179 --> 00:14:14.740
 and expect to still

00:14:14.740 --> 00:14:15.600
 flourish in the world

00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:16.340
 that He's made

00:14:16.340 --> 00:14:17.259
 and He's created.

00:14:18.379 --> 00:14:19.000
 And so the God

00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:19.740
 of all creation says,

00:14:19.939 --> 00:14:20.700
 if you're indifferent

00:14:20.700 --> 00:14:21.759
 and reject me,

00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:23.519
 it does bite back.

00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:24.519
 There's a storm

00:14:24.519 --> 00:14:25.679
 attached to every sin.

00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:27.860
 One of the literary features

00:14:27.860 --> 00:14:29.319
 in the book of Jonah,

00:14:29.460 --> 00:14:30.600
 Jonah is a literary

00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:31.419
 masterpiece.

00:14:31.700 --> 00:14:32.639
 It's unbelievable

00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:33.960
 and I hope you get to

00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:34.980
 enjoy it as you read it.

00:14:35.019 --> 00:14:35.779
 But one of the literary

00:14:35.779 --> 00:14:36.360
 features here

00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:36.960
 that commentators

00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:37.879
 often point out

00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:39.840
 is that in this chapter

00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:40.779
 it begins off

00:14:40.779 --> 00:14:41.559
 with God saying,

00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:42.240
 arise,

00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:43.120
 go to Nineveh.

00:14:43.220 --> 00:14:44.179
 Nineveh is in the north

00:14:44.179 --> 00:14:47.240
 east of Jerusalem.

00:14:47.439 --> 00:14:47.860
 Arise,

00:14:47.980 --> 00:14:48.860
 go to Nineveh.

00:14:48.860 --> 00:14:50.340
 And yet the story

00:14:50.340 --> 00:14:51.240
 tells us that Jonah

00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:52.060
 goes down,

00:14:52.220 --> 00:14:52.620
 down,

00:14:52.800 --> 00:14:53.139
 down,

00:14:53.259 --> 00:14:54.419
 down to Joppa,

00:14:54.700 --> 00:14:56.039
 down to a ship,

00:14:56.639 --> 00:14:57.980
 down into the ship,

00:14:58.300 --> 00:14:59.379
 down into the hell

00:14:59.379 --> 00:15:00.300
 and ultimately

00:15:00.300 --> 00:15:01.700
 down into the sea.

00:15:02.440 --> 00:15:03.139
 And it's almost like

00:15:03.139 --> 00:15:04.060
 the author is wanting

00:15:04.060 --> 00:15:04.940
 us to see

00:15:04.940 --> 00:15:06.320
 that Jonah's life

00:15:06.320 --> 00:15:07.740
 is spiraling downhill

00:15:07.740 --> 00:15:09.240
 as he runs away

00:15:09.240 --> 00:15:09.879
 from God.

00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:11.379
 Because this is how

00:15:11.379 --> 00:15:12.139
 life in God's

00:15:12.139 --> 00:15:12.940
 creation work.

00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:14.820
 All sin has a storm

00:15:14.820 --> 00:15:15.639
 attached to it.

00:15:16.420 --> 00:15:16.899
 Now of course

00:15:16.899 --> 00:15:17.639
 we need to be careful

00:15:17.639 --> 00:15:19.019
 here because this

00:15:19.019 --> 00:15:19.679
 doesn't mean that

00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:20.399
 every time we are

00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:21.000
 in a storm

00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:21.860
 it's necessarily

00:15:21.860 --> 00:15:22.860
 because of a sin.

00:15:23.559 --> 00:15:24.279
 Life is sometimes

00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:24.720
 hard.

00:15:25.480 --> 00:15:26.639
 We are born

00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:27.259
 into a difficult

00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:27.740
 world.

00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:28.799
 Life will,

00:15:28.939 --> 00:15:29.919
 storms will come

00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:30.279
 our way.

00:15:30.899 --> 00:15:31.620
 We have to live

00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:32.199
 by faith

00:15:32.199 --> 00:15:32.659
 in the midst

00:15:32.659 --> 00:15:33.159
 of hardship.

00:15:33.879 --> 00:15:34.519
 Sometimes God

00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:35.199
 calls us to

00:15:35.199 --> 00:15:35.919
 difficult and

00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:36.779
 challenging things

00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:37.620
 and we feel

00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:38.259
 like we've walked

00:15:38.259 --> 00:15:39.019
 into a storm.

00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:40.419
 And yet,

00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:41.759
 that doesn't negate

00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:42.299
 what the Bible

00:15:42.299 --> 00:15:43.000
 clearly says,

00:15:43.100 --> 00:15:43.819
 that while not

00:15:43.819 --> 00:15:44.740
 all difficulties

00:15:44.740 --> 00:15:45.600
 are a result

00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:46.120
 of sin,

00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:47.620
 all sin will

00:15:47.620 --> 00:15:48.100
 bring us

00:15:48.100 --> 00:15:48.720
 into immense

00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:49.360
 difficulty.

00:15:50.299 --> 00:15:50.799
 That running

00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:51.440
 from God

00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:52.100
 means running

00:15:52.100 --> 00:15:52.899
 into a storm

00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:53.500
 of our own

00:15:53.500 --> 00:15:53.860
 making.

00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:55.419
 And in Jonah's

00:15:55.419 --> 00:15:55.940
 account here,

00:15:56.180 --> 00:15:56.700
 the storm is

00:15:56.700 --> 00:15:57.600
 dramatic and

00:15:57.600 --> 00:15:58.220
 it's immediate.

00:15:58.779 --> 00:15:59.240
 It's almost

00:15:59.240 --> 00:15:59.840
 within a couple

00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.639
 of hours the

00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:01.379
 storm comes up.

00:16:01.659 --> 00:16:02.340
 In our lives,

00:16:02.419 --> 00:16:03.120
 often the storm

00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:03.860
 is slow

00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:05.139
 and we don't

00:16:05.139 --> 00:16:06.000
 realize it.

00:16:06.039 --> 00:16:06.799
 And Jonah here,

00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:07.799
 it seems like he

00:16:07.799 --> 00:16:08.659
 goes into the

00:16:08.659 --> 00:16:09.820
 boat and goes

00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:10.419
 to sleep.

00:16:10.500 --> 00:16:11.180
 And while he's

00:16:11.180 --> 00:16:11.639
 asleep,

00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:13.240
 he's oblivious

00:16:13.240 --> 00:16:13.740
 to the fact that

00:16:13.740 --> 00:16:14.340
 a storm is

00:16:14.340 --> 00:16:14.700
 brewing.

00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:15.139
 It comes

00:16:15.139 --> 00:16:15.659
 upon him.

00:16:16.259 --> 00:16:16.740
 Isn't that so

00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:17.360
 often like our

00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:17.720
 lives?

00:16:18.299 --> 00:16:18.860
 We run

00:16:18.860 --> 00:16:19.399
 from God

00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:20.080
 and before we

00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:20.639
 realize it,

00:16:20.680 --> 00:16:21.299
 we wake up

00:16:21.299 --> 00:16:21.840
 and a storm

00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:22.600
 is upon us.

00:16:23.100 --> 00:16:23.460
 A storm

00:16:23.460 --> 00:16:23.980
 of our own

00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:24.340
 making.

00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:26.560
 Jonah's foolish

00:16:26.560 --> 00:16:28.159
 run from God.

00:16:28.919 --> 00:16:29.659
 But also we see

00:16:29.659 --> 00:16:30.299
 in this passage,

00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:31.340
 Jonah's empty

00:16:31.340 --> 00:16:32.120
 declaration,

00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:32.740
 his hollow

00:16:32.740 --> 00:16:33.419
 declaration.

00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:34.659
 Now,

00:16:34.820 --> 00:16:35.779
 we've seen Jonah's

00:16:35.779 --> 00:16:36.159
 been running

00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:36.700
 from God

00:16:36.700 --> 00:16:37.580
 and a storm

00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:38.080
 has come

00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:38.700
 upon him.

00:16:39.100 --> 00:16:39.899
 But why

00:16:39.899 --> 00:16:40.620
 is that?

00:16:40.879 --> 00:16:41.379
 We still haven't

00:16:41.379 --> 00:16:42.220
 got to why.

00:16:42.860 --> 00:16:43.100
 Now,

00:16:43.139 --> 00:16:43.539
 as I said

00:16:43.539 --> 00:16:43.879
 earlier,

00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:44.899
 Jonah is a

00:16:44.899 --> 00:16:45.939
 literary masterpiece.

00:16:46.220 --> 00:16:46.939
 It's beautifully

00:16:46.939 --> 00:16:47.740
 constructed.

00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:48.700
 And I want you

00:16:48.700 --> 00:16:49.240
 to look at

00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:50.659
 the slide,

00:16:51.059 --> 00:16:51.639
 the structure

00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:52.100
 of Jonah

00:16:52.100 --> 00:16:52.860
 chapter 1.

00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:53.980
 This is called

00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:54.620
 a chiasm

00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:57.039
 where the first

00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:58.340
 sentence and the

00:16:58.340 --> 00:16:58.899
 last sentence

00:16:58.899 --> 00:16:59.460
 mirror each

00:16:59.460 --> 00:17:00.000
 other and the

00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:00.720
 second part and

00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:01.700
 the second last

00:17:01.700 --> 00:17:02.700
 part mirror each

00:17:02.700 --> 00:17:02.899
 other.

00:17:03.419 --> 00:17:04.759
 And it mirrors

00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:05.940
 in a kind of

00:17:05.940 --> 00:17:06.740
 arrow-shaped

00:17:06.740 --> 00:17:08.220
 direction.

00:17:08.920 --> 00:17:09.299
 And then the

00:17:09.299 --> 00:17:10.200
 central part of

00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:11.380
 the chapter is

00:17:11.380 --> 00:17:12.000
 what the author

00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:12.759
 wants us to take

00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:13.039
 note of.

00:17:13.099 --> 00:17:13.500
 This is a

00:17:13.500 --> 00:17:15.180
 literary device

00:17:15.180 --> 00:17:16.420
 that writers in

00:17:16.420 --> 00:17:16.980
 the ancient world

00:17:16.980 --> 00:17:17.359
 used.

00:17:17.900 --> 00:17:18.380
 And here,

00:17:18.519 --> 00:17:18.880
 there's the

00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:19.740
 beautiful chiasm

00:17:19.740 --> 00:17:20.700
 in Jonah chapter 1.

00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:21.259
 So look at

00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:22.960
 verse 4,

00:17:23.180 --> 00:17:24.299
 the Lord hurls a

00:17:24.299 --> 00:17:24.980
 storm in the sea.

00:17:25.380 --> 00:17:26.100
 Verse 15,

00:17:26.220 --> 00:17:27.220
 the sailors hurl

00:17:27.220 --> 00:17:28.059
 Jonah into the

00:17:28.059 --> 00:17:28.259
 sea.

00:17:28.740 --> 00:17:29.480
 In verse 5,

00:17:29.620 --> 00:17:31.059
 the sailors pray

00:17:31.059 --> 00:17:31.559
 and act.

00:17:31.900 --> 00:17:32.840
 In verse 13 and

00:17:32.840 --> 00:17:33.240
 14,

00:17:33.559 --> 00:17:34.400
 the sailors act

00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:34.900
 and pray.

00:17:35.400 --> 00:17:36.460
 In verse 6,

00:17:36.700 --> 00:17:37.039
 the sailors

00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:37.960
 question Jonah.

00:17:38.380 --> 00:17:39.900
 In verse 10,

00:17:40.259 --> 00:17:40.620
 the sailors

00:17:40.620 --> 00:17:41.660
 question Jonah again.

00:17:41.720 --> 00:17:42.279
 So there's this

00:17:42.279 --> 00:17:43.480
 mirroring that

00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:43.779
 happens.

00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:44.500
 And right in the

00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:44.840
 center,

00:17:45.319 --> 00:17:46.120
 in verse 9,

00:17:46.580 --> 00:17:47.759
 is Jonah's words.

00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:48.799
 And the author

00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:49.500
 has structured it

00:17:49.500 --> 00:17:50.099
 like this because

00:17:50.099 --> 00:17:50.900
 the author wants

00:17:50.900 --> 00:17:51.819
 us to take note

00:17:51.819 --> 00:17:52.980
 of Jonah's words.

00:17:54.619 --> 00:17:55.599
 What he says here.

00:17:56.259 --> 00:17:56.740
 The sailors,

00:17:56.900 --> 00:17:57.519
 look at verse 9,

00:17:57.579 --> 00:17:58.299
 the sailors try to

00:17:58.299 --> 00:17:58.940
 save themselves,

00:17:59.059 --> 00:17:59.599
 they can't,

00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:00.400
 they draw lots and

00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:01.420
 they find out Jonah's

00:18:01.420 --> 00:18:02.019
 the one at fault.

00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:03.240
 And so they ask him

00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:03.879
 what he's done.

00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:05.140
 They say,

00:18:05.240 --> 00:18:05.859
 tell us on whose

00:18:05.859 --> 00:18:06.660
 account has this

00:18:06.660 --> 00:18:07.240
 evil come?

00:18:07.379 --> 00:18:07.819
 What is your

00:18:07.819 --> 00:18:08.359
 occupation?

00:18:08.779 --> 00:18:09.259
 Where do you

00:18:09.259 --> 00:18:09.779
 come from?

00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:10.539
 What is your

00:18:10.539 --> 00:18:10.980
 country?

00:18:11.500 --> 00:18:12.480
 What people are

00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:12.660
 you?

00:18:13.339 --> 00:18:14.119
 And verse 9 is

00:18:14.119 --> 00:18:14.579
 the key.

00:18:15.379 --> 00:18:15.859
 Jonah says,

00:18:15.940 --> 00:18:16.700
 I am a Hebrew.

00:18:16.700 --> 00:18:18.180
 I fear the Lord,

00:18:18.259 --> 00:18:19.000
 the God of heaven,

00:18:19.460 --> 00:18:20.220
 who made the sea

00:18:20.220 --> 00:18:21.340
 and the dry land.

00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:22.400
 Now,

00:18:22.460 --> 00:18:22.860
 as we're going to

00:18:22.860 --> 00:18:23.380
 see in coming

00:18:23.380 --> 00:18:23.700
 weeks,

00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:24.819
 the book of Jonah

00:18:24.819 --> 00:18:25.980
 is full of irony.

00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:27.100
 Almost every

00:18:27.100 --> 00:18:27.440
 chapter,

00:18:27.580 --> 00:18:27.960
 there are these

00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:29.059
 amazing ironies.

00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:30.200
 God calls Jonah

00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:30.900
 to rise,

00:18:31.180 --> 00:18:32.000
 and he goes down,

00:18:32.100 --> 00:18:32.319
 down,

00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:32.740
 down.

00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:33.759
 God tells Jonah

00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:34.440
 to go east,

00:18:34.620 --> 00:18:35.779
 and he goes west.

00:18:37.120 --> 00:18:38.360
 God tells Jonah

00:18:38.360 --> 00:18:38.900
 to tell the

00:18:38.900 --> 00:18:39.779
 Ninevites to repent,

00:18:40.080 --> 00:18:40.559
 they do,

00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:41.180
 and then he's

00:18:41.180 --> 00:18:41.799
 bit and angry

00:18:41.799 --> 00:18:42.400
 that they listen

00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:42.740
 to him.

00:18:42.840 --> 00:18:43.120
 There are all

00:18:43.120 --> 00:18:43.840
 these ironies,

00:18:43.900 --> 00:18:44.120
 right?

00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:45.480
 But here in

00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:46.080
 verse 9,

00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:48.159
 is a dramatic

00:18:48.159 --> 00:18:49.500
 irony once

00:18:49.500 --> 00:18:49.839
 again.

00:18:50.539 --> 00:18:51.099
 Jonah gives

00:18:51.099 --> 00:18:52.000
 this remarkable

00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:53.019
 declaration of

00:18:53.019 --> 00:18:53.599
 his faith,

00:18:54.259 --> 00:18:54.679
 and yet it's

00:18:54.679 --> 00:18:55.399
 deeply ironic,

00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:55.939
 and for two

00:18:55.939 --> 00:18:56.199
 reasons.

00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:56.720
 Look at this.

00:18:56.819 --> 00:18:57.159
 Firstly,

00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:58.039
 he says,

00:18:58.139 --> 00:18:58.799
 I'm a follower

00:18:58.799 --> 00:18:59.720
 of the Lord,

00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:00.139
 Yahweh,

00:19:00.220 --> 00:19:00.859
 the God of

00:19:00.859 --> 00:19:01.199
 heaven,

00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:02.299
 the maker of

00:19:02.299 --> 00:19:02.859
 the sea and

00:19:02.859 --> 00:19:03.740
 the dry land.

00:19:04.460 --> 00:19:05.019
 Jonah says

00:19:05.019 --> 00:19:05.919
 that he follows

00:19:05.919 --> 00:19:06.579
 the God who is

00:19:06.579 --> 00:19:07.299
 sovereign over

00:19:07.299 --> 00:19:08.159
 everything.

00:19:08.679 --> 00:19:09.179
 There is no

00:19:09.179 --> 00:19:10.139
 part of creation

00:19:10.139 --> 00:19:11.019
 over which God

00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:11.779
 is not sovereign

00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:12.639
 and in charge,

00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:14.099
 and yet where is

00:19:14.099 --> 00:19:14.619
 Jonah running

00:19:14.619 --> 00:19:14.959
 away?

00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:16.119
 Out of the

00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:16.740
 land into the

00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:16.939
 sea,

00:19:17.019 --> 00:19:17.259
 right?

00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:18.539
 In the ancient

00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:18.899
 world,

00:19:18.980 --> 00:19:19.879
 all nations

00:19:19.879 --> 00:19:20.799
 believed in a

00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:21.399
 buffet of

00:19:21.399 --> 00:19:21.719
 gods.

00:19:21.819 --> 00:19:22.159
 So there's

00:19:22.159 --> 00:19:22.659
 the God of

00:19:22.659 --> 00:19:23.099
 the sea,

00:19:23.219 --> 00:19:23.579
 the God of

00:19:23.579 --> 00:19:24.059
 the land,

00:19:24.159 --> 00:19:24.439
 the God of

00:19:24.439 --> 00:19:24.919
 the crops,

00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:25.579
 the God of

00:19:25.579 --> 00:19:26.099
 the stars,

00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:26.639
 the God of

00:19:26.639 --> 00:19:27.099
 the weather,

00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:28.000
 and you would

00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:28.719
 worship the

00:19:28.719 --> 00:19:29.339
 different gods.

00:19:29.459 --> 00:19:29.740
 And Jonah

00:19:29.740 --> 00:19:29.959
 says,

00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:30.679
 that's not my

00:19:30.679 --> 00:19:30.959
 God.

00:19:31.419 --> 00:19:32.019
 The God I

00:19:32.019 --> 00:19:32.899
 believe in is

00:19:32.899 --> 00:19:33.419
 the Lord of

00:19:33.419 --> 00:19:33.899
 everything,

00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:34.619
 the maker of

00:19:34.619 --> 00:19:35.599
 heaven and

00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:35.899
 earth,

00:19:36.179 --> 00:19:37.139
 the land and

00:19:37.139 --> 00:19:37.559
 the sea,

00:19:37.679 --> 00:19:38.519
 everything in it.

00:19:38.879 --> 00:19:39.279
 Jonah says,

00:19:39.519 --> 00:19:40.500
 my God is the

00:19:40.500 --> 00:19:41.259
 creator and

00:19:41.259 --> 00:19:42.079
 sustainer of

00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:42.980
 everyone and

00:19:42.980 --> 00:19:43.519
 everything.

00:19:44.139 --> 00:19:44.960
 He is eternal,

00:19:45.419 --> 00:19:45.740
 infinite,

00:19:46.279 --> 00:19:47.119
 and unchangeable,

00:19:47.220 --> 00:19:47.899
 and his power and

00:19:47.899 --> 00:19:48.319
 perfection,

00:19:48.740 --> 00:19:49.419
 his goodness and

00:19:49.419 --> 00:19:49.699
 grace,

00:19:49.819 --> 00:19:50.339
 his justice,

00:19:50.639 --> 00:19:50.919
 mercy,

00:19:50.919 --> 00:19:52.299
 and truth.

00:19:52.679 --> 00:19:53.099
 Does that sound

00:19:53.099 --> 00:19:53.439
 familiar?

00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:54.379
 That's the

00:19:54.379 --> 00:19:54.939
 catechism we

00:19:54.939 --> 00:19:55.480
 said earlier.

00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:55.819
 Okay?

00:19:56.199 --> 00:19:56.759
 So Jonah's

00:19:56.759 --> 00:19:57.240
 confessing,

00:19:57.299 --> 00:19:57.779
 my God is

00:19:57.779 --> 00:19:58.159
 Lord of

00:19:58.159 --> 00:19:58.759
 everything,

00:19:59.559 --> 00:20:00.480
 and yet when

00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:01.000
 God says,

00:20:01.259 --> 00:20:01.599
 go here,

00:20:01.679 --> 00:20:01.919
 he says,

00:20:02.099 --> 00:20:02.879
 I think I'm

00:20:02.879 --> 00:20:03.359
 going to run

00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:03.899
 away by the

00:20:03.899 --> 00:20:04.379
 sea and God

00:20:04.379 --> 00:20:04.879
 won't find

00:20:04.879 --> 00:20:05.159
 me.

00:20:06.679 --> 00:20:07.480
 Jonah makes

00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:08.559
 a declaration of

00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:09.199
 his faith,

00:20:09.859 --> 00:20:10.519
 but he doesn't

00:20:10.519 --> 00:20:11.460
 really believe it,

00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:11.899
 does it?

00:20:12.559 --> 00:20:13.599
 His declaration

00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:14.119
 is actually

00:20:14.119 --> 00:20:14.539
 empty.

00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:16.119
 It's hollow.

00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:17.899
 In his heart

00:20:17.899 --> 00:20:18.379
 of hearts,

00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:18.899
 he doesn't

00:20:18.899 --> 00:20:19.579
 believe what

00:20:19.579 --> 00:20:20.379
 he professes

00:20:20.379 --> 00:20:21.000
 with his

00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:21.379
 mouth.

00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:23.419
 Jonah says

00:20:23.419 --> 00:20:23.939
 he believes

00:20:23.939 --> 00:20:24.259
 in the

00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:25.079
 sovereign God,

00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:25.879
 but he's

00:20:25.879 --> 00:20:26.379
 running away

00:20:26.379 --> 00:20:26.859
 from him.

00:20:27.599 --> 00:20:28.099
 But here's

00:20:28.099 --> 00:20:28.460
 the second

00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:28.799
 irony.

00:20:29.439 --> 00:20:29.759
 In many

00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:29.980
 ways,

00:20:30.019 --> 00:20:30.319
 this is the

00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:30.659
 heart of

00:20:30.659 --> 00:20:31.240
 chapter one,

00:20:31.879 --> 00:20:32.299
 that while

00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:33.319
 Jonah confesses

00:20:33.319 --> 00:20:34.059
 to fearing

00:20:34.059 --> 00:20:34.559
 God,

00:20:34.939 --> 00:20:35.500
 it's actually

00:20:35.500 --> 00:20:36.439
 the unbelieving

00:20:36.439 --> 00:20:37.759
 sailors who

00:20:37.759 --> 00:20:38.839
 truly fear God

00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:39.779
 and fear him

00:20:39.779 --> 00:20:40.199
 more than

00:20:40.199 --> 00:20:40.539
 Jonah.

00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:42.539
 Jonah says

00:20:42.539 --> 00:20:42.879
 in verse

00:20:42.879 --> 00:20:43.240
 nine,

00:20:43.460 --> 00:20:43.980
 I am a

00:20:43.980 --> 00:20:44.259
 Hebrew.

00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:45.000
 I fear

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:45.579
 the God

00:20:45.579 --> 00:20:46.319
 of all

00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:46.799
 creation.

00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:47.779
 But look

00:20:47.779 --> 00:20:48.119
 at verse

00:20:48.119 --> 00:20:48.859
 14 with

00:20:48.859 --> 00:20:49.099
 me.

00:20:49.960 --> 00:20:50.619
 Jonah tells

00:20:50.619 --> 00:20:50.859
 him that

00:20:50.859 --> 00:20:51.259
 the storm

00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:51.599
 is because

00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:52.039
 of him.

00:20:52.700 --> 00:20:53.019
 The only

00:20:53.019 --> 00:20:53.299
 way to

00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:53.720
 calm the

00:20:53.720 --> 00:20:54.019
 storm is

00:20:54.019 --> 00:20:54.319
 to hurl

00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:54.519
 them in

00:20:54.519 --> 00:20:54.899
 the sea.

00:20:55.460 --> 00:20:55.700
 Verse

00:20:55.700 --> 00:20:56.079
 14,

00:20:56.139 --> 00:20:56.420
 then they

00:20:56.420 --> 00:20:56.980
 called out

00:20:56.980 --> 00:20:57.220
 to the

00:20:57.220 --> 00:20:57.500
 Lord and

00:20:57.500 --> 00:20:57.720
 they said,

00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:58.159
 O Lord,

00:20:58.319 --> 00:20:58.920
 do not let

00:20:58.920 --> 00:20:59.339
 us perish

00:20:59.339 --> 00:20:59.720
 for this

00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:00.039
 man's

00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:00.339
 life.

00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:01.059
 Lay not

00:21:01.059 --> 00:21:01.420
 on us

00:21:01.420 --> 00:21:01.859
 innocent

00:21:01.859 --> 00:21:02.220
 blood,

00:21:02.339 --> 00:21:02.720
 for you,

00:21:02.819 --> 00:21:03.000
 O Lord,

00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:03.279
 have done

00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:03.519
 as you

00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:03.920
 pleased.

00:21:04.279 --> 00:21:04.440
 Verse

00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:04.859
 16,

00:21:05.059 --> 00:21:05.779
 they throw

00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:06.019
 him into

00:21:06.019 --> 00:21:06.319
 the sea.

00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:06.919
 Then the

00:21:06.919 --> 00:21:07.839
 men feared

00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:08.559
 the Lord

00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:09.439
 exceedingly.

00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:09.919
 Literally,

00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:10.279
 it says,

00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:10.939
 they feared

00:21:10.939 --> 00:21:11.539
 with great

00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:11.879
 fear.

00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:12.939
 And they

00:21:12.939 --> 00:21:13.159
 offered

00:21:13.159 --> 00:21:14.139
 sacrifices to

00:21:14.139 --> 00:21:14.439
 the Lord

00:21:14.439 --> 00:21:14.679
 and they

00:21:14.679 --> 00:21:15.319
 made vows.

00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:16.720
 Friends,

00:21:16.759 --> 00:21:17.279
 here we get to

00:21:17.279 --> 00:21:17.859
 the heart of

00:21:17.859 --> 00:21:18.259
 Jonah's

00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:18.679
 problem,

00:21:19.179 --> 00:21:20.039
 but also the

00:21:20.039 --> 00:21:20.379
 heart of

00:21:20.379 --> 00:21:20.879
 our problem.

00:21:21.899 --> 00:21:22.259
 It's the

00:21:22.259 --> 00:21:22.799
 same reason

00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:23.519
 why we run

00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:23.859
 from the

00:21:23.859 --> 00:21:24.139
 Lord.

00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:26.399
 Jonah does

00:21:26.399 --> 00:21:27.039
 not fear the

00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:27.679
 Lord anything

00:21:27.679 --> 00:21:28.259
 like what he

00:21:28.259 --> 00:21:28.799
 claims to.

00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:30.259
 He does not

00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:31.200
 believe that the

00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:32.019
 sovereign God is

00:21:32.019 --> 00:21:32.879
 actually sovereign

00:21:32.879 --> 00:21:33.659
 at all.

00:21:33.660 --> 00:21:35.680
 Friends,

00:21:35.720 --> 00:21:36.080
 if you're a

00:21:36.080 --> 00:21:36.519
 Christian this

00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:36.820
 morning,

00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:37.540
 would you say

00:21:37.540 --> 00:21:38.180
 that you fear

00:21:38.180 --> 00:21:38.519
 God?

00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:40.340
 What might that

00:21:40.340 --> 00:21:41.000
 look like in

00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:41.580
 your life?

00:21:43.000 --> 00:21:43.720
 What does it

00:21:43.720 --> 00:21:44.560
 mean to fear

00:21:44.560 --> 00:21:45.040
 God?

00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:46.540
 One of the

00:21:46.540 --> 00:21:47.259
 best descriptions

00:21:47.259 --> 00:21:48.220
 is a quote

00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:49.259
 by the name of

00:21:49.259 --> 00:21:50.060
 a guy by the

00:21:50.060 --> 00:21:50.460
 name of Martin

00:21:50.460 --> 00:21:50.720
 Buber.

00:21:50.800 --> 00:21:51.300
 Listen to what he

00:21:51.300 --> 00:21:51.759
 says here.

00:21:52.220 --> 00:21:52.740
 Martin Buber was

00:21:52.740 --> 00:21:53.180
 an Austrian

00:21:53.180 --> 00:21:53.759
 philosopher.

00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.060
 He says this,

00:21:55.120 --> 00:21:56.220
 to fear God

00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:57.160
 does not mean to

00:21:57.160 --> 00:21:57.900
 be afraid of

00:21:57.900 --> 00:21:58.240
 God,

00:21:58.840 --> 00:21:59.400
 but that

00:21:59.400 --> 00:22:00.160
 trembling,

00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:01.480
 one is aware

00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:01.880
 of his

00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:03.320
 incomprehensibility.

00:22:03.660 --> 00:22:04.600
 It is the

00:22:04.600 --> 00:22:05.160
 dark gate

00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:05.560
 through which

00:22:05.560 --> 00:22:06.220
 one must

00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:07.019
 pass if he

00:22:07.019 --> 00:22:07.620
 is to enter

00:22:07.620 --> 00:22:08.140
 into the

00:22:08.140 --> 00:22:08.500
 love of

00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:08.820
 God.

00:22:09.560 --> 00:22:10.019
 He who

00:22:10.019 --> 00:22:10.460
 wishes to

00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:11.360
 avoid passing

00:22:11.360 --> 00:22:11.800
 through this

00:22:11.800 --> 00:22:12.080
 gate,

00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:13.200
 who begins to

00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:14.160
 provide or

00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:14.660
 create for

00:22:14.660 --> 00:22:15.320
 himself a

00:22:15.320 --> 00:22:15.920
 safe and

00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:16.620
 comprehensible

00:22:16.620 --> 00:22:17.000
 God,

00:22:17.420 --> 00:22:18.180
 constructed like

00:22:18.180 --> 00:22:18.740
 this and not

00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:19.160
 otherwise,

00:22:19.700 --> 00:22:20.540
 runs the risk

00:22:20.540 --> 00:22:21.060
 of having to

00:22:21.060 --> 00:22:22.340
 despair of

00:22:22.340 --> 00:22:23.120
 God in view

00:22:23.120 --> 00:22:23.880
 of the realities

00:22:23.880 --> 00:22:25.120
 of life or

00:22:25.120 --> 00:22:26.040
 falling into

00:22:26.040 --> 00:22:26.880
 inner falsehood.

00:22:27.600 --> 00:22:28.160
 Only through

00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:28.800
 the fear of

00:22:28.800 --> 00:22:29.380
 God does one

00:22:29.380 --> 00:22:30.460
 enter so deep

00:22:30.460 --> 00:22:31.019
 into the love

00:22:31.019 --> 00:22:32.120
 of God that

00:22:32.120 --> 00:22:32.519
 he cannot

00:22:32.519 --> 00:22:33.160
 again be

00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:33.680
 cast out

00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:34.000
 of it.

00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:35.460
 That's pretty

00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:35.820
 wordy,

00:22:35.880 --> 00:22:36.259
 but you see

00:22:36.259 --> 00:22:36.759
 what Martin

00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:37.320
 Buber is

00:22:37.320 --> 00:22:37.580
 saying?

00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:38.740
 He's saying

00:22:38.740 --> 00:22:39.880
 to fear

00:22:39.880 --> 00:22:40.779
 God is not

00:22:40.779 --> 00:22:41.240
 just a

00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:41.820
 creed or

00:22:41.820 --> 00:22:42.460
 a confession,

00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:43.620
 it's to

00:22:43.620 --> 00:22:44.240
 come face

00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:44.660
 to face

00:22:44.660 --> 00:22:45.060
 with the

00:22:45.060 --> 00:22:46.300
 incomprehensibility,

00:22:46.519 --> 00:22:47.320
 the mystery

00:22:47.320 --> 00:22:47.980
 of the God

00:22:47.980 --> 00:22:48.360
 that cannot

00:22:48.360 --> 00:22:49.100
 be managed,

00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:50.019
 manipulated,

00:22:50.200 --> 00:22:50.560
 contained,

00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:51.180
 or controlled.

00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:52.180
 And having

00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:52.880
 come face

00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:53.279
 to face

00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:53.600
 to him,

00:22:53.860 --> 00:22:54.259
 accepting

00:22:54.259 --> 00:22:54.740
 him on

00:22:54.740 --> 00:22:55.600
 his terms,

00:22:55.940 --> 00:22:56.620
 we find

00:22:56.620 --> 00:22:56.980
 that we

00:22:56.980 --> 00:22:58.240
 enter into

00:22:58.240 --> 00:22:58.820
 his love.

00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.140
 It's the

00:23:00.140 --> 00:23:00.700
 only way to

00:23:00.700 --> 00:23:01.180
 truly know

00:23:01.180 --> 00:23:01.360
 him.

00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:02.399
 It's the

00:23:02.399 --> 00:23:02.899
 only way to

00:23:02.899 --> 00:23:03.719
 truly experience

00:23:03.719 --> 00:23:03.919
 him,

00:23:04.159 --> 00:23:04.899
 to encounter

00:23:04.899 --> 00:23:05.079
 him,

00:23:05.139 --> 00:23:05.979
 to willingly

00:23:05.979 --> 00:23:06.659
 come to

00:23:06.659 --> 00:23:07.479
 the scary

00:23:07.479 --> 00:23:08.459
 yet liberating

00:23:08.459 --> 00:23:09.199
 realization

00:23:09.199 --> 00:23:10.379
 that he is

00:23:10.379 --> 00:23:10.839
 God and

00:23:10.839 --> 00:23:11.419
 we are not.

00:23:12.099 --> 00:23:12.599
 And entering

00:23:12.599 --> 00:23:13.319
 into that

00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:14.859
 counterintuitively

00:23:14.859 --> 00:23:15.979
 is the way

00:23:15.979 --> 00:23:16.379
 of entering

00:23:16.379 --> 00:23:16.779
 into his

00:23:16.779 --> 00:23:17.119
 love,

00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:18.259
 the way of

00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:18.719
 entering into

00:23:18.719 --> 00:23:19.279
 relationship,

00:23:20.139 --> 00:23:20.519
 the way of

00:23:20.519 --> 00:23:21.039
 entering into

00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:21.579
 friendship.

00:23:22.599 --> 00:23:23.319
 One of my

00:23:23.319 --> 00:23:23.979
 favorite verses

00:23:23.979 --> 00:23:24.419
 in the Bible,

00:23:24.599 --> 00:23:25.179
 Psalm 25,

00:23:25.379 --> 00:23:25.839
 says this,

00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:26.980
 the friendship

00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:27.379
 of the

00:23:27.379 --> 00:23:27.799
 Lord is

00:23:27.799 --> 00:23:28.379
 for those

00:23:28.379 --> 00:23:28.939
 who fear

00:23:28.939 --> 00:23:29.259
 him.

00:23:30.199 --> 00:23:30.659
 The

00:23:30.659 --> 00:23:31.159
 friendship

00:23:31.159 --> 00:23:31.639
 of the

00:23:31.639 --> 00:23:32.199
 Lord is

00:23:32.199 --> 00:23:32.779
 for those

00:23:32.779 --> 00:23:33.259
 who fear

00:23:33.259 --> 00:23:33.579
 him.

00:23:34.139 --> 00:23:34.379
 Friends,

00:23:34.419 --> 00:23:34.759
 those who

00:23:34.759 --> 00:23:35.139
 come to

00:23:35.139 --> 00:23:35.319
 him and

00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:35.439
 say,

00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:36.019
 you are

00:23:36.019 --> 00:23:36.519
 God and

00:23:36.519 --> 00:23:36.859
 I am

00:23:36.859 --> 00:23:37.179
 not,

00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:38.599
 are drawn

00:23:38.599 --> 00:23:39.359
 through this

00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:40.259
 dark gate

00:23:40.259 --> 00:23:40.659
 into the

00:23:40.659 --> 00:23:41.559
 incomprehensibility

00:23:41.559 --> 00:23:42.240
 of God and

00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:43.059
 discover on the

00:23:43.059 --> 00:23:43.579
 other side,

00:23:44.159 --> 00:23:44.759
 there is a

00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:45.179
 God who

00:23:45.179 --> 00:23:45.959
 loves us

00:23:45.959 --> 00:23:46.779
 and who

00:23:46.779 --> 00:23:47.159
 wants to

00:23:47.159 --> 00:23:47.720
 know us

00:23:47.720 --> 00:23:48.619
 and extend

00:23:48.619 --> 00:23:49.099
 the friendship

00:23:49.099 --> 00:23:49.480
 of the

00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:49.859
 Lord for

00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:50.079
 him.

00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:51.419
 And here,

00:23:51.559 --> 00:23:51.740
 friends,

00:23:51.779 --> 00:23:52.000
 is the

00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:52.559
 difficult but

00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:52.939
 wonderful

00:23:52.939 --> 00:23:53.559
 teaching of

00:23:53.559 --> 00:23:53.919
 the fear

00:23:53.919 --> 00:23:54.339
 of God,

00:23:54.339 --> 00:23:55.379
 that the

00:23:55.379 --> 00:23:55.799
 God that

00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:56.299
 we've come

00:23:56.299 --> 00:23:56.879
 to sing

00:23:56.879 --> 00:23:58.079
 and worship

00:23:58.079 --> 00:23:59.379
 and pray

00:23:59.379 --> 00:24:00.339
 to and

00:24:00.339 --> 00:24:00.899
 listen to

00:24:00.899 --> 00:24:01.579
 this morning

00:24:01.579 --> 00:24:02.519
 is not

00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:03.199
 containable.

00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:04.519
 He is not

00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:05.079
 managed.

00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:06.299
 He is not

00:24:06.299 --> 00:24:06.839
 controlled.

00:24:07.639 --> 00:24:08.159
 He is not

00:24:08.159 --> 00:24:08.699
 manipulated.

00:24:09.619 --> 00:24:10.399
 He is awesome

00:24:10.399 --> 00:24:11.019
 and awful

00:24:11.019 --> 00:24:11.740
 and terrifying

00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:12.559
 and dangerous

00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:13.419
 and unsafe

00:24:13.419 --> 00:24:13.919
 and yet

00:24:13.919 --> 00:24:14.879
 glorious and

00:24:14.879 --> 00:24:15.240
 he makes

00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:15.959
 himself known

00:24:15.959 --> 00:24:17.139
 and he draws

00:24:17.139 --> 00:24:17.559
 us into

00:24:17.559 --> 00:24:18.059
 his love.

00:24:20.439 --> 00:24:20.919
 Friends,

00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:21.179
 is there

00:24:21.179 --> 00:24:21.939
 any part of

00:24:21.939 --> 00:24:22.339
 your life

00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:22.679
 you've been

00:24:22.679 --> 00:24:23.259
 running away

00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:23.699
 from this

00:24:23.699 --> 00:24:24.019
 God?

00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:25.759
 Can you

00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:26.119
 see how

00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:26.699
 foolish that

00:24:26.699 --> 00:24:26.959
 is?

00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:28.859
 Not only

00:24:28.859 --> 00:24:29.379
 for Jonah,

00:24:29.539 --> 00:24:30.119
 but for all

00:24:30.119 --> 00:24:30.500
 of us who

00:24:30.500 --> 00:24:31.059
 like Jonah,

00:24:31.179 --> 00:24:31.559
 think that

00:24:31.559 --> 00:24:31.939
 we can

00:24:31.939 --> 00:24:32.579
 control God

00:24:32.579 --> 00:24:32.879
 and run

00:24:32.879 --> 00:24:33.259
 away from

00:24:33.259 --> 00:24:33.480
 him.

00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:35.099
 And friends,

00:24:35.159 --> 00:24:35.439
 there are

00:24:35.439 --> 00:24:36.079
 many ways

00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:36.439
 to run

00:24:36.439 --> 00:24:36.839
 away from

00:24:36.839 --> 00:24:37.119
 God.

00:24:37.199 --> 00:24:37.639
 One is

00:24:37.639 --> 00:24:38.159
 obviously

00:24:38.159 --> 00:24:38.799
 rebellious,

00:24:38.919 --> 00:24:39.559
 to run

00:24:39.559 --> 00:24:39.899
 as far

00:24:39.899 --> 00:24:40.279
 away as

00:24:40.279 --> 00:24:40.539
 you can

00:24:40.539 --> 00:24:40.879
 and live

00:24:40.879 --> 00:24:41.319
 contrary

00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:41.720
 to him.

00:24:42.379 --> 00:24:43.000
 But another

00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:43.559
 way to run

00:24:43.559 --> 00:24:43.959
 away from

00:24:43.959 --> 00:24:44.599
 God is to

00:24:44.599 --> 00:24:45.359
 try and be

00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:45.980
 good and

00:24:45.980 --> 00:24:46.720
 control him

00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.259
 and manipulate

00:24:47.259 --> 00:24:48.500
 him through

00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:48.980
 our good

00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:49.399
 deeds and

00:24:49.399 --> 00:24:49.959
 our devotion.

00:24:51.019 --> 00:24:51.299
 Another

00:24:51.299 --> 00:24:51.740
 way to run

00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:52.059
 away from

00:24:52.059 --> 00:24:52.599
 God is to

00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:53.679
 externally look

00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:54.039
 like we've

00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:54.460
 got it all

00:24:54.460 --> 00:24:54.779
 together,

00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:55.539
 but to keep

00:24:55.539 --> 00:24:56.400
 a secret part

00:24:56.400 --> 00:24:57.019
 of our life

00:24:57.019 --> 00:24:58.200
 hidden that

00:24:58.200 --> 00:24:58.880
 we keep to

00:24:58.880 --> 00:24:59.519
 ourselves,

00:24:59.519 --> 00:25:00.740
 an area that

00:25:00.740 --> 00:25:01.340
 we don't want

00:25:01.340 --> 00:25:02.180
 God to touch.

00:25:03.299 --> 00:25:04.240
 Just this week,

00:25:04.299 --> 00:25:05.799
 I heard the news

00:25:05.799 --> 00:25:06.799
 of a very famous,

00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:07.920
 very well-respected

00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:08.759
 Christian leader

00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:10.200
 who just this week

00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:10.920
 admitted to an

00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:11.680
 eight-year affair

00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:12.519
 with another married

00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:12.860
 woman,

00:25:13.560 --> 00:25:14.580
 all while writing

00:25:14.580 --> 00:25:15.320
 Christian books,

00:25:15.840 --> 00:25:16.340
 speaking at

00:25:16.340 --> 00:25:17.000
 Christian churches,

00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:18.240
 speaking at

00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:19.140
 Christian conferences,

00:25:19.140 --> 00:25:20.860
 going about his

00:25:20.860 --> 00:25:21.660
 Christian life,

00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:22.840
 and yet there

00:25:22.840 --> 00:25:23.460
 was a secret

00:25:23.460 --> 00:25:24.020
 part of his

00:25:24.020 --> 00:25:24.700
 life that was

00:25:24.700 --> 00:25:25.240
 running away

00:25:25.240 --> 00:25:25.860
 from God that

00:25:25.860 --> 00:25:26.380
 he would not

00:25:26.380 --> 00:25:27.160
 let God touch.

00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:28.680
 And friends,

00:25:28.780 --> 00:25:29.320
 as the news

00:25:29.320 --> 00:25:30.180
 broke this week,

00:25:30.340 --> 00:25:31.080
 the storm that

00:25:31.080 --> 00:25:31.820
 has erupted in

00:25:31.820 --> 00:25:32.480
 his life,

00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:34.080
 in his family,

00:25:34.620 --> 00:25:35.600
 in his marriage,

00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:37.120
 is unfathomable.

00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:38.800
 For eight years,

00:25:38.900 --> 00:25:39.460
 no one knew a

00:25:39.460 --> 00:25:39.660
 thing.

00:25:40.380 --> 00:25:41.000
 For eight years,

00:25:41.060 --> 00:25:41.740
 going to church,

00:25:41.860 --> 00:25:42.360
 speaking at

00:25:42.360 --> 00:25:42.680
 churches,

00:25:42.860 --> 00:25:43.580
 writing books,

00:25:44.280 --> 00:25:45.280
 and having an

00:25:45.280 --> 00:25:46.200
 empty profession

00:25:46.200 --> 00:25:47.320
 declaration of faith,

00:25:47.319 --> 00:25:48.619
 all while running

00:25:48.619 --> 00:25:49.240
 from God in one

00:25:49.240 --> 00:25:49.519
 of the most

00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:50.339
 important areas

00:25:50.339 --> 00:25:50.899
 of his life.

00:25:52.099 --> 00:25:52.339
 Friends,

00:25:52.359 --> 00:25:52.859
 are there any

00:25:52.859 --> 00:25:53.500
 areas of our

00:25:53.500 --> 00:25:54.039
 life where we

00:25:54.039 --> 00:25:54.359
 are running

00:25:54.359 --> 00:25:54.799
 from God?

00:25:55.619 --> 00:25:56.220
 This is the

00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:56.659
 question I've

00:25:56.659 --> 00:25:57.039
 been asking

00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:57.639
 myself this

00:25:57.639 --> 00:25:57.799
 week.

00:25:57.919 --> 00:25:58.159
 God,

00:25:58.240 --> 00:25:58.919
 are there any

00:25:58.919 --> 00:25:59.559
 areas of my

00:25:59.559 --> 00:26:00.079
 life that I'm

00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:00.579
 keeping off

00:26:00.579 --> 00:26:00.960
 from you?

00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:02.259
 God,

00:26:02.339 --> 00:26:03.740
 come in your

00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:04.639
 incomprehensible,

00:26:04.899 --> 00:26:05.480
 unsafe,

00:26:06.139 --> 00:26:06.819
 awesome area.

00:26:07.379 --> 00:26:07.879
 Come and have

00:26:07.879 --> 00:26:08.339
 your way.

00:26:09.539 --> 00:26:10.339
 As we come to

00:26:10.339 --> 00:26:10.619
 a close,

00:26:10.679 --> 00:26:11.279
 we see here

00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:12.759
 not only Jonah's

00:26:12.759 --> 00:26:13.619
 foolish run,

00:26:13.879 --> 00:26:14.539
 Jonah's empty

00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:15.079
 declaration,

00:26:15.259 --> 00:26:16.000
 but also Jonah's

00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:16.619
 only hope.

00:26:17.319 --> 00:26:17.879
 The message

00:26:17.879 --> 00:26:18.439
 of this

00:26:18.439 --> 00:26:19.019
 chapter is

00:26:19.019 --> 00:26:19.500
 don't run

00:26:19.500 --> 00:26:19.980
 from God,

00:26:20.500 --> 00:26:21.179
 fear him,

00:26:21.779 --> 00:26:22.379
 trust him,

00:26:22.899 --> 00:26:23.539
 even when you

00:26:23.539 --> 00:26:24.279
 can't understand

00:26:24.279 --> 00:26:24.899
 his ways and

00:26:24.899 --> 00:26:25.779
 his declarations

00:26:25.779 --> 00:26:26.460
 don't make sense

00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:26.839
 to you.

00:26:27.399 --> 00:26:28.039
 Trust him.

00:26:28.579 --> 00:26:29.480
 But the reality

00:26:29.480 --> 00:26:30.119
 is that there's

00:26:30.119 --> 00:26:30.779
 probably a fair

00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:31.399
 bit of Jonah

00:26:31.399 --> 00:26:32.139
 inside of all

00:26:32.139 --> 00:26:32.539
 of us,

00:26:32.939 --> 00:26:33.659
 probably more

00:26:33.659 --> 00:26:34.139
 than we like

00:26:34.139 --> 00:26:34.639
 to admit,

00:26:35.319 --> 00:26:35.799
 more than we

00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:36.740
 like to realize.

00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:37.720
 And so friends,

00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:38.559
 where does Jonah

00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:39.500
 find hope?

00:26:40.359 --> 00:26:40.879
 Where do I

00:26:40.879 --> 00:26:41.480
 find hope?

00:26:42.059 --> 00:26:42.599
 Where do we

00:26:42.599 --> 00:26:43.159
 find hope?

00:26:44.200 --> 00:26:44.679
 Ironically,

00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:45.639
 it's in the

00:26:45.639 --> 00:26:46.399
 message that Jonah

00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:46.900
 was running

00:26:46.900 --> 00:26:47.480
 away from.

00:26:47.620 --> 00:26:48.019
 Because look

00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:48.780
 at verse 2

00:26:48.780 --> 00:26:49.140
 with me.

00:26:49.220 --> 00:26:49.440
 If you've got

00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:49.860
 your Bible,

00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:50.200
 what does

00:26:50.200 --> 00:26:50.600
 verse 2

00:26:50.600 --> 00:26:50.860
 say?

00:26:51.820 --> 00:26:52.780
 God says to

00:26:52.780 --> 00:26:53.019
 Jonah,

00:26:53.140 --> 00:26:53.560
 arise,

00:26:53.700 --> 00:26:54.340
 go to Nineveh,

00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:55.300
 that great city,

00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:56.280
 and call out

00:26:56.280 --> 00:26:57.080
 against it,

00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:58.460
 for their evil

00:26:58.460 --> 00:26:59.440
 has come up

00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:00.440
 before me.

00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:02.180
 Why would God

00:27:02.180 --> 00:27:03.540
 send Jonah

00:27:03.540 --> 00:27:05.080
 to Nineveh

00:27:05.080 --> 00:27:06.160
 to tell them

00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:06.900
 about their evil?

00:27:07.360 --> 00:27:08.200
 If God just

00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:08.940
 wants to smite

00:27:08.940 --> 00:27:09.160
 them,

00:27:09.280 --> 00:27:09.660
 why doesn't he

00:27:09.660 --> 00:27:10.060
 just smite

00:27:10.060 --> 00:27:10.280
 them?

00:27:10.740 --> 00:27:11.100
 Why doesn't he

00:27:11.100 --> 00:27:11.580
 just destroy

00:27:11.580 --> 00:27:11.740
 them?

00:27:11.800 --> 00:27:12.560
 Why would God

00:27:12.560 --> 00:27:13.240
 send a prophet

00:27:13.240 --> 00:27:13.900
 to tell

00:27:13.900 --> 00:27:14.700
 them that

00:27:14.700 --> 00:27:15.079
 the Lord

00:27:15.079 --> 00:27:15.539
 has seen

00:27:15.539 --> 00:27:16.059
 their evil?

00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:17.400
 Friends,

00:27:17.460 --> 00:27:18.059
 the only reason

00:27:18.059 --> 00:27:18.400
 why God

00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:18.720
 would do

00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:19.480
 this is if

00:27:19.480 --> 00:27:20.000
 there is a

00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:20.440
 chance,

00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:21.259
 a possibility,

00:27:21.900 --> 00:27:22.259
 that they

00:27:22.259 --> 00:27:22.920
 can turn

00:27:22.920 --> 00:27:23.339
 from their

00:27:23.339 --> 00:27:24.480
 ways and

00:27:24.480 --> 00:27:25.279
 find healing

00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:26.299
 and find

00:27:26.299 --> 00:27:26.819
 redemption.

00:27:27.599 --> 00:27:28.240
 Only if

00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:28.539
 there's a

00:27:28.539 --> 00:27:28.980
 chance of

00:27:28.980 --> 00:27:29.400
 forgiveness.

00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:30.960
 Friends,

00:27:31.019 --> 00:27:31.599
 why would God

00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:32.220
 send a prophet

00:27:32.220 --> 00:27:32.920
 to Assyria,

00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:33.900
 whose wicked

00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:34.380
 and godless

00:27:34.380 --> 00:27:35.039
 people don't

00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:35.559
 fear God

00:27:35.559 --> 00:27:35.900
 at all?

00:27:36.440 --> 00:27:37.180
 Because this

00:27:37.180 --> 00:27:37.759
 God is so

00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:38.480
 unlike us.

00:27:39.019 --> 00:27:39.519
 And if there

00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:40.059
 is any hope

00:27:40.059 --> 00:27:40.720
 for them,

00:27:41.299 --> 00:27:41.900
 there is hope

00:27:41.900 --> 00:27:42.500
 for us.

00:27:43.340 --> 00:27:43.720
 Friends,

00:27:43.860 --> 00:27:44.480
 contained within

00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:44.900
 the message

00:27:44.900 --> 00:27:45.360
 that Jonah

00:27:45.360 --> 00:27:45.720
 was meant

00:27:45.720 --> 00:27:46.080
 to take

00:27:46.080 --> 00:27:46.720
 the Assyrians

00:27:46.720 --> 00:27:47.620
 was the

00:27:47.620 --> 00:27:48.180
 message that

00:27:48.180 --> 00:27:49.120
 Jonah himself

00:27:49.120 --> 00:27:49.680
 needed to

00:27:49.680 --> 00:27:49.980
 hear,

00:27:50.660 --> 00:27:51.180
 which is that

00:27:51.180 --> 00:27:51.680
 the sovereign

00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:51.980
 God,

00:27:52.080 --> 00:27:52.660
 the Lord of

00:27:52.660 --> 00:27:53.120
 heaven and

00:27:53.120 --> 00:27:53.320
 earth,

00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:54.000
 the land and

00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:54.259
 seas,

00:27:54.700 --> 00:27:55.240
 the God who

00:27:55.240 --> 00:27:56.280
 can turn

00:27:56.280 --> 00:27:56.759
 godless

00:27:56.759 --> 00:27:57.980
 women around

00:27:57.980 --> 00:27:58.720
 and give

00:27:58.720 --> 00:27:59.220
 them a second

00:27:59.220 --> 00:27:59.700
 chance.

00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:01.200
 The Bible

00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:01.560
 says in

00:28:01.560 --> 00:28:02.380
 Isaiah 53

00:28:02.380 --> 00:28:03.460
 that we all

00:28:03.460 --> 00:28:03.940
 have gone

00:28:03.940 --> 00:28:04.380
 astray.

00:28:05.019 --> 00:28:05.580
 We have all

00:28:05.580 --> 00:28:06.120
 turned and

00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:06.700
 gone our own

00:28:06.700 --> 00:28:06.980
 way,

00:28:07.320 --> 00:28:07.880
 which means,

00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:08.140
 friends,

00:28:08.180 --> 00:28:08.540
 that there is

00:28:08.540 --> 00:28:09.259
 more of Jonah

00:28:09.259 --> 00:28:10.140
 inside of us

00:28:10.140 --> 00:28:11.580
 that we realize.

00:28:11.900 --> 00:28:12.740
 But just

00:28:12.740 --> 00:28:13.360
 like God

00:28:13.360 --> 00:28:14.380
 sent a man

00:28:14.380 --> 00:28:15.180
 with a message

00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:16.000
 to Nineveh,

00:28:16.500 --> 00:28:17.200
 so God

00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:18.100
 sent a man

00:28:18.100 --> 00:28:19.000
 with a message

00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:19.880
 to us.

00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:20.860
 A message

00:28:20.860 --> 00:28:21.400
 about our

00:28:21.400 --> 00:28:21.640
 sin,

00:28:22.420 --> 00:28:23.060
 a message

00:28:23.060 --> 00:28:23.940
 about evil,

00:28:24.580 --> 00:28:25.120
 and a message

00:28:25.120 --> 00:28:25.660
 about a way

00:28:25.660 --> 00:28:26.500
 to find peace

00:28:26.500 --> 00:28:27.160
 and redemption.

00:28:28.160 --> 00:28:28.380
 Friends,

00:28:28.500 --> 00:28:29.120
 all sin

00:28:29.120 --> 00:28:29.880
 will be

00:28:29.880 --> 00:28:30.340
 punished.

00:28:31.060 --> 00:28:31.740
 All sin

00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:32.400
 will meet

00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:33.100
 justice.

00:28:33.620 --> 00:28:34.040
 It will either

00:28:34.040 --> 00:28:34.640
 meet justice

00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:35.420
 on that last

00:28:35.420 --> 00:28:35.740
 day,

00:28:36.180 --> 00:28:36.780
 or it will

00:28:36.780 --> 00:28:37.420
 meet justice

00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:38.040
 that Jesus

00:28:38.040 --> 00:28:39.200
 paid on the

00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:39.540
 cross.

00:28:39.539 --> 00:28:41.200
 Like Jonah,

00:28:41.379 --> 00:28:41.680
 Jesus'

00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:42.399
 calling was

00:28:42.399 --> 00:28:42.819
 extremely

00:28:42.819 --> 00:28:43.420
 dangerous,

00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:43.899
 going to

00:28:43.899 --> 00:28:44.379
 a dangerous

00:28:44.379 --> 00:28:44.799
 and wicked

00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:45.379
 people who

00:28:45.379 --> 00:28:45.740
 did not

00:28:45.740 --> 00:28:46.099
 want to

00:28:46.099 --> 00:28:46.599
 receive his

00:28:46.599 --> 00:28:47.019
 message.

00:28:48.159 --> 00:28:48.700
 Jonah probably

00:28:48.700 --> 00:28:49.119
 thought that

00:28:49.119 --> 00:28:49.539
 if he went

00:28:49.539 --> 00:28:49.960
 to Nineveh,

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:50.599
 he'd be

00:28:50.599 --> 00:28:51.059
 arrested,

00:28:51.740 --> 00:28:52.059
 killed,

00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:53.000
 and put to

00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:53.279
 death.

00:28:54.039 --> 00:28:54.779
 Jesus came

00:28:54.779 --> 00:28:55.579
 to us knowing

00:28:55.579 --> 00:28:56.279
 that that

00:28:56.279 --> 00:28:56.700
 would happen

00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:57.119
 to him.

00:28:57.859 --> 00:28:58.119
 Friends,

00:28:58.220 --> 00:28:58.879
 unlike Jonah,

00:28:59.279 --> 00:28:59.920
 Jesus didn't

00:28:59.920 --> 00:29:00.379
 run away.

00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:01.980
 Jesus didn't

00:29:01.980 --> 00:29:02.279
 flee.

00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:03.879
 Jesus came

00:29:03.879 --> 00:29:04.659
 to us and

00:29:04.659 --> 00:29:05.039
 he went to

00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:05.599
 the cross and

00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:06.180
 he entered

00:29:06.180 --> 00:29:07.240
 into the storm

00:29:07.240 --> 00:29:08.119
 of God's wrath

00:29:08.119 --> 00:29:08.939
 and judgment,

00:29:09.399 --> 00:29:10.039
 the ultimate

00:29:10.039 --> 00:29:10.479
 storm,

00:29:10.779 --> 00:29:11.339
 the storm

00:29:11.339 --> 00:29:11.899
 that our

00:29:11.899 --> 00:29:12.439
 sin has

00:29:12.439 --> 00:29:13.000
 generated,

00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:13.919
 the storm

00:29:13.919 --> 00:29:14.459
 of our

00:29:14.459 --> 00:29:15.759
 evil and

00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.219
 rebellion.

00:29:16.879 --> 00:29:17.479
 Jesus went

00:29:17.479 --> 00:29:18.139
 into that

00:29:18.139 --> 00:29:18.719
 storm so

00:29:18.719 --> 00:29:19.179
 that you

00:29:19.179 --> 00:29:19.500
 and I

00:29:19.500 --> 00:29:20.039
 don't need

00:29:20.039 --> 00:29:20.459
 to die,

00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:21.319
 that he

00:29:21.319 --> 00:29:21.719
 can pull

00:29:21.719 --> 00:29:22.239
 us out

00:29:22.239 --> 00:29:22.519
 of the

00:29:22.519 --> 00:29:23.000
 storm of

00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:23.359
 our sin

00:29:23.359 --> 00:29:23.639
 and our

00:29:23.639 --> 00:29:24.019
 rebellion

00:29:24.019 --> 00:29:25.079
 and give

00:29:25.079 --> 00:29:25.519
 us new

00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:25.879
 life.

00:29:26.699 --> 00:29:26.879
 Friends,

00:29:26.919 --> 00:29:27.219
 we're going

00:29:27.219 --> 00:29:27.539
 to see

00:29:27.539 --> 00:29:28.699
 God wants

00:29:28.699 --> 00:29:29.179
 to rescue

00:29:29.179 --> 00:29:29.979
 pagan Nineveh,

00:29:30.379 --> 00:29:31.059
 but before

00:29:31.059 --> 00:29:31.479
 he gets

00:29:31.479 --> 00:29:31.919
 to do that,

00:29:32.039 --> 00:29:32.539
 he has

00:29:32.539 --> 00:29:33.119
 to rescue

00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:33.379
 his

00:29:33.379 --> 00:29:33.859
 prodigal

00:29:33.859 --> 00:29:34.279
 prophet.

00:29:35.399 --> 00:29:35.879
 Friends,

00:29:35.939 --> 00:29:36.500
 maybe today

00:29:36.500 --> 00:29:37.039
 God wants

00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:37.500
 to rescue

00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:38.160
 you prodigal

00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:38.700
 sons and

00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:39.779
 daughters like

00:29:39.779 --> 00:29:40.079
 me,

00:29:40.519 --> 00:29:41.299
 like you.

00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:42.299
 Friends,

00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:42.700
 are you running

00:29:42.700 --> 00:29:43.180
 from God?

00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:44.720
 Is there any

00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:45.500
 area of your

00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:46.119
 life that you've

00:29:46.119 --> 00:29:46.700
 kept off from

00:29:46.700 --> 00:29:47.180
 God and you

00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:47.559
 don't want

00:29:47.559 --> 00:29:48.079
 God's word

00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:48.480
 to come

00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:48.680
 there?

00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:49.859
 By running

00:29:49.859 --> 00:29:50.359
 from God's

00:29:50.359 --> 00:29:50.579
 word,

00:29:50.680 --> 00:29:51.000
 you're running

00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:51.480
 from God's

00:29:51.480 --> 00:29:51.980
 presence.

00:29:52.680 --> 00:29:53.059
 You're running

00:29:53.059 --> 00:29:53.519
 from God

00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:54.000
 himself.

00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:55.279
 Friends,

00:29:55.460 --> 00:29:56.099
 this is the

00:29:56.099 --> 00:29:56.680
 God that you're

00:29:56.680 --> 00:29:57.099
 running from,

00:29:57.539 --> 00:29:58.240
 the one who's

00:29:58.240 --> 00:29:59.180
 perfectly obedient,

00:29:59.819 --> 00:30:00.680
 perfectly faithful,

00:30:01.299 --> 00:30:02.160
 perfectly just,

00:30:02.759 --> 00:30:03.539
 perfect in love,

00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:04.619
 the God who

00:30:04.619 --> 00:30:05.500
 came to you

00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:06.299
 and for you

00:30:06.299 --> 00:30:06.879
 to rescue

00:30:06.879 --> 00:30:07.579
 you and save

00:30:07.579 --> 00:30:07.799
 you.

00:30:08.359 --> 00:30:08.619
 He,

00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:09.379
 this gracious

00:30:09.379 --> 00:30:09.720
 God,

00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:10.159
 is the one

00:30:10.159 --> 00:30:10.659
 that we run

00:30:10.659 --> 00:30:10.899
 from.

00:30:11.879 --> 00:30:12.139
 Friends,

00:30:12.180 --> 00:30:12.500
 are there any

00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:13.159
 areas of our

00:30:13.159 --> 00:30:13.639
 lives we're

00:30:13.639 --> 00:30:14.339
 trying to avoid

00:30:14.339 --> 00:30:14.799
 his sovereign

00:30:14.799 --> 00:30:15.079
 rule,

00:30:15.680 --> 00:30:16.139
 shouting out

00:30:16.139 --> 00:30:16.619
 his voice?

00:30:17.299 --> 00:30:17.700
 How's that

00:30:17.700 --> 00:30:18.240
 working for

00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:18.440
 you?

00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:19.619
 Don't run

00:30:19.619 --> 00:30:20.000
 from him.

00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:21.339
 Don't flee

00:30:21.339 --> 00:30:21.779
 from him.

00:30:22.500 --> 00:30:23.180
 Bow down and

00:30:23.180 --> 00:30:23.619
 fear him.

00:30:24.220 --> 00:30:24.879
 Trust him and

00:30:24.879 --> 00:30:25.440
 obey him.

00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:26.799
 Surrender to

00:30:26.799 --> 00:30:27.399
 his sovereign

00:30:27.399 --> 00:30:27.700
 rule,

00:30:27.799 --> 00:30:28.519
 even when it's

00:30:28.519 --> 00:30:29.240
 difficult and it

00:30:29.240 --> 00:30:29.720
 doesn't make

00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:30.139
 sense.

00:30:30.919 --> 00:30:31.599
 Bow down before

00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:32.240
 the one that you

00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:33.099
 cannot comprehend,

00:30:33.879 --> 00:30:34.220
 the one you

00:30:34.220 --> 00:30:34.940
 cannot manage,

00:30:34.940 --> 00:30:35.840
 the one you

00:30:35.840 --> 00:30:36.640
 cannot contain,

00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:37.700
 the one you

00:30:37.700 --> 00:30:38.440
 cannot control,

00:30:38.980 --> 00:30:39.480
 the one you

00:30:39.480 --> 00:30:40.259
 cannot outrun.

00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:41.840
 Enter trembling

00:30:41.840 --> 00:30:42.279
 into his

00:30:42.279 --> 00:30:43.360
 incomprehensibility

00:30:43.360 --> 00:30:45.080
 and enter into

00:30:45.080 --> 00:30:45.640
 his love.

00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:46.860
 The God of all

00:30:46.860 --> 00:30:48.380
 creation could have

00:30:48.380 --> 00:30:49.240
 grace and mercy on

00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:49.740
 the people of

00:30:49.740 --> 00:30:50.960
 Nineveh, on the

00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:51.299
 sailors.

00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:52.940
 This God can have

00:30:52.940 --> 00:30:53.960
 grace and mercy for

00:30:53.960 --> 00:30:54.740
 people like you and

00:30:54.740 --> 00:30:54.920
 me.

00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:56.220
 Let's come to him

00:30:56.220 --> 00:30:56.940
 in prayer now.

00:30:58.299 --> 00:30:59.080
 Lord Jesus,

00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:01.080
 we are deeply

00:31:01.080 --> 00:31:02.039
 challenged by the

00:31:02.039 --> 00:31:02.700
 life of Jonah

00:31:02.700 --> 00:31:04.080
 Jonah because we

00:31:04.080 --> 00:31:04.940
 see so much of

00:31:04.940 --> 00:31:05.620
 Jonah in us.

00:31:06.380 --> 00:31:07.259
 God have mercy on

00:31:07.259 --> 00:31:07.880
 us, we pray.

00:31:08.759 --> 00:31:09.519
 God, many of us in

00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:10.140
 this room have

00:31:10.140 --> 00:31:10.980
 discovered your

00:31:10.980 --> 00:31:11.299
 mercy.

00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:12.380
 Some of us maybe a

00:31:12.380 --> 00:31:12.980
 few weeks and

00:31:12.980 --> 00:31:14.000
 months ago, some of

00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:14.920
 us many years ago,

00:31:15.620 --> 00:31:16.400
 some of us, God, are

00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:17.140
 still on the journey

00:31:17.140 --> 00:31:18.120
 towards discovering

00:31:18.120 --> 00:31:18.440
 it.

00:31:19.100 --> 00:31:20.059
 Lord, I pray for

00:31:20.059 --> 00:31:21.059
 every single one of

00:31:21.059 --> 00:31:21.880
 us and I pray, God,

00:31:21.960 --> 00:31:22.680
 start with me.

00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:24.319
 Start with me.

00:31:25.340 --> 00:31:26.080
 God, won't you

00:31:26.080 --> 00:31:27.259
 break into the

00:31:27.259 --> 00:31:28.200
 areas of my life

00:31:28.200 --> 00:31:29.059
 where I don't want

00:31:29.059 --> 00:31:29.720
 you to be there,

00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:30.980
 where I want to run

00:31:30.980 --> 00:31:31.759
 from your voice and

00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:32.220
 run from your

00:31:32.220 --> 00:31:32.519
 command.

00:31:32.700 --> 00:31:33.700
 God, let your

00:31:33.700 --> 00:31:34.900
 incomprehensible

00:31:34.900 --> 00:31:36.840
 power but also

00:31:36.840 --> 00:31:39.140
 love break in and

00:31:39.140 --> 00:31:39.980
 let me discover your

00:31:39.980 --> 00:31:40.340
 grace.

00:31:41.340 --> 00:31:42.380
 Jesus, we need you.

00:31:42.920 --> 00:31:43.640
 I need you.

00:31:44.180 --> 00:31:45.120
 This city needs you.

00:31:45.680 --> 00:31:46.319
 Come and show us

00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:47.059
 yourself, we pray.

00:31:47.720 --> 00:31:48.360
 In your great and

00:31:48.360 --> 00:31:49.039
 wonderful name,

00:31:49.960 --> 00:31:50.220
 amen.

00:31:51.259 --> 00:31:51.640
 Amen.