Jonah, A Part of God's Preparation.

  

 Play this video before or after Children's time:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qLhAdA5ZXI

 

From the video: Jonah was a prophet, but he never really got it!  Compassion and mercy, that’s what God wants! 

 

Introduction:

A.   How many of you believe the story of Jonah actually

     happened?

 

B.   How many of you believe it is a parable?

 

1.   Israel being Jonah and the large fish being

     Babylon.

 

2.   Because the Israelites hadn't taken God's message

to the rest of the world.

 

3.   Very controversial among scholars. (Intro. to

     Jonah in Nelson Study Bible.)

 

Trans.    Whatever you believe about Jonah, I believe there are some lessons in his story for us today!

 

                            Prayer

                          Jonah 3:1-10

 

I.   General information about the book.

A.   Purpose:  To encourage evangelism!

 

B.   In either case, the book was probably written after

the fact (notice the past tense: "Nineveh was . . . .

(vs. 3:3))

 

II.  Lessons for us today.

 

A.      God longs to bring all people back to Godself!

B.       

1.   Ninevah was a very wicked city full of people who

did not know God!

(note:  Nineveh was the capital of Assyria which

was destroyed in 612 B.C.)

2.   God longed to have a relationship with these

     people!

 

3.   Maybe it represents any people or place!

 

B.   God makes preparation to bring all people back to

Godself!

 

1.   God sent Jonah to tell them to repent and turn to God.  You know that story:

a.   Jonah doesn't go but instead goes as far in

the other direction as he can go. (vs. 1:3)

b.   A storm comes up and Jonah tells the sailors

     to throw him overboard; he believes it is

     his fault. (vs. 1:12)

c.   They throw him in and the sea becomes calm.

(vs. 1:15)

d.   A large fish swallows Jonah (vs. 1:17)

e.   The fish spews him up on dry land (vs. 2:10)

f.   The Lord tells Jonah to go again, and this

     time, Jonah goes (vs. 3:1-3)

 

2.   All of this to prepare a way for Nineveh to

     receive the message that God wanted a

     relationship with them!

 

3.   God still longs for people to turn to God, and

     God is still making preparations!

a.   God has sent Jesus to provide a way!

b.   God is still sending people forth with the

word that God loves them and wants a

relationship with them!

 

C.      Some will respond to God’s love!

D.       

1.   The people of Nineveh turned to God, to Jonah's  

displeasure!

a.   Jonah didn’t get it! God wants to show

compassion and mercy to all people!

              b.   The people of Israel didn’t get it!

c.   It's a shame that sometimes people can't

rejoice when others come to the Lord!

d.   If we are filled with God's love, we will

rejoice!!

 

2.   The point is that the message went out and these

responded!

 

3.   It's still the same today; when the message goes

out, some will respond.

 

a) We need to go and tell.  We need to

   “share what God has done for us!” We don’t

   have to do it in a pushy, judging way, but we

   are suppose to tell the good news.  Don’t tell

   them, “You are going to Hell!”  Tell them,

   “God has made a difference in my life,” and

   then tell them how!

 

b) From Jonah, we can see that when we share the

   word, some will respond.  The problem is that

   sometimes, like Jonah, we run from doing that.

   1) I don’t have the time!

   2) I don’t know what to say!

   3) I really want them to get what they

      deserve!

   4) I’m afraid!

 

c) We do not have to be afraid to share what God

   has done for us!

1)  God will help us with what to say!

2)  We do not go out alone!  That is what the

 candle being taken out before us at the end

 of the service represents!

3)  We just need to be a willing vessel!

 

d) This is how we can make a difference in the

   world!

1)  We won’t make much difference by being judgmental!

2) We won’t make much difference by focusing on straightening people out!

3) We can make a difference by sharing the love and grace of God!

4) The Bible says if Christ be lifted up, He will draw all people to Him.  That is probably referring to his crucifixion, but we are the plan by which He draws all people to Himself.  If we lift Christ up in a positive way, He will draw all people to God!

5) The world can be changed for the positive; our country can be changed for the positive!

 

6) As a side affect of that, our church will grow because people will want to be a part of a church that gives them hope!

 

Conclusion:

A.   We, like Jonah, are a part of what God is doing to

     bring the people we know to God! Do we get it?

 

B.   Will we be God's messengers, taking God's message of

     Compassion, mercy, and love to others?  Will we take

it faithfully?

 

C.   Or will we, also like Jonah, run from it.

 

D.   We are “the preparation or the plan.”  There is no

other plan!  Will you respond by letting God work

through you?  We can as we encounter Christ at the

table today; then, go into the mission field and make

a positive difference through Christ!

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

A Time to Remember!

 

Veteran’s Day Sunday!

 Introduction:

     A.   Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day.

 

     B.   Veteran’s Day reminds us of the importance of                   "Remembering and honoring."

          1.   We all have many memories.

          2.   Some aren't so pleasant; they bring tears to our                 eyes.

3.   Others are precious; we wouldn't trade them for any sum of money.

 

     C.   Memory is a precious gift!

          1.   We not only store up many good things from the

past, but it helps us get through the present as well!

          2.   We wouldn't know that when we are thirsty we can                 quench our thirst from a cool water fountain!  We                wouldn't know what that thing hanging on the wall                was.

          3.   We wouldn't know a red traffic light means stop!

          4.   We wouldn't know a mailbox is a place to mail a                  letter or pick up the mail!

          5.   Each time we stumbled onto these realizations, we                wouldn't know the next time what we had learned                  before but would have to stumble onto them again!

6.   Memory is precious, and we take it so for granted!

 

     D.   Even though memory is precious, we do forget!

1.   That is why we need things to help us to remember.

          2.   That is what Veteran’s Day is!

          3.   It is a day set aside to remember and honor all

              those who are serving or have served our country!

          4.   But it can and should also be a day to remember

all that God has done for us.

          5.   The person or nation who forgets God is as

Foolish and trouble-bound as the person who

forgets that a red light means to "stop!"

     Trans.

          As we remember our Veteran’s, I would like to share

four truths about God that we should also remember!

 

                            Prayer

                       I Chr. 29:11 - 13

 

I.   Remember the Greatness and the Glory of God!

     A.   As David remembered the greatness of God in our text,

we as a nation need to remember the Greatness of God.

 

     B.   America has only been blessed and been great because

God has allowed it to be that way.

          1.   America started as a nation that loved and feared                God!

          2.   Not only the common people, but many of the

              lawmakers as well!

 

     C.   Before our country once again realizes the Greatness

          and the Glory of God, we must do it as individuals;

          individuals make up a country!

 

          "in Him was life, and the life was the light of all              people."  John 1:4 NRSV

 

          1.   Jesus was the light of all people!  He showed us

              how to live!  We will not be disappointed with

              Jesus' character (God's character revealed

through Jesus. (vs. 1) because Jesus' character is perfect.

          2.   We may have too little patience or too much

temper, but Christ was in perfect balance!

          3.   Christ is great!

              a.   Once we realize this, we will want to give

Him the proper place in our hearts.

 

                   "but in your hearts sanctify [or set apart]

                   Christ as Lord."  I Peter 3:15a NRSV

 

              b.   When we give Christ a special place in our                      hearts, He will affect and influence our

entire lives!

 

II.  Remember the Rights of God!

     A.   We all think about our rights.

 

     B.   We need to remember that God has rights too!

          1.   God has the right and is worthy to be praised and                served!

 

              "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive

 glory and honor and power, for you created all

 things, and by your will they existed and were

 created."

                                                Rev. 4:11 NRSV

 

          2.   As a matter of fact, the scriptures tell us that

              all people will one day bow their knees to God

              (Rom. 14:11 & Phil. 2:10), but for some, it will

              be too late for salvation!!!

 

III. Remember the Judgement of God!

     A.   Does God really punish sin?  Yes, God Does!

          1.   God cannot stand to be in the presence of sin,

              and judgement will come to those without God!

          2.   Think of the Judgement of the Flood!  Whether you                believe this to be a historical account or a

              parable about sin and God's action toward sin,

              the lessons are the same!  It is a story about

              judgement.

              a.   God waited in patience while the Ark was

                   being built!  God waits today while people

                   decide what to do with God's message that is

                   going out!

              b.   When the time came, God shut the door and   

                    nobody could open it!  Judgement was pronounced. 

c.   Each person made their own decisions about what they would do with the message of destruction that Noah proclaimed. 

                   1)   When the door was shut, opportunities

were past, and the world was destroyed except for those who obeyed God and took shelter in the Ark.

                   2)   Today, Jesus is our Ark.

          3.   Think of the Judgement of Christ!

              a.   God so hates sin that he poured out his

                   wrath and Judgement upon Christ!

              b.   In our place, for our sins!

 

"But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us."

                                      Rom. 5:8 NRSV

 

     B.   Remember the Judgement of God!

         

     "And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once,

     and after that the judgement,"   Heb. 9:27  NRSV

 

          "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one

          seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb;

          for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is

          able to stand?"                   Rev. 6:16b-17  NRSV

 

          There is still coming a day when God will once again

          pronounce judgement upon the earth, and the door of   

          opportunity will once again be shut. 

                        Read II Peter 3:9-12

 

 

IV.  Remember the Love and Grace of God!

     A.   God cannot stand sin, but God reaches down in pure

          Love and Grace!  We are people of Grace!

 

          "He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor

          rewarded us according to our iniquities." 

Psalm 103:10 KJV

 

          "For God so loved the world that he gave his only                begotten Son so that whosoever believeth on him should           not perish but have everlasting life."  John 3:16 KJV

 

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as     snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."  Isa. 1:18 KJV

 

B.   The good news of the Gospel is that God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ!

          1.   God took our judgement on the Cross!

          2.   God suffered and died!

          3.   God rose again!

          4.   That we might have forgiveness and be put back in                relationship with God!

5.   That we could have a second chance after messing our lives up with sin!

          6.   That we can have a life of purpose and meaning!

 

     C.   God is a God of Judgement, but God took our Judgement

in Jesus Christ!  What will we do with that gift?

 

Conclusion:

     A.   Have we accepted what God has done for us?

          1.   Have we accepted Christ as our personal Savior?

2.   Have we accepted Christ's death as payment for our sins personally?  That is the offer that God has presented to us.

 

B.   If you haven't, you can do that this morning as we encounter Christ at the table!

 

                      Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion

 

 

It's Time to Dig Ditches!

                                             All Saint's Sunday!              

Introduction:

A.   Today, we remember the saints who have gone on before us!

 

B.   Many of these people who we hold dearly and who may have been very influential in passing the gospel on to us, if asked, would probably have said their ministry was not very significant!

 

C.   As we shall see today, God uses insignificant people doing seemingly insignificant things to make a  significant difference in the world.

 

                            Prayer

                         II Kings 3:16

 

"and he said, 'This is what the LORD says: Make this valley full of ditches.'" NIV

 

I.   A Little Background.

A.   Israel was in a bad situation:

1.   They had had several mean and unGodly kings.

2.   As a nation, they were living far away from God.

3.   Mesha, the king of Moab, was out to get them!

 

B.   So the three kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom teamed up  together to go against Moab.

 

C.   They came together and decided to call Elisha to see what they should do.

1.   He told them that the Lord said to dig some ditches; so they did!

2.   This must have seemed pretty insignificant to them and a little unnecessary!  They were asking for instructions on how to win a war, and Elisha said "the Lord said to dig some ditches!"

3.   In the morning, after their offering, the ditches were mysteriously filled with water, supplying the necessary water for people and cattle!

4.   Besides this, when the Moabites looked down from their advantage point, the sun made it look red, and they thought it was blood!

5.   They assumed the three kings had fought each other, having a very bloody battle in the night!

6.   The Moabites rushed down the hill to collect the spoils, and being caught completely off guard by the very much alive Israelites, they were defeated!

 

II.  How does this apply to today?

A.   Sometimes, we think God is foolish in telling us to do some of the things God tells us to do!  We think:

1.   I can't do that!

2.   Surely with my education, God doesn't want me to do that!

3.   That isn't really important!

4.   Or even, somebody else can do it better!

 

B.   But God knows; God doesn't ask us to do things without a purpose!

 

C.   So we need to find God's purpose for us and dig in and  "dig some ditches!"

 

III. How can we find God's purpose for us?

A.   We need to get ready!

1.   Do what we can to get ready to be used of God!

2.   Study the Bible.

3.   Make good use of good Bible Study helps: commentaries, Bible dictionaries, Concordances, etc.

 

A word of caution here:  Commentaries are written by

People. People have biases.  If the commentary is

written by someone from a certain tradition, it will

have that bias.  Maybe use different commentaries

and make sure they all don’t have the same bias.

Sometimes it helps to use commentaries that are

written by a team of scholars instead of just one.

Being a United Methodist, try to pick at least some

commentaries that are written from a mainline

denominational tradition instead of fundamentalist!

 

B.   We need to be patient and listen to God; God will show us  the plan in God's time!

1.   We need to patiently consider why we think God wants  us to do whatever it is we feel God leading us to do.  This involves considering:

a.   how our doing this or not doing it will affect God's Kingdom overall.  Will it affect the  Kingdom of God positively?

b.   how our doing this or not doing it will affect other people in our lives.  Positively?

c.   how our doing this or not doing it will affect ourselves.  Positively?

d.   will our doing this show God's love?

2.   Our listening to God involves 2-way prayer:

a.   our speaking and pouring our heart out to God.

b.   and our listening for God's guidance in our lives!

c.   We tend to leave the latter out!

 

C.   If we do find God's purpose and dig in, what will happen?

1.   As a church, we will see people coming to God through Jesus Christ!

2.   We will see our young people grow up and assume spiritual leadership roles!

3.   God will see us through!

4.   Sometimes, God takes the little things and makes something great happen!!

 

Conclusion:

A.   Little things, everyday things are what make a difference!

1.   Assuming the task that God has for us, no matter how  small and insignificant it may seem at the time,and  doing our very best at it!

2.   Living for God faithfully every day!

3.   Being an instrument of God’s Love every day!

 

B.   IT'S TIME TO DIG SOME DITCHES!  LET'S DIG IN AND BE USED  OF GOD!

 

C.   Today, we are celebrating All Saint’s Sunday.  As you

entered today, you were asked to write a Saint’s name down

that has passed on and who has had an influence on you and

take a candle.

1.   Some of those people, if asked, would have probably

said their lives were pretty insignificant, but yet,

they influenced you!

          2.   We are going to remember them as Geraldo passes the

flame and the candle you have taken is lit in their

remembrance. I will then lead us in a prayer of

remembrance.

 

(Geraldo pass the flame while music is softly

 played.)

 

         

                        Prayer of Thanks for Saint’s

 

              We bless your holy name, O God,

                   For all your servants who, having finished their

course, now rest from their labors.

              We thank you for their influence on our lives!

              Give us grace to follow the example

                   Of their steadfastness and faithfulness,

                   to your honor and glory;

              through Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen

                                  (Modified from BOW #415)

 

D.   As we encounter Christ at the table today, let’s ask God

to help us assume the task God/Christ has for us and do

it to the best of our ability!

 

Celebration of Communion