Sermon Outline
Ten Lessons From Jonah About Your Life Mission:
- It will come from God’s Word. “The word of the Lord came (God spoke to him) to Jonah son of Amittai …” (Jonah 1:1 )
- It will require a step of faith. “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it …” (Jonah 1:2 a)
- It will somehow help others. “… because their wickedness has confronted Me.” (Jonah 1:2 b)
- It may scare you at first! “However, Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence.” (Jonah 1:3 a)
- If you run from it and it will cost you. “3bHe went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish, from the Lord’s presence. 4 Then the Lord hurled a violent wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose on the sea that the ship threatened to break apart. 5 The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his god. They threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel and had stretched out and fallen into a deep sleep … 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us who is to blame for this trouble we’re in. What is your business and where are you from? What is your country and what people are you from?” 9 He answered them, “I’m a Hebrew. I worship Yahweh, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were even more afraid and said to him, “What is this you’ve done?” The men knew he was fleeing from the Lord’s presence, because he had told them.” (Jonah 1:3 b – 5 & 8 -10)
- The longer you run from it, the worse it gets. “So they said to him, “What should we do to you to calm this sea that’s against us?” For the sea was getting worse and worse.” (Jonah 1:11 )
- When you fight against it, trying harder doesn’t work. “Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they couldn’t because the sea was raging against them more and more.” (Jonah 1:13 )
- When you do it, things calm down. “14 So they called out to the Lord: “Please, Yahweh, don’t let us perish because of this man’s life, and don’t charge us with innocent blood! For You, Yahweh, have done just as You pleased.” 15 Then they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging.” (Jonah 1:14-15 )
- When you obey it, unbelievers believe! “The men feared the Lord even more, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.” (Jonah 1:16 )
- When you accept it, God shows you mercy! “Now the Lord had appointed a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17 )