Mad at God: A Study of the Book of Jonah Week 1: On The Run Message Summary: Jonah, when given a clear mission from heaven, ran from God, a foolish idea considering God controlled the world and all that is in it. But we often do the same thing, running from a truth that challenges us to change. This message confronts spiritual “runners” and refuses to let them run too far without hearing the voice of God. ✦ Approaches to Conflict: ❖ Accommodate: lose to win. ❖ Compete: win but probably lose. ❖ Compromise: both lose and win. ❖ Collaborate: work together to win. ❖ Avoid: gamble to win against all odds. ✦ Jonah’s approach to conflict: Avoider ✦ Jonah 1:1-2 (“The Conflict”) — The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” ✦ Jonah 1:3 (“The Escape”) — But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. ✦ Jonah 1:4-17 (“The Consequence”) — Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” 7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” 9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.) 11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” 12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” 13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him. ✦ How about you? Name your conflict. ✦ Jesus’ approach to conflict: ❖ Incarnated Hebrews 10:5b, 7 — “A body you prepared for me… Here I am. It is written about me in the scroll. I have come to do your will, O God.” ❖ Accommodated 2 Corinthians 8:9 — “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” ❖ Competed Matthew 4, 27 • Tempted by the Devil • Crucified by the world for our sin ❖ Compromised Romans 6:2b-4 — “We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” ❖ Collaborated 2 Corinthians 5:11-21; Matthew 28 • Calls us to be Ambassadors of Reconciliation • Commissions us to end the conflict ❖ Avoided Mark 1:45, 14:61; Matthew 22-23 • All unnecessary conflict • All which hindered the Gospel Planting Jesus Roots GATHER — What aspects of worship encourage us that we can be open with God an never need to run from him? GROUP — What about doing life together in small groups causes us to run and how do we resist the urge? GROW — Less than 5% of Christians daily meditate on the Lord’s word and pray, whether personally or with family. What causes us to run, what conflicts will we surely face as we avoid, and how do we counter this practice which starves this root? GIVE — The only way to resolve conflict comes in this root and the next. How does generosity impress upon all we’re in conflict with that we are not against them but are for them? GO — Who are the Ninevites in your life, whether strangers, coworkers, friends, or family and what tools from today’s message will you take on your journey today to reach them in all love and generosity? God bless you! Homework: Jonah 2 (Hashtags: love, grace, evangelism)