Part 3: Lion King - Running From God
BLOCKBUSTERS - REMADE
PART - 3
Jonah 1
1. YOU RUNNING FROM GOD = SIN. GOD CHASING YOU = GRACE.
“The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce My judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.’ But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish...”
Jonah 1:1-3a (NLT)
We all have a lot of Jonah in us.
2. YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND A SHIP TO GO IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
“But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.”
Jonah 1:3 (NLT)
“When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, He changed His mind and did not carry out the destruction He had threatened... This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the Lord about it: ‘Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish!...’”
Jonah 3:10, 4:1-2b (NLT)
3. GOD MAY SEND A STORM OUT OF HIS MERCY.
“But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold.”
Jonah 1:4-5 (NLT)
4. GOD GOES TO EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS TO GET YOU TO TURN AROUND.
“So the captain went down after him. ‘How can you sleep at a time like this?’ he shouted. ‘Get up and pray to your god! Maybe He will pay attention to us and spare our lives.’ Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. ‘Why has this awful storm come down on us?’ they demanded. ‘Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?’ Jonah answered, ‘I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.’”
Jonah 1:6-9 (NLT)
“Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered Him a sacrifice and vowed to serve Him.”
Jonah 1:15-16 (NLT)
“Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.”
Jonah 1:17 (NLT)
How will you respond to God and the direction He wants you to go?
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS TO:
Do this week’s YouVersion® Bible App Reading Plan: “Running From the God of Grace” (4 day plan).
Check out this week’s blog or podcast: “Running From God.”
Stop running away from God.
Thank God for not giving up on me.
Go in the direction God has for me to go.
Get more information about our next Baptism Day on August 1st.
NOTES:
Comeback Sunday--August 15th:
Attend in person or online.
Give financially - any amount.
Serve - somewhere Sunday or during the week in For Midland Week.
Invite someone to attend in person or online.