The Book of Jonah
Pastor Marc Wragg
The Fleeing Prophet
September 20, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Sometimes even believers struggle with obedience. The story of Jonah warns us of what happens to our heart when we persist in rebellion. We become angry with God, increasingly blind to the providential trials He uses to get our attention, and we pursue a downward path of sin that leads to danger and destruction. God called Jonah to preach to the hated Assyrians, but instead Jonah ran and even endangered the lives of others before he finally relented. Just as with Jonah, God will accomplish His sovereign will in our lives even though we may initially resist. In such times, God’s mercy and grace may seem severe or even unkind, but in reality He is protecting us from even greater harm. What about you? Are you like Jonah, stubbornly seeking your own way instead of trusting in God’s wisdom and power, even in the face of His chastening? Or are you like the sailors who recognized the sovereign hand of God and cried out for mercy? God uses trials for our instruction. Cultivate a heart that is eager to learn.
The Praying Prophet
September 20, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Trapped in the belly of the great fish, Jonah was through running from God. There, alone in the dark and cold depths of the sea, the prophet humbled himself and turned to God in brokenness. Humanly speaking, this was a nightmare that could only end in destruction. Yet from God’s perspective, this was a gracious mission of rescue that would save the boat and its crew, and preserve the life of Jonah so that he could fulfill God’s will. Jonah knew that he should be dead. But God had a greater plan, and so Jonah began to praise God and pray through the Psalms. He cried out in a prayer that was plain and passionate, and acknowledged with thanksgiving his need for the temple and payment for sin. God’s righteous judgment begins with His people, and we should always respond with prayerful adoration. Our prayers need not be long or eloquent, but simple and genuine expressions of faith, contrite confession of sin, and whole-hearted submission to the sovereign will of the Lord.
The Repentant Prophet
September 27, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Jonah may not have liked the Ninevites, but he learned his lesson in the belly of the great fish. The disobedient prophet who ran from God had repented, and was now walking resolutely in His sovereign plan. Sometimes we judge our responsibility to obey God according to how we feel about His commands. While there is great joy in obedience to God, that joy will not be full until we actively surrender our will to His. Are you like Jonah, a true child of God, but one who is caught up in some sinful pattern? God will often use your sin to teach you dependence on Him, and to accomplish His perfect will. Our obligation is to quickly respond in trusting obedience, even in spite of our conflicted desires and fears. If we delay and allow ourselves to remain in a season of rebellion, we invite divine chastening. God is gracious and merciful to all who repent of their sin, from the straying believer to the hardened sinner. Don’t wait until your passions align with God’s will. Trust Him today.
The Angry Prophet
October 4, 2015 • Pastor Marc Wragg
Jonah’s lessons didn’t end in the belly of the fish. After warning Nineveh of God’s judgment, Jonah chose a spot east of the city to watch and wait, and here God exposed his foolishness and hardness of heart. The prophet demonstrated greater compassion for a plant than for thousands of Ninevite children, even preferring to die rather than see Nineveh repent and receive God’s grace. The ugly truth is that Jonah was angry at God for showing mercy to Israel's enemy. What goes on in your heart when God allows circumstances that you do not like? Like Jonah, do you become embittered, self-absorbed, and unconcerned about the greater plan of God going on around you? The only cure for this spiritual ill is brokenness, so that your zeal for the truth is tempered by love and concern for others. If you find your heart growing hard, remember God’s kindness and patience toward you. Be willing to suffer for the sake of His Kingdom and glory, and don’t presume to tell God how He should dispense His grace.