Liturgy

  • Before Service Song – Ps. 139: 1, 9
  • *Votum & Salutation
  • *Song of Response – Hymn 84: 1-4
  • Profession of Faith – Hymn 1
  • Prayer
  • Reading of Scripture – Amos 6:1-8
  • Song of Response – Ps. 139: 4, 5, 13
  • Reading of the Text – Jonah 1:1-3
  • Ministry of the Word: The Lord Chooses Jonah to be His Humble Witness in a Wicked World
    1. The Lord's compassionate concern.
    2. Jonah's arrogant indifference.
  • *Song of Response – Ps. 57: 1, 4, 5
  • Thanksgiving Prayer
  • Offertory – Bible League
  • *Song of Closing – Hymn 85: 1, 2, 3
  • *Benediction

Ministry of the Word: The Lord Chooses Jonah to be His Humble Witness in a Wicked World

Introduction

  • What do you think of when you hear the name Jonah? Most people think of the whale. How could Jonah have survived for three days inside of a whale. Many think Jonah is only an allegory for Jesus and the three days of death. But Jonah's story was not just an allegory.

(1) The Lord's compassionate concern

  • God came to Jonah. God spoke to Jonah. God knew who Jonah was. God knew Jonah's sins. And yet, God chose Jonah to speak for Him.
  • Similarly, God wants each and every one of us to be His witness, no matter our sins or failings.
  • Jonah was an established prophet. Jonah lived in a time of peace and prosperity, equaling or maybe even surpassing the prosperity from the time of David and Solomon.
  • Amos, a contemporary prophet, tells us that the people of Israel were a powerful nation, led by King Jeroboam. But they were also a deeply religious nation, and worshiped the Lord.
  • However, although the people of Israel were outwardly good, there was a rotten core. They were only going through the motions. They were proud. They looked down on those who were poor or of lesser status. They felt they deserved what they were given.
  • Even worse, Jonah himself thought the same way. He lacked humility and did not see or understand the sinfulness of Israel.
  • God chose Jonah because of his compassion for Jonah, and for all of Israel.

(2) Jonah's arrogant indifference

  • Jonah should have been happy or even honoured to have been chosen by God. Instead he ran in the opposite direction.
  • Jonah's problem was pride. He did not beleive the Ninivites deserved salvation. He saw their sin but did not see his own sins, or the sins of Israel.
  • The same thing can happen to us today.