The Dynamic Prophet: Running With The The Lord (Jonah Part 3 of 5) [Post #94]

Posted on October 4, 2011 by

Sometimes in life, there are judgments and citations issued and while it might seem like vengeance or a punishment, the real aim is to motivate you to correct the problem.

For example:

  • In Massachusetts, unlike any other state in the nation, your care has to have an annual safety and emissions inspection costing $29.  If your vehicle fails this inspection, you get a sticker with a big “R” on it.  This is not meant as a punishment or vengeful of the part of the state, it is a judgment saying you have 30 days to correct the problem or you can get a ticket.  Their judgment is intended to motivate you to correct the problem.
  • Athletes in high school and college generally need to keep a “C” average in order to stay eligible to participate in athletics.  If you drop below a “C” average in any semester, you go on what’s known as “academic probation”.  This isn’t a judgment by the school saying you are stupid nor is it vengeful on their part. Their judgment is intended to motivate you to correct the problem.

It’d be pretty easy to talk about a lot more examples we can all relate to where judgment is intended for the sole purpose of motivating you to correct a problem.

The same is true of God’s Word.

There are plenty of times and plenty of people who miss use God’s Word.  Sometimes:

  • people have good motives and bad theology
  • people have bad motives and good theology

What I’m going to share with you right now is good motives and good theology!

The purpose of God’s Word and God’s judgment is correction, not revenge.

Let me say that again: The purpose of God’s Word and God’s judgment is correction, not revenge.

When God’s word speaks harshly towards a person, behavior or attitude, it’s rightful application to your life today is not to say: “God hates me” or “God’s Word is stupid so I’ll just do whatever I want”.

When God’s Word when it take a behavior, choice you have made or lifestyle you are living and says it is wrong and you should expect punishment—the right application is for you to repent, accept correction and rejoice in God’s love for and patience with you!

We’ve seen a couple different sides to Jonah thus far:

  • In Jonah chapter 1, we saw— The Disobedient Prophet: Running Away From the Lord
  • In Jonah chapter 2,  we saw— The Disciplined Prophet: Running Back To The Lord

Now this week, after hearing the judgment pronounced on them, both Jonah and the Ninevites respond to God by repenting and turning to Him in obedience.

So for us, Jonah becomes: “The Dynamic Prophet: Running With The Lord”.

Let’s take a look at today’s text, Jonah chapter 3  together!

Let’s take a more in-depth look at the text.

Don’t Make Me Say That Twice

Verses 1 – 3 say:  1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh.   The phrase “the word of the lord came to” is used 112 times in the Old Testament, twice in Jonah.  And it’s not like God used Jonah for two different missions, it was the same mission that he had to be told to go-and-do twice!

What we see and can apply to our own lives here is REALLY  important!

Jonah responded to the Lord’s judgment against him and corrected his ways with obedience.  This can be your story too!

You may feel like your past sins, way of life or mistakes disqualify you from serving God or from God using you.  Wrong!  Look who God used to pen 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament.  If you remember, Saul was a hater and persecutor of Christians, seeking them out and killing them.  Then he came to know Jesus as his Savior and Lord and he did a 180, turning his life around.  So too here with Jonah.  And this can be your story as well.

Your past is your past.  God wants to redeem you, forgive you, love you, bless you and use you for his purposes for the rest of your life.

  • It begins with a yielding to your desires of the flesh and to surrendering your will and your ways to Him.
  • It begins when you repent of your ways and begin to obey His Word and His ways.

Jonah had a very unenviable job.  His call was not easy, luxurious, fun, exciting or sexy.  Yours might not either.  Being faithful isn’t always rewarded quickly and can be lonely, but we don’t do it for our glory or for immediate reward—we do it out of love for God and in obedience to Him.

The Ninevites were the most hated enemy of Israel.  A few reasons Jonah probably hated his call by God were:

  • He was likely afraid of them
  • They would have hated him
  • If they didn’t repent God had pledged to wipe them out and it would be sweet revenge for Jonah to see that.
  • For the protection of Israel, Jonah could take a hit for the team (Israel) not preach to them, give them no chance to repent, and God would smite them.

Jonah had every reason to disobey God, except for the fact that….THERE IS NEVER A REASON TO DISOBEY GOD!

In Romans 12, Paul quotes the Scripture Jonah would have been familiar with, Deuteronomy 32:35, and says: Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Woa, That’s A Lot Of Repentance

Verse 3 continues— Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days.  Just to set the stage at the large scale repentance that is going on here.  The walls surrounding Nineveh were about 8 miles in circumference with between 120,000 to 200,000 people in it.  There’s a lot of debate about exactly how the “three day visit” should be interpreted but honestly, it’s not important to our conversation here.

Let’s Get It Started In Here, Yea.

Verses 4-8  say— 4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. 6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.  So it’s pretty simple: Jonah called on the people to repent of their sin and turn to God or in 40 days they were going to be severely punished.  And guess what, they were receptive, listened and responded.

We have no clue what God wants to do through us and with us.  Jonah couldn’t have imagined this outcome.  Neither can we.

We can really stink at being God’s image bearers and ambassadors in this world.  That’s what we’re called to do, but we can be so meek, timid and full of excuses as to why we aren’t living for Him let alone making His Word, Ways and truth known.

If we simply proclaim what we  know about God’s love, we too may be surprised, radically surprised, about how people will respond and what God might choose to do through us.

Who Knows?  Maybe / Maybe Not

Verse 9 cracks me up and shows how genuine their repentance was— 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”  Whether or not God was going to have mercy on them and let them escape from their coming punishment, they were still repenting!  It wasn’t a “I’ll repent to escape God’s wrath”.  It was a “How can I not respond to God”.  Sometime I wonder by our lack of zeal, what our motivation for our church attendance and involvement is.  If it’s “I want to go to heaven and not burn in hell” type faith then we probably do the minimum required to feel good and feel like we have a leg to stand on with God.  If you think you have a leg to stand on, then you don’t get it yet.

None of deserve God’s love, we deserve God’s wrath, but knowing what we know, in response to God’s love for us and mercy on us, we should be excited and vibrant to boldly live out our faith.  We should always be greatly struggling to increase our obedience and faithfulness, simply in response to God’s love for us.

Does that sound anything like you?

That’s My God, That’s The God I Serve

Verse 10 says—  10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.  God did here what God does best.  When we respond to Him, He responds back to us with even more love, compassion, grace, mercy and blessings.  Now don’t get me wrong, sometimes God’s response to us is for us to continue in our long-suffering or to continue to work out our faith with fear-and-trembling.  Like the Ninevites however, we need to understand that whatever the temporary result may be:

The purpose of God’s Word and God’s judgment is correction, not revenge.

Like the people of Nineveh, our call is not to just hear God’s Word, but to respond to it!

In the end of Matthew chapter 12 Jesus references Jonah and says that the men of Nineveh will stand up and condemn the people of Israel for their failure to repent for their sins.

What about you?  Do you need to repent from your sin and begin to walk with the Lord again?

Remember, with Jonah we have seen him:

  • In chapter 1, being disobedient and,  Running Away From the Lord .
  • In chapter 2,  become disciplined and: Running Back To The Lord.
  • And today in chapter 3 we seen him becoming dynamic and Running With The Lord.

Let the words of the prophet Isaiah speak to, encourage and comfort you as put your hope in the Lord:

The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.He will not grow tired or weary,  and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,  they will walk and not be faint.

Maybe it’s time for you to stop running away from the Lord, to run back to him and then to run with Him.  I pray you will make this surrendered decision today.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Disciplined Prophet: Running Back To The Lord (Jonah Part 2 of 5) [Post #93]

Posted on October 3, 2011 by

Have You Ever— Have you listened to a conversation someone else was having?  Of course you have!  Take for instance:

  • When you were a kid and you listened through your bedroom door, or at the top of the stairs, to conversations your parents and adults were having.
  • If you are 18 years old or younger, you’ll have no idea what I’m talking about here, but for everyone else: Do you remember when every house had a few phones in it and you could quietly pick up a second phone and listen into someone else’s conversation.
  • Overhearing a conversation in a store or coffee shop, or more accurately, eavesdropping on an interesting conversation someone else is having.
  • Have you ever been accidently pocket dialed by someone and you got to listen into their conversation for a considerable amount of time?

Today, for 10 verses, for a whole chapter, we’re going to be listening in on a conversation from Jonah to God.  It’s a pivotal part of the story of Jonah and scene we can easily identify with because you’ve likely been there before or maybe after we’re done spending this time together now, you’ll be in the same place today.

Let’s review from Jonah chapter 1:

  • Jonah knew what God desired of him
  • Jonah disobeyed God, turned from Him and tried to run from Him
  • Jonah didn’t get away with anything but rather was in the midst of being called out by God, facing consequences for his actions.
  • Chapter 1 ends with Jonah literally being swallowed by a great fish.

There are two things we need to establish to  set the record straight from what you might have inferred or incorrectly learned in Sunday School when you were little.

(1)   Jonah being swallowed by a great fish is not a punishment but just the opposite, deliverance from certain death.

Punishment would have been drowning at sea or being eaten by Jaws.  Jonah was swallowed by what the Bible says was a great fish, and kept alive in its belly, much like Daniel was kept alive overnight in the Lion’s Den.

(2)   Jonah does not cry out to God from the belly of the great fish to be saved, but his prayer is a prayer of Thanksgiving for already being saved!   Jonah recognized the grace and hand of God upon Him even in the midst of being in the belly of the fish w love, grace, mercy provision and protection.  There’s a lot we can glean from him on this front.

The biggest component of the story today however, is a characteristic we see in Jonah that I hope each of us can man-up and own on a personal level: We cannot run from God, so let’s about-face and run back to Him.

We cannot run from God, so let’s about-face and run back to Him.

Questions:

  • Do you need to stop, repent, confess and turn back to God?
  • Do you have areas of your life (literally, or in your head or heart) that you keep in the dark, hidden from everyone that if they were exposed would shame you to no end?

I’m pretty sure the answer for almost everyone here is yes.

Click here to read Jonah chapter 2 , starting with the last verse of chapter 1:

Commentary on the text—

Am I Seeing Double?  Is there an Echo?— 1:17 But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights. Last week I mentioned that there were A LOT of parallels between a guy named Jonah from Nazareth and another guy whose name starts with a “J” who was from Nazareth.  Just as Jesus was in the belly of the earth for three days and three nights, so too Jonah was in the belly of a fish, under the earth for three days and three nights.  Later at the close of the series we’ll dive deeper into the significance of this.

Can You Hear Me Now— Remember the Verizon commercial a couple of years ago where the guys walked around everywhere and asked, “Can you hear me now”?  He went to some pretty desolate places but I never saw him go into the belly of a fish in the bottom of the ocean.  Jonah got reception down there.  2:1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2 He said:  “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me.   From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry.

We too, in the darkest, most dreadful of life’s situations, in the horrific and disgusting mess of our sin, can call out to God, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that He will respond.

God’s response will likely not be money dropping from the sky, the overnight healing of a relationship, or the immediate undoing of what do sinfully invested in for a long time prior to repentance.  Often time what God provides is a new opportunity to respond to Him.  The words from Moses in Deuteronomy 31: 6 are referenced and passed on to the church in the new Testament because they still apply to God’s people, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Wherever you are, whatever you are into , whatever need to be confessed and repented of, God can hear you now.

Jonah didn’t start His cycle of repentance.  He was literally thrown into the sea, left to die.  Things were bad.  You however, are not at that point yet.  You, of your own volition, can turn from your sin, confess it and repent of it!  This is God’s desire for you.

Romans 10 teaches us: “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” …………….the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13)

In I John 1 we read, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:8-9)

And, James 5:16 teaches us, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

We don’t have an account of Jonah’s confession and repentance, but what we do have is his “Prayer of Thanksgiving’ which is a genuine account of his experience and at the same time, very similar to the ‘Thanksgiving Psalms’ we studied together in their structure and content.

In both the Thanksgiving Psalms and here in Jonah’s Thanksgiving Prayer we see:

  • A summary of the problem and plea
  • The cry for help (with repentance included)
  • God’s intervention and deliverance
  • Worship and praise
  • Vows and sacrifices
  • All throughout a spirit of thanksgiving

It may seem formulaic at first, which immediately puts it in the category of being dismissed by us.  Don’t dismiss this.  Tune in and pay really close attention here.  I want to encourage you to stop being so individualistic and melodramatic and really look at this progressing as a much needed insertion into your life!

Look at this again in light of your struggles, failures, weaknesses, and sin in your life.  Right now, or worst case scenario, later today:

  • Summarize your problem and sin
  • Cry to God, surrendered, repenting and asking for help
  • Wait for God’s intervention, deliverance or opportunity to start again.
  • Worship Him and praise Him for who He is!
  • Make a re-commitment to Him as your savior and Lord
  • Specifically Thank Him for what He has done for you.

Clean Up In Aisle 15—  Last week as we were closing out the first part of Jonah’s story, we read at the end of verse 15: 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.

The sailors came to a saving faith in the Living God because of what they saw Him do.  We generally live at too fast a pace nowadays to see what anyone is doing let alone what God is doing, but this is something we need to pause at.

You Never Know—You never know how you, even when you are in the midst of sin and running from God, how God will use your relationship with Him.  Your honesty, your struggle, your working out your faith with fear and trembling might very well be what plants a seed, waters a seed or brings to fruition something in someone else’s life.  Who would thunk it—that in Jonah’s 180 from God, his actions would be what God uses to save those other men?

Cliché Cycles—How many times have you heard this in the church?  The observation that when things are going great we tend to gravitate away from going deep with God but when things get crazy in life we are back to crying out to Him.  It’s true.  This is what verses 3 through 6 are getting at.  3 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’  5 The engulfing waters threatened me,  the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever.

Jonah is recounting his very recent experience in the water but this was the culmination of a progression away from the heart of God.  And it’s cyclical.  Look at the second part of verse 6 onward.

New Life, Resurrection, A Second Chance— But you brought my life up from the pit, O LORD my God.  7 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.   We all know that feeling, when the Lord provides life in the midst of despair and darkness.  Whether it’s deliverance from sin or from a situation, I hope you know and have noted times when it was the Lord and the Lord alone that saved and provided for you!

Jessica and I had been married for 7 years when we decided it was time to start a family.  For three long, hard, and challenging years, eventually going through failed IUI and IVF cycles, we were pregnant!

I will NEVER forget the day the phone rang and it was Jess calling from work.  It was early in the pregnancy and she was bleeding pretty bad.  We decided to meet at Beverly hospital and though she had a towel down, the blood in the car was evidence to the fact that something was wrong.  Jess was examined  and we were told to go home for the afternoon and the first thing the next morning, we would have a high level ultrasound at another hospital to see if the baby was going to make it.  We were crushed.  Jess kept bleeding and minutes seemed like hours.  We basically sat on the bathroom floor, holding each other and crying all night.

I’m not sure if you have any clue how much work IVF cycles are, but when they work it’s all worth is, when they fail they stretch the limits of your emotions to the point of breaking.  Long story short, we didn’t sleep that night, our hopes, dreams and ability to hang onto anything was hanging on by a thread.  We were accepting total loss about to hit the pit of despair…but when the technician started the ultra sound, we heard the heartbeat, saw the heart beating, and saw a little girl that looked like she was putting on a Billy Blanks Tae Bo Seminar, we knew that the Lord, who is rich in mercy, had blessed us.

All it takes is me remembering this story that is so fresh in my mind, and verses like these:

3 You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers swept over me.
4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight;
yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’
5 The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you brought my life up from the pit,
O LORD my God.

7 “When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.

….verses like these are not hard to relate to.

The Pinery—  My mom worked as a furniture sales person for over 10 years in a sore called “The Pinery”.  They sold unfinished furniture of every variety and on the furniture in the showroom had cardboard or molded plastic TV’s, computer screens, keyboards and telephones as props.  As a kid, they drew me in.  I knew they were fake, but I liked to touch them and to pretend with them.

You might be doing the same thing in your life.  In the place of God, you have worthless stand-ins where God belongs.  Instead of turning to the Lord you turn to your credit card, your parents, your friends, your job…..to anything but the Lord.

Jonah is calling us out.  Just like Psalm 20, verse 7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.”, Jonah says in verse 8: 8 “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

Salvation— And he concludes this prayer giving thanks and praise where it is do and acknowledging that Salvation: being saved, that alone come from the Lord.  9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.”   You can get bailed out or rescued from people in this world, but Salvation alone comes from God.

Vomit Isn’t Always Bad—  I know a fair amount about vomit and spit up, we have a 5 month daughter at home.  In fact yesterday, it was on my hand, arm, shirt and shorts the majority of the day.  But let me tell you, vomit isn’t always bad.  Verse 10 wraps things up with this:  10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Wrap Up—  Let me wrap up with this: In the areas you ar running from the Lord, stop and reverse directions.  If on the whole you are running from the Lord, stop, and reverse directions.

Whether you need a full body cleanse or just a partial cleanse, let me encourage you to use Jonah’s pattern and call out to God like this:

  • Summarize your problem and sin
  • Cry to God, surrendered, repenting and asking for help
  • Wait for God’s intervention, deliverance or opportunity to start again.
  • Worship Him and praise Him for who He is!
  • Make a recommitment to Him as your Savior and Lord
  • Specifically Thank Him for what He has done for you.

After receiving discipline, Jonah is known as the Prophet who returned to the Lord.  May the same be true of you!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Disobedient Prophet: Running Away From the Lord (Jonah Part 1 of 5) [Post #92]

Posted on September 21, 2011 by

This is the first of 5 sermon manuscripts from www.sovG.us as we work through the book of Jonah.

Part 1—The Disobedient Prophet: Running Away From the Lord (Jonah 1:1-17)

Introduction— I was a runner in high school, a big time runner.  You wouldn’t know it now by my 220 pound frame, but I graduated from high school weighing 135 pounds and running 60+ miles a week.

There were a lot of reasons that I chose to run.  I wasn’t big or strong enough to play varsity football, we had 800 kids per grade at our high school and I wasn’t coordinated enough to compete.  I broke my hand, finger and wrist punching a bully in the face and putting me in a cast (one of two fist fights in my life, the other was in 3rd grade), cutting short my freshman year of wrestling and I fell too far behind in that sport.  I ran a 5:38 mile in 8th grade and got the attention of the high school track coach, including some positive reinforcement and encouragement, so I gravitated there.

Already, you can see my choices were based less on my interests and more on my circumstances.  I began to run cross country, indoor track and outdoor track.  I was angry, hungry, wanted to be successful, and was terrified of failure.  I was less running to something; I was running away from things.  I think these are some of the reasons why:

  • My parents were divorced and I missed not having my dad as a regular part of my life.
  • Though I’m thankful now, my mom was very strict.
  • I was pretty zitty, always popping pimples.
  • We came from a loving and Godly home, but we were very poor.
  • My church was incredibly solid in grounding me in the Bible and in the hymns, but I was the only kid my age and was the sole student in my Sunday school class for 6th, 7th and 8th grade.  I was lonely in my walk with God because I didn’t have any other peers who were Christians (notable exceptions are two incredible adult men, Ken Schug and Tim Tate who invested in my life during this time).

All this motivated me to run.  I was running from all these things.  I didn’t know where or what I was running to, but it was away from these things.

I would guess that if we were to look at and examine your life and the reasons behind some of your choices, we might find that you too, make choices because you are running from things.

A lot of the time, we clearly know what God’s Word says about something, and we choose to turn from God, and go 180 degrees in the opposite direction.  Sometime this is a conscious choice, other times it is subconscious, but rarely are our decisions independent.  How we live and what we do is generally in reaction to someone or something.   As Christians, our response to the Lord should be to run towards Him and embrace his Will and His ways.  This isn’t always the case with us, nor was it with a man named Jonah.

Jonah— There are 39 books in the Old Testament.  The first five are considered the torah, or the books of Moses, or the Law.  Next comes the history books.  In the middle you have the prose and poetry of Psalms and Proverbs, then you have what’s known as the Prophets.  First the Major Prophets, then the Minor Prophets.  They’re called Major and Minor Prophets, not because of their importance, but primarily because of the length of their account.  The longer prophetical books are the Major Prophets and the shorter books are the Minor prophets.  Jonah is a minor prophet.

We hear about Jonah in the book of 2 Kings, chapter 14.  It tells us Jonah is the son of Amittai, from the small village of Gath Hepher, in the tribal district of Zebulun, just three miles north of Nazareth.  This is the first of many parallels we’re going to see between Jonah and someone else of note that came from Nazareth (You’ve gotta know who I’m talking about, right?).

Jonah’s story took place during the reign of King Jeroboam II.  Details pinpointing the exact year of Jonah’s story are readily available for your personal study, we’ll suffice it to say the year 768 to 770 BC is when the actions in the book transpired (About 800 years before Jesus was born).  Jonah was a prophet, one who received direction, commands and words from God, to speak on God’s behalf to the people God directed him to.

Click here to read today’s text, Jonah Chapter 1.

Commentary On The Text:  Taking it from the top:

v1&2—1 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.”  God clearly and unambiguously called Jonah to go and do something.  It’s not that Jonah went against a commandment of God, like don’t lie, cheat or steal.  God said, “Jonah, GO HERE and SAY THIS”.  We often say things like, “It’d sure be easier if God would just speak to me and tell me what to do, then I’d do it”.  Yeah, just like Jonah, just like Peter or Judas who served with Jesus, as if we don’t clearly have life instructions in God’s Word.

As we’re going to see, our response to God is always a choice.  It’s always a reaction, based directly on His commands or in defiance to His commands in reaction to someone or something else.

v3— 3 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.  So God gave Jonah a direct command a Jonah did a complete 180.  Check out this map, and look at the sad hilarity of what Jonah did.  God said go East, and Jonah went West.

So what about you?  The question is not “Have you ever done something like this?”.  The question is, “RIGHT NOW, are you running from God”?  RIGHT NOW, are you doing something so polar opposite of what God would have you do, that it’s the equivalent of running the total opposite direction that God has called you to go?

In Jonah’s case, here’s what God did   4 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.  Right on cue, when things get tough, people call out to God.  Everyone does, it’s universal.  Even staunch Atheists and comfortable agnostics say something like, “If anyone’s out there listening, I could use a little help here”.  It’s good theology first call out to God, then if you get no discernible response, to make the wisest decisions you know how to make.  The sailor’s thought if they threw cargo overboard, maybe they could ride out the storm…..and we too, in our disobedience can often attempt to throw a good deed or say or do something pseudo spiritual, in an attempt to somehow appease God.  It doesn’t work that way though.  It didn’t for the sailors and it wont for us either.

Recently a couple I know split up due to one of them emotionally abandoning the marriage.  The other spouse wanted to find a way to reconcile, but the determined one said the flame was gone.  The determined spouse began asking people for prayer and help with this new start, all the while running 180 from what God would desire, splitting up a family.  The request for prayer was not for the healing of the relationship, forgiveness or reconciliation but was asking people to seek God’s blessing on a new life, with no hurt, carry over or consequences in the midst of going against God’s desire for marriages to be forever.  It was the equivalent of saying, “God bless me right now as I disobey you”.

And so the text continues:  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, and we will not perish.” A lot of people who are religious, have never experienced the peace, power or presence of their God, but they simply go through religious motions. This is very true for Christians too!  I would guess there are people reading this that feel that way about God.  You sing, pray, occasionally read your Bible, put money in the offering and hope you will go to heaven when you die but you have never had a personal relationship with God.  You think the type of relationship Jonah had is unavailable for you: God anointed Michael Jordan to be athletic, the Kennedy family to be in politics, and the prophets to have a personal relationship with God.  You got the shaft and are relegated to hopefulness and some good vibes at best.  You couldn’t be further from the truth!  The same type of personal relationship Jonah had with the Lord is available to you too.  It requires HONESTY, SURRENDER, and TRUST.  We know Jonah wasn’t perfect and you don’t have to be either.  Jonah had his ups-and-downs, back-and-forths, and crisis-of-faith.  He wasn’t a God, simply a man with a call from God.  You have a call on your life from God too.

Ironically Jonah slept through all of this.  You and I both know that we can be guilty of being disobedient and be so far from the heart of God that it doesn’t even bother us.  Just like Jonah, we can sleep right through some pretty bad levels of sin, selfishness, pride and disobedience.  We cannot use our feeling to measure our rightness with God.  We have to measure our actions up against God’s Word.

Let me say that again: We cannot use our feeling to measure our rightness with God.  We have to measure our actions up against God’s Word.  Just because something feels right or good, does not by any stretch justify it or make it right!  How many times have you heard the expression, “How could something that feels so right be so wrong”.  Simple: if it is contrary to God’s Word, it’s wrong and you need to repent.

The text continues: 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.  Casting lots is a lot like drawing straws where someone will get the short straw.  It was an ancient tarot card type approach, but God intervened because he was at work.  This is sovereignty.

It’s obvious here to us and the sailors that Jonah is guilty of disobedience but look what happens—a whole lot of people get dragged into a terrible world of trouble because of Jonah.  You and I, when we sin and rebel against God, have the terrible potential to drag people into the mess of our sin.  When we sin it’s not just us that we effect!

Verse 8-11: 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What 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 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?”  Sometimes we don’t make any sense.  Jonah says, much like you might, “I worship the Lord who made everything there is and who gives life and who will judge us at the end of our life…..and I’m trying to run from Him.

Really?  Seems pretty dumb when Jonah does it…..but it’s different with you, right?  When you avoid God, when your ipod is filled with crap, when you are weeks or months without praying or studying God’s Word, when you are totally ignoring the call God has on your life, you’re justified?  It’s complicated.  I just wouldn’t understand.  Right?  Nope, wrong.  It’s as obvious and foolish as it was with Jonah.

Jonah then says in verse 12:  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.”  Getting back into the historical context of Jonah—Jonah hated the Assyrians.  They were Israel’s greatest and most hated enemy.  They Assyrians committed the most heinous acts against people that though the Bible describes them, they are not PG-13 nor do they need to be explicitly stated.  So although Jonah was willing to give his life to save the sailors, he wasn’t willing to obey God to bring salvation to his worst enemy.  Whether Jonah was acting in defiance to God out of a fear of going to their country OR because he personally didn’t want to see the Assyrians repent OR if he thought he would “take one for the team”, let them remain as a heinous people and have God smite them thus eliminating the possibility of them attacking Israel, Jonah’s disobedience and running from the Lord is going to come at an enormous cost.

Verse 13  continues: 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 to the LORD, “O LORD, please do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard,  Again, the irony.  The sailors who didn’t know God, showed more compassion towards Jonah, then Jonah did toward the Assyrians.  Jonah should have been totally ashamed.  And you should too, if unbelievers around you show more compassion than you.  We are called to be VERY different and to bear the fruit of the Spirit.  If you don’t, if it’s not obvious in your life, you might be in stride with Jonah here, running away from the Lord.

Also of note here, we see the sailors working harder to save Jonah then Jonah did to save the Assyrians.  Again, it’s not a competition but a statement about our Christian character when unbelievers outshine believers in areas that God specifically calls us to.  It’s not a competition nor can we be perfect, but we can always be more surrendered and striving for a deeper level of commitment, faithfulness and excellence so that God’s glory shines through us.

The end of verse 15 says: 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.  This is where we’re going to pick things up again next week.  The sailors who had NO CLUE about who God was, ended up surrendering their lives to Him, while Jonah who was a prophet of the Lord, behaved disobediently and shamefully ran from God.

Verse 17 wraps today passage up by saying: 17 But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.  In case you haven’t been cognizant of this truth in your thoughts recently—God is sovereign.  He is in control.  You cannot hide from him.  God rewards faithfulness, obedience and longsuffering….and he punishes disobedience.

Let me ask you point blank:

  • Are you actively moving closer in your relationship with God?
  • Are you daily surrendering your heart, life, desires, hopes and dreams to Him?
  • Are you striving for greater obedience to God’s ways?

If you didn’t answer yes, I want to urge to to CLOSELY examine:

  • Are you inching away from God?
  • Are you running away from God?
  • Is your life moving as such a frantic pace that you’re practically sprinting 180 degrees away from faithfulness, Godliness and obedience?

Let me give you four simple things you can do to change your direction if you need to make a change:

  1. Confess your sin and repent of your disobedience today.  Do it right now, do it this afternoon, do it tonight.
  2. Share what’s going on with someone?  Confess your sin to a close friend, a mentor, or schedule and appointment with Craig or myself.
  3. STOP doing the things that are unfaithful, sinful and that draw you away from God.
  4. Start back into the habits that you know will draw you closer to God.

These changes will be costly, hard, frustrating, and emotional.  But you can do it!

Jonah was and is known as The Disobedient Prophet: Running Away From the Lord.  Don’t let this be how you are known or what your legacy is all about.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

On The Run: The Book and Story Of Jonah [Post #91]

Posted on September 19, 2011 by

An number of people who don’t attend sovG have asked for the manuscripts of the messages in our 5 part Jonah series.  This post is simply the series introduction.  It will be followed by the 5 manuscripts over the next five weeks.

On The Run: The Book and Story of Jonah— It seems that almost everyone is busy, running from one thing to another.  Sometimes these runs are important and healthy uses of the time and energy they take to complete.  Other times they are purely for leisure and pleasure.  Not all of our running around is good however, in fact a great deal of it may be us running away from things we need to address or own up to as we run to unhealthy alternatives.  In light of this, there might not be a better book or person in the Bible to reflect on than Jonah.

The book and story of Jonah track the challenges and battles of a man as he struggles to obey and walk with God, all the while God reveals the depths of his patience, love, grace, mercy and forgiveness for all of His creation as He seeks for mankind to be reconciled back to Him. Jonah is a study in the hypocrisy of man, the forgiveness of a loving God and an archetype foreshadowing the coming plan of salvation for all of mankind through Jesus.

Part 1—The Disobedient Prophet: Running Away From the Lord (Jonah 1:1-17)

Jonah was called by God to go East and proclaim doom to the city of Nineveh unless the people of the city repented of their sin and evil ways.  Jonah chose to disobey God and not go to the Nineveh, running 180 degrees in the exact opposite direction towards Tarshish (modern day Spain).  God had a great fish swallow Jonah in the sea where he spent three restless days and nights.

Part 2—The Disciplined Prophet: Running Back To The Lord (Jonah 2:1-10)

Jonah recognized the grace and hand of God upon Him even in the midst of being in the belly of the fish.  Having responded to the lesson and discipline of God, Jonah cried out to God and God delivered him from the fish, vomiting him out onto dry land.

Part 3—The Dynamic Prophet: Running With The Lord (Jonah 3:1-10)

Having learned the lesson of obedience to the Lord, Jonah was recommissioned by God to go to the city of Nineveh and both call out and cry out against their wickedness. Shockingly, the repentance of Jonah was exceeded by repentance of Nineveh and God, seeing their contrition, repealed the judgment that was coming to the city, sparing them.

Part 4—The Disappointed Prophet: Running Ahead Of The Lord (Jonah 4:1-11)

The easiest sin to fall prey to, pride, got the best of Jonah and instead of rejoicing in the Ninevites repentance, the patriotic prophet Jonah’s heart was hard and pouty, illustrating his further need for God’s work in his life.  Jonah illustrated the hypocrisy within him and his lack of understanding about the love and grace of God.

Part 5—The Determined Pursuer: God Running After Us (An epilogue)

Though the book of Jonah is an autobiography, the central character of the book was not Jonah but God.  God’s love for, patience with, grace, mercy, forgiveness and pursuit of us is unparalleled and unriaveled in other religions and even to our imagination.  The Creator of the universe longs for all of his creation to be reconciled back to Him, and He lovingly pursuing us!  Additionally, Jonah is an archetype foreshadowing the coming plan of salvation for all of mankind through Jesus.  And finally, Jesus specifically references Jonah in the New Testament in a very surprising way that we shouldn’t fail to miss!

All said, Jonah is not just a cute little Sunday School story about a man swallowed by a big fish.  It’s the account of God’s work in history and with tremendous lessons for us to glean if we’re willing to take the time.

I hope you enjoy and can benefit from the next five posts in this series.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The End Of Summer, Time Travel, Death Threats, Flaming Hair, God’s Undeniable Hand and Poop, Lots of Poop. [Post #90]

Posted on September 9, 2011 by

Summer is over.  Accept it.  Some may argue this point based on the fact that we may still have some great weather and even beach days ahead of us, but the summer has come and gone.  This being the case, I’ll quickly review my summer and sum it up with four sweeping categories:

  1. time travel & death threats
  2. poop
  3. flaming hair
  4. God’s unmistakable work

Time Travel and Death Threats- Our second daughter was born the day after Easter and since then it seems as if time flies.  How can a week pass in the blink of an eye, and a month pass at the speed of light.  It’s incredible and defies logic.  My wife and I saw a sign in a home years ago before we had kids that read, “With Children the Days are Long and the Years are short”.  Personally I think that should trump the all-time most quoted slogan, “The only thing you can be sure of is death and taxes”.  So while the weeks speed past, the days at home when it’s one parent and two little ones, can be hard.  Especially hard for us has been sleep training and the nights.  We laugh about it now, but in the midst of a very very tough stretch this summer when little Abby was waking up multiple times a night, I started snoring pretty loud again.  This comes and goes in my life.  I’m not an all-the-time snorer,  but to illustrate how bad the volume can be, when we were on vacation with two other couples this summer, through our closed bedroom door and their closed bedroom door, down a hallway, with fans on, I woke up our friend’s wife with my snoring.  So in the midst of this tough sleep training stretch, my snoring kicked in.  Having just got our little Abby back to sleep for what would surely be a short  time, I walked her back to her crib and as I was about to climb into bed, my loving wife said to me in a rather gruff but serious voice, “If you start snoring again I will kill you”.  I had never heard such words  or sentiments come from her before.  I immediately did a 180 and decided to sleep on the couch for the remainder of the night.  By God’s grace, sleep training is only a season in life and I am happy to report there have been no further death threats from Jessica or anyone else this summer!

Poop- I’ll keep this rated PG but Lily at age 3.5 has been potty training and Abby at 4.5 months is blowing,out her diapers and it’s going up her back and destroying her clothes.  I often feel like every moment at home somehow has poop enter into the equation.  I was driving the other day, happy to be headed to work and couldn’t believe that  after being on the road for 5 miles I discovered on both my finger and forearm was a long streak of baby poop.  As clean as I try and be, this isn’t the only time this has happened to me!

Flaming Hair- Most parents have some pretty funny stories about what they have done to their kids or about what has happened to their kids while they were “on duty” (like a parent is ever off duty).  We’ve never dropped our girls or anything like that but just when I might have been getting a little “I’m a pretty good dad arrogant”, I’m to blame for Lily’s hair catching on fire!  Lily is three and a half years old and in an attempt to make a dinner of “salad with chicken on top” a little more classy, I lit three tea light candles and told Lily not to play with them and to keep her hair away from them.  Of course, when I step out of the room Lily leaned over one of the candles and her hair ignited!  Jess had a literal mouth full of food and couldn’t blow on it or scream for me so she started banging Lily’s head with her hands to put it out.  All told no scalp or skin damage, just 3+ inches of hair lost on the side of her head.  Lesson learned, tea-light candles and toddlers NEVER go well together.

God’s Unmistakable and Undeniable Hand at Work-  Sometimes there are coincidences  in life.  Oftentimes however it’s unmistakable that the Lord is at work.  One such instance was how our church became partnered with a new Brazilian church plant and how we began to host this Portuguese speaking church within our own.  First, I must say that from before we even existed as a church we talked about partnering with other churches, especially church plants, hopefully one that would be multi-ethnic.  Well, we got busy in all of the work associated with planting a church and that dream fell to the back burner.  Enter possible coincidence #1, someone came into my office and gave me a Portuguese and English interlinear Bible.  I tried to decline it saying I didn’t known a soul who spoke Portuguese or how I would ever use it.  The person said, just keep it, you’ll find a use for it.  Enter possible coincidence #2, at a friend’s child’s birthday party, their parents were there and knew of a pastor and family who had just been sent to New England from Brazil to plant a church, but they had no connections and were looking for a place to get started.  Enter in possible coincidence #3, where we met the pastor of the church who formerly leased the space we are in, and in talking he shared that leaving the Bourbon Street space we currently occupy was one of the hardest decisions his church had ever made because they invested $140,000. to bring it up to code for an occupancy permit and then three years later felt the Lord calling them to move to a new location.  They felt they were wasting the Lord’s resources and potentially being irresponsible, but also felt the Lord leading them to leave.  They did so, not knowing that our new church was looking for a new location but could never of afforded the $140,000 build-out, but now three churches have great locations and bases for ministry!  I could continue sharing a lot more about this story and other ways that the Lord has been powerfully working this summer but this blog post is already getting long.  Suffice it to say, in a multitude of ways, the Lord has been powerfully working in the lives of those who are connected to and who are hearing about our church over June, July and August. 

If the Fall is going to be anything like what this summer was, I’m ready for it, but will (a) likely get ear plugs for my wife and breathe-right-nasal-strips for myself,  (b) will not light candles, (c) will wash my hands frequently, and (d) won’t be chalking anything up to coincidence but rather the Lord’s hand at work in the things we go about doing!

If you’re willing to share, I’m curious about what characterized your summer!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Beyond the Red Sox, Moxie and Metallica: Justin’s Final Words [Post #89]

Posted on July 18, 2011 by

Today, Monday July 18, 2011, we lay to rest the physical body of a truly incredible man.  Justin Lindstrom was only 26 years old when he left this world for the other side of eternity, but in those 26 years he left his mark.

Most of us with strong and healthy bodies, every educational opportunity imaginable, and 10 million dollars in the bank, probably couldn’t touch as many lives as Justin did, trapped in a body that didn’t work too well and generally rested in a wheelchair or bed.

Justin could do this because because of two factors: (1) He had an incredibly supportive, enabling and encouraging family, and  (2) He knew God’s call on his life and lived it out with courage and faith.

Justin understood his physical circumstances boiled down to a test of faith.  A measuring stick to gauge who he was and an opportunity to bring out the best in others.  Justin and I talked about this passage a number of times:

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. (I Peter 1:3-12)

For Justin it always came back to this passage:

1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b] With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  (2 Corinthians 4)

In case you just skimmed over all of that because you’re not a reader, or if you’re more of a music person, Justin wanted those who knew him to be left with three songs to be listed to in succession.   Together these songs tell the full story of God’s love for each of us, His gift of a Savior, and His enduring partnership in our journey through this life.

This is the final message Justin left in this world.  Justin’s greatest hope was that each of you will one day join him on the other side of eternity, in heaven.  He last wish was for you to be reminded the only way to be reconciled to God, is through accepting the love and forgiveness that comes through Jesus’ work on the cross.

I’ll Always Love You (Third Day)

Love Song For A Savior (Jars of Clay)

You Never Let Go (Chris Tomlin live in concert)

Justin loved the Red Sox, Moxie, Metallica and a million other things that typical guys love.  What he took the greatest comfort and confidence in however was the love God the Father had for him.  More than anything, he hoped you would come to know this love too.  He wanted me to share with you that he can’t wait to see you in heaven, because you’re going to have a lot of catching up to do.

That is, if you can catch him…

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

When In The Course of Human History… July 4th Reflections [Post #88]

Posted on July 4, 2011 by

Today is the 4th of July, a federal holiday in the United States of America, commemorating the work that gained our independence as a new nation.  I make no apologies for the strong sense of patriotism and pride I feel for my country nor for my desire and hope it is kept secure and led well in the coming years.

I also make no apologies for the obvious overlap of ideas and parallels I see between what we celebrate today, and God’s work in human history culminating in his son coming to be the Savior mankind.

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and after some editing by congress, it was adopted on July 4th 1776, declaring the 13 colonies at war with the Kingdom of Great Brittan, were becoming a new entity, starting a new beginning, and turning from the old ways.  America was born.  The Declaration of Independence opens with these words:

“When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary…”

Whoa.  Our founders knew that the old rules and way was futile and their was no future under the current system.  New life was needed.  A new way was needed.  A new beginning was needed.  Without a change there would only be hopelessness and despair.  They penned those words:  “When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary…”.

Sounds familiar doesn’t it?  A perfect new beginning, with rules and laws put into place, leaders, unlimited potential and hope.  Then corruption, greed, pride, impure motives, death, despair, hurt and ugliness.  The opening line of the Declaration of Independence could very well fit in the Bible, specifically in the gospel of John, right before the end zone verses of John 3:16-17:

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary…

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have have everlasting life.  For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

God sent his son Jesus to provide a way out of sin, hopelessness and despair.  God sent his son Jesus to give individuals new life and to redeem them.  God sent his son Jesus because in the course of human events, it had become necessary.

The Declaration of Independence is more than just a piece of paper.  It is a symbol of our country’s independence and commitment to certain ideas.  It is the foundation on which a nation was built.  So too is Christianity  and the cross of Christ more than just a religion.  It is a living faith, a relationship between a loving Creator, a Savior and mankind.  Both the Declaration of Independence and Jesus’ work on the cross serve as cornerstones on which everything else is built.

As amazing and great as the United States of America is, it is temporary.  Some day all of human history will come to a close and all people will stand before their Creator.  The authors of the Declaration of Independence knew this. Just look at these familiar words again:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

True, lasting peace and happiness cannot be found in the ways or things of this world unless you are found in Christ and known as his.  As empowering and freeing as it is to be an American citizen and to be afforded all of the freedoms, right and protections that come along with it,  it should be viewed only as a temporary visa while on earth.  Our human life is but a fleeting moment in relation to eternity.

My true citizenship is in heaven.  Where is yours? Everyone maintains citizenship somewhere, in Christ dual citizenship is found.

In case you are wondering, the application process is simple (even post 9-11), and there are no long lines to wait in (it’s a direct access system).  There’s just one question to answer, asked by the Creator (the one referred to in both Scripture and in the Declaration of Independence): Is Jesus the Lord of your life and your Savior?

So today I proudly fly my American flag on the front of my house, I remember the sacrifices of those who have worked so hard to make this country great and safe, and I thank God, our Creator, for his great love and gift of a Savior, Jesus Christ.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment