Sermons

Gerald’s last official sermon as Minister of the Christian Reformed Church Sutherland Shire. There is no alternative but to follow Jesus!

Jonah is thrown overboard and in the belly of the fish comes to his senses and is miraculously rescued.

Jonah is deeply disturbed by God’s gracious response to the repentant Ninevites.

I entitled the message, “A gracious message of judgement.” Gracious because the message of judgement was designed to awaken the people from their slumber and move them to repentance and forgiveness.

This passage has at its core, the incredible miracle of Jonah being swallowed by a fish where he survives for three days and nights before being spat out on dry land. To some, this story is enough to rubbish the whole bible as being truthful. For the Christian, it is another example of our God who can do miracles, for whom nothing is impossible. Yet, as unbelievable as Jonah’s time in the fish may be, what is actually more unbelievable is the fact that God should do this miracle in order that Jonah might have a chance to repent and be forgiven. God again shows his compassion to the wicked and rebellious.

Jonah is someone that should have felt embarrassed about his behaviour. Compared to the sailers he was an embarrassment to God and his people. 1. Jonah, cared nothing for the life of the Ninevites – The sailors cared for Jonah’s life. In the same vain – Jonah had no compassion – the sailors had compassion. 2. Jonah did all that was in his power to see the godless Ninevites destroyed – the sailors did everything in their power to save Jonah. 3. Jonah didn’t pray that the ship would be saved – the sailors prayed to their gods. 4. Jonah didn’t mind dying – the sailors wanted to live. 5. Jonah was a believer in the true God and the sailors worshipped useless idols. 6. Lastly Jonah didn’t stand in awe of God while the sailors did.

This series on the book of Jonah recognises that the key character in the book is God, Not Jonah. Even in the first three verses, we find Jonah running from the call of God to preach to the city of Nineveh. This is compared with God, who shows such compassion, being willing even to offer grace and mercy to this wicked city and enemy of Israel.