Although my notes were ready for Hebrews 11:20, I believe the Spirit of God was prompting me to do something different this morning.

I sensed in my spirit there were several folks in the congregation who needed help getting their cares up to the Lord. There were others that were ready to make that commitment to follow Christ either for the first time, or to re-commit their lives because of recent trials and difficulties.

Because we were ready this morning to also partake of the Lord’s Table, it made sense to me to just tie it all in and make a CALL TO OPEN OUR HEARTS TO GOD. When you view the video you will see what unfolded.

INTRO: (VIDEO: WELSH REVIVAL)

Ch. 3 – story of revival:  Not of God’s people back to Himself, but of pagan hearts turning to the true God = new life/ salvation.

Great picture of mercy/ love of God toward Gentile sinners…sending His representative, with His message, to turn people to Himself. (Jesus)…He CAN reach them.

JONAH’S OBEDIENCE (FINALLY) (V. 1-4)

Given a second chance: (v.1-2)

Jonah is washed up (literally)…battered by a storm, bruised inside a fish, barfed up by the fish… what a sight! (bleached, hair loss, smells “fishy”, sea weed hanging off of him…not the same guy who left!)

(1) “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time”

God doesn’t forget the man (Jonah), nor His plan with him.   Jonah chastened by God for disobedience, afflicted, but still in God’s heart and hand.

“Whom the LORD loves, He chastens.”

**Though we fail, He isn’t finished – GOD OF SECOND CHANCES (GRACE)

REVIVAL LESSON #1: REVIVAL is in God’s heart first. (He loves people, pursues continually, He longs for restoration/ renewal – God’s servants & sinners)

(2) “message that I tell you” (not to be Jonah’s message, but God’s)

= God restores Jonah fully as His preacher – entrusts with same work, same message. (GRACE)

Now is the test of Jonah’s repentance (phase or true obedience)… now out of belly, will he obey?  Take up the call & do the duty once neglected?  Seen God’s mercy, now share it? Will he live in the light what he spoke in the dark?  True repentance or worldly sorrow?

2 Cor. 7:10-11 For godly sorrow produces repentance [leading] to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, [what] clearing [of yourselves], [what] indignation, [what] fear, [what] vehement desire, [what] zeal, [what] vindication! In all [things] you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

** When we are truly repentant our actions & words go hand in hand (changed direction, changed life!)

REVIVAL LESSON #2: REVIVAL in others, begins with me.  When God’s people align themselves with God’s Word fully surrendered to do God’s Will. (2 Chr. 7:14…if My people, called by My name…”)

Given the same direction: NINEVAH: (v.3-4)

(3) “Jonah arose and went. “– not complaining about the trip, people, own country peril…obey.

Same energy fleeing, he now goes obeying.  Heard His voice, now does His choice!

Matthew 21:28-29 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’  He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went.

* At repentance – God Restores the man to fellowship (love of God), Renews the man in ministry (humility), Recomissions him into His field again (power of Spirit)

NINEVAH: “exceedingly great city”

bigger than Babylon)/ 60 miles circumference, 100’ walls, 1500 towers each 200’ tall, race 3 chariots wide around city walls/ commerce center (riches, luxury)/ corrupt morally (immorality, idolatry, violence) (NAHUM)

“3 days journey” walkthrough every part of city sharing God’s message (all to hear)

(4)  “cried out” in boldness & power, not fearing people’s reaction (2 Tim. 1:7).  WHY?  God’s message not Jonah’s; God’s plan, not Jonah’s; God’s power, God’s Spirit, God’s responsibility, God’s glory…

- Message was of God’s judgment (divine act of destruction) (no love, no grace, no hope – under His wrath) (picture: Jonah’s appearance…Jonah’s message…doom!)

- Jonah was a sign to Ninevah, one who tasted death & now alive, knew justice on sin, knew mercy by experience, now his mouth & life work hand in hand to declare God’s plan.

-“40 days” (number of judgment: 40 lashes/ 40 days of rain in flood…enough time to evaluate & repent) (probably more than 8 words – know what to do:  conditional message- IF you repent, you will be spared; IF you don’t you will be destroyed)

* God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but patiently works, longing for repentance.

Jeremiah 18:7-8 The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy [it], if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.

Ezekiel 18:21-23 “But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; because of the righteousness which he has done, he shall live. Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “[and] not that he should turn from his ways and live?

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning [His] promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, [fn] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

NINEVAH’S ADHERENCE & REPENTANCE: (V. 5-9)

Personal level – By the people: (v.5)

FAITH -believed God (He would do as Jonah said) 2) FASTING & SACKCLOTH– serious issue, time to mourn over state– personal affliction/ uncomfortable 3) FELLOWSHIP – all united in this, all under judgment for sin.

- The impact of God’s Word and God’s Spirit, working through God’s man, was life altering.

REVIVAL LESSON #3: Revival is initiated on the heals of His Word declared. (Ps. 119:25 “Revive me according to Your Word”) Guideline of change (ex. King Josiah – finding Word buried in temple – 2 Kings 22-23)

Righteous proclaimed, Conviction of sin, Sense of immediate action to cleanse, Unity in changing.

Joel 1:14 Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the elders [And] all the inhabitants of the land [Into] the house of the LORD your God, And cry out to the LORD.

REVIVAL LESSON #4: Revival comes when we realize our own sinfulness in light of God’s holiness and truly change our lives in word & action. Not just an emotional experience, but a true changed life with continued fruits. Forsaking of all that is displeasing to God.

Public level – By the king: (v. 6-9)

King led his people in personal example & public exhortation.  Deep humiliation, He lowers himself to the common man’s level (robes off) and there he leads in repentance & fasting.

Proclaims a decree (v.7)  (3 parts)

1) OUTWARD– FASTING & SACKCLOTH: (7-8a) “even animals under this judgment” (all creation subject to bondage of sin – Rom.8)  Why? – moaning of animals would weigh upon their hearts (under sin)

2) INWARD – WEEPING & TURNING (8b)- “cry mightily to God” (weeping, wailing over sin)/ Turn from evil ways…violence” (thefts, oppression, social injustices…chief sin among them – Goliath)

3) HOPE – “Who can tell if God…”(9)

They honestly believed that if they didn’t act, they would perish, doomed! Yet there is a thread of hope for change with repentance – be saved from wrath.

Joel 2:12-14 “Now, therefore,” says the LORD, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He [is] gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. Who knows [if] He will turn and relent, And leave a blessing behind Him– A grain offering and a drink offering For the LORD your God?

REVIVAL LESSON #5: Revival is meant to penetrate both personal & public arenas (not just about MY walk with God)…changes inwardly a man’s relationship with God and then moves him in this world effecting/influence others…he acts to see righteousness established in God’s world, loves the sinner with Christ’s heart – reaching out to the broken, longs for justice in society’s injustices (Ninevah – violence done away with).

*Revival is an Overflowing effect – inside out….cup – fills then flows

GOD’S RESPONSE: (V. 10)

changed life gets God’s attention…  “God relented” (He turned, changed way, repented -KJV)

**Does God repent? NO – NOT as man does (turning from sin).

Numbers 23:19 “God [is] not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Yet it is the only word we understand that portrays a proper turning from something…180 degrees. (radical change of course from under wrath to under grace)

Outwardly the sentence changed; inwardly the counsel of God remained.

Bible says God will certainly judge sin (Rom. 6:23), but yet through repentance man can certainly “exchange camps”. (go from one side to other)  God still will judge sin, but when I’m on God’s side, the cross of Christ stands between me and God’s wrath.  As a result, His wrath against sin is met and now He is free to bless me without being unjust in His wrath or compromising His holiness.

God gives us “conditional promises” =  “whosoever will” (John 3:16; Rom. 10:13)

by my free will I either choose His way or not…effect is either life or death.

**End of story** Beautiful & sad lesson:  Ninevah – temporary change – delayed judgment:  612 BC  destroyed by Babylon…judgment fell, ultimately rejected God’s Word…

*They never passed down the Revival to the next generations.

*God is merciful – reaching out still knowing judgment would come.

“THE FAITH OF THE PATRIARCHS – PART 1”

Hebrews 11:17-19

INTRODUCTION:

I. FAITH TESTED VV. 17-18

A. Letting Go into the Hands of the Lord

-in our last study we focused on Abraham’s faith in leaving his country, his family and his father’s house to go to a land that God would show to him

-Abraham made it step by step to the land of Canaan; it was after he entered the middle of the land that God confirmed His promises to him

-then because of famine he wandered down to Egypt on his own without asking counsel from the Lord; in doing so, he endangered his entire household

-he got into trouble with the Pharaoh when he lied to him about Sarah his wife

-he was rebuked by Pharaoh, sent away, came back into the land of Canaan

-it was then that his nephew, Lot, separated from him and went to live in the area of Sodom and Gomorrah

-just after that separation, which was the final ‘departing from his family’, God once again affirmed to him about the land and also his future inheritance

-this was the time where the Lord caused a wonderful thing to be written:

Gen 15:6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. NKJV

-Abraham’s faith had been a work in progress

-God had given him the faith by which to believe; we know from Josh. 24 that Abraham’s father was an idolater

-yet Abraham received the witness that there was only one God and it was Him that should be served; then he received the call to depart

-Abraham exercised that faith in each situation, step by step, albeit with a failure here and there

-through it all Abraham clung to God and to His promises; yet the ‘working out’ of those promises was something he had little knowledge of

-Abraham’s greatest test of faith, though, came when the Lord called him to offer up Isaac, the son upon which all the future promises was based

-Isaac was probably in his late teens or early twenties when this happened; Abraham would have been around 120 years old at this time

-Abraham’s faith in God was tested in this way: he had to let go of his own natural understanding on how God would fulfill His own promises

-Abraham had to put all into the hands of God

B. Lessons on Faith Tested

-the writer of Hebrews said at the end of ch. 10 that the just shall live by his faith

-he was quoting from the book of Habakkuk

-these Hebrew believers in Jesus had been through quite a lengthy time of trial

-their faith had been tested on numerous occasions; Heb. 11 was written to encourage them, to strengthen them, to let them know they were not alone

-Abraham had received God’s promise that in Isaac, not through Ishmael, the spiritual blessing would be passed down, culminating in the Redeemer

-Abraham knew that only through Isaac this was to happen; it was as if Isaac was  to Abraham his only begotten son

-this of course formed a foreshadow of things to come through God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ

-God the Father, offered up His only begotten Son, Jesus, and received Him back from the dead; He is now at the Father’s right hand right this moment

-just as Abraham’s faith was tested by God, so our faith gets tested by Him

-God does not test our faith to destroy it; He tests our faith to show what He’s already done in us

-that work–His work–can only be revealed through allowing trials and testings

-it’s similar to an engineer who has drawn up a schematic for a piece of computer hardware

-he can prove on paper that it will work; but it has to be tested to be shown that the project actually is valid and solid

-I believe the Lord does the same thing with us who are His children

-there will come times in our lives when the circumstances surrounding us collapse into a heap of rubble

-it may be a marriage that is failing; it could be the project you’re responsible for at work that is being rejected by the client

-possibly it is that tumor or that disease you never thought would happen

-and we find that the more we try to shore it up, the harder we seek to stop the hemorrhaging, the worse it gets

-we are at our wits end with no more strength, no more courage, no more means to deal with it

-it is at that time that we must–we must–we must–fall upon our Savior Jesus and cry out for mercy, for strength and for strategy

-Abraham, when he was tested, obeyed and offered up Isaac by faith; he had to trust God more than in his own understanding of ‘how will it happen?’

-is there an Isaac in your life? are you having to let go of something that is very precious to you?

-it’s not so much that you just let go; it’s that you commit it into the hands of God

-our perspective of “the right time” can be so different than God’s perspective of “the right time”

-I believe there are certain appointed times in our lives when God brings us to crossroads for purposes possibly far different than we initially thought

-an opportunity may have been presented to you to do this or that; and it has been on your mind and heart for a long time

-but the question needs to be, “Is this God’s timing?”; the need may be obvious, but it may not necessarily be the timing of God

-God’s desire is that the blessing we receive from Him is a 100% blessing of what He has in mind; but so often we settle for less through impatience

-how do you know when God is giving direction to do this or that?  5 tests

-1.) in the course of your daily reading of Scripture you keep coming across principles and phrases that bring to mind a particular direction or involvement of your life

-2.) you find a real desire to be involved in that particular endeavor

-3.) seasoned brethren in the Lord are a safe gateway through which to discern if a direction or opportunity is possibly God’s leading

-4.) there is peace in your heart and conscience over the prospect of being used in that way

-5.) the circumstances of your life seem to be pointing in that direction

-whether you step forward or wait until further notice, both will require you to step forward in faith

-waiting on the Lord is very much an active, forward movement on our part

II. FAITH FULFILLED V. 19

A. Setting Our Sights on God Instead of Our Reasoning

-v. 19 tells us that Abraham had to make sure his trust was in God’s ability to bring to pass His own promises

-it was a definite clear command from the Lord to offer up Isaac his son

-Abraham had walked with the Lord for many, many years now

-he had grown in his faith to know through experience and the witness of the Holy Spirit upon his spirit when it was really the Lord’s voice

-the questions on his mind as to the ‘how’ had to be left with God; he lifted his reasoning to a higher level

-he concluded that if God had given the promise in the first place, and now God was calling him to offer up Isaac, God was going to have to raise him from the dead to fulfill His own promise

-in this way he lifted his reasoning and faith to a higher level and rested his faith upon God instead of upon his own reasoning

-it’s not that you let go of reasoning altogether when you enter situations like this; it’s that you lift your reasoning to include the ‘God Factor’

-including the ‘God Factor’ means you understand that your collection of factors at hand are not complete; sound logic is based upon sound facts

-there may be some good initial factors that point to a direction; but the outcome of it has to be left into the hands of God

B. Setting Our ‘Isaacs’ Into God’s Hands

-what is your ‘Isaac’ right now? it could be your deepest hopes, your deepest desires, those things that are most precious to you

-it could be your ‘five year plan’, your upcoming marriage, your oldest child’s educational opportunities that you never had

-it’s not a time to get superstitious and think, “If I release these things into the hand of God, He will take them away from me and never give them back.”

-release means that you count Him more important and worthy of more value than anything that is a part of your life here on earth

Luke 14:25-27

25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.  27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. NKJV

-Jesus isn’t seeking to turn His disciples against family relationships; it’s just that He must have first place in the hearts of each of His disciples

-although family relationships are usually the most precious things to us (as it has been said, “The most precious things in life are not ‘things’”), we are usually more concerned about our own life more than others

-but even here Jesus calls us to release the concerns of our own life into His hands; choosing to follow the Savior Jesus will eventually get you into trouble

-this is the reality of the case in many countries today; yet when they trust Christ for their salvation, they realize they take upon themselves a ‘death-sentence’

-sold out, no turning back, total commitment…these are terms descriptive of Christ’s call to all His disciples, including you and me

“PRAYING FROM THE BELLY” – Jonah 2

INTRO: VIDEO (Will Rojas)

Background: Jonah ran…God pursued.  Sent a storm (grab attention)… sent sailors (confront him, challenge him, question him in his sin)… sent a sea creature (to preserve him and carry him back to do God’s will).

* Our God is merciful to us because of His great love for us…second chances when we have blown it, He still looks to bless us, restore us, revive us from that deadness of sin and self to do His work.

- Ch. 2 – in the belly of the beast Jonah cries out to God.

- Physically – pinned down, pressed against on all sides…dark, damp, uncomfortable.  Spiritually – broken, surrendered, deadness (thinks he’s in the grave)…yet in this place He prays to the LORD.

THE HAND OF GOD AND THE HOPE OF JONAH: (V.1-6)

“THEN… “ (1)

- Jonah didn’t pray as he went to Joppa, nor when captain told him to (possibly), but now he does in the worst place.

- We don’t know why he waited 3 days to pray… but his prayer is full of God’s Word (Psalms)

- Prayer is not from a bitter heart (accusing God of wrong), but from a broken spirit.

Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart – these, O God, You will not despise.”

=“prayed to the LORD his God” (ownership)

seen His revelation, power, mercy, reminded…HIS God (covenanted God, faithful God, loving God, reaching out in spite of my sin…Jonah knew it!)

God still calls to backsliders: “Come back, I haven’t changed.  You have.”  Wherever at, God hears and His people have access to His throne.

Jeremiah 3:22 ““Return, you backsliding children, [And] I will heal your backslidings.” “Indeed we do come to You, For You are the LORD our God.

** are you at a “Then” place?  Do what Jonah did…v.2

The cry heard: (2) “I cried out to the Lord” (affliction brought tears – thought he was in the grave (Sheol – grave)…fish belly like that.)

when in affliction, cry out to God… (not man…not drugs…not things)… pour out your heart like water before the Lord (Lam. 3)  WHY?

“He hears and will answer”. (v.2)

He knows the voice of His people (bleating of his sheep gone astray), intimately acquainted with all my ways…eyes never off of you, his thoughts are more than can be numbered, his plans are good.

“Prayer in the lowest depths is heard in the highest heavens” – Matthew Henry

- Much of what is said by Jonah is found in the Psalms… 1) He was conscious 2) word of God in his heart 3) prayed God’s Word.

C. The Hand of God & Hope of Jonah: (3-6)

- From distress & danger to Faith & Hope (Jonah’s heart revealed)

(3) Jonah realized that it was God’s hand (not sailors) cast him into the sea.  God’s billows, God’s waves (Creator was also Director of things)

Ps. 42:7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; All Your waves and billows have gone over me.

(4) “cast out” = (drive out from possession/ divorce) “from before Your eyes”

once a minister, now in a fish belly…my disobedience has driven me out of God’s blessing (ex. Adam/Eve – Gen. 3:24)

Ps. 31:22 For I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”; Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications When I cried out to You.

(ex. China “cast out” & the journal)

- This is how he feels inwardly, and yet there is a hope:

HOPE:  “Yet” (only)

Jonah may never see the physical temple, but his soul cries out… “still look to God” (FAITH)

The God of heaven’s temple still hears my cry…soul is his, my faith still stands in Your mercy.

Future view: Faith in God’s Messiah that will enter the heavenly temple for my sake, whose blood will cover all my disobedience.

(5-6) water, weeds, words of distress… Jonah is sinking…darkness…weeds choking… earth closing over him (jailed)… bottom of the mountains…one breath between him and death.

- Possible Jonah wasn’t swallowed right away…God sustained him as he sank.

Ps. 69:1 To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Lilies.” [fn] A Psalm of David. Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to [my] neck.

What David wrote figuratively, Jonah experienced literally…

**JESUS – type of Jonah: “cast out” (forsaken) by the Father (My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me.)  He knew affliction and sorrow… garden (Mt. 26:38 – soul exceedingly sorrowful facing death)

HOPE: “Yet” (only He can bring me up, “ascend” from the pit)

Ps. 30:3 O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. [fn]

Jewish hope was the resurrection from the dead into a glorious future and reign with God (Job 19:25-27; Is. 26:19; Dan. 12:1-3) (Israel today: burial places facing Jerusalem awaiting Messiah)

Jonah acknowledges that no matter what happens to him physically, he always has hope in God’s ability to raise him up.

“MY God” (owns the LORD as his…infinite God is owned by finite man)

* Good to reassure your heart of Biblical truths in difficult times…He is your God and you have a “yet” ahead.

THE PRAYER, PROCLAMATION, AND PROMISE: (V. 7-9)

He Prayed: (7)

-fainting, overwhelmed, languishing from this difficulty…sin, shame, sorrow weighs upon him…he prays (messenger sent to heaven to plead his heart).

Ps. 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, [even] to His ears.

He Proclaimed: (8)

WARNING: keep close to God.  Idols are lying vanities (1:5 – sailors), own way is foolishness (no good, no comfort)…keep close to God & find His mercy.

Implication: mercy is waiting to be poured out on us…full measure…new every morning!

** we feel we aren’t worthy to ask God for mercy (true!)…through Jesus we have access to this throne of grace to obtain mercy to help in time of need. (Heb. 4:16)

– Danger is that our tendency is to forsake God’s mercy and try our own ways.

Jeremiah 2:13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, [And] hewn themselves cisterns–broken cisterns that can hold no water.

He Promised: (9)

sacrifice of thanksgiving (inward praise),,, pay vowed (outward promise – changed life, go to Ninevah if God desires).  Never forsake him, faithfully execute His will.

Same as mariners (1:16)  “feared, sacrificed, vowed”

VOWS to the LORD are good if prompted by the spirit of God. (discipline/ honoring God/ sign of true change when life shows what lips profess)  Binding promise: (marriage)

Eccl. 5:4-5  (warning) When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; For [He has] no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed–Better not to vow than to vow and not pay.

- God wants us to be men & women of our word because it reflects upon Him.

Why does he make this vow?

“Salvation is of the LORD”. (Only He can save…Deliverer, Sustainer, Savior…from sea, from fish, from myself, ultimately He saves my soul)

Jonah is fully surrendered, and then God acts.

“God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.”  – Andrew Murray

THE SPEAKING OF GOD AND THE SPEWING OF JONAH: (V.10)

God spoke:

same God who made all creation, directs the fish to fulfill His will.  Calls by name – Ralph… give it up- Chuck…Barfolomew”

Fish spews:

vomited out (thrust out)  (human cannonball)

Where? “to dry land…” Not told (possible back where he started, possibly closest coast to Ninevah)

* God’s timing is perfect:  When the man of God is fully surrendered (“LORD, have Your way”) then God acts (thrusting him out into His plan – new life, new power, new heart).  God uses that “belly” experience to bring Him glory…

This was a “resurrection from the dead” for Jonah:

At God’s Word, in His time, the grave cannot hold any longer & gives up (thrusts out)…gave up Jesus (conqueror of grave) and He would go to set the captive free.

** Jonah sees darkness and death – yet God is moving the fish; Jonah is broken – yet God is building him…How about you? (Storm video)

INTRO: Jesus has chosen His disciples, is beginning His ministry (4:23-25 teaching, preaching, healing), and is now going to impart to them what God’s Kingdom is all about. (MATT. 5-7 Sermon on the mount)

“Sermon on the Mount is the Mt. Sinai of the OT.”

here we hear that motives are just as important as the actions – “You have heard is said…but I say to you…” / deals with topics of religious duties (prayer, fasting, giving)/ how to discern truth from falsehood – so as not to be deceived./ ends with an illustration about the importance of applying what is heard.

Matt. 7:28-29 “And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

Astonished = “to strike with sudden shock” (amazed…”jaw dropper”…WOWED!!)

Jesus was telling them How God meant Life to be lived… (relation with God & man)

(v. 1-2) seated as teacher – teaching His pupils….beatitudes – PROCLAMATION & PROMISE

I.  INWARD CHANGE: (V. 3-5)

- each starts with a “Blessed” = “HAPPY”

Jesus came to bless mankind.  Blessing would be in setting man’s life straight… 1^st place – inward spiritual state

POOR IN SPIRIT: (3)

“to crouch; Beggar, pauper” (see themselves as bankrupt spiritually before God)

no works, no deals, but brokenness, emptiness, destitute & lost,… realize I am perishing without God’s salvation.  Desperation in the heart and mind…He MUST act and save me! (drowning @ sea

Do you see yourself this way? 1^st step between you and God’s kingdom – poor in spirit.

James 4:6 “But He gives more grace.  Therefore He says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

PROMISE: kingdom of heaven… Jesus gives the spiritually broken and beaten down a hope = a future secure

MOURNERS: (4)

“grieve, wail” (mourning for the dead)

mourn, wail, grieve for your own spiritual state (seriousness sinks in)

James 4: 9-10 “Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor.”

PROMISE: comforted (parakaleo) “draw near, invite” (come close to Me)

Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to Me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you.  Let me tach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

He will comfort those who grieve over their sin, crushed by weight of it all, realize their offenses to a holy God…pointing them to Jesus (who forgives, heals, shows mercy and comforts).  He is your rest from the pains of sin, trials of this world

- As a promised guarantee of what’s to come, He gives us His Spirit of Comfort to comfort us in all our tribulations now.

MEEK: (5)

“Meekness is not weakness”

“mild, humble” (gentle strength; patience in the face of injury; power under control)

(ex. Jesus – “Meek and lowly in heart” and yet overturns tables)

Matthew 26:53-54 (NLT) (Jesus in Garden) “Don’t you realize that I could ask My Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and He would send them instantly?  But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?”

vs. Not saying a word to Pilate to defend Himself.

Meekness doesn’t press “MY” rights, trampling down others…soft answer that turns away wrath (Prov. 15:1)/ Submission to God knowing God will vindicate wrongs.   Meekness produces peace and stability in a person.

PROMISE: “inherit the earth” – Jewish mind: inheritance – land (Canaan – land of promise, milk & honey, future security & rest…would it ever happen? History)

Jesus promises special blessing, partaking of His promised heavenly land.

** Meekness comes on the heals of consolation received… change of person (broken over sin, mourning over sin…comforted with hope and promise… new life reflecting Jesus!…living as HE intended!

UPWARD CRAVE: (V. 6,8)

HUNGRY & THIRSTY: (6)

“famished & thirsty” (strong desire for righteousness & holiness in life/ simply put…longing for God’s heart & character in me)

Psalm 63:1 (NLT)  “O God, You are my God; I earnestly search for you.  My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.”

PROMISE: “filled” (to gourge; stuffed to the point of bursting; to fatten a cow)

We long for things (empty); long for relationships (broken); long for purpose (confused),  Those who hunger & thirst (longing) to be right, holy…God MEETS & COMPLETES (satisfies)…HOW?  Pointing them to Jesus!

PURE IN HEART: (8)

“clean” (minds, motives, attitudes, principles are true; externally right & inwardly holy) (ex. Pharisees – outward right, but inward mess)

Matthew 23:27-28 (NLT) “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees.  Hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs – beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.  Outwardly you look like righteous people, bur inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

God looks at the heart & wants purity… – Purity of heart only comes when I’m washed in blood of the Lamb (Jesus).  Then I will “see God”.

PROMISE: “see God” (possess God; great favor, great intimacy, honored friend in relationship – King’s companions behold His face continually) Relationship with God comes from a pure heart first. Heb. 12:14 “…without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

Today: We see God from a heart knowledge (speaks through His Word), We see His handiwork (creation),  we see “Jesus” reflected in others who know Him too…but one day we will see God face to face.

1 John 3:3 “And everyone who has this hope purifies himself even as He is pure.”

**Jesus intended for your life to be a vibrant, exciting relationship with the Living God.    Crave the person of God, wanting the pure heart of God.

OUTWARD COURSE: (V. 7,9-12)

MERCIFUL: (7)

“compassionate” (pain of heart towards someone to alleviate sorrow)

2 fold:  1) Forgiving – pardoning offenses:

Mercy shown in forgiving offenses just as God has forgiven you…

** We want justice for others offenses, but mercy for ourselves.

Giving:

- Mercy gives from the heart to help out (enters into the grief and sorrow of others). PROMISE: “obtain mercy” (get back what you have given out)

Heb. 6:10 (NLT) “For God is not unjust.  He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.”

**We all need mercy because we all FAIL & FALL.  (Fail in relationships – hurt others, sin against God); we fall into hard times (my fault or out of my control).  Mercy is a beautiful thing!  It is a godly thing.

- when we show mercy to others (know it or not) we are showing them the heart of Jesus.

PEACEMAKERS: (9)

“maker’s up of strife” (not just keeping peace, but bringing it; preventing wars & contentions; reconciling others together.)

The Personnel Journal reported this incredible statistic: since the beginning of recorded history, the entire world has been at peace less than eight percent of the time! In its study, the periodical discovered that of 3530 years of recorded history, only 286 years saw peace. Moreover, in excess of 8000 peace treaties were made–and broken.

Sin is a “PEACE destroyer” it  builds walls, breaks trusts, destroys relationships…  JESUS is our PEACE maker! (Peace with God; Peace with others)

Ephesians 2:14 (peace with God) For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

John 14:27 (Peace from God in circumstances) Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Those who have embraced the Ultimate PeaceMaker, now relay His peace to others…his reps…his ambassadors…his children reflecting the heart of the Father.

PROMISE: “sons of God”

PERSECUTED: (10-12)

-“to pursue after to harm”  for standing with God (claiming Jesus as Savior/ Messiah)

Acts 8:3-4 (Paul) As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing [them] to prison. herefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

- all over the world Christians choose to suffer affliction for the name of Jesus, some parts very hostile towards Christians

- Persecution is one of the “perk” of being His (Jn. 15 – world hates Me…)

- Promised by Paul for godly living (2 Tim. 3:12)

**Why would others do this?  Why is there such hostility toward God and His followers?

*** Standing with Jesus means standing against Satan.  If the enemy can’t have your soul, then he will do everything in his power to destroy your effectiveness in others.

** How you and I respond can radically change our persecutors! (Acts 7 – Stephen stoned in the presence of Saul (Paul)

- PROMISE: “kingdom of heaven”   (world may destroy your home, steal your riches, but God gives you a kingdom home & riches that never fade)

- (v.11) from “those” to “you” (personal to disciples: deeper impact)

- they would try to be peacemakers, but receive persecution… they would try to reconcile, but be reviled…they would be merciful and yet be mocked, lied about, falsely accused.

(Jesus was called “mad” and a “devil” and yet He pressed on…love does that!) …know this, you’re blessed by Him!

(V. 12) “rejoice” = leap for joy

Why?  1) reward in heaven: enduring to the end

2) numbered with the godly past (Elijah, Jeremiah, Isaiah – stand next to in that Day – honor)

**How did Jesus intend for you to live?  Inwardly – bring you into relationship with Him.  Upwardly – cultivate that relationship with Him.  Outwardly – expressing that relationship with Him… it’s living as Jesus intended.

INTRO:  Jeff Jones’  “Jonah Experience” video

THE STORM: (V.4-5)

A. “But the Lord…” (4) (He is in control and over all creation…sends the wind, stirs up a storm to do His work)

- storms arise suddenly in the Medeteranian Sea – “Euroclydon”

Acts 27:13-20

 B. The Sailors’ response: (5a) NATURAL & NAUTICAL

 1. captured by fear: seasoned sailors – overwhelmed at the storm,  realize a supernatural hand involved, fearing the worst.

2. crying out to their gods: (gods of the sea, gods of men, gods of society & country & upbringing) (anything & everything implored for help)

-  God created man a “spiritual being” with the inclination to worship. But because of sin man worships the creation over the Creator…blinded in his heart & mind.

Rom. 1:20-23,25 (NLT) “From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes. Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.

- In distressing times men will cling to their god for security (though it be not the true GOD). But these gods are powerless to save as these sailors will find out.

 3. casting things into the sea: NATURAL & NAUTICAL RESPONSE – lighten the ship to sail better (their cargo, their food for the journey, their tackle, their profits all tossed overboard)

- These sailors are doing everything in their known power and experience at sea to secure their safety.  (Real weight was not on deck, but bellow…sin is heaviest load to carry.)

C.  Jonah’s response: (5b)

= sleeping “fast asleep” (out cold…sawing logs…)  Why?  Grief, remorse over actions… “sleep it off” (depressed within himself)

- The storm is slapping and rocking the boat, the sailors are crying out to gods, but none of it phases Jonah. (lullaby) (there in the lowest & darkest corner Jonah has been lulled to sleep by sin – keeping him from his duty to his God – keeping him in that carnal state – keeping him insensible to the danger at hand)

= Sad picture: world is crying out in despair for help while the servant of God is sleeping.

Eph. 5:14-16 “Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

The storm was sent after Jonah to turn him around to do God’s work, and yet the sailors would be the ones that make the first step toward change…

THE SAILORS & GOD’S SERVANT: (V. 6-16)

Call upon your God: (6)

- Sent by the hand of God this captain confronts Jonah.

“What meanest thou?” (what’s wrong with you?  Sick? Diseased?  At a time like this why aren’t you praying?)

As long as there was life, there was hope; and in hope there is room to pray.

It’s always a sad case when the world is telling the Christians to do what the Christians should be telling the world to do. (pray @ work…)

This captain believed that only divine intervention could keep them from perishing, only God could show mercy & favor.  Their gods failed, maybe Jonah’s God could help.

Casting lots to find the cause of the problem: (7)

They connected the storm to some act of judgment.  Someone was guilty of some heinous crime and the gods were punishing him… (Paul – Acts 28:4 – bitten by snake “… No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.”…changed minds when he didn’t die!)

They all were suffering because of that one person.  No one claimed responsibility and so they cast lots. (Way to know divine will – discovery, discernment, determination to do it.)

Acts 1:26 (early Church practicing lots, fruitless) “And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias.  And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”

Today: we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us to lead us into truth.  We have the full counsel of God’s Word.

- Lot fell to Jonah – Jonah didn’t own up to his sin, so God exposed him….he is the cause of the terrible storm.

Prov.  16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.”

Confronting with questions that demand answers: (8-10)

- They don’t rush to throw him overboard (walk the plank!), but want to know the cause in his life for such turmoil and suffering from this storm.

(8) under examination to illicit a confession, judge him by his own words.

they want to know who he really is (murderer, thief, sorcerer – black magic).  They want understand his flight.  They want information to make a clear judgment in this case….right thing to do!

How quick we are to rush to judgment when we should be questioning the cause before us.   (ex. guy on the corner with a sign) ** People fail…do I really care to know why?  The heart of Jesus is to find the heart of the matter.

(9) Jonah gives them the true answer: 1) Hebrew  (God’s chosen people) 2) fears the LORD (occupation, religious duty to draw near to Him, not from Him… I worship the Lord… not just any god of man, but Creator of all; not isolated to a country “God of the Jews”, but everywhere & over all things.)

Jonah now uses this opportunity to tell them about the LORD, His personal relationship with the living God (not powerless gods of men). (TURNING POINT: sea accused him, lots exposed him, & now he realizes his failure – sorrow, shame in voice as he confesses.)

(10) They’ve seen His power through the storm, they’ve heard Jonah’s witness, and now they ask “why”…”why would you turn from such a powerful God, absurd to run when you have His favor?”

before He was just “a god”, one of many…who cares if Jonah runs; but now they see He is the Only True God. (powerful, real)

They are reproving Jonah for acting so foolishly. Rebuked by the world. (Abraham – Genesis 20 – trying to save himself, rebuked by worldly men)

* World asks the same questions to God’s people – “Why?  You profess, but not practice.  Claim to know Him, and yet your life is no different than mine…worse.”

- Jonah is humbled by the godless.

Casting Jonah into the sea: (11-15)

(11-12) What shall we do to you? How do we fix the problem…right the wrong you’ve done? (good inquiry: knowing the cause, we need to act!)

Jonah’s answer:  “Toss me into the sea.  I’m guilty.” (sin brought me here, sin has raised this storm, must be dealt with for peace – confessed, cleared, cleansed…toss it overboard….get it out of the boat….deserves a death sentence.)

Jonah wasn’t thinking he could swim to shore, or he could take a life raft and find another boat, he saw the end. (humbled, broken, falls into the hands of God – surrender, deal with my sin.)

We must do the same (ex. David’s Census -2 Sam. 24:14 – “let me fall into the hands of the LORD”)

(13-14)  Though they tried hard (dug in) to save Jonah, they eventually succumbed to his desires and recognized God’s will.

Psalm 135:6 “Whatever the LORD pleases He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places.”

But first clearing their guilt of bloodshed (14). “innocent of this issue” (feared this GOD – if running causes a storm with Jonah…what about us?”

(15) When sin is dealt with righteously, then peace is restored…impacted these men.

Converting to the LORD: (16)

- They feared the Lord (heart change…gods gone, only One God) ;offered sacrifices (thanksgiving, cleansing from sin); made vows (not a wishy washy experience, but true changes following)

* God sent a storm to get one man and brought a multitude of men to Himself through it. (toy story – “the claw”)

- If God could save these guys through Jonah’s disobedience, how much more in Ninevah through his obedience?

THE SEA CREATURE: (V. 17)

Prepared by the Lord: “to weigh out, allot, enroll”

(pic) God chose this fish to do His will… capture His man, compress His man, and carry him back to do His will. (He isn’t done…though Jonah thinks so)

(personally – God is still working, moving you in His plan.  That fish experience will be used by God to further His work in your life.)

Preserving Jonah:

- 3 days and 3 nights in that belly…what do you do? Play cards (solitaire, go fish, no… you pray! Ch. 2 – Jonah recalls God’s word in that belly and refocuses on God’s character.

Prophetic picture:

- Jesus uses this to declare His death and resurrection: (Matt. 12:39-41)

- Connection: Jesus became sin for us (1 Cor. 5:21) and was given a death sentence (crucify, throw overboard) that peace might come to others… He went to the grave (just as Jonah was), He was 3 days & 3 nights in the heart of the earth (just as Jonah passing through the lowest parts of the sea); He would rise again (just as Jonah would be given new life – spit out) and He would take God’s message to the world (just as Jonah would to the Gentiles of Ninevah)

“STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS”

Hebrews 11:8-16

INTRODUCTION:

I. THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM VV. 8-10

A. By Faith Abraham Went Out v. 8

-Abraham was considered the father of the Hebrew people

-these first century Hebrew believers in Jeshua needed to be reminded that the faith they were living by was the same faith as their forefather Abraham lived by

-we first read about Abraham’s journey of faith in Gen. 12, where at that time his name was Abram

-we don’t know how the Lord made it clear to Abraham that he was to leave Ur of the Chaldees

-the wording seems to indicate that he stepped forward and was given leading phase by phase

-we do know that there were some explicit instructions given to him as recorded in Gen. 12

-it is interesting to consider that he didn’t get a more full detail of things until he came right into the middle of the land of Canaan

Gen 12:1-8 NKJV

(1) Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. (2) I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

(4) So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

(5) Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan.

(6) Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. (7) Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

(8) And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.

-it was by faith that Abraham obeyed; notice that here in Hebrews it clearly states that he went out not knowing where he was going

-it wasn’t that he was clueless; it’s just that there was such a strong sense in his spirit that it was the right thing to do, although he didn’t have all the details

-his trust was in the God who was leading him, not in his own understanding

Pro 3:5-7 NKJV Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; (6) In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (7) Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

-I’m not here to tell you that good judgment, discernment and planning are unspiritual or shouldn’t be considered

-there are many Scriptures which encourage us to think through what is in front of us, to pray over those plans and then release them into the Lord’s hands

-but as was true with Abraham in this instance, it’s just that there will be times in our own lives as Christians when the leading of the Spirit is so strong that to disobey that leading would be considered sin for us

-this is how my family came to Arizona

B. By Faith Abraham Dwelt as a Foreigner vv. 9-10

-it is one thing to step out in faith in a direction that you believe God has led you; it is another thing to dwell in it and not run from it when things get tough

-Abraham did not immediately set out to build a house and settle in; he waited

-not only did he wait, but he taught his son and grandson about the future inheritance, looking beyond the physical land

-this shows that his faith was not in the tangible but in the intangible; he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God

-if the inheritance is only in the physical realm, then what happens when all things are dissolved and pass away? Is your inheritance gone?

-the reality of the case for believers in Christ is this: our inheritance is HIM; we don’t want the stuff; we want Him; if we have Him we have all things

-what inheritance are you looking for? it’s so easy to just get locked in on this life

-all it takes to discover your heart is when you find out there was a large bank account that was transferred to you at the death of your relative

-and then you find out that at the last minute one of your other relatives convinced them to transfer all those funds into their own name

Psa 16:5-6 NKJV O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. (6) The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.

-did you know that the Lord counts you and I as His inheritance?

Psa 94:14 NKJV For the LORD will not cast off His people, Nor will He forsake His inheritance.

II. THE FAITH OF SARAH VV. 11-12

A. By Faith Sarah Received Strength to Conceive v. 11

-remember that Sarah was the one who suggested to Abraham that since she couldn’t conceive, her handmaiden Hagar should be a surrogate

-yet here Sarah’s lapse in faith is overlooked because although she laughed when she heard the message from God that she would have a child at 90 years old, she must have regrouped and trusted God in faith

-it says that she received strength to conceive seed; her faith in God’s promise and power brought healing to her internally to be able to conceive, even at 90 years old!

-it was also by faith that she bore the child; notice why: she judged Him faithful who had promised

-this is not faith in the dynamics of faith; it is faith in the person and promises of God Himself

-it must be remembered that God planned to do this first before He told Sarah

-God enabled her to conceive because it was a part of His plan for her and Abe

-to just read this section of Genesis and then automatically conclude that if you’re unable to have children God must work in this same way is presumption

-we don’t always know why things have worked the way they have; but God is faithful to bring His comfort to every situation we encounter and cary out His particular will and plan concerning us

B. By Faith Sarah and Abraham Became Parents of a Multitude v. 12

-this shows the result of their faith: from that simple step of faith on their part, it began the process by which a nation of Hebrew people were born

-Abraham was healed at age 86 to be able to have children; Ishmael was born as the result through Sarah’s handmaiden, Hagar

-thirteen years later, God healed Sarah and she had a child, Issac, when she was 90, Abraham was 100

-him as good as dead…there are many things in life that we wish would have happened which will not happen–ever in this life

-but God understands the deep need in our life for purpose and vision and significance; He is able by the Holy Spirit to bring us to that core fulfillment

-but we must let go of the ‘how’ and the ‘when’ and let Him do things His way

-maybe it will take place under different circumstances; maybe it won’t happen at all; but this is just where we must let go and invite Him to fill us completely

III. THE FAITH THAT PROCLAIMS WE ARE STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS VV. 13-16

A. Strangers and Pilgrims vv. 13-14

-there are three things I want you to notice in these verses

-first of all, they all died in their faith, that is, with their faith intact

-their faith wasn’t in the outward circumstances of the moment; their faith rested upon the Person and the promises of God Himself

-their faith gave them foresight, it gave them insight, it gave them hindsight

-secondly, they were assured of those promises, which led them to embrace them, cling to them, and hold on to them for dear life

-thirdly, it caused them to keep perspective that they were only strangers and pilgrims while they journeyed through this life

-strangers were those who were not citizens of the country in which they lived

-pilgrims were those who were on a journey to a religious or spiritual destination

-the Pilgrims who came across on the Mayflower were in search of living in a land whereby they could worship God freely according to their convictions

-they landed on 11/11/1620 at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts; half of them died the first winter here; I am a 12^th generation descendant of Edward Fuller

-true, we are physical citizens of USA; and as a citizen we are responsible to support this country with our taxes, our involvement and our prayers

-but ultimately as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we are citizens of heaven

Phil 3:20-21

20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. NKJV

-there may come times when we will encounter laws or cultural mores in our earthly country that run contrary with the truths and principles of the Kingdom of heaven as revealed in Scripture

-when this happens, we must first seek to understand the true goal of the law or the moral

-we must seek to find a way to meet those goals IF they are not contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom of God

-but when they run contrary to those Kingdom Laws, and the goal is immoral and forces us to sin against God, then there comes a time for civil disobedience to the cultural mores of our society, come what may

B. Seeking the Heavenly Country vv. 15-16

-no turning back; fully committed; eyes on the prize, so to speak

Mark 8:38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” NKJV

Rom 1:16-17

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” NKJV

2 Tim 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. NKJV

John 14:2-3

2 There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

INTRO:

I. THE BACKGROUND:

AUTHOR: Jonah - from Gath Hepher – Zebulin (Galillee)

- lived 8c. under Jereboam II reign (793-753 BC) (2 kings 14:25 – borders expanded to largest since King David/ Solomon – prosperous, but godless – idolatry, immorality, carnality)

- inspired by the Spirit, he writes this book about his own failures with God on the mission field for generations to come to read about…

Romans 15:4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

ABOUT: - Jonah was called by God to go to Ninevah – 500 miles away .  There he was to reach out to the very people (Assyrians) that were exterminating them (Jews).  These enemies were brutal, torturous, murderous, wicked people.

“rebels were flayed, impaled, beheaded (first if they were lucky), burnt alive, eyes ripped out, fingers, noses and ears cut off.  Many times they mutilated men until death, placing heads, arms, hands and even lower lips on the conquered city’s walls and skulls and noses atop stakes. On some occasions, people were blinded so that as they wandered throughout the land they would speak of Assyrian terrors and demoralize the local population.”

- Jonah – Only minister who wished his ministry would fail!

Theme: God’s mercy…Jonah’s failures; God’s faithfulness. (he ran…God chased down; after 3 days prayed…God heard; he preached doom…God used it; he was angry…God was merciful)

* God puts up with a lot of our junk (attitudes, complaints, stubbornness, bitternesses)

AUTHENTICITY: is it true?  Fish story?

1. historically/ archeologically accounted – Ninevah: near modern Mosul, Iraq (E. Tigris)

= (1820) Claude James Rich uncovered mounds of Ninevah…  one of the mounds “Mound of Yunas (Jonah)” – possible tomb of the prophet – illegal to excavate on it.

= Sir Austen Henry Layard (1845-51) found the ruins of 5 Assyrian kings who are named in the Bible in this area.

= Josepheus (Jewish historian) accounted for historical Jonah, not fictional.

= Ashur-Dan III (Assyrian ruler at time of Jonah): noted spiritual awakening. (756 BC – plague/ 759 BC – plague/ 763 BC – eclipse (judgment from gods) – preparing people to hear Jonah’s message)

2. physically able – Fish swallowing a man and him living? (great fish/ whale KJV = sea monster) = Whale shark could…

Whale sharks often grow to 45 feet & 15 tons. In 1919 one was caught off the Gulf of Thailand measuring 59 feet.  They don’t have large teeth.  They feed in an interesting way by opening their enormous mouths, submerging their lower jaw, and rushing through the water at terrific speed.  After straining out the water, they swallow whatever is left.

- Whatever it was, don’t throw out the supernatural…God sent this sea creature to do the miraculous!

3. Biblically authorized as true: Jesus

Mt. 12:39-41 “ But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.  The men of Ninevah will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.”

- Jonah = type of Christ, sent-One, raised from the dead to bring salvation to the Gentiles.

- Jesus would not use a myth to relay the foundational truth of Christianity.

II. DIRECTION: “ARISE AND GO…”: (V.2)

PATHWAY: Ninevah “residence of Ninus (Nimrod)” (Gen. 10)

Great city  – 100 ft. walls… top: 4 chariots side-by-side race (8 mile circuit)…capitol of Assyrian empire (600,000 to 2.5 million people surrounding areas)/ powerful empire – rival of Babylon / incredibly wealthy & wicked

Nahum 2:12 (of Ninevah) “The lion tore in pieces enough for its cubs, killed for his lionesses, filled his caves with prey, and his dens with flesh.”

While Nahum was speaking from Israel against Ninevah; Jonah was told to go there – pathway, direction.  It wasn’t his choice, but God’s choice.

* Today: Jesus gives us direction to “Go” (Mt. 28) – He decides who to send & where to fulfill His plans…even to our enemies

PASSION: “cry out”…not whisper, but boldly declare to them God’s heart against them (all know).  This was a serious issue.  Sin is no joke.

There is a time and a place for passionate pleas to confront people in sin. (Jesus – cleaning temple vs. woman caught in adultery) (sometimes it is a gentleness/ compassion; other – pulling them from the fire (Jude 22-23)

How do you know what to do?… KEY: must be Spirit-led.

- Jonah was called to “cry out”

PURPOSE: “wickedness has come up before Me.” …”before My face” (bold affront)

* God notices sin…not a push-over, but patient with us, lovingly reaching out to us.  Just because He delays, doesn’t mean He doesn’t care (disinterested)

(Noah’s Day – Gen. 6:5 “then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”)… (Sodom – Gen. 18:20-21 “…sin is very grave…outcry against it has come to Me”)

There comes a point where God will act and judge sin.

Romans 2:4-5 “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?  But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”

612 BC – Ninevah destroyed by Babylonian Empire, just a few hundred years from Jonah’s time.  (2 Peter 3:9 “…God is not willing that any should perish, but that all come to repentance.”)

= Jonah was given the path, the passion, and the purpose of God’s mission…would he obey?

III. DISOBEDIENCE: HE AROSE AND FLED… (V.3)

DIRECTION: goes to Tarshish (Spain)– farthest from situation…running from Lord.

He fled = “bolted suddenly” … from being before the Lord (knew he couldn’t escape God, but thought if he put himself out of the picture God would use someone else. (ministry resignation)

DOWNWARD SPIRAL:

1)“Went down” (Joppa – sea coast city 11 mi. away) (time to think – hardened heart)

2) “found a ship” (actively seeking it out)

“The ready way is not always the right way” – Matthew Henry

3) “paid the price” (no thought to the cost – sin always has a price)

4) “went down into the boat” (lowest, farthest part, hiding from reality – God’s call.)

*When we run from the Lord it is always a downward experience: (constructed by the flesh – enemy makes it easy to run from God… costly to ourselves and others (storms because of our disobedience)… rationalize our run (God didn’t…/ I can’t… turn away)

John 6:66 (Jesus) “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.”

- Instead of walking in the light, Jonah was hiding in the darkness.

* Why did Jonah run? INTERNAL CONFLICT:

Jonah 4:2

- Jonah knew God’s character, words, ways…experienced it first hand (personal relationship)

- Jonah knew his own heart…no way, too hard…to hurtful, to vunerable (what will others think, everyone hates them.)

* How often we run from God’s heart, because His way is in conflict with our understanding.

= Godliness is always in conflict with our flesh…Flesh always rebels against God’s ways, because it involves dying to myself, my understanding!  God calls us to love others, forgive, bless. (Jesus’ command – Mt. 5:44 love your enemies…)

* left to ourselves we cannot love others/ enemies. KEY: He can through us…by His Spirit.

- Those who run from God know too much of God to be comfortable in the world…no peace…conflict (inward & outward).

3. DIVINE MERCY:

(v.4) “But the Lord…” He acted 1^st in reconciliation…Jonah ran from the Lord, but the Lord ran after Jonah

…after, not over

- sent a storm to break his security, get his attention.

- sent sailors – question him, challenge his reasoning & disobedience

- sent a sea creature to swallow him…pin him down…Let’s talk!

-Everything was done in love, through love, because of love… for a rebellious son.

Acts 9:32-43

This message is presented by Pastor Jesse Claycamp

“THE JESUS EFFECT – IN LOVE WITH OTHERS”

ACTS 9:32-43

Intro:

“Christianity is not a means simply of getting into heaven, nor is it only a system of doctrine, but it is a wonderful manifestation of divine life and love in the midst of a world of sin and wretchedness.” - H.A. Ironside

Saul saved… Church is enjoying a season of rest and growth (v.31)… Peter is traveling throughout Israel ministering to the saints…

WILLING TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS: (32-34)

Peter went to minister to others: (32) Lydda – 11 Mi. SE of Joppa

True ministry to others comes from being ministered to by the Lord first.

* You can only give out what you have received… (Acts 19:13-16 Seven sons of Sceva)

= Peter walked with Jesus, heard His words, hung out with Jesus, saw His miracles & works… CHANGED HIM!

=Here was a man who knew what it was to fail Jesus, yet knew His love greater…grace received, grace given.  Love poured into, now poured out of… reach his world!

“The Jesus Effect” (overflowing life)

= Something has changed IN me & now it flows OUT of me…

John 7:37-39 “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, “If anyone thirsts let him come to me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”  But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

Demonic (Mk. 5)/Mary Magdalene/ wisemen (went home another way…)

*How has Jesus affected you?  Are you loving others, reaching others, sharing with others what God has shared with you?  Hands, Feet, heart of Jesus – willing to reach & minister to others?

= Peter patterned his life after Jesus…  went to them and got dirty with ministry!

Peter seized the unplanned opportunities: (33-34)

Peter finds this man (not seeking for show…) & find out about him…relational!  8 yrs. Bedridden…paralyzed.  Saved already???

God stirred Peter’s heart to do something unplanned… (flash back to Jesus – Mk. 2 – paralyzed man)

True Christianity is walking in the footsteps of Jesus (following His example)

How did Jesus handle things?  What’s God’s Word have to say? What is the Spirit impressing upon my heart to do in this situation?

Ministry must be led by His Spirit. It’s not a scheduled thing…not a religious weekly event… it’s in everyday things. (Acts 3 – temple beggar)

- As God leads, doors open and He nudges you to act.

* How flexible are you?

*KEY: JESUS – saw people, not problems… People created in His image, need His love & grace.

- Peter saw Aeneas not through the natural eyes, but with God’s eyes. A man that needed Jesus…. ”the Jesus’ Effect”.

- Peter responded to the Spirit’s promptings and stepped out in faith.

Peter knew true changes only lies through Jesus’ Name – POINTED to Jesus: (34)

Acts 3:12 “So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this?  Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?”

Peter was just a man, the vessel God would use, instrument… focus was Jesus

Jesus is the answer for every man.

Spiritually: many are paralyzed (Christians/ non-Christians)  Sin gradually paralyzes, numbs, callouses your heart to God’s spirit & work. “______.  Jesus, the Christ heals you…arise.”

Unsaved -Cain: anger/ sin desires to rule/ looked for moment/ murdered. “___. Jesus, the Christ, heals you…arise.”

Saved – Lot: saw Sodom/ pitched tent towards/ living in…carnal, worldly, paralyzed! “Jesus, the Christ, heals you…arise”

God heals (His part)/ Arise now, make bed (your part)

Bed = testimony to God’s work in you. (knew you by that bed…)

He arose immediately – not “think about it”, not laughing, not mocking…but obeying.

SEEING GOD GET THE GLORY: (35)

They saw this man…they saw “the MAN”…  product is salvation… “The Jesus Effect” (35)

Christian = “little Christs” (Romans saw them as little Jesus’)

I don’t think he had any idea what God would do with his life/ testimony when he first picked up that mat.

- Sharon (30 mi. area – message spread from one person)

**True Christianity looks to see people turn to Jesus not yourself.

John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

REPEATING “THE JESUS EFFECT”: DORCAS (36-42)

A.  Dorcas’ noted lifestyle -  IN LOVE WITH OTHERS: loved to serve and bless others (36,39) providing clothes for widows and poor…

Dorcas: Love/ True Christianity is full of good works and giving. Not self-centered, others-oriented.  “we need more Dork’s for Jesus”.

God notices our labor of love for others:

Heb. 6:10 “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”

God remembers works and giving in His Name (10:4 – CORNELIUS)

Jesus: (“What you’ve done to the least, you’ve done to Me.”)

Acts 20:35 “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak.  And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

1 John 3:18 “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

Dorcas’ impact on others: (37-39)

They called for Peter… Peter went and saw this woman and the great love she showed others.

Impact of her life was not seen in totality until she had died.  Her death would bring opportunity for more salvations…

Ps. 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.”

- Today Dorcas ministries… God’s love changes lives.  Before Jesus there were no care facilities, orphanages, relief programs. Red cross?  JESUS’ EFFECT: loving others as He loves me.

C. Dorcas’ new life: (40-42)

- (40) Peter moved by the Spirit again just followed Jesus’ example (Mk. 5 – little girl)

(41) “He gave her his hand and lifted her up”… not because she was weak & still sick, but because she was honored… her life of love for others was worth lifting up, worth noting to others, her life/ work was worth “giving her a hand” in applause, praising to others, presenting to others…She is alive! (physically; spiritually – let a legacy of love; a fingerprint of Jesus)

(42) Joppa – many believed in the Lord – salvation

How is Jesus affecting you today? Are you in love with others?  Is He leading you to serve, to bless, to be “JESUS” to your world?

“FAITH BEFORE THE FLOOD – PART 2”

Hebrews 11:7

INTRODUCTION:

I. BY FAITH NOAH PREPARED AN ARK v. 7a

A. Divinely Warned of Things Not Yet Seen

-the core of the verse reads, “By faith Noah…prepared an ark for the saving of his household…”

-God first gave the warning to Noah before he acted; His word first came to Noah; then faith came into Noah’s heart, a kind of faith which led to action

-this is the way it always is with God: the revelation of His word and will leads to changes in the heart

-it is interesting how the Holy Spirit of God uses the word of the Lord; the truth of the word of God is like light shining upon the darkness of the heart of man

-we are told in Rom. 10:17 that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God

-this principle still is valid today; the Holy Spirit begins to stir the hearts of people to seek the Lord God, and the word of God is used by Him with the same results

-this happened with all of us here today who have accepted Christ as our Savior

-and it continues to happen with us as the Spirit of God continues to lead us to follow Jesus in every arena of our lives

-so, what was going on in Noah’s life before that warning came to him?

Gen 6:9-10

9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

-Noah wasn’t considered perfect or righteous because of his works; his works were the result of his faith, by which he was considered righteous

-we mentioned last week that there were only two men in Scripture of which is was written that they ‘walked with God’: Enoch and Noah

-Enoch was Noah’s great-grandfather; Enoch passed down his faith to his son, Methuselah; Methuselah passed it down to Lamech, and Lamech to Noah

-what was the spiritual condition of the world during Noah’s day?

Gen 6:5 Then the Lord* saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. NKJV

Gen. 6:11-12

11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. NKJV

Gen 6:3 And the Lord  said, “My Spirit shall not strive* with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” NKJV

-to the average guy on the street in Noah’s day all looked pretty normal and ‘business as usual’; but God saw it differently

-but they had so hardened their hearts morally and spiritually against God that they didn’t even see the danger coming round the bend

Luke 17:26-27

26 And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. NKJV

-so what was the first warning God gave to Noah?

Gen 6:13-22

13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.

17 And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark — you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. 21 And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.”

22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. NKJV

-it must be remembered that Noah’s sons began to be born to his wife in his 500^th year

-we know from Scripture that Japheth was the oldest, and Ham was the youngest

-but then we are told that in the 600^th year of Noah’s life the flood waters came upon the earth

-the space of the warning was 120 years; this means that Noah was given the directions to build the ark BEFORE any of his sons were born!

-Noah’s brothers and sisters wanted nothing to do with Noah’s venture in faith

-his dad, Lamech, died five years before the flood and his grandfather died the same year as when the flood began; Noah’s great-grandfather was Enoch!

B. Determined to Follow Through In Godly Fear

-follow through; this is where a lot of us fall short

-it’s not that we don’t have intentions to do what is right; it’s that we find excuses and then don’t follow through

-what kept Noah building when everyone around him thought he was nuts? he was ‘moved with godly fear’

-what this means is that he followed through in obedience in the same way Abraham did later

Rom 4:20-22

20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”* NKJV

-his ‘follow through’ took over 100 years! how we can give up so easily when the going gets tough!

-how do you follow through? being moved with godly fear; if you fall, you get back up; you keep putting one foot in front of the other, even if baby steps

-Noah prepared an ark for the saving of his household; he ordered his life in such a way so as to be a godly influence upon his family

-yet even though Noah was a ‘preacher of righteousness’ as Peter wrote in his second epistle, none of his relatives responded to his testimony!

II. BY FAITH HE BECAME HEIR OF RIGHTEOUSNESS v. 7b

A. It Actually Happened as Written

-there are many that discount the record of Noah’s flood

-they say that it was at the most a localized flood; many count it as a legend intended to carry across a moral conclusion like Aesop’s fables

-but all through the history of the Hebrew people it was never viewed in this light

-and why would Jesus quote the flood of Noah as a literal event if indeed it was only a legend? the Son of God would never use a lie to communicate truth

-look at how the Amplified Bible translates the last part of Hebrews 11;7

Heb. 11:7 “…By this [his faith which relied on God] he passed judgment and sentence on the world’s unbelief and became an heir and possessor of righteousness (that relation of being right into which God puts the person who has faith).  AMP

-we tell people we love that Jesus died for their sins; we tell them that He ascended into heaven and will return to this earth in a literal fashion

-we warn them that there has been a day of judgment appointed for this earth in the very near future

-we call the people to turn from their sins and come under the blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world

-but if they choose to remain in their unbelief, that day will surely come to pass, just as certainly as the day when the rain began

B. It is by Faith that We are Counted as Righteous Before God

-Noah’s follow through in obedience to his faith was an act that condemned the world of its ungodliness

-they laughed at him while he was building the ark; but the judgment still came

2 Peter 3:1-13

1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us,* the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,* not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.* 11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. NKJV

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