MinistryHealth
Sermon Starters
Support and Resources For Pastors and
Christian Ministry Professionals
Thomas F. Fischer, M.Div., M.S.A., Editor
The Third Sunday
After Epiphany
Series B
"Running
With Jonah"
Jonah 1 (Passim); 3:1-5,10
Rev. Wayne Dobratz, M.Div.
Many people run for exercise. Go to any fitness facility
that has state of the art exercise equipment and youll still find many
running on the track or the treadmills for exercise. Paul often uses running
as a metaphor for living the Christian life. Todays text is about the
Prophet Jonah and the difference it made when he was running with God
instead of away from God.
I. Running away from God
A Jonah wasnt on this track alone: (preachers are
subject to discouragement) 1 Kings 19:1-5; Jer. 20:7-12; Acts 26:19-23; 1 Cor.
9:16
B. Ex. 4:10-13a laymans excuse, but see 1 Peter
2:9, 4:11ff.; Isa. 43:21; Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-18;
II. Running with God1 Cor. 9:24-26; Phil.
2:12-18; Heb. 12:1-2.
A. Proclaiming Gods anger over sinJer. 18:7ff.;
Rom. 1:18.
B. Sharing Gods good newsJonah 3:9-10; Isa. 43:25,
44:22, 55:6-7; Ps. 130:7; Eph. 1:6-8; 1 Tim. 1:15.
Title: Matthew Henrys Commentary on the Old Testament
Here is a wonder of divine mercy in the sparing of these Ninevites upon their repentance (v. 10): God saw their works; he not only heard their good words, by which they professed repentance, but saw their good works, by which they brought forth fruits meet for repentance; he saw that they turned from their evil way, and that was the thing he looked for and required. If he had not seen that, their fasting and sackcloth would have been as nothing in his account. He saw there was among them a general conviction of their sins and a general resolution not to return to them, and that for some days they lived better, and there was a new face of things upon the city; and this he was well pleased with.
Note, God takes notice of every instance of the reformation of sinners, even those instances that fall not under the cognizance and observation of the world. He sees who turn from their evil way and who do not, and meets those with favor that meet him in a sincere conversion. When they repent of the evil of sin committed by them he repents of the evil of judgment pronounced against them.
Thus he
spared Nineveh, and did not the evil which he said he would do against it.
Here were no sacrifices offered to God, that we read of, to make atonement for
sin, but the sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite
heart, such as the Ninevites now had, it what he will not despise;
it is what he will put honor upon.
Ministry Health
Sermon
Starters
Copyright 2003 Ministry Health
All Rights Reserved
http://ministryhealth.net
Main Site: http://ministryhealth.net/ |
|
Microsoft
FrontPage and Microsoft Internet Explorer are registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation |
This page was revised on: Friday, January 20, 2006 12:10:32 PM |