JONAH 4:1-11 Taking Our Medicine - Avoiding the Jonah Syndrome!

TOPIC: Lost; Evangelism, Witness
TITLE: TAKING OUR MEDICINE
TEXT: JONAH 4:1-11

Then the LORD said, “Do you have good reason to be angry?"

[WITNESS] I was told of a couple who attended a neighborhood wedding reception and had a great time talking with a young man. After a while they were joined by another couple they were friendly with. Shortly, the young man excused himself and went to join a younger group. The couple apologized for not introducing him or knowing his name. "That's all right," they said. "We already know him, he's our son."

This illustrates the problem we have in our modern society; these folks were courteous but never got to know their guest well enough to introduce him to others by name.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How may we avoid the Jonah Syndrome?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. BY FOCUSING MORE ON GOD’S NATURE!
II. BY FOCUSING MORE ON COMPASSION!
III. BY FOCUSING MORE ON THINGS ABOVE!

TRUTH CLAIM: When we're frustrated with the sad state of affairs in our world, we are often close to calling God's character and even his nature into question.

For God has clearly told us to "love your neighbors as we love yourselves." He has also given us the parable of the "good Samaritan" for the same reason.

Only when we are sincerely seeking the redemption of our fallen neighbors, rather than their destruction, will we truly understand how God was "slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness" [4:2] toward all men!

Only when we serve God unconditionally will we ever understand how God is "a gracious and compassionate God" [4:2] toward all men!

CONTEXT: Jonah was a normal everyday human being from a normal station in life; but he was RUNNING FROM GOD.

God was just not doing things Jonah's way. Jonah lived his life pretty much like God asked him to! But, oh these Ninevites? UGHHHH!!!!!!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How may we avoid the Jonah Syndrome?
EXPANDED OUTLINE
I. BY FOCUSING MORE ON GOD'S NATURE!

God is not willing that any perish:

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

This is characteristic of Him and consistent with His nature.

When we disobey and stay home, after He has clearly said "GO," we stand in the way of the salvation of others.

We should not be surprised when the heathen behave the way they do.

Their only hope is to hear and to accept the Good News ... to be born-again.

Are we nothing more than contemporary Jonahs?

II. BY FOCUSING MORE ON COMPASSION!

Jonah actually wanted these Ninevites to suffer and die. Yet, he knew who God was:

So he prayed to the LORD, and said, "Ah, LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my country? Therefore, in order to forgo this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that Thou art a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and One who relents from concerning calamity.

Jonah 4:2

Judgment he preached, judgment he wanted!

Are we guilty of the Jonah Syndrome? Do we seek their judgment or their salvation?

III. BY FOCUSING MORE ON THINGS ABOVE!
Jonah eventually obeyed, but without his heart in it.

God no more wants "grim obedience" than a parent does from a child, an boss from an employee, nor a teacher from a student.

Remember, Jonah was sent because the Ninevites' "wickedness has come up before Me!" (1:2)

What is our part in warning the lost? We fear what we would loose something (respect, friends, jobs, neighbors, family) if we became more zealous for the lost, yet they are not ours in the first place.

In fact, that which we have we will lose if we don't obey!

"... what profit is it to a man, if he gains the whole world, and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then recompense every man according to his deeds."

Matthew 16:26,27

APPLICATION: Are we not a great deal like Jonah with respect to this evil and adulterous generation? Are they not our Ninevites?

Are we not complaining because of their effect on our cozy little lives? Are we not more concerned about our shelter and shade than the souls of those who are not like us?

We must become more concerned for others than for ourselves!

The plant that withered is thought to have been a castor oil plant; perhaps the significance is truly profound? Perhaps God has some foul medicine we need to swallow!

Chastisement, Christianity,
Expository, Homiletics, Jonah,
Outlines, Preaching, Sermons

JONAH: Full Sermons

The following are links to full sermons, preached at FBC La Verne in Southern California or at San Carlos Community Church (SCCC) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico ...

4:1-11

TAKING OUR MEDICINE - A Cure for What Ails You!

quick link to JONAH: Seed Archive

JONAH - Seed Archive

Jonah 1:1 ff

TOPIC: Missions

TITLE: While Nineveh Goes to Hell!

I. Jonah's Success

Riding the crest of popularity; a successful prophet. [2 Kings 14:25]

II. Jonah's Call [1:1-2]
III. Jonah's Flight [1:3-2:10]
IV. Jonah's Message [3:1-4]

Short & sweet -- Forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed.

V. Jonah's Surprise [3:5-10]

The heathen repented and were spared; they weren't even part of chosen people.

VI. Jonah's Displeasure [4:1-4]

First time thus saith the Lord not literally fulfilled.

VII. Jonah's Lesson [4:5-11]

God is concerned about all people groups; it is not His will that any should perish [2 Peter 3:9].

[MISSIONS] If a child comes home and tells mom & dad the boss is sending junior to South America as part of a multi-million dollar oil exploration the folks say, "Wow! Great! You've made it son. We can't wait to call the family and the friends to tell them."

But if he comes home and tells them that God has called him to the mission field in South America to rescue the perishing, they say, "What? Are you sure? Are there any benefits? Is it safe? You don't even speak the language."

SOURCE: Bill Blanchard, Commission Magazine, May 1997 p. 280 (a publication of the International Missions Board of the Southern Baptist Convention).

Homiletics, Jonah, Outlines,
Preaching, Sermons