Father's day 2010

Does the Lord Want You To Be Stuck?

Jonah 1:17: KW—06.20.10

Intro:

A.  Illust:  Most people only worry about being injured by a wild animal when they are outside. 

      1.  But one man in South Florida was recently injured by a wild animal while he was inside. 

      2.  Monroe County Sheriff's deputies say a man in the Florida Keys had to call 911 when his stuffed water buffalo's

           head mounted on a wall fell on him and pinned him as he slept in his reclining chair.

           a.  The man initially called and could only yell his address and tell operators that he was trapped.

           b.  He woke up when the head fell on his lap, but it was too heavy for him to lift.  (He was able to reach for his cell

                phone and call for help.  Rescue authorities took him to the hospital for treatment).  The Huffington Post,

                "When Taxidermy Attacks," June 14, '10—http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/11/buffalo-head-traps-man-ta_n_609036.html

B.  Being stuck is never pleasant—whether it means being stuck physically under a water buffalo's head, or spiritually.

C.  For some time now, we have been talking about being stuck—spiritually speaking. 

      1.  We can be either in one of two places:

            a.  Stuck:

                 .  In shame, to folks, to stuff, and to repetitive sin—and we can know that we're stuck when we're blaming,

                     prejudiced, or living in the past.

            b.  Free:

                 .  When we can look at the options, consider the consequences, and then make good choices.

                 .  When we can teach others and give them freedom to decide.

                 .  When we know that we are not as bad or as good as some people say we are.

      2.  But I may have to rethink a statement I made in last Sunday's message:  "The Lord doesn't want you to be stuck."

            cf., Ex. 14-16 (ex., "Are You Stuck Before or After the Water")?

            a.  I don't know that that is always true.

            b.  "Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah.  And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days

                 and three nights."  Jonah 1:17

                 1)  Jonah was stuck in the fish—right where God wanted him to be.    

                 2)  Observations:

                       .  The Hebrew word translated in English as "prepared" does not mean to create, but to appoint.  (The idea

                          is not that God created a fish on the spot to meet the need, but by an act of God one was at hand to

                          swallow the prophet).

                       .  The fish could have been one of several varieties of sea creatures capable of swallowing a man.

                       .  If you spell your God's name with a capital "G" you have no problem with what is stated here in

                          Scripture.

                       .  Too often in arguing about the fish, and about the possibility or impossibility of surviving such an

                           experience, men have forgotten God.  (Denial of the historical fact of Jonah's experience is a forerunner

                           to the denial of the resurrection of Jesus).  Mt. 12:38-40

                       .  The miracle is not that a fish was present, but that Jonah survived, at least, part of 72 hours in the

                          stomach of this creature.

                       .  Question:  Did God want Jonah to be stuck in this great fish?  (The obvious answer is , "Yes.")  2:1-3

 

I.  WHY did God want Jonah to be stuck?

 

    A.  Because Jonah was attempting to run away from his responsibility.  1:1ff

 

          1.  Ninevah was long noted for its wickedness, immorality, and idolatry.  1:2

               a.  cf., Nahum 3:1-4

 

               b.  The Assyrians were so terribly cruel, they actually boasted of their mistreatment of others on their

                    monuments (which are found in museums today). 

                    .  Heads of their enemies were cut off and formed into pillars

                    .  People were flayed alive and their skins were spread on the city wall

                    .  Captives were burned to death

                    .  Enemies had their hands, fingers, noses, and ears cut off; their eyes were put out

                    .  Pregnant women were ripped open to destroy their offspring

          2.  At least part of the reason Jonah ran from the will of God is because he was afraid the Lord would spare

               Ninevah.  (In essence, Jonah wanted to resign his job as a prophet). 

               a.  Tarshish was in the opposite direction (Spain) of Ninevah; it was "away" and "down".   

               b.  "Any journey away from the Lord is down…"  cf., 1:3x2, 5, 15, 17, 2:6

                     1)  In the OT, many issues were settled by the casting of lots.  "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every

                           decision is from the LORD."  Prov. 16:33 

                     2)  Jonah was stuck on the ship and then stuck in the fishes' belly because God wanted him to be there—to

                           think.  (He was down and away from God and His will, and the Lord wanted to contemplate that reality).    

 

    B.  A sobering thought for fathers:  We want to make sure that we're not running, like Jonah, from our

         responsibilities.    

 

          1.  It is one thing to provide for our children.  "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for

               those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."  1 Tim. 5:8

          2.  It is another thing to provide a lifetime of spiritual guidance.  "And these words which I command you today

               shall be in your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in

               your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."  Deut. 6:6-7; cf., Eph. 6:4

               a.  A man can provide for his families' physical welfare and still be "one the run" in a manner of speaking.

                    Ex:  Billionaire Donald Trump was asked what was the best that thing he'd ever done.  Trump replied, "Well,

                    I've created four beautiful children."

                    1)  Consider the fact that out of all that we do and create in our lifetime, fathers, the only things we can

                          save/take with us into heaven are our families.  Ex:  Noah, 1 Pet. 3:20; 1 Tim. 6:7

                    2)  Tell me, other than your wife, what/who is more precious to you than your children?  

               b.  Questions:

                     .  Who is the primary spiritual leader in your home?  (Is it you or your wife)?    

                     .  Do you pray regularly with your children?  (What kind of prayers do they hear from you)?    

                     .  On the Lord's Day, are you worshipping with the saints, or are you engaged in recreation?  (What message

                        are you sending to your children about God?  Do you bow to recreation or Jehovah)? 

                        1)  Ex:  Elder from JA missed pm worship to attend a Tennessee Titans game

                        2)  Ex:  Eric's Welch's dog, Samson, and his daughter Hannah

                     .  Do your children know, without a doubt, that the Lord and His will is THE singular motivation in your life?

                         "Children are more likely to see God as Father, if they see God in their father."  cf., Gal. 2:20

                         1)  Brethren, is there any sense in which you are stuck in your life?

                         2)  While I don't understand all of the elements of divine providence, it is possible that God wants me as a

                               man and father to be in that position so that I will come to my senses?  cf., Heb. 12:5-11

 

II.  WHY did God want Jonah to be stuck?

 

      A.  Because Jonah thought more of shade and air conditioning than he did of souls.  3:10-4:11

 

            1.  When God saw the penitent works of the Ninevites, He decided not to bring judgment upon them.

                 a.  Jonah wasn't happy with God and His mercy.

                 b.  He even told God, "I told you so…"  cf., 4:2

            2.  I think it's interesting that there was wholesale repentance in Ninevah, and the preacher was upset.

                 a.  Jonah was both upset and grateful to God at the same time. 

                 b.  God went back to preparing again.  cf., 1:17 (fish), 4:6 (plant), 4:7 (worm)

                      1)  When Jonah began to fuss about the hot sun, God let the prophet know that he had been inconsistent in

                            his thinking.  cf., 4:9-11

                      2)  It was okay for Jonah to have shade, but it wasn't okay for untaught people to have mercy.  Ex:  When

                            the heat was off at the church building in Adairsville

 

       B.  Fathers, do we ever—like Jonah—get our priorities mixed up?

 

             1.  Questions:

                  .   When was the last time you put as much energy into teaching your children the Word as you do your

                      favorite pastime?

                  .  Do you ever get angry with others, but then expect mercy when you falter and make mistakes?  (What

                      lesson is your child learning from you about mercy)?

                  .  Are you more concerned about the score of a ball game, or the number of family members and neighbors

                     who are living without Jesus Christ and dead in their sins?

                  .  Do you insist that your teenagers get to their job every day their schedule directs, but then you neglect

                      Sunday evening worship services with the God of heaven?

             2.  Sometimes we as Fathers can lose sight of the big picture in terms of our children and eternity.

                  a.  Are we more concerned about people, specifically our children, than we are stuff?

                  b.  You and I will never get a second chance to raise our children in the Lord.

 

Concl:

A.  Illust:  Ming Kuang Chen, a deliveryman for a Bronx restaurant called Happy Dragon, walked out Friday night at about

      8:30 pm with a large order of curried shrimp, and never came back.

      1.  Worried co-workers found his bicycle  chained up in front of the 38-story apartment building, Tracy Towers, and

           feared the worst: at least three deliverymen for Chinese restaurants have been killed in New York City in the last

           five years, for money or food.

      2.  For three days, the police searched in and around local buildings for Mr. Chen, including sending bloodhounds and

           cadaver-detecting dogs into a nearby park.

           a.  And all that time, Chen was right in the middle of them—trapped in an express elevator, where he spent more

                than three days in a 4-foot by 6-and-a-half foot elevator without food or water before being rescued.

           b.  He had been stuck between the third and fourth floors in a shaft that skips all floors between the second and

                the 21^st. 

B.  I don't even want to think what it was like to be trapped in that small space, alone, for three days. 

      a.  I can think of being trapped in a place far worse, for a much longer time.

      b.  Dad, do you love your children?  Is their spiritual instruction and maturation paramount in your life?

 

--Mike Benson