THE STUBBORN EVANGELIST PART ONE (1 OF 4)
by Scott Maze
The Stubborn Evangelist Part One (1 of 4)
Series:The Stubborn Evangelist
Scott Maze
Jonah 1
Note: All of Jonah is read before I preach
Today we launch a new four part series entitled Jonah: The Stubborn Evangelist. And it is coming at just the right time for our church (more on the timing in just a moment). Most only know it as an amusing story about a prophet and a “whale.” While others know the story of Jonah, a man on the run from God. But he is also a man on the run from his responsibility – to share the message of God’s mercy to others. And this is what Jonah is really about – first experiencing God’s mercy and then extending God’s mercy. And it’s just this reason why Jonah shows his stubbornness.
Jonah’s stubbornness did not arise because of his fear of traveling to distant places. As we’ll discover in the biographical story of Jonah, fear of traveling wasn’t the case for Jonah. For when God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, Jonah travels a long way from home in the opposite direction to Tarshish. And while this short story is one where Jonah is in flight; it’s also one where God is in pursuit. Jonah’s life is really one of a boomerang for he ends up in the place that ran from in the beginning. For four chapters we’ll witness Jonah’s futile flight as well as God’s persistent pursuit. And in the end, it’s God’s pursuit that eventually extinguishes Jonah’s rebellion.
But I want to pause before pursuing the story of Jonah at great length and I want to talk about our church, you, and me. I want to talk about our rebellion and your stubbornness. As is often the case with biographies, we find ourselves and our own hearts mirrored in the experience of others. I want our church to sense an urgency in our desire to extend God’s mercy because we have experienced God’s mercy.
Look Better Together information that is coming in the mail this week. Tonight I invite you to join me as our church will pray for your lost friends and family membe ...
Series:The Stubborn Evangelist
Scott Maze
Jonah 1
Note: All of Jonah is read before I preach
Today we launch a new four part series entitled Jonah: The Stubborn Evangelist. And it is coming at just the right time for our church (more on the timing in just a moment). Most only know it as an amusing story about a prophet and a “whale.” While others know the story of Jonah, a man on the run from God. But he is also a man on the run from his responsibility – to share the message of God’s mercy to others. And this is what Jonah is really about – first experiencing God’s mercy and then extending God’s mercy. And it’s just this reason why Jonah shows his stubbornness.
Jonah’s stubbornness did not arise because of his fear of traveling to distant places. As we’ll discover in the biographical story of Jonah, fear of traveling wasn’t the case for Jonah. For when God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, Jonah travels a long way from home in the opposite direction to Tarshish. And while this short story is one where Jonah is in flight; it’s also one where God is in pursuit. Jonah’s life is really one of a boomerang for he ends up in the place that ran from in the beginning. For four chapters we’ll witness Jonah’s futile flight as well as God’s persistent pursuit. And in the end, it’s God’s pursuit that eventually extinguishes Jonah’s rebellion.
But I want to pause before pursuing the story of Jonah at great length and I want to talk about our church, you, and me. I want to talk about our rebellion and your stubbornness. As is often the case with biographies, we find ourselves and our own hearts mirrored in the experience of others. I want our church to sense an urgency in our desire to extend God’s mercy because we have experienced God’s mercy.
Look Better Together information that is coming in the mail this week. Tonight I invite you to join me as our church will pray for your lost friends and family membe ...
There are 12613 characters in the full content. This excerpt only shows a 2000 character sample of the full content.
Price: $5.99 or 1 credit
