Running from Greatness

Pericope: Jonah 1:3a 3 3 But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God

Sermon Text: Jonah 1:3a 3 3 But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God

Sermon Title: Running From Greatness

Jonah 1:1-3 One day long ago, God’s Word came to Jonah, Amittai’s son: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.” 3 But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish—as far away from God as he could get.

Point 1: Jonah was Anxious. Vs. 4:1  4 1 Jonah was furious. He lost his temper. He yelled at God, “God! I knew it—when I was back home, I knew this was going to happen! That’s why I ran off to Tarshish! 

Jonah 3:1-10 - Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. 6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”  10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

Point 2: Jonah Anticipated what God would do through him. Vs. 4:2 I knew you were sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness!

Point 3: Anger was his emotion of choice. Vs. 4: 3 4 God said, “What do you have to be angry about?”.    

Point 4: Allow God to work through you. Vs. 4:11 So, why can’t I likewise change what I feel about Nineveh from anger to pleasure, this big city of more than 120,000 childlike people who don’t yet know right from wrong, to say nothing of all the innocent animals?” 

Point 5: Accept your call. Vs. 1:3a 3 But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God

How do you avoid Jonah’s battle with making a difference?

1.  Correctly define greatness! 

2.  Detect Define and Direct your emotions

3.  Remember everyday is an opportunity to be great