1. OUR MISSION: To guide those far from God into the new start found in Jesus Christ.

2. Jonah 1:1- 17

3. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 1 vs.1 “The word of the LORD came…” Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double- edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Greek; [rhema] = “as if God spoke it Himself” vs.2 "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me."

4. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 1 vs.1 “The word of the LORD came…”

5. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 2 Like Jonah, we to are called to a great city We are the fastest growing municipal city in Victoria (fastest region in Australia) We are the fastest growing municipal city in Victoria (fastest region in Australia) Wyndham is growing at a rate of 4.5% = 5 families a day are moving into our city Wyndham is growing at a rate of 4.5% = 5 families a day are moving into our city There are on average 230 babies born per month There are on average 230 babies born per month There has been a 602% increase in people aged 60+ There has been a 602% increase in people aged 60+ 31% of the current population of Wyndham is under 19 yrs old 31% of the current population of Wyndham is under 19 yrs old

6. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.“ Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.“ Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Observation 2 Like Jonah, we to are called to a great city

7. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 2 Like Jonah, we to are called to a great city

8. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 2 Like Jonah, we to are called to a great city Why did Jonah run? Jonah 4:2-3 “He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live." Jonah is willing to be an object of God’s mercy but not an agent of God’s mercy

9. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 3 Just like Jonah is running… we also run Why did Jonah run? Jonah’s allegiance to God is conditional “The two primary ways we run are through time and through comparing. First; in that we try and manage our sin through time, hoping that we will get a clean and pure conscience and cancelling sin on our own terms. This is a form of self justification. Secondly: We surround ourselves with other people or we compare ourselves to other people around us and say my sin is not as bad as theirs.” C.S. Lewis What is on the other side of that “IF” for you?

10. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 4 Our sin always affects other people vs.6-7 “The captain went to him and said, "How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish." Then the sailors said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.” vs.4-5 “Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.”

11. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 5 God will uncover our sin 1Timothy 5:24 “The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.” Hebrews 4:13 “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” vs.8-9 “So they asked him, "Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?" He answered, "I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land."

12. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 6 Like Jonah we know a lot about God but we don’t apply it 1 Corinthians 8:1 “We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” Jonah has accurate theology but he is not applying it James 1:22 “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.” (NLT)

13. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 6 Like Jonah we know a lot about God but we don’t apply it Repentance isn’t just flipping a switch vs.10-12 “This terrified them and they asked, "What have you done?" (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.) The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?" "Pick me up and throw me into the sea," he replied, "and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you."

14. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 7 Our repentance begins with confession but it does not end there vs. 13-16 “Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried to the LORD, "O LORD, please do not let us die for taking this man's life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, O LORD, have done as you pleased." Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. When we repent there are always two sins to be repented of

15. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Observation 8 God pursues us for His purposes and our good Mark 4:35-41 “That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

16. Part One - Jonah 1:1-17 Jonah was asleep in the bottom of the boat because he was running from God Jesus was asleep on the boat because he had fully accepted the will of God The Word of the LORD came to Jonah Jesus Christ is the Word of God Jonah was sent to Nineveh to proclaim forgiveness of sin Jesus was sent to proclaim the forgiveness of sins to the whole world Jonah ran from obeying God’s will Jesus fully obeyed the will of the Father Jonah is thrown overboard from the boat into the raging sea for his own sin Jesus is thrown overboard into the sea of God’s wrath as a sinless sacrifice for us

17. Jonah 1:1- 17

18. OUR MISSION: To guide those far from God into the new start found in Jesus Christ.