Sermon: "Resist God's Calling to Something New" from Jonah 1.1-3

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http://www.unlockingthebible.org/resources/sermon-archive/?series=how-to-avoid-a-god-centered-life Pastor Colin Smith preached this message at The Orchard Evangelical Free Church, in Arlington Heights, IL. http://theorchardefc.org/ To download the series or order these sermons on CD, see the link at the top of the description. Resist God's Call to Something New #1/8: How to Avoid a God-Centered Life: Lessons from the Life of Jonah Jonah 1:1-3 January 10th/11th 2009 Pastor Colin S. Smith "The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 'Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.' But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD." Jonah 1:1-3 The book of Jonah tells a simple story: A man by the name of Jonah was called by God to go and preach in a pagan city. He didn't like the idea, so he got on a ship and went in the opposite direction. The ship sailed into a storm, and Jonah was thrown overboard. But in His great mercy, God rescued Jonah in the most remarkable way. He provided a saving fish that swallowed him and then spat him up on the beach when he began to pray. Jonah then decided that he had better do what God said, so He went to Nineveh where he preached God's Word. The people repented of their sins and were saved from God's judgment. It's a great story that most of us know well. But it is so much more than a remarkable, memorable story: What Can You Expect to Find in the Story of Jonah? Expect to see yourself Expect to see yourself in Jonah. This book is about the unraveling of one godly man's inner life. It shows us how a man can serve God while under the surface there is a battle going on in his heart. You need to know how to handle that struggle and so do I. Jonah loves God, but he also struggles with God. This book gives us a window on the spiritual conflict that goes on inside a Christian believer. Jonah was a prophet and He had a great ministry. He experienced great miracles in the depths of the ocean, and God used him to change a whole city. You might think that a man like this is beyond the struggles that "ordinary" Christians experience. But Jonah shows us something different. At the end of the book, after the miracle of being saved by the fish, and after the triumph of seeing a whole city repent, Jonah is angry, he is dissatisfied, and he is out of sorts with God. This takes us into a surprising truth: Those who throw themselves most fully into the service of Jesus Christ often experience inner conflict more intensely than others. If you read the lives of Luther, Augustine, or any of the great Christian leaders you will find that those at the forefront of Christian ministry experienced intense spiritual conflict. This is a great book for missionaries, for pastors and other Christian leaders who find themselves surprised by the intensity of spiritual struggle as they extend themselves in the work of the Gospel. If you become more deeply committed to Christ, your inner struggles will become more, not less. The more useful you are to Christ, the more you will experience intense struggles in your inner life. That is why we need to pray in a special way for missionaries and pastors and all who are on the front lines of evangelism. If you think they are beyond some of the struggles we have, think again. The book of Jonah explores the inner life of a mature Christian believer like no other book in the Bible. When I look at Jonah, I see myself. I think you will see yourself too. Read the Whole Manuscript at: http://www.unlockingthebible.org/resist-gods-call-to-something-new/