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myCentralChurch
Into the Deep: The Story of Jonah
Today, we are launching a new teaching series about the story of Jonah. We often consider this story to be an awesome children’s story, but what will see over the next few weeks, that the story of Jonah gives adults incredible insights and tools to live the victorious Christian life.
Locations & Times
Central Church
2005 E Winchester Blvd, Collierville, TN 38017, USA
Sunday 9:30 AM
Sunday 11:00 AM
Central Church Online
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http://centralchurch.com/givingWhat's Happening at Central
Giving
God has been so faithful through the people of Central Church as they trust Him in their giving. One of our newest tools are the giving kiosks set up in the Worship Center lobby and the mall area. If you would prefer to give by debit, visit one of the kiosks for a quick and easy way to give.
Backpacks
Every year, we provide filled backpacks for children in need in Collierville and the Greater Memphis area. We are collecting filled backpacks and taking donations ($30 pays for a filled backpack). We need every family in our church to be a part of this great outreach event!
Baptism
As followers of Christ we are called to Baptism. What is Baptism? Come to our class on August 14 to find out what it is and why every Christian should be baptized. On August 21 we will have baptisms in our worship services.
God has been so faithful through the people of Central Church as they trust Him in their giving. One of our newest tools are the giving kiosks set up in the Worship Center lobby and the mall area. If you would prefer to give by debit, visit one of the kiosks for a quick and easy way to give.
Backpacks
Every year, we provide filled backpacks for children in need in Collierville and the Greater Memphis area. We are collecting filled backpacks and taking donations ($30 pays for a filled backpack). We need every family in our church to be a part of this great outreach event!
Baptism
As followers of Christ we are called to Baptism. What is Baptism? Come to our class on August 14 to find out what it is and why every Christian should be baptized. On August 21 we will have baptisms in our worship services.
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Follow the link below to take notes during today's message. You can save, share, or email them to yourself when you're finished.
We live in a time where a great revival is needed in this country. We’re living in a time of intense racial divide. In a time of intense rebellion against authority! In a time of intense social unrest! In a time of intense moral relativism! We’re living in a time where churches are closing their doors to the tune of 3,500 every year according to researcher and author, Ed Stetzer. In a time where 85% of churches are in decline! In a time of intense competition among churches! In a time where Christians are more concerned about their pocketbook than they are God’s Book. In a time of intense apathy among Christians!
We are living in the time of the great ignore! The great ignore that is preventing the great revival. Ignore! This word has everything to do with the beginning of the Story of Jonah. What did Jonah ignore? What are we prone to ignore? First and foremost:
1. We Ignore God’s Word
Look at Jonah 1:1: “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of A-mid-i, saying...”
God’s Word has also come to us. His Word that is complete, trustworthy, reliable, accurate, and God-breathed. God speaks to us through His Word. Question: Are you listening to it or are you ignoring it?
As we will see, Jonah would ignore the word of the Lord that came to him. Second:
2. We Ignore Evangelism
Check out Jonah 1:2: “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”
As we will see, Jonah would not only ignore God’s Word, he would also ignore the need for Nineveh to repent and turn to God. The same need that we have today.
Nineveh, the capital of Assyria at the time, was a great city, not in terms of awesomeness but rather in terms of size and power. Nineveh had significant influence over the Middle East.
The focus on this passage, however, isn’t on its size or power, but rather its wickedness through the worship of false gods and goddesses. God took offense to this wickedness and wanted Jonah to go and preach a message of repentance, and if the people didn’t respond, judgement would come. And here’s the message we can’t miss. God wanted to save Nineveh from this terrible and deserved judgement. He wouldn’t have told Jonah to go and preach a message of repentance if it wasn’t His heart to save them.
3. We Ignore God’s Call
Look at Jonah 1:3: “But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. (Tarshish was most likely connected to southern Spain. So instead of going 500 miles northeast to Nineveh, Jonah would go 35 miles to Joppa and hop on a ship headed to Tarshish, some 2500 miles from Nineveh) So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.”
Jonah, a prophet of God, ignored God’s call on his life. This is the only recorded instance of a prophet refusing God’s call on their life. Now, before we cast too much judgement on Jonah, try to put yourself in his shoes. Nineveh was a bad, nasty and cruel place. They would hold their victims down, reach into their mouths and pull out their tongues. They would skin their victims alive. They would build pyramids of human skulls outside of a conquered city. Their cruelty was known throughout the ancient world, and frankly Jonah hated them. It’s probably similar to feelings we are conflicted with when we hear about awful acts of terrorism towards humanity. Why did Jonah ignore God’s call? He didn’t want Nineveh to receive the blessing of God’s salvation. They could be condemned for all of eternity as far was he was concerned. Jonah had no desire to see these people turn from their sin according to Jonah 4:1-2. He wanted them to receive God’s judgement that they so richly deserved.
Question: Are you ignoring God’s call? We use all kind of excuses to ignore God’s call on our lives. Too busy! I haven’t been to seminary! I wouldn’t know what to do or say! I have a past and can’t be used! So you want to talk about your past? How about we talk about Moses’ past? Murder was in his past! How about Noah? Noah had drunkenness in his past. How about David? He had adultery in his past! How about Peter? Peter had the denial of Christ in his past. How about Paul? Paul had the persecution of Christians in his past.
And yet, in spite of their past, God used them all for His divine glory and purpose! And He will do the same with you if you will only allow Him and respond to His call.
A great revival is needed in our country, but what is in the way? Ignoring God’s Word, ignoring evangelism, and ignoring God’s call. Last thing in the way is that:
4. We Ignore God’s Warning
Jonah 1:11-17: “Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. Therefore they called out to the LORD, “O LORD, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.” So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows. (There was a new great respect for the God of Creation and His power. Jonah’s actions created a grave consequence. What was it?) And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”
And it’s right here that we will pick it up next week. Outside of a divine miracle, could something like this really happen? Could someone survive in the belly of a great fish for three days and nights?
Come next week to find out.
Conclusion
What keeps a great revival from breaking out in our country? The great ignore! Christians, and I emphasize Christians, ignoring God’s Word, ignoring evangelism, ignoring God’s call, and ignoring God’s warning!
Are you ignoring and running from God? Is today your day to come to Him through Jesus Christ?
We are living in the time of the great ignore! The great ignore that is preventing the great revival. Ignore! This word has everything to do with the beginning of the Story of Jonah. What did Jonah ignore? What are we prone to ignore? First and foremost:
1. We Ignore God’s Word
Look at Jonah 1:1: “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of A-mid-i, saying...”
God’s Word has also come to us. His Word that is complete, trustworthy, reliable, accurate, and God-breathed. God speaks to us through His Word. Question: Are you listening to it or are you ignoring it?
As we will see, Jonah would ignore the word of the Lord that came to him. Second:
2. We Ignore Evangelism
Check out Jonah 1:2: “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”
As we will see, Jonah would not only ignore God’s Word, he would also ignore the need for Nineveh to repent and turn to God. The same need that we have today.
Nineveh, the capital of Assyria at the time, was a great city, not in terms of awesomeness but rather in terms of size and power. Nineveh had significant influence over the Middle East.
The focus on this passage, however, isn’t on its size or power, but rather its wickedness through the worship of false gods and goddesses. God took offense to this wickedness and wanted Jonah to go and preach a message of repentance, and if the people didn’t respond, judgement would come. And here’s the message we can’t miss. God wanted to save Nineveh from this terrible and deserved judgement. He wouldn’t have told Jonah to go and preach a message of repentance if it wasn’t His heart to save them.
3. We Ignore God’s Call
Look at Jonah 1:3: “But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. (Tarshish was most likely connected to southern Spain. So instead of going 500 miles northeast to Nineveh, Jonah would go 35 miles to Joppa and hop on a ship headed to Tarshish, some 2500 miles from Nineveh) So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.”
Jonah, a prophet of God, ignored God’s call on his life. This is the only recorded instance of a prophet refusing God’s call on their life. Now, before we cast too much judgement on Jonah, try to put yourself in his shoes. Nineveh was a bad, nasty and cruel place. They would hold their victims down, reach into their mouths and pull out their tongues. They would skin their victims alive. They would build pyramids of human skulls outside of a conquered city. Their cruelty was known throughout the ancient world, and frankly Jonah hated them. It’s probably similar to feelings we are conflicted with when we hear about awful acts of terrorism towards humanity. Why did Jonah ignore God’s call? He didn’t want Nineveh to receive the blessing of God’s salvation. They could be condemned for all of eternity as far was he was concerned. Jonah had no desire to see these people turn from their sin according to Jonah 4:1-2. He wanted them to receive God’s judgement that they so richly deserved.
Question: Are you ignoring God’s call? We use all kind of excuses to ignore God’s call on our lives. Too busy! I haven’t been to seminary! I wouldn’t know what to do or say! I have a past and can’t be used! So you want to talk about your past? How about we talk about Moses’ past? Murder was in his past! How about Noah? Noah had drunkenness in his past. How about David? He had adultery in his past! How about Peter? Peter had the denial of Christ in his past. How about Paul? Paul had the persecution of Christians in his past.
And yet, in spite of their past, God used them all for His divine glory and purpose! And He will do the same with you if you will only allow Him and respond to His call.
A great revival is needed in our country, but what is in the way? Ignoring God’s Word, ignoring evangelism, and ignoring God’s call. Last thing in the way is that:
4. We Ignore God’s Warning
Jonah 1:11-17: “Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. Therefore they called out to the LORD, “O LORD, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.” So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows. (There was a new great respect for the God of Creation and His power. Jonah’s actions created a grave consequence. What was it?) And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”
And it’s right here that we will pick it up next week. Outside of a divine miracle, could something like this really happen? Could someone survive in the belly of a great fish for three days and nights?
Come next week to find out.
Conclusion
What keeps a great revival from breaking out in our country? The great ignore! Christians, and I emphasize Christians, ignoring God’s Word, ignoring evangelism, ignoring God’s call, and ignoring God’s warning!
Are you ignoring and running from God? Is today your day to come to Him through Jesus Christ?