Sermon Prepared by James McCullen
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JONAH PAID THE FARE
Jonah 1:3-17

3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the \Lord.\ So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the \Lord.\ 4 And the \Lord\ hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up. 5 Then the sailors became afraid, and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten {it} for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down, and fallen sound asleep. 6 So the captain approached him and said, "How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps {your} god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish." 7 And each man said to his mate, "Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity {has struck} us." So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, "Tell us, now! On whose account {has} this calamity {struck} us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?" 9 And he said to them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the \Lord\ God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land." 10 Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him, "How could you do this?" For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the \Lord,\ because he had told them. 11 So they said to him, "What should we do to you that the sea may become calm for us?"-- for the sea was becoming increasingly stormy. 12 And he said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm {has come} upon you." 13 However, the men rowed {desperately} to return to land but they could not, for the sea was becoming {even} stormier against them. 14 Then they called on the \Lord\ and said, "We earnestly pray, O \Lord,\ do not let us perish on account of this man's life and do not put innocent blood on us; for Thou, O \Lord,\ hast done as Thou hast pleased." 15 So they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging. 16 Then the men feared the \Lord\ greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the \Lord\ and made vows. 17 And the \Lord\ appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights.

INTRODUCTION:
Sin carries a built in penality. Their is a price for sin. It is now an uphill climb but a down hill slide. An acqaintance Luther Chunn said "God took my child through my disobedience. I can not say that is true but Luther said it was. Some say "Sow your wild oats, live it up". But living it up is really living it down.

Jonah went away from the Lord and he paid the fare. So will you are I and it will be a terrible price to pay.
 
 

I. HE PAID THE FARE; AS HE DISOBEYED. v 3

A. He Disobeyed in the . . CHOICE he made. B. He Disobeyed in the . . COURSE he took.

1. Found a ship - Devil Transport. SNAITH'S word studies says the boat was about to leave.
a. Oh how lucky Jonah was!
b. Satanic sails are ready when you are.
c. Sail the friendly seas of satanic sails

2. Attempted to flee God's presence. PSA 139:7 -12
7 Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from Thy presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, Thou art there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, Thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Thy hand will lead me, And Thy right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night," 2 Even the darkness is not dark to Thee, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike {to Thee.}

ILLUSTRATION:
Hudson Taylor once noted that "God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him."

APPLICATION:

Disobedience will always take a person down spiritually.
 
 

II. HE PAID THE FARE; AS HE DOZED. v 6

A. Jonah was asleep . . PHYSICALLY.

B. Jonah was asleep . . SPIRITURALLY.

EZE 33:6 'But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman's hand.'

ILLUSTRATION:
I am told if the lost of the world were to march down the highway in front of our building they would be 20 abreast. The line would never end in my life time. Statistics tell us only 5 out of a hundred church members would ever try to witness to those lost people.

APPLICATION:

Many of you would say I don't know how to share my faith. I would ask have you ever tried to learn? You don't have to eave the country as Jonah did to disobey the call of God to be a witness.
 
 

III. HE PAID THE FARE; AS GOD DISCIPLINED. v 17

A. God Disciplined through a Fish Prepared just for Jonah.

B. God May Discipline us through a Fish of a different name
1. Husband, Wife, Children, Parents, Friends, Preacher?
a. Will you obey or pay the fare.

2. Heed them today tomorrow might be to late.

C. God brings his children back. LUK 15:7
"I tell you that in the same way, there will be {more} joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

ILLUSTRATION:
I worked in an Engineering office as a young man. I was a draftsman. I was not a Christian even though at the time I thought I was. I had noticed a man named Lynn Lamb reading his Bible at lunch time. On e day I got in an argument with another worker about the Bible.
I went to Lynn and asked if I could borrow his Bible to settle an argument. He said "no you can't borrow my Bible just to settle an argument. He then ask if I went to church and I said yes I am Baptist. Lynn in a shocked tone said "you're a Baptist." He had seen my life stye and it did not agree with what Baptist believe. I was ashamed of his remarks to me and through our conversation decided to try to make a new commitment to the Lord.

APPLICATION:

God had Lynn Lamb Prepared for the opportunity to witness to me.

CONCLUSION:

1. Prepared fish got sick.

a. Ate garbage and the ships cast offs but Jonah made it sick.

b. How do we appear before God?

God called the second time. Great to serve the God of a second chance. Greater joy in immediate obedience.

The book of Jonah has a missionary theme. The emphasis is God loves everyone even gentiles.
 
 

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