September 21, 2008

God Loves Other Folks, Too

by Rev. Dr. Jim Carlson

Jonah 3:10-4:11

·                    Illustration: Chasing the Chipmunk in the Sanctuary.

·                    Sometimes we confuse the way we feel about someone else with the way God feels about them. We think God feels the way we do about them.

·                    Sometimes we’re surprised to find that God sees them differently. Sometimes we would like to change God’s mind about them.

·                    Story of Jonah set during Divided Monarchy. Review of Monarchy and Israelite history.

·                    This is a parable, not a historical event. Jonah called by God to warn Assyrians to repent. Jonah is unwilling because he would like God to punish them.

·                    Jonah boards ship headed the opposite direction. (Slide)

·                    God causes a storm to shake up the ship. Jonah is asleep below deck (like Christ in calming of the storm).

·                    Sailors ask everyone to pry to their gods. They wake up Jonah and demand that he do so also.

·                    They cast lots to see whose God is angry. Jonah is chosen. Sailors are angry with Jonah for putting them all at risk. They are afraid of Jonah’s God.

·                    Jonah tells them to throw in him so that everyone else doesn’t die also.

·                    They finally do, and God sends a leviathan to swallow and preserve him.

·                    Jonah prays from the belly of the leviathan and sounds as if he’s dead (but expecting a resurrection).

·                    Leviathan spits Jonah up on land. God asks him again to go to Nineveh.

·                    Jonah goes. Nineveh is a huge town. “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Not a powerful sermon.

·                    People of Nineveh from the king on down listen and repent. King demands everyone to change their ways.

·                    God decides not to destroy Nineveh. Jonah is angry at God for not destroying them.

·                    Jonah complains to God about not destroying them – he wants to die because life is so unjust.

·                    He builds a temporary shelter to see what God’s going to do. God causes a castor oil plant to grow and shade Jonah while he’s waiting.

·                    The plant finally dies and Jonah is upset because his shade is gone. God point out the irony of how Jonah is more concerned with the plant than the people of Nineveh.

·                    Irony is how we can say that everyone is God’s creation, while at the same time writing large swaths of the world off as lost and worthless in God’s sight.

·                    Most people claim they don’t do that. But many Christians in this country would be happy to see God slaughter large numbers of Muslims in the Middle East because perceive Islam as fueling terrorism 

·                    Middle Eastern Muslims probably not going to “repent” of Islam. That’s not the point.

·                    Point is Jonah’s attitude toward others. Point is our attitude.

·                    Parable teaches us a few things about the contrast between our attitude toward others and God’s attitudes toward others.

·                    First – We tend to minimize our own faults while exaggerating the faults of others.

o       Jonah’s ministry took place during a time when Israel was doing bad things too. Slide.

o       Jonah wanted God to bless Israel despite what Israel was doing, but he wanted God to destroy the Ninevites for being bad. Hypocrisy.

o       Our similar inconsistencies.

o       Passage reminds us that in order to see ourselves and others in the way that God does, we have to be consistent, rather than looking at ourselves ands those whom we love with rose colored glasses.

·                    Second: To really be godly, we must be willing to help those who we perceive as our enemies, or those whom we’d like to ignore.

o       Jonah resisted the opportunity to help the Ninevites. His refusal could have doomed them.

o       Our refusal to help those who need a positive influence can sometimes spell their doom.

o       We don’t always openly resist. Sometimes we resist by ignoring people we dislike. We get too busy (translation – we don’t think they’re worth our time).

o       We cite our own problems. They’re not going to help me with my problems. Why should I help them with theirs? (Aren’t we glad Jesus didn’t offer up that excuse?)

·                    Third: Some small act of compassion or justice may have a tremendous effect on people.

o       Jonah’s sermon – not very effective. Has a greater effect on Nineveh than his ministry in Israel.

o       What we do on God’s behalf for someone – even if we don’t like them – can have a big impact.

o       Do what’s right even if you can’t imagine it doing any good. Even if you don’t want to do that other person any good!

·                    Final Illustration: