WEBVTT 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:12.480 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:18.000 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit Grandparkway.org. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:20.320 Amen. 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:21.679 Amen. 00:00:21.839 --> 00:00:22.320 Amen. 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:22.960 Amen. 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:23.519 Amen. 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:24.320 Let's pray together. 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:31.679 Lord, when we sing songs like that, what we're saying to you is our belief in you, our worship of you, and our enjoyment of you is not conditional. 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:34.799 It is not conditioned, it's not dependent upon our circumstances. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:42.159 So if we're on the summit today, on the highest point of the mountain, enjoying the view, or if we're in the valley, you're not hard to find. 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:43.600 We're not hard to find. 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:45.119 I mean, you're not hard to find. 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:49.439 Some of us don't want to find you because in finding you, we find ourselves. 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:51.439 And that's the thing we don't want to fix. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:01:03.520 So, Holy Spirit creating us a desire today to find you and to find ourselves, to see you and to see ourselves accurately, because your nature is a reflection, God, uh, of what's capable of us. 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:05.680 And we fall short of the glory of God. 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:09.359 So when we see you clearly, we're reminded I'm capable of more. 00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:11.760 And so I pray for anyone that's running today. 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:18.159 Lord, let the storm get to the point where their heart turns back towards you, uh, not away from you, but towards you. 00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:24.719 God, give us wisdom to solve the problem we're in right now by thinking rightly about the problem and discerning the problem for what it is. 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:31.439 Now, Holy Spirit, illuminate the scripture today so we walk out of here with more understanding and more freedom than we had when we walked in. 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:32.239 This is our prayer. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:35.359 We prayed in Christ's name, and everyone said, Amen. 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:35.760 Amen. 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:36.400 You can have a seat. 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:39.920 If you've got a Bible, I invite you to take it and open up to the Old Testament book of Jonah. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:42.400 If you're a guest, we preach through books of the Bible. 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:44.079 It's called expository preaching. 00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:45.359 And here's why we do that. 00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:49.519 Uh, because we think it's the way you nurture, we think it's biblical, and that's the main reason. 00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:53.760 Uh, but it's the way you nurse the faith and the understanding of a congregation over the long haul. 00:01:53.840 --> 00:01:59.519 So we do a New Testament book, then we do an Old Testament book, we finish the book of Acts, and now we're doing the book of Jonah. 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:01.680 And I'm in Jonah chapter one, verse five. 00:02:01.760 --> 00:02:05.120 And I want to talk to you this morning uh about how to solve a problem. 00:02:05.359 --> 00:02:06.560 How to solve a problem. 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:08.960 Now, this is a second sermon in the book of Jonah. 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:16.639 Last week we just did the first four verses, and basically what happened last week was it's the only book of the Bible that starts off with the word of the Lord coming to somebody. 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:24.159 The word usually sets the tone in the background and the story, and then the word of God comes to somebody and they hear it, and they're like Indiana Jones. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:26.800 They're faithful, they go rescue the woman and save the world. 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:28.800 Jonah, the word of the Lord comes to him. 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:31.039 Jonah basically says, No, thank you. 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:33.599 I do not want this, and he runs, okay? 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:38.400 God tells him to go to a city called Nineveh, and Jonah's like, I don't like those people. 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:42.400 They don't vote like me, they don't think like me, they don't smell like me. 00:02:42.560 --> 00:02:44.319 They all deserve judgment, okay? 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:48.639 And so God tells him to go to Nineveh, he gets on a ship and goes the exact opposite direction. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:51.360 This is what I mean when I talk about running, okay? 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:54.240 He goes down to the ship, he gets on it, and he takes off. 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:56.319 And God says, Okay, you want to do that? 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:57.439 And so God hurls. 00:02:57.520 --> 00:03:04.080 Now, here's one of the things uh that that that I just want to point out is how often in chapter one the word hurled is used. 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:10.560 God hurls a storm, uh, a storm so severe that everybody on the ship realizes this can only come from God. 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:17.680 God hurls a storm, they hurl the cargo overboard, and as you'll see this morning, eventually they hurl Jonah overboard. 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:19.759 Uh and so the little play on words there. 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:21.120 And you say, Well, what do you mean? 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:21.919 What are you talking about? 00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:23.360 Let me just jump in in verse five. 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:32.400 We left off, it says uh last week that in verse four says, But the Lord hurled great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:37.599 Now, now, by the way, when it says the ship threatened to break up, it's all it's almost like all of creation. 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:42.800 The wind, the waves, and the ship are all conspiring against what Jonah's trying to do. 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:46.080 So if you're running, here's one of the ways you know you're running from the will of God. 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:49.120 It just gets harder and harder and harder. 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:49.759 Okay? 00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:53.680 And as you'll see, we'll end here today, but let me just give you a little foreshadowing. 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:58.400 God intends it that way, not to punish you, but to invite you back to what He's created you to be. 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:00.879 It says, Then the mariners were afraid. 00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:08.560 Uh, verse 5, then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his God, and they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. 00:04:08.639 --> 00:04:13.360 But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:16.879 So the captain came and said to him, What do you mean, you sleeper? 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:19.120 Arise, call out to your God. 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:23.360 Perhaps the God will get will give a thought to us that we may not perish. 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:29.040 And they said to one another, Come, let us cast lots that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:31.759 So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:36.639 Then they said to him, Tell us whose account this evil has come upon this evil has come upon us. 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:37.920 What is your occupation? 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:39.040 Where do you come from? 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:40.160 What is your country? 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:42.240 Or what people of what people are you? 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:47.680 And he said to them, I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land. 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:50.720 Now, by the way, he says, I am a Hebrew, I fear the Lord. 00:04:50.879 --> 00:04:54.800 You can live in such a way that nobody believes a word that comes out of your mouth. 00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:57.120 I just don't want to run past that. 00:04:57.279 --> 00:04:58.879 I'm a Hebrew and I fear the Lord. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:02.639 These cats are thinking, What are you doing here then? 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:06.959 Ah, I fear the Lord, the God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land. 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:11.120 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, What is this that you have done? 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:15.439 For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:19.759 And they said to him, What shall we do to you that the sea may quiet down for us? 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:22.240 For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:25.199 He said to them, Pick me up and hurl me into the sea. 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:27.360 Then the sea will quiet down for you. 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:30.800 For I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you. 00:05:31.040 --> 00:05:37.439 Nevertheless the men rode hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:44.079 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. 00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:46.240 For you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you. 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:49.199 So they picked up Jonah and they hurled him into the sea. 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:52.000 And the sea ceased from its raging. 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:58.000 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows. 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:01.120 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:05.040 And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:10.560 Now, when I said earlier how to solve a problem, I have zero life coaching tips for you today. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:15.120 I just want us to see how the Bible kind of speaks to us in a very practical way. 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:16.240 There's three things I want to say. 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:17.920 Number one, you have to ask three questions. 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:20.160 Number one, what is the nature of the problem? 00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:21.680 What is the nature of the problem? 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:24.639 The nature of the problem should inform the nature of the response. 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:30.480 Said differently, how you define the problem informs uh uh your engagement with the problem. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:32.560 The problem here is not the storm. 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:36.639 The storm is God's response to the problem, it's a consequence of the problem. 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:39.839 The problem here is an insufficient response to the word of God. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:46.800 I told you last week, I said the main character in this in the book of Jonah is not the great fish, it's the word of the Lord. 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:49.279 The word of the Lord comes to Jonah. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:52.079 That sets the stage for all of this, okay? 00:06:52.319 --> 00:07:01.120 The problem is not the storm, it's that he has this insufficient view of the word of the Lord and where there are not convictions around something, God brings consequences. 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:07.199 And one of the things we see here in the text is that Jonah doesn't have a very big conviction around the word of the Lord. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:11.680 Because it again, in verse one, it all begins when the word of the Lord came to Jonah. 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:16.160 And let me just say it like this: with revelation comes responsibility. 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:27.439 With revelation, when God reveals something to you, when God speaks something to you that lines up with his word, and you get a clarity that, oh, this is the Lord, then, my friend, you have this sense of responsibility. 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:29.199 The onus is then on you. 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:36.240 Now, the Bible has always put a high weight and responsibility and a privilege on hearing the word of the Lord. 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:40.079 Let me read from the Old Testament book of Jeremiah, chapter 23. 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:44.000 I want you just to hear how how valued the word of the Lord is. 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:46.399 Now, I say the word of the Lord, I don't mean the Bible. 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:49.759 They weren't like Gideons going around jamming Bibles in every hotel. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:54.560 This is like I'm hearing what God is saying about my circumstance and situation in life. 00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:57.759 And prophets were the people that bore that responsibility. 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:00.560 Here's the way they viewed the word of the Lord. 00:08:00.720 --> 00:08:08.319 He says, For who among them has stood in the counsel of the Lord to see and hear his word, or who has paid attention to his word and listen? 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:15.199 Behold, the storm of the Lord, wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest, it will burst upon the head of the wicked. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:20.639 The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he is executed and accomplished the intents of his heart. 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:23.120 In the latter days you will understand it clearly. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:25.519 I did not send the prophets, yet they ran. 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:27.680 I did not send them, yet they prophesied. 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:36.240 But if they had stood in my counsel, when they had proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:47.200 Now, this is in this is baked into everything God says to Jonah when he says back in Jeremiah 23, because I gave you my words, and I sent you to Nineveh, so they would turn from their evil deeds. 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:48.879 But Jonah doesn't want them to turn. 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:54.559 Jonah wants to keep God all to himself because he thinks, hey, this is just kind of a Jewish Israeli thing. 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:57.279 These people, these Assyrians, they're on their own. 00:08:57.600 --> 00:08:58.799 He does the exact opposite. 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:02.960 He hears the word of the Lord and he runs, but he runs the other way, okay? 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:04.720 But the consequence is the same. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:08.960 Now, when I say what is the nature of the problem, there's three kinds of responses to the problem. 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:10.960 Uh, and they're all right there in verse five. 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:14.240 And I want to just point them out in the order that they appear. 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:17.039 First, the response to the problem is a spiritual response. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:20.159 In verse five, it says, Each of them cried out to his God. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:21.360 His God. 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:23.279 Now just think about that, underlying that. 00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:24.799 This is called polytheism. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:26.639 I'm gonna give you some theisms here this morning. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:27.600 You want to think a little bit? 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:28.559 Say amen. 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:31.039 Now, will you say, what each cried out to his God? 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:33.279 You heard the phrase, any port in a storm? 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:37.440 I say it like this: yes, any port, and we're at kind of safe out of the storm. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:40.159 But in this situation, any God in a storm would do. 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:42.639 Every man on the ship cries out to his God. 00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:44.000 This is polytheism. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:46.559 This is the belief or worship of more than one God. 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:49.039 Uh, we live in a pretty polytheistic city. 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:50.399 There's a lot of gods. 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:53.519 There's a lot of uh uh, you know, hey, I believe this, you believe that. 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:54.799 So there's polytheism. 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:56.000 You've probably heard that before. 00:09:56.159 --> 00:09:58.000 Here's a second one: monotheism. 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:00.000 It's the belief that there's only one God. 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:01.919 The belief that there's only one God. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:04.480 Uh Deuteronomy 6.4 says it like this. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:06.559 In Jewish life, it's called the Shema. 00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:11.519 Deuteronomy 6.4 says this: Hero, O Israel, the Lord our God is one, the Lord is one God. 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:13.919 Every day a devout Jew would get up and recite that. 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:17.519 Here, O Israel, the Lord our God is one, the Lord is one God. 00:10:17.679 --> 00:10:21.440 And so we talk a lot about polytheism and monotheism. 00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:27.120 Uh, but I would submit to you today the most dangerous ism in 2025 is the next one. 00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:28.720 It's called henotheism. 00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:31.919 Henotheism, if you've ever heard that phrase, say amen. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:36.879 My friend Adrian's over here going, I got nothing on that one. 00:10:36.960 --> 00:10:38.639 Uh, put a star by this in your mind. 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:40.639 Here's what henotheism teaches, okay? 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:46.559 The belief that there are many gods who who, by the way, are the same, but they're just called by different names. 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:51.200 Henotheism teaches that there are many gods and they're all the same. 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:53.120 They're just called by different names. 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:58.000 It sounds like this: hey, bro, there's a lot of different roads to the mountain, but they all lead to the top. 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:07.919 Now, now, the way that sounds in in in in in Sugarland in in 2025 is hey, your God is my Allah, is there Brahma, is there Gitama? 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:09.519 They're all the same. 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:12.480 There's all the names of different gods in different world religions. 00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:14.000 They're just all the same. 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:19.679 And not only are they all the same, you're hating on me, you're you're you're you're prejudiced against me. 00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:24.399 Uh you you you are not loving me if you don't agree with me. 00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:27.679 Your children are taught henotheism every day. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:30.720 It's a wash in our culture. 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:38.240 So while we got our eyes on polytheism and monotheism, you need to be teaching your yourself and your children about henotheism because that is the thing. 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:42.480 So, by the way, the first response to the problem is this it is a spiritual one. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:43.919 They all cry out to their God. 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:45.840 The second response is a physical one. 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:48.639 This is typically uh what we can control. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:51.360 Uh, and so what do you mean a physical response? 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:55.679 And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:12:00.000 They're thinking, listen, if this thing's not as heavy, maybe we can ride the storm out. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:07.120 Something happens, and the first thing you do is check your bank account and call your lawyer and you say, Hey, hey, hey, hey, can we get our way out of this? 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:09.840 That is the physical response to the problem, okay? 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:12.879 And typically this is about what you can control. 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:21.279 Now, sometimes if you always respond to every problem physically, what God has to do is take away your physical assets so he can elicit a different response from you. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.399 Does that make sense to anybody but me? 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:32.480 If you always respond with, hey, we we can cover it, we can afford it, oh yeah, bail him out, bail her out, yeah, we'll cover that, drop that class, blah, blah, blah. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:39.120 Then to get your attention, what God will do is he will limit your physical resources so to elicit a different response from you. 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:44.240 So you have a spiritual response, then you have a physical response, and then thirdly, there's an emotional response. 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:48.240 This is typically what we avoid, especially as men. 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:50.960 We typically avoid an emotional response. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:53.279 I'll talk about this at the varsity on Thursday. 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:55.200 By the way, if you're not registered, get registered. 00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:56.080 We're gonna have a good time. 00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:57.840 I'm gonna talk about emotions after 60. 00:12:57.919 --> 00:13:00.159 And I'll give you a little foreshadowing of what I'm gonna talk about. 00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:04.799 After 60, you tend to have two uh emotions that are like ditches on each side of the road. 00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:08.639 One is anger, and the other one is low-grade depression. 00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:12.159 Just you're not depressed, you're just kind of wintry, you're just kind of sad. 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:14.240 My kids don't call as much as they used to. 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:17.519 When they do call me, it's usually to babysit the grandkids. 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:21.440 I love the grandkids, but do my kids, my adult children, love me. 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:25.919 So, on that happy note, be sure and register, everybody. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:27.120 Yes. 00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:32.240 It's in so there's a there's a spiritual response, there's a physical response, and then there's an emotional response. 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:33.679 This is typically what we avoid. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:35.360 You said, where do you get the emotional response? 00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:36.559 Right there in verse five. 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:40.480 You know, they they cried out to their God, they hurled the cargo, that's spiritual, physical. 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:41.679 Here's an emotional response. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:46.159 But Jonah had gone down in the inner part of the ship and had laid down and was fast asleep. 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:48.960 This is an emotional response to a spiritual problem. 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:50.240 He said, What do you mean? 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:51.120 Sleep. 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:53.840 Sleep was typically, I don't mean at night, okay? 00:13:53.919 --> 00:14:00.480 I mean like like inappropriate sleep patterns, like I sleep too much, I sleep at the wrong times, I worship sleep, I look forward to sleep. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:04.799 Inappropriate sleep patterns or habits are many things, but they're an indication of four things. 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:07.039 Number one, a sign of depression. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:08.879 A sign of depression. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.279 Uh, I'm not saying if you sleep a lot, you're depressed. 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:17.919 I'm just saying that low energy is one of the red, it's one of the indicator lights that depression may be in play here. 00:14:18.080 --> 00:14:19.919 Secondly, it's a form of avoidance. 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:21.360 Oh, I'll think about it later. 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:23.120 I'm just gonna lay down and take a nap. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:26.240 Thirdly, a subtle form of escape. 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:29.759 Sleep is a there's some people they just can't wait to get to a certain time. 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:38.639 If you go to bed at 9 o'clock or 9:30 or 10 o'clock, if you're thinking, I cannot wait for 9 o'clock to get here, then then you think of sleep as a form of escape. 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:41.440 Here's the last one: it's unconscious denial. 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:44.240 Sleep, inappropriate sleep patterns, not sleeping. 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:48.159 Now, by the way, I was talking to somebody this week as a lady, and she said, Hey, what are you preaching on Sunday? 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:49.519 I said, The book of Jonah. 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:51.360 She said, I know, but what are you gonna talk about? 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:53.840 I said, Well, what are they gonna talk about is inappropriate sleep patterns? 00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:54.799 And she said, What do you mean? 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:58.879 And so I gave her these four things and she said, add to the list if you're pregnant. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:01.200 I said, I think that's a given. 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:04.720 So if you're pregnant and you sleep a lot, God's all good. 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:06.399 Get all the sleep you need, okay? 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:09.279 But unconscious denial, what do you mean, unconscious denial? 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:12.320 That is an unconscious response to a conscious problem. 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:18.720 I'm just gonna blot it all out and go to sleep and act like it's not gonna be here in the morning, but it will, okay? 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:21.759 Now, let me just say this before we move to the second point, okay? 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:25.759 Sometimes God puts his words in other people's mouths. 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:29.279 Sometimes God puts his words in other people's mouths. 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:30.000 What do you mean? 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:30.799 Look at verse six. 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:32.960 Now, this is the great thing about the book of Jonah. 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:36.720 If you don't slow down, your eyes and your ears will miss this. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:42.000 And so this so the captain uh came down and said to him, What do you mean, you sleeper? 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:44.000 Arise, call out to your God. 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:47.600 Perhaps the God will give us a thought to us that we may not perish. 00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:50.639 He said that little phrase, arise, call out. 00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:52.399 Sound familiar? 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:54.159 This is the initial thing. 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:56.159 Look back up if you would in verse one. 00:15:56.320 --> 00:16:02.879 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah, the son of Amitai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:07.120 See, God wakes him up and says, with this call and says, Arise, call out. 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:08.720 He's sound asleep. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:10.639 All hell's breaking loose all around. 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:12.080 These people are fearing for their life. 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:14.240 They're getting they're listening to every response they can. 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:18.080 A spiritual one, oh, let's just pray to your God, any God that helps, okay? 00:16:18.159 --> 00:16:21.279 Here's a physical one, light in the load, we're gonna ride this storm out, boys. 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:22.480 And now there's an emotional one. 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:23.600 He's sound asleep. 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:29.279 The captain sees him and he says, Listen, dude, wake up, arise, call out. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:37.679 You're you're Jonah, you're sound asleep, and you hear the exact same phrase coming out of the mouth of man that you've heard hot out of the mouth of God. 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:39.279 What are you starting to think? 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:41.519 What are you starting to kind of like, mmm? 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:46.000 I tell people all the time in counseling, hey, what is repeated in your life? 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:48.320 And they go, What do you mean? 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.759 What is repeated? 00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:58.480 You should look and listen for things, experiences that are repeated, because if things always repeat themselves, you're not hearing the message that God wants you to hear. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:02.799 And so what Jonah is not hearing, God says, arise, call out. 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:09.119 And then he puts it in the mouth of this sea captain, arise, call out to your God again. 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:12.799 Jonah's waking from a deep sleep, only to hear the same thing. 00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:17.680 God seems to be reminding Jonah that he is where he is because he didn't listen the first time. 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:24.079 God is not only repeating himself, he's reminding Jonah, hey, by the way, my mind has not changed about this. 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:29.920 Uh let me say it like this: your disobedience does not alter God's will for your life. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:34.079 Your disobedience does not alter God's will for your life. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:38.160 It prolongs your experience of God's will, but it does not alter it. 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:39.599 It does not, why? 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:45.759 Because God can just turn up the circumstances to any degree he chooses to in order to conform you to his will. 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:47.839 And he will, as we'll see in just a minute. 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:54.319 Here's the second thing if you're going to solve a problem, you've got to ask yourself the simple question, okay, what is the nature of the problem? 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:56.559 Secondly, who's responsible for the problem? 00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:58.559 This is verses 7 to 16. 00:17:58.720 --> 00:18:00.319 What do you mean, who's responsible? 00:18:00.559 --> 00:18:06.559 Verse 7 says, and they said to one another, Come with us, cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us. 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:09.440 So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:12.079 Uh now you you think, what do you mean, casting lots? 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:18.960 Uh basically, sometimes they would put write people's name on a stick, put the sticks in a box, and then they reach in there and pull out. 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:25.039 Now, you I'll get to why we don't do that nowadays, but casting lots, this is how they decided God's will. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:32.880 And when it wasn't really clear, hey, what should do here, they believed that this is a way for God to reveal his will in a specific situation. 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:37.599 Okay, the outcome was random, but they accepted it as from the Lord. 00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:39.519 Now, you probably remember this. 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:46.240 The probably most uh popular use of this is on the cross when Jesus is being crucified, they took his seamless garment. 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:52.480 Remember, and it says the soldiers cast lots to see if you could get this expensive uh clothing that Jesus was wearing. 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:56.079 They're just trying to discern because when you cast lots, it's like, oh, that's it. 00:18:56.160 --> 00:18:57.759 You know, the gods have spoken. 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:00.400 Uh now you may be thinking, why don't we do that nowadays? 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:01.440 Two reasons, okay? 00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:03.599 Number one, we have a completed Bible. 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:05.519 What do you mean you said completed Bible? 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:07.119 Old and New Testament, okay? 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:08.559 Old and New Testament. 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:11.519 And the New Testament doesn't cancel out the Old Testament. 00:19:11.759 --> 00:19:12.319 Look at me. 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:15.440 The New Testament feels full, the Old Testament. 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:17.519 And so you can't separate the two. 00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:21.920 And we like to separate the two because the Old Testament, God's kind of a grumpy old man. 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:26.480 New Testament, Jesus is sweet and he rides a donkey and forgives people. 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:28.240 It's the same God. 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:29.599 It's the same God. 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:34.640 Jesus is as capable, is as much wrath as God is, because Jesus is the Son of God. 00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:36.319 You don't get to pick your deity. 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:37.359 I'm sorry. 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:38.799 They're all one. 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:42.160 Remember, here, Israel, the Lord our God is one, the Lord is one God. 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:45.039 It's not like I like this, but I don't like that. 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:50.559 I've had so many people say to me, typically, unbelievers, why is the God of the Old Testament so angry? 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:54.160 And I said, The God of the Old Testament is the same as the God of the New Testament. 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:55.839 You can there aren't separate gods. 00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:58.799 But I like Jesus, but I don't like God the Father. 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:00.880 You can't divide the Trinity. 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:05.920 It's kind of like your kid saying, I like when you buy me stuff, I hate when you discipline me. 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:08.319 Yeah. 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:09.519 Same thing. 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:11.039 Different words. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:13.680 Who's responsible for the problem? 00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:19.279 Now, if you focus on verses 7 to 11, you'll see that the sailors are trying to figure out two things, okay? 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:20.240 Two simple things. 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:22.880 Number one, why has this evil come upon us? 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:24.400 This is what they say, okay? 00:20:24.559 --> 00:20:27.759 Tell us on whose account that this evil has come upon us. 00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:29.519 And then they start judging with questions. 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:30.559 What is your occupation? 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:31.680 Where do you come from? 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:32.720 What is your country? 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:33.839 Or what people are you? 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:39.440 Here's why they ask those questions because your nationality and where you live kind of determines your religion. 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:41.680 You say, I don't know about that. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:45.200 If you're from South Louisiana, there's a good chance you're Catholic. 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:47.359 True or false? 00:20:47.920 --> 00:20:49.440 Yeah, that's people that have been there. 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:50.960 Now I'm not hating on anybody. 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:51.920 That's just the way it is. 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:53.279 That's what it was in the Bible. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:58.880 That's why they ask him all these questions, because they're trying to figure out okay, who is the source of the problem? 00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:00.960 Why has this evil come upon us? 00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:05.519 And Jonah basically says, hates me because I'm running from the presence of the Lord. 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:07.680 And then, but but that's not what they're trying to figure out. 00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:08.799 Don't miss this, okay? 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:09.519 Look at me. 00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:13.920 What they're trying to figure out is who is the God that is ultimately responsible? 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:15.599 What deity is angry? 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:18.079 Remember, he said, hey, in the beginning, hey, pray to your gods. 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:19.200 Everybody pray to your gods. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:23.119 They wake up Jonah because they've been praying to their gods and their gods aren't answering. 00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:27.440 What they're really trying to do now they are saying, hey, you're the reason this evil has come upon us. 00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:30.720 Who is the God that you worship who is ticked off at us, okay? 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:32.720 Who is the God that you are running from? 00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:35.119 Now, I I want to ask you a simple question. 00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:36.720 Well, make a simple statement. 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:42.160 One of the best things every one of us in this room could do is ask ourselves this simple question Who is the God? 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:44.559 What is the nature of the God that you're running from? 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:47.039 This is a question I use in counseling a lot. 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:51.279 Because people say, Well, I know God, blah, blah, blah, but I'm just not, and dee, dee, dee, dee, dee. 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:52.960 And I just ask, hey, what's the nature? 00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:54.319 Who's the God that you're running from? 00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:58.000 And it's typically the God that they describe is not the God of the Bible. 00:21:58.400 --> 00:21:59.119 It's not. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.720 It's a God that wants them to be miserable or lonely or alone. 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:12.559 Like I recently met the lady who's 31, she's unmarried, and she's the older she's gotten, the lower her standards have gotten. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:16.160 She said, When I was in high school, I had like 10 things that my husband had to have. 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:19.359 When I was in college, it was like six things my husband has to have. 00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:20.960 And I said, now it's one thing. 00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:22.319 My husband has to have a pulse. 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:23.920 And she said, pretty much. 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:28.480 She's bought house, she's very successful. 00:22:28.640 --> 00:22:31.839