Sermon Notes

Our pastor has just begun a series of sermons on the book of Jonah. He has entitled the series It's the Preacher's Fault.
The first sermon is titled Who was Jonah Anyway?

What miracles can be found in the book of Jonah?

- The storm
- Selection of Jonah as the guilty party
- The subsiding of the sea
- The great fish appearing at the right time
- Preservation of Jonah
- Ejection of Jonah from fish safe on the shore
- The gourd
- The worm
- Repentance of the city of Nineveh

- Jonah tells the story of the fish, gourd, east wind, storm and the boat. Are these the important elements of this story? No they are incidentals.

- There are six significant subjects dealt with in the book of Jonah: Truths taught by Jonah.

1. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
2. Salvation is not by works vs. 2:9 Salvation is of the Lord.
3. God's purpose of grace cannot be frustrated.
4. God will not cast us aside for faithlessness. It is so easy to wander.
5. God is Good and Gracious
6. God is the God of the Gentiles (not only Jews) Nineveh city of the Gentiles - Jonah was a Jew.

- One of the most interesting discoveries about the book of Jonah is that everyone obeyed God except the preacher.
- The oldest and busiest boats in all the world are ships that sail away from duty.
- People don't pray prepared prayers in a time of crisis.

- When some people get in trouble they blame the preacher.
- Gos wanted Jonah to do something - he didn't want to. That got alot of people in alot of trouble - it was the preacher's fault.
- No book is more criticized in the Bible than Jonah. Attack on the Word of God.
- They look for what they see as a weak spot.
- They haven't been able to poke a hole in the fish story.
- They make it out to something it doesn't say.
- Some critics say Jonah had a dream on the ship he was on and this is the dream - false.
- Some say the ship was wrecked and the one he got on next had a big fish on the front of it.
- Some say Jonah took refuge in a dead fish from the storm.
- All false!
- They say it is a fable - just a story.
- The real root is they deny the miraculous. Unbelief.
- If we did that then there wouldn't be very much of the Bible left.
- Jonah is real, the story is real.
- 2 Kings 14:24-25 Is a verifying scripture.
- Jesus referred to Jonah.
- Luke 11:29,30 Jesus verifies the story of Jonah. Matthew 12:39-41.
- The moment you question the record of Jonah you question Jesus the Son of God.
- It is accurate and it is reliable.
- Cut the Bible anywhere and it bleeds the blood of Jesus. It is all through the Bible. Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.
- Fail to believe in it you won't go to heaven.
- Jonah felt Nineveh deserved what they were going to get.
- Psalm 139:7-10 Cannot run from God - His hand is always there. vs. 11-12
- Jonah from Gath Hepher, God had a heart for the people of Nineveh - He called Jonah to preach there. Jonah ran away from God to Joppa, found a boat to Tarshish. Thought he'd be released from preaching the message of repentance.
- Jonah was an unwilling participant in God's plan.

Hope you had a wonderful Sunday and were able to take in a service and worship the Lord in fellowship with like minded believers.

Blessings,
Liisa