Title: Lectures on Jonah (4)
Contents
Jonah's lecture (4) (1:11-17) 07 Demand
There are many problems in the world. There are increasingly heinous crimes, increasing moral corruption, family breakdown, and many other problems. But if you look at the world's problems differently, you can say that they are Christians' problems. Because God is interested in Christians. The reason God puts believers into the world is because he has expectations for us. Because he wants to change the world through us.
So, the Bible does not refer to us as just salt, but rather as the salt of the world. This means that it is our responsibility to stop corruption in the world. And when salt loses its flavor, it loses its function of decay, it is of no use. That is why they were rejected by people and trampled on the roadside.
Isn't this what we Christians look like today? Aren't we being ridiculed by the world because we can't stop the corruption of the world because we can't taste salt? You are the light of the world. This means to light the darkness. The world is dark. It gets darker as it goes on. That's why we need Christians. Christians must turn on a light wherever there is darkness to drive it out. When iniquity is about to come in, the Christs must cast away it. But isn't the world getting so dark because we have lost the light? Maybe it's because they don't play the role of light and live hiding the light?
In that sense, it means that the problems of the world are the responsibility of Christians. (Ezekiel 22:30) “For I searched for a man among them who would build the walls for this land, and stop the ruins of the walls, so that I would not destroy them, and I did not find them.” They said that the city would be destroyed because they could not find it. When Abraham asked if there were only ten righteous people in the city for Sodom and Gomorrah, God would do so.
This means that God sees the sins of Sodum and Gomorrah, but He sees them together. Nevertheless, the question is whether there are living or awake saints in that city. Because no matter how corrupted, there is a possibility that the city can be brought back to life if there are living saints. That is why God sees the sins of the fallen world and also sees whether there are Christians in the world who are awake. (2 Chronicles 7:14) “If my people, who are called by my name, humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and heal their land.” He said he would heal the city. Christians are the answer to the world's problems.
Let's look at today's text. The ship is sinking in a storm. Why the ship met the storm and for whom it was unknown at first, but later learned. At the time of the lottery, Jonah was chosen, and through Jonah's mouth, he confessed that this was the result of his disobedience to God (verses 9-10). However, the people on board did not know how to solve the problem. Meanwhile, the problem got bigger and bigger (verse 11).
1. A growing problem
The sea grew more and more wild. Danger was approaching every moment. But they did not know what to do (verse 12). Their knowledge, experience and wisdom did not know how to solve this problem. These people knew what the problem was. I also knew that a storm was coming in my life and a crisis was approaching. And I knew what was causing the problem. But most importantly, I didn't know how to solve the problem. I didn't know how to calm the storm.
So are we. I know there is a problem. And I see how much of a threat it poses to me personally and to my family. But sometimes we don't know how to solve the problem. Today I will teach you how to put the problem to rest.
There are two kinds of people on the ship that has met the storms of life now. One is the people of the world who do not know God at all, and the other is Jonah, a believer who knows God and has minimal faith in God. When the world encountered problems, they tried to solve them in their own way. 1) At first, they depended on their religion(5). In a religious way 2) lightened the boat (. Using sound common sense and experience.
This is the common way of solving problems in the world. When difficulties arise, we pray for divination, perform rites, or pray for a hundred days. Some people try to do everything humanly possible. Sometimes they ask people for help, and sometimes they use all their experience and knowledge. Still, it doesn't solve the problem. This is what ordinary people look like.
But believers try to solve problems in other ways when dealing with these problems. I don't try to find clues to solving problems outside of myself. Not because of luck, luck, or someone... but at least someone who has faith sees me through the problem. As I look inside myself, I start to find the answer from within.
This is what a believer looks like. The second is when Eun-taek is born. After 17 days from the due date, the child did not come out, so I finally tried induction. But still, he didn't move. At that time, I discharged my wife and brought her home. And that night, I went to church and prayed all night. There is only one prayer subject. It is a prayer of repentance. That night, I thoroughly searched for what I had done wrong before God and repented. And at dawn the next day, Eun-taek was born.
This is the Christian solution. I'm not looking for solutions outside of myself, I'm looking for solutions within myself. People around Jonah right now are confused about what to do in front of problems. How did Jonah feel when he saw it? Even though Jonah was a disobedient prophet, if he was a believer who still knew God, if he had listened to the honest conscience of the believer No, that's not the answer. Actually, it's my problem. I have to die, I need to repent. I think.
Please think honestly before God. Who is the problem? I am the problem. Even if other people are the problem, those who do not have faith, who do not know God, have no power to calm this storm. The only person in my family who can put this storm to rest is me. In that sense, I am the problem.
When I change, I repent, and I die, the flurry disappears. But we cannot die. I can't kill my pride. I can't kill my emotions. So the storm doesn't go away. It disappears for a while, and then it is the eve of the storm again. You never know when it will explode. But when I die, the storm is gone.
The Bible tells us to love even our enemies. What does it mean to love your enemies? The human emotion we know is not to love our enemies, but to love those we love. To love a pretty person. This is our natural feeling. But loving my enemies kills my pride, my feelings. It's about giving up. If you don't kill my feelings, you can never love your enemies. When I die, the miracle of loving even my enemies will happen.
Listen to the voice of an honest conscience. Who is the problem? Who holds the key to solving the problem? If the other person changes, all problems will be solved! If you are expecting such a problem, you will have to wait a long time. You must pray a lot.
Of course, you can wait and wait. But that waiting time is too painful for us. If I can't change myself, how can I change the other person? It's difficult. But when I die, I am happy. It becomes peaceful. And the waiting time is reduced. why? Because when I die, the other person also dies. However, if I am alive, the other person will also come alive.
2. Jonah's Conclusion
Jonah could no longer escape. He could no longer deceive his conscience. So I decide. <Let me die! Throw me! Then there will be stillness.>(12).
Everyone! For whom does Jonah decide to die? In verse 12, it is not “for me” but “for you”. I will give it to you for your peace. I would die to serve (Mark 10:45). But the mystery is, if I die for the peace of others, who will have peace? I have peace. When I die, my soul will be at peace from then on. This is the secret of faith. When I die, you will be at peace and I will be at peace.
Paul said that I died on the cross with Christ. And when I died, Christ lived in me. And say. “I die every day” The life of faith is a life that dies every day. When you die, you live. He who wants to live dies. It is the truth of the paradox.
3. Disobedience of the unbeliever
Jonah decided to die like this, but the unbelievers did not understand it and did not accept it. So, in verse 13, these people persevere as far as they can. This is what unbelieving people look like. I'm going to hold on until I can survive as a human being.
But unbelieving Christians are just like that. Instead of living by faith, we try to endure to the end with human methods and strength. You have to be obedient, but you will persevere until the end. And then finally raise your hand. We need to get rid of this stupidity. Eventually, when Jonah was thrown into the sea, the sea became calm. Since I died, all the problems were solved. The thing is, who gets knocked out because my death clears the storm? Unbelievers who do not know God faint. And kneel before God (verse 16).
Everyone! It's easy to impress unbelievers. No matter how hard I try to impress with words, I am not impressed. But when I lay down all my pride, my blood, and I die in front of them, they pass out. You see God there. And come back to God. My life must be the message to impress unbelieving husbands, wives, and neighbors. When it's really hard to die, you have to die to be touched.
Everyone! must die to live When I die, the storm will be calm. I must die to become evangelism. Inspire others. When I died, God prepared a wonderful way (verse 17). He gives wonderful grace to Jonah's life. And lead you to a new life. Dying is the way to live.