Song: tell out my soul.
Prayer to prepare for sermon
Daniel will read todays reading: Jonah 1:1-3
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
Halloween is coming; Christopher is going to be a werewolf.
It is also reformation day on 31st
Martin Luther felt called by God to stand against the evils of the church.
-salvation would be purchased through constant church donations
-priests would restrict access to scripture
-corruption rampant
-the pope had authority over the souls fate in the afterlife
Martin felt called by God to stand against the might of the church.
I am prevented by the will of God who will not let me be still; I am not the master of my own actions.
Many Protestants felt called to follow in Martin’s criticisms of the church’s moral and spiritual corruption.
-most were burned at the stake
-many imprisoned
Jonah contrasts these people.
Jonah WAS called by God but attempted to flee from calling.
[summarise Jonah story]
-Jonah was called by God to preach repentance to the Ninevites, an enemy nation.
-Jonah instead boarded a boat to flee the area, not interested in God’s plans for him.
-Jonah’s boat reached stormy waters. Jonah knew he was being punished, so jumped ship.
-ended up swallowed by fish then carried to Nineveh.
-decided to preach anyway, not putting any effort into the preaching.
-everyone repents.
We may criticise Jonah, but most of us likely relate to him more than Martin Luther.
-I was nervous to do sermons.
-many of us postponed going to church for the first time.
-many of us refuse to pray unless times are bad.
Despite trying to avoid God’s calling for us in life, we often find ourselves exactly where needs us.
Proverbs 16:9
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
We ought to reach a state where we not only recognise that God carries us to where we need to go, we also should welcome it.
-traditional Scottish Protestantism uses acronym TULIP to define our faith.
-Irresistible Grace describes how we are powerless to resist God’s calling in life.
Philippians 2:13 (ESV)
“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
Unlike Jonah, we should acknowledge and welcome God’s pre-destined route for our lives.
This route has been pre-ordained before we were born.
Not only did God direct the road that lead us each to this church, but he will guide us to where he needs us to go next.
The Bible calls us to be “slaves of Christ”
Not just followers but slaves.
We should give everything about our mind body and soul over to his discretion.
Romans 6:22 (ESV)
“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”
Being a slave means to follow Jesus and God without question, without worry.
We can’t flee from God when we disagree with his direction for our lives.
We are either slaves to God or slaves to the material world and everything in it.
Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Unlike Jonah, we should not worry about how God leads us to his purpose in his plan.
We should welcome the unknown because it is known to God!
[End with this;]
Jesus tells us not worry about tomorrow and how God has shaped it for us
God knows what we need more than we ever will.
For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
And which of you by worrying can add a single cubit to his life span? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?
You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Amen
Prayer:
reflect on sermon
Lord guide us to where we need to go.
Song 2: as the deer pants for water.
Warn everyone that the song lyrics are on the back of the paper too.
Collect offering; Timothy/Daniel?
Prayer regarding the offering (use the money well)
Song 3: amazing Grace
