Preacher Talk# | Called To Preach

Text:

Jonah 3:1-3:

1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, 2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. 3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey.

Theme:

(Rev.) Called to Preach

Introduction:

The Book of Jonah is a book of minor prophecy that shows us, by the example of the Ninevites, how great are the Divine forbearance and long-suffering towards sinners.
- It shows a most striking contrast between the goodness and mercy of God, and the rebellion, impatience, and peevishness of his servant.
- It will be best understood by those who are most acquainted with their own hearts.
- In the end Jonah did what God had originally commanded him to do…”preach to the Ninevites”!

Our text comes from the familiar story that heralds the “minor” prophet, Jonah
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
- Jonah was commanded to go and preach to the people of Nineveh
- Jonah did not want to go!!!! (was willingly disobedient!)
REASONING:
- God –> Preach deliverance to the people of Nineveh
- Jonah –> They were a wicked people and did not deserved the same goodness that Jonah enjoyed
JONAH’S RESPONSE:
- Jonah did not obey God’s instruction and instead went the other direction to travel to Joppa

After disobeying God, Jonah kept going DOWN…
- Jonah went DOWN to the shore where the ship sailing to Joppa was to set sail
- Jonah went DOWN to the bottom of the ship and went to sleep
- The weather went DOWN to treacherous storm that endangered the ship
- The crew’s confidence went DOWN to the point to trying to thrown extra weight overboard
- They then went DOWN to the bottom of the ship to tell Jonah to pray to his God
- Jonah told then to thrown him overboard to go DOWN into the sea
- God sent a big fish to come and swallow up Jonah, and then the fish took Jonah DOWN to the bottom of the sea

Isn’t it so the reality of the believer who disobeys God’s Word, Will and/or Way? You are going DOWN!!!!!!!
- Psalms 37:1-2, “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”

It is here that this Word from God gets very specific in its audience. We will see now how God is speaking to those who are…
Called To Preach

Body:

The experience of Jonah correlates to the calling and commissioning of God’s Preacher!

1 –> “Second time”

The first time we DIDN’T HEAR
- Revelation 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”
  - It’s not that God isn’t speaking…it is because we don’t have an EAR
  - It’s not that God isn’t speaking…it is because we can’t HEAR
  - It’s not that God isn’t speaking…it is because we won’t LISTEN
The first time we DIDN’T RESPOND
- We heard God but did not give God an answer
- We heard God but did not acknowledge the truth that God was speaking
- We heard God but the sound of our own desire was greater/louder in our ears
The first time we DIDN’T OBEY
- We knew better but did not DO better
- We heard it but did not DO it
- We comprehended it but did not APPREHEND it
Now we have a SECOND TIME!
God is a God of a SECOND CHANCE
- Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
  - In spite of our sin
  - In spite of our disobedience
  - In spite of our weakness
    - è God LOVES us!!!!!!!!!!!1
We have God’s GRACE
- Grace is FAVOR or LOVINGKINDNESS
  - Grace is the institution of the SECOND CHANCE
We have God’s MERCY
- Mercy is DIVINE GOODNESS exercised towards the wretched and the guilty
  - Mercy is the application of the SECOND CHANCE

2 –> “Arise”

When God calls, we have got to RESPOND!!!
- Even if we are SAVED…we have got to RESPOND!!!
- Even if we are INFORMED…we have got to RESPOND!!!
- Even if we are INSPIRED…we have got to RESPOND!!!
- Even if we are PERSUADED…we have got to RESPOND!!!
- Even if we are DELIVERED…we have got to RESPOND!!!
- Even if we are CONVERTED…we have got to RESPOND!!!
- Even if we are IN RELARIONSHIP WITH GOD…we have got to RESPOND!!!
- Even if we are DOWNTRODDEN…we have got to RESPOND!!!
- Even if we are DEPRESSED…we have got to RESPOND!!!
TRANSLATION: Even if you have FAITH…you still need to DO SOMETHING!
- James 2:17, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
- WHEN GOD CALLS, we must ARISE…or…GET UP… OUT OF
  - Out of our depression
  - Out of our sin
  - Out of our self-righteousness
  - Out of our own desire

3 –> “Preach the Preaching”

PREACH GOD’S WORD!
PREACH GOD’S WORD!

God COMMISSIONS us to a WORK
Definition – Furnished, Authorized, Empowered
- Romans 8:30, “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
  - God COMMISSIONS and EQUIPS
  - Whom God CALLS He also QUALIFIES!!!!
We got the faith…now do the WORK!
- 2Peter 1:10, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”Conclusion:

We are CALLED TO PREACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Called To Preach

Jonah 3:1-3:

(Rev.) Called to Preach

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