Answering Gods Call: Jonah, Peter, and You

January 23, 2000

Jonah 3, Mark 1:14-20

Did you ever have a neighbor that could make life miserable for you? Thank God we haven't had very many, but even one is one too many!

{In one church the houses were close together and our next-door neighbor was a sour old man who seemed to hate my four sons. He called the police if their friends parked across the street from his house. He kept their ball if it went over his fence.One day he had a heart attack and as he was being carried on a stretcher out to the ambulance he raised his head and yelled "Keep off the grass!"

{I wish I could say I changed him with charm and prayer, but I'm afraid he was just as unhappy when we moved as when we came.}

I. JONAH'S CALL     

Multiply your worst neighbor by 1,000,000 and add blood-letting and hatred and horrible violence and you get the idea of what Assyria was as a neighbor to the little kingdoms in the Middle east. So– one day God said to his prophet Jonah, "Go down there to Ninevah and tell them they are in big trouble!"

GOD CALLED HIS MAN, TO DO A JOB FOR HIM

And you know what? Jonah ran the other way! Why? Was he afraid? Maybe. But I think he was afraid that God might forgive those wicked neighbors and Jonah didn't want to share his God with them. They didn't deserve it! So Jonah ran!

{Do you know the story of Jonah? Ran to Joppa, got a ship to Tarshish - BIG storm– draw straws- over he goes– BIG FISH - deep-sea prayer meeting- SICK FISH . . . THEN}

GOD GIVES JONAH ANOTHER SHOT AT IT and a miracle of miracles– Ninevah repents. God does NOT destroy them. And Jonah is sorry!

BUT JONAH'S MESSAGE IS: GOD LOVES US, BUT HE LOVES THAT DIFFICULT NEIGHBOR, TOO

(Just pray He doesn't ask you to be nice to him!! If he does what will you do??)

II. JESUS CALLS PETER ANDREW JAMES AND JOHN

This is about God's love, too. But it seems a lot more personal. Jesus comes along and says FOLLOW ME!

What would you have done?

I really want to know Jesus! I would follow Him if He came along, wouldn't you?

Peter and Andrew and James and John first of all got to be with Jesus. They didn't have to tell their nasty neighbors anything until Jesus showed them how. Later He did just that.

Peter had to learn to follow Jesus even after Jesus had gone to heaven. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help Peter get over his prejudices. Peter never was "perfect" but he left everything he needed to leave and he followed. And we're here because he did!

III. JESUS CALLING!

• Does Jesus still come by where people are working and playing and ask them to follow Him?
• Do you remember when Jesus called to you?

  I can't remember the first time I believe I knew Jesus was calling me. But I certainly DO remember ONE time! JANUARY 17, 1948 was a Saturday night. That night Jesus spoke to me and I felt very sick of my sins. I knew I was not where I ought to be with God. I promised God that night that I would give my heart to him the next chance I got. I was thinking in terms of an invitation to an altar of prayer,

  The very next night JANUARY 18, 1948, Sunday night, I went to church. I don't know what the pastor said. I didn't FEEL anything emotional. But I heard Jesus say in my spirit 'DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR PROMISE?' I heard my call 'FOLLOW ME!'

• Do you believe Jesus still calls us?
• Do you think he is calling us, like Jonah, to love those neighbors?
• Do you believe he calls us to follow Him?
• Do you say "Yes!" to Him?
• Do you know you are saved?

John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, preached that we could be saved and we could KNOW we are saved! That ASSURANCE is a wonderful thing!

HOW do we know we are right with God?

1. By the Word of God: If we confess God is faithful!
2. By our spirit's witness that we have answered in good faith.
3. By the assurance that the Holy Spirit gives us that we are forgiven.

Prayer

O Father God, through your Son the Lord Jesus, we hear you calling, "Come, follow ME!" We don't know where you want to take us. We don't know what you want to do with us. But we want to be with You! We want to belong to You! So we come! Forgive our sins! By your Holy Spirit live in our hearts! Make us Your people this very day, we pray

We ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen