Jonah 1:1-17

Jonah Flees From the Lord

1The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” 3 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. I hope we will never have situations we need to runaway from the Lord. 4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. The Lord who created heaven and earth created a situation. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. Who do we cry out to when we are in trouble. When we were babies, we cried to our mom and dad. Now that we have grown up, we cry to people who can help us and hopefully God is always in our minds to call when we are troubled. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. What are we going to take and leave behind when we are running for our lives. We leave behind things we can't take along. We leave behind things we can buy again. We run for our lives with the most valuable and precious things in our lives. Our children, our precious memories. God didn't leave us behind. He sent His only Son to teach us, to die on the cross for our sins for reconciliation with God to bring us back with God again. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” Indeed, the captain and the crews knew who could save them. In times of trouble, let us bow and talk to God. Just as what Jesus did, He prayed in Gethsemane to the Father. 7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” Why? What happen? Who are you? I hope we will always do good things in the name of Lord Jesus Christ. 9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” May these words always in our minds, "I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land." 10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.) 11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” 12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” 13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. They were good men. Right in the middle of the storm, they did not do things they shouldn't do. Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” They prayed on the situation to God. 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him. They witnessed the situation. 17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

No One Like Our God by Lincoln Brewster

What is this love that won't relent
That's calling out with heaven's breath
Who is reaching wide to save our souls?
Only you, oh oh oh 

What is this grace that makes no sense
That we could never recompense
Who gives us all a second chance?
Only you, only you, only you

There is no one like our god
There is no one like our god
There is no other god who can save
There is no one like our god

Who hung the stars upon the night
And showed the sun how bright to shine
Who shaped the world within his hands?
Only you, oh oh oh 

oh oh oh
Who set the sky upon the hills
And told the waters to be still
Who spoke to form the universe
Only you, only you, only you

There is no one like our god
There is no one like our god
There is no other god who can save
There is no one like our god
There is no one like our god
There is no other god who can save
There is no one like our god

No height or depth can stand between us
No power on earth or all creation
No life or death can separate us from your love
No height or depth can stand between us
No power on earth or all creation
No life or death can separate us from your love

There is no one like our god
There is no one like our god
There is no other god who can save
There is no one like our god, no
There is no one like our god
There is no other god who can save
There is no one like our god
There is no one like our god
There is no other god who can save
There is no one like our god

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxlFXWD5thM

Jonah 2:1-10

1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. We pray. In all situations, we pray to the Lord. 2 He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. He recalled how the Lord helped him in the past. 3 You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ Jonah must be in the dark but he looked to the Lord who gives light. 5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. Jonah was in the deep sea but he looked up to the Lord. He believed the Lord would save him. 7 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. 9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. Who is more worthy of You our Lord that we will give praise. To You alone we will worship. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’” Jonah decided to listen to the Lord to go to Nineveh to save the people from destruction. The Lord is our savior. From Him we are saved. 10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Waterfall by Charity Gayle

I heard of a river flowing from heaven
And all who are thirsty would thirst no more
I wonder if I can drink of this fountain
The least of ten thousand, I come

Here at the waterfall
I stand in awe
Under the rock
Under the rock
Where mercy reigns

Here at the waterfall
Beneath the cross
Under the rock
Under the rock
Where mercy reigns

I heard of a river out of the mountain
Where healing and pardon are pouring out
I'm over my head in a sea of forgiveness
Hidden in Jesus I am found

Here at the waterfall
I stand in awe
Under the rock
Under the rock
Where mercy reigns

Here at the waterfall
Beneath the cross
Under the rock
Under the rock
Where mercy reigns

Everything lives where the river runs
Everything lives where the river runs
Everything lives where the river runs
Everything lives where the river runs, yeah

Everything lives where the river runs
I come alive
I come alive
Everything lives where the river runs
I come alive
I come alive
Everything lives where the river runs
I come alive
I come alive
Everything lives where the river runs
I come alive

Here at the waterfall 

I stand in awe
Under the rock
Under the rock
Where mercy reigns
Here at the waterfall
Beneath the cross
Under the rock
Under the rock
Where mercy reigns, yes

Everything lives where the river runs
I come alive

Hallelujah

Everything lives where the river runs
I come alive
Everything lives where the river runs
I come alive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWdCRyGH7aw

Jonah 3:1-10

Jonah Goes to Nineveh

1Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. It must be a good reason the Lord insisted Jonah to go to Nineveh. The reason was to save the people. Salvation belongs to the world. We are called to save, love and care for one another. Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Who is Jesus? The Son of the living God who died for our sins and restored our relationship with God so we may live with God in eternity. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. The Ninevites must have known in their hearts that they were not right in their ways and lifestyle. We were not born evil but innocent, helpless babies that needed the care and teaching of parents. Hence, the teaching of God's word, relationship and presence of God starts when babies are conceived to allow babies to know they are children of God, loved by God and created in the image of God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. 6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” The Ninevites repended. They did not carry out fights or strong resistance to accept the message of God through Jonah. The king let everyone to call onto God to forgive them. Let us never walk to the very end of the road but to abide in God's word in our daily living and trust in Jesus who gives us hope, love and life. 10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. God sent Jonah to Nineveh for a reason - to save the people.

Tell Somebody by Danny Gokey and Mandisa

Dear church, did you see me?
I was the sinner that you walked by on the street
Dear church, remember me?
Cause You have something so beautiful
Something that I need
You have something so beautiful
I wish you would have told me
So come on and…

Tell somebody about Jesus
And all the great things He has done
Where would I be if He had not rescued me
Come on and tell somebody
Come on and tell somebody

Tell somebody
Tell somebody

Come on church, say amen
God has been faithful
From beginning to the end
Come on church, lend a hand
There’s so many broken people
So many are in need

Come on and tell somebody about Jesus
And all the great things He has done
Where would I be if He had not rescued me
So come on and tell somebody
Come on and tell somebody

Tell somebody (Somebody)
Tell somebody

If I was dying, and you had a cure
Brother, would you help me?
Sister, would you help me?
Well the world is dying, and there is a Cure
There's a hope that's deep within us
One thing I know for sure
There’s a Hope that's deep within us
And this I know for sure
That we got to…

Tell somebody about Jesus
And all the great things He has done
Where would I be if He had not rescued me
So come on and tell somebody about Jesus
And all the great things He has done
Where would I be (Where would I be)
If He had not rescued me (Rescued me)
Come on and tell somebody, oh-ohh
Tell somebody, oh-ohh

Tell somebody (Somebody)
Tell somebody (Help me tell somebody)
(We got to tell)
Tell somebody
Tell somebody

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn8dbIVIncg

Jonah 4:1-11

Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion

1 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. Jonah was angry because the Ninevites did evil. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Jonah was angry. The evil doing of the Ninevites must be way beyond acceptance. How could God forgive? 4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” How much do we know compare to God? He is God who creates us. He holds our existence and tomorrow. God is the creator, the leader of all mankind. 5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” “It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.” 10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” He is God. The one true God who creates and reins heaven and earth. He holds our existence, our tomorrow. His knowledge and wisdom are beyond our own. He holds the truth and knowledge of all matters. He forgives. If you will ask and willing to pass the burden of sins to Jesus Christ, He will forgive and life starts afresh. The book of Jonah tells the story of Ninevites. They had sinned but God didn't forsake them. God sent Jonah to pass a message and the Ninevites believed in God and seek repentance and forgiveness. And God accepted their repentance. Let us do what is good and right for God, for our well being, for our sociey, for our children and children's children.