We know the beginning and the middle really well. God wants Jonah to go somewhere that Jonah doesn't want to go. Jonah tries to run away from God's call only to be swallowed up in the belly of the whale (strictly speaking, scripture says, "big fish") and eventually he's belched up coast side.
We know that part of the story, but we're less familiar with the ending. The ending is the part where Jonah goes part of a days journey into a huge metroplex that is a three days journey across and he kind of half-heartedly mumbles this decree, "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" and then...surprisingly enough...THE ENTIRE CITY IS CONVERTED?!?
It is an amazing story. A crazy story that doesn't quite make sense, and everytime I read it I can't help but say, "Wouldn't it be nice?" Wouldn't it be nice if you could just speak that one single line and everything changed?
Which is why the Whiteboard is filled with a picture of "The Easy Button." Wouldn't it be nice to have an Easy Button?
This entire month scripture has been re-introducing us to Jesus, and this Sunday we'll find out what Jesus has to say about things always being easy (or, for that matter, not saying that!).
I'll see you this Sunday as we celebrate the challenges of faith and the very purposes that Christ calls us to!
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 -- Conversion of Nineveh
The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying,
‘Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.’
So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across.
Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, ‘Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’
And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
Mark 1:14-20 -- The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God,
and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.’
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
No comments:
Post a Comment