God’s Grace & a Pouting Prophet
Jonah 4:1-11
I. PRIDE LEADS TO DISPLEASURE AND ANGER WITH GOD
II. PRIDE AND ANGER WILL BE DEALT WITH BY GOD
III. PRIDE AND ANGER WILL DESTROY YOU SPIRITUALLY
IV. PRIDE AND ANGER WILL DISPLAY YOUR SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
V. PRIDE AND ANGER WILL BLIND YOU TO SPIRITUAL TRUTH
The Power of God’s Word
Jonah 3:1-10
I. GOD’S WORD IS GIVEN A SECOND TIME TO JONAH
A. God’s heart is amazingly compassionate to rebels like Jonah…and rebels like us.
B. God’s heart is amazingly compassionate for the world.
C. Our rebellion cannot thwart God’s purposes.
D. The gospel is ours to proclaim, not to edit.
II. GOD’S WORD IS SHARED THROUGH JONAH
A. God’s message revealed the seriousness of sin and the certainty of God’s judgment.
B. God uses sinful people to communicate his message.
III. GOD’S WORD DOES ITS WORK IN NINEVEH
A. The power of God isn’t in the messenger, but in the message itself.
B. The power of God isn’t determined by methods.
C. God uses people who share his message, trusting his promises, relying on his power, and leaving the results to him
Humbled by God
Jonah 1:17-2:10
I. HUMILITY ACCEPTS GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY AND AUTHORITY
A. God is free to appoint anything for his purposes
B. God is free to teach us lessons
II. HUMILITY BRINGS CLARITY AND PERSPECTIVE
A. My own prideful choices have brought this upon me
B. I cannot overpower the God who has all power
C. My only hope is to cry out to the Lord for his undeserved mercy
III. HUMILITY IS THE BRIDGE TO RESTORATION AND RECOMMISSIONING
A. Humility leads us to God’s purposes over our own
B. Humility leads us to thankfulness and worship
C. Humility leads us to obedience
D. Humility leads us to truth
Jonah at Sea
Jonah 1:4-16
I. GOD THROWS A STORM
II. THE SAILORS THROW A PRAYER MEETING & THEIR CARGO
III. THE SAILORS THROW LOTS
IV. THE SAILORS THROW JONAH
Pride & Prejudice
Jonah 1:1-3
I. GOD’S FREEDOM TO CALL AND COMMISSION ANYONE
A. God Speaks
B. God Commands
II. JONAH’S RESPONSE TO GOD’S COMMANDS
A. Jonah Runs
B. Jonah Rebels
III. WHAT PRIDE AND PREJUDICE DO TO OUR HEARTS:
Our pride and prejudice . . .
A Psalm of Delight
Psalm 16:1-11
I. DELIGHT IN GOD’S PERSON
II. DELIGHT IN GOD’S PEOPLE
III. DELIGHT IN GOD’S PROVISION
IV. DELIGHT IN GOD’S PRESENCE
A Psalm of Repentance
Psalm 32:1-11
I. WHAT REPENTANCE IS NOT:
A. Repentance is not dealing with sin on your own terms
B. Repentance is not being troubled over sin
C. Repentance is not covering up our sin
D. Repentance is not a pragmatic commitment against sin
E. Repentance is not parting with some sins
F. Repentance is not “never doing it again"
II. WHAT REPENTANCE IS:
A. Repentance is necessary for forgiveness
B. Repentance is acknowledgement and confession of sin
C. Repentance is a change of mind regarding truth & sin
D. Repentance is a brokenness and sorrow for sin from the heart
E. Repentance is a turning away from sin
F. Repentance is a renunciation of self-righteousness
G. Repentance is instructive to others
H. Repentance is a practical obedience
I. Repentance is abiding
J. Repentance is an inward sorrow but an outward joy
K. Repentance is the path of fellowship and communion with God
L. Repentance is Christ-embracing
A Psalm of Power & Provision
Psalm 104:1-35
I. God rules over all creation by his power
II. God formed the earth by his power
III. God provides for the earth by his power
IV. God orders time and seasons by his power
V. God directs life and death by his power
VI. God is to be praised for his power and provision
A Psalm of Waiting
Psalm 130:1-8
I. Waiting on God teaches us to pray
II. Waiting on God teaches us to evaluate the hope of our hearts
III. Waiting on God teaches us to trust his character
IV. Waiting on God teaches us to depend on Him
A Psalm of Missions
Psalm 67
A Psalm of Worship
Psalm 97:1-12
I. WHAT IS WORSHIP?
“Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do and all that I can ever become in light of a chosen or choosing god.” – Harold Best
II. WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM PSALM 97 ABOUT WORSHIP?
A. We must continuously rejoice in God’s sovereign reign
B. We must continuously revere God’s majesty and holiness
C. We must continuously proclaim his righteousness and look
for His glory.
D. We must continuously recognize the danger of idolatry
E. We must continuously exalt God over all things
F. We must continuously yield to God’s providence in our
lives
G. We must continuously rejoice in Him and be thankful
A Psalm for Fathers & Everyone Else
Psalm 78:1-8
I. CHILDREN (AND EVERYONE ELSE) INCLINE YOUR EARS TO YOUR FATHERS
A. Fathers, you must devote yourself to learning what matters most
B. Fathers, you must not hide what matters most from your children and others
II. FATHERS (AND EVERYONE ELSE) INTENTIONALLY PASS ON THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD TO THE NEXT GENERATION
A. We all share covenant community responsibilities
B. We all share Great Commission responsibilities
III. FATHERS (AND EVERYONE ELSE) ILLUSTRATE A LIFE OF HOPING IN GOD TO YOUR CHILDREN AND OTHERS
A. I want my children and others to set their hope in God alone
B. I want my children and others to remember God’s works – All that he’s done
C. I want my children to obey God’s word
A Psalm of Glory
Psalm 19:1-14
I. GOD’S WORKS DECLARE HIS GLORY
A. The Glory of God’s Power
B. The Glory of God’s Wisdom
C. The Glory of God’s Beauty
D. The Glory of God’s Goodness
II. GOD’S WORD DECLARES HIS GLORY
A. The Glory of God’s Character
B. The Glory of God’s Truth
III. GOD’S GRACE DECLARES HIS GLORY
A Psalm of Choices
Psalm 1:1-6
I. TWO DIFFERENT PATHS
1) Blessed is the man that does not follow the path of the wicked
2) Blessed is the man that delights in the truth of God’s word
II. TWO DIFFERENT PICTURES
1) A tree planted by streams of water
- This person has Provision
- This person has Productivity
- This person has Protection
- This person has Prosperity
2) Chaff that the wind drives away
- Chaff has no Source of Life
- Chaff has no Substance
III. TWO DIFFERENT PLACES
A Lesson about Righteousness
Luke 18:9-14
The Parable Contrasted
Two different people.
Two different prayers.
Two different pronouncements.
Two different principles.
The Pharisee The Tax Collector
Some Truths to Consider:
1. The righteousness that God requires cannot be produced by man.
a. God’s standard is perfect.
b. Man’s nature is corrupt.
c. Self-righteousness is both deceiving and destructive.
2. The righteousness that God requires is granted as a gift.
a. Righteousness is a gift of God’s grace.
b. Righteousness is received by faith.
c. Righteousness is based on the work of Jesus alone.
3. The way to be righteous and the way to live righteously begins with humility.
a. The way of the world is the exaltation of self.
b. The way of the Kingdom is the humiliation of self.
The Cost of Discipleship
Mark 8:31-38
I. THE COMMAND - FOLLOW ME IN THIS WAY
A. Take up your cross
1) Official Opposition
2) Shame
3) Suffering
4) Death
B. Deny yourself
II. FOUR REASONS TO DENY YOURSELF, TAKE UP YOUR CROSS, AND FOLLOW JESUS
1) The paradox of saving your life by losing your life
2) There is no profit in gaining the world at the expense of your soul
3) Nothing can be given in exchange for the soul
4) Being ashamed of Jesus leads to your own destruction
Avoiding a Wasted Life
James 4:11-12
I. WHAT WE MUST NOT SAY IF WE WANT TO AVOID WASTING OUR LIVES
A. Practical Atheists Make Plans Without Any Reference to God
B. Practical Atheists Live Only for Temporary Worldly Gain
C. Practical Atheists Live as though They Are Not Accountable
to God
II. WHAT WE MUST REMEMBER IF WE WANT TO AVOID WASTING OUR LIVES
A. God Is Absolutely Sovereign Over My Life
B. The Lord’s Will Always Supersedes My Will
