THE POWER OF ONE
November 3, 2002 PM
Sermon Outline
Jonah 3:3b,4
INTRO: As I was returning from a trip this past week, thoughts of the book of Jonah kept recurring in my mind. Particularly I kept musing upon the description of the city ... an exceeding great city of three days journey. What was the lesson to be learned here? Was there really a lesson here at all? When I was about tempted to dismiss those thoughts to move on to more fertile ground, it dawned on me that this is a magnificent lesson on The Power of One! In fact, I wonder if that may not be one of the most important lessons of the entire book. Think for a few minutes of some simple - but so needed -thoughts.
I. FIRSTLY, THERE IS THE GREAT CITY
A. Note the use of modifiers in the description size
1. great -- exceeding -- of three days journey
2. by the standards of that time Nineveh was a very large city, even by todays standards, of perhaps a million people
3. of three days journey perhaps describes the time necessary to walk streets with message or distance across to describe a region or circumference
4. great, too, in military and commercial importance
B. But it was also great in importance to God
1. souls of men are the tremendous concern of God
2. this city of something near 1 million souls certainly held more than a passing interest to God (Mk 8:36 on importance of the soul)
3. remember, too, God was/is God of all humanity
4. note Acts 17:24-27 all nations!
C. In our case, there is the great world around us
1. how many more millions now than then!
2. and each soul is of great preciousness to God
3. doesnt this lesson from Jonah move us to concern for the world in which we live?can we truly be Gods children and not be concerned?
4. Jno 4:35,36
II. SECONDLY, THERE IS THE GREAT NEED
A. In 1:2 is stated the great need of Nineveh (see 3:8b)
1. Nineveh was a place of great sinfulness
2. remember Gen 6:5 and Gods resolve to destroy world?
3. well, He had resolved to destroy Nineveh - 3:4
B. Without Gods message, that city would perish in sin
1. He wouldnt, couldnt spare it in that condition
2. as was case with Noahs world, God made provisions for that message to be proclaimed ... it was a grave message!
3. 2 Pet 3:9 God would, though, destroy city without its repentance
C. Surely we can see the parallel to our own time
1. sin is rampant any sensitivities people still have are shocked by magnitude, blatantness of sin, evil
2. perhaps Johns words of 1 Jno 5:19b apply perfectly
3. never has there been greater need than now!
III. THIRDLY, THERE IS THE POWER OF THE WEAK
A. God sent one man to the great city, the great need
1. odds - numerically - were certainly not good
2. yet, it had never been Gods practice to send overwhelming numbers to accomplish His purposes
3. there have been the Noahs, Josephs, Samuels, Elijahs
4. 1 Cor 1:27-29 reason? that any good effect should be attributed to God
B. Jonahs only weapon the word of God
1. to a city accustomed to swords, spears and warfare came the sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17)
2. apparently, there was no miraculous demonstration, etc.
3. but we do remember that Jonah was to preach only that which God would bid him preach (3:2)
4. power is not in words but in Source of and arrangement of those words into a message and the effect of this one man armed only with the word of God was monumental!
C. Here, then, is the power of one
1. one person courageously speaking Gods word can change the course of someones history!
2. 2 Cor 4:5-7 God has not changed His mode! there is a saving message to be shared, and it has been entrusted to mere mortal man! Rom 1:14-16
3. too often we worry about the odds, the distance, the inadequacies, the reactions ... we forget that God said, Go
4. the account of Jonah becomes a challenge to us, an encouragement think of Rom 8:31 and Isa 55:11
CLOSE: Certainly our challenge is as great as that of Jonahs going to Ninevah. The difference is that we have so much more scriptural experience upon which to draw. We know that when God is on our side there is great power of one!
Cecil A. Hutson
03 November 2002