Sermon for June 11th, 2017

Jonah 1:1-17

1 The word of Yahweh came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 ‘Arise’, he said, ‘go to Nineveh, the great city, and cry to them that their wickedness has come up before my face’.

3 And Jonah set out, but to flee to Tarshish, away from Yahweh. He came down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish; and he paid his fare and went aboard, to go with them to Tarshish, away from Yahweh.

4 But Yahweh sent a strong wind over the sea, and there was a great storm on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the sailors grew afraid, and each of them called upon his own god, and to lighten the ship they threw into the seas the goods that were in it. But Jonah had gone down into the bottom of the ship, and he had lain down and was fast asleep.

6 Then the master of the crew came to him and said to him: ‘What do you mean by sleeping? Arise! Call upon your God! Maybe God will have thought for us and we shall not perish’. 7 Then they said to one another: ‘Let us put it to the lot, to learn on whose account this evil has come upon us’. And they cast their lots, and the lot fell to Jonah.

8 Then they said to him: ‘Tell us, what is your business, whence do you come, what is your country, and to what people do you belong?’ 9 And he answered them: ‘I am a Hebrew, and I worship Yahweh, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land’. 10 Then the sailors were greatly afraid, and they said to him: ‘What is it that you have done?’ For they knew that he was trying to escape from Yahweh, because he had told them so.

11 And they said to him: ‘What shall we do with you, so that the sea may grow calm for us?’ For the sea was rising more and more. 12 He answered them: ‘Take me and throw me into the sea, and the sea will grow calm for you. For I know that it is on my account that this great storm has come upon you’.

13 Then the sailors began to row so as to reach the shore, but in vain, for the sea rose more and more against them. 14 And they called upon Yahweh and said: ‘O Yahweh, let us not perish because of this man’s life, and do not hold us guilty of innocent blood! For you, Yahweh, have done as you pleased’. 15 And laying hold of Jonah, they threw him into the sea, and the sea abated its fury. 16 Then the men were greatly afraid of Yahweh, and they offered a sacrifice to Yahweh and made vows.

17 And Yahweh appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah; and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah: Throw Me Into the Sea

You can't name your son Jonah and not have a little fun with it.

(pictures of Jonah & his whale)

• [Jonah Whale 1]
• [Jonah Whale 2]
• [Jonah Whale 3]

But the day our son Jonah was born, of all the congratulations and greetings, my favorite words of welcome were from a Presbyterian pastor friend, Rev. Laura Viau, who said, "Welcome, Jonah. May you always turn back to God and speak truth to those who need it most."

It was a beautiful blessing. It also captures the core message of the Book of Jonah in a nutshell.

Turn back to God, and speak the truth to those who need it most.