FBCWest 548 | God Accomplishes His Purposes
Recorded On: 03/26/2023
Bulletin
Hymn # 324 “Higher Ground”
SCRIPTURE READING – Exodus 3:5 & 6
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate
Praise and Worship
“Homecoming”
“Raise a Hallelujah”
“Battle Belongs”
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Resolved to Obey and Worship Only the Lord, God”
“God Accomplishes His Purposes”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“Only King Forever”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Benediction “There Is Freedom”
Sermon Notes
Jonah 3:1 – 4 Finally Jonah does what God called him to do
Jonah 3:5 – 9 The people of Nineveh repent
Jonah 3:10 God spares Nineveh
Jonah 4:1 – 3 Jonah angry at God for sparing Nineveh
Jonah 4:4 God asks Jonah does he have a good reason to be angry?
Acts 9:10 – 14 God tells Ananias to lay hands on Saul so he might receive his sight, but Ananias does not think that is a good idea
Acts 9:15 & 16 God says that Saul is His chosen vessel
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
All right. We have been going through a series. Not bending the knee, but. Loving, obeying and trusting not only and we've taken a look at various. Situations where men and women refuse to bother me. Or to stop worshipping or praying or whatever they were doing on behalf of God, regardless of the consequence. This is. We took a look also at the people who rejoiced at the fact that they were counted worthy to suffer for his namesake. Then we also took a look within this series about doing it God's way. What is God's way? God's will? In this last message in the series. Is about. Understanding that God accomplishes his purpose. And so when God plans to do something, God accomplishes, the scriptures tell us specifically and implicitly that this is the case. We see, for instance, even in Romans Chapter 8. But it talks about that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose. And it's interesting. We see books and colleges and universities all talking about finding your purpose. When God says. Not so much about your purpose. It's about his purpose and how everything will work out, and he'll make even bad stuff. Good because we are loving him and are called according to his purpose. So we're going to take a look at that. Nothing can. Stop God from doing his purpose. Now in the message I'm going to, we're going to take a look at 2 individuals who are going to. Show how God accomplishes this, but I want to to. Make up a story. So I don't want to call it a parable because that's kind of infringing on Jesus than he does all things a whole lot better than me. So I'm just going to say this is a fictional story. I'm not, you know, I've made it up. It didn't happen. OK. And so in this, my fictional story, God comes to me. Not pepperoni pizza. God himself comes to me. Because I have a purpose for you, Joe. The 2023 professional football season you are going to be the starting quarterback. For the Kansas City chief. And I would respond. For God. They have one. Of the best. If not, be best quarterbacks. And all of professional football and God says. He'll be your backup. But God, you don't understand. I AM 70. Want to be 71 before this season starts? Because I didn't call Bose until he was over 80. For God. The only experience? I've ever had playing quarterback is playing street football. This street football isn't the non organized football it is. I played in the street football, I played in the street in front of my house. And we had either two to four people on a team, and if you fell down, you got skinned up because you're playing on asphalt. There are times we had to delay the game because cars. Would go by. And there was the curb. So we had that. There was one time our piano player, piano. She she lived on the same. Block as I did. And we were playing this game and I won't tell you who, but his name was Mike. He we were playing football and you've heard the expression that that the linebacker or the safety. Hits like a truck. So we threw the ball to Mike. He ran it out. Threw the ball to Mike. He caught it and turned and ran into a Fiat. So I don't know what a truck feels like being hit, but Mike can tell you what a Fiat hit feels like when you hit it. And so I would say that that's my experience. OK, Joe.
You've read my word. You've read my scriptures. You have read it. You've even preached on. It that says that nothing is impossible. Were you just saying those things or? Did you mean it? And so. His final words to me is. You should have said. True thing. I'll start. Getting in shape. And how is it that I will continue to be faster of FBC W while I am playing? Quarterback in the National Football League on Sundays, 1/2 a country away. Don't give me all these excuses. Don't give me all these. Whatever I told you that I've called you to do something. Do it. I said this preposterous story. Because there may be something in your life that just said, if that's preposterous, God would never call me to do it. Guess what? Nothing is impossible with God. Throughout the scriptures. God has called people. To do his things, as I mentioned, Moses, Moses offered excuses. I can't speak. I can't do it, and whatever and God accomplishes for God's plan to accomplish, there were other things that that God has gone through and he has called men and women to do miraculous things. Not that they would do it, but because he. Accomplished it. Nothing stops him from accomplishing what he wants to do. So what I'll do is I'll just tell you what. The story was about so Jonah. It's called by God, and God says I want you to go to Ninevah. And preach to them. And tell them that in 40 days. The city is going to be doomed. And so Jonah. You get to check it. And instead of going to Ninevah. And the reason he doesn't want to go to Geneva because he doesn't like the Assyrians and Ninevah is probably one of the largest cities that was ever. Developed in the ancient world and he decides instead of going to Ninevah, he decides to get a ticket on a boat going to Tarsus. Now it's not quite sure where Tarsus is. Some people believe it's in Sardinia. Some people believe it's where Carthage was and some people believe that maybe as far away as Spain. But wherever it may be, it was in the opposite direction. You don't need a. Boat to get to Ninevah. You might need a. Camel or a horse? But you don't need a boat. And Tony says, I don't want to do what God wants me to do because I don't like those people. I'm leaving, and I'm going the opposite. And as you know, this story, they start getting heavy winds and and seas and they start throwing their the contents of their boat over and done goes done and you're having a problem because I'm running away from God. Throw me over and and they act heroically and go no we don't want to throw you over. And so they keep trying, but finally. If the vote is going to sink so they actually throw Jonah. We are told, and a lot of people say, well, journalists swallowed by a whale. It doesn't say is swallowed by a whale, matter of fact, say he was swallowed by a giant fish. A whale is not a fish, it's a mammal. So he's swallowed by a giant fish. He's there. For three days. Now some people believe that the miracle in Jonah's case is that God keeps them alive in the belly of the fish for three days. That'd be a good miracle. And if that's the way God did it, that's the way God is, I don't think. And I don't believe that that's how what happened. I think Jonah died in the belly of the fish. The reason I think that is the context of him praying that he's in shield and he and the gates are running him. So I think he died. And not only that, Jesus says. The only sign that this generation is going to have is the sign of Jonah, which Jesus. Didn't stay alive. In the belly of the body of the ground, he was dead there. So I believe Jonah was dead and the miracle was God brought him back to life. When Jonah goes OK, I don't want to. I don't. Want to? I'll do what you told me to do. So the fish regurgitates Jonah on dry land. Then he make him swim there and he decides. OK, I'm going to do what? So now it says. Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time saying. Arise golden and above the Great City, and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you. So John says I didn't change just because you didn't want to do what I told you to do didn't mean that God changed his mind. As a matter of fact, God says the same.
So Jonah arose and went in and of according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three days walk. So it's it's a massive city, especially to consider the ancient times trying to get water and those types of things through a city. Then Jonah began to go through the city one day's walk, and he cried out and said yet 40 days and then never will be overthrown. Boy, that's the power of positive thinking. It's it didn't say repent, he. Goes this city is doomed. Because it is. And God's giving them warning. The problem with Jonah is that Jonah knows who God is. Then the people are never believed in God. And they called it fast and put on sackcloth. Sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them. Now this is amazing. If you've read any of the minor prophets or the major prophet. Almost every time the prophet. Declares that the people of sin and they need to come back to God, they. Kill the prophets. They put them in prison, they put them in in dungeons. They do all kinds of terrible things to them because they don't want to hear it. Here's a bunch of Gentiles people that Jonah hates, people that don't know God. On a. Germans say you know he's right. We need to repent. And not only the lowly class, but even the royalty. The entire culture says we need to repent. And when the Lord reached the king of Nineveh, he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe from him, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat on the ashes. And again, this is the ancient way of showing that I am repent, that I am sorrowful, that I'm going to change is that I tear my clothes, I put sack. Cell phone and I put ashes. I am repenting. And not only does he do that, he's he issued a proclamation and it said, and then the vote by the decree of the King and his nobles do not let man, beast, herd or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. But both man and Beast must be covered with saqua and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way, and from the violence which is in his hand. And he says. Or who knows? God may turn and relent from his and withdraw his burning anger so that we will not carry. They understand there's no guarantee that God's going to change his mind. They're saying, who knows? Maybe God will relent. But we're still going to show him that we are sorry that we have changed who we are. We are no longer the same, but Even so, we're not doing this conditionally. We're doing this and maybe God will change his mind. When God saw their deeds that they had turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which he had declared he would bring upon them. And he did not do it. So God in fact listens to their. Ties into their needs. And instead of destroying the city, he allows it to continue. You would think because we're used to like Billy Graham, that Billy, he would be excited. I preached and the people responded and the entire city, which we will see is about 200,000 people. Get right with God. Now that would be cause for celebration. I'm happy when one person comes to know the the Lord 200,000 people. You think he should be ecstatic? He should. God, we're awesome. But it greatly displeased Nota Jonah, and he became angry. And he prayed, the Lord said, please, Lord was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore, in order to forestall this, I fled to satasha's, so I knew that you are a gracious and a compassionate God. Slow to anger and abundant and loving kindness, and one who relents concerning calamity. That's the reason I left for Tarsus, because I know exactly. Who you are. Which is amazing. So many people who call themselves believers have no clue. Who God is. And then it. Goes I know who you are. And I hated those people. And I knew if I went there and preached that they might repent and you'd relent. And I didn't want that because I know what kind of God you are. You are merciful and gracious God. I didn't want to go. Therefore, now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for death is better than life. This is so us. When we're about to die, we're praying God. Don't let me die. But when everything is OK and we're not close to death, oh, death is better than life. Well, you know, he could have just stayed silent, not prayed, and he'd have been dead. But now death is more important because God is God and he didn't do what I wanted him to do. The Lord said, do you have good reason to be angry? God asked such great questions. Doesn't do this long, it just OK, you're angry. You have a good reason. Not arguing with him that he's angry or not. Give me a good reason that you're angry. And of course he doesn't. Later in the story it says that Tony goes up. On a hill. And God. That causes a plant grow within a day, provides you with shade. And he's comfortable. $10 points. A worm. Eat the plant. You know dry hot wind caused it to die. And Jonah is angry again. He curses and God again asked the same question. Do you have a reason to be angry? But then he follows it with this. You're compassionate on this planet. That you didn't plant, you didn't water, you didn't grow, but it provided you ****. The people in Ninova are 200,000. He is the God of creation. He created the people you don't like. Should not God be allowed to be compassionate? On his. People that he. But we see God accomplished his purpose. He sent Jonah and he didn't send somebody else. He goes. Jonah, you go. Jonah goes. No, I'm not going. And guess what? Jonah went. God plays five dimensional chess while we play beginning checkers. We never are able to out move God. And again, what's so awesome about this story is God is OK. You get to take off the good tarsius. I'll pick. Mortimer to go. That's that's just my purpose is to send you. I'm sending you you go. Second person that we're going to talk about is a person named Saul. Paul was a guy. Who hated Christians? They called them the people of the way. So much so that he was there when Stephen was stoned to death and approved it. He decided to arrest and persecute people, Christians in Jerusalem, and that wasn't satisfactory to him. So he got permission and authority to go to Damascus, another large city. And to persecute and arrest people of the way there. Paul was a zealous persecutor of the church. But on the way. The Damascus. All met the Lord. And notice in that statement the Lord says. Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? I didn't say the church and didn't save my disciples, he said. Me because God takes it personal when you are persecuted for his namesake. Not a matter of, oh, you persecuted. Dawn and Sally and now you persecuted me, knocks him off his horse. Causes him to be blind. And he goes on to the mass. Now it says now there was a disciple at Damascus name Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias and he said here I am Lord. And the Lord said to him, get up and go to the street, call straight and inquire at the House of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. And he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias. Come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight. So God is saying anayas. I want you to go to this particular house. On this particular St. With this particular. Person and in there there is a man named Saul and he's blind and he's been given a vision by me that somebody named by your name is going to go and lay hands on him and he's going. To receive his sight. You see, God is pretty specific. Not a bunch of, no. This is the plan. This is what I told Saul this is. What I'm telling you so that. When you go. Paul's going to know I sent you because he's not expecting any person. He's expecting Ananias. Now Ananias is like all of us. But in Anna, but Anna and I answered. Lord, I have heard from many about this man how much harm he did to your Saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priest to bind all who are fall upon your name. So and and is basically saying. Are you sure? God. Maybe you ought to rethink this. Because Saul is here to arrest me and bind me and take me back to Jerusalem. I think maybe you're making a mistake. Isn't it awesome how often we try to tell God what's best? So many times you see over and over the book of job throughout the Bible. Everybody telling God what God ought to do. God had a plan and God's going to accomplish it, and God's going to accomplish it because guess what? And and I already told him a man by your name is. Going to go. So therefore, you're going to go. But the Lord said to him, go or he is a chosen instrument of mine to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Sons of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer from my namesake. Notice the two things he goes. He's a chosen vessel. The very person you think. Shouldn't be chosen. I've decided to use. The one who is persecuted in the church, I'm going to use as a chosen vessel to make my name known to the Gentiles and to kings. And to others. And he doesn't stay there. Whose called Saul? Is going to have a specific awesome ministry and let's.
Let's be real. Paul, who was Saul has impacted you and me. Who are believers? Because much of the New Testament was written while he was in prison, and while he was under places and while he was concerned about various churches and we read what God has called us to do and what the will of God is, and all these various things, everything from. Romans so first and 2nd Corinthians and Galatians and Ephesians and 1st and 2nd Thessalonians and 1st and Second Timothy and Titus and even Philemon. He has written those books that we might know God better. So yes, Paul had this marvelous ministry in the 1st century. Which is still carrying out in the 21st century. And will continue in every century thereafter until. The Lord comes. And Annius didn't thank God should use. But he also said this is not going to be any simple. I'm going to show him how much he must not is going to that he must suffer from my namesake. And he did. He suffered shipwreck and beating and stoning. Judaizers and people trying to diminish as ministry and to. Take away the security of we believers because we must do something instead of our faith in Jesus. And all of this. He continues in Administry and even while in prison he writes many of the book. And eventually we are told that he loses his head. With the name of Jesus. God accomplished his purpose. When he called Jonah. To preach to people he didn't want to hear. He called. Even to you and me. God accomplishes purpose. If God has called you to do some. You can do what most. People and the scriptures do. Oh God, I don't know. I can't talk. I'm too old. I'm too this. I'm too that. And then God can simply say. Have you read and haven't you heard that nothing since possible for me? That there's nothing too hard for me. I'm sending you. But I'm doing it. It's my. That's what I'm. The amazing thing. We think. That all these men and women of God were great men and women of God. They were only great men and women of God after they allowed God to accomplish his. We look from the back. In our eyes, we look from the press. Is doing a great work in. For by Grace, you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God. We are his workmanship. To do good. God is working on us to accomplish this.
And is not sufficient. Say well. I can't do it. Jonah didn't want to, but did it anyway. And I just didn't think it was a good idea, did it anyway? And you may think, and I may think. We're not efficient to do it. Is in my imaginary store. God were to call me. OK. 2023 season. You are going to be the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. The very team you said is my team. Instead of asking questions. Just start getting. That's what we need to do. Not about what God, what my purpose is for my life. The coffin scene. When I accomplish this. Nothing can harm. Nothing can separate me from his love because nothing bad will happen, even when those bad things happen, will turn it into good because of those who love him and are called according to his purpose, which will always take place. And all God's people said.