But Jonah Rose Up to Flee Unto Tarshish
Disobeying God's will leads to a loss of His presence, peace of mind, and time, and ultimately results in a life of hardship and struggle.
C.H. Spurgeon emphasizes the consequences of Jonah's attempt to flee from God's command to preach in Nineveh, illustrating how disobedience leads to a loss of God's presence and peace. Jonah's choice to avoid his duty resulted in a painful separation from the comfort of God's love, leaving him in turmoil and regret. Spurgeon warns believers against following Jonah's example, highlighting that resisting God's will ultimately leads to greater struggles and a lack of divine support. He encourages Christians to embrace their responsibilities, as true joy and peace are found in obedience to God. The sermon serves as a reminder that yielding to God's call is far more rewarding than attempting to escape it.
Text
Instead of going to Nineveh to preach the Word, as God bade him, Jonah disliked the work, and went down to Joppa to escape from it. There are occasions when God's servants shrink from duty. But what is the consequence? What did Jonah lose by his conduct? He lost the presence and comfortable enjoyment of God's love. When we serve our Lord Jesus as believers should do, our God is with us; and though we have the whole world against us, if we have God with us, what does it matter?
But the moment we start back, and seek our own inventions, we are at sea without a pilot. Then may we bitterly lament and groan out, "O my God, where hast Thou gone? How could I have been so foolish as to shun Thy service, and in this way to lose all the bright shinings of Thy face? This is a price too high. Let me return to my allegiance, that I may rejoice in Thy presence." In the next place, Jonah lost all peace of mind. Sin soon destroys a believer's comfort. It is the poisonous upas tree, from whose leaves distil deadly drops which destroy the life of joy and peace.
Jonah lost everything upon which he might have drawn for comfort in any other case. He could not plead the promise of divine protection, for he was not in God's ways; he could not say, "Lord, I meet with these difficulties in the discharge of my duty, therefore help me through them." He was reaping his own deeds; he was filled with his own ways. Christian, do not play the Jonah, unless you wish to have all the waves and the billows rolling over your head. You will find in the long run that it is far harder to shun the work and will of God than to at once yield yourself to it. Jonah lost his time, for he had to go to Tarshish after all. It is hard to contend with God; let us yield ourselves at once.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Consequences of Disobedience
- A. Loss of God's Presence
- B. Loss of Peace of Mind
- C. Loss of Time
- II. The Folly of Shunning God's Service
- A. Sin Destroys Comfort
- B. Reaping the Consequences of Our Deeds
Key Quotes
“But the moment we start back, and seek our own inventions, we are at sea without a pilot.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“Christian, do not play the Jonah, unless you wish to have all the waves and the billows rolling over your head.” — C.H. Spurgeon
“It is hard to contend with God; let us yield ourselves at once.” — C.H. Spurgeon
Application Points
- We should yield ourselves to God's will at once, rather than trying to shun it.
- Disobedience to God's will leads to a loss of peace of mind and comfort in our lives.
- It is far harder to contend with God than to yield ourselves to His will.