JONAH AND THE WHALE
By Dr. Jimmy Hayes

Text:  Jonah 1:1-17; 2:1

Lately, I have been studying in the Book of Jonah.  I find it to be a very challenging book in the life of the preacher and all Christian workers.  God wants to do something through His people that will help other Christians to grow and help others along the way.  We are made to have a free will —-that is, we must make choices.  We can choose to reject Christ or to receive Him as our Lord and Savior.  There is no such thing as “irresistible grace.”  We can choose Heaven or Hell as our final place in eternity.  No one was ever born to die and go to Hell.  Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).  That refutes two points of Calvinism.  Jesus died for the sins of all people and is not “willing that any should perish but rather repent and be saved” (II Peter 3:9).  The Word of God states “He will have all men to be saved” (I Timothy 2:4). 

Now, you can change the Word of God and say the “all” is the “elect” or you can take it at face value and say the “all” is the “all.”  Like I said, you must make choices.  When Jesus died on the cross, it was for the “whosoevers.”  That’s what He said and He meant it!  Now, John Calvin thought Jesus did not mean that.  That is, He taught that Jesus made a mistake and 1500 years after Calvary He attempted to correct Jesus plain words with something called Calvinism.  Now, the educated (and non-educated) will tell you that if you do not believe in Calvinism, you have to believe you can lose your Salvation – – – that is, your eternal security.  That’s hog wash!  Jesus said when you believe, you have everlasting life.  Everlasting never ends.  So, you do not have to be a Calvinist or Armenian on the matter of eternal security.  I am neither!  I am a Bible Believer, and I believe what Jesus said.  I MADE THAT CHOICE.  Now, you must make your choice.  Do not be categorized as one or the other.  Stand strong on the plain Word of Scripture without changing words or correcting Jesus.

God wants His people to evangelize the world and present the plain Gospel to them and let them make their choices.  It’s simple – – – you either accept Christ or reject Him.  That applies to the entire world.

God is interested in you and wants to bless you so that you can be a blessing to others by sharing Christ with them.  God had a plan for Jonah’s life and Jonah made a choice on his own free will to go against that plan.  He ended up in a bad place because of His choices.  Christian, God wants you to have life and have it more abundantly.  Serve God and enjoy the blessings for now and eternity.  Either proclaim the Gospel or believe the “elect” will eventually get saved because they cannot refuse “irresistible grace.”  To me, waiting on irresistible grace to save a lost soul, seems like a wasted ministry.

I want to share the following three-point outline about Jonah and the Whale.  This relates to you personally.

1. GOD HAS A WHALE OF A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE.

• You can use your freewill to see this plan come to fruition
• You can reject His plan for your life and suffer the consequences
• Jonah rejected and he became – – –

1. THE CHICKEN OF THE SEA

• He got in a storm on the sea and became afraid
• You will have storms in life that you can face with God’s grace
• Take a stand for Christ and don’t compromise or change the Word of God
• You can be fearless or afraid
• John 16:33 You can overcome because Jesus did and you belong to Him
• You have a choice
• Will you be a Paul or a “Chicken of the Sea”?
• When you choose to be a “Chicken of the Sea,” you’ll end up like Jonah

• When the whale swallowed Jonah, he was “Down in the mouth”
• Miserable
• Out of the will of God
• Selfish (making the choice that he thought was best for him)
• Complaining about everything
• He was down in the mouth

Conclusion:      Life is a series of choices

• Believe what Jesus said or reject it
• Brand yourself

   *Calvinist (only the elect can be saved)

   * Arminian (teaches you can lose your salvation)

   *Bible Believer

              _Witness to all men

              _Win them to Christ

              _Teach them the Word of God

              _ Believe once you are saved, you are always saved

              _ Don’t change the Word, Preach the Word

GOD HAS A WHALE OF A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE

WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?