Blast From The Past

This week at Adrenaline, students dressed up as their favorite decade in our Blast From The Past event. We had some contests (one of them you can vote on the best Decade Costume of the night below), gave away prizes, and had a great, fun night.

Part of the Blast From The Past night, we talked about our past. The story of Jonah is a popular story in Christian circles. We know how God called him to go to Nineveh and preach judgment. We know that he didn’t want to do it, and actually ran away. We know that he ended up on a ship that was literally going the opposite direction of where God had told him to go. We know God sent a storm to get his attention, and eventually Jonah surrendered himself to the sailors to be thrown overboard. We know that God sent a “great fish” to swallow him whole, where he lived inside the belly for 3 days and 3 nights. We know that Jonah finally repented and turned back to God. (Jonah ch. 1 + 2)

So often, when we hear a story over and over, we forget what it was like to actually be living the story. We forget what Jonah must have been feeling after he ran away from God, and through the remainder of events in this popular Christian story. Here are some things that we talked about at Blast From The Past:

After Jonah was on the ship and the storm was raging, he suggested that the sailors throw him overboard. That’s the part that we know. But did you ever stop and think of what some of the other options were? Jonah could have said, “Turn the ship around and take me back.” He could have suggested they give him a board to float on when they threw him overboard. But he didn’t. He just said, “Throw me overboard.” I would be willing to bet that as he watched the judgment of God happening all around him, the guilt became so great for him that he finally decided to end it all. Why else would he suggest to be thrown into the water with no chance of escape?

Then comes the fish. Again, we are familiar with the story, so we kind of miss the part where Jonah wasn’t familiar with it. A fish swallowing him was not on the forefront of Jonah’s mind as he was being tossed into the water. He wasn’t thinking that a fish would be a great opportunity for God to save him from drowning, and also give him another chance. He probably thought, “Great, I’m not going to drown, I am doing to be digested!” Finally, 3 days and 3 nights later, he decides to repent for running away and disobeying God. Our first point was, In spite of our past, Jesus does not give up on us. In everything that Jonah did to run away and even end his life, God did not give up on him.

God has the fish spit him on land, and then God calls him again. God says to him, “Get up and go to Nineveh, and preach the message that I gave you.” God gave him another chance. What is interesting is that if we started the story in Jonah 3, we would never have known that Jonah had rebelled. God doesn’t even remind him that he just screwed up. He just moves right along to, “Ok, let’s get it done.”

The second point we talked about was, In spite of our past, Jesus does not look down on us. God did not look down on Jonah because of his great mistake. He didn’t tell him, “Ok, knucklehead, let’s get it right this time!” he didn’t tell him, “Ok Jonah, that one is now on your permanent record, and we’ll deal with that one later when you want ME to do something for you.” Jesus doesn’t look down on us when we blow it! That is awesome news!

The third thing we talked about was In spite of our past, Jesus does not hold back from us. I wonder if Jonah had this thought as he entered Nineveh, “Wow, I really blew it big time. I wonder if God is still going anoint me to preach this?” How often we have a thought like that when we come back to God. “I hope God is with me. I’m not sure though, since I really messed up.” We wonder since we didn’t meet to our end of the deal, if God will meet His. But the truth is, God showed up in power, and the whole city of Nineveh was saved. God used Jonah mightily, despite the fact that he blew it.

So as encouragement, if you think something in your past is too big for God to handle, and that you have somehow missed your chance, think of Jonah.

Pastor Tony Mazon

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