Jonah 1:1-4:11

Jonah

Background:

Written about 780 B.C. Among the first of the minor prophets to be written.

Matthew 12:39-40 – Jesus refers to the story of Jonah as a historical event. It is not allegorical.

The story of Jonah shows that God is Lord over the whole earth. He is anxious to save all if they will repent.

Overview of the book:

God gave a command. Jonah ran away from God.

Jonah 1:2

Jonah 1:7 – Lots were cast by men, but the decision was from God.

Jonah ran to God and was vomited out by the fish.

Jonah ran with God in warning the Ninevites (Jonah 3:1-10).

Assyria was at a low point in its history at this point. They also had somehow heard about Jonah being in the fish.

Matthew 12:41 – Ninevah repented!

Jonah ran ahead of God (Jonah 4:1-11).

Four miracles in the book of Jonah:

Jonah surviving the fish.

The sea immediately calming after Jonah was thrown in.

Overnight growth of the plant (Jonah 4:6).

Overnight death of the plant (Jonah 4:7).

Lessons for us:

God’s love and mercy are for all people.

The evil of prejudice.

National sin requires national repentance.

We can know of the resurrection of Jesus because Jonah was a type of Jesus’ resurrection.

God created all and all is at His disposal.

God does not want us to be like Jonah.

Man cannot run away from God.

The necessity of faith that obeys.

Paraphrase of JW McGarvey: “The ability to accept a miracle depends on whether or not one spells his god with a capital G.”

Psalm 119:9-16 - The importance of God’s word.

We’re getting a little closer to normal.

Jeremiah 29:1-11 – Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles, telling them to settle in because they would be there for a while.

Nehemiah 8:11-17 – A little bit closer to normal – some of the old feat days were reinstated.

We will appeal to the highest authority: God!

I Timothy 1:17

I Timothy 4:12, 16

We should be examples of what we are teaching others.

II Timothy 2:15

I Thessalonians 2:13

A meeting helps expose groupthink.

I Corinthians 3:1 – Sometimes a person from outside the group can see issues those in the group cannot.

Luke 3:7-14 – John was blunt with people, but they had a great response!

1 Thessalonians

Introduction to the book

Probably written about 51 A.D. The writer was Paul.

Paul brought the gospel to Thessalonica on his second missionary journey, recorded in Acts 15:36-18:22.

Paul left Thessalonica abruptly due to persecution (Acts 17:1-5) and sent Timothy to check on them a short time later (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2). Timothy caught up with Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:1-5) and delivered good news of their “faith and love.”

Paul appears to have written these two letters to them soon after Timothy’s return, while Paul was in Corinth (1 Thessalonians 3:6).

Thessalonica

The city of Thessalonica was the most populous city in Macedonia at that time, with roughly 200,000 inhabitants. The city was an important military and commercial port and became the capital of Macedonia in 146 B.C.

The modern city of Thessaloniki sits of top of the ruins of the old city of Thessalonica, making excavation difficult.

A first century arch, called the Vandar Arch once existed in Thessaloniki. It was torn down in 1867, but an inscription from the arch was preserved in the British Museum. It is notable in that it mentions officials called politarchs, a Greek word that Luke used to designate Thessalonian officials in Acts 17:6. Before this discovery, there had previously been some doubt about Luke’s use of this word since it had not been found in other Greek literature. This find helps illustrate the precision of Luke’s account.

Imagine you’re a Thessalonians. What’s your reaction to this?

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 – Immediately, there’s a positive, encouraging tone.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-20 – Paul reminisces with them about their time together and expresses thanks for them.

1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 – They received a good report from Timothy!

1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 – “Excel still more.” Looking forward to judgment.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-28 – Encouragement for the judgment to come. Final advice.

Introduction

Genesis 1:26

Genesis 9:3-7 – Human life is different!

Understand the truth

Luke 1:39-44; 2:12, 16; 1:57, 36 – The unborn child is a baby. The same word is used for the child before and after birth.

Exodus 21:22-25 – Causing the death of an unborn child was punishable by death under the Law of Moses!

Isaiah 44:2; Jeremiah 1:5; Psalms 139:13

God’s Old Covenant laws protected the life of the unborn.

Abortion is a sin. It is murder.

Love your neighbor

Matthew 22:39

II Corinthians 2:6-8

John 8:31-36 – We can follow Jesus’ example and show love.

Mark 6:34

Love in deed and truth.

Pray for all who are in authority.

[Note: This sermon is the last of Jesse Jenkins’ 70 year career of regular local preaching. I’m personally proud to have hosted so many of his lessons on this site over the years. The strength of his teaching and that of others who have preached at Benchley is one of the reasons I started this site in the beginning. Good Bible teaching is far too rare these days and when it is found, it deserves to be shared. Brother Jenkins, if you happen to read this, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your work. I have grown tremendously studying at your feet. By preserving your lessons for posterity, hopefully others will grow in the Lord as well. May God bless you. -MRW]

Psalms 11:1-3

The foundations of any God-approved society have always been the same:

Family – companionship

Government – protect the good and punish the evil

Church – reconciliation to God

The foundations are under attack

Family

Genesis 4 – Lamech had two wives.

Genesis 6 – God was ready to destroy the earth.

II Peter 1:5

Things went wrong very quickly when people disobeyed God’s marriage law.

The Law of Moses allowed some concessions, but God’s marriage law has never changed.

Matthew 19:9

Marriage is under attack

Quotes from:

Declaration of Feminism

James S. Buckley

Government

Romans 13:1-4

Thomas Jefferson: “I tremble for my country when I reflect that my God is just. His justice will not sleep forever.”

Over government is under attack.

Church

Ephesians 2:13-16

The church is under attack:

By many organizations

By false doctrines

By indifference among members

There is a standard of right and wrong, established by two factors:

God IS.

God has SPOKEN.

What can the righteous do?

Psalms 11:4-7

Keep trusting in God

Keep on being righteous

Keep on spreading the Word.

If Heaven is worth anything, it’s worth everything!

[Due to technical difficulties, part of the audio in the middle of this lesson was lost and the video stream was cut in two. I have attempted to piece the audio back together. My apologies! -MRW]

Matthew 28:1-10

Can we believe what Matthew wrote about the resurrection?

Are the New Testament writings reliable?

Luke 1:1-4

The New Testament is repeatedly confirmed by outside sources.

Luke 1:5; 2:1-4

If it was a work of fiction, it would be written with as few details as possible. Not so with the New Testament.

Luke 3:1-2

59 marks of authenticity

84 marks of authenticity in the book of Acts

They included embarrassing and unlikely details.

Mark 8:33; 9:32; Matthew 14:31; 26:56; Mark 16:11

John 9:28-29; Acts 10:34-35

Alleged contradictions are actually marks of authenticity

John 20:12

ApologeticsPress – Alleged Discrepancies

J. Warner Wallace – Cold Case Christianity

Could the disciples have stolen the body?

Matthew 28:11-15

What’s their motivation – persecution and death?

How likely is it that not a single one would recant?

I Corinthians 15:5

Acts 12:1-3

Most of the apostles suffered cruel, torturous deaths because of their preaching.

How did they get past the guards?

How do we explain the appearances of Jesus?

Could the disciples have been deceived?

Substitute on the cross theory.

Swoon theory

Wrong tomb theory

Hallucination theory

People don’t hallucinate in groups, and they certainly don’t hallucinate the same thing!

How do you explain the empty tomb?

John 5:25-29

Personal notes:

Introduction

Each individual is ultimately the architect of His own life.

I Corinthians 15:19 – Without Jesus, life is not worth living.

John 10:10

Have THE faith by which to live.

One may have a decent life by having a faith to live by. Such a faith will bring comfort in this life but will do no good after death.

Romans 1:16; John 14:6

Have your faith by which to live.

We must have our own faith in the faith.

II Corinthians 5:7

Acts 15:29

II Peter 1:3-11

Romans 10:17

Your faith can’t be any stronger than the time you spend with the word of God.

An inherited faith will not stand. Only a personal faith will help you attain salvation.

II Corinthians 4:13; 5:7

Ephesians 4:14

Have a work for which to live.

If you want something done, don’t call a lazy man. Call a busy, industrious man.

John 9:4

I Corinthians 10:31

II Timothy 2:2

James 5:19-20

John 9:4

II Corinthians 6:2 – Today is the day of salvation!

Hebrews 4:9, 11

A lazy man can’t find rest. A spiritually lazy man can’t find contentment.

Have a fit self with which to live.

The only way I can make my self fit to live with is to live for God.

True happiness comes from within.

Romans 14:22

John 15:11

I John 1:4

Philippians 3:17

I Corinthians 11:1

Humility

Philippians 2:1-4

Acts 18:26 – Apollos learned with humility from Priscilla and Aquilla.

Service

Acts 9:36-42 – Tabitha was a great example of service.

Galatians 6:1, 9-10

Acts 28:30-31

“Any time!” – Jesse Jenkins

Love

II Corinthians 11:28 – Paul was concerned for the brethren.

Philippians 1:8

I Corinthians 13:5

“You just have to throw the mantle of love over it and go on.” – Jesse Jenkins

Ephesians 5:28

Introduction

Romans 5:1

Acts 16:31

John 3:16

We studied about baptism being required for salvation, but these verses all talk about belief only!

Something’s going on

What about repentance? (Acts 3:19; II Peter 3:9; Galatians 5:19-21)

… and the demons? (James 2:19)

… and these Jews? (John 12:42-43; Matthew 10:32-33)

… and Saul? (Acts 9; 22:16)

… and these other Jews? (Acts 2:36-38)

Figurative language?

John 2:19-21; 6:51-52; Matthew 16:6, 12

Synecdoche – a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole, or vice versa.

A synecdoche would explain how ALL the passages about salvation are true and not contradictory.

If taking a statement literally forces it to contradict a known truth, then the statement is either wrong or figurative.

“whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”

Synecdoches are commonly used in the Bible.

Genesis 3:19; Romans 10:15; Acts 11:21

Acts 16:31-34