Well, we turn now for our second message from the book of Jonah. This is the second message we are hearing, not only in the book of Jonah, but also on chapter one. And the more I study chapter one, boys and girls, the more I wonder how many more sermons we might have from chapter one alone. Maybe as you read it together, there were things about this chapter that struck you. Like, for example, The storm comes up and the sailors are afraid for their lives and someone is asleep in the bottom of the boat and they're so afraid they have to wake him up and say, help us, what's going to happen? And then something happens. The sea is calm. I could describe it to you and maybe you think of the Lord Jesus Christ in the boat with his disciples. And that would be very true. That indeed we could say perhaps by extension is also part of the sign of Jonah. But how did the Lord stand before them and calm the seas if not for the sacrifice he would make later upon the cross? And what a blessing Jonah here is to us as we see him offering himself a sacrifice. And when Jonah offers himself a sacrifice, what do we immediately see? And the sea ceased from her raging. If you ever wondered how you can know your sins are forgiven, if you've ever wondered how you can know everything will work together for good, Maybe you're feeling right now in light of the attempt on the life of President Donald Trump, maybe you feel like you're in the midst of a storm. Like we considered together, sometimes family life can be pretty unsettling and pretty stormy too. How do you know all those things will work out? Because of the sacrifice, not of Jonah, but because of the sacrifice of the greater than Jonah. because he paid the price for our rebellion. We'll consider that basic idea, the price for rebellion paid, which is our title. And there's certainly more to come from the riches of this chapter, but just this subject for now. The price for rebellion paid. And we see the price for rebellion paid in the fact that the situation they are in is recognized. Well, what situation are they in? What situation are they in? They're in a really bad storm and they all think they are going to die except, except Jonah. Jonah's asleep and Jonah knows He has to die, or at least that certainly seems to be what he thinks. They both recognize the situation. They both recognize the problem. Jonah's rebellion. They both recognize the problem. Firstly, they recognize it because of Jonah's rebellion. Remember in chapter one where we read in the very beginning, the Lord said, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cried against it, for their wickedness has come up before me? But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. God told him to go inland and north, but he decided to go out to sea and west as far as Spain. He tried to get away as far as he could. He found a ship going to Tarshish, so he paid the fare thereof, he bought the ticket, and he went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He wanted to flee from God. Boys and girls, any time we hear what the Lord would call us to do, and we refuse, and we turn and run away from Him, That is rebellion, that is disobedience, and that deserves one thing. Not being grounded, not being spanked, not having your favorite toys taken away, not being denied a privilege. The wages of sin is death. Jonah deserves death. You and I deserve death. Every time we refuse to listen to the Lord and we turn away from Him to do our own things our own way, we deserve death. You may remember it was that way in the Garden of Eden at the very beginning, wasn't it? God said, don't eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or what would happen? We would die. the wages of sin is death. Might be an interesting thing to think about. And all the ups and downs of inflation and the weirdness of economies of men, especially those that have abandoned the value of their own money, what an amazing surety there is in the consistent price for sin. It's death. We may not know what the American dollar is gonna be worth, day by day, moment by moment, we can certainly know what our sin is gonna be worth. And that is death. And that is death. So what does the Lord do? The Lord sends out a great wind into the sea and there was a mighty tempest in the sea so that the ship was like to be broken. Then the mariners were afraid and cried every man unto his God and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea. Now this is serious. I mean, this is serious. He bought a ticket to go on a boat. And it's a journey from where he is all the way to the other side of Spain. These are likely men that have made this journey many times. They have paid money and taken on a passenger. They are carrying goods to Tarshish, probably going to pick up goods and maybe passengers in Tarshish and come back. But they're so afraid for their lives and for their ship. What are they going to do? They're gonna throw out all the stuff they were hoping to sell and make money on. or they were hoping to get further clients. But what's gonna happen? You're gonna start throwing your client's goods overboard. What good is new clients if you're dead? Because the storm kills you. Because remember, the tempest was so great that the ship was like to be broken. They thought that somehow or another, the storm was so bad, the waves and the water would break the ship. It's an amazing thing. They clearly understand the danger and the trouble they are in. But Jonah doesn't. But Jonah doesn't. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship and he lay and was fast asleep, verse five. Why does Jonah sleep? Is he just so tired running from God? Because running from God is hard work. As a child of God, denying the truth, that's hard work. God will find you. God will send storms for you. And even a giant fish to bring you back. It's not easy to run from God. The Lord told the Apostle Paul, it is hard for thee to kick against the prince. even though he's in the midst of rebellion and disobedience, does Jonah know there's a God in charge of all things? He might be rebellious here. We saw earlier last time that he is rebellious because he doesn't want God to save the people of Nineveh. That's why he's on the run. But parallel this with the Lord Jesus. Why did the Lord Jesus sleep in the ship? What did he have to fear? He knew the purpose and plan of his heavenly father. He knew it was not yet his time. So he simply slept. Perhaps Jonah here is sleeping in faith because what he says further are the words of a man of faith, but we'll come to that. We'll come to that. They recognize the trouble they're in and they want Jonah to recognize the trouble they're in. So the ship master came to him and said unto him, what meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. Wake up and pray to your God, like we're all praying to our God, but guess what? It's not working. It's not working. And they said, everyone to his fellow, come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. Then said they unto him, tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us? What is thine occupation, and whence comest thou? What is thy country, and of what people art thou? And he said unto them, I am in Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. Does that sound like a statement of a man of faith? Or does that sound like a statement of a man who's afraid of a storm? That sounds like a man who fears God and isn't afraid of the storm, because God is in heaven all-powerful and He has made all things. But notice how it continues. Notice how it continues. Then were the men exceeding afraid, as if they weren't scared enough already by the storm, Then were the men exceedingly afraid and said unto him, why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord because the Lord had told him. And they're basically saying this to him as they move from being scared of the sea and the storm to being afraid of a God who is all powerful and controls all things and they are partaking, at least in an outward way, of the guilt and punishment of this man. They are moved to further terror. Then they said unto him, what shall we do unto thee that the sea may be calm unto us? For the sea wrought and was tempestuous. They know it's Jonah's fault. But he knows it's Jonah's fault. He's already said that. But here's where he takes responsibility for what he's done. Then he said unto them, take me up, cast me forth into the sea. So shall the sea be calm unto you, for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. The whole situation is recognized. Sailors recognize it. Jonah recognizes it. They are in this situation, this storm, this judgment from God because of sin. Because of sin. That's why we're all in the situation we are. And let me be very clear, I'm not saying you're in the situation you're necessarily in because you did some sin, and then you somehow have to figure out what that sin is, and you don't know what it is, and if only you could figure out what that sin is, then you could appease God by your sacrifice. That's Jonah's, sorry, that's Job's three friends. That's salvation by works. We'll see in a moment, salvation by works will get you nowhere. congregation, every one of us is in the situation we are in, in our own individual lives, in our own family lives, in our own national lives, and in the family that is this race on this globe because of sin. Because of sin. That's why there's death, that's why there's sickness, that's why there's trouble, that's why there's hardship, that's why there's problems personally, familiarly, nationally, globally. It's because of sin. You and I sometimes like to think there's something we can do about our sin, don't we? There's something we can do about it. We can fix it. We can make it better. I can make myself better. We can make our family better. We can make our country better. We can make our world better. For those of us who are politically conservative, isn't that the same thing the progressives say? Aren't they the ones who want to perfect things? Aren't we the ones that realize the reality of sin? If we do, we really need to be done with works righteousness. There's no way to attribute any kind of power in man apart from the working of God to improving ourselves on any level. You can't hold that view of works righteousness without de facto being a political progressive, at least in principle. What has to happen? What has to happen? We have to recognize that sin is the problem and that we can't do anything about it. mentioned to you how simple and consistent the wages of sin is, how the economy of justice doesn't change. The wages of sin is death. That's what we find set before us in principle here with Jonah. That's what we see in the sign that is greater than Jonah. That's what it was in the Garden of Eden after all. That's the same. and there's nothing you and I can do about it. But blessedly, you know who there is that can do something about it and has done something about it? God. God. Because we have to remember that though the situation they're in is because of sin and rebellion, the situation we're in is also because of God. Because of God. The passage is very clear about that. In Jonah chapter one verse four, but the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea and there was a mighty tempest in the sea so the ship was like to be broken. The very thing that brought them terror, the very thing that was used to make them aware of the danger they were in and the rebellion and sin, God sent two. And God is still doing that to this day. I pray by the grace of God, what we saw yesterday is one of those things that God uses events to stop people, to awaken them. Things like assassination attempts, things like death, things like cancer, things like weakness, things like abuse, to humble us and show us our inability and that we need the Lord. Because that again is exactly where the hope is. Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord." They cried unto the Lord. Jonah does too. Jonah cries unto the Lord. In chapter 2, he cries unto the Lord for the deliverance that only God can bring. And he finds it. We'll see that further in the vows that are made by the sailors and Jonah. But let us remember when by the grace of God we recognize that in any situation, on any level, that God is there in it too. And God is there with his purposes for the humbling, for the delivering, and for the encouraging and the strengthening of his people. Baptism's the same way. Baptism is the exact same way. We bring our children for baptism because we are sinners and they are sinners. And we bring our children for baptism because by the grace of God, we as sinners have taken hold of that promise and faith of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. And we trust he will work in his time in our children as well. And that is why we plead on that promise, that is why we pray, that is why we raise them according to the teaching of the scriptures in expectation of God to work in His time, in His way. We recognize the situation, not just our sin, but that God is in it and has His plan too. because we must remember, God not only will bring salvation to the sailors, God will not only bring salvation to Jonah, but God will bring salvation to Nineveh through this all too. In fact, that's one of the great parallels with the sign of Jonah with the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus talks about the only sign that will be given is the sign of Jonah, the sign of his death and resurrection paralleling the time and the belly of the whale. And what example does the Lord Jesus use to follow? He uses the examples of the people of Nineveh, the Queen of Sheba, Gentiles who will come to faith. What happens here? The sailors appear to have a true confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And what will happen later? The salvation of an entire generation and perhaps another of the Ninevites. From the standpoint of the Jews, that was not only unwanted, like it was with Jonah, but for them it was certainly unexpected. Gotta recognize the situation for what it is, not only our sin, but that the Lord is in it, and that the Lord receives the sacrifice that accomplishes the salvation he has purposed. We see this in verse 12. In verse 12. Sacrifice is necessary. Verse 12 of Jonah chapter one. He said unto them, take me up and cast me forth into the sea. So saith the Lord unto you, for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. He offers himself a sacrifice. Now when I read this, I was confused for most of the week because one question kept bugging me. It's strange. Maybe you noticed it too as you read it. He said unto them, take me up and cast me forth into the sea. But then as we'll see later on, they don't wanna go for that. They don't want to do that. It says, nevertheless the men rode hard. We'll come to that, but they don't pick him up and cast him into the sea. But then, as the storm gets worse, they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood, for thou, Lord, hast done as it pleased thee. So they took up Jonah and cast him into the sea. You know what I thought of as I read that over and over and over, and I checked different commentaries? Why doesn't Jonah just jump in? Why doesn't Jonah just jump in? That would seem to make the most sense. Jonah realizes a sacrifice is necessary, a sacrifice of himself, and that the only way these people can be saved is if he offers himself for them. If that realization is made, why doesn't he just over the edge? Because he's willing to make the sacrifice. Why do they have to throw him in? This is part of the sign of Jonah. This is part of the sign of Jonah. There's many things going on here. Some will tell you suicide is wrong, and that's why Jonah can't jump in himself. That's what some of the commentators said. Some will point to the fact that people were reluctant because murder is wrong. That's why they pray what they say. We'll see that later, some people say. But what's very clear is Jonah has to be delivered up for the sake of guilt. He doesn't take it upon himself. They, as they are partakers of that guilt, because the storm has come up because of him, and they know it's because of him. They know they're innocent, but they know for the sake of his rebellion, they're connected. Now if you're very individualistic, you'll say, that's not fair. But if you're very practical about it and just a common sense approach, we know that's the way God made us. We know that's the way God made us. We partake of the guilt of Adam and Eve. When the father who runs the family chooses to sin, it affects the entire family. Some of you have been in classrooms and teachers, and you know one student's disobedience affects the entire classroom. There's a whole, not only shall we say representative, covenantal, what we would call federal dynamic, there's just a practical way our actions affect each other. This ought not surprise us. That's why he can't just jump in himself, and he knows that. Otherwise, he would have done that. What must be done? he must be handed over for the sake of the transgression. And there's a beautiful parallel there with the sign of Jonah, isn't it? Who killed the Lord Jesus? Our whole race did, in the line of biblical thinking. Who brought the false charges so he could be killed? The Jews. who carried out the execution at the request of the Jews. The Gentiles, Acts chapter four, Psalm two, those passages all clearly emphasize that. He can't just jump in, he needs to be handed over. But what's striking is though the sacrifice will be received and we see that this is proposed in verse 12, the sacrifice is rejected in verse 13. Why reject the sacrifice that will work? Why reject the sacrifice that will work? He told them what the problem was. He fled from the presence of the Lord because he had told them. Then said they unto him, what shall we do unto thee that the sea may be calm unto us? For the sea wrought and was tempestuous. They've cast the lots. He's told them the problem, and now he gives them the solution. Take me up and cast me forth into the sea. So shall the sea be calm unto you, for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. What would you think they would do then? Especially maybe if you've heard the story many, many times, but you haven't always looked at all the details. I thought for sure they would take him and throw him over. Right? But that's not what happens. Verse 13, Nevertheless the men rode hard to bring it to the land. Isn't that the way we are? We have the sign of Jonah right before us. Salvation by Jesus Christ. Sovereignly accomplished. But we're not going to trust that. We're going to keep working. We're going to do better. We're going to try harder. We're gonna make it work for ourselves, for our family, for our nation, for our globe. Just like the progressives would. All you gotta do is row a little harder and maybe you'll make it to the shore. Do your best. All stuff that sounds really good, doesn't it? But what will that get them? It will get them a broken chip and a watery grave. Because no matter how hard they pull on those wars, no matter how many times they made the trip back and forth to Tarshish, no matter how experienced they are, they couldn't do it. Notice how simple it just says that. Nevertheless, the men rode hard to bring it to the land, verse 13, but they could not. This is one of the hardest things for any sinner to learn. And it's only taught to them by grace. And we often need to be taught it. We cannot. It's not nice to be a failure, is it? It's always interesting as a pastor talking to people. I'm a failure as a husband. I'm a failure as a mother. I'm a failure as a son. I'm a failure as this. I'm a failure as that. I'm a failure as this. And then you tell them, yes, I know. And they look at you like, how dare you? I know. Not because I saw you mess up. And certainly not because I am a success as a father, or I am a success as this, or I am a success as that. But because the Bible says so. One of the best things to do is just admit your failure. Admit your failure. Accept it. Own it! Boys and girls, if you're going to school and you were not a good student like I was for some times, I failed PE. I failed typing. I failed Greek and retook it. I failed Hebrew and retook it. Just be a failure. Own it. That's the way forward. That's what happens. Nevertheless, they rode hard to bring it to the land, but they could not, for the sea wrought, and tempestuous was against them. Don't fight God. Don't fight the law. Don't consign yourself to death, even in the name of doing your best and hard work. rather simply embrace the sacrifice that was made. That's what happens. They embrace what needs to be done and they lay hands on Jonah and they toss him overboard. They offer him to the Lord. Wherefore they cried unto the Lord and said, verse 14, we beseech Thee, O Lord, we beseech Thee, we call upon Thee, we call upon Thee, we beg Thee, we beg Thee, let us not perish for this man's life and lay not upon us innocent blood. They seem to be thinking of the sin he committed and running from the Lord and perhaps they're thinking of the fact of their own sin. If it's looked on that way, They don't wanna be considered his murderer, some would say. But either way, what is clear is they're calling on God and trusting to be saved, in this case, the calming of the sea, by the self-sacrifice of Jonah. We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life and lay not upon us innocent blood. For thou, O Lord, done as it pleased thee. Isn't this amazing? They acknowledge the sovereignty of God. And not just God, but it says the Lord. Boys and girls, as we read this together, did you notice that? It's not just God, God, God. It's the Lord. It's the Lord. The Lord, Jehovah, the covenant God, sent out the storm. Even the storm is his act of faithfulness in the work of redemption. Then further, how does Jonah describe himself? Verse nine, I am in Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. But before, they just all called upon, and they asked Jonah, but now there's been a change. Now they understand the situation. Now they understand salvation. in a cursory, prefigured way by the sign of Jonah. For thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee. They call upon the covenant God and they acknowledge his sovereign power. So they took up Jonah and cast him forth into sea and the sea ceased from her raging. Sacrifices received. Tempest stops. Isn't that a blessing? When in the midst of the tempest of your life, personally, familiarly, nationally, globally, you remember the sign of Jonah. And the sea stops. And the sea stops. Philippians chapter four talks about this, for a child of God. Philippians chapter four talks about this. Be careful for nothing, don't be anxious. Maybe you can sleep in the boat amidst the storm. But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Child of God, that's the right place to be and a blessed place to be. When you can have peace amidst the storm. When all the trouble is happening and you can rest in the Lord because you know it's the Lord and He will take care and you can trust the sacrifice has been made. It's a blessed thing. Well, we see the different responses to the sign of Jonah in him being carried overboard and then later when he's swallowed by the fish, what's the response of the sailors? They make vows. When they saw that the sea ceased from raging, then the men feared the Lord exceedingly. Then they trusted in the Lord greatly and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord and made vows. What vows or promises would they swear and make? After seeing such an amazing thing and being delivered by the Lord of the heavens and the earth, by the God of the Hebrews, by the Sovereign One, what would they do? What vows would you make if you were in their place? Would you vow to go on a diet? Would you vow to save more money? What would you vow? You would vow to follow the Lord and to honor Him. Now we don't know what happens to these men. And in all honesty, it's not important. Our Lord Jesus uses this as the sign of Jonah to talk about the people of Nineveh and to talk about the Queen of Sheba, to talk about the salvation of the Gentiles, the salvation that some people didn't want to see happen, like Jonah and the Pharisees. But nonetheless, the salvation the Lord wanted and accomplished. The Queen of Sheba followed. The people of Nineveh followed, and these sailors followed. Isn't that striking? Is that the kind of thing that's happened in your life? Maybe you thought you were someone that was unlikely, thought you were too big a sinner, you were too much of a Gentile, too selfish, too concerned with the storm. God is in the midst of it. And child of God, your peace is always brought back to the Lord Jesus, the greater than Jonah, isn't he? Aren't you? But maybe this is something the Lord is working in your life for the first time, not something he's doing as often happens in our lives again and again. Maybe this assassination attempt, the Lord used and now he's taking his word and he's touching your mind and touching your heart about these things. Put your rest in the Lord. receive what Christ has already done that Jonah prefigured. Put down your oars, stop trying hard to row to shore, and hearken unto the Lord and the sacrifice made. That's what Jonah does. Not just the sailors, that's what Jonah does. Jonah, were told, and again notice, now the Lord, it's amazing how this works, the Lord not only prepares the storm, the Lord sent out a great wind, now the Lord sends out the great fish, now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. Incidentally, how far ahead did he prepare, do you think, the Lord? When you're preparing something, how far ahead? Like for some of us who brought food this Sunday, how far ahead did you prepare that food? Did you make it this morning? Did you make it last night? Maybe you bought something last week to be ready to make it for today even. It's always amazing how while we're having sermon discussion or the Sunday school, the ladies are down there working hard, getting things ready in the kitchen. They're preparing it. When do you think the Lord prepared the storm? When do you think the Lord prepared the fish? Did the Lord prepare the fish before he prepared the storm? Did the Lord prepare the storm before Jonah refused to harken on? Interesting question. Very helpful answer. Another question. Boys and girls, when was the Lord Jesus slain? We're told in the scriptures before the foundation of the world, everything is going according to the plan of the Lord. There's a reason the mariners say, O Lord has done as it pleased thee. This is all part of his plan. And that should bring us a great comfort. It certainly was to Jonah, even in the belly of the fish surrounded by acid and chewed up stuff, half-drowning as he's gasping for air, assuming it is something like a basking shark. What does he say? He cries out to God, his prayer is heard, and what will he do? He does the same things the mariners do. but I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving, I will pay that that I have vowed. They both bring sacrifices, they both make vows, and in both cases, what is their understanding of God? Salvation is of the Lord. Isn't that beautiful? So simple, the price for rebellion paid the situation recognized, the sacrifice received, and the vows that are made. And blessedly, you know what? It wasn't just great to see the salvation worked in the hearts of the saviors. It's not just great to see Jonah made willing in the day of the Lord's power. You know what is even more marvelous? It is the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus. who made his vow and offered his sacrifice. For the sake of time, we could spend hours in the scriptures. We could spend hours going through it. The book of Hebrews in particular, how he makes a vow and pays it unto the Lord. We can see how the Lord Jesus Christ, even in the language that's used of the sailors, Let us not perish for this man's life and lay not upon us innocent blood. What does the Lord Jesus do? Lay upon me their sins, for I am innocent, so they may be innocent. Parallels are striking all the way through. The price has been paid by the Lord Jesus. That's why Jonah did it. And don't let the price be paid by you. Put down your oars. Stop trying to work harder. And trust in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's His plan all along. That's why the storm is there. That's why the fish is there. That's why God is there. So you would find everything you need in our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen, let us pray. Our Lord and our God, our great Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the work of the Lord Jesus, the surety of that promise of salvation, and the blessed encouragement and grant us resolve to keep our vows. Let us do so, Lord, motivated by thankfulness and out of faith, knowing who Jesus is and what he's done for us. Heavenly Father, we pray this and we ask it in Jesus' name alone, amen.