10AM WORSHIP SERVICE SEPTEMBER 19, 2021

[Music] do [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] so so [Music] so [Music] [Music] b [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] testing remix testing remix for audio testing remix for audio testing vmix for audio testing testing vmix for audio you're here good morning everyone we are here to worship today we welcome our media team and those who are watching the staff will sing the chorus we place you at the ice place [Music] we place you [Music] at the highest place for you are the great high priest [Music] as we call to you and worship at your feet we place you at the highest place for you are the great high priest [Music] [Music] as we come to you and [Music] [Music] [Music] please follow your program please show to the lord all the earth worship the lord with gladness come before him with joyful songs lord the lord is god yet he who had made us and we are his people the sheep of his pastors enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise give thanks to him and praise his name for the lord is good and his love endures forever his faithfulness continues through all generations to him let us sing to the god of our salvation [Music] let us sing to the lord o salvation let us sing to the lord aurora let us come to his house with thanksgiving let us come before the lord and sing praise or make her praise oh save your prayers [Music] [Music] in his hands are the earth's deepest places and the strength of the hills is his all the sea is the lord's war he made it by his head the solid rock was [Music] every throne [Music] let us kneel to the lord our god glory all are the sheep of his pasture he will guide us by his powerful hands praise our maker praise or save your praise o lord our everlasting king every throne must run before him god is sort of everything let today be the time when you hear him may our hearts not be hard or poor lest we stray from the lord in rebellion [Music] you [Music] must bow before him god is [Music] amen let us pray god our father we thank you for another day another chance waking us up this morning bringing us here safely and so we are here to worship you and to lift up your name and to give you all the praise and all the glory because you are worthy to be praised father we know you will take care so you know we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we will fear no evil because we know that you will take care of your children so we don't fret we don't worry because he is in control and there's nothing you can do there's nothing you can fix there's not you can turn around because your god and your god alone and there's no one greater than you so help us to humble ourselves before you and keep away from sin so that your goodness and your mercy can abide with us because you are awesome you're wonderful you're the lily of the valley fearless of ten thousand and we bless you holy name this morning we come this morning father to hear from you okay if we don't hear from you how can we go on we can't live without you so we ask you to bless your preacher this morning reverend bucket anointing afresh and cover him under your holy spirit thank you for what you have done and what you will continue to do as we give you all the praise and holy glory in jesus name we pray [Music] you [Music] oh lord [Music] may your kingdom come in on earth may your will be done [Music] oh lord hear your prayers give us daily bread day by day and forgive voices day by day as we to forgive by day [Music] when temptations come make us [Music] save us from our sins make us [Music] kingdom glory fire all our yours [Music] thank oh we'll read the responsive psalms psalm 96 sing unto the lord a new song sing unto the lord all the earth sing to the lord praise his name proclaim his salvation day after day the clearest glory among the nations his merciful deeds among all peoples for great is the lord and most worthy of praise he is to be feared above all gods for all the gods of the nations are idols but the lord made the evidence splendor and majesty are before him strength and glory are in his sanctuary ascribe to the lord o families of nation ascribe to the lord glory and strength ascribe to the lord the glory due his name bring an offering and come into his courts worship the lord in the splendor of his holiness tremble before him all he earth say among the nations the lord reigns the world is firmly established it cannot be moved he will judge the peoples with equity let the heavens rejoice let the earth be glad let all the series on and all that is in it let the fields be jubilant and everything in them then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy they will sing before the lord for he comes he comes to judge the earth he will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth this is the word of the lord thanks be to god praise team will now come to us bless the lord we give god thanks for allowing us to see another day god for continuing to give us blessings i know sometimes it's hard to see the blessings with all that is going on around what god continues to bless us he continues to be there for us and we say god we just want to give you all the praise this morning lord even if i don't feel like praising i just want to tell you something lord god so many things have happened this week and lord i just want to give you all the praise let us want to release myself from all the things that the devil has tried to bring me down with and i want to declare today that god because of you i am here today and because of you i can still sing and because of you god i can face tomorrow so we continue to worship our mighty god or awesome god and our faithful father who continues to be with us even when we don't want to be with him amen amen [Music] [Music] you lord you are worthy and no one can worship you for me [Music] for all the things you've done for me and no one can worship you for me here's my worship all of my worship receive my worship all of my worship here's my worship all of my worship receive my worship all of my worship you are worthy and no one and no one can worship you for me the things you've done things you've done for me and no one and no one can worship you for me so here's my worship here's my worship [Music] is [Music] [Applause] is [Music] he received my words [Music] you lord you are worthy and no one and no one can worship you for me over all the things [Music] [Applause] receive my worship [Music] receive my worship [Music] all of my worship to worship you i live to worship you i live i live to worship you to worship you i live too much [Music] we worship you lord [Music] [Music] we give you glory we [Music] sinned oh [Music] when we have nothing left to say we're single [Music] [Music] live i live to worship you to worship you i live to worship you i live to worship to worship [Music] [Music] [Applause] when we sing [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] and you move mountains you perform miracles [Music] is [Music] you perform miracles [Music] [Music] and is standing [Music] [Music] you're making way for us [Music] don't know [Music] [Music] understanding here only because you made and we're standing here only because you and we're standing [Music] if it's had not been for the lord on my side tell me where would i be [Music] is [Music] [Music] where would i be where would i be oh just tell me where would i be [Applause] [Music] where would i be the song that we sung you made a way you move mountains and you cause walls to fall and with your power you perform miracles and there is nothing that's impossible and we're standing here only because we made a um thinking about that song that song is really a testimony you can't sing it if you don't have a testimony you can't sing it unless you know god for yourself in that way do you know god as a mountain mover do you know him as somebody who made a way for you when there was no way could you stand in front of a lot of people and say if it had not been for god on my side where would i be no i can do that because i have a testimony and i can't stand in front of anybody just to see you move mountains you cause walls to fall and in the time that we're singing that we're going to sing it prayerfully i really want you to reflect on it everybody everywhere under the hearing of my voice really reflect on it what is my testimony can i say i'm standing here only because god made a way [Music] there is [Music] [Music] is only and we're standing here only because you may [Music] [Music] thank you praise team that was a good one give you all the praise and all the glory sister courtney just there's almighty god we thank you for this a wonderful day we thank you for life and its abundance your grace which is sufficient we thank you for blessing our lives and unfolding us all our days gracious god we thank you for this lord's day that you have invited us into your presence and are reminded by scripture that in your presence we have fullness of joy and at your right hand we have pleasures forevermore gracious god we thank you for the peace that you have granted us this morning that peace which passes all understanding lord we are grateful that you have awoken us this morning and have closed us in our right mind that god despite the presence of a pandemic that god you have called and caused us to be in your presence and we can indeed stay sensibly to god for all god all that you have done and are doing made the presence of a pandemic oh god we are grateful that your spirit our lives have saw that we can gather before you we can worship you we can lift your hands and hearts in praises celebrating oh god your goodness your grace and your mercies gracious god this morning as we pause it saddens our heart to see the greatest suffering around us we see your god your children that are suffering that there are many this morning oh god who has been infected and impacted by the passing the onslaught of this virus we bring to mind of those in our world oh god particularly those in quarantine and isolation even at this time we pray for those of god especially who have been isolated from their family members oh god i'm sure uncertain this morning as to what tomorrow offers to them oh god feeling lonely perhaps even depressed and despairing but god i pray that you will remind them this morning that indeed you are our refuge and strength the present help in times of trouble oh god we pray that you will remind somebody this morning that you are indeed a bomb in gilead oh god i pray that you will remind them of god that you are indeed the wretch of god the present help of god remind them that you are the shelter in the kind of star remind somebody that indeed you are the bombing gillian remind somebody of god you are always present for your promise never to leave nor mercy almighty god we come to you on behalf of those who are uncertain and unsure this morning not knowing what tomorrow brings or god we pray or that a door will be open and you will send forth your messenger or in a on a day like this on this morning our oh god and open some doors of god pour out from glory upon them all god and make them a testimony grant to god your people of testimony this morning remind them of god that you are still the greater provider that oh god you are still the great protector of god grant your god and your people will testify of your providence indeed oh god you will never leave us nor forsake us we pray for our leaders and those who are making decisions on offer pray for girls are making decisions on our behalf this morning oh god even as we pause or to pray for them that you will grant them the wisdom needed and necessary we pray for the leaders of our country we pray oh god for our medical personnel especially those on the front lines of god we pray that he will grant them wisdom we pray oh god that you will provide for them we pray also that you will protect them of god even as they are for themselves putting themselves oh god on the front line to take care of others so god be praying that you will take care of them in the mighty name of jesus oh god we pray that you will have your way and that your will be done in their lives so god will pray for their families oh god one seen them in in days or even in weeks so god that you will cover them under the power of your blood god will come to you another time nothing in our hands we bring but god to your cross we cling we come to you oh god hangs empty but we turn them up this morning oh god for you the poor afresh in us we wait on god for what you are going to do for us this morning for your promise to do more than we could ever ask or imagine these things oh god we pray for your church we pray that your church will continue to stand like the beacon upon the hill we pray oh god that your people will continue to live victorious lives we pray oh god that amidst all that is happening around us and appear as if the church of god is in hiding god then told that that the people around us will feel the church through your people in the name of jesus remind us this morning oh god that in church is that the four walls but all god your people we are the church in the mighty name of jesus christ of god wherever we are this morning that soul to be born for your kingdom oh god that wherever we are this morning that your spirit will have free reign bent oh god wherever we are this morning scattered across the world oh god in the name of jesus that healing will take place so we declare deliverance right now in the mighty name of jesus and we pray of god and everyone under the hearing of my voice that you will touch them of god this morning from the crown of their heads to the very soul of their feet god gotta declare healing over somebody we pray oh god in the name of jesus that you will have your way with us that oh god your will and your purpose will be done in and through the mighty name of jesus hallelujah amen my voice welcome to the virtual memorial baptist church at or 10 a.m worship service to those of us who are worshiping with us here in the worship space and those on social media we are pleased to have you and even saying that is an understatement because i mean the challenges of life we can pause to acknowledge the lord's faithfulness provision protection and direction let us truly worship the lord embracing the reality that absolutely nothing can separate us from his love and care usually if you were here and you were visiting with us i would ask you to stand if you're a visitor but since we're worshiping on the social media space for most of us i'm going to ask if you are visiting with us if you are watching our service for the very first time can go ahead and type it in the live chat and we will acknowledge you so thank you for worshiping with us this morning our preacher this morning is reverend duquette duncan of the morant based circuit of baptist churches in saint thomas he is joining us on zoom on the zoom platform reverend doncon be assured that we have prayed that the lord will give you a special anointing as you deliver the message and that our hearts will be receptive to the word we are also acknowledging all those who are participating in ministry this morning the deacon on duty ushers media team musicians praise team and the reader of the scripture we pray that the blessing of the lord will be upon you please listen keedly to the following notices on wednesday our weekly day of prayer begins at 6 a.m and ends at 6 p.m or midday prayer and bible study will be held on wednesday also and it will be aired on the youtube and facebook platforms or circuit prayer and bible study will be aired on the zoom platform on at 7 00 pm also on wednesday death in and around the family we regret to announce the passing of brother errol chateau of class 8 he is the husband of sister violet and the father of sistertonian or sincerest condolences we are also extending our condolences to all persons experiencing bereavement at this time please be assured of the prayers of your brothers and sisters here at virtual deacon carlin reed has another death in her family sister laurel martin is also experienced experiencing bereavement in her family let us remember them all in our prayers that was the end of the notices and as we go throughout this week i encourage you remember to care remember to be kind remember to live in peace and remember that god loves you thank you welcome son hello everybody welcome welcome welcome hello everybody welcome to bircha baptist church hello everybody welcome welcome welcome hello everybody welcome to bircham baptist church brothers and sisters in the lord worshiped together in one accord hello everybody welcome to virtual baptist church brothers and sisters in the lord worship together in one accord hello everybody welcome to birch of baptist church brothers welcome sisters welcome hello everybody welcome to virtual baptist church brothers welcome sisters welcome hello everybody welcome to virtual baptist church to virtual baptist church to virgin baptist church it's offering diamond sister courtney [Music] let us pray all good gifts around us they come from heaven above so we thank you god for all the many blessings that you have given to us thank you god for allowing us to be able to go out into your kingdom to go out into your world the god and to give of ourselves not only or or monetary offerings but of ourselves to your mission we pray o god that as this often is collected that god will be used for the enhancement of your kingdom here on earth that you will bless the givers that you will bless the hearts of your people in jesus name i pray amen [Music] oh uh [Music] so [Music] morning lesson is taken from old testament jonah one one two three i will be read by sister tiffany cummings so jonah chapter one reading from verses one two two three to three and it reads the word of the lord came to jonah son of amitai go to the great city of nineveh and preach against it because its wickedness has come up before me three and last but jonah ran away from the lord and headed for tarshish he went down to joppa where he found a ship born for that port after paying the fare he went abroad aboard and sailed for tarshish to flee from from the lord this is the word of the lord reverend doc it will come to us again but before that we will sing here i am lord i the lord of sea and sky i have heard my people who cry in dark and sin my hand will save i who made the stars of night i will make their darkness bright who will bear my light to them who shall i say [Music] is [Music] i will go lord if you leave me [Music] i will hold your [Music] beans i the lord of snow and rain i avoid my people's pain i have worked for love of them they turn away i will break their hearts of storm give them hearts for love i will speak my words to them who shall i send [Music] here i am lord is [Music] i will go lord if you lead me i will [Music] [Music] finest bread i will provide till their hearts be satisfied i will give my life to them oh shall i send here i am lord is it [Music] i will go lord if you lead me [Music] i will want your people in my heart here i am lord is [Music] in the night i will go lord if you leave me [Music] [Music] your people in my heart i will walk your people in my heart [Music] sisters and brothers i greet you in the mighty name of jesus and so indeed it is a privilege for me to be asked to share with you on a day like this allow me to greet your pastor the reverend david thomason to say sir thank you for the opportunity to share we pray continue continually for you and your family and your ministry in the city of montego bay sisters and brothers again it is a privilege to share with you on a day like this truly god has been good to all of us the passage was read for us from jonah chapter 1 verses 1 to 3 let us bow our heads let us pray breathe on us o breath of god for unless you breathe mortal flesh will not be silent unless you breathe the holy spirit your ears will not hear but unless you breathe the holy spirit souls will not be born for your kingdom unless you breathe all this the eyes will not see and so breathe on us all breath of god for christ's sake amen revered the world over for his nonviolent philosophy of passive resistance mahatma gandhi was known for his ascetic lifestyle as he often dressed in only a lime cloth and a shawl he began his activism as an indian immigrant in south africa in the 1900s and in the early years following world war one he became the leading figure in india's struggle to gain independence from great britain gandhi was imprisoned several times during his pursuit of non-cooperation and undertook a number of hunger strikes to protest the oppression of india's poorest classes among other injustices interestingly when mahatma gandhi was the spiritual leader of india he was asked by some some missionaries what was the greatest hindrance to christianity in india he read his reply was astonishing he said that christians were the greatest hindrance to christianity in india in other words the christians that gandhi knew were above all others seeking after wealth and their aim was to be rich at the expense of their neighbors and their prosperity was far more essential than life the life the living and the liberation of others it would appear that the christians gandhinu had abandoned their mandate their message and their mission in pursuit of material possessions privilege prestige and power it would appear that the christians stand in you and abandon the vehicle the vehicle the values and the virtues of their faith in pursuit of sinful pleasures senseless priorities and superficial spiritual preferences practices and programs it will appear that the christians gandhin knew were too self-absorbed that is they were too preoccupied with their own life circumstances too self-absorbed that is they were too preoccupied with your own feelings or interest too selfish that is they were too preoccupied with your own profits or pleasures to act assist or advocate for the disenfranchised the displaced or the destitute it will appear that the christians gandhi knew where were reluctant and rebellious individuals who rejected demanded the message and the mission of god much like the old testament prophet jonah jonah was chosen by god to be a missionary and the gentle the gentiles he was summoned and sanctified and sent to my god of the great city of nineveh to preach against this ungodly fear ungodly behavior nineveh was the most highly populated city of antiquity and which indulge in luxuries and boasted of his fine architecture the united fans were pagan worshipers of lifestyle lifeless idols and false dieties think of the atrocities committed in world war ii when you get a picture of nineveh think of the horror stories committed by brutal individuals roaming our cities and communities and you get a picture of the evil ways of the people of nineveh ninevites were a merciless pagan people the assyrians ruled nineveh by force and by brutal intimidation negatively a great city of assyrians was particularly advanced in violence advancing murder advancing evil the syrians took their place as one of supremacy over all people and their gods as supreme over all gods concerning religion the syrians have rejected the true god concerning morality the assyrians engaged in evil and brutality nineveh therefore was a place of unceasing evil there were a people who showed no mercy unlike the majority of israel's prophets who came called the nation to repentance and proclaim god great god's great and love and faithfulness towards god's chosen people jonah's message was a warning to the gentiles to turn from your idolatry and to put their trust in the true and the living god however jonah did not like his assignment and buffy rose and fled instead of the city of tarshish the prophet was objecting to god's demonstration of mercy and grace toward the gentiles he did not approve of god's mercy being extended towards these pagans and so he chose instead to disobey and direct command with this decision jonah dug himself deeper in sin and selfishness and defiance against god's call jonah's defiance and disobedience may appear astonishing to us jonah's defiance and disobedience may appear astonishing to us that he could so brazenly in rebellion against god and yet and yet could it be that when the searchlight of truth reflects inward that is when the searchlight of truth is turned on you and i we too have acted like jonah disobedient defiant to the call on our lives to surrender our all to him so that he may use us the way that he sees so often we sing this song all to jesus i surrender all to him i freely give i will ever love and trust him in his presence daily live but i stopped long enough to say to us this morning perhaps we need to revisit the word of the sound that we often sing by because for some people these words mean absolutely nothing would it be that me that we too need need to challenge our own reaction to god called for we too have been defiant and disobedient refusing when we are we are summoned and rejecting where we are center here the writers say i must have the savior with me for i dare not walk alone i must feel his presence near me and his arms around me through then my soul shall fear knowing let him lead me where he will i will go without a murmur and this footstep i wonder if more christians oh god could sing those words instead of i surrender i will go without a murmur and these footsteps follow still could it be could it be that we too need to consider consider the occasions when we have closed our ears to god's call close our ears refuse to carry out his perfect will or pretended that god was giving us some alternative instruction that was more to our liking would it be that the communities to which god is calling us to engage and to exercise and to execute the mission are so infested by crime and chaos and criminals we would rather not participate but they do not fit into our preferred plan and purpose and the perception they would rather say lord grant that they perish but one writer says rescue the perishing here for the dying search them speak to the sin and the grace we follow the everyone leave not the falling down them of jesus the mighty in other words or whatever you and i are feeling but for those in communities which remain at like our duty is to spread the gospel of jesus christ with all the everyone lift up the falling tells them of jesus the mighty to save could it be that as god calls us on a day like this that if god calls you on a day like this to surrender to let go to allow him to take full control of your life to lead you into some places on a day like this to lead you into some communities in a time like this that somebody under the of my voice will say i surrender instead of running away from the plan the purpose and the prerogative of almighty god much like jonah or preferences and perceptions or prejudices are possible hinges to our call to the mission which may cause you and i to serve to serve reluctance to serve rebellion or rejection to the call that god has pleased on our lives let me put it another way don't really like the people in that community for them kid for you and i to go in that community let us go without murmuring about it our duty is not to say to god god let the appear criminal that is broke into my church now the call is for us to respond positively not to run away not to turn our backs on god but to respond to the man that god is calling for you and i much like jonah much like jonah there are those there are those who would rather say no to god or whatever go somewhere else where oh god it is more love story of spirit is quieter and more peaceful to offer ministry than on the byways and on the edges and the rough side of the mountains of god but god is calling us the weather it is rough and rugged you and i are summoned oh god just like jonah and sent all god to preach the good news to those around us much like georgia their car despite our perceptions we are called despite our biases to go into certain communities to engage that which god has sent us to engage to oh god to do that which god has sent us to do to minister the grace of god that he has instructed us to minister oh god to extend this mercy and in the case of jonah to warn the people oh god that a day is coming that we need to give an account for all that they have done that their life is in danger remember i think it was ezekiel who reminded us that if the watchman sees the danger coming and do not warn the people then the blood is upon our shoulder can i say that again that it was watchmen that god has called us to watch over the city that give us watchmen we refuse to do that which god is calling us to do then their blood is on our hands hallelujah much like jonah we have some preferences we have some places that we would like to go and some we really don't want to hear about i remember years ago when it was time for me to be placed into a circuit by the union and remember clearly that leading up to that there were certain places that i was in my mind thinking that lord let them send me there there were other places that i said do god i really don't want to go but then when i got into the meeting and the question was asked i remember singing into my heart where everybody leads me i follow much like jonah this morning allow me to make three observations of the passage allow me to make just three observations of the text we will contemplate these three things first and foremost i want to suggest those that this call to jonah this call to jonah this instruction to jonah this command to jonah was an urgent message jonah had received an urgent message listen again to the text the word of the lord came to jonah son of amitay arise go to nineveh that great city arise go to nineveh that's great city there was a sense of urgency for jonah to move with his to the city of nineveh nineveh nineveh was located just out the congress river modern day iraq and was the capital of the assyrian empire they were known for their cold being cold and cruel and callous they were known for burying their enemies alive as a result just dimension of their name brought up the passions of the israelites who long to see god wipe them from their memories from the feasts of the earth gives you then a perspective as to why jonah was so reluctant it gives you then a perspective as to why jonah was so rebellion yes the people were rich but god says jonah arise meaning get up now the word arise according in one translation according to one translation or get up according to another translation is instructive to the urgency with which the call came to jonah to go to the wicked and godless city of nineveh to preach the gospel the good news however it was the last place on earth that jonah wanted to go can i suggest to us that the urgency the urgency of the call mean that god wants for us to move not later on not tomorrow not next week not when we finish studying this degree not after we purchase the car or get the dream job not have to receive enough money to buy the house no they can't never is now so may i ask you the question to which nineveh are you being called can i ask you the question to which nineveh are you being called because i believe that god is calling us urgently to go into some name events to preach the good news of the gospel can i say that another way i believe that god is calling us has been for some time to go to some minivites to preach the good news of jesus christ who are these ninevites that sometimes an innovator members of our family our household even sometimes an innovator our neighbors sometimes the ninevites are co-workers sometimes the minifights are persons in our community god is saying the time has come there is an urgency for you and i to get up now to preach the good news let me make an observation for you so look on the urgency of the car i want as you look on the urgency to to imagine to to pinpoint something look again at the text the word of the lord came to jonah so now for me time that it was a direct not only was it urgent but it was a direct message to jonah that it is a direct message to you to get up and go to your innovation to preach to your individuals the message is for you to rise from your comfort rise from your convenience and to bow into the vineyard to declare thus saith the lord it's not the pastor's call only but a call is for every single person the call was direct direct that god spoken to them directly to get up to jonah directly to get up and go into the vineyard to preach go down to nineveh why because because souls were in danger why should we go to nineveh it was because souls were in danger minivites were in danger many men were in danger oh god the blood of anything would have been on the shoulder oh god of nothing of the prophet jonah why because he had refused he was reluctant he had rejected the call of god let me ask you a question do you want the blood of your knee vice to be on your shoulder let me ask you a question the question again do you want the blood of your knee bites to be on your shoulder because then is now it is urgent for us to make a move to preach the good news to our neighbors the call is urging for us to move to the universe and to do so now now let's read the text read the text there's a second thing that i would love to say to us there's a second thing in the text that i want to point out for us this morning not only was it an urgent not only was it an urgent message but it was an uncomfortable mission not only was it an urgent message but it was an uncomfortable mission reason why jonah did not want to go was because of his own perception of the people of nineveh and also of the reality that the people of ninevites were heartless they were cold they were cruel they were kindness and so on with that in mind jonah was conscious that these people were evil and as a result he did not want to go wrong because indeed god was sending him into an uncomfortable situation for a year oh god the righteous say yes though i walk through the firing of the shadow of death i shall fear no evil why because god will always be with me truth is the mission won't always be comfortable the truth is that the mission won't always be convenient sometimes the mission takes us away from our comfort zone it takes us half out of our living room of god it takes us off the living room set sometimes the mission is going to take us out of the bedroom can i say that to take us away from the comfort the security of our home but i want to say to us that it is there that we learn to trust god to surrender everything that when we say all to jesus i surrender it is not lit service but our lives and the obedience to which we walk is a democracy is a demonstration the demonstration of the call demonstration of orbit our obedience to the call that god has placed on our lives was an uncomfortable mission why one because the people were idolatrous clearly jonah was mindful jonah was cognizant that the gods that they serve or rather the gods that lesser were different from the god that he said there were people who were serving idols and all the jonah was conscious of this fact and other reasons chosen step to walk away to run away for god to punish them for their sinfulness for their ideology instead of offering them grace and mercy wow could it be would it be that before we got saved we two were living in military could it be that we too were living in minivan meaning that we were an idolatrous people serving all kinds of gods all kind of material gods could it be the minifights we too were guilty of idolatry but god saw us guard us and saved us and now sending us to go to to preach the gospel to those who themselves are now idol worshipers mission was uncomfortable for jonah why because the people were idolatrous the mission was uncomfortable for jonah because they me the the people were immoral not only idolatrous but immoral that the things the evil that they were doing was against anything that human beings should all not be engaging it was intolerable for jonah and so he founded an uncomfortable mission to god in fact jonah would rather that god deals with them himself what about us what about us the mission that is uncomfortable because the people are right not only idolatrous but the people are immoral living a kind of life that is unpleasing before god the bible says the bible says that which they were doing had come up before god you must understand the sinful nature of these people you must understand the immoral conduct of this set of people that they are conducted before god they were immoral they were evil they were diabolic as a result joanna instead of going to preach tell them of the good news to tell them to repent for the kingdom of god is near tell them to repent because god's judgment was attacked he chose instead he chose instead to run away why because deep down in his heart jonah wanted them punished in other words the only justice the only justice for these people were to see them white of the feasts of the earth why because they were immoral before we condemned the minivans before we condemned the ninevites before we set up ourselves on pedestals and platform let us like the writer sing roll back the curtains of memories now and then show me where you brought me from and where i could have been remember lord that i'm human new man's forget so remind me remind me dear lord before we be casted yet before we criticize before we cast them off the the knee bites that are around us let us sing the word remind me lord remind me we too were idolatrous we too were immoral we too were iniquitous that is we were engaging engaging in acts of inequity living sinful lives but god sauce called us consecrated us commissioned us they are now sending us back to go back into the universe that we are coming from to preach the good news of the gospel like isaiah the call is who will go who will go you're a voice here i am sending me it's not luxurious it's not luxurious it's not convenient in fact it is uncomfortable but it calls us into a trusting relationship it really puts to the test that when you and i say that we trust god what exactly do we mean when you say you trust god what do you mean by that some time ago i was preaching at a church about love i went into the original language and to offer to them different kinds of love then i asked a question but when somebody say that they love you you need to ask them what do you mean because love means different things to different people what do you mean when you say you love me after church a lady why didn't no walk up to me and she said pastor i love you i was ignoring the lady and she said pastor then asked me what you mean pastor asked me what i mean when i say i love you ask me pastor when we say we trust god what do you mean if he called you to go into something that is uncomfortable or somewhere that is uncomfortable you're dying should bow without a murmur why because if he comes he will prepare us for whatever we are going to encounter hallelujah jesus mission suggesting to us that we are called as an urgent message that this is an uncomfortable mission finally we have in jonah an unwilling messenger an urgent message an uncomfortable mission an unwilling messenger the jonah is the only person in the old testament that refused to obey god's word and attempted to run away from his god-ordained mission instead he ran in the opposite direction instead of going to nineveh in the easy boarding a ship far far away fort in the west jonah run away to escape god's call on his life he was an unwilling messenger what i believe this morning that jonah is not alone the are others who are just like him unbelieving messengers who have turned their backs on god willing messengers god is calling you you have chosen to go into another direction giving god all kinds of excuses why you can't come now why because you have some unfinished business isn't it true the business that is unfinished years after god gone the business is still unfinished why because no matter how hard you try the business is not being fulfilled the thing you put out of god for you have no satisfaction no fulfillment why because god's plan and purpose must be accomplished jonah run away to escape but whether he pretended to not hear god's instruction was only deluding himself that the ship he boarded was god's provision to use him elsewhere whether he displayed open rebellion against the word of god jonah disobeyed his god and in doing so he sinned deserving of his punishment an unwilling messenger an unwilling messenger oh god i pray to god this morning that blows under the hearing of my voice and say yes lord yes to your will and to your will i pray this morning that there is not one unwilling messenger when the call comes forth for us to go to preach to our neighbors that we will say yes yes or in jonah we are mindful that if we run goddess of me of carrying us right back to where he wants us right back to where god wants us and so this unwilling prophet he was defiant he was defiant rejected all that god had said to him jonah direct son of amitai get up rise up stand up urgently but jonah was defiant he decided instead that i was not going where you wanted me to go in fact i was going to take a vacation i was going to run away go to the west to engage in some rest and relax to hide out for a while so that you god would not find me but i hear somebody say where can we go from his presence if i ascend into the heavens the word here wherever we go wherever we run to god is there to bring us back to the place where god wants for you and i defiant delusional delusional in his mind that he was thinking that he could escape he could run away from god but he got a rude awakening because you and i cannot outrun god no matter how fast we are no matter how big we are on our feet you and i cannot open no matter how much education we have you and i cannot outsmart god was delusional and in this way was an unwilling messenger whatever i said i said there was this indian named mahatma gandhi he was well respected humanitarian spiritual leader was asked what is the greatest hindrance to christianity in india he said the greatest hindrance to christianity in india was christians that christians we us you and i were the greatest hinges to our faith why because like jonah many of us have received the urgent message instead of acting instead of responding we have buried that message somewhere that many of us have been called to an uncomfortable mission but instead of saying yes lord yes i surrender we have decided to go on our own mission where it is comfortable and convenient it is an entrance why because we too have some unwilling messengers around us are you are you an unwilling message an unwilling messenger are you an unwilling messenger or like the writer you are saying i must have the saved away for i dare not walk alone i must feel his presence near me and his arms around me through then my soul shall fear nowhere let him lead me where he will i will go without a man and his footsteps follow still are you an unwilling message amen amen let us pray almighty god we bow before you another time in diverse places different locations gathered around a platform listening to your written and spoken word that you have challenges that the message is urgent that the mission is uncomfortable that the messenger is unwilling but god your people this one will respond to this message in the affirmative by saying yes lord yes to your will and to your will your people this morning will respond in the affirmative by saying all to jesus i surrender all to him i freely give i will ever love and trust him in his presence daily live your people this morning responding the affirmative will say wherever you lead i'll follow thank you god for this opportunity thank you for those who've already said yes lord wherever you lead thank you for those who are considering and those who are contemplating for lord indeed we are called at a time such as this to rest to the perishing care for the dying to snatch them pity from sin and the great do we pour the everyone to lift up the falling to tell them of jesus the mighty to say thank you lord thank you lord for your people gathered around this one may as me as oh god we respond may you prepare our hearts to go wherever to do wherever to do whatever and to say whatever you would ever say for christ's sake amen we now send the light um [Music] there are souls to rescue their souls [Music] let it shine from short to shore we have heard the macedonian [Music] send the love [Music] gospel light let it shine forevermore let us pray that grace [Music] let it shine forever [Music] [Music] let us gather jewels for a crowd [Music] let it shine [Music] light let it shine from shore to shore send us the blessed gospel and let it shine forever [Music] we love the closing prayer by reverend dr duncan little spray almighty god we thank you and praise you for another lord's day we thank you for reminding us through your word that we have an urgent message like your servant jonah we thank you for reminding us that oftentimes the mission is uncomfortable it removes us from our places of comfort and convenience we thank you for reminding us this morning that there are many jonas around who are unwilling messengers that is they are delusional and defiant don't write disobedient but god we thank you that on a day like this you remind us and give all of us another chance to respond positively to your world to rescue their perishing and care for the dying snatch them in pity from sin and the great wheel for them to lift up the falling to tell them of jesus be mighty to save thank your god that amidst the pandemic many minivites who are hungry many minivites who have turned and done things that are evil many minifights around us who are looking at us to respond oh god near we on a day like this mary at a time such as this respond to the universe to those living in nineveh with the word of grace of mercy of love thank you god for again speaking to us through your word thank you for the opportunity to share in your word thank you god that indeed at a time like this you are still calling men and women to surrender to you have your way with the saga minister to us afresh strengthen us giving us the boldness that we need to go forth declare the good news to the nineveh and the ninevites around us this we pray through jesus christ our lord amen lord bless you and keep you [Music] make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you the lord face towards you and give you peace [Music] [Music] generations and your family and your children and their children and their children make his presence go before you and behind you and [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] you [Music] um [Music] [Music] the lord bless you and keep you make his face shine upon you and be gracious face towards you and give me

Channel: Burchell Memorial Baptist Church

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Id: JNnYOokkss8

Length: 126min 31sec (7591 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 19 2021