Liam Goligher on Jonah 1

Last updated on: January 28, 2018 at 4:37 pm by Adrian Warnock

Liam Goligher on Jonah 1 2018-01-28T16:37:09+00:00 Adrian Warnock

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

We decided to go to the second Bible reading this morning so we could catch at least some of the Formula One. As it started at 11-30am we were probably the only people in the world glad that the race got suspended when it did! (Though we only got to hear that the race was definitely stopped an Button had won by text which arrived on my phone while the notices were begin given!)

There was an eager sense of anticipation in the room to listen to God’s word through Liam, who is a good friend of the Evangelical church in the UK. Liam began by saying that last night he dreamt he was preaching this sermon with the passion of John Piper, the depth of Don Carson, the crispness of Dick Lucas and the coolness of Mark Driscoll. If you had been there you would have had the experience of a lifetime. Unfortunately, he said, you will have to cope with me as I am when not dreaming.

This is a very familiar story. Some people say its an allegory or parable. But parables are usually basic. The story itself has historical and geographical elements. Whoever wrote it seemed to want us to believe that this was a real event. It assumes historical correctness. Jesus likens himself to Jonah and spoke of the people of Ninevah as real people who really repented. Jesus took it seriously, so if we want to follow him so should we.

Salvation is of the Lord. God’s sovereingty is stressed here. God appointed the wind, the ship, the whale. There is a commission, and a recommission, and the sailors are saved, and the ninevites are saved. There are two prayers of Jonah – one greatful for his own salvation, one bitter when the foreigners were saved. Its beautifully structured, full of humour irony, etc. Jonah is a ridiculous figure. He is like a skulky, pouting, spotty teenager.

Its not about a big fish, as much as it is about a big God. Kindness of God to the biggest meanest city of the time. God has more trouble with his own people than with the others.

1. Jonah is running from God
God’s people were still rebelling. In 2 Kings 14, God saved Israel through Jonah. He understands the word of God and his message has been one of salvation. He came from Galilee, like Jesus and was the only prophet Jesus likened himself to. A prophet is a vehicle of God’s word to God’s people. Amos 3:7 says that God does nothing without revealing his secret to the prophets. The Christian life begins by listening to God. Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God. There is an urgency in the words “arise, Go!” This commission is more like the Great Commission than anything else in the Old Testament.

God judges the city of Ninevah as wicked. Ninevah becomes even more evil as we see in Naham. God knew it was going to become an even more evil place. Jeremiah tells us that God will relent of any judgement he announces if people repent. This prospect is what Jonah does not like about his task. So he runs away. The Word of God can detect microscopic fault lines in your soul. Some of us refuse to allow God speak to us through certain people, perhaps because they are not in our camp. There are some things that we will not let God speak to us about. There is an interior desire to rebel from the word of God. The word challenged his view of himself, and threatened how he saw himself. We can be proud and uncrucified on the inside even though on the outside we are moral. He runs from the presence of God. The nation of Israel represented God’s presence on earth.

2. Jonah runs into God
You cant ever get right away from him. You can run but you can’t hide. He probably felt circumstances had come together, and were “surely of God”. People say, I have “peace” about leaving my wife and children and going off with someone else. Jonah was so peaceful he slept. If you have a heart to disobey God, don’t be surprised if it seems for a while to work out for you to do so. But God was going to pursue him. He has a bit of freedom and autonomy but from verse four we read “but the Lord” and everything goes back out of God’s hands. Jonah doesn’t cry to God for mercy. He is asleep and indifferent. The same God who can calm a storm can also stir it up. God takes his choice of you so seriously that he will pursue you and do whatever it takes to save you. Jonah means a dove, is silly and senseless. God’s people were meant to be a light to the nations. The world looks at the church and wants to hear what it says, and the church is guiltily silent. We are weak and ineffectual, the church refuses to say the hard things to the culture. It never clearly articulates the gospel. We keep silent when we should speak. Chruch doesn’t want to stand out from the world.

Jonah doesn’t seem to be thinking about the sailors, but instead is self-absorbed. He does it without any real grace. But what he does saves them. The sailors turn to God.

Liam made Jonah, a familiar story seem fresh once more. He preached with a passion and vigour which gripped me and many who heard. I was privileged to meet him later- do watch out for the video after the event. He said that he had been a little bit more reserved than normal. So, as the week goes on, apparently we might be in for a bit more shouting. Personally I like listening to a good shout sometimes during a sermon. So if you are reading this on site and see Liam around, do dare him to shout at us some more!

Previous Post

April 4, 2009

Richard Cunningham on The Parable of the Sower - Luke 7

Next Post

April 5, 2009 Welsh Mountains On The Way To New Word Alive

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 and 2 Corinthians 1 and 2 Thessalonians 1 and 2 Timothy 1 John 300 Leaders A Life of Joy Abortion Acts of the Apostles Adrian on radio Adrian on TV Adrian's Story Albert Mohler Amazing Grace Arminocalvinist Spectrum Assurance Atonement Atonement Series Attributes of God Barnabas Best of the Blog Bible Bible Software Bible Translation Biblical Inerrancy Billy Graham Bob Roberts Books C. J. Mahaney Calvinism Cessationism Charis Warnock Charismatic Spectrum Charles Simeon Charles Spurgeon Church Leadership Colossians Complementarian - Egalitarian Spectrum Complementarianism Conferences Culture Daniel Debates Deuteronomy DGM08 DGM13 Discernment Doctrine Don Carson Ed Stetzer Eddy Leo Ephesians ESV Bible Translators Interview Evangelism in a Post-Christian World evolution Exodus Expository Preaching Ezekial Faith and Feelings Family Florida Galatians General Genesis Get Wisdom - Proverbs sermons Gifts of The Holy Spirit Gifts of the Holy Spirit 2006 Global Faith Forum Godly Attitudes Gospel Gospels Grace Greg Haslam Grudem vs Piper: The Baptism Debate Healing Heaven Hell and Rob Bell Hebrews Henry Tyler Henry Warnock Holy Spirit Holy Spirit Baptism Hope Reborn Hugh Palmer Irresistable Grace Isaiah J. I. Packer Jack Hayford Joel Joel Warnock John John Lanferman John MacArthur John Newton John Owen John Piper John Smyth Jonathan Edwards Josh Harris Justification Justin Taylor Kenneth Ulmer Leadership Leadership Lessons from 1 & 2 Samuel Lex Loizides Liam Goligher Lig Duncan Limited Atonement Lou Fellingham Mark Dever Mark Driscoll Martyn Lloyd-Jones Matt Chandler Mental Health Missionary Methods: St Paul’s or Ours? My Story N. T. Wright Nehemiah NWA08 NWA09 NWA10 Opinion OT History Books Pentateuch Personal Personal Revival Philippians PJ Smyth Podcast Politics Preaching Prophecy Proverbs Psalms Raised With Christ Reformed Charismatic Regeneration Relationships Resurrection Resurrection & Salvation Revival Rice Broocks Rich Man and Lazarus Rick Warren Rob Rufus Roland Allen Romans Sam Storms Sanctification Series Sermons Sermons on Philippians Serving Jesus at Work Sexuality Sin St Paul Steve Chalke Strange Fire Suffering T4G T4G Statement TAB09 Tamasin Warnock Teamwork Terry Virgo The Atonement Debate - Chalke book The Soulwinner The Spirit-Filled Church The Traitor Within Theologcial Spectrums Theosis Tim Challies Tim Keller Titus TOAM06 TOAM07 TOAM08 TOAM09 TOAM10 TOAM11 Todd Bentley Tope Koleoso Total Depravity Video Water Baptism Wayne Grudem Worship

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 May 2025 April 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 August 2023 May 2023 April 2023 February 2023 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 August 2021 May 2021 April 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 January 2019 December 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 June 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 June 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Samuel's mother promise if God gave her a son?

Select your answer to see how you score.

To move to Jerusalem To dedicate him to the Lord To fast for 40 days To offer a burnt sacrifice

Books by This Author Books by Adrian Warnock

See All Titles »