2024 01 21
Epiphany 3B
Jonah 3.1-10
Psalm 62.5-12 1 Corinthians
7.29-31 Mark 1.14-20
Just forty days and Nineveh was to be overthrown. What do you think it was that caused the Ninevites
to have believed Jonah and therefore repented?
The book of Jonah is one of my favourites and I have a
children’s book at home that is written in rhyme, called A Jonah Day
by Phil A Smouse. It pretty much just
retells the story simply and puts it in language that would appeal to children
– and me! According to the children’s
book the word that Jonah was to say to the Ninevites was; “You’re all mean
and you’re nasty and you’re not very nice – And those are your good points to
be quite precise. For I mean what I say
and I am quite sincere – when I tell you I smell you the whole way up here.” Of course Jonah responds, “Tell that to them,
you must be mistaken - you certainly
can’t expect me to partake in – a dreadful impossible scheme”, Jonah
spat – “like the one you’re suggesting, and that Lord, is THAT!”
A retelling of a sacred text in the Jewish tradition
is called a midrash. I actually think
that my kid’s book fits pretty well into that category. So, I’m a bit curious about the category that
sometimes modern theological scholars suggested for the book of Jonah. It is also often placed in the category of a
sarcastic novella. It is clear that
there are a variety of views about the book and so it is interesting to see how
the Israelite people view the story, as this is primarily their sacred text.
Some history about the great city; Nineveh was the
capital of Assyria, Israel's longstanding enemy in the 8th century BC. In the 1800s there was much interest in
Ninevah, and some sites were excavated and extensive remains were found,
revealing the truth about it’s rumoured greatness.
Dr Michael Schulman (https://sacreddrama.org/2017/08/08/what-are-the-jewish-perspectives-on-the-book-of-jonah/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Talmud%2C%20Jonah,to%20King%20Jeroboam%20II%20(ibid. ) tells us; “The Book of Jonah is read
during the services of Yom Kippur, the Jews’ Day of Atonement, because its
messages are a fitting inspiration for that time. To understand this scripture,
it helps to know the identities of Jonah and the king of Nineveh.” He explains a connection between Elijah and
Jonah, and the Pharaoh of Egypt at the time of the exodus and the King of
Nineveh… therefore an understanding about our God of miracles and magnificent divine
intervention.
The
article goes on to explain that although the Ninevites were not God’s people,
and therefore not held to be responsible for Keeping the many Israelite laws,
they and all Gentiles (this includes us) are still held accountable for “7
Universal Commandments in the Book of Genesis, which are the foundation of true
morality: establishing just courts, and the prohibitions against idolatry,
blasphemy, homicide, forbidden sexual relations, theft, and eating meat that
was severed from a living animal (cruelty to animals).”
A very
interesting article, with many interesting aspects, but the most important for
our reading is those about the nature of receiving a prophecy. Jonah would rather die than stand as a
witness against his own people. You see,
many prophets had been sent to the Israelites and the Israelite people largely rejected
them. The people of Nineveh, who are Gentiles,
heard the warning from God and they repented. In New Testament times; Many of God’s own
people rejected Jesus, but the word of God and salvation came to the Gentiles. Yet the message is about the heart of one who
would rather die for God’s people than stand as a witness against them – And this
is where the heart of God is at.
Jesus would have heard this story and message
at his own celebrations of Yom Kippur, and he also says in Matthew 12:39-41, “The men of Nineveh will stand up at
the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at
Jonah’s proclamation; and look – something greater than Jonah is here!”
Christ pointed to Jonah’s adventure into the belly of the fish as a
precursor and a sign pointing to his own death, burial, and resurrection. But how does all this affect us today and
what is God’s message in this for us?
Last week we had the call of Samuel and Nathanael. This week we have the call of Jonah to speak
God’s word to the Ninevites and the call of the fishermen in our Gospel
reading. Can you see a continuation of
the theme? It isn’t just that we are
looking at people being called by God, but looking at what the were called to
do and the heart of compassion with which we are called to do it.
I think it is worth noting that the word of the Lord came to
Jonah a second time. If we think back to
our story last week about Samuel and Eli, it is important to note that God does
not give up on us. God does understand our fears and hesitations, but
ultimately, these characters fall into two categories; we see stories of those who say yes and follow
God, and those who, like Eli, though they know God, choose to close their eyes
to God’s call.
It is a sad reality that there are people who, although they
were once dedicated Christians, they, for whatever reason, grief, disillusion,
or apathy, turned from following God.
God still calls them. He doesn’t
give up.
Today’s message for us is the Good News, that even if we have
been running in the opposite direction, away from the call of God, he will call
us again. Even in the story of the
Ninevites we see God’s mercy. He never
desires to destroy, but finds a way to get us back on track…. And we need to
know, beyond any shadow of a doubt that God’s ways are for our good. And not just for our good, but for the good
of society.
Jonah was sent to a people who were the enemy of the
Israelites. It must have been almost
like… “well, we Israelites will keep God’s law and know the good it is for our
society, but the other countries are subject to their own laws and none of my
business”. The Ninevites weren’t
breaking their own laws, and they didn’t worship our God, so what right did
Jonah have to tell them what to do? It
is reminding me also, of our reading last week about All things being
permissible, but not all things are beneficial.
Remembering that God, like any good parent, does want to correct our
actions for our future good.
How does this relate to us?
Are there places where God would have us be an influence for good, but
we are hiding away, keeping our knowledge of that good to ourselves? And
are we like Jonah, preferring to run into the mouth of a great fish rather than
speak out God’s truth?
Our reading from Corinthians reminds us that the time is
short. When it says that those who have
wives should live as though they had none, I would just hope that my husband
isn’t listening!!! No – I’m joking of
course – kind of – But we obviously need to make sense of this.
The time is indeed short.
The time to act on God’s word, is now.
When Jonah was sent to tell the Ninevites to repent, lives were saved. Similarly, we are called to hear God’s
call and God’s word, and to act on that call and that word. The time is short and rescue is needed now. It isn’t that we forget we have wives,
husbands and families, but that our priority together needs to be to hear and
heed God’s call.
Last year I watched the film; The Sound of Freedom. It told the incredible true story of a former
government agent turned vigilante who embarked on a dangerous mission to rescue
hundreds of children from traffickers. That
is not something God has called me to, but I am glad that he has called
someone.
This is one example of a Christian standing up and doing what
God called him to do, and we are all called to be involved somewhere. I can’t say where God is calling you – But he
certainly does call us all, and most probably it is to be involved right where
we are.
One of the places I felt called was Street Chaplaincy. We treat everyone we meet with love and
respect. But we know that the young man
who is so concerned about, and offering to look after the young lady who has
had her drink spiked, might well be the one who did the spiking. And they might not. For the safety of that
one person that we can help, we believe we are called into that ministry.
We can’t be everywhere and we can’t do every ministry, or be
the change in every need, but the time is short and we need to listen to Jesus. What is he saying?
Jesus had to make this same choice. Jesus lived his life on earth as wholly human. When John the Baptist was put in prison it
definitely shook Jesus, as it is mentioned in the different Gospels and in
different ways, but always in relation to Jesus’ action. In the Gospel of Mark we are told; “After
John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of
God. “The time has come,” he said. “The
kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
John had been preaching the same message and he was put in
prison. The fact that the Gospel writer
tells us in this way, means that there was a definite decision. You can almost see the scene with Jesus’
musing, something like this; There was a pause…. “Okay… this is the dangerous
path… the beginning of my ministry, which will end in my dying for the sins of
the world…. Deep breath… I will do the father’s will”.
Jesus then calls Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John. We are told that they left their boats and
followed him without delay. We know from
other Gospel accounts that these people had already encountered Jesus and had
already made up their minds that he was worth following, but at Jesus call on
that day, they responded, “Yes, we will”.
In our Baptism service and any other services where we
respond to the call of God, the response is always “I will, with God’s grace”
or “God’s help”. In this, we acknowledge
that we all fail at times and like Jonah may need the word of God to come to us
a 2nd time, but our Psalm today tells us that with God is unfailing
love. God is concerned for our wellbeing,
he understands our fears – but do we understand him and his unfailing
love? Even with a just a little
understanding and knowledge, Jesus disciples responded to God’s call without
delay.
There is a sense of urgency in our readings. The time is short. What will be our response today? Let us take some time to listen to God. Ask him to speak to us and direct us. Then, take a deep breath and say, “Yes,
Lord, we will, with your help.”
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