WAKE UP Week 2 – David Nasser

Overview:
Reminder: Define awakening: a resurrection from death & a waking from sleep
The church at Ephesus was an example of the need to wake up from prosperity.
Unlike the church at Ephesus, the people of Nineveh were not struggling with self-righteousness rather they were a severe and wicked people who relished their evil actions. This is why Jonah found the command, from the Lord, to go and warn the Ninevites about His impending judgment upon them so difficult to embrace.
On the other hand, Jonah, seemingly, had forgotten from where he had come. He had forgotten that ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. He forgot that God loves everyone and desires that none should perish but that all would come to repentance. Even those who were so completely wicked and depraved.
There is no doubt that the behavior of the people of Nineveh was wrong and worthy of the punishment that the Lord was threatening to pour out upon them but, unfortunately, Jonah’s behavior was just as wrong. God wants everyone to walk in the beauty of repentance and the purity of His holiness and sometimes it requires a storm in order to get people to those places.
1) Each wave was an act of restoration and not of retribution.
2) Each wave was intervention, not condemnation.
3) Each wave was there to heal and not hurt.
4) Each wave was fatherly discipline.
5) Each wave was loving correction.
6) Each wave was divine redirection.
7) Each wave was there to test Jonah not tempt Jonah.
Verses:
Jonah 1:1-6
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai (amatie) saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.
4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps your god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.”
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Quotes:
“Testing can come from God to cause the Christian to stand. Trials, however, come from Satan to cause the Christian to stumble. This was true of Jonah’s case. A storm was raging as a result of his going his own way, rebelling against the will of God. The storm was there to teach Jonah a valuable lesson. What was the reason for Jonah’s storm? A loving heavenly Father was getting the attention of his runaway prophet” OS HAWKINS
“We are better off in a storm running to God than in sunshine running away from God!”
“The same God that uses prosperity also uses calamity”
“The unsinkable love of God for both the unrighteous rebel (Ninevah) and the self-righteous religious (Jonah)”. Tim Keller
“To disobey the Word of the Lord is to run away from the presence of the Lord”.
“You cannot have disciple without discipline”.
Questions:
1) What would a personal awakening look like in your life? Does your life have more talk than walk? 2) What do you think that means? How can your talk become walk?
3) Can you think of any areas of your life that are leading you to run away from the Lord? Why do you choose to run away?
4) Are you currently going through any storms?
5) What are you doing in the storms of your life? Are you simply trying to get past it or are you asking the Lord to help you understand the purpose of the storm?
6) Where is unforgiveness evident in your life?
7) Talk about a time in your life where you saw the Lord redirecting your life. What did this look like?
8) What are the areas of your life where you are not taking God at His Word? Where are you not trusting Him for your life?
9) How can this group help walk alongside you this week to help grow you in your trust in the Lord through the storms?

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