The Sign of Jonah
Jonah 1:1-17
January 30, 2022 anno Domini
Jonah is a sign of Jesus. That’s what Epiphany is about – reading the signs and all the signs point to Jesus as true God and true man, as the only Savior from sin, as the Savior of all people, even Ninevites, even you. The sign of Jonah teaches us that Jesus will get thrown overboard and like Jonah – one man’s sacrifice will save a whole boatload of people, including you.
Give me a sign. That’s what lost people look for – a sign. Buckman 6 miles. Interstate 94 West left lane. Saint Paul 2nd exit. You want God to do something you can see. Give me a sign that you’re in control. Give me a sign that you love me. Give me a sign that you are even there.
The odd thing about signs is they aren’t the reality. A sign to Buckman isn’t Buckman. Jesus made water into wine as His first sign, but He didn’t make wine so people could drink wine. He made wine so people could drink Him and swallow the truth that He is the God who created every good thing out of nothing. He wanted people to drink their salvation as straight up 200 proof mercy on God’s part. Your salvation is Jesus, neat, nothing to sweeten Him, nothing to cut Him, nothing to flavor Him, a pure, full shot of Jesus.
In Jesus’ day, even though the Jews had seen and heard a boatload of signs, the Scribes and Pharisees pressed Jesus to give them a sign, a sign right then and there, according to their schedule and their desire. Jesus isn’t a performer under their command. He is God. He works in His way at His time. Do your remember Jesus’ answer to His sign seeking critics? (Read Matthew 16:4)
Jonah’s the only sign they would see. God commands Jonah to preach to Nineveh. Nineveh is the capital of Assyria and Assyria will soon rise up and take Israel captive because she has been unfaithful. We assume Jonah was afraid of the Assyrians and that is why he ran, but it is more likely he was afraid the Lord’s Word would work, and the Assyrians would receive God’s mercy, and become God’s people, to arouse his own people, Israel to jealousy. Think about it – are there people you consider unworthy of God’s mercy? Is there anyone you don’t want to see in heaven? The dad who destroyed your family. The wife who left you to find herself. The immigrants who changed your city. You all have your Ninevites. You want to hold on to your anger or righteousness and press it to your advantage. You don’t want to forgive. You want your enemy to receive mercy, but mercy is God’s way.
Jonah does not go God’s way and when you against God you descend into trouble. The word down is found several times in the text and it’s no accident. Jonah went down to Joppa, then he went down into the ship. During the storm, where did Jonah go? Down to the inner part of the ship where he laid down and slept.
The sailors realize this is no normal storm. Some god is really mad at them. This is a storm of judgment from the heavens. They drag Jonah up from the deep and discover by lots that he’s the guilty one. He did not want to do the Lord’s work. He didn’t want to preach to Nineveh. He foolishly tries to flee the Lord who created the sea by going to sea. Jonah then goes down for the last time. He is hurled into the depths of the sea and the sea calms down.
Jonah is dead, as far as the men on the boat know. He was chosen by lot to be sacrificed so they might live, and not only do they live, but they come to faith. They believe in the Lord. They pray to the Lord. They offer a sacrifice and make vows of faithfulness. They seek the Lord’s mercy and acknowledge the way the Lord works. The sacrifice of one man saves a boatload of sailors.
It’s not over for Jonah. A big fish swallows him whole. There in the belly of that fish, deep down in the sea, Jonah repents. He prays to the Lord. He acknowledges the Lord’s salvation and mercy. And God raises Jonah from the dead. The fish vomits Jonah out upon dry land.
Now Jonah goes to Nineveh and he’s ready to die. Well, actually he’s already died and been raised to life again so he doesn’t fear death. Jonah preaches. And it’s a great sermon because it’s a short sermon. (read 3:4) Eight words and no Gospel. No doubt, Jonah also conducted some really long Bible classes to teach what he preached, but the message was clear. The Ninevites sin stunk in God’s nostrils, and God was going to destroy them. The Lord gave them forty days. What’s the likelihood of an eight-word sermon doing any good (other than getting people home early to watch playoff football.)? God’s Word does what it says. The Ninevites are brought to repentance. God’s Word through Jonah is so powerful that even the cattle repent.
Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh. He didn’t want them to have forgiveness. So, God put this one man to death and raised him to life. By his death in the sea, he saved the sailors. By his resurrection to life, he saved the Ninevites, not him, but God’s Word.
If you don’t see the sign of Jonah in Jesus, then you’ve missed the boat of the Gospel. In today’s Gospel reading Jesus is asleep in a boat, in a storm, but greater than Jonah all Jesus needs to do is awake and speak and the sea is calmed, but Jesus will be thrown overboard. His own people will reject Him and cast Him off. Jesus will die and He will be swallowed by the earth for three days. God will raise Him from the dead. Jesus’ death would purchase forgiveness even for His murderers. Once He rose from the dead His Gospel went out to the world, beyond the Jews, to the Gentiles, the Greeks, the Romans, the Ottomans, the Asians, the Africans, and the Americans, the Minnesotans, even you.
The sign of Jonah points us to this reality. God chose His Son to save you. The lot was cast against Jesus in eternity. God threw His Son overboard into the depths of hell as He hung on the cross, so that a whole boatload of people could be saved. So that you could be saved, not because you deserve it, but because God chose to save you, because God loves you and desires you.
The sign of Jonah points us to the truth that eight words can save a city and tap water can save an infant and bread and wine can feed you life everlasting. Not any eight words, not any water, not any bread or wine, but the Word of God preached, water combined with God’s Word, bread and wine over which Jesus speaks. Preaching and the Sacraments work forgiveness, bring to faith, sustain us for life everlasting.
The sign of Jonah also points us to the reality of Christian life. Life for the baptized Christian (and Jonah’s plunge into the sea was a baptism) is death and resurrection. We follow our Savior. Our life is shaped by His. Nineveh was brought to faith because Jonah died to himself and was raised in Christ. Since God delivered Jonah from the depth of his sin and death Jonah didn’t need to fear the Ninevites or the Gospel forgiving them. Let Jonah be your sign. You have died with Christ in your baptism and been raised to new life in Him. You’re in the boat of the Holy Christian Church right now. God has saved you from the depth of your sin and its hellish hole. Follow Jonah. Head into your local Nineveh, and confess God’s Words, remembering this – one man’s sacrifice saved the world, eight words from God can save a city, even Ninevites can be brought to faith, just like you were. In the name of Jesus. Amen.