Our reading is Jonah 1:1-3. Jonah is one of the twelve Minor Prophets. They are considered minor because their books are brief. Tradition tells us Jonah was written by the prophet himself. The date it was written is approximately 600 BC. One of the most intriguing elements of this Old Testament book are the New Testament undertones. For example, the name Jonah means “dove,” the New Testament symbol of the Holy Spirit. Also, Jonah was saved by a great fish, which is the New Testament symbol of the Christian faith. However, what is important to us today is the basic storyline. Everyone knows the story of Jonah.
His calling comes in the very first verse of the book, “The word of the Lord came to Jonah.” That was a common phrase when prophets were called. It is found in other places in the Old Testament. Never forget, prophets were called to speak on behalf of God, not predict future events. The problem is not that Jonah didn’t understand his calling. The problem was Jonah didn’t want to deliver the divine message. God tells him to go to Nineveh and preach a message of repentance. Jonah didn’t care for the Ninevites. Instead of Nineveh, he headed in the opposite direction. He goes to the coastal town of Joppa and bought a ticket for Tarshish. Geography is important in this story. The two cities, Nineveh and Tarshish, represented the opposite ends of the commercial world in ancient times. Nineveh was located on the Tigris River in modern day Assyria, and Tarshish was located on the coast in modern day southwestern Spain. Jonah has been called the reluctant prophet. He forgot God is always present, everywhere. However, his story leads us to an interesting question.
How many souls have you won for Jesus Christ? Did you know, according to various sources, only 1% of all Christians have won a soul for Jesus Christ? That means 99% of us have never won a soul for Jesus Christ. Maybe that is why so many know the story of Jonah. We can relate to Jonah. He was to go to Nineveh and call them to repent, but he refused to go. We are to win the world for Jesus Christ, but we refuse to evangelize. How many souls have you won for Jesus Christ? Here is another question.
Why aren’t Christian’s evangelizing? That is the question Steven Lee tried to answer. He is the pastor of the North Church in Mounds, Minnesota. In a website called Desiring God, he says there are four basic reasons why Christians don’t evangelize. Maybe you will find yourself on this list.
- Ignorance Some don’t share the Gospel message because they don’t understand Jesus’ sacrificial death. They believe they can earn their salvation.
- Apathy Some don’t share the Gospel message, because they really don’t care about people. Many are more concerned about animals than people.
- Fear Some don’t share the Gospel message because they are afraid. They are afraid of not being accepted by their community or circle of friends. Some are afraid of losing respect within their group or losing popularity.
- Discrimination Some don’t share the Gospel message because they don’t care for an entire group of people. That was Jonah’s story. He didn’t want to go to Nineveh because he didn’t like the Ninevites. How many groups do you belittle?
Can I be honest with you? I believe the 99% statistic is wrong. I believe many more than 1% of all Christians have won a soul for Jesus Christ. I believe that statistic is wrong because the question is flawed. The question, have you won a soul for Jesus Christ, reminds us of Billy Graham’s (1918-2018) great evangelistic crusades. At the end of every service an altar call was given, and countless people came forward to accept Jesus Christ. However, evangelism is not limited to altar calls. Evangelism is not limited to a one-time experience. Evangelism is anytime we share Jesus. How many times have you shared Jesus with your words or actions? Let me tell you a little story.
My wife Kathryn was raised in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. The entire family attended the local United Methodist Church. She attended Sunday school weekly.
Kathryn will tell you the best Sunday school teacher she ever had was a woman by the name of Carol. She was a stay at home mother who raised her three sons with her husband Bob. She wanted the best for them, and the best she had to offer them was Jesus. It was for this reason that she taught the high school class, which included her sons and my wife. Every Sunday morning at 9:30, she was with a group of high school students talking about Jesus. Not a single student in that class questioned her sincerity, she had known Jesus for years. Not a single student in the class questioned her commitment to them. She wanted the best for them and the best for them was Jesus. She wanted that group of teenagers to live for Jesus. My wife felt her first calling into the ministry thanks to Carol.
As a loving husband, I have to say, Carol changed my wife’s life. When Kathryn was in high school, Carol made her feel special. When Kathryn was in college, Carol prayed for her regularly. When Kathryn was in seminary, Carol invited her to come back to the church to speak to a small group of women. It was a way to encourage her. When Kathryn took those first United Methodist appointments, Carol saw her potential. When Kathryn and I moved to the Cleveland area, Carol visited our churches. When we travelled back to Kathryn’s hometown, Carol was on the itinerary. When our daughter Anna (who Carol had watched as a baby) graduated high school, Carol was invited to the party. They are now friends on Facebook. We travelled back to the Cleveland area several years ago to celebrate Carol’s special birthday. She wanted to know what Jesus was doing in our lives. She has always brought the best out of other people because she always wanted the best for them. She knew the best she could offer them was Jesus. She is simply one of the finest people I have ever known. Ask Carol if she saved Kathryn’s soul for Jesus Christ and she will say, “No!” But she has been evangelizing to Kathryn for years. Let me ask you a question.
Who is your Carol? Who led you to Jesus and encouraged your growth in the Christian faith? It is safe to say that person did not have an advanced degree in evangelism. It is equally safe to say, that person knew Jesus and wanted the best for you. The best we can offer people is Jesus. International evangelist Luis Palau (1934-2021) must have known Carol. He once said, “Evangelism is not an option for the Christian life.”
Russ Adams 