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March 8, 2023

A Whale of A Preacher

A Preacher came to town this week. No one knows exactly when he arrived. He did not come by ship as many newcomers to our region come. He did not travel with many of the large groups that pass through. He just seemed to appear from out of the mist, from nowhere. His entrance into our city was strange and his message was even more strange. Stranger still is that the authorities did nothing to restrain, redirect, or regulate his disturbance of the peace of our city. The preacher was not like the many religious men we are familiar with. He was not canvasing for donations. He was not offering miraculous cures for a price. He was not attempting to establish a new religious order. He was not calling for anyone to join him. Nevertheless, his words were startling to any who had heard him. An eyewitness said, “when he spoke it was like he was speaking directly to me” Another person reported “it was like he knew things about me” Many of the business owners are fearful that the preacher will cause much of their clientele to drop their patronage. In an exclusive interview one of our largest investment leaders stated, “I fear the worse if this man continues unrestrained.” Along the coastline many of the citizens who make their living from the sea find the preacher a bit entertaining. One of our well-known fishermen who requests to remain anonymous says, “I can’t see anything wrong with what he is doing. Truly, I think he is a whale of a preacher.” Not all citizens appear as generous toward the “preacher”.

A prominent leader of the city who also has requested that her name not be used was irate with the decline in her district since the preacher has arrived. In fact, she has begun a petition to have the authorities put an end to the preacher’s activities. Frankly this may not be as easy as some think it should be. The preacher has not done much other than preach his message to whoever will stop and listen. He has not attempted to solicit donations or financial commitments. He has not laid any groundwork for a new place of worship. It is hard to point to anything that he has done besides preach. But this man has indeed preached. The words that he has loudly proclaimed to any who will stop, and listen has had great impact. Take for example one of the local scholars who is well acquainted with traditional religious beliefs that are represented in our region. He is convinced that the preacher has a message that citizens ought to be more attentive to. He cites a legendary story of the destruction of the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as a result of the anger of a powerful God of that region.

It is chilling to consider the possibility of such an event occurring in our own city. But this is what the preacher is saying. The message of the preacher is that God is angry with the way we have been living. According to the preacher we have only one choice. We have to turn from what he calls our ungodly behavior and turn in obedience to his words and look to his God for forgiveness. Repent! He says, Repent, before God comes and visits us with great retribution and destruction. From the highest government officials to the lowliest vagrant on the streets everyone everywhere is wondering Who is this preacher? Where does he come from? Did his God send him to warn us? And most importantly what if his message is true? In an exclusive interview with an official from our government we will hear an important message from the government regarding the preacher’s message.

I wrote this narrative in 2015 as part of a series of articles and narratives to encourage us to be sensitive to God’s call of obedience and commitment to his great commission to go out and make disciples.

This narrative is a parody of the ministry of Jonah the reluctant prophet of God. You can read Jonah’s story in the Old Testament the Book of Jonah. God sent Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh. Because Nineveh was such an ancient and fierce enemy of Israel and others Jonah did not want to go. He knew that if the people repented God would forgive their sins. He did not want to be a part of that. He wanted to see the destruction of that great city.

There are two issues that Jonah should have reflected upon before attempting to thwart God’s plans.

1. What God purposes can not be altered by man’s unbelief, unwillingness, or disruptive actions. The scriptures say, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Numbers 23:19

2. God is sovereign, he is the very source of all power. I like how the Psalmist expresses it so simply, “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.”

Years ago, there was a cool phrase that I believe was part of a song, your arms are too short to box with God: Just a reminder of Who we have to deal with. We can spend our lifetime denying there is a God, but when the end comes, and we leave this life we will stand before the great God almighty who will open the book of our lives and from that book, he will judge us. The scriptures say, “it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”

This narrative of Jonah and the city of Nineveh is very timely. As we are watching God moving in the lives of thousands of students on college campuses across our nation, I am reminded that God still visits with grace and mercy for any who will come to him in sincerity of heart to repent and cry out to him for his grace and forgiveness.

Imagine if God would send a messenger into your community to preach his word and call you to repentance what would your response be?

Now that you have read this narrative what is your response?

If you are interested in learning more about the revival taking place in Wilmore Kentucky at Asbury College check out this link:https://www.asbury.edu/outpouring/

Father, I thank you for the timelessness of your Word and your Promises. I pray you will use these words to encourage your children as they grow in their relationship with you. I pray that you will work in the heart of every person who does not know you as Lord to bring them to yourself, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Father, I thank you for the timelessness of your Word and your Promises. I pray you will use these words to encourage your children as they grow in their relationship with you. I pray that you will work in the heart of every person who does not know you as Lord to bring them to yourself, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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