Marina Christian Fellowship
Sunday 10 AM - October 6th, 2019
Sunday Worship Service
Locations & Times
Marina Christian Fellowship
12606 Culver Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066, USA
Sunday 11:01 AM
Series: Grace Trek: Jonah’s Journey, Our Journey
Title: You Can Run But You Can’t Hide
Text: Jonah 1:3-6, Luke 17:5-6
A fall from grace
What we think of as a “fall from grace” can often actually be a fall into grace.
Hiding and compartmentalizing are a sure sign that a person is running from God. People live secret lives because they are ashamed of their behavior and don’t want to be exposed. Compartmentalizing happens when a person is trying to hide a part of themselves, for which they are ashamed, from themselves.
We can run, but we can’t hide.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. Psalm 139:11-12
When we think we are hiding out in the dark, God sees us just the same as if we are in the light of day. There is no hiding from the presence of God.
3 So Jonah got up—to flee to Tarshish from the Lord! He went down to Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went aboard to go with them to Tarshish, away from the Lord. Jonah 1:3 (CEB)
4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, so that there was a great storm on the sea; the ship looked like it might be broken to pieces. 5 The sailors were terrified, and each one cried out to his god. They hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to make it lighter. Now Jonah had gone down into the hold of the vessel to lie down and was deep in sleep. Jonah 1:4-5 (CEB)
Denial
6 The ship’s officer came and said to him, “How can you possibly be sleeping so deeply? Get up! Call on your god! Perhaps the god will give some thought to us so that we won’t perish.” Jonah 1:6 (CEB)
Jonah woke up to the reality that he could try to run from God, but he couldn’t hide. Reality had caught up to him.
Wake up calls never feel like grace, but they can often be the best gift God ever gives us, because wake up calls are often a saving grace.
God’s Spirit
God’s Word
Our Life
Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. Psalm 139:7-10 (NRSV)
“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasing station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we only tune in.” - George Washington Carver
20 Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. Romans 1:20 (NRSV)
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; Psalm 19:7-8 (NRSV)
37 He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40 (NRSV)
When we are hiding, we can’t live in reality. And to live in reality, according to Jesus, is to live fully alive to love; love for God, love for others, and love for ourselves.
We can’t hide from God’s loving presence. God is always speaking to us, trying to get our attention, to woo us back into right relationship with ourselves, others, and God. There is a fancy theological phrase for this. It is called Prevenient Grace. It is divine Grace that goes before us, when we are still lost and hiding, to help us to choose faith over fear.
When we choose faith, we choose love.
6 The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. Luke 17:6 (NRSV)
The Prodigal Son exercised a mustard seed faith when he decided to trust his dad enough to go home. Trust exists in the courageous choices we make. Thankfully, even when we run from reality, God seeks us out and inspires even the smallest amount of trust so we can choose love, relationship, and faith over our fear.
Title: You Can Run But You Can’t Hide
Text: Jonah 1:3-6, Luke 17:5-6
A fall from grace
What we think of as a “fall from grace” can often actually be a fall into grace.
Hiding and compartmentalizing are a sure sign that a person is running from God. People live secret lives because they are ashamed of their behavior and don’t want to be exposed. Compartmentalizing happens when a person is trying to hide a part of themselves, for which they are ashamed, from themselves.
We can run, but we can’t hide.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. Psalm 139:11-12
When we think we are hiding out in the dark, God sees us just the same as if we are in the light of day. There is no hiding from the presence of God.
3 So Jonah got up—to flee to Tarshish from the Lord! He went down to Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went aboard to go with them to Tarshish, away from the Lord. Jonah 1:3 (CEB)
4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, so that there was a great storm on the sea; the ship looked like it might be broken to pieces. 5 The sailors were terrified, and each one cried out to his god. They hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to make it lighter. Now Jonah had gone down into the hold of the vessel to lie down and was deep in sleep. Jonah 1:4-5 (CEB)
Denial
6 The ship’s officer came and said to him, “How can you possibly be sleeping so deeply? Get up! Call on your god! Perhaps the god will give some thought to us so that we won’t perish.” Jonah 1:6 (CEB)
Jonah woke up to the reality that he could try to run from God, but he couldn’t hide. Reality had caught up to him.
Wake up calls never feel like grace, but they can often be the best gift God ever gives us, because wake up calls are often a saving grace.
God’s Spirit
God’s Word
Our Life
Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. Psalm 139:7-10 (NRSV)
“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasing station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we only tune in.” - George Washington Carver
20 Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. Romans 1:20 (NRSV)
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; 8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; Psalm 19:7-8 (NRSV)
37 He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40 (NRSV)
When we are hiding, we can’t live in reality. And to live in reality, according to Jesus, is to live fully alive to love; love for God, love for others, and love for ourselves.
We can’t hide from God’s loving presence. God is always speaking to us, trying to get our attention, to woo us back into right relationship with ourselves, others, and God. There is a fancy theological phrase for this. It is called Prevenient Grace. It is divine Grace that goes before us, when we are still lost and hiding, to help us to choose faith over fear.
When we choose faith, we choose love.
6 The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. Luke 17:6 (NRSV)
The Prodigal Son exercised a mustard seed faith when he decided to trust his dad enough to go home. Trust exists in the courageous choices we make. Thankfully, even when we run from reality, God seeks us out and inspires even the smallest amount of trust so we can choose love, relationship, and faith over our fear.
If you want to reference any of the songs sung today:
One Thing Remains by Brian Johnson
Reckless Love by Cory Asbury
I Love the Lord by Tommy Walker
Great and Marvelous by Tommy Walker
On and On by Housefires
One Thing Remains by Brian Johnson
Reckless Love by Cory Asbury
I Love the Lord by Tommy Walker
Great and Marvelous by Tommy Walker
On and On by Housefires
Upcoming Events
10/13/19 - Youth Gathering at 9 AM in youth room<br>10/13/19 - Grace Trek Sermon Series: Thrown Overboard<br>10/17/19 - S.P.Y. Dinner<br>10/19/19 - Youth Movie Night at 4:30 PM in the youth room10/20/19 - Grace Trek Sermon Series: In the Belly of the Beast
Your Giving Makes a Difference!
MCF “happens” because of your giving! Your generous financial partnership is vital and greatly appreciated! You can give at the following link below or by texting MCF to 77977.
https://pushpay.com/g/marinachristian?src=hpp