What Meanest Thou, O Sleeper? Arise!

Temple Baptist Church - 1-11-2009

Jonah 1:6

Introduction:

1. Jonah Is Called Of God - 1

2. Jonah Failed To Obey The Lord’s Command - 2

3. Jonah Fled From The Presence Of The Lord - 3

4. Jonah Fell Downward Continually - 3

5. Jonah Found Fast Asleep In A Time Of Storm - 4-5

A. There has been much preaching from the little Book of Jonah and much can be said tonight about his disobedience to God and injustice to the people of Nineveh.

B. Though Jonah eventually got right with the Lord and went to Nineveh, I wonder how many people perished during his time of disobedience. It was an exceedingly great city of three days’ journey. It took three days to get across it and Jonah went a days’ journey into it before he began to preach. I believe that New York City is over 200 miles across. Several days’ journey if you went on foot.

C. The Bible says that there were over 60,000 children not old enough to discern between their right and left hands. This tells us that there were a lot of people there. I know that in the city we live in, which has under 20,000, there are funeral home tents up at the cemeteries almost every day.

D. Jonah was disobedient for many days before his preaching turned Nineveh to God. Let’s look at Jonah for a few minutes and get some help from his life.

E. The Key word here - Fast - to be asleep, be unconscious, be in heavy sleep, fall into heavy sleep, be fast asleep

F. In light of the times and the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we find both the world and the Church spiritually sleeping.

1 Thessalonians 5:6-7 Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

Matthew 13:24-26 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

1. Sleepers are out of touch with reality

2. Sleepers spend most of their time dreaming

3. Sleepers are very comfortable

4. Sleepers do not like to be disturbed

5. Sleepers do not hear and respond well

6. Sleepers are not aware of the needs of others

7. Sleepers get nothing done

Effects of Spiritual Sleep

1. Spiritual Sleep Causes Us To Fall Into Satan’s Snare - Proverbs 6:4-5 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. 5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

2. Spiritual Sleep Brings Poverty - Proverbs 6:6-11 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. 9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: 11 So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. (progression)

Proverbs 20:13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

3. Spiritual Sleep Causes The Harvest To Perish - Proverbs 10:5 He that gathereth in summer [is] a wise son: [but] he that sleepeth in harvest [is] a son that causeth shame.

John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

4. Spiritual Sleep Causes You To Give Into Temptation - Luke 22:46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

5. Spiritual Sleep Causes You To Fall Out Of Church - Acts 20:9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

a. Become unfaithful

b. Become undependable

6. Spiritual Sleep Causes You To Stumble - Ephesians 5:14-15 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,