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Flight From Duty

TEXTJonah 1:1-3

INTRODUCTION:

A.      RUNNING FROM GOD, NOT FOR HIM - A FLIGHT FROM DUTY.

b.      Jonah not a myth or parable as some believe( 2 Kings 14:25 ).

C.      LIFE IS NOT MEASURED BY MONEY, POWER OR PLEASURE, BUT HOW

          ONE HAS DONE HIS DUTY.

I.      JONAH AND HIS DUTY.

A.      HIS DUTY WAS CLEAR.

          1.       What constitutes duty? God's command( Ecc. 12:13 ).

          2.       God's command to Jonah clear( vs. 2 ).

          3.       Many difficult passages, but our duties made clear, i.e. Plan of Salvation.

B.      HIS DUTY WAS DISAGREEABLE... TO HIM.

          1.       Why?  Possibly distance or lack of confidence.  Prejudice.

          2.       Sometimes our duty is unpleasant.  A right heart.

C.      HIS DUTY WAS EVADED, BUT GOD BROUGHT HIM BACK.

II.     THE CHRISTIAN AND HIS DUTY.

A.      THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS ON OF DUTY AND SERVICE.

          1.       opheilo  to owe, to be under obligation (ought, must, should),

                   Trans. "duty" only twice in NT( Luke 17:10;  Rom. 15:27 KJV ).

          2.       Also trans. "owe, ought, must needs, should, debt" throughout NT.

B       EXAMPLES OF OUR DUTY.  REMEMBER DON'T BE LIKE JONAH!

          1.       Rom. 13:8.  Love one another( John 13:34-35;  1 John 4:11, 20;  3:16-18 ).

          2.       John 4:24.  Worship( Heb. 10:25 ).

          3.       Romans 1:14-15.  Teach others( 2 Tim. 2:2;  Heb. 5:12 ).

          4.       Heb. 5:12. Grow and learn( 2 Tim. 2:15 ).

          5.       Romans 15:1, 27.  Help the weak( Gal. 6:2, 10 ).

          6.       1 Tim. 3:15.  Behave( 1 Pet. 2:11-12 ).

          7.       2 Thess. 1:3;  2 Thess. 2:13.  Be thankful( Eph. 5:20 ).

III.    THE TRUTH REGARDING DUTY.

A.      DUTY IS INESCAPABLE( Ecc. 12:13-14 ).  JONAH COULDN'T ESCAPE.

B.      DUTY IS NON-TRANSFERABLE( 2 Cor. 5:10 ).

C.      DUTY IS REVEALING - IT MAKES KNOWN OUR LOVE, OUR

          CHARACTER, AND ULTIMATELY OUR DESTINY.

CONCLUSION:

A.      DUTY OR DESERTION.

B.      FLIGHT FROM DUTY IS ALWAYS DOWN( Jonah 1:3, 15, 17 ).

C.      DUTY SUMMED UP( Ecc. 12:13-14 )