What happens when people don’t act the way they are supposed to? What does it do to us when we find out a police officer abuses the authority that we have given him? When a politician is caught in corruption? When a parent abuses their child? When crimes are committed against humanity?When a Christian defames the name and cause of Christ?This week we will be wrestling with this issue and many more. We will be starting a four-part sermon series entitled: Jonah: A Book of Opposite Stereotypes. The Book of Jonah is found in the section of the Bible called the “Minor Prophets”. Unlike the other writings in this section, the Book of Jonah focuses more on the prophet versus the prophetic message of the prophet. As we go through this book over the next several weeks we will find that this message is written a lot like modern day satire in literature. “Satire is a technique employed by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society, by using humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule. It intends to improve humanity by criticizing its follies and foibles” (www.LiteraryDevices.net). Satire literature is by and large fictional but the Book of Jonah is written by a real, historical figure showing his very real and sometimes ugly flaws.At the beginning, during and the end of this series I want to invite us (you and me) to ask ourselves two basic questions. I invite us to wrestle with them. I invite us to let the Holy Spirit guide us through this process. I invite us to grow through the study of the Book of Jonah. Questions to Ponder:What happens when people don’t act the way they are supposed to?What happens when I don’t act the way I’m supposed to?May we act as disciples of Jesus recognizing that our actions have consequences and eternity is at stake. Grace and Peace,Pastor Geraldo
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