Cutting the Connection by Brother Curtis Hansen

         Good morning. Welcome to the Easter service and our message is not going to be a traditional message of the stone rolled away and empty tomb. It's recorded in all four gospels which you can read at any time. Easter is more than a moment for people. It is a symbol of a lot of things. Some symbolism is centered on emotion. To believers, Easter symbolizes the dispensation of grace. To me, Easter means, "Those who have seen me have seen the father," and "Whosoever believes in me shall be saved." Easter is about joy, renewal, forgiveness, submission. 

        If you look at individuals in the Bible, the heroes of faith, you would see that they are not perfect in their life and that they had made mistakes. In the accounts of men like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, even David, they all made mistakes but the difference was that they learned from them. When Jesus calls a person out, he leads them with a need. We are going to be in the book of Jonah and will be in the first chapter and the first verse.

        Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

        2 Arise, go to Ninevah, that great city, and cry against it: for their wickedness is come up before me.

        3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereon, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

        4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

        5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

        6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

        7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

        8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

        9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.

        10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.

        11 Then they said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous,

        12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

        13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

        14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee.

        15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

        16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows.

        In the walk of the christian believer, christians have a hard time with connection and a harder time with severing connection for bad and harmful people or influences. This story is primarily about a man running from a purpose. Many people have run from God in the manner that Jonah did, because there are things our flesh still doesn't want to give up. Sin needs company and you can't gossip alone. That's why we have that one friend we can do actions and speak with in secret that keeps our flesh satisfied.

        This was a merchant's ship Jonah had paid his fare to board. As he was fleeing his calling from the Lord, he would take a route 2500 miles away from his assignment. There was a "I don't want to" attitude to Jonah. Many christians adopt the same attitude when their walk goes below surface things. When it goes into changing patterns, learning new practices, casting off the old and putting on the new. A general and basic truth is that if you aren't getting closer towards God, you're moving farther away from him. You will not be in the same spot this time next year. Next year, you could very well be out of church all together.

        The cost is high for rebellion and disobedience. It will cost you money, time, and relationships in the long run for the short gains you make. Tithing is a touchy subject in church because the misconception of true ownership. People bristle at giving God 10%, but they have no hesitation in how much they spend on their indulgence. If you are looking for a sign, you will find it. By verse 10, Jonah knows he is the problem. Jonah knew the winds and danger were due to his disobedience. Even then he was trying to seek blessing while on the run. Easter is about the cursing of the connection to the world as we live in the time of grace. You aren't going to remain in active rebellion and not receive punishment. 

        Jonah was negative about the revival in Ninevah. As the winds raged and the danger grew, the mariners tossed their wares into the sea. They were still willing to risk rowing to land even after knowing who it was that was the cause of this event. Jonah told them! The problem in this instance is that Jonah did not voluntarily leave and had to be removed. Similar how we are with certain connections in the world. Things could be in a mess for us, friends and confidants tell you what it is or who it is and you won't cut the cord. It's up to us to cut the cord.

        What id it's not God nor the devil but our choices that has us in the spot we are in? It's boiled down to our will and God's will and which one will you serve? Don't let a connection in your life ruin your whole life. Fight the refusal, the "I don't want to" urge.