Jonah: A Type of Christ and Sign of His Death, Burial, and Resurrection

Jonah is a type of Christ. Jesus taught that the Old Testament is about Him (Luke 24:27). Jonah serves as one of the clearest types and shadows of Christ. When Jesus was asked for a sign, He staked His death, burial, and resurrection on the prophet. Additionally, the storm the disciples experienced with Jesus in the boat parallels the storm Jonah experienced when the sailors threw him overboard. Having Jesus in the boat with the disciples didn't stop the storm they experienced any more than a relationship with Jesus stops the storms we experience. Jonah died and calmed the storm so they might live, but only Jesus calms the storm of God's wrath that's against us so we might live eternally. https://youtu.be/WS61ZFGNEfA Jonah is a type of Christ. When Jesus was asked for a sign, He staked His death, burial, and resurrection on the prophet. Table of ContentsFamily Worship Guide for Jonah a Type of ChristSermon Notes for Jonah a Type of ChristLesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part I) left Jewish territory for Gentile territory.Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part II) experienced a terrible storm.Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part III) slept during the storm.Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part IV) were woken by sailors.Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part V) calmed the storm.Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part VI) were with men who came to fear god.Lesson 2: having Jesus in the boat doesn’t prevent the storms of life.Lesson 3: the storms of life don’t mean Jesus doesn’t care.Lesson 4: Jesus calms the storms in our hearts.Lesson 5: Jonah is a sign because he (part I) “died” and was “buried” for three days and three nights.Lesson 5: Jonah is a sign because he (part II) was resurrected on the third day.Lesson 6: (part I) Jonah laid down his life so others wouldn’t perish…Lesson 6: (part I) Jonah laid down his life so others wouldn’t perish (part II) but only Jesus calms the storm of god’s wrath. Family Worship Guide for Jonah a Type of Christ Day 1: Read Jonah 1 and discuss: In what parts of this chapter is Jesus foreshadowed? How about in the rest of the Old Testament? In other words, what other types and shadows of Christ come to mind, such as Abraham sacrificing Isaac, the manna, bronze serpent, etc.? How is Jesus revealed through these shadows? Day 2: Read James 1:2, Acts 14:22, 1 Thessalonians 3:3, 1 Peter 4:12, and John 16:33 and discuss: What do we tend to think we will avoid if we’re obedient? What are the dangers of this false belief? Why are so many Christians surprised by trials? Describe your most recent trial (or current one) and your initial reaction. Was it a surprise? How did/have you respond/ed? Day 3: Read Romans 12:15, 1 Corinthians 12:26, Proverbs 25:20, and Job 2:13: What is Proverbs 25:20 instructing us to do (and not do)? What did Job’s friends do right, and then do wrong? Think back to a time in your life when you “rejoiced” with someone suffering. What about a time you “wept” with someone suffering? How does Christ allow us to do both? Day 4: Read Mark 4:35-41 and discuss: Why did the disciples need to be rebuked? What had Jesus said would happen (that they should have remembered and counseled themselves with)? Think back to the last time you were experiencing a storm. Consider your words, actions, and reactions; what did they reveal about your faith and trust in God’s Word? What would you do differently now? Day 5: Read Matthew 12:39-40 and Jonah 2 and discuss: How is Jonah a “sign”? Is Jonah dead or alive? What words or phrases are used that lead you to think he is actually dead? What words and phrases describe his “burial”? What about his “resurrection”? Why does he sound dead when he’s alive? How is Jesus the true and greater Jonah? Sermon Notes for Jonah a Type of Christ Let me begin w/ a question… Who is the Old Testament primarily about? Not David Not Abraham Not Moses Jesus! Luke 24:27 Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets (this is a NT way of referring to the OT), [Jesus] expounded to them in all the Scriptures THE THINGS CONCERNING HIMSELF. Luke 24:44 [Jesus] said, “All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms CONCERNING ME.” My personal favorite: Hebrews 10:7 Jesus said, “Behold, I have come – in the volume of the book IT IS WRITTEN OF ME.” How is the OT about Jesus? First, there are hundreds of prophecies of Him. Second, there are dramatic types – or shadows – of Him… Hebrews 10:1 [The Old Testament] was only A SHADOW of the good things to come not the realities themselves; the realities are found in Christ. Colossians 2:16-17 A festival or a new moon or Sabbaths…are A SHADOW of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Shadows are a perfect way to describe the types of Christ in the OT, b/c: Shadows give you an outline of what something looks like w/o completely revealing the object…like Christ wasn’t completely revealed in the OT. When you see a shadow, you know there must be something casting it, or something behind it…and that’s Christ. Finally, you never look at a shadow and think it’s the real thing: You don’t see the shadow of a tree or car and think it’s a tree or car: Shadows have no reality or substance themselves. In the language of Hebrews 10:1 and Colossians 2:17 the reality and substance is found in Christ. Let me give you an example of a shadow in the OT that looks forward to Christ…and I’d like to ask the children to help me w/ it… Please make sure you have something to write with, and a piece of paper that will allow you to write one name. I’m going to tell you about one of the most famous accounts in Scripture. Most of you are very familiar w/ it. Then I’m going to ask you a simple question at the end. Everyone have a paper and something to write with? A group of men set out on a boat. They left Jewish territory and headed for Gentile territory. While they were traveling, one of the men headed below to sleep. The ship encountered a huge storm that threatened to drown everyone on board. While the storm was taking place – almost unbelievably – the man who went below remained sleeping! The other men on board were terrified, so they woke him to get his help. Soon after that the storm was calmed and the lives of the men on board were spared! As a result they all expressed great fear of the Lord. Now here’s the question: what is the name of the individual who was sleeping in the bottom of the ship? Raise your hand if you wrote, “Jesus.” Raise your hand if you wrote, “Jonah.” Raise your hand if you wrote “Jonah and Jesus.” You cheated. I told you to write one name J. See how Jonah is a type or shadow of Jesus? Please open your Bibles to the Book of Jonah. Not easy to find. It’s toward the middle of the minor prophets: Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum. Let’s begin w/ Lesson 1… Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part I) left Jewish territory for Gentile territory. We’ll read the verses in Jonah, and I’ll read the corresponding verses in Mark’s Gospel. Jonah 1:1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. The corresponding verse in Mark’s Gospel… Mark 4:35 On the same day, when evening had come, [Jesus] said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Jesus was in Capernaum and He headed to the Gadarenes. He left Jewish territory and headed to Gentile territory. Jonah set out across the sea. He left Jewish territory and headed to Gentile territory. The next part of Lesson 1… Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part II) experienced a terrible storm. Jonah 1:4 But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. The corresponding verse in Mark’s Gospel… Mark 4:37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. In both accounts, the storms are throwing the ships around like little toys, and huge waves were crashing over the sides. It was terrifying for all the men aboard…except for two of them. And this brings us to the next part of Lesson 1… Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part III) slept during the storm. Jonah 1:5 Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, AND WAS FAST ASLEEP. The corresponding verse in Mark’s Gospel… Mark 4:38a But [Jesus] was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. This is the other miracle in the account: Jonah and Jesus could both sleep during this storm! The next part of Lesson 1… Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part IV) were woken by sailors. Jonah 1:6 So the captain came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.” The corresponding verse in Mark’s Gospel… Mark 4:38b They awoke [Jesus] and said, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” They said the same thing to Jesus and Jonah: “We’re going to die!” The sailors in both accounts were experienced at sea. For them to be so afraid reveals how terrible this was. The next part of Lesson 1… Lesson 1: Jesus and Jonah (part V) calmed the storm. We’re going to read a fairly large portion w/o stopping… Jonah 1:7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him,...