Third Person Pt. 9: Jonah - 10/27/2024
Pastor David Morrison Jonah had been running because the Lord had told him to give a message. Jonah was running from the creator of the seas and found himself in the storm. - Jonah 1:2 (NLT) The sailors offered God a sacrifice and vowed to serve Him! God Rescues the Pagan Sailors - Jonah has been running from God, and he doesn't want to do what God says so much that he is willing to leave his country and go as far in the opposite direction as possible! So, they cast Jonah overboard, and God sends a great fish; Scripture says...it doesn't mention a whale, and it swallows Jonah, and he lives in the belly of the whale for 3 days and nights. God Miraculously Rescues Jonah - So, while in the belly of the fish, he cries out to God in prayer: - Jonah 2:1-3a, 7-9 (NLT) - Jonah vows to do what the Lord says, as though he were surrounded by death. God hears him and is his salvation! Then the Lord tells Jonah to go to Ninevah and deliver the message He gave him, "Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are." Jonah goes to Ninevah. It's a massive city, so big it takes three days to walk across, and he walks in one day and says a few words. It almost feels done halfway. Jonah 3:4b (NLT) - The people of Ninevah, including the king, heard the message, repented, and declared three days of fasting and mourning, even for the animals. Jonah 3:10 (NLT) God Rescues the People Of Ninevah - This is good news, right!? Not in the eyes of Jonah. Ninevah was the Capital of the empire of Assyria, a massive empire that was taking over part of the world. They did this ruthlessly and under the authority of its false gods. Jonah 4:2-3 (NLT) - When a prophet says something that doesn't happen, that's not good for his prophet's street cred. Jonah 4:10 (NLT) - As I prayed about this, I was moved by the power of repentance and God's forgiving nature! The Old Testament presents a picture of the Gospel, the Good News of God's Grace! In this story, God rescues a group of filthy pagan sailors who say they will serve God now. He rescues a rebellious prophet who ran from God and wasn't obedient with a good attitude, and then He rescues a group of people known for their brutality, who simply repent! "Repentance is a change of mind, heart, and direction." - David's Sunday School Teacher. - True repentance is like Jonah, who went 2,500 miles in the opposite direction - it is a change! It is one thing to recognize that God's grace is available to all people; it's another to accept that this is possible for people who have harmed you. When extending grace becomes personal, you realize just how powerful it is. God’s grace doesn’t rely on your approval, but Scripture also says that the measure we use will be returned to us. Here is the wild thing: sometime later, the people of Ninevah invaded Israel and Judah and captured the holy land. God forgave a people that he knew would sin again in the future. As I began to examine how Jonah's life mirrored Christ's, I realized that Jesus started His ministry on earth in a region near Galilee, where Jonah was from. Matthew 4:17 (NLT) - The message was simple: repent, for God is among us, and His kingdom is coming. So, turn from serving the wrong things and follow me. Matthew 12:39-40 (NLT) - Jonah foreshadowed the resurrection of Christ, who died to restore God's relationship with humanity and demonstrate His authority to do these things! He cares about you so much... - He offers an opportunity to repent and turn to Him. - He offers you a chance to stop running from the call that He has placed on your life. - He offers You a call to extend grace to those that you would rather not. He cares about you so much that, like Jonah, He invites you to answer a question: Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city? Do you share the burden that God has for others? Do you share the love for the unlovable that God has?