What’s the Point?
Jonah • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Intro
Intro
Typical intro stuff
Recap the series of Jonah as a whole.
I’ll just sort of go chapter by chapter just real quick so if you have your bible, turn to the book of Jonah with me.
Intro - Message on Salvation
Then a true introduction to Jonah
Then we did this little mini series of #don’tbeajonah and you might be a jonah.
Then we had a couple lessons…one on sovereignty and one on repentance.
And that finally lands us to chapter 4.
Chapter 4 get us into answering the ultimate question about the book and that is…what’s the point.
That’s the title of our message. What’s the point?
As in, what’s the point of reading about Jonah and him being thrown into a storm, and swallowed by a fish and going to the city of Nineveh and telling them to repent?
What’s the point? Chapter 4 answers that. So let’s do this…let’s read the whole chapter, I’ll explain just some cool things on the way what didn’t necessarily make it’s way into our points of the message, and then we will answer the questions, what’s the point.
***READ TEXT BUT START WITH 3:10***
Well the point is, despite whoever the ninevites are, despite however Jonah acts…the point is God is who he is described as in verse 2.
And verse 2 is the pinnacle of the book.
It’s the reason for the existence of the book.
Jonah is a satirical story told to accent what? To Accent who God is.
The point is…
God is gracious (v.2).
Definition: Undeserved favor. Something given that is not deserved.
Gracious to the ninevites by giving them opportunity and time to repent…and even allowing them to since they are not God’s chosen people…
Gracious to Jonah through the fish but now in this chapter the plant.
Gracious to you by sending you Jesus.
God is merciful (v.2).
Definition: Something withheld that was deserved.
Merciful to the ninevites to withold destruction and relent like it says at the end of chapter 3…
Merciful to Jonah not to smite him…drown him in the sea, swallow up permanently with the fish, smit him again for being angry, cause him to die of heat stroke…
Merciful to you by witholding the punishment you deserved and placing his judgement and wrath upon Christ.
God is patient (v.2).
It says that God is slow to anger. He had every right to be angry…
At Nineveh for the unrepentant sin before the message was preached
At Jonah for his foolishness, disobedience, anger, hard-heartedness and so much more.
At us while we were still sinners and not saints.
25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’
God is loving (v.2).
Richard did a great job talking about Agape, God’s love just a couple weeks ago. If you missed it check it out on our YouTube channel or podcast channel.
But to sum it up…God’s love is what motivated him. To Ninevah…to Jonah…and to us.
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
God is compassionate (v.2).
It says that he is relenting from disaster. Meaning that despite what he could do, despite we deserve…or what the ninevites deserved…God does relent from disaster because he has compassion on man.
Definition: sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
Concern for suffering. It’s not just that he loves…it’s that through love he concerns himself with our suffering. The suffering of sinners.
Gently and Lowly
God is gracious, merciful, patient, and compassionate. And Jonah is not (v.3 and v.8)…but he should be.
And so should we be.
This should…
Stir your heart towards God.
47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
Stir your heart towards others.
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
Spur on your mission.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”