Jonah: Can You Accept Other's Repentance

Good morning.

I pray that everyone had a wonderful spring break and are refreshed and ready for the sprint to the end of the school year

I did not get a chance to get nails for the cross yet but will try to do that this week sometime we still have the push pins that seemed to work last week

Again I do not look at the things that are placed on the cross....I pray over them and last Sunday night I burned them

I would love to talk with you however if you put something on the cross

One of the things I long for as a Pastor is to be able to sit with you......the flock that God has given to me and talk with you about your struggles, your victories, just doing life together

I am available and willing to sit down in an informal or formal manner

I would love to sit and do pastoral counseling with you or just sit over a cup of coffee and talk about life

Please make me busy!!!!!!!

I spoke with Pastor Ian this morning and he and the church there in Kenya send their kind regards to you

they are so thankful for your love and support

The two loving couples who paid the rent for the building in Kenya that the congregation uses as their church building have agreed to do that again this year....Praise God for that!!!!!

There is however a need in Kenya.....we as a church were able to purchase Pastor Ian a laptop from GNPI and he is very grateful

The problem is WIFI. It is $295 us dollars to get WIFI set up where Ian lives and he nor the church there can afford that so he is asking for help.......if you can help with part or all of that please let me know and we will work out getting those funds to him

they would love to use some of our messages from our website and have requested that I do some video teaching for them but all of that requires wifi

Please prayerfully consider how you can help

Couple of prayer requests

James Washburn had his surgery and is home recovering. Very sore and in quite a bit of pain. Pray for his recover and endurance as he walks this road and for his family as they are caretakers and that is very hard.....Pray for Tracy as she works as well during this time

Nolan Evans fell Friday evening/night. Nothing is broken but he did cut his head and is very sore which is why he is not here this morning. Pray for his recovery and for Sherryl as she takes care of him as he recovers

If you are new please fill out a contact card...........if you have a prayer request you can fill out a card and place it in the offering plates or on the back table in the front foyer there is a box with some prayer cards on top of it. Fill out the card and drop it in the box and we will pray over your need

If you would like me to pray with you come to me during invitation and I will be more than happy to pray with you.......if you need to be anointed with oil as it says in James we have oil and would love to pray over you as a family come during invitation and talk with me.

Lets Pray

Jonah

Repentance

If I am honest I struggled with this

in fact still struggling with this

I am not sure Jonah truly repented

God doesn’t tell us

As I wrestled with this.....is this really what You want me to use God

Nineveh repented but we don’t know about Jonah

God am I hearing your correctly????

Yes He said

So here we go

Lets look at a little background

If you asked practically anyone on earth about Jonah almost all would know something

Some a lot and most a little and very few would point to the reason Jonah is in the Bible

Most would say yeah the dude that got ate by the whale

But if that is all you know of Jonah you miss most of it and for sure miss the life changing question God asks Jonah and us today

Jonah was chosen by God to bring His Word and repentance to Nineveh

In chapter 1 God calls Jonah to go to Nineveh

Jonah runs

He is out

He says Nope....

God I am out...

I ain’t doing that

He planned to go to Tarshish

He got on a ship and set sail

How many times have you and I ran from God and His desires in our lives

I feel like my current position at the school is something I ran hard from......well I tried to run hard from it but God boxed me in

We sang a song last week in worship Hold on to me and I laughed as we sang the line.......slamming all the doors You have opened

That is me......i have slammed so many doors shut that God opened

What about you

are you slamming all the doors that God opened in your life

are you running from God and what He called you to do in your life

Jonah was doing just that

Running from God and His calling

God said

Son really.....Well okay that might be the Pastor Josh version there but God sent a great wind.…a great storm

The ship was about to be torn apart

That is a big storm......I can’t imagine the panic that would be on a ship in a storm like that when it is obvious the only thing keeping you out of the water and alive is about to be destroyed

This was a bad deal

Even the sailors were afraid

They were so scared they started throwing things overboard

Where was Jonah during all this......asleep

It is this dudes fault

he is running from God

God sent this storm

everyone thinks they are about to die and Jonah is sawing logs

You and I can be asleep while others are suffering from our disobedience

that is why repentance is so important

that is why confession is so important

but before either of those things can happen you must ask God to search your heart as we looked at last week

Honest

authentic

raw

ask God to be real with you and that you are real with Him in return

Many times our running hurts others while we are asleep

As I said my work position is something that I was running from and I was quite oblivious to the impact that was having on others

Several weeks ago I sat down with the head of special education....my boss....well one of them....and some of the things he said were very convicting for me....God used Him to show me my heart......I realized as I studied Jonah I was asleep while others were suffering

that is the thing about us running and ignoring God the ones we love are suffering while we are sleeping

it is time we wake up and handle things the way God calls us to handle them

The shipmaster wakes Jonah up and they realize Jonah is running from God and HE is the problem

Jonah said yep it is me throw me overboard because this is all my fault

They said no and fought against the sea but could not win so they gave in and threw Jonah overboard

And God was ready and waiting

Jonah 1:17

________________________________________

“Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”

this fish was prepared for this exact moment

isnt that cool

I have lots of questions about this

Many say whale and maybe so

What if this great fish was created by God for only this moment......the only time it was alive was these three days......The Lord had prepared a great fish

Anyway back to Jonah

Chapter 2 we see that Jonah prays while in the belly of the great fish and God makes the fish vomit Jonah up on dry land

This is where we will pick up

Jonah 3:1-10

________________________________________

King James Version Chapter 3

And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, 2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. 3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey. 4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? 10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

Repentance

Nineveh repented

Jonah preached God’s message

40 days and destruction is coming

Nineveh turned away from evil

Nineveh fasted....mourned their sin and sought God

Their repentance lead to action

they confessed

they were transformed

true repentance

is that what repentance looks like in your life?????

they not only fasted themselves but all the animals....unwillingly maybe...fasted as well

they were serious

fasting is a wonderful spiritual discipline that has been lost on so many Christians today

When you fast you give something up......usually food....some cant do that due to medical issues so something else can be fasted from........what you are fasting from doesnt really matter what matters is your heart......you see during the time you would be doing whatever you are giving up....eating.....electronics......facebook etc......during that time you are praying and seeking God for something specific.....here it was God’s mercy

maybe for you it is a big decision or giving over a stronghold or seeking salvation in someone else

many different reasons to fast to seek God

God then spared them

God had mercy upon them because of their true repentance

What a beautiful picture

God moved to send Jonah

God spoke through Jonah

repentance was the result

Happy moment

well for everyone but Jonah

Jonah 4:1–3

________________________________________

“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.”

Jonah was very angry at God

Jonah even admits

I ran because I know you

I know you are gracious

I know you are merciful

I know you are slow to anger

I know you have great kindness

I knew they would repent and you would forgive them so I ran

Jonah didn't want Nineveh to repent

he wanted them punished for the great evil they had done

are you there

are you running from God’s request to take the Gospel to someone and you are running because you don’t want them saved

they haven’t earned it

they don’t even want it

they don’t deserve it

neither did you but Jesus came anyway

Jesus endured your beating

Jesus became your sin

Jesus died on the cross to pay for your sin

all while you were His enemy

all while you hadn’t earned it

all while you didn’t want it

all while you didn’t deserve it

Jonah finally did what God asked and they repented and now he would rather be dead than see it

Maybe you have a Jonah in your life

You repented....truly repented

you are transformed and living for Jesus and they are mad

They can let it go

They want to see punishment not repentance

Maybe you are Jonah

Maybe there is someone in your life that God is calling you to witness to but you are running

You are refusing

You want to see them punished instead of repent

Jonah hated the Ninevites so much he wanted to see them perish instead of repent

This is hard and if we are honest we are or have been or will be Jonah and we all have Jonah’s in our lives

Look at God’s response

Jonah 4:4

________________________________________

“Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?”

Jonah is it right that you are angry

Jonah what is your anger doing for you

Jonah is your anger helping

God doesn’t drill Jonah

He asks a question

Jonah is your anger right?

Man what a question

What about you when you are angry at someone especially when they have repented

Son or daughter is your anger right?

God is asking you that very question this morning

Man what a powerful question

Jonah 4:5

________________________________________

“So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.”

I assume conviction drove Jonah out of the city

That is a very convicting question when you are wrong

Again this is Pastor Josh version here

Jonah pouts

He takes his ball and goes home

God moved

Nineveh repented

Jonah was mad and God called him on his anger

Ever been there

You know your are wrong

You know your anger is not founded on Biblical principals

You know you need to make it right but everything in you screams

JUST LET ME BE MAD

I JUST WANT TO BE MAD

Jonah was still hoping God was going to destroy Nineveh so he got to where he could see and watched

Look again at God’s response

Jonah 4:6

________________________________________

“And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.”

God loved Jonah

God sent a gourd to cover him

to provide Jonah with shade

God was comforting Jonah even though Jonah was wrong

Jonah was so angry at God that he wanted to die

Jonah was angry at God because of who God is and how much Jonah hated Nineveh

Jonah was wrong yet

God wanted to deliver Jonah from his sorrow and grief

Is that you

Is that me

When we see someone angry do we want to comfort them.....

serve them....

help them be delivered from their sorrow and guilt or do we judge and think they probably deserve it

Jonah was wrong

Jonah was pouting

Jonah was throwing a fit

Jonah was very angry because God saved Nineveh when they repented yet

God love Jonah

How many times do we respond to this type of behavior lovingly and kindly?

When someone is wrong.....

When someone is angry at us yet their anger is wrong and unfounded

Do you respond lovingly

do you respond kingly

do you truly want them to be delivered from their grief and sorrow or are you so into your emotions

your feelings

your need to be right and justified that you want to see them punished?

Jonah missed the point so God moved again

Jonah 4:7–8

________________________________________

“But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.”

God provided Jonah was happy......Jonah did nothing to earn or deserve that gourd

God sent it to comfort him to help deliver him from his sorrow and grief and while it was there Jonah was happy

Notice Jonah didn’t thank God for the gourd

Jonah didn’t plant the gourd

Jonah didn’t water the gourd

Jonah did nothing but benefit from the gourd yet he was not thankful to the provider of the gourd

it sprung up overnight......only God could do that and Jonah should have recognized it but he was so into his emotions and hate and feeling sorry for himself he missed it

Then God took it away and Jonah wanted to die again

I wonder how many times you and I react this way when God provides us with something to help us

We were happy......God removes it and we throw a huge fit instead of thanking Him for the blessing

God calls Jonah on this childish behavior

Jonah 4:9

________________________________________

“And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.”

God says Jonah do you even have a right to be mad?

In kids terms....Why you mad bro?

Is it right for you to be mad Jonah?

Jonah says absolutely it is right for me to be mad......even mad to death

Jonah is still defending his anger

Jonah is still sitting in his emotions and refusing to see what God is doing and wants to do for Jonah

You have to give it to Jonah.....he is persistent and tenacious

He doesn't back down and goes hard after what he believes even though he is wrong......dont be Jonah

be open to God’s rebukes and guidance

die to your emotions and anger and hate

Jonah 4:10–11

________________________________________

“Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?”

God says Jonah you were sorry

you were upset

you were angry over a gourd which you had nothing to do with

you didn't produce it

you didn't plant it

all you did was enjoy it

it was here one day and gone the next

It was fleeting

it was temporary

it was of very little importance and yet you are throwing this massive fit even wanting to die

On top of that you are angry at me because I chose to save 120,000 people who were lost

they are my creation

120,000 people that I longed to have repent

You loved the gourd more than 120,000 people

Wow

God is not holding anything back here

We do not know Jonah’s response because God doesn’t tell us and I believe that is the point of Jonah

God is asking you where do you stand

Do you love temporary

fleeting

here today gone tomorrow

things of very little importance more than the lost who are in desperate need of repentance through God’s Word and God’s Spirit

Romans 10:17

________________________________________

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Last week we talked about Repentance leads to transformation

We don’t know if Jonah was transformed through repentance but that doesn't matter

what matters is you

Is God calling you to repentance this morning

If you have never accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior come.....Jesus is calling you this morning

Maybe God showed you your heart this morning and you have the heart of Jonah and are angry about repentance in others

Maybe God is calling you to preach the Word to others so they may come to faith and you are running

you are refusing

you are angry and throwing a fit

come.....give that to God because unlike Jonah you can respond to God this morning

Do you love something more than the lost coming to repentance

if so come

the altar is open

the cross is open

again if you want to talk with me come to me and we will talk and pray

if you just want to pray come to the altar and I will pray whatever God lays on my heart in that moment

once you have prayed feel free to write it down and nail it to the cross....again no one will read it as it is between you and God....I will take them down....pray over them....and destroy them because they are as far as the east is from the west

the time is now

invitation

Even when you are running Casting Crowns