The God of Second Chances

God’s heart for us is transformation, and to accomplish that transformation he allows us to suffer.

Tonight we are going to see how he accomplishes that transformation through repentance.

Repentance means to change one’s mind

Repent from sin = to change our mind about sin

My message is: The God of Second Chances

I need second chances, and third and fourth chances

God gives the ninevites a second chance

God also gives Jonah a second chance

Jonah 3:1–5 “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.”

Jonah 3:6–8 “The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.”

Jonah 3:9–10 “Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.”

Let’s examine that first verse:

Jonah 3:1–2 “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.””

1- God gives us second chances.

GRACE- Getting something you don’t deserve.

JUSTICE- Getting exactly what you deserve.

Jonah

Adam and Eve

King David

Peter (denied Jesus)

Thomas (doubted)

The Thief on the Cross

Paul or Saul

Jonah 3:3–5

Jonah is giving the message

Verse 5: The people of Nineveh Believed God (capital G).

2- Second chances should be followed by obedience.

God’s love language is obedience.

Obedience is faithfulness.

Jonah preaches the message

King David repents and is the lineage of Jesus

Peter (denied Jesus), preaches about Jesus to many

Paul goes on to plant many churches

Continuing with our story:

Word reaches the king of Nineveh

He issues a decree

Jonah 3:8–10 “but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.”

I like that he says “Who knows”

We are not entitled to God’s forgiveness

We are entitled to a just punishment for our evil sin.

3- Transformation of the heart requires repentance.

Why did God relent? Why not punish the evil acts of Nineveh?

He does what he says he will do.

Two verses I want us to look at.

Jeremiah 18:7–10 “If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.”

Exodus 34:6–7 “The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.””

JUSTICE- Getting exactly what you deserve.

We have sinned against a Holy God.

You know what’s worse than hating someone? Being apathetic.

I love you guys too much to be apathetic about your sin.

It’s easy to look at the rest of the world and point fingers to those we believe are sinning.

Politicians

Celebrities

Warmongers

Murderers

But look inward guys.

Each of us, when we sin, no matter how small the sin, we facilitate a world in which sin can exist.

We all bring sin and therefore are all responsible for the effects of sin.

I’ll tell you what, God is not apathetic about sin.

He hates it.

He says he will by no means clear the guilty.

There will be a punishment for every single sin that is committed.

Your sin will be punished.

That is the judgment that awaits each and every one of us.

But it is either us who will bear the punishment,

Or Jesus who is sinless and blameless.

And guys our time on earth is short.

Charlie Kirk was 31 when he died.

Many of you are half way there.

Earlier this summer we learned of the death of a toddler, not even five years old.

We never know how much time we have left.

You can repent of your sin tonight.

God, I know I am a sinner.

But I believe that Jesus died for my sins.

I believe he rose from the dead.

And from this moment forward,

I want to follow you.

Thank you for your forgiveness.

Thank you for loving me.