Running With God

1. Introduction

a. Recap what happened in and .

i. Saw Jonah running from God ()

ii. Saw Jonah running to God ()

iii. Saw God at work - Saw the heart of God for people.

b. Ever want a do-over? Wish you could start from the beginning again? a new beginning? You didn’t mean for the action to happen, the words to come out, or do you regret not doing something you should have done? The correct answer is yes, we all have! Let’s see what God says about do-overs?

2. Read

3. Jonah repenting and obeying. (vv. 1-3)

a. Looks like God grants Jonah an opportunity for a do-over. A chance to be obedient and not rebellious.

b. gives him very deliberate instructions, so that he clearly understands what God desires.

i. Arise

ii. Go to Nineveh

iii. Preach my message.

c. Jonah repents - So Jonah arose

Demonstrated by obedience - and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.

d. information about Nineveh.

i. Exceedingly great city!

ii. A three day journey across it. About 60 miles. Population est. 600k.

4. Jonah Preaching (v.4)

a. Jonah begins a three day journey around and through Nineveh.

i. Ninevites worship the fish god Dagon, knew what happened to Jonah. Most likely had a very mottled skin,no hair, yellowish-brown cast to his skin - would stand out in a crowd.

ii. Question-Did they believe that Jonah’s survival meant his God was stronger than theirs? Likely.

b. Proclaimed a simple message - “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”

C. Proclaimed God’s message -

i. Obeyed God’s word to him.

5. The Ninevites respond (vv. 5-10)

a. The people believe (v. 5)

i. proclaimed a fast

ii. all put on sackcloth

d. The King’s response(v. 6)

i. heard, arose, laid aside his robe - covered himself with sackcloth

ii. sat in ashes - He believed (not stated, but shown by his actions.)

e. The kings decree (vv. 7-8)

i. proclaimed and made public across all Nineveh

ii. A mandate I - command, must do

a. Neither man or beast, herd or flock

b. do not taste anything, eat or drink water

iii. further mandates - II, III, IV

a. man and beast covered in sackcloth

b. cry out to God - Call upon the Holy God - cry out for mercy!

c. let every one turn - repent - something we all must do.

i. from evil ways

ii. from violence in his hands

f. kings question

a. Who can tell?

b. Will God relent?

c. turn from His fierce anger?

d. will be allowed to live?

e. ; Jeremiah 18:7-11

6. God responds (v. 10)

a. Saw their works

Repented from evil ways. Demonstrated their faith.

b. God’s mercy and grace rule the day

God forgave

God saved

7. What brings this all together?

A. God

B. what can we learn about Him from this passage?

i. God is sovereign - His purpose of grace cannot be frustrated. . May have been 3000 saved on Pentecost, but it was the greatest revival in history at Nineveh, over 600K.

ii. God will not cast us aside for unfaithfulness. Jonah not the only example

a. Jacob- a trickster, stole Esau birthright, put it over on Laban, wrestled with God..but God still chose to use Him and make him a patriarch of Israel. (Gen. 48)

b. David - committed murder, adultery, and God punished him for it. But restored him and continued to use him after his prayer of “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and renew a right spirit in me.”

c. Peter - denied Christ 3 times, stumbled and fell throughout his early years and got himself dirty, but after meeting with Jesus, Peter became a pillar of the church.

d. John-Mark and Paul...

e. If you are a child of God and get into sin-know that you can come back to Him. Come humbly and sincerely, ask Him for forgiveness - He will do it.

iii. God’s mercy to Jonah, reinstated not replaced; God’s grace to the Ninevites; He relented, salvation.

8. Prayer and invitation.