Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Image ~ “No Mercy”

Good morning.

How many kids do we have in the room this morning?

If you are between the age of 5-11 stand up for a second, I want to get a good look at you! Good.

Remain standing.

Do you have a favorite game that you like to play?

(Share) Awesome!

Thanks, you can have a seat.

When I was your age I have these great memories of different games we played in my hometown (Morrill).

And most of the adults can probably join me on this walk down memory lane this morning, reflecting back upon some of your favorite childhood games you used to play!

When I was a young boy we would play “hide & seek” at the swimming pool, kickball in the street, some game about a green ghost that I don’t remember how to play, and of course a little baseball & a lot of football, oh those were the days!

(“Good old days”).

You know what’s hard about growing up, getting older, you’re don’t play games in the neighborhood.

Maybe that’s not true, how many of you over 25 played “hide & seek” this week?

I did play a new form of “dodge ball” with the JV students at AWANA this week—that was a blast!

There is a game that we played as a kid that every once in a while we play when we are grow-ups.

(Volunteer).

How many of you remember the game of “Mercy?”

I remember playing mercy with my sister, uncles, and my friends.

Let’s give this a shot!

Go easy on me!

Every once in a while you would cry mercy but the person would keep going, showing no mercy, and it usually ended up with loud cries of “mercy” and lots of tears.

Often in the games & sports of life “mercy” is seen as weakness and they compete with the attitude of “No Mercy.”

(Karate Kid Clip)

Need

Some people have a hard time showing mercy.

I’m not talking about a game anymore, I’m talking about in life.

There are some people who live their lives by the motto “No Mercy.”

I suspect that most of us in this room don’t live by the motto of “No Mercy” and yet in the right situation all of us could be tempted to embrace an attitude of “No Mercy.”

I suspect you can think of one person, because of how they have treated you or treated someone you care about, you don’t think fondly of them and in a specific circumstance you might refuse to show them mercy.

It’s likely that all of us are or will wrestle with an “unmerciful attitude” toward someone in our lives.

Perhaps there is someone who you don’t think deserves mercy, you want to see them hurt instead of helped, and you would rather see them face severe consequences than be shown mercy.

You refuse to “relent” – you would rather they get what they deserve – and yet God desires to address this “No Mercy” mindset that reside in our hearts.

Preview

Take your Bible and turn to the book of Jonah.

Today we will finish our series through the book of Jonah. .

Jonah Chapter 4:1-11.

Jonah Chapter 4:1-11.

If you don’t have a Bible today please grab one in the pew rack so you can follow along as we walk through this final chapter together.

Our JONAH series is entitled “Pursued by a Relentless God.”

Over the last four weeks we’ve walked through this incredible story (Review).

· God’s Call: God graciously called Jonah to serve Him by preaching to the people of Nineveh.

Jonah rejected God’s call, when God say “Go” to Nineveh Jonah say “No” and tried to run 2,000 miles in the opposite direction.

· God’s Pursuit: God graciously pursued by using a storm and a group of sailors to put him in a position to draw him back to Himself.

· God’s Rescue: God graciously rescued Jonah from the peril of death by sending a huge fish to rescue him when he cried out to Him for help.

During his time in the belly of a fish Jonah rejoiced in God’s salvation and vowed to publicly praise Him.

· God’s Second Chance: God gave Jonah a second chance to be use by Him, calling him once again to preach to the people of Nineveh, and as a result of his message the people of Nineveh repented and God graciously extended mercy to the wicked people instead of destroying them.

If that was the conclusion to the story it would be a very “happy ending!”

Jonah had obeyed God, Nineveh experienced revival, and God spared the city from destruction.

It’s party time!

Jonah should be buying balloons, confetti, and starting a “congo” line to celebrate what has happened in the hearts of the people in Nineveh and God’s deliverance of the city from destruction.

But like Paul Harvey would say “Now, the rest of the story.”

God’s not done with this wayward prophet quite yet—in Chapter 4 the Lord pursues Jonah one more time to confront and correct the ungodly attitude of His heart—and His desire is to confront and correct the ungodly attitudes of our heart as well.

(Read )

I) THE PURSUIT OF A MERCILESS PROPHET

What a shocking conclusion to this incredible story.

Are you surprised by Jonah’s response to the revival in Nineveh and God showing them mercy?

Anyone shocked?

The entire city of Nineveh repented of their evil ways and God turned back from destroying the city—again this seems like a time for a celebration—you’d think Jonah would be celebrating God’s deliverance of this city but instead he’s enraged and complained about how God responded to the wicked people of Nineveh.

The final chapter of this story highlights God’s “Pursuit” of His “Merciless” prophet.

Let’s walk through this final chapter and consider one final life-changing truth for our lives as God desires to get a hold of our hearts!

A) The Condition of Jonah’s Heart (4:1-5)

In the final chapter we are confronted with Jonah’s response to God’s merciful response to the wicked people of Nineveh.

As we walk through this final chapter we begin with “The Condition of Jonah’s Heart.”

1) Displeasure (4:1)

Jonah was “greatly displeased”—showing the people of Nineveh mercy was “a great evil”—Jonah literally hated that God had shown the people of Nineveh mercy instead of judgment.

Nineveh’s “turning from evil (wickedness)” that prompted God to “turn away from bringing evil (destruction) was seen as a “great evil” (bad) in Jonah’s eyes.

2) “Anger” (4:1b-2)

Jonah’s heart also filled with anger at the sight of God’s merciful response to the people of Nineveh.

Jonah’s heart literally “burned hot with anger at God’s merciful response to the repentant people of Nineveh.

Once Jonah realized that God had relented from judgment the fire of displeasure kindled an intense anger to burn in his heart.

The term magnifies the contrast between God’s attitude and Jonah’s attitude—God’s anger “cooled” when the people of Nineveh repented from their evil ways—but Jonah’s anger “kindled” when God did not destroy the people of Nineveh.

· Allen (NIGNT) – “Jonah finds that the time-fuse does not work on the prophetic bomb he planted in Nineveh.

Evidently the time limit has expired by now.

He considers it intolerable that Israel’s experience should be mirrored in Nineveh; he cannot stomach Yahweh’s cheapening his mercy by offering it to all”

Jonah was not happy that the people of Nineveh were delivered from judgment by the merciful heart of God.

Displeasure and angry flooded Jonah’s heart when he discovered that his prophetic message of doom did not come to fruition.

Jonah wanted to see the people of Nineveh face the fire of God’s fury & wrath—he wanted to see the city destroyed because they deserved divine judgement—for this unhappy prophet could not tolerate God’s merciful response to the wicked people of Nineveh.

Jonah could not keep his anger bottled up, the anger in his heart eventually came out of his lips (Jesus said “our mouth speaks from what fills our hearts), as he uttered a prayer of complaint to God.

Jonah’s prayer of complaint reveals “why” he disobeyed God’s call and ran to Tarshish—“O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home?

That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish.

I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity”—Jonah finally confessed “why” he didn’t obey God’s call to go to Nineveh the first time.

Jonah’s prayer suggests that he argued with God back at home during his original call to go to Nineveh—“O, Lord, this is what I said when I was still at home?”—and while it’s possible Jonah didn’t include this dialogue in the penning of the book it’s more likely that this expression highlights Jonah’s “inner thoughts” or “unspoken words” in his heart.

The phrase “This is what I said” is also translated as “this is what I thought would happen” or “this is what I feared,” or “this is what I knew from the beginning” when I was back home and that’s why I fled to Tarshish.

Jonah booked a ticket to Tarshish because he knew God’s character and what would happen if the people turn from their wicked ways.

Jonah didn’t want to preach to the people of Nineveh because if they repented he knew God would act in a way consistent with His character.

Gracious (4:2) – Jonah knew God was gracious, that the Lord shows favor and give what someone needs even though they don’t deserve it, and yet he didn’t want to go to Nineveh because it would open the door for God to be gracious to them.

Compassionate (4:2) – Jonah knew that Yahweh was “compassionate,” He was a God of tender mercy but he did not want to go to Nineveh because it would open the door for God to show them His compassion (mercy).

Slow to Anger (4:2) – Jonah knew that Yahweh was slow to anger, literally “long of nostrils,” it takes a long time for Yahweh’s nostrils to flare up (human language).

God does not have a short-fuse – He is not quick to become angry.

Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh because it would open the door for Yahweh to be “slow to anger” with them instead of pouring out His anger upon them in judgment.

Abounding in love (4:2) – Jonah knew that Yahweh was “abounding in love,” His loving-kindness was great, but he didn’t want to go to Nineveh because it would open the door to Yahweh showing them the vast measure of His love. .

A God who relents from calamity (4:2) – Jonah knew that Yahweh was a God who would “turn away” from bring wrath and judgment but he didn’t want to go to Nineveh because it would open the door for Yahweh to “relent” from brining judgment upon them.

Jonah is so upset—the prophet’s having a “temper tantrum” like a toddler—He’s stomping his feet in disgust, face is flushed, and crying out in complaint to God. “I knew this would happen if I obeyed your call!” “I knew would be gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, and merciful.”

Jonah was “mad” that God acted in a way consistent with His character in His response to the wicked people of Nineveh.

The prophet who prayerfully thanked God for His gracious mercy in his own life (Chapter 2), is the same prophet who is now prayerfully complaining to God about His gracious mercy extended to the people of Nineveh (Chapter 3).

Jonah rejoiced in these wonderful attributes of God in his own life but he didn’t want them shown to his enemies.

Jonah didn’t want to preach to the people of Nineveh because he didn’t want them to be recipients of God’s grace, compassion, patience, and love!

Jonah wanted God to deal justly with the people of Nineveh and destroy them.