Jonah

Yes. So I don't know what you know about.

Jonah probably half if you grew up in church, I love the Book of Jonah because the Book of Jonah reminds me that God doesn't love me clean and obedient and perfect and tidy know he loves rebellious hearts. Jonah was rebellious. Jonah was he was a bad guy. He was a bad guy. Now if you were to put a team together, right if you like basketball football soccer. No. Fishing I hate fishing.

If you were to put a basketball team together, you probably choose the best player. She had in the church, right? You wouldn't you wouldn't start with the short short ones like me. You look for more size. It will look for more Talent. And then you would try to win. But the way guy put his team together, it's a lot different than that. Persuasive speeches that he chose the vile right? He chose the weak. and the Book of Jonah teaches us that that the gas was being preached by people that are have a lot to be grateful for little girl preaching the gospel that says a Buckle your seatbelt. Let's do this you got this and you know, we preach the gospel that says there's nothing good in us, but there's a guy that loves to redeem and I've heard some of your stories already in your story is our story of redemption right hurt my brother story and his wife story. I don't want a story. I know some of Pastor Jeremy story and none of us were born and saved we were both were born in in darkness in Rebellion, but God in his Mercy show disgrace to us and now we're in Christ and the Book of Jonah The Book of Jonah tells a story about a guy chapter one who God calls to preach the gospel to the Assyrians Wicked people their enemies and I didn't want to go right now. We all know what your hypothesis is, but I didn't want to go cuz he was afraid or inconvenience, but we'll see why he didn't want to go chapter 2 we see Jonah in the belly of a of a great fish praying to God and we see that God answers him right and thank God he doesn't answer prayer. Thank God that that many times if we if we if we wait to pray. To the moment. We feel like we're right to pray. We'll never pray. We'll never pray that we can boldly play. We can see God confidently because we come to the blood of Jesus Christ because we we pray through our great high priest Jesus Christ and him were accepted we're heard so it chapter 2 chapter to remind us that that God is merciful Tetris reminds us that God got messages powerful, you know, Jonah preached and eight word sermon. Edwards sermon in a city a wicked city was converted Nineveh wasn't like think of the worst thing you can think of many names in Tuscaloosa or I'm getting sick of the worst city. That was Nineveh those people where cruel they were bullies. They hated they were enemies of Israel yet. God sent a prophet to warn them of his judgment impersonate word message and the city repented. The power that you have in the gospel can change Winder. I think we need to we don't need to underestimate the power of the Gospel. The gospel is powerful. I've seen it in Spain. I told you four stories today for people that came to Christ. I can give you more storage into the story of of Lewis. For example a guy that was super super super brilliant. He got his engineering degree in Japan in Japanese. He's a master C's PhD is now in a teacher's engineering at the University of Seville guy was an atheist. And this guy with us for coffee? And then he came to church and now this guy believes in Jesus Christ as like me and you a guy that for years. I rejected I suppose that was so hard for the things. I've got any heard the gospel in and came to Christ and tell a story about I don't know. If you heard the story the true story of the guy that that was mocking the the soul winner isn't restoring the soul winner. I was trying to give him the gospel in and this guy was messing with him and he felt his the page of his Bible and tell them hey, that's a nice by what I can make some real good cigars with that lost in pages and the preacher told him. Okay, that's fine. You can do that, but don't condition if you got to read a page before you roll it. So you have to read it. Then you can roll it. He saw the guy later on not that long after that and he said a pastor I did what you said read and smoke the Book of Matthew Mark, but once I got to once I got to look I couldn't smoke anymore and I've received I received Jesus Christ, right? So What is the power of God's message? It's a it's a message. By the way that I can save some and it's a message that condemns others. We hold we hold at 2. We hold a two-edged sword for somis for some this message is for salvation for others. Saturday is for condemnation. You have a message that can change lives don't keep it to yourself preacher VBS day care, whatever when you go help somebody with something whenever you're in your neighborhood when you're at the park at the school, it doesn't matter preach the gospel because that is what God has chosen to use to transform lives. Paul said in Romans 1:16, and it's still the message that is able to save. Anybody that will come to doctor Jesus Christ and Tucker Ford is where sermon is today and I won't be long I promise but I'm just amazed that God would choose to use somebody like Jonah. I'm shocked that God would choose to use somebody like me but he has in the Bible says but it displeased Jonah exceedingly what this please Xfinity is the question tonight. You know what this please Jonah accidentally the salvation of the Assyrians. A banana bites is not sad. Now this guy when you get out of missionary support, could you imagine you got my prayer letter and it said

you won't believe it's been a really bad month 7 Spaniards have been have believed in Jesus Christ. I'm so mad. I'm so these please people actually getting saved you be like make it like I have to Mission field that guy needs to be like under truck discipline or something. Jonah was displeased exceedingly, and he was very angry why once again because God chose to save to forgive those that maybe Jonah didn't want forgiven. Now you see as I said the Assyrians were Israel's enemies and we see that Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh because he didn't want to preach God's message to his enemies and that's clear. Now that's not so bad. Is he because we have the same tendencies. We hold the gospel from those that we don't like we don't really care if those are so different from us believe or not believe we want to see her children stay if you want to see our friend safe, but we're really just don't really care about our neighbor when people in the next town over other people in Spain or wherever that's at the heart of Jonah here. He was angry and he breaks a prayer which is pretty much an antithesis of the gospel because he says and he prayed unto the Lord and said I pray the Lord was not this my saying when I was yet in my country there for I fled before into tarshis friend, you are a gracious got a merciful slow to anger and a great kindness and repentance the off the evil there for now doll Ortega beseech thee my life from me for his better for me to die than to live like the opposite of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ gave his life so that we could have life during one of his life taken because those whom he didn't like very much had heard from God and had repent. Of their sin. Wow, why would God choose to use some of that Jonah? I don't know. What would you choose to say somebody like you?

We're not here with a church full of good people know weird here was at church full of saints in Jesus Christ. If there's no Jesus Christ, there's no Saints. In Spain, they asked me to lot do you have sent to your church? Yeah, we do. We have all the saints not the ones you're thinking of not the ones that are hung up on the wall, but the ones that actually talk and breathe and call him and leave that's who we are in Christ. But if it wasn't for Christ, we would be worthy of damnation. So Jordan wants his life taken away. And it said the Lord verse for do is that well to be angry. So you wanna one of the city and sat on the east side of the city and they made him a booth and cylinder in the shadow to him. I see what would become of the city. So what is Jonah do he's like the guy watching the movie going to the movies? Getting some popcorn and you got to see this is going to be wiped out or not.

In what lack of Mercy what lack of compassion?

Are churches should be full of people are compassionate. Our church has to be full of people that love those are different than us. It's it's not easy. I trust me. I know we I live in Spain where are people different than us people that blaspheme God people I go against God's ways and is the sign people that question gender roles people that question whether I even even if if babies are worthy of like, I understand that that that clashes against Arkham biblical convictions by hey, we must love those people with the gospel. We can just show them and now I know we must shed light on their lives and I are going to see light if it's have a relationship with you and me. Are you willing to have a relationship with those are very different? Are you willing to have a relationship with us and maybe don't even speak your language? Are you are you willing to have a relationship with those that? Grub way different than you went made him a place where he could see what would be the end of Nineveh and the Lord teaches us something amazing and verse 6. This is this is incredible because the Lord look at the Bible says in verse 6 in the Lord God prepared a gourd and made it to come up over Jonah that it might be a shot over his head to deliver them from his grief. So Jonah was exceedingly exceeding glad of the gourd but got prepared a warm when the morning Rosa next day. It's moved the gourd that it withered and it came to pass.

when the sun rose that got prepared a sultry is wind and the sun beat up on the head of Jonah that he fainted and requested for him so that he might die and said it is better for me to die then to the This is my phone is going crazy again this interesting because Jonah was super super super upset about these people, but he was so happy for a plant.

and The singing that I see my life is very similar. I get excited maybe about a ball game. I get excited maybe about an upgrade on my phone or in my car. I get excited about maybe a new pair of pants or shoes. I get excited about material things and move me, but yet I I'm cold. indifferent about the salvation of those that surround me If there's an enemy of the church today, if there's an enemy of of the Great Commission today's I like a love for the loss into much love for that which is perishable, but we know right we know that what's really important, right? We know that we never I've never seen a San Lucas look up here. Please be still I never seen somebody have some kind of like morning service over a phone being. Lost or ice cream breaking. I never seen anybody really have a funeral for their car. Right? We know we know what's important, but we're so deceived by the here. And now that we become more passionate about material things than we are about eternal people. So the lesson that we see here is that Jonah love things more than he loved people. We see that Jonah was actually even would go further. He he wasn't he was loving is enemies the gospel. Do you remember what Jesus said in March after thing is Mark chapter 6 God didn't say used to love our neighbor. He calls us to love our enemies.

And that's the tough part. So that reverses plant Joanna so happy because of this plant, but in verse 7 God prepared a warm when the morning Rose the next day and it smoked the grill guard that it withered. and it came to pass when the sun arose they got prepare of sultry East Wind and the sun beat up on the head of Jonah that he fainted and requested for himself that you might die and said, It is better for me to die than to live.

Incredible, right?

Incredibox not what draws my attention out of all these verses is that that repairs are warm. That prepares an East Wind. God remember prepared a big fish you see God's sovereignty all over. Donuts life you see that? Don't you think that the details in your life? Are not important to God maybe maybe getting fired. Maybe just maybe a confrontation at work. Who knows what the details are important getting even God's hand gets involved in those details. And goddess using all of those things to work in Jonah's life. No, we get to verse. 9 And now we see quite the opposite. So we see I meant it Jonah that is absolutely this interested in the well-being of those people who see a selfish man. I'm in that is in love with material things. Do we see God in Everything Changes verse 9 and got sent to join a do is that well to be angry for the Lord and he said I do well to be angry even unto death and it said the Lord that has had pity on the gourd for the witch that has not labored either made us grow which came up in a night in Paris tonight. And should I not spare none of that? Great City wherein are more than 6 core thousand persons. I cannot discern between the right and the left fan and also much cattle. Goddess the god of the Old Testament. Is the god of the New Testament? God loves the world today and he loved the world in the Old Testament. We have this idea that maybe can you listen with mean and got a New Testaments nice? That is just holy holy holy and the old and the new he's love Nolan the new he's a great guy. Love these people and God said should I not spare Nineveh that great City? That's interesting that got even care about the cattle. I don't like animals watching I do I get it. I do like animals when they're dead and in my plate, but I don't like animals like like like Jeremy has his little thing. You can almost see Grandma Scott. You can almost call it a dog. Sorry, why not? God loves animals and God loves animals. I said cats okay with you that but it's incredible to see so you take got hard and she crying about the dog. Okay good.

I've never met a child. I've never met a child cry during the service. So you see Jonas heart right? And you see God's heart. Right? And what God is trying what God is trying to do but guys try to do you guys you guys know what the percent if acacian means right is that the transforming process in our lives were made more and more like Jesus Christ, right? And you know, what you're doing today is trying to take our heart which is like Jonas and make it more like his own heart. Okay, that's what he's trying to do. That's what he's trying to do. And sorry. I'm not going to show the story of I keep this to myself. Anyway, I had an illustration, but I won't do it. That's the thing about the thing about time. They thinking the thing about my heart don't know about your heart, but my heart naturally naturally. 10 Stooges look inward. And I hear prayer request. Okay, and I know people's needs. Okay, and I guess to appoint it's happened to me where I mean when we got this Fam I'm telling you would go out 6 days a week and preach the gospel on the streets. You know, what happened over time? People would reject us people would say bad things about the Lord every now and then somebody would respond positively quickly. I found that my heart was getting hardened and all the sudden. I stopped caring and I was preaching but I didn't really didn't really care about the people I was preaching to I was preaching out of obedience and that's okay. But God is more more more. He's he's really interested. Not just what we do but in why we do it. and I found bigger than myself to be exactly were doing that was maybe seeing if God would condemn Sevilla or save Sevilla, so I don't know if you see yourself in Dona or not. I see myself in Jonah. When I finish with four points of application. First of all, remember this whole thing that I told you that wants to take our heart and make it like his heart. This is sanctification, right? And how the scientific notation happen. Well, it's a work of Grace. You don't send it by yourself by your good works. I was at bottom of the Galatians. They thought they could change themselves as a work of Grace as you reflect in Christ and what he's done for you as you getting the word as you walk in the spirit that starts changing you right but one of the keys for changes remember remembering who you were before Christ and who you are now in Christ remembering that you were in a Syrian you were ninevite?

Nobody got saved because they figured out the gospel in their own you had a Jonah preach the gospel to you. Remember who you where you are. Remember the heart of the God we serve let that vision of the god that we serve change your heart. And lastly at intentionally in other words don't just say it but live it. Okay, what do you invest your life on? What do you spend the hours of your life on what if you value people? You will spend it with people. If you value things you live your life for thanks for nothing wrong with things. I have things. I have my phone have a computer. I wear clothes. I eat food. I sleep on a bed and sleep on my grass looking at the stars know I have things for those things cannot have my heart if those things have my heart then I'll decide if I myself I don't know what the guard with the shade. So, okay, we all agree. What's important? But what is your life say? What do you invest your life on? Now the time she doesn't take a it doesn't take that big of a change. It just takes some intention out intentionality. Okay. So all of you or mostly firework, are you using your time at work to be a light to be a witness? So a lot of you have children your children are also important disciple them. Why you shouldn't the ball with them while you're going fishing with them when you coming in and going out? Invest in your children investing your church family was last time you had a meal with somebody from your church to encourage them to disciple them was the last time that maybe you gave tours in need of the church, especially over and above wherever you invest your time your talent and your resources tells me truly what's important to you?

According to a some numbers. How was reading some statistics? We spent 25 years of our life sleeping. so if you get to live to 75 Spend 1/3 of your life sleeping. We watch TV about nine years of our life two years watching commercials.

We spend 3838 hours a week. I'm sorry. We spend 30 hours a year stuck in traffic depends where you live. Depends where you live. We spent 10 years of our life working. How much time do we spend on that which is important? Like I said, it doesn't require that you sell everything and you come with me to Spain. It just requires that you live your life in Winder, Georgia. Thinking about what's important investing in those that are Eternal preaching the gospel to yourself into those that surround you so incredible right? How God would use somebody like doing that to send a great keyword Revival. There was a Revival and Assyria the king repented.

And God wasn't bound to this the $0.70. It's amazing that gives his hope cuz he got it was bound to our devotion or Surrender. Our power would be in trouble by because God. Works in spite of us we have hope So might sounds for tinnitus very simple if you I could summarize Donuts chapter 4. into a couple sentences, I would say this not live for what's Fleeting the super that which is eternal. One day we'll all be for the Lord.

And what will matter is not what car you drove for what's how fast you can run or how good looking you are what's going to matter is what have I done for that which is eternal how many people are in glory before the presence of the Lord? Because God used me to preach the gospel to them. How many people are there here? Idisciple at South Health in their times of discouragement life. I've Loved when they were hurting how many people are here because our church made an effort to love children to Vacation Bible School. That's it. That is what will matter. So just get our eyes on what's important. And this let the secondary things remain second are you know, what happens when the most important things are the most important things II the secondary things are even more enjoyable. Seriously, I'm not trying to make your life miserable today. You're going to enjoy watching Georgia football more if you doing it for God's glory.

Tell if you're doing it for your pleasure. You're going to enjoy your children more if you're using a remote for discipleship. And do tell him about Jesus and make him know how great Jesus is and if you're just doing things for your own pleasure and your own pleasure alone. So it's thinking that living for God is boring. That's not that's crazy living for God makes everything else so much better. So this is it for him today and it speaks the gospel to not just our neighbors, but even our enemies they need Jesus just like me and you needed him father. I love you. Thank you that you you choose to use not those that are clean and imperfect but those that are sinners. But Redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ Church focus on Souls may we focus on preaching the gospel with me maybe focus and loving it or our family special family discipling one another Lord being hospitable investing in others investing Financial in God's word. Help us Lord because quickly we get caught up in the physical perishing things we forget. That what's truly important is the souls of those around us. May we do everything for the glory me this church live daily in the spirit so that they will see those around them like you see them Lord and may the love of Jesus Christ full of this church. I pray in your holy name. Amen.