Second Chances - High School
Notes
Transcript
Handout
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.
This entire story revolves around the Grace of God.
Grace
Undeserved and unmerited favor
Essentially, receiving something good when we deserve something bad.
Examples of Grace up to this point:
God inviting Jonah on mission with Him.
Jonah is stubborn, arrogant, and likely full of hate.
God chasing Jonah in his rebellion.
Jonah ran away from God and God ran towards Jonah.
God sparing the lives of idolatrous pagan sailors.
The sailors worshiped idols and not YHWH. This is cosmic high treason.
God converting idolatrous pagan sailors.
God could have just orchestrated an event that got Jonah were he needed to be and spared the life of the sailors.
But, instead, God orchestrated the events to lead to the conversion of these sailors.
God rescuing Jonah through a fish.
Jonah deserved to drown in the ocean.
Now we are about to see 2 more examples of God’s grace towards sinners.
Through these examples, we can learn something amazing about God and how he relates to us!
God Gives Sinners Second Chances
God Gives Sinners Second Chances
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.”
Notice how the author highlights the fact that this is the “second time” God came to Jonah and gave him instructions to preach to Nineveh.
There are two second chances here.
One for Jonah, and one for Nineveh.
You need to understand this about God!
God loves you. He loves those around you who aren’t Christians too.
When you screw up, disobey God intentionally, or even run from Him He is always waiting to forgive you, embrace you, and restore you!
You can never sin so much that God gives up on you!
God is ALWAYS ready to receive you back and restore you!
Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.
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.
God always responds graciously to repentant sinners.
God Utilizes Stubborn Saints
God Utilizes Stubborn Saints
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!”
Jonah was stubborn to run, but there are also signs in this that he is still being stubborn:
Jonah went only 1 day’s journey into Nineveh when it required 3 days to go through the whole city. 55 miles around.
Jonah ,seemingly, traveled the bare minimum to obey God.
Jonah literally only used five words in his message. (original language)
Many believe that, while Jonah did summarize what God told him to say, he likely gave a short summary in order to lessen the chances of Nineveh repenting. Jonah 4:1-2
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.
Jonah’s message lacked
Who God is.
What God requires.
How Nineveh fell short.
How God is merciful yet Just.
What Nineveh should do to avert God’s wrath.
Even in your half hearted attempts and stubborn ways God can, and likely will, use you.
He doesn’t want you to be stubborn or half hearted. He is looking for something more for you...
Here is what God was looking for:
God is looking for...
Faith That Produces Transformation
Faith That Produces Transformation
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.
God is asking all people, everywhere, to simply trust him completely!
A long time ago, a man named Martin Luther said this:
“We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.”
Martin Luther was essentially saying that when a person believes the gospel of God’s grace found in Jesus Christ, that message of Christ’s leaving heaven on a rescue mission for us, living among us perfectly and sinlessly, dying for our insurrection against him on the cross, and resurrecting victoriously from the dead - it takes root in a person’s heart and then the Holy Spirit transforms that person on, not just the inside, but also the outside.
God desires people to hear his message of grace and believe it, so much so, that it changes their lives.
We know that the Holy Spirit is working within those who believe and producing this transformation.
All of this, is by God’s grace:
God gives sinners second chances.
God utilizes stubborn saints.
God is looking for faith that produces transformation.
What you should do with this info:
Don’t give up on your friends who have rejected the Gospel.
God may want to use you to offer them a second, third, or many more chances!
Don’t beat yourself up when you have a moment of rebellion.
When God convicts you, see that He is doing it to restore you and reengage your relationship. Jesus has taken all your sin and the penalty of it.
Confess your sin to Him. Find someone trustworthy to confess to also. Then live in forgiveness and move forward towards God!
Check your heart to see if your faith has produced transformation.
Is God revealing to you that you have been acting like Jonah towards Him?
If so, confess it to Him, and confess it to a trusted friend!
Discussion Questions
What is grace?
Do you remember a moment God gave you a second chance to obey Him?
Do you remember a moment you wish you had taken the first chance? (ex. share the gospel with a friend, give something someone needed, etc.)
Do you beat yourself up when you realize that you missed out on a first chance?
What are some ways you can embrace God’s grace when you miss a first chance?
Can you think of someone God wants you to pray for and eventually share the gospel with?
How can you move forward with this?
Do you think your faith in the gospel has caused transformation in your life?
If not, what do you think is going on in your heart?