A Sinner's Sermon

“On New Year’s Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played University of California in the Rose Bowl. In that game a man named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for California. Somehow, he became confused and started running 65 yards in the wrong direction. One of his teammates, Benny Lom, ran him down and tackled him just before he scored for the opposing team. When California attempted to punt, Tech blocked the kick and scored a safety which was the ultimate margin of victory.

That strange play came in the first half, and everyone who was watching the game was asking the same question: “What will Coach Nibbs Price do with Roy Riegels in the second half?” The men filed off the field and went into the dressing room. They sat down on the benches and on the floor, all but Riegels. He put his blanket around his shoulders, sat down in a corner, put his face in his hands, and cried like a baby. If you have played football, you know that a coach usually has a great deal to say to his team during half time. That day Coach Price was quiet. No doubt he was trying to decide what to do with Riegels. Then the timekeeper came in and announced that there were three minutes before playing time. Coach Price looked at the team and said simply, “Men the same team that played the first half will start the second.” The players got up and started out, all but Riegels. He did not budge. The coach looked back and called to him again; still he didn’t move. Coach Price went over to where Riegels sat and said, “Roy, didn’t you hear me? The same team that played the first half will start the second.” Then Roy Riegels looked up and his cheeks were wet with a strong man’s tears. “Coach,” he said, “I can’t do it to save my life. I’ve ruined you, I’ve ruined the University of California, and I’ve ruined myself. I couldn’t face that crowd in the stadium to save my life.” Then Coach Price reached out and put his hand on Riegel’s shoulder and said to him: “Roy, get up and go on back; the game is only half over.” And Roy Riegels went back, and those Tech men will tell you that they have never seen a man play football as Roy Riegels played that second half.”

In our text we find Jonah, after being expelled from the belly of the beast.

Jonah 3:1 NIV

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time:

We Serve a God of Second Chances

God was under no obligation to call Jonah again to this task

He was by no means the only prophet in the land

But what that says is that what God has for you, is for you.

Your Test is your Testimony

You are called on purpose for a purpose

God knew Jonah was gonna mess up

Just like he knows you’re gonna struggle and stumble

But the great thing about God is that once you’re chosen, there’s nothing you can do to escape his grasp.

Jonah had to go through what he went through to properly preach his message.

He ran away from his call

So now he knows what disobedience looks like

He was thrown overboard

Now he knows what punishment looks like

He is swallowed by the fish but does not die

Now he knows what mercy looks like

He prays his sinner’s prayer in the belly of the fish

Now he knows what repentance looked like

He’s forgiven and deposited onto dry land.

Now knows what grace looks like

What I’m trying to get you to see, is that your test is really your testimony!

Jonah 3:3 (NIV)

Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh...

Nineveh is described as a “great city”

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 3

The walls were a hundred feet high, and broad enough to allow three chariots abreast, and had moreover fifteen hundred lofty towers.

He traveled three days journey which was about 60 miles.

The city was only about 18 miles in length

But the city wasn’t necessarily great because of its size

It was great because if its purpose.

You may not be the biggest or the strongest or have the most money or followers on tik toc, but God said that you are great

not because of who you are, but because of whose you are!

God said “I called you, so you will do great things.”

Jonah makes his way through this great city

He proclaims throughout the city that in 40 days, this great city will be destroyed.

In Scripture, the number 40 is significant

Forty is often associated with humiliation:

Moses, Elijah, and Jesus all fasted for forty days

Forty years in the wilderness

Forty years from the beginning of Christs ministry to the destruction of Jerusalem.

What’s interesting is that Jonah doesn’t actually complete his mission

He half-did his assignment.

The word says to serve the Lord with gladness, but if you pay attention, there is no mention that Jonah enjoyed what he was doing.

You ever attend an event that you had no interest in, only to end up changing someone’s life?

The miracle, is that the message spreads anyways

Jonah did the bare minimum

Your Obedience is Your Opportunity

Jonah 3:5–9 NIV

The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

Your obedience is your opportunity to change somebody’s life.

I tell y’all all the time that I did not want to be a preacher.

God has you in the position you are in for a reason.

you may not like it, you may not always enjoy your assignment but you were called on purpose for a purpose so let your obedience be an opportunity to witness.

Your family may get on your nerves sometimes

Your job may frustrate you

Your love ones may hurt you sometimes

But there’s someone in your circle that needs to see the light of Christ radiating from your spirit

Someone in your vicinity needed to see you overcome your demons

Someone in your atmosphere needs to see you pray through the tough times and praise God through prosperity

Someone you know needs to hear that your joy comes from knowing you are saved in Christ, and that you are on your way to heaven because He died for you on that old rugged cross and got up early on a Sunday morning

But you have to be obedient to your assignment or else how will they know!?

Jonah 3:10 NIV

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

The Book of Jonah is curious because it is the only recorded prophecy in Scripture that did not come to pass.

I don’t know what that means in the grand scheme of things

I think that, just as Nineveh needed Jonah, the problematic prophet, as their messenger, we need Nineveh as ours.

If a wicked and terrible country like them can obey God’s command, what is our problem?