God Turns Hearts

Bottomline: God can change even the most unbelievable hearts.

Intro- talk about trick shots or the play…1982…Cal vs stanford…4 seconds left…stanford is up 20-19…cal used 5 lateral passes to score and win…the band is on the field

The greater the audacity of the call, the greater astonishment of the miracle.

God does is most impressive work when we most believe it not possible.

The fish is not the real miracle, changed hearts of nation against God is the real miracle.

-we are so quickly to not believe the man living in a fish yet we believe in a risen savior.

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh.

In the first call Jonah is asked to go cry out against Ninevah and now he is called to proclaim a message to them.

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Historians have pointed out that about the time of Jonah’s mission, Assyria had experienced a series of famines, plagues, revolts, and eclipses, all of which were seen as omens of far worse things to come. Some have argued that this was God’s way of preparing the ground for Jonah.

Keller, Timothy. The Prodigal Prophet (p. 85). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

6 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. 7 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. 8 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. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

10 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 New International Version (Chapter 4)

But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.

We are not the gatekeepers of God’s grace and mercy.

He tend to believe we are always deserving Gods grace and mercy while not wanting it for others…especially our enemies.

God wants people to change because He loves people.

God especially wanted the Nineveites to change because of their oppressive and violent nature.

God honors peoples when they change because He loves people.

There are negative consequences of sin and there are positive consequences of faithfulness

God honors obedience because He loves people.

John

The New International Version (Chapter 14)

15 “If you love me, keep my commands.

God wants to save all people because He loves people.

2 peter

The New International Version (Chapter 3)

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

God wants to save you because He loves you.

The Story of scripture in four phrases repeated throughout its pages:

I love you.

I am with you.

Don’t be afraid.

You can come home.