Jonah - Deep Truths: Part 4
Jonah 4:1–11 (NKJV)
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2 So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. 3Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” 4 Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 5 So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. 6 And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7 But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8 And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!” 10 But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?
Week one - we talked about hearing AND obeying God
Week two - we talked about re-aligning ourselves to God
Week three - we talking receiving AND giving a specific Word
Today we are going to wrestle with doing the right thing with the wrong heart
How many of us have done the right thing, with the wrong attitude?
This week?
We open open the chapter after this verse:
Jonah 3:10 (NKJV)
10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
God's response made Jonah angry!
WHY!?
3 reasons I see that Jonah was angry!
Jonah had prejudice in his heart.
He was the first prophet sent outside of Israel
He was sure that Nineveh didn't "deserve" the grace of the Lord
This was from his culture!
Jonah felt like God wasn't treating him fairly.
Jonah had been put through the ringer for "light" disobedience
Nineveh were getting off the hook, even though they were deep in sin.
God's agenda for Nineveh was inconvenient to Jonah.
Your feelings can be real and still be wrong
Jeremiah 17:9–10 (NKJV)
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, Itest the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
Sometimes we allow jealousy over someone else’s blessings to negate ours
Today, we don't want to be a bunch of Jonah's
Here are some truths that I speak over our feelings this morning:
1.Regardless of how I might feel, I know that all people should receive God's goodness
People... All people:
We will put no type in italics -- People need the Gospel!
Not: _____________ need the Gospel.
"certain" people
People like us... need the Gospel... People different than us.... Need the Gospel.
I believe that my city deserves to hear the Gospel as much as I needed to hear the Gospel!
There is no situation that gives me permission to decide who deserves the mercy of Jesus!
James 2:1 (NKJV)
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.
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James 2:8–9 (NKJV)
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
The problem was that:
Jonah would have rather been right about
their judgement than to see their salvation
We can yell at problems until we pass out, but only an experience with a loving savior will pull someone out of their sin!
2.Regardless of how I might feel, I know that God's ways are right
Isaiah 55:8–9 (NKJV)
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Jonah was missing the point because he was trying to COMPARE his relationship with God to Nineveh's relationship with God!
Here's why you can't compare your relationship with God to anyone else's:
They aren't you!
Romans 9:14–17 (NKJV)
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! 15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” 16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.”
Luke 12:48 (NKJV)
48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.
As you grow in your walk with the Lord, He's going to give you access to DEEPER truths which are only understood through DEEPER sacrifices!
When you know that God has asked you to make a costly adjustment, know that it will come with an even greater revelation of Him!
3.Regardless of how I might feel, I know that the glory of eternity is worth my inconvenience!
2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (NKJV)
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The moments in your life that require costly obedience are worth it!
When we walk with a supernatural God - the Bible says:
Ephesians 3:20 (NKJV)
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
For me to see the potential of the kingdom at work around me, I have to be acquainted with the power of the kingdom at work within me!
You can't accomplish the purpose of God without the heart of God and the power of God!
