JONAH: Major Change

 Major Change Jonah 4:1-11 Does the story of Jonah encourage your love of God - I hope it will when we’re done, that’s the point and it should cause, stick with me…. This book of Jonah should cause in you, Major Change. And I mean that, I pray you’re coming to this study and this book with the appropriate gravity. Don’t just float in here and float out, this is designed by God who created you, drive Major Change into your heart - and that’s what’s at stake today, will you get what God intends or will you continue to be distracted by this life and settle for a view from this world rather than an otherworldly view? I pray you’ll be majorly changed. We said of Jonah that it is a book with hooks and sub plots, packing so much punch in it’s short 4 chapters - it’s a book that is to drive us to see how great our God is and how far from Him we are, so that we’d repent of trusting our selves and turn to the God who: A) Seeks after us B) Created us Lets be real, God created you - not your parents. Their part wasn’t that difficult - can I get an amen? Last week we studied one single verse Jonah 3:10 which shows that God repented of what He said He’d do when the Ninevites repented. Here is why this is important: God found them where they were, showed them truth, and authored their change, and authored their salvation. I pray that today He is authoring some major change in you. Today we’re gong to see that Jonah settled on a view from this world, rather than an otherworldly view. As people reading this story so far later we can know that God’s still in the pursing and finding and grace-extending business and that is why Jonah is a book about God not about a whale. It’s a recording for all time that straightens out our thinking. It takes a guy who’s a prophet called by God to a people far from God to bring those people near to God - and we’re going to see God’s prophet (Jonah) maybe because he's a nationalist and/or racist, doesn’t like it. This story is stuck for all time, so that we’d look to God and know he’s a God of goodness, and mercy, and love, and grace - and sometimes he’s not reflected fully, perfectly by His people -but His truth is still true, and he’s still about seeking those far from Himself. Now here is the flip side - that’s a message to the person who is far from Him, not to be distracted to those near to Him that aren’t prefect. And I appreciate that message - because I sure know I’m not perfect and I still want people to find God in spite of my many sins and inadequacies. However if you’re near to God and know Him, there is something here for you today too, that is this - just because your redeemed and saved and His - doesn’t mean He’s done with you. So if you’re not a Christian this morning, stick with me: I’ve God a picture of God designed to make you love Him. If you are a Christian this morning, stick with me: I’ve Got a picture of God designed to make you desire to reflect Him more, and better, and more accurately. Because Jonah’s story is a story all about a loving, merciful, pursuing God who lives together in tight relationship WITH us. That’s the mind blower of Jonah - that God was after everyone in the story, even Jonah who he had, he wanted more of. And so, not only does God want us and want to know us; he wants increasingly more of us. Jonah 4:1 (ESV) 4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. What displeased Jonah - God did. His grace and mercy and love and kindness from: Jonah 3:10 (ESV) 10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. Jonah, who knows God only by God’s grace towards him and his people, is angry at God’s grace towards THIS people. Nationalism and Racism were more important to Jonah than seeing the world from God’s perspective, Jonah settled on a view from this world, rather than an other worldly view. Jonah 4:2–4 (ESV) 2 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. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?” Jonah is such a dirt-bag. I mean how do you escape that? Jonah is looking down on these people and he’s just straight up mad that God would relent of His anger on people like these Assyrians. So I pray that A: This picture of Jonah gives us pause. His angry disposition towards people of another nationality. And I pray that B: This picture of God’s love and grace and mercy towards BOTH Jonah and the Ninevities give us Paul’s. That God loves anyone confuses me more than knowing he loves others. Knowing our hearts that judge, and dislike one another that are so hateful towards people, who use people up, unlovingly, who seek after drama, who war with each other who rejoice when people are found out in their sin - how does God love any of us? Grace and mercy. That is why Jonah is a book about God because it’s a book that drives, major change. Lets look at Jonah’s reaction to God’s turning from Judging this people (Jonah 3:10): Jonah 4:5–6 (ESV) 5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. Certainly, Jonah thought eventually God is going to blow this joint up and I want front row seats. 6 Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. Why? I think I know - I think God was continually teaching Jonah and leaving behind a story for all to see for all time, that His mercy and grace is amazing. I mean Jonah the Nationalist and Racist wants to watch these people die. Women. Children - boys and girls. Fathers, sons, mothers, sisters and brothers - suffer the wrath of God. I think there is nothing more consistent in the world, than an atheist who has no problem with robbery, murder, and chaos. But what confuses me is the atheist who wants fair ethical treatment and thinks murder is wrong, and disorder is wrong - because if we’re all an accidental or incidental result of cosmic movement, who are you to put a law over me. It’s survival of the fittest baby - and if I’m stronger than you, and bader than you, and you have something that’s mine - it becomes mine and you have nothing to say about it. But - if there is a God of mercy and love, who desires His people to reflect His character and grace and love, this is a major change- law and order and ethical treatment are a necessity. And since people don’t just move towards that, since we’re not God’s good character naturally since we naturally bend away from Him (like Jonah), God pursues us, and comes after us, and shows us His grace so that willingly we’ll be compelled to come to Him and experience - major change. And this book of Jonah shows that now - as we see Jonah’s snotty attitude, let this be a safety net Christian if you start to catch an attitude regarding people around you who may not yet know God. Jonah 4:7–11 (ESV) 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” God - isn’t done with Jonah even though Jonah settled on a view from this world, rather than an otherworldly view. God is working with him, giving him continued - extended grace. Are you a Christian today - see that God is continually after growing you - both in your understanding of the world around you and growing you closer to Him. His continued grace towards you and towards others should deepen your love and awe for Him and of Him. Jonah settled on a view from this world, rather than an otherworldly view. What about you? So if you’re not a Christian this is the picture of God a designed to make you love Him. That he loves every single person he’s created, because he’s created them, not because of what they do or don’t do, but simply because they exist. Do you exist? God loves you and he’s after you, and maybe that’s why you’re hear today and you didn’t even know it, does this prepare you for major change? Beginning the process of knowing God starts here with seeing that he’s after you and trusting His plan to redeem you and that is this. That you see the amazing depth of Jesus love that He (Jesus) Died on a cross as a matter of love to make you whole with God. Because you just feel the distance that your life has put between yourself and God and Jesus with one action - closes it - will you trust God? If you are a Christian this morning, stick with me: I’ve Got a picture of God designed to make you desire to reflect Him more, and better, and more accurately. Imagine with me - how would life be different today if you came to know God, and came to trust Jesus as Lord and made that step in closing the distance life has placed between you and God. Will you wake up tomorrow and all your life worries will be gone - all your problems will be solved? No. But that’s a view from this world; remember: Jonah settled on a view from this world, rather than an otherworldly view. What about you? Will major change be authored in you, today? When we’re re-joined to the God who created us we realize this life is temporary and we’re to enjoy the blessings in it, find Him, in it - and share his love and mercy and grace in it. Maybe (I hope) over the course of this life, you’ve met people who are doing that, maybe that’s part of why you’re here today. If you walked in a believer today - with the gap between you and God already filled by Christ - imagine how tomorrow looks, as you’re re-encouraged that like Jonah God is continuingly after you. Does that encourage you? That God doesn’t save you and move on but that he works on you, and through you and continues drawing you nearer? Church - our God is so much more interesting than that trick he did one time with a huge fish that swallowed Jonah, that’s not the point of the book - rather God is the point of the book, will you go on from here and into your week loving Him perhaps for the first time or perhaps more deeply? I pray you will - let Jonah’s story encourage you in God. What about you? Will major change be authored in you, today? JONAH: Major Change Pastor John Weathersby Transcend Church 5 of 5 Sunday 10/29/2017