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INTRODUCTION:
This morning, I would like to call us to consider the compassion God has for the lost.
If I was to ask the question - Do we have compassion on the lost?
And - I think all of us would say yes.
We would even say we have a burden for the lost.
Yet,
I am struck with the reality that many places in Scripture teach us that God has far more compassion then us.
For example -
There are many places in the Gospels where we see Jesus having compassion on those no one else did.
His love and his mercy extended past sin, past social norms, past hate and past anger.
One such example was the women at the well.
Notice the Surprise of the women that Jesus would even speak to her.
And then again, the surprise of the disciples when they return in v. 27-28.
The reality is often God is more compassionate than we are.
We hold onto hate, anger, and bitterness -
Col 3:8 - put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander,
Heb 12:15 - tells us not to be bitter.
This morning - we will consider a prophet who struggled with how God had compassion on his enemies
{{{{{{{{{Enemies who were brutal, vicious … and very lost.
]]]]]]]]]]]]
Let’s read of Jonah’s struggle in Jonah 4 -
From our passage,
PROPOSITION: We ought to live as compassionate people.
Transitional Statement: And the story of Jonah teaches us how to have the compassion on those who God has compassion on.
I want you truly take a moment - and consider...
Do you struggle with anger?
Are you bitter against someone today?
Do you love the unlovable?
Do you have compassion on the lost?
If the answer is yes, and the reality is, in degrees everyone has to say yes.
>>>>>>>>>>Then let’s consider how we can have compassion on the lost.
Compassion on the lost must begin with
1. Recognizing our bitterness (Jonah 4:1-3)
The first step of counseling often is realizing we have a problem, but for many of us - we are blind to our anger and bitterness.
Jonah was blind to his own anger.
Notice the -
a.
The bitterness of Jonah.
We see in Jonah 3 an incredible display of repentance.
The city of Nineveh turned from their evil and violence.
From the least to the greatest.
The King to the cattle.
- And every citizen was crying to God.
- Every person and cattle was fasting and wearing sackcloths on their head.
This town was mourning at the judgement of God and asking for him to not condemn the city.
And God in his great mercy and steadfast love - relented of his judgement.
This is a marvelous thing - the least likely, most unexpected people to repent - has repented.
We ought to stand here and go - wow look at what God can do!
But is that how Jonah reacted?
Listen to the bitterness of Jonah.
When Jonah ought to be rejoicing at the repentance of the Ninevites.
- Rejoicing that people are coming to the one true God.
- Rejoicing that God is so merciful,
>>>>>the same God who saved Jonah from the death sentence of being swallowed by a fish, at the bottom of the ocean.
And instead,
- He is angry!
AND
- he is disgusted.
And why?
Observe
b.
The cause of Jonah’s bitterness.
If you read the book of Jonah, you have been waiting since Chapter 1 wondering why Jonah fled from the presence of God in chapter 1 -
and Jonah’s confession is found in v. 2.
He fled the presence of God - because he knew God would forgive them.
He says,
It’s almost amazing,
that someone can confess that about God in disgust and hate.
But Jonah shows it is completely possible.
What is so bad about people getting saved?
Well when your heart is full of bitterness and hate and anger - it can be the worst thing in your life.
Now,
it is not to say that Jonah does not have good reason to be bitter and to hateful.
Consider who the Ninevites are -
The Ninevites are the social and cultural icon of the Assyrian nation.
The same Assyrian nation that Hosea and Amos prophesied would conquer, destroy, and exile the N. Kingdom of Israel.
Further, they are known for their incredible brutality
Inscriptions have been found showing the Assyrians
Skinning their enemies alive.
Beheading their enemies.
Poking the Eyes out of their Enemy.
And forcing them to ground the bones of their ancestors.
[https://www.biblearchaeology.org/publications/bibleandspade.aspx]
So for Jonah,
The Ninevites repenting was repulsive.
It disgusted him.
It displeased him.
You can think through how he must have felt.
Do you know what this people have done?
They don’t deserve mercy.
This is the enemies of God.
And this is the enemies of the Jews.
And as bitter, angry people - we can rationalize why they don’t deserve mercy.
But is mercy about deserving it?
Is grace about deserving it?
Is compassion about earning it?
The reality is that -
The Ninevites deserved judgement and not mercy, but God had compassion.
But neither did Jonah.
Jonah deserved judgement for running from God
but God had compassion on him in the whale.
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