WEBVTT 00:00:03.500 --> 00:00:06.033 Well, good morning Valley View. 00:00:06.033 --> 00:00:07.599 How's everyone today? 00:00:07.599 --> 00:00:08.465 Is this on? 00:00:08.465 --> 00:00:09.333 I can't quite hear it. 00:00:09.333 --> 00:00:11.300 Can you hear it? 00:00:11.300 --> 00:00:13.599 Okay. 00:00:13.599 --> 00:00:14.400 It's good to be with you. 00:00:14.400 --> 00:00:18.166 I'm so encouraged by Isaac's report of the students. 00:00:18.166 --> 00:00:21.233 Three students accepting Christ. 00:00:21.233 --> 00:00:25.533 Three saying we feel God's stirring in our life in a fresh, new way. 00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:35.466 This is all surrounding the theme we're going to talk about today, and the theme that Jonah is all about turning back to God. 00:00:35.865 --> 00:00:39.265 I consider myself, I've often taken pride in my sense of direction. 00:00:39.265 --> 00:00:44.732 How many other people here feel like, yeah, that God has gifted me with a great sense of direction? 00:00:44.732 --> 00:00:45.500 Not many of you. 00:00:45.500 --> 00:00:49.100 Okay, well, I know who to not get behind when we're driving somewhere. 00:00:49.100 --> 00:00:50.133 Follow me instead. 00:00:51.265 --> 00:00:54.100 I feel like, for the most part, I've always known where I am. 00:00:54.100 --> 00:01:01.332 But there was this one time I was in a foreign country, which I think should give me some grace. 00:01:01.332 --> 00:01:03.133 Couldn't really read the maps very well. 00:01:03.133 --> 00:01:08.566 And the person who I was with was getting frustrated that we obviously I don't use the L word. 00:01:08.566 --> 00:01:09.533 We were misplaced. 00:01:09.533 --> 00:01:10.266 We weren't lost. 00:01:10.266 --> 00:01:13.865 We just didn't know exactly where we were in that moment. 00:01:13.865 --> 00:01:16.766 And so I'm looking I'm trying to read the map. 00:01:16.766 --> 00:01:17.832 I'm trying to figure out where we're going. 00:01:17.832 --> 00:01:25.000 And and this person's getting continued more frustrated by not knowing exactly where to go, not knowing exactly where we are. 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:30.266 And so what this person does is in the midst of the frustration is they speed up. 00:01:30.266 --> 00:01:33.033 I keep saying this person, it wasn't my wife, Julie. 00:01:33.033 --> 00:01:34.000 Someone else. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:36.033 I'm not trying to protect her identity here. 00:01:36.033 --> 00:01:37.799 If it was her, I would just say it was her. 00:01:40.766 --> 00:01:47.832 Anyway, enough about that. Point being, this person was getting more frustrated, and so what they were doing was speeding up. 00:01:47.832 --> 00:01:54.665 Now, if you don't know where you are and if you think you might be going the wrong direction, don't go faster in the wrong direction. 00:01:55.566 --> 00:02:02.132 What needed to happen in that moment and when you know you might be headed the wrong direction. 00:02:02.132 --> 00:02:03.933 That's the time to stop. 00:02:03.933 --> 00:02:07.233 Get your bearings and then turn around. 00:02:08.466 --> 00:02:10.099 Get going the right direction. 00:02:10.099 --> 00:02:14.099 Don't keep heading the wrong direction even faster. 00:02:14.099 --> 00:02:25.032 We're going to see God speak to an entire city trying to get their attention, trying to get them to turn around, to go a new direction. 00:02:25.032 --> 00:02:26.733 That's the theme of the Book of Jonah. 00:02:26.733 --> 00:02:29.466 We're going to be in Jonah chapter three today. 00:02:29.466 --> 00:02:31.265 We've covered the first two chapters. 00:02:31.265 --> 00:02:32.900 Chapter three this week. 00:02:32.900 --> 00:02:36.633 Chapter four next week, I think it's on page 727. 00:02:36.633 --> 00:02:39.300 If you have a church Bible, if you don't have a Bible, those are in the lobby. 00:02:39.300 --> 00:02:40.966 You can grab one any time. 00:02:40.966 --> 00:02:42.500 Follow along as I read. 00:02:43.566 --> 00:02:54.199 We're going to read the first four verses to get our bearings, to get the situation, to get caught up on the story before we see how God speaks to the city of Nineveh. 00:02:54.233 --> 00:02:59.532 So Jonah chapter three, starting at verse one. 00:02:59.665 --> 00:03:11.765 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you. 00:03:11.765 --> 00:03:16.599 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. 00:03:16.599 --> 00:03:23.300 Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days journey in breadth. 00:03:23.966 --> 00:03:35.133 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey, and he called out, yet 40 days and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 00:03:35.932 --> 00:03:49.566 Many of the commentaries, many of the people who studied the Book of Jonah, have pointed out that the book of Jonah is really structured in two mirrored parts, two mirrored halves. 00:03:49.566 --> 00:03:59.466 And if you remember chapter one, verse one, the word of the Lord comes to Jonah and God says, go, arise, go. 00:03:59.733 --> 00:04:02.765 And Jonah arises and flees. 00:04:03.300 --> 00:04:06.332 He does the opposite of what he should do. 00:04:06.332 --> 00:04:13.366 And many point out chapter three, verse one is a restart, a redo, a start over. 00:04:14.099 --> 00:04:16.600 God had to pursue Jonah in the midst of his fleeing. 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:20.033 He brought him back to start over and we get a repeat. 00:04:20.033 --> 00:04:25.266 So again, the second time the word of the Lord comes to Jonah and he says, now I want you to go. 00:04:25.266 --> 00:04:28.266 Let's try this again. 00:04:28.500 --> 00:04:33.899 And we wonder, what's Jonah going to do if you don't already know the story, what's going to happen next? 00:04:33.899 --> 00:04:39.233 And Jonah, this time he arises, and he went to Nineveh. 00:04:41.065 --> 00:04:46.132 And we're going to see parallels between the second half of the book and the first half of the book. 00:04:46.132 --> 00:04:49.800 But the first encouragement is to see God pursued Jonah. 00:04:49.800 --> 00:05:03.233 And now Jonah has agreed to do what God asked instead of running again, which many of us would say, we've been there where God had to pursue us many times to get our attention. 00:05:03.233 --> 00:05:06.233 Once wasn't enough. 00:05:06.733 --> 00:05:10.165 But Jonah is going to give it a second try. 00:05:10.165 --> 00:05:13.132 He's going to follow what the Lord asked here. 00:05:13.132 --> 00:05:15.466 There's a couple of things, though, to point out about this. 00:05:15.466 --> 00:05:22.466 First is that he does call him to go by faith because he says, go and give the message that I tell you. 00:05:22.466 --> 00:05:24.300 I think we can imply that I will tell you. 00:05:25.865 --> 00:05:27.365 He's called to take a step of faith. 00:05:27.365 --> 00:05:31.432 This is reminiscent of Abraham, where God said, Abraham, go, go to the place. 00:05:31.432 --> 00:05:32.000 I'll tell you. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:32.833 I'll tell you where it is. 00:05:32.833 --> 00:05:34.466 Just get going. 00:05:34.466 --> 00:05:37.266 Take a step of faith. 00:05:37.266 --> 00:05:43.132 And for every Christian here, every person who follows God, you're called to walk by faith. 00:05:43.132 --> 00:05:46.500 He doesn't spell out everything for you when he calls you to follow him. 00:05:46.500 --> 00:05:48.266 Follow me. 00:05:48.266 --> 00:05:49.233 Lord, what will that mean? 00:05:49.233 --> 00:05:50.466 I'll show you. 00:05:50.466 --> 00:05:54.199 Well, I'd really like to know everything upfront. Too bad. 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:56.766 And by the way, would you really want to know everything upfront? 00:05:56.766 --> 00:05:59.766 I don't I don't think you would. 00:06:00.733 --> 00:06:02.065 That's where we walk by faith. 00:06:02.065 --> 00:06:03.000 Our theme for the year. 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:04.165 We're called to Walk by Faith. 00:06:04.165 --> 00:06:05.932 Jonah. I'll tell you what it is, Jonah. 00:06:05.932 --> 00:06:06.865 You just get going. 00:06:07.932 --> 00:06:09.333 Okay. 00:06:09.333 --> 00:06:12.333 So Jonah walks by faith. 00:06:12.865 --> 00:06:25.699 But the challenging part with this, and I got to give a little bit of a correction to everything I've said up to this point, because I've said that the Book of Jonah is all about how everybody does the right thing except for Jonah. 00:06:25.699 --> 00:06:28.065 Even the animals, the fish. 00:06:28.065 --> 00:06:30.665 Everybody obeys God immediately except for Jonah. 00:06:30.665 --> 00:06:34.600 And of course, now you're saying, yeah, but hey, look, he's obeying God. 00:06:34.632 --> 00:06:35.165 And you're right. 00:06:35.165 --> 00:06:37.432 He finally is. 00:06:37.432 --> 00:06:42.165 But we're going to get some hints that maybe his heart isn't fully engaged with this idea. 00:06:42.165 --> 00:06:44.800 Maybe his obedience is on the surface. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:47.966 Maybe he's just going through the motions and you know the difference. 00:06:47.966 --> 00:06:48.932 You've been there. 00:06:48.932 --> 00:06:52.899 You know the difference between just going through the motions, doing what you know should be right. 00:06:52.899 --> 00:06:54.733 There's times you got to do that, I get that. 00:06:54.733 --> 00:06:57.766 But what we really want in what God is after is, is, is our heart. 00:06:58.966 --> 00:07:01.966 He wants our heart to be fully engaged. In the notes 00:07:01.966 --> 00:07:04.865 7. 00:07:04.865 --> 00:07:08.600 That's a whole verse about how man looks at the outward appearance. 00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:10.100 God looks at the heart. 00:07:10.100 --> 00:07:22.899 Jesus is often chastising the Pharisees, who seem to do everything correct on the surface, seem to have it all put together perfectly, but their hearts are cold and distant and hardened towards God. 00:07:23.865 --> 00:07:27.766 And we're going to get some hints that maybe this is where Jonah is. 00:07:27.766 --> 00:07:29.466 We're going to see some of that today. 00:07:29.466 --> 00:07:33.632 We'll see some, especially in chapter four. 00:07:34.365 --> 00:07:37.000 But what he wants is our heart. 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:41.533 Now we also learn a little more about the city that he's called to go reach. 00:07:41.533 --> 00:07:44.565 If you're called to missions, you want to know about the mission field. 00:07:44.565 --> 00:07:46.333 Who are the people I need to go reach? 00:07:46.333 --> 00:07:48.233 And here's how he describes Nineveh. 00:07:48.233 --> 00:07:50.833 He says Nineveh was an exceedingly great city. 00:07:50.833 --> 00:07:52.432 This is in verse three. 00:07:52.432 --> 00:08:08.766 Three days journey in breadth, exceedingly great, that you might even have a footnote in your Bible that can also be translated as great to God or great to the gods, depending on how it's translated, the emphasis being it's a city of importance. 00:08:08.766 --> 00:08:12.699 Maybe it's specifically important to Yahweh, Lord God. 00:08:12.699 --> 00:08:17.300 Maybe it's just in general seen as a significant city among many. 00:08:18.665 --> 00:08:22.733 Also, it says it's three days journey in breadth. 00:08:23.766 --> 00:08:27.565 There's different ways to understand that statement. 00:08:27.565 --> 00:08:36.466 One may be because most ancient historians would say that probably wouldn't, an ancient walled city at least wouldn't have been that large. 00:08:36.700 --> 00:08:38.466 Three days to walk across. 00:08:38.466 --> 00:08:43.765 It could have been referring, many say likely could have been referring to the surrounding region. 00:08:43.765 --> 00:08:47.832 I mean, when we talk about Louisville, you might even be talking about parts of southern Indiana. 00:08:47.832 --> 00:08:49.100 There's the Louisville Loop. 00:08:49.100 --> 00:08:50.732 A bike path goes all the way around the city. 00:08:50.732 --> 00:08:52.200 That's a that's a hundred miles. 00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:57.466 I mean, is that encompassed just only Louisville proper, the specific part of the city? No. 00:08:57.466 --> 00:08:59.500 So it could be referring to a broader region. 00:08:59.500 --> 00:09:01.799 It also could just be idiomatic. 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:04.200 It could be an idiom kind of like three days. 00:09:04.200 --> 00:09:07.200 And means just large. 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:08.365 We have idioms like that. 00:09:08.365 --> 00:09:14.500 In fact, we had a, a student we hosted from Africa who stayed with the some in Little Rock. 00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:18.966 And one day he says to me, he says, what is this phrase, raining cats and dogs? 00:09:18.966 --> 00:09:22.299 I look outside, I don't see any cats and dogs falling. 00:09:22.299 --> 00:09:23.200 I don't see any outside. 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:25.133 Y'all keep your cats and dogs inside. 00:09:25.133 --> 00:09:26.899 They're all outside in Africa anyway. 00:09:26.899 --> 00:09:28.299 But what do you mean by that? 00:09:28.299 --> 00:09:31.865 And I said, oh, look, it just means it's raining a lot. That's it. 00:09:31.865 --> 00:09:34.332 And he said, why, where does that come from? 00:09:34.332 --> 00:09:37.265 I said, well, it's just actually I have no idea where it comes from. 00:09:37.265 --> 00:09:38.365 I don't know why we say that. 00:09:38.365 --> 00:09:41.399 Why would you say raining cats and dogs who who knows? 00:09:41.399 --> 00:09:42.899 But for us, we know what it means. 00:09:42.899 --> 00:09:45.666 It's an idiom. It's not literal. 00:09:45.666 --> 00:09:50.700 And some have said that might also be going on here. 00:09:50.899 --> 00:09:57.932 The point of that with Nineveh and the point of this whole idea of great, you know, he said, it's an exceedingly great city. 00:09:57.932 --> 00:10:01.865 That word great shows up over and over again in the book of Jonah. 00:10:01.865 --> 00:10:03.899 We're we're looking for when we study the Bible. 00:10:03.899 --> 00:10:07.666 We're looking for repeated ideas and themes, and we'll see a word repeated today. 00:10:07.666 --> 00:10:09.033 The word turn gets repeated. 00:10:09.033 --> 00:10:10.566 Those help point to the meaning. 00:10:10.566 --> 00:10:12.633 The word great shows up over and over again. 00:10:12.633 --> 00:10:13.966 Nineveh’s great. 00:10:13.966 --> 00:10:16.365 God is great. The storm was great. 00:10:16.365 --> 00:10:18.533 The size of the fish was great. 00:10:18.533 --> 00:10:21.533 It's over and over again. 00:10:21.633 --> 00:10:25.666 And the point of that is meant to get the reader's attention. 00:10:25.865 --> 00:10:27.966 This seems like a really small book. 00:10:27.966 --> 00:10:29.332 Insignificant. 00:10:29.332 --> 00:10:32.200 A couple of chapters, two pages in your Bible. 00:10:32.200 --> 00:10:36.865 It's easy to read, breeze past it, but pay attention. 00:10:36.865 --> 00:10:47.265 It's got an important message, a critical message for you, and especially for the Jews, for Israel, whose heart is straying from God. 00:10:47.265 --> 00:10:50.265 Pay attention. 00:10:50.666 --> 00:10:57.799 Now what happens is Jonah goes to this city, he shows up and he preaches the message. 00:10:57.799 --> 00:11:02.000 And in this we get the first hint that maybe he's not fully on board with this mission. 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:13.799 Maybe he's not all in. In fact, I'm reading a little between the lines with this, but I think this is pointing at some of his reluctance because the city is described as three days journey. 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:16.600 But look at verse four what Jonah does to complete his mission. 00:11:16.600 --> 00:11:21.232 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. 00:11:21.832 --> 00:11:22.666 It's three days. 00:11:22.666 --> 00:11:24.000 He goes a day. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:25.232 He didn't even go halfway. 00:11:25.232 --> 00:11:27.133 He's not even half hearted. 00:11:27.133 --> 00:11:29.865 I'm gonna go in just enough to get the job done. 00:11:30.966 --> 00:11:33.133 And then he delivers his message. 00:11:33.133 --> 00:11:37.832 He delivers his sermon, his eight word sermon. 00:11:37.832 --> 00:11:38.799 I know some of you are going. 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:41.332 That doesn't sound too bad sometimes, Jonah. We're not. 00:11:41.332 --> 00:11:43.832 Maybe just an eight word sermon. 00:11:43.832 --> 00:11:46.700 Well, probably not this one. 00:11:46.700 --> 00:11:48.932 Okay, Jonah goes in. 00:11:48.932 --> 00:11:53.600 Maybe this is exactly the words God has given him. We don't know. 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:57.966 But here's what he says, Yet 40 days and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 00:11:58.865 --> 00:12:01.865 Very simple, very direct. 00:12:02.232 --> 00:12:03.700 It could have been just that. 00:12:03.700 --> 00:12:05.799 This is all that I want to deal with. 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:09.600 It could have been all that that God had given him. 00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:14.000 You know, 40 days often shows up in Scripture as a sign of God's judgment. 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:17.299 You had rain on the earth 40 days and 40 nights. 00:12:17.299 --> 00:12:19.732 God's judgment, Israel in the wilderness 40. 00:12:19.732 --> 00:12:21.066 The number 40, 40 years. 00:12:22.133 --> 00:12:25.566 It shows up other ways as well. 00:12:25.566 --> 00:12:38.066 When there is imminent danger, when you know judgment is coming, it's best to just keep the message simple and short. 00:12:38.066 --> 00:12:41.232 You think of Paul Revere with the colonies. 00:12:41.232 --> 00:12:42.500 He's got one simple message. 00:12:42.500 --> 00:12:48.066 He's doing his midnight ride and all he says is the British are coming, the Redcoats are coming. 00:12:48.066 --> 00:12:50.232 That's all you need to know. 00:12:50.232 --> 00:12:51.533 Danger is imminent. 00:12:51.533 --> 00:12:53.432 I know I need to act. 00:12:53.432 --> 00:13:04.700 And when destruction is close, it's okay that the message is simple and short and concise, even if it's not one that's popular. 00:13:06.033 --> 00:13:08.700 Now, the question is, how is Nineveh going to react to this? 00:13:08.700 --> 00:13:17.000 Jonah does what he's supposed to do, maybe a little reluctantly, maybe half heartedly, maybe not all in, but he delivers the message. 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:18.966 How is Nineveh going to respond to this? 00:13:18.966 --> 00:13:19.666 What will they do? 00:13:21.166 --> 00:13:33.765 What we're going to see, I think in their response, are three marks of a revival, three marks of God's Spirit moving through a midst of a people. 00:13:33.765 --> 00:13:38.932 And so look at verse ten and let's see here verse five, and let's see how they respond. 00:13:39.066 --> 00:13:44.299 And the people of Nineveh believed God. 00:13:44.500 --> 00:13:46.432 They called for a fast. 00:13:46.432 --> 00:13:51.332 They put on sackcloth from the greatest of them to the least of them. 00:13:51.332 --> 00:13:55.332 The word reached the King of Nineveh, and he arose. 00:13:55.332 --> 00:13:56.633 Like Jonah arose. 00:13:56.633 --> 00:14:03.399 He arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 00:14:04.033 --> 00:14:09.899 And he issued a proclamation published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles. 00:14:09.899 --> 00:14:13.865 Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock taste anything. 00:14:13.865 --> 00:14:19.133 Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. 00:14:20.133 --> 00:14:23.066 Let them call out mightily to God. 00:14:23.066 --> 00:14:28.865 Let everyone turn from his evil way, from the violence that is in his hands. 00:14:28.865 --> 00:14:30.000 Who knows? 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:36.966 God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger so that we may not perish. 00:14:37.265 --> 00:14:43.066 How does Nineveh respond to this simple eight word message? 00:14:44.265 --> 00:14:47.265 One word they believed. 00:14:48.066 --> 00:14:58.566 And I think this highlights this first mark of revival, first mark of God stirring among a people and the fancy word I'm going to use here is illumination. 00:14:58.566 --> 00:15:02.365 It's the first point in your outline illumination. 00:15:02.365 --> 00:15:04.566 God has awakened them. 00:15:04.566 --> 00:15:06.066 Light has shined upon them. 00:15:06.066 --> 00:15:13.133 18 Paul prays that the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened, and you know how this is. 00:15:13.133 --> 00:15:16.265 Before Christ has moved in your life, you're darkened to him. 00:15:16.265 --> 00:15:17.832 You can't see the things of him. 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:21.066 You can't even think about spiritual things. 00:15:21.066 --> 00:15:24.732 In fact, some people don't don't want anything to do with God. 00:15:24.732 --> 00:15:28.100 If you try to start talking about him, they'll they'll run out of the room. 00:15:28.100 --> 00:15:31.166 They'll try to shut down the conversation. 00:15:31.166 --> 00:15:37.265 But when God shows up and awakens people to who he is, that's when they respond. 00:15:37.265 --> 00:15:38.732 He has illuminated them. 00:15:38.732 --> 00:15:41.265 His light has shined into their darkened hearts. 00:15:41.265 --> 00:15:44.265 And when that happens, people believe. 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:47.332 The same word is used of Abraham. 00:15:47.332 --> 00:15:52.865 He believed God counted, and it was counted to him as righteousness. 00:15:52.966 --> 00:16:02.765 I think that's one of the first marks of the start of a revival, is that God stirs in a way he hadn't before, and people pay attention in a way they haven't before. 00:16:04.566 --> 00:16:07.166 Second, though, look at how else they respond. 00:16:07.166 --> 00:16:09.466 What follows on that? Yeah, God stirs. 00:16:09.466 --> 00:16:11.399 What is going to follow on that. 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:11.765 Notice 00:16:11.765 --> 00:16:17.299 they called for a fast, put on sackcloth from the greatest of them to the least of them. 00:16:17.299 --> 00:16:18.865 It even reaches the King. 00:16:18.865 --> 00:16:21.865 He also even sits in ashes. 00:16:22.533 --> 00:16:28.899 And I think the second mark of revival here is the conviction of sin and sorrow for sin. 00:16:28.899 --> 00:16:33.200 Conviction and sorrow are the two words here in point two. 00:16:34.033 --> 00:16:43.232 If God is moving in your life, if he has awakened you up to who he is, a normal response to that is conviction. 00:16:43.265 --> 00:16:52.299 I see now that I have been living a life separate from his plan for me, and there is sorrow for that, and we see that in the way they respond. 00:16:52.299 --> 00:16:55.133 They respond with action. 00:16:55.133 --> 00:16:58.332 We used to have these signs up all over the church growing up. 00:16:58.332 --> 00:17:00.533 You you practice daily what you believe. 00:17:00.533 --> 00:17:03.533 All the rest is just religious talk. 00:17:04.333 --> 00:17:11.232 I mean, you could say all day long, yeah, I believe this, I believe that, but if it doesn't have some effect on your life, do you really believe it? 00:17:11.232 --> 00:17:13.532 Is it really meaningful or not? 00:17:13.532 --> 00:17:18.633 We practice daily what we believe, all the rest is- it's just religious talk. 00:17:19.299 --> 00:17:22.299 And we see a response from Nineveh. 00:17:23.432 --> 00:17:24.665 Sackcloth and ashes. 00:17:24.665 --> 00:17:26.566 We talked about this when we studied the book of Esther. 00:17:26.566 --> 00:17:28.965 Sackcloth. Let's start with ashes. 00:17:28.965 --> 00:17:30.599 This would have represented death. 00:17:30.599 --> 00:17:33.232 Ashes could also be translated as dust. 00:17:33.232 --> 00:17:35.799 And by sitting in it, you're saying I'm basically dead. 00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:37.500 I feel dead in my sorrow. 00:17:37.500 --> 00:17:38.799 I might as well be dead. 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:39.633 I came from dust. 00:17:39.633 --> 00:17:41.066 I know I'm going back there. 00:17:41.066 --> 00:17:45.066 And it's a way to publicly display the depth of your grief. 00:17:45.066 --> 00:17:47.000 Sackcloth would have been just a pain. 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:52.865 Plain piece of rough fabric, maybe like rough burlap that someone would have worn. 00:17:52.865 --> 00:17:54.865 It would have been symbolic of your grief. 00:17:54.865 --> 00:18:01.099 It would have been the simplicity of it would have pointed to the grief of your soul. 00:18:01.099 --> 00:18:09.032 Maybe the simplicity would also just also highlight suffering, much like someone will just wear all black at funerals or in times of grief. 00:18:09.032 --> 00:18:14.465 And it also the the uncomfortable nature of it would increase your dependence on God. 00:18:14.465 --> 00:18:19.400 Remind you I need to be depending on him in the midst of my grief. 00:18:19.400 --> 00:18:30.099 What we see here is just this public display of conviction from the king down to the cows, from the very top, all the way down to the animals. 00:18:30.099 --> 00:18:35.400 Even the animals are required to fast and wear sackcloth. 00:18:35.400 --> 00:18:40.566 Again, highlighting that the animals are more quick to repent than Jonah. 00:18:40.566 --> 00:18:45.365 We still haven't seen repentance from Jonah, and he did what God asked. 00:18:45.732 --> 00:18:49.599 But we haven't seen this public display of conviction of sin and sorrow. 00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:54.365 What we want to see is true sorrow, true grief. 00:18:54.365 --> 00:18:56.200 There can be the outward appearance of sorrow. 00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:59.965 You've seen this where people are sorry for being caught. 00:19:00.932 --> 00:19:11.099 If you were alive in the 90s, you remember seeing Bill Clinton get on national television and apologize for his inappropriate relationship with the intern. 00:19:11.099 --> 00:19:11.532 But he was. 00:19:11.532 --> 00:19:13.500 It was so clear whether you liked him or not. 00:19:13.500 --> 00:19:15.965 It was so clear he was not sorry. 00:19:15.965 --> 00:19:18.566 He was sorry for being caught. 00:19:18.566 --> 00:19:23.566 If you add the word if to your apology, just don't apologize. 00:19:23.566 --> 00:19:26.432 I'm sorry if you were offended. 00:19:26.432 --> 00:19:28.965 Well, clearly you thought someone was offended. 00:19:28.965 --> 00:19:32.400 Otherwise you wouldn't take up the airwaves to talk about it. 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:34.799 Don't add the word if to your apology. 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:38.465 Don't add the word but. I'm sorry, but you caused it. 00:19:38.465 --> 00:19:40.099 Don't add the word and I'm sorry. 00:19:40.099 --> 00:19:41.665 And there's going to be payback. 00:19:41.665 --> 00:19:42.965 Don't look. 00:19:42.965 --> 00:19:45.000 Just give an apology. I am sorry. 00:19:46.200 --> 00:19:49.200 I'm so sorry that I did this. 00:19:49.333 --> 00:19:50.833 I know I hurt you. 00:19:50.833 --> 00:19:53.665 It's obvious what I did was wrong. 00:19:53.665 --> 00:19:55.165 I don't want to do that again. 00:19:55.165 --> 00:19:57.032 I don't want to live that way. 00:19:57.032 --> 00:19:57.799 I really don't. 00:19:57.799 --> 00:19:59.000 I don't want to hurt you like that. 00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:03.365 Will you forgive me and leave it there? 00:20:03.365 --> 00:20:04.865 And there may be stuff you got to address. 00:20:04.865 --> 00:20:07.566 Yes, of course, yes. 00:20:07.566 --> 00:20:09.532 But don't add it into an apology. 00:20:09.532 --> 00:20:11.465 Let your sorrow be sincere. 00:20:11.465 --> 00:20:13.432 In fact, this verse I've referenced here, 00:20:13.432 --> 00:20:15.365 10. 00:20:15.365 --> 00:20:18.365 Godly grief leads to repentance. 00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:27.799 Let it be a display of godly grief, true genuine sorrow and repentance. 00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:29.633 In fact, that leads us to number three. 00:20:29.633 --> 00:20:39.266 Number three in your outline is, I think, the culminating mark of the work of God, of God stirring through revival through a group of people. 00:20:39.266 --> 00:20:46.266 In fact, I think we see it in verse eight when the King gives his command, he says, let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. 00:20:46.266 --> 00:20:54.665 Let them call out mightily to God, let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 00:20:54.665 --> 00:20:56.333 We see that key word turn. 00:20:57.400 --> 00:20:58.865 Turn from his evil way. 00:20:58.865 --> 00:21:01.865 The word we use use is repent. 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:04.865 Repent. 00:21:04.865 --> 00:21:17.266 So what should follow with grief, sorrow, conviction is repentance, is a change in action, is a change in lifestyle. 00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:20.965 The sorrow for it is a good starting point. 00:21:20.965 --> 00:21:24.766 We should feel grieved for our sin, but then that should lead to change. 00:21:24.766 --> 00:21:25.333 It shouldn't. 00:21:25.333 --> 00:21:28.299 It should lead to new action. 00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:32.133 And that word turn is often translated as repent, turn around. 00:21:32.133 --> 00:21:35.165 Turn away from the thing you're doing that's wrong. 00:21:35.165 --> 00:21:42.965 This is what he's calling his people to do. Turn from the evil that our hands have been about to turn away from that. 00:21:42.965 --> 00:21:46.633 And if we do that, maybe God will respond. 00:21:46.633 --> 00:21:48.900 And of course, we see in verse ten that he does. 00:21:48.900 --> 00:22:03.766 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. 00:22:04.365 --> 00:22:12.599 When revival is stirring, when God is moving through people, their lives are changed. 00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:14.532 Their lives are radically changed. 00:22:14.532 --> 00:22:33.700 You know, when great moves of the spirit have occurred in the history of the world, there have been times there even been stories, especially in some of the great moves of the spirit in Great Britain, that animals no longer would respond to their owners because they stopped cursing so much, they no longer knew how to take commands as they were meant to plow the fields and what have you. 00:22:33.700 --> 00:22:37.566 All, all the establishments that had normally been attended to were now empty. 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:41.032 Lives are changed. 00:22:41.032 --> 00:22:42.299 Behavior changes. 00:22:42.299 --> 00:22:45.299 People go, you seem different. 00:22:45.732 --> 00:22:47.500 You don't respond the way you used to. 00:22:47.500 --> 00:22:50.532 When I try to push your buttons like I used to, it doesn't work anymore. 00:22:50.532 --> 00:22:52.299 What happened? 00:22:52.299 --> 00:22:55.299 Something has happened to you. 00:22:56.032 --> 00:23:00.432 When you see the marks of revival, you know God is working, I think. 00:23:00.432 --> 00:23:06.799 And we read as we read the story in Jonah, I think we see what I saw were probably six principles for us today. 00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:08.566 We're looking back at Jonah's time. 00:23:08.566 --> 00:23:11.333 We're looking at what he did in one great city of Nineveh. 00:23:11.333 --> 00:23:14.099 But what does that mean for us today? 00:23:14.099 --> 00:23:17.833 I think there's six things we can take away from this. 00:23:17.833 --> 00:23:23.165 The first one is, is that it's okay to preach repentance. 00:23:24.200 --> 00:23:36.000 Okay is not the right word. It is necessary to talk about repentance even if no one wants to hear it, even if it's not popular to talk about sin and how things are wrong. 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:38.200 And you need to repent and turn away from. 00:23:38.200 --> 00:23:41.200 It's absolutely critical. 00:23:41.299 --> 00:23:44.833 By the way, not just out there to a bunch of people who aren't here and maybe don't know the Lord. 00:23:44.833 --> 00:23:48.833 But it's important in the church, too, to talk about repentance. 00:23:48.833 --> 00:23:55.965 We need to hear it, too, even though oftentimes, I mean, who likes to be told you're wrong? 00:23:55.965 --> 00:24:01.865 Now, my immediate reaction when I hear that is maybe, okay, let's talk about it. 00:24:02.465 --> 00:24:04.432 We'll see if I'm wrong or not. 00:24:04.432 --> 00:24:05.865 You're sinning. 00:24:05.865 --> 00:24:07.266 By whose definition? 00:24:07.266 --> 00:24:08.700 I think most of us react to that. 00:24:08.700 --> 00:24:11.232 Who are you to tell me that I'm wrong or that I'm sinning? 00:24:11.232 --> 00:24:14.165 What are you self-righteous person who puts you in charge? 00:24:14.165 --> 00:24:15.365 Are you the judge over? 00:24:15.365 --> 00:24:16.865 That's our natural. That's our sins. 00:24:16.865 --> 00:24:22.566 Turn up immediately and go. Don't tell me it's okay, though, to talk about repentance. 00:24:22.566 --> 00:24:24.465 Even though people don't want to hear it. 00:24:24.465 --> 00:24:25.532 It's okay. 00:24:25.532 --> 00:24:26.566 It's necessary. 00:24:26.566 --> 00:24:30.833 And the reason we know is because it's the sermon Jesus came with. 00:24:30.833 --> 00:24:33.566 I put a couple of references in your note, Mark, 00:24:33.566 --> 00:24:35.432 14. 00:24:35.432 --> 00:24:36.532 2. 00:24:36.532 --> 00:24:40.000 That's actually John the Baptist, but Jesus follows 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:41.766 17. 00:24:41.766 --> 00:24:47.865 If you turn it over to that is just about 20 pages over into the New Testament from where we are in Jonah. 00:24:47.865 --> 00:24:55.500 Look at how what Jesus shows up for preaching, preaching his first sermon that he comes out of the gate with coming after John the Baptist 00:24:55.500 --> 00:24:56.566 17. 00:24:56.566 --> 00:25:07.200 From that time forward Jesus began to preach, saying, repent! The very first word of his very first sermon, repent! Turn around. 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:10.200 The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 00:25:11.432 --> 00:25:14.432 Jesus came preaching repentance. 00:25:15.700 --> 00:25:17.599 And it's okay for us to talk about it too. 00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:18.665 It's okay. 00:25:18.665 --> 00:25:19.833 It's necessary. 00:25:19.833 --> 00:25:22.833 It's important. 00:25:22.833 --> 00:25:39.365 And some in the modern world, even some churches, try to paint Jesus as just this wise spiritual guru, which he was, who only talks about love, who only focuses on loving people and healing them and caring for their physical needs, but not judgment. 00:25:39.365 --> 00:25:40.833 Well, Jesus is just about love. 00:25:40.833 --> 00:25:43.833 You can't separate love from judgment. 00:25:44.566 --> 00:25:46.665 The two have to go together. 00:25:46.665 --> 00:25:54.200 What is love without having hate for things that go against the ones you love? 00:25:54.365 --> 00:25:56.932 See, Jesus came preaching repentance. 00:25:56.932 --> 00:25:59.766 That's how we know it's critical. 00:25:59.766 --> 00:26:02.633 It's necessary. 00:26:02.633 --> 00:26:05.432 In fact, I would say one of the most loving things you can do. 00:26:05.432 --> 00:26:11.000 And look, by the way, it takes a lot of wisdom to know how to talk about someone else's sin. 00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:15.532 I mean, Matthew seven talks about make sure you get the log out of your own eye first, okay? 00:26:15.532 --> 00:26:17.965 Look how you go about it. 00:26:17.965 --> 00:26:20.965 It's not just you walk into the room declaring everyone wrong. 00:26:20.965 --> 00:26:24.766 You know, it takes a lot of wisdom to know how to address someone else's sin. 00:26:28.365 --> 00:26:37.566 But one of the most loving things you can do for someone who is running from God, running deep into sin, is to help them see that he has a better plan for them. 00:26:38.299 --> 00:26:42.432 It may not feel loving, they may not want to hear it. 00:26:42.665 --> 00:26:43.799 It may take a lot of wisdom. 00:26:43.799 --> 00:26:48.665 It may take years to get them to have ears that are open to hear. 00:26:48.665 --> 00:26:53.965 But it's part of what we're called to do, even when it's not welcomed. 00:26:53.965 --> 00:26:56.599 It's to talk about repentance, to talk about sin. 00:26:56.599 --> 00:27:17.700 Jonathan Edwards, the famous American pastor, pre American, really before the Declaration of Independence, but well known college president, missionary, philosopher, one of the brightest minds in our nation's history, said that people responded the most the more he talked about the sovereignty of God. 00:27:18.766 --> 00:27:25.665 One of his most famous sermons, probably most everyone read it in high school Sinners in the hands of an angry God. 00:27:26.032 --> 00:27:33.465 And when he talked about God's judgment, that's when people were moved and revival broke out. 00:27:33.465 --> 00:27:40.232 God used him, and a number of other preachers at that time to cause widespread revival across the nation. 00:27:40.566 --> 00:27:44.665 We can't avoid the issue of repentance, sin, judgment. 00:27:45.766 --> 00:27:46.500 That's the first point. 00:27:46.500 --> 00:27:51.633 Second, it's never too late to repent. 00:27:53.099 --> 00:27:59.365 No matter the life you've lived, no matter the mistakes you've made, you're not too far from God. 00:27:59.365 --> 00:28:08.532 In fact, you might be a lot closer and a lot of others who are self-righteous and feel like they are close, that they have been good and perfect. 00:28:08.599 --> 00:28:16.032 You know, the the passage here, verse nine actually references another verse that talk specifically about this. 00:28:16.032 --> 00:28:20.465 You're never too late to repent because God's mercy is great. 00:28:21.732 --> 00:28:23.165 You know, in verse nine he said, who knows? 00:28:23.165 --> 00:28:24.232 God may turn and relent. 00:28:24.232 --> 00:28:27.432 This is actually very similar to wording in Joel chapter two. 00:28:27.432 --> 00:28:30.232 That's just a few verses back to your left. 00:28:30.232 --> 00:28:31.833 A few chapters, few pages. 00:28:31.833 --> 00:28:32.799 Joel chapter two. 00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:35.799 He says this, verse 12. 00:28:36.066 --> 00:28:47.865 Yet even now, declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, with mourning, and rend your hearts and not your garments. 00:28:47.865 --> 00:28:48.599 Here we have this. 00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:51.500 I don't just want an outward show. 00:28:51.500 --> 00:28:54.432 Don't just tear your garments and pretend to be sad. 00:28:54.432 --> 00:28:56.165 Your hearts as well. 00:28:56.165 --> 00:28:58.066 I want those to be full of conviction. 00:28:58.066 --> 00:29:10.333 Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and he relents over disaster. 00:29:10.333 --> 00:29:13.500 And then here's the quote from our chapter today. 00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:21.500 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent and leave a blessing behind him? 00:29:21.500 --> 00:29:23.465 Who knows? 00:29:23.465 --> 00:29:26.299 It's never too late to repent. 00:29:26.299 --> 00:29:28.766 His mercy is great. 00:29:28.766 --> 00:29:30.500 Even as heavy as his judgment feels. 00:29:30.500 --> 00:29:32.700 His mercy is great. 00:29:32.700 --> 00:29:36.432 He shows mercy on Nineveh, who seem so far from God. 00:29:36.432 --> 00:29:38.000 It's never too late to turn back to him. 00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:44.365 Number three, when we talk about repentance, make sure that you're also talking about Christ. 00:29:44.665 --> 00:29:46.865 That's number four. 00:29:46.865 --> 00:29:47.665 I'm going to talk about that. 00:29:47.665 --> 00:29:49.032 We'll get back to number three. 00:29:49.032 --> 00:29:53.400 When you talk about repentance, make sure you're talking about Christ. 00:29:53.633 --> 00:29:58.333 Every turning away from is turning towards something else. 00:29:58.599 --> 00:30:06.633 Don't talk so much about sin and how you need to turn away from that, that you forget to talk about what we're turning toward, who we're turning toward is Christ. 00:30:08.032 --> 00:30:14.165 Jesus understood this, and this is a passage I've been wanting to highlight since the beginning of getting into the book of Jonah. 00:30:14.165 --> 00:30:16.465 But Jesus talks about the sign of Jonah. 00:30:16.465 --> 00:30:20.465 He interprets the book of Jonah for us in Matthew chapter 12. 00:30:20.465 --> 00:30:26.665 If you'll turn there, it's in page 767, in your church Bible, Matthew chapter 12. 00:30:27.299 --> 00:30:38.900 This story shows up in a couple of different versions in Matthew, Mark and Luke, where the Pharisees have asked Jesus to give them a sign and a couple of them. 00:30:38.900 --> 00:30:44.566 This one doesn't say it, but a couple of the others say in order to test him, they didn't really want to know what. 00:30:44.566 --> 00:30:47.400 They didn't really want to see a sign because they weren't going to believe it anyway. 00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:49.932 They just wanted to test him to see what he would say to catch him. 00:30:49.932 --> 00:30:53.465 They were constantly trying to trick him, their beliefs, their interest. 00:30:53.465 --> 00:30:54.465 It wasn't sincere. 00:30:56.833 --> 00:31:00.333 And by the way, you can come to God with any question. 00:31:00.333 --> 00:31:01.400 Come with sincerity. 00:31:01.400 --> 00:31:03.599 He can handle it. 00:31:03.599 --> 00:31:05.133 You don't have to worry that there's no answer. 00:31:05.133 --> 00:31:05.532 There is. 00:31:05.532 --> 00:31:07.133 There's something out there may not be obvious. 00:31:07.133 --> 00:31:09.266 It may not be right away. 00:31:09.266 --> 00:31:11.665 Come to him. 00:31:11.665 --> 00:31:14.133 The Pharisees come to test him. 00:31:14.133 --> 00:31:15.932 Look at verse 37, 38. 00:31:15.932 --> 00:31:21.032 Some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, teacher, we wish to see a sign from you. 00:31:21.032 --> 00:31:32.200 But he answered them, an evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:34.965 Here we have this reference back to Jonah. 00:31:34.965 --> 00:31:35.965 Now what does this mean? 00:31:35.965 --> 00:31:36.932 The sign of Jonah. 00:31:36.932 --> 00:31:46.900 How is Jesus understanding Jonah, by the way, this shows us Jesus believed that the book of Jonah was trustworthy, reliable, true. 00:31:46.900 --> 00:31:48.633 Jesus read it. Jesus understood it. 00:31:51.266 --> 00:31:58.865 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 00:31:58.865 --> 00:32:02.665 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it. 00:32:02.665 --> 00:32:05.532 For they repented at the preaching of Jonah. 00:32:05.532 --> 00:32:09.532 And behold, something greater than Jonah is here. 00:32:09.766 --> 00:32:14.133 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it. 00:32:14.133 --> 00:32:18.700 For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. 00:32:18.700 --> 00:32:22.865 And behold, something greater than Solomon is here. 00:32:23.900 --> 00:32:24.700 And here's the point of that. 00:32:24.700 --> 00:32:43.200 I think Jesus, by talking about the sign of Jonah, was trying to emphasize two things with them, with the Pharisees and with anyone hearing this story to the nation, even the city evil city of Nineveh and the foreigner Queen of Sheba were more quick to turn to God than you. 00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:47.133 Let that prick your heart, Pharisee. 00:32:47.133 --> 00:32:50.665 Let that prick your heart, Israel. 00:32:50.665 --> 00:33:02.532 And for us who are regular in the church, let us be the first to display true repentance more quickly than those outside the church. 00:33:03.165 --> 00:33:06.000 The second part of that is that he was saying everything to them. 00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:12.732 Everything you've been looking for, everything you've been longing for, everything you've tried to find your righteousness in is right here in me. 00:33:12.732 --> 00:33:18.766 Jesus was saying, because he says, look, I'm greater than Solomon. 00:33:18.766 --> 00:33:21.766 I'm greater than your king. 00:33:22.232 --> 00:33:27.032 Earlier in verse six, he said, greater than the temple. 00:33:27.365 --> 00:33:29.299 And greater than Jonah. 00:33:29.299 --> 00:33:30.232 Greater than the prophet. 00:33:30.232 --> 00:33:32.066 Greater than the prophet you admire. 00:33:32.066 --> 00:33:34.932 Greater than the priest you admire, greater than the king you admire. 00:33:34.932 --> 00:33:37.932 Jesus is all three in its fullness. 00:33:38.566 --> 00:33:46.200 And so when you talk about repentance, point people to Christ, it's not we don't preach, just stop doing bad things. 00:33:46.200 --> 00:33:47.532 That's not Christianity. 00:33:47.532 --> 00:33:48.532 Don't do bad things. 00:33:50.732 --> 00:33:56.133 Of course we want you to not sin, but we want you to follow Christ more than anything else. 00:33:56.133 --> 00:33:58.200 Move toward him. Pursue him. 00:33:58.200 --> 00:33:58.865 That's the goal. 00:33:58.865 --> 00:34:01.633 That's who we look to, not just avoiding sin. 00:34:01.633 --> 00:34:07.700 And if you pursue him, if you truly love him and follow him, then sin will fall away. 00:34:07.700 --> 00:34:09.032 It will become gross. 00:34:09.032 --> 00:34:11.166 It will become less interesting. 00:34:11.166 --> 00:34:14.166 The temptations will just become lesser. 00:34:15.965 --> 00:34:17.233 Become enamored with him. 00:34:17.233 --> 00:34:18.233 Now back to number three. 00:34:18.233 --> 00:34:19.266 I skipped over it. 00:34:19.266 --> 00:34:22.266 Practice regular repentance. 00:34:24.333 --> 00:34:29.233 Repentance isn't just for those out there who don't yet know God and need to turn to him. 00:34:29.233 --> 00:34:31.565 We need to practice regular repentance. 00:34:31.565 --> 00:34:34.233 We're all called to practice daily repentance. 00:34:34.233 --> 00:34:40.365 This is why we're praying the Lord's Prayer this month, and it's up on the screen every time you pray that you get a key reminder. 00:34:41.699 --> 00:34:44.699 Forgive us our debts. 00:34:44.766 --> 00:34:46.199 Luke says, sins. 00:34:46.199 --> 00:34:49.199 Forgive us our sins. 00:34:49.300 --> 00:34:52.300 Help us to forgive others. 00:34:53.099 --> 00:34:57.800 God, would you forgive me for my sin every day I need to be crying out to him. 00:34:57.800 --> 00:34:59.733 None of us are perfect. 00:34:59.733 --> 00:35:01.233 Walk in repentance. 00:35:01.233 --> 00:35:04.233 Model repentance. 00:35:04.532 --> 00:35:10.333 And I know so many here have said I want to see God move in this church this year in powerful ways. 00:35:10.333 --> 00:35:16.166 And the easiest way to do that, maybe the hardest way, is to start with your own personal repentance. 00:35:16.166 --> 00:35:18.099 Just start there. 00:35:18.099 --> 00:35:20.500 Yeah, I want to see him stir in other people's lives. 00:35:20.500 --> 00:35:23.500 God help me to lead in my own repentance. 00:35:24.699 --> 00:35:30.965 Practice regular, daily if needed, moment by moment repentance. 00:35:30.965 --> 00:35:33.365 Number five be available for God's mission. 00:35:33.365 --> 00:35:34.965 He tells Jonah to go. 00:35:34.965 --> 00:35:36.132 It took a little bit. 00:35:36.132 --> 00:35:37.199 He finally gets there. 00:35:39.365 --> 00:35:41.733 Be ready to be a part of God's mission. 00:35:41.733 --> 00:35:43.865 Here's the encouraging part of Jonah's story. 00:35:43.865 --> 00:35:55.465 God took Jonah, an unwilling prophet who he had to chase down, who seems to go half hearted into the city and give a real simple message, and he converts 120,000 people through it. 00:35:55.465 --> 00:36:01.233 If God can use Jonah to do that, hopefully we're just a little bit more available and willing than that. 00:36:01.233 --> 00:36:04.233 At the bare minimum, he can use you too. 00:36:07.166 --> 00:36:08.733 That's hard to believe sometimes. 00:36:08.733 --> 00:36:16.666 I know you've got people in your life who seem so far from God, who seem so distant from him. 00:36:17.233 --> 00:36:18.666 And this really leads to the last point. 00:36:18.666 --> 00:36:21.666 Number six don't give up on people. 00:36:22.365 --> 00:36:23.565 Don't give up on people. 00:36:23.565 --> 00:36:25.565 Don't ever give up. 00:36:25.565 --> 00:36:30.532 Jonah wanted to write off Nineveh, evil city against our nation. 00:36:30.532 --> 00:36:32.666 Been prophesied to destroy our nation. 00:36:32.666 --> 00:36:33.900 You want me to go there? 00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:36.333 There's no way those people would turn back to you. 00:36:37.965 --> 00:36:42.500 In fact, God is kind of foolish of you to even think that they would turn to you. 00:36:42.500 --> 00:36:45.565 Don't you know how dark and hard their heart is? 00:36:45.565 --> 00:36:48.132 Don't give up on people. 00:36:48.132 --> 00:36:51.065 You never know what God's doing in the background. 00:36:51.065 --> 00:36:53.932 You're not sovereign. 00:36:53.932 --> 00:37:07.233 Many people point back to there's an ancient literature that shows that around this same time, a number of natural disasters were happening in and around Nineveh, likely softening their hearts to the reality some kind of omen that destruction was coming. 00:37:07.233 --> 00:37:11.000 You never know what God is doing in the background of someone's life. 00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:12.666 You never know. 00:37:12.666 --> 00:37:21.365 They may seem to have it all together and they're dying inside, desperate for something, hiding dark sin in need of help. 00:37:24.465 --> 00:37:26.766 A couple of weeks ago, I shared the story of Cameron Beckett. 00:37:26.766 --> 00:37:29.766 I didn't use his name, but a couple of you came up to me after and said, hey, is. 00:37:29.766 --> 00:37:31.532 Was that Cameron Beckett? Yes. 00:37:31.532 --> 00:37:32.800 I'm sorry. It's not Cameron Beckett. 00:37:32.800 --> 00:37:35.099 It was Beckett Crowe. 00:37:35.099 --> 00:37:35.865 Thank you. 00:37:35.865 --> 00:37:38.632 Beckett Crowe. 00:37:38.632 --> 00:37:39.965 And it's the story of a man. 00:37:39.965 --> 00:37:41.233 And I shared some of the story. 00:37:41.233 --> 00:37:43.199 He was a gay atheist in Hollywood. 00:37:43.199 --> 00:37:45.733 He had grown up going to church, but he rejected all of that. 00:37:45.733 --> 00:37:48.666 And he was living his life to the fullest. 00:37:48.666 --> 00:37:52.699 But God had slowly been eroding his confidence. 00:37:52.699 --> 00:37:59.266 God had slowly been taking away the things he put confidence in, his relationships, his livelihood. 00:38:00.532 --> 00:38:01.865 And no one else would have known it. 00:38:01.865 --> 00:38:05.266 But he was in a place where he was open to hearing from God. 00:38:05.266 --> 00:38:07.666 And he was in that coffee shop, and I talked about it already. 00:38:07.666 --> 00:38:13.599 I won't repeat the whole story, but he was in that coffee shop that day when the guy walked in just carrying a Bible. 00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:14.565 That's all it took. 00:38:15.632 --> 00:38:19.365 And he said, I got to talk to that guy. 00:38:19.465 --> 00:38:22.166 You never know what God is doing in the background. 00:38:22.166 --> 00:38:24.965 You never know how he's stirring in someone's heart. 00:38:24.965 --> 00:38:26.932 Don't give up. 00:38:26.932 --> 00:38:28.699 Keep praying for these students. 00:38:28.699 --> 00:38:30.199 God stirred in the hearts of three. 00:38:30.199 --> 00:38:34.065 There's got to be more who need to know him. 00:38:34.065 --> 00:38:37.766 He stirred in the hearts of three more who need to be turned back to him. 00:38:37.766 --> 00:38:39.833 There's got to be more. 00:38:39.833 --> 00:38:42.833 Keep praying for them. 00:38:43.233 --> 00:38:47.099 Because they're the future of this church. 00:38:47.132 --> 00:38:53.065 I love looking at our students and going, someday they're going to be the ones sitting out here sitting next to their kids. 00:38:53.065 --> 00:38:55.199 Someday they're going to be the grandparents. 00:38:55.199 --> 00:38:59.632 Someday they're going to be the ones that need a funeral. 00:38:59.632 --> 00:39:01.532 They're going to be the patriarchs of the church. 00:39:01.532 --> 00:39:03.266 They're going to be the legacy families. 00:39:03.266 --> 00:39:06.400 And I'm so grateful that God has stirred in their lives today. 00:39:06.400 --> 00:39:08.465 Keep praying for them this weekend. 00:39:08.465 --> 00:39:09.965 Let's close our time together and pray. 00:39:11.500 --> 00:39:13.565 God, thank you for the story of Jonah. 00:39:13.565 --> 00:39:21.465 Thank you that we see the power of repentance, that even a city that seems so far from you can turn back to you. 00:39:22.065 --> 00:39:24.565 Help us to be faithful and repenting in our own life. 00:39:24.565 --> 00:39:28.233 Help us to be faithful in pursuing your mission and call on our life. 00:39:28.233 --> 00:39:33.632 Help us to not give up on those who seem far from you. 00:39:36.300 --> 00:39:43.266 I pray Your Word and the authority of your Word would grow and grow in our church and in the lives of everyone here. 00:39:43.266 --> 00:39:47.965 Thank you for what you're already doing in the lives of our students. 00:39:48.065 --> 00:39:51.365 I think back to how much your word meant to me at that age. 00:39:51.365 --> 00:39:59.900 I wasn't perfect, I made a lot of mistakes and I strayed from you many times, and I kept coming back to your word and you kept pursuing me like you pursued Jonah. 00:39:59.900 --> 00:40:02.532 God would you help these students to hear from you this weekend? 00:40:04.599 --> 00:40:06.065 Thank you for your mercy. 00:40:06.065 --> 00:40:08.400 We love you. Amen.