WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:23.120 Well, church, it's great to be with you today. 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:25.760 Happy Palm Sunday. 00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:34.000 Today we're concluding our series Shift to Change Directions, and I want to begin with this incredible reality. 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:39.359 You were made for more. 00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:50.240 But I don't even know if we've really paused to just stop and take that in. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:01:01.840 Like right now, you are made for more than upward mobility, making money, grinding out the nine to five, or in Silicon Valley, the six to six. 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:05.599 You're made for more than keeping up with the Joneses. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:09.359 Made for more than weakened worrying. 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:12.239 I didn't say that properly. 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:20.879 This hedonistic lifestyle of eat, drink, and be merry because there's nothing more to life, so why not just live it out? 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:22.640 You're made for more. 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:27.519 And seeking and trying to win others' approval. 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:40.319 I mean, how wonderful is the reality that you were designed, created with intention and purpose and significance. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:42.799 You were made for more. 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:44.640 How do you shift? 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:48.879 How do we shift to the more we're made for? 00:01:49.359 --> 00:02:03.920 You know, we've been wrestling with that question and talking about it and looking at this ancient book, the book of Jonah, he's a prophet, where we get this snapshot of really an anti-hero, a prodigal prophet. 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:09.360 And we discover and are learning how do we lean in and live the more we're made for. 00:02:09.439 --> 00:02:24.080 And here's what I love this whole journey, especially with Jonah, is I love that it's not just, you know, the picture of the perfect person who did everything right, and so you just somehow try to be them. 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:31.520 Because none of us feel like we could ever be them, including me. 00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:56.639 What I love, what I love is we see a prophet of God who so often does everything wrong, and his God's grace and compassion and gentleness and mercy and redirection and kindness to him, to woo him back, to help him live the more he was made for. 00:02:56.800 --> 00:02:58.560 You know, the book began this way. 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:05.520 It began with God calling Jonah to preach to the great city of Nineveh, the archenemies of Israel. 00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:20.240 I mean, if you go back and study or listen to week one, you'll find that Assyria, which Nineveh is the capital city of, they were perhaps the most violent and brutal culture in all of human history. 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:27.360 And God says, I want you to go to them and preach so that they might have an opportunity to repent. 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:30.159 And Jonah says, Nuh-uh, I ain't going that direction. 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:32.479 And he runs the opposite direction. 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:38.960 Instead of going northeast, he goes southwest down to Joppa, port city, to jump on a ship to Tarshis. 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:40.080 Here's what we said week one. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:44.879 When we run from God, when we run from God, we shift away from the more we're made for. 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:46.879 And we know that, we get that, that makes sense. 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:52.639 If you've been designed and created by God, then he understands your design and creation. 00:03:52.719 --> 00:04:00.719 And anytime we run from him, even when we don't understand his will all the time, when we run from it, we shift away from the more we're made for. 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:09.199 Well, Jonah, in his running away, boards a ship for Tarshius, and God, in his grace and mercy, sends a storm to redirect him. 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:14.159 And yet he has no desire to go anywhere close or respond. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:15.840 In fact, the sagours are freaking out. 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:20.480 I mean, this is a massive storm, and they're professional and they're afraid they're gonna die. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:27.120 And Jonah's in the belly of the ship, and he's asleep, fast asleep, and they go, Don't you care? 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:29.279 And he's like, Not really, thank you very much. 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:34.399 They cast lots and he's they're like, Jonah, we kind of think this is your fault. 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:35.279 What should we do? 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:36.560 He's like, I don't care. 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:38.240 Why don't you just throw me overboard? 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:39.839 And they try everything else. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:42.399 Eventually, they do that. 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:51.360 And here's what we see is that God uses storms in our life to shift us back to the more we're made for. 00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:58.240 God doesn't necessarily allow the storms, but he's gonna use storms in your life and my life to shift us back. 00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:08.399 He's gonna take that painful circumstance, that moment that he longs to use and develop and create and cultivate in you to ship, shift you back to the more you're made for. 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:12.399 And Jonah on the ship, he never cried out to God. 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:22.160 The sailors, they repented, they actually turned and revival broke out on the ship, but Jonah never cried out to God when he could have saved not only himself and everyone else aboard. 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:24.480 The time, you know when he cried out to God? 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:28.079 Was when he was in the water by himself and he knew this was the end. 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:36.319 And he finally cries out to God, and God provided in the most unlikely way, and honestly, you can't help but laugh. 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:38.399 God has a sense of humor, people. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:41.759 You gotta read the Bible and understand that he's funny too. 00:05:42.000 --> 00:05:45.439 Like, if we have sense of humor, God has a better sense of humor. 00:05:45.680 --> 00:05:53.759 Like, how funny is it that God's like, I'm gonna appoint a fish, a great fish, and swallow you because you won't go that direction. 00:05:53.839 --> 00:06:02.160 You won't have the ship turn around, but I'm gonna, in fact, take this animal and cause him to take you in the right direction there. 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:14.160 And here's what we discovered is God delivers us from storms to reveal his mercy, his undeserved favor in our lives, and to position us to fulfill the more we're made for. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:24.240 And so Jonah once again finds himself on the shore, headed towards Nineveh, and God calls him yet again. 00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:28.879 He says, Go and preach to the great city of Nineveh. 00:06:29.360 --> 00:06:34.720 And he's like, Well, I guess I have no choice because even if I'm gonna run from him, a fish is gonna take me back. 00:06:34.879 --> 00:06:36.240 Hello, I'm gonna do it. 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:40.879 Now, he really gave a half-hearted effort. 00:06:41.120 --> 00:06:48.399 The city of Nineveh, it was a three-day journey to traverse it, and the text tells us he only went a day in. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:57.199 And then also, if you study, you know, chapter three there, you'll notice his sermon was a five-word sermon in Hebrew. 00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:03.600 He went one day in, gave them five words, dropped the mic, I'm done. 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:06.480 And something amazing happened. 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:18.639 Even with a half-hearted effort, the entire city repented and turned from their wicked ways, their brutal ways, and repented. 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:19.759 Even the king. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:22.560 Now, here's what I love about the response of the king. 00:07:22.800 --> 00:07:28.000 He's he's overseeing this and he's like it reached to him and he says, Who knows? 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:31.680 Maybe God will relent and let's repent and turn from our ways. 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:34.319 And what he does is he has everybody in the city. 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:37.360 I mean, this is a massive, one of the greatest cities in the ancient world. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:41.839 He has everybody repent, but in his idea, he doesn't know how far to go. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:44.560 And so he has all the animals repent too. 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:46.240 Like, how do animals repent? 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:49.360 I don't know, but he put on sackcloth on the animals too. 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:54.399 So you're thinking about this: all the cows and their pastures and their herds, he's putting sackcloth on them. 00:07:54.480 --> 00:08:00.800 He's like, I don't know what to do, but I'm gonna do everything I know and everything I maybe this, I don't want to stop too short. 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:05.519 I just think Jonah thought, like, I think he was probably laughing at him. 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:08.240 But here's what's amazing. 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:10.720 Unfortunate for Jonah. 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:21.920 When our external acts of obedience, Jonah did the right thing, do not reflect our internal attitude, his heart, we miss out on the more we're made for. 00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:32.879 And Jonah was in the city of Nineveh with revival breaking out among the most unlikely people on the planet to turn from God. 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:40.159 He's in the middle of it, and he missed out on all of it. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:44.000 And that's where we pick up our story today. 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:50.639 As we close out the book of Jonah, we actually come to the climax of the book. 00:08:50.879 --> 00:09:02.639 Now we would think that the climax is the city, great city of Nineveh repenting, but it's actually Jonah chapter four, where we discovered the fundamental shift to the more we're made for. 00:09:04.240 --> 00:09:07.919 And it's actually the entire point of the book. 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:08.720 Of Jonah. 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:12.320 If you got your Bibles, would you open up to Jonah chapter four with me? 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:14.720 If you got your phones, go ahead and turn there. 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:17.440 The title of the sermon today is East of the City. 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:19.279 Why don't you go ahead and say that to your neighbor? 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:20.240 East of the city. 00:09:21.840 --> 00:09:28.480 I want to pick up the story in Jonah chapter 3, verse 10, if you're following along, to give you a little bit of the backdrop. 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:30.960 The king, the whole city repents. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:43.039 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. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:50.720 They repent, God relents, and then we go back to our anti-hero Jonah. 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:52.559 But Jonah. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:54.879 Oh Jonah. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:59.120 But Jonah, to Jonah, this seemed very wrong. 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:02.480 In fact, above that, just say, it seemed evil, a great evil. 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:04.159 That's what it is in the Hebrew here. 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:08.159 It's three different ways to say it's exceedingly evil and bad. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:12.399 And he became angry, literally white hot angry. 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:25.039 And what's to come is a prayer from Jonah, and the way it's constructed, we miss it uh in our English, but it's this exasperated, loud, just rant of Jonah. 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:28.480 He's gonna pray, he's gonna pray, but he's not like this internal seething. 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:30.159 You know, some of us are seethers, right? 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:32.320 Like you're mad and you're just gonna, I'm gonna seethe. 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:35.200 You're not gonna know it, but internally I am angry. 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:38.000 Um, no, Jonah wasn't internal on this. 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:44.159 This was external, this was like loud, and he's seething and ranting publicly. 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:51.200 He prayed to the Lord, and now we get an insight to why Jonah fled in the first place that we didn't see in chapter one. 00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:54.000 He prayed to the Lord, isn't this what I said? 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:55.360 Well, what did you say? 00:10:55.600 --> 00:11:00.639 Lord, when I was still at home, that this is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshis. 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:03.840 I didn't want these people to receive mercy. 00:11:04.559 --> 00:11:06.080 That's my heart. 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:07.519 That was my aim. 00:11:07.759 --> 00:11:10.559 That's why I ran in the opposite direction. 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:21.679 And notice this I knew that you are gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:40.799 He's quoting Exodus 34, 6, is where Moses asked to see God's glory, show me the real you, and God says, I'll pass by you, I'll hide you in the cleft of the rock, and he proclaims, I'm the Lord the Lord, abounding in grace and compassion, slow to anger and loving kindness. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:50.320 See, this is Jonah's understanding of who God is, and it confronts our kind of popular concept of the God of the Old Testament, isn't it? 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:54.639 That He's actually gracious and compassionate, slow to anger. 00:11:54.720 --> 00:12:04.480 That word gracious is God's attitude towards those who have no claim on him because they're outside of any covenant relationship. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:07.039 That is his heart, is what he's eager to do. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:14.639 That you're not inside this relationship with me, you're outside and you're far away from me, but my heart is to extend grace to everyone. 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:16.639 And Jonah hates it. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.039 Compassion is that picture. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:31.279 In fact, the root word here comes from the idea of a mother carrying a baby, and that compassion that a mother has for their child, that tenderness, that care. 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:32.559 My mom. 00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:35.600 My mom's amazing, by the way. 00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:36.240 She's not here. 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:37.759 Hi, mom, you're watching online. 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:42.399 And and my mom, I can do no wrong. 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:45.679 She thinks the most amazing. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:51.440 If if I did something and it was bad, she it to someone else, she thinks they deserved it, you know. 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:52.799 Uh you had to be right. 00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:53.279 I love it. 00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:56.159 That's just the mother's heart, my mother's heart. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:13:00.879 God's going, I have this, I have this motherly, compassionate heart. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:04.960 And Jonah says, I knew that's who you are. 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:12.399 Now, now take away my life, for it's better for me to die than to live. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:14.159 Doesn't he sound like a teenager? 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:15.120 Right? 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:16.799 He's just ranting, teenager. 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:18.559 Now take me, Lord. 00:13:19.200 --> 00:13:21.279 And here's what Jonah is saying. 00:13:23.200 --> 00:13:31.679 If you're that kind of God showing that kind of grace to these kind of people, I don't want to live in that kind of world. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:34.240 That's what he's saying here. 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:38.000 I want nothing to do with that. 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:41.360 And then notice God's reply, and I love this. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:43.600 It's not my reply. 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:52.320 I love how God responds because it's not to shame, it's not to put into place, it's not even to just have this demonstrative, like, who do you think you are? 00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:54.399 That's what I would have replied. 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:55.840 Like, who are you? 00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:56.960 Come on. 00:13:57.840 --> 00:14:01.120 He says, Is it right for you to be angry? 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:04.720 Like you have this indignation. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:08.159 Is it is it right for you to be angry? 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:15.919 And then notice it goes on to say, but Jonah had gone out and sat down at the place where east of the city. 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:16.480 Where? 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:17.360 Try that again. 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:19.120 East of the city. 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:23.440 So, one, let's just say this the rant was happening in the city. 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:25.200 Think about how awkward that is. 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:29.840 He just preached repentance, and then he's ranting at God for saving these people. 00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:34.000 He should be the prophet serving these people, and he's ranting about it. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:37.519 He goes east of the city, and you're like, well, why does that matter, Ryan? 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:44.240 Well, east of the city, one, if he was gonna head home, he would have headed southwest. 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:49.440 And so he's actually headed further away from Jerusalem, not closer. 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:58.399 And in the Old Testament, this whole idea of moving east had uh often this connotation of moving from the presence and purpose of God. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:01.360 And we see that it started all the way in Genesis chapter 3. 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:08.879 In Genesis chapter 3, when Adam and Eve sin and fall and rebel from God, and they are then uh taken out of the garden. 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:10.720 They are banished where? 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:13.759 East of the Garden of Eden. 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:16.000 They're banished from his presence. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:21.759 When Cain murdered Abel and he runs from the presence of God, do you know what direction Cain uh ran? 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:24.480 He ran east of the garden. 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:37.519 Chapter 10 of Genesis, again in the Tower of Babel and the city of people who are trying to build up their own idea of their own God and who they are, they went and moved eastward. 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:41.200 It's this idea I'm moving from the presence and the purpose of God. 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:45.039 And Jonah, instead of moving towards Jerusalem, he heads east. 00:15:45.360 --> 00:15:49.840 It's interesting that you can preach and serve God and still be moving in the wrong direction. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:52.639 It's a call for those of us who are in ministry. 00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:59.600 Then he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade, and waited to see what would happen to the city. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:06.559 You know, the king responded, he's like, maybe, maybe God might relent and let's do whatever we can. 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:08.159 Jonah sees God relent. 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:12.879 He goes up on this, looking over the city, he's like, maybe God might get him after all. 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:16.879 I'm gonna watch and wait and hope and pray. 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:19.200 Now notice this. 00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:27.919 Then the Lord, and circle this word, the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort. 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:30.240 And Jonah was very happy. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:34.240 Again, this isn't just happy, it's three different words in the Hebrew. 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:37.600 It's a happiness, exceedingly greatly happy. 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:41.360 He's so overjoyed about a stupid plant. 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:47.759 But at dawn, the next day, God circled this word, provided a worm, which chewed the plant, so it withered. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:54.639 When the sun rose, God, again, circle it, provided a scorching east wind that brought such devastation. 00:16:54.879 --> 00:17:00.960 If you look, east wind throughout the Hebrew scriptures, it constantly brings uh such devastation across the land. 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:05.039 And the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:08.880 He wanted to die and said, It would be better for me to die than to live. 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:10.799 He is still in teenage land. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:18.960 But God said to Jonah, Is it right for you to be angry about a plant? 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:21.200 A plant? 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:24.720 Like it's a plant. 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:29.680 I know some of you love your plants, so I'll tread lightly here. 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:32.640 Jonah's response. 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:33.680 It is. 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:38.720 And that is totally teenager, isn't it? 00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:47.599 Those of you who have teenagers, if you just remember being a teenager and you felt so justified, so right, so this, and I don't care, I don't want, I hate everything about you. 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:48.640 And is it right? 00:17:48.880 --> 00:17:49.519 Yes. 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:51.519 That's Jonah. 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:54.400 And I'm so angry, I wish I were dead. 00:17:55.279 --> 00:18:07.359 Oh, how often we get consumed with little things and make them everything, and then complain to God about it when they let us down. 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:10.720 But the Lord said, notice his response again. 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:12.960 You've been concerned about this plant. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:15.759 You did not tend it or make it grow. 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:18.960 It sprang up overnight and it died overnight. 00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:21.200 You did nothing for this. 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:23.839 You didn't even plant it, Jonah. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:26.079 You you didn't water it. 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:27.599 You did nothing. 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:35.680 It sprang up and it died, and yet you were exceedingly abundantly happy, overjoyed about this, and now you're wanting to die. 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:40.799 Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh? 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:42.240 You're concerned about a plant. 00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:44.640 Should I not be concerned about people? 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:55.680 And then he qualifies it, helping Jonah, trying to move Jonah's heart, trying to move his perspective, trying to change his understanding, trying to break through the hard-hearted. 00:18:55.839 --> 00:19:01.440 It is I'm right and I am depressed because of your goodness perspective of Jonah. 00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:07.359 In which there are more than 120,000 people who cannot tell they're right from the left. 00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:12.640 That right from the left is an idiom of they don't know what's morally right or wrong. 00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:17.839 Scholars are divided, they don't really know what the 120 refers to. 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:21.119 Some think it's there's 120,000 children in the city. 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:26.079 Is it not right for me to have concern about those who have yet to even learn right from wrong? 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:27.599 They're at that age. 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:38.480 Others think it's just people who who've never been taught, who didn't know, who grew up in an environment, grew up in a culture, who had no idea that this was so wrong and vile. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:40.880 Shouldn't I have concern about them? 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:47.920 And then I also think this is the part, like some of you parents know this, like you're in the middle of a heated conversation with your kids, right? 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:51.599 And and they're down a line of reasoning and argument. 00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:59.680 And so then you add just the briefest bit of humor to kind of break the moment, but also to kind of make your point, right? 00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:01.359 Um, some of you do this. 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:05.440 Um, I do this at times when I'm kind of aware of it. 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:07.920 And I think this is what God did here. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:13.519 Uh should I not be concerned about 120,000 people who don't know they're right from the wrong? 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:16.640 And then he goes, and the animals? 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:23.839 And I think Jonah's looking out over the city and he sees this whole city that's repented, and he's seeing animals with a bunch of sackcloth on them. 00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:24.960 He's like, that does no good. 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:28.559 And God's going, should I not be concerned about the animals too? 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:34.319 And he also knows that Jonah cares more about the animals than the people in Nineveh. 00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:39.119 Should I not at least be concerned for the cattle that are there? 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:43.839 And then here's what's crazy that's the end of the book. 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:46.000 Done. 00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:47.920 It ends. 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:49.680 It's a cliffhanger. 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:56.559 If it was a movie, you would go, wait, wait, we don't know what happens. 00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:58.640 You can't end that way. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:00.559 And yet it does. 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:03.599 And it does so for a reason. 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:07.599 We do not know Jonah's response. 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:12.400 We never know if he moved east of the city back into the city. 00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:15.440 And here's the reason why. 00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:21.680 Because the issue is not so much about Jonah and the story, but the issue is for you and me. 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:26.079 The issue is for us to say, where are we? 00:21:27.359 --> 00:21:47.680 And so often I find myself, maybe you find yourself in the east of the city, griping and grumbling to God about things of lesser matter when God says, You're concerned about plants, you're concerned about things, you're concerned about creature comfort. 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:58.799 Should I not be concerned about people made in the image that I've of me that have infinite worth and value? 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:05.440 He's making that argument from lesser to greater plants, animals, people. 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:08.720 And then this causes us. 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:14.720 Causes us to ask the question, where are we and how do we respond? 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:20.559 And it's here that we see the fundamental shift required to live the more we're made for. 00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:30.079 When our hearts break for that which breaks God's heart, it fundamentally shifts us to the more we're made for. 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:55.119 When our hearts break, when we can have our hearts understand that every single person on the planet, regardless of whether you agree with them politically, wherever they live, globally, is an image-bearer of the God most high. 00:22:55.359 --> 00:23:00.480 And God loves them with an everlasting, all-consuming love. 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:03.279 And his heart breaks for them. 00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:13.359 And he longs for every single person to experience his grace and his goodness. 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:22.079 When our hearts begin to break, everything else outside of that is just behavior modification and adjustment externally. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:28.640 God wants to do a heart issue, a heart transplant, a heart change in us. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:32.400 And it returns us back to the purpose of the book of Jonah. 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:35.119 We said this in week one. 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:43.680 The purpose of the book of Jonah, first and foremost, is to reveal God's expansive love and mercy for every single person on the planet. 00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:45.519 Even Ninevites. 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:55.440 Even the most vile, evil, wicked, brutal culture, perhaps our planet has ever seen. 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:56.480 Even them. 00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:03.200 Jonah challenged us, this book challenges us to broaden our understanding of God's mercy, his undeserved favor. 00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:04.640 You're like, they don't deserve it. 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:06.240 That's what mercy is. 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:09.519 And yet we cross our arms. 00:24:10.480 --> 00:24:14.720 As if we ever deserved it ourselves. 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:18.400 You've never come across an ordinary human. 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:29.119 You've always come across divine image bearers with infinite worth and value that Jesus loves profoundly. 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:46.640 You know, the first followers were wrestling with God's justice when they were struggling under persecution and wondering, God, where are you and when are you going to fix things and why are you delaying? 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:50.000 And I think those are questions we wrestle today with, don't we? 00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:51.039 Like, where are you? 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:53.200 We see the brokenness of a world. 00:24:53.359 --> 00:24:56.720 When are you going to come and fix things and make things right? 00:24:56.799 --> 00:24:59.759 And I'm just so tired of all the suffering. 00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:14.079 And the Apostle Peter returns and gives us a new perspective of God's heart that zooms out and understands why it seems like he's not as active as we would want him to be. 00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:22.480 In fact, he writes this He says, the Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, as some understand slowness. 00:25:23.119 --> 00:25:25.119 Instead, he's patient with you. 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:26.160 He's long-suffering. 00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:26.880 Why? 00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:31.759 Not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:37.519 He is slow in bringing justice because his heart is for you to repent. 00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:43.599 His heart is for every single person to experience his love and his grace and his mercy. 00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:49.599 And he's slow, not because he's trying to be slow about it, but because his heart breaks for you. 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:53.119 He breaks for our world. 00:25:53.599 --> 00:26:00.240 He longs for everyone to turn from their evil ways, their wickedness, their brokenness, their self-centeredness, their pride. 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:06.240 And to experience his love and goodness. 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:15.680 His heart breaks that there are people who will never respond to him and will spend eternity apart from him and his goodness and his love. 00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:29.279 See, the purpose of the book of Jonah is to reveal the expansiveness of his love and mercy, and then what it does and what it calls us to, and the cliffhanger ending, is it's to act as a mirror. 00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:43.680 You look in the mirror and see what you really look like, to examine the state of our hearts, calling us to shift our lives onto the very purpose of God for this planet. 00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:48.079 It acts as a mirror, like I gotta look in the mirror and I gotta not judge Jonah. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:49.839 Isn't that so easy? 00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:54.720 It's so easy to look at other people or other Christians or other, whatever. 00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:59.680 You know, like they should, and I can't believe they posted that, and da-da-da-da-da-da-da. 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:01.920 No, no, look in the mirror. 00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:10.559 That's what we need to do as a church, is just think and look in the mirror instead of kind of looking through a window, casting blame and stones at everybody else. 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:13.519 Look in the mirror. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:21.920 Where's the Jonah in me that I don't want to see? 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:27.119 Does my heart really break for God's heart? 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:31.920 And for those of us who are followers of Jesus, there's this warning. 00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:37.200 Especially, I think, many of us who have been maybe believers for a long time. 00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:44.960 The warning in Jonah is so critical because we see the warning again in Jesus' day. 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:52.799 And it's this you can know God's word and completely miss God's heart. 00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:59.200 You can know God's word and completely miss his heart. 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:02.640 Jonah knew God's word. 00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:09.599 In fact, in his griping about God, he's griping with God's word. 00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:11.519 I knew you were this. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:13.039 I knew you were that. 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:17.839 By the way, in the Hebrew of that prayer, there's 11 times the word I. 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:20.000 I, I, I, I, I. 00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:25.599 Because we can know God's word, but when our focus is on us, we miss God's heart. 00:28:28.160 --> 00:28:31.599 That's why we see such brokenness in the church. 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:35.440 That's why we see such brokenness in our lives. 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:40.079 Because our hearts don't break for what breaks God's heart. 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:49.119 In fact, there's a question that I've asked, I ask it a lot in our church, and I ask it um every time we do an intro, which is our new to awakening. 00:28:49.200 --> 00:28:55.440 Like if you're brand new, we want to help you get to know us and uh who we are and what we're about and where we're headed, and all those sort of things. 00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:57.359 And I always ask this question. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:29:05.359 Because I think it's the question we have to ask as followers of Jesus, especially as we are growing in the way of Jesus. 00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:07.039 Does what we know? 00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:09.839 Cause our love to grow. 00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:11.920 Does what we know? 00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:17.519 Like when we get into God's word, and I so want us to get into God's word and know God's word. 00:29:17.759 --> 00:29:20.079 So don't hear me wrongly saying, well, it doesn't matter. 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:21.599 Ryan said, don't know God's word. 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:27.359 No! We need to get into God's word, but we need to allow it to change our heart, convict our heart. 00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:33.519 The word of God acts like a mirror so that we look in it and we actually adjust and change our lives. 00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:40.720 James would tell us, when we fail to apply God's word, we end up deceiving ourselves. 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:53.039 In fact, you can listen to a sermon and go, that was a great sermon, and walk away and not apply it and end up more deceived, but feeling better about yourself. 00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:57.519 Does what you know, does what I know cause my love to grow? 00:29:57.680 --> 00:30:01.519 Does it cause my heart to break for the things that are on God's heart? 00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:05.359 Does it cause my heart to beat for the things that are beating with God's heart? 00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:14.960 Does what I know cause my love to grow so that I begin to do and move in the ways that God is moving? 00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:17.839 Or am I just stuck east of the city? 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:24.480 Griping, looking at what's wrong and where I wish God would work and what he's not doing. 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:29.680 Tragically, Jonah was depressed about God's goodness. 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:34.480 Warning, we can know God's word and completely miss God's heart. 00:30:34.640 --> 00:30:38.160 The question, does what we know cause our love to grow? 00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:46.799 The principle God is working in big and small ways in your life to realign your heart to his. 00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:50.079 God's working in big and small ways. 00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:53.519 And we're kind of fascinated with the big, aren't we? 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:55.599 We want the big. 00:30:55.839 --> 00:31:07.039 We want God to like have that, like, Ryan, you know, moments, or show me a sign, you know, or um, it's just, and he's working in the big and the small. 00:31:07.200 --> 00:31:10.640 Jonah chapter one, we God provided, same word, we circled all that. 00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:12.799 A great fish, a huge fish. 00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:16.400 But in chapter four, he provides a plant. 00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:19.279 And then he provides a worm. 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:20.000 Think about that. 00:31:20.160 --> 00:31:21.920 Big fish, little worm. 00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:26.240 Still God providing, God working, God showing. 00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:29.759 And then he provides a scorching east wind. 00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:33.440 And all of it was, Jonah, you're missing it. 00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:37.839 You're east of the city, you're moving from my presence and my purpose. 00:31:37.920 --> 00:31:40.480 You're moving farther away from me, you're missing it. 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:44.000 And I want to work in big ways, yes, but also in small ways. 00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:46.400 He's actively working, actively wooing. 00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:54.240 And this is one of those moments where he's actively working and wooing and drawing you towards himself. 00:31:55.279 --> 00:32:02.079 I think the question then is how do we know the condition of our heart? 00:32:03.440 --> 00:32:05.359 I mean, like, how do you really know? 00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:10.640 And we're we're not like a very good, touchy-filly culture, anyways, you know, like my heart, Ryan? 00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:15.039 That feels like what evil, I don't know. 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:22.640 And also, don't we have a profound capacity at self-deception? 00:32:24.960 --> 00:32:27.920 Can't we see the problems in others? 00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:30.720 See the problem in Jonah? 00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:35.119 But how often do we then justify our actions? 00:32:35.279 --> 00:32:35.599 Why? 00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:37.759 Because we have a good reason for it, right? 00:32:39.039 --> 00:32:42.319 It's not my fault, it's not my problem, it's not my issue. 00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:43.759 I'm busy. 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:45.680 Life's full. 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:48.079 You don't know the valley. 00:32:49.119 --> 00:32:51.680 Gosh, you don't know my workplace. 00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:54.079 You don't know my marriage. 00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:57.680 You don't know my singleness. 00:32:58.880 --> 00:33:04.000 We have a profound capacity to deceive ourselves. 00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:10.079 Let me give you three questions from the text of identifying our heart condition. 00:33:11.119 --> 00:33:12.480 First question. 00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:14.640 What gets you worked up? 00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:17.440 What gets you worked up? 00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:27.119 I almost put angry there, but I knew there would be too many of us in uh here that would go, Ryan, I don't get angry. 00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:28.799 And then we justify ourselves. 00:33:28.880 --> 00:33:30.720 Well, that's not me, I don't get angry. 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:32.079 I get even. 00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:34.640 No, I'm just but right. 00:33:34.799 --> 00:33:35.759 I'm not, I don't know. 00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:37.599 But what gets you worked up? 00:33:38.799 --> 00:33:40.720 God's mercy got Jonah worked up. 00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:42.640 It was evil to Jonah, a great evil. 00:33:42.799 --> 00:33:44.799 He was angry, hot angry. 00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:48.960 What gets you worked up? 00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:50.960 I could never forgive them. 00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:54.240 No, no, I hold grudges. 00:33:55.599 --> 00:34:05.279 They don't deserve my forgiveness, my mercy, my availability, my time. 00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:08.400 What gets you worked up? 00:34:08.880 --> 00:34:16.800 Jonah got worked up, he's east of the city, and he's griping over a city that responded in revival and repentance. 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:19.599 You compare that with Jesus. 00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:27.280 Today's Jesus' triumphant entrance that we celebrate. 00:34:28.559 --> 00:34:32.320 And you know what he prayed over Jerusalem? 00:34:33.760 --> 00:34:36.400 He actually weeps over the city. 00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:42.880 He says, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who killed the prophets. 00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:47.840 Oh, how I wish to gather you as a hen gathers his chicks. 00:34:48.400 --> 00:34:56.320 Jonah's seeing widespread revival, and Jesus knows that he's heading into Jerusalem, and they're gonna kill him too, and his heart weaves. 00:34:57.679 --> 00:35:01.760 He's like, I wish that I could gather you and draw you in. 00:35:03.039 --> 00:35:05.840 What gets you worked up? 00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:08.320 Second question. 00:35:09.039 --> 00:35:10.480 What do you live for? 00:35:11.840 --> 00:35:13.280 What do you live for? 00:35:17.039 --> 00:35:22.480 Instead of the plant, Jonah was happy over the plant, a great exceeding happiness. 00:35:23.440 --> 00:35:28.639 Jonah was more concerned about his personal comfort than people in crisis. 00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:32.880 He's used to the city because of his comfort. 00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:36.800 He's used to the city because of his prejudice. 00:35:38.960 --> 00:35:48.159 He's used to the city, and he's more concerned about a plant than people, more concerned about a plant than even livestock. 00:35:51.760 --> 00:36:07.760 And so often, isn't it true, that we spend our days we're we're focused and we're living for little things, small things, temporal things, things that are here today and gone tomorrow, that vanish. 00:36:09.599 --> 00:36:10.320 Plants. 00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:15.519 God says, Would you live for something bigger? 00:36:15.679 --> 00:36:19.760 Live for something greater, live for something eternal. 00:36:21.199 --> 00:36:46.639 You know what's amazing about Jesus in Hebrews chapter 12, and it's just coming after the hall of faith, and we're explaining God's, you know, these incredible faithful people, and it talks about, therefore, for us, since we're surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, calling us to run the race that God marked out for us with perseverance, you know, getting rid of anything that trips us off or the sin that so easily entangles us. 00:36:46.800 --> 00:36:50.320 And then it says, let us fix our eyes on Jesus. 00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:56.000 Church, you can do nothing wrong when you fix your eyes on Jesus. 00:36:56.320 --> 00:37:01.360 You're living in your full purpose when you're fixing your eyes on Jesus. 00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:08.239 Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith. 00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:10.079 And then it says this this is amazing. 00:37:10.320 --> 00:37:12.000 What did Jesus live for? 00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:14.880 The very same thing that he died for. 00:37:15.519 --> 00:37:22.880 Who for the joy set before him scorned the cross? 00:37:23.360 --> 00:37:28.719 Who for the joy set before him, he took on the cross, scorning its shame. 00:37:29.920 --> 00:37:32.400 Well, what was the joy set before him? 00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:34.960 It was you. 00:37:36.639 --> 00:37:37.599 It was you. 00:37:39.599 --> 00:37:40.559 It was you. 00:37:43.519 --> 00:38:01.840 God from eternity past said, the joy set before me, I will endure the cross and death itself to welcome you in, to bring you in, to become part of my family, to be a part in relationship with me. 00:38:03.360 --> 00:38:05.039 That's what he lived for. 00:38:05.280 --> 00:38:06.639 That's what he died for. 00:38:06.960 --> 00:38:08.559 You are his joy. 00:38:09.599 --> 00:38:11.119 What do you live for? 00:38:12.079 --> 00:38:13.760 What gets you worked up? 00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:15.840 Finally. 00:38:17.199 --> 00:38:18.559 What are you concerned about? 00:38:18.800 --> 00:38:20.320 You want to know the condition of your heart? 00:38:20.639 --> 00:38:22.079 What are you concerned about? 00:38:23.039 --> 00:38:24.719 God's question to Jonah. 00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:27.920 Should I not be concerned about this great city? 00:38:28.239 --> 00:38:32.079 Should I not be concerned about people? 00:38:35.119 --> 00:38:38.320 Jonah, east of the city. 00:38:40.480 --> 00:38:42.480 He's concerned about himself. 00:38:43.519 --> 00:38:44.639 Discomfort. 00:38:46.159 --> 00:38:50.159 Just whatever he wants. 00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:56.639 And then you see Jesus. 00:38:58.320 --> 00:38:59.599 And isn't it amazing? 00:38:59.760 --> 00:39:00.800 Think about this. 00:39:02.079 --> 00:39:07.519 Think about that the Pharisees who knew the Word of God. 00:39:08.159 --> 00:39:11.360 Remember, you can know the Word of God and completely miss God's heart. 00:39:11.599 --> 00:39:19.440 The Pharisees who knew the Word of God completely missed the Son of God, who was the Word of God incarnate. 00:39:19.760 --> 00:39:34.239 And so when the Son of God showed up on the planet and is doing the things that God does, and doing the things and getting after the people that break God's heart and working in ways, the Pharisees, who are the most religious, missed it. 00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:35.519 Didn't get it. 00:39:35.760 --> 00:39:44.320 In fact, on one occasion, which happened many times, they're saying to him, Why in the world do you eat with tax collectors and sinners? 00:39:44.559 --> 00:39:46.239 What's wrong with you? 00:39:47.199 --> 00:39:51.440 And then Jesus tells a parable to explain the heart of God. 00:39:51.599 --> 00:39:53.440 What breaks God's heart? 00:39:54.559 --> 00:39:56.320 What he's concerned about. 00:39:56.880 --> 00:39:59.280 In fact, he gives three stories, you know it. 00:39:59.519 --> 00:40:01.760 The parable of the lost sheep. 00:40:02.159 --> 00:40:17.760 That what breaks God's heart and what God lives for, what God's concerned about, what God goes after is when if he has a hundred sheep and 99 are in the pen, if there's one lost, he's going after the one because the one matters to God. 00:40:18.320 --> 00:40:21.119 And then he tells the parable of the lost coin. 00:40:21.599 --> 00:40:25.760 That a woman had lost 10 coins, or had 10 coins and lost one. 00:40:26.320 --> 00:40:31.920 And she did everything to find and search that one lost valuable coin. 00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:42.639 And in both of those stories, he says, there's more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents, one person who recognizes their need and turns. 00:40:43.440 --> 00:40:45.920 Then 99 righteous. 00:40:46.559 --> 00:40:48.159 Like heaven rejoices. 00:40:48.400 --> 00:40:51.039 And then he builds it to the climax. 00:40:51.360 --> 00:40:54.480 It's the story of the lost son, or we know it as the prodigal son. 00:40:55.440 --> 00:41:05.280 And the prodigal son says to his father, hey, I want my share of the inheritance. 00:41:05.440 --> 00:41:08.320 Now there's two brothers, there's an older brother and a younger brother. 00:41:08.639 --> 00:41:10.559 This is the younger brother. 00:41:11.679 --> 00:41:14.719 And everybody goes, Of course it is the younger brother. 00:41:14.960 --> 00:41:16.960 That's a younger brother move. 00:41:18.559 --> 00:41:26.960 The younger brother says this, and the father, again, God's heart in response, instead of shaming, instead of even giving him a lecture, he gives him the inheritance. 00:41:27.119 --> 00:41:32.079 The father son goes and squanders all that he had on wild living, eventually destitute. 00:41:32.239 --> 00:41:35.840 He's working with pigs and he's starving. 00:41:36.639 --> 00:41:38.159 And I love how the text says it. 00:41:38.320 --> 00:41:50.239 He says, then he came to his senses and realized even servants live better than he was living in his father's household, and so he made his way home and he rehearsed his speech and he's working on his way home. 00:41:50.400 --> 00:41:51.119 And I love it. 00:41:51.280 --> 00:41:56.400 It says that the father saw him a long way off and he ran to him. 00:41:56.559 --> 00:42:06.000 What no proper man would do, patriarch in the ancient day, would ever run because you'd have to lift your garb and run and expose your legs, and it was completely humbling. 00:42:06.159 --> 00:42:07.039 He would never do that. 00:42:07.199 --> 00:42:10.239 He does that and he runs to his son and he gives him an embrace. 00:42:10.320 --> 00:42:14.639 He doesn't even allow the son to finish his speech. 00:42:14.960 --> 00:42:22.400 He puts on the ring of sonship, the sandals, and a new garment on him and welcomes him home. 00:42:22.880 --> 00:42:24.800 And again, there's no lecture. 00:42:26.159 --> 00:42:30.880 It's just the father with open arms saying, Welcome home. 00:42:31.360 --> 00:42:33.280 And then he throws a party. 00:42:34.480 --> 00:42:35.280 I love it. 00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:37.440 He kills the fatted calf. 00:42:39.440 --> 00:42:42.239 And then we get to the point of the story. 00:42:42.559 --> 00:42:49.280 We get the heart of God for all of humanity, wherever we're at, that it breaks his heart. 00:42:49.360 --> 00:42:51.519 And that is the reason Jesus came. 00:42:51.840 --> 00:42:59.199 I came for every single person to experience my grace and love, that none should perish, but all come to know me. 00:43:00.079 --> 00:43:08.000 And the point of the parable, like the point of Jonah, is to draw our attention to the older brother. 00:43:08.559 --> 00:43:13.840 Because he's remember, he's talking to the Pharisees who knew God's word but didn't know God's son. 00:43:15.440 --> 00:43:23.360 See, the older brother sees the party, and instead of celebration, he's outside the celebration griping. 00:43:23.519 --> 00:43:27.679 Just like Jonah is outside the city griping. 00:43:28.320 --> 00:43:29.760 The Father goes to him. 00:43:30.880 --> 00:43:33.360 He says, Son, come in and celebrate. 00:43:33.679 --> 00:43:37.199 Your brother who is dead is alive, who is lost, is found. 00:43:37.360 --> 00:43:38.719 We have to celebrate. 00:43:38.880 --> 00:43:41.360 And he's got on his mind fairness. 00:43:41.679 --> 00:43:43.440 He doesn't deserve it. 00:43:45.920 --> 00:43:50.079 And he says, Son, we had to celebrate. 00:43:50.400 --> 00:43:52.320 All that I have is yours. 00:43:53.199 --> 00:43:56.079 Come into the celebration and celebrate. 00:43:56.239 --> 00:43:59.280 Your brother is lost and is found. 00:44:00.800 --> 00:44:05.679 And like Jonah, Jesus ends the story right there. 00:44:06.639 --> 00:44:07.920 And we don't know. 00:44:08.159 --> 00:44:11.280 We don't know how the elder brother responded. 00:44:11.599 --> 00:44:21.760 We don't know if he went into the celebration or if he stood outside judging, critiquing, condemning, feeling self-righteous. 00:44:23.119 --> 00:44:27.599 And just like Jonah, the call is for us. 00:44:28.960 --> 00:44:31.280 Not to judge the elder brother. 00:44:32.239 --> 00:44:35.599 No, it's to see the elder brother in us. 00:44:36.639 --> 00:44:38.800 To see the elder brother in me. 00:44:39.199 --> 00:44:53.920 To see the elder brother when I look down and I judge someone, look down when I don't reach out, look down on people, and I'm just simply treating people, or I just want to live for my own comfort, my own ways, and gripe about when it doesn't go my way. 00:44:54.639 --> 00:44:58.880 It's the call for us to look in the mirror. 00:45:01.679 --> 00:45:03.280 And simply go this. 00:45:03.679 --> 00:45:06.159 And this is the prayer I want to leave you with. 00:45:06.480 --> 00:45:09.679 Would you make it this prayer for you this week? 00:45:09.920 --> 00:45:15.679 Heavenly Father, would you break my heart for what breaks your heart? 00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:18.000 Would you do a heart work in me? 00:45:18.239 --> 00:45:20.079 I don't want to be east of the city. 00:45:20.159 --> 00:45:24.079 I don't want to be outside the city, outside the celebration. 00:45:24.639 --> 00:45:27.280 But I recognize that's where I'm at. 00:45:27.840 --> 00:45:31.280 I recognize there's parts of me that have that. 00:45:31.519 --> 00:45:32.639 Would you break my heart? 00:45:32.800 --> 00:45:33.920 Would you do a fresh work? 00:45:34.079 --> 00:45:39.679 Would you do a heart work in me for the very things that break your heart? 00:45:42.159 --> 00:45:49.920 And I want to invite, for those of us who call awakening home, like a very specific application to this. 00:45:50.480 --> 00:45:53.280 If you're new or just getting to know us, this isn't for you. 00:45:53.440 --> 00:46:01.760 We want to invite you to Easter, but our vision for Easter was that every person at awakening would bring one person to Easter at Awakening. 00:46:01.920 --> 00:46:04.880 We've been praying on with three, five, five cards, right? 00:46:08.000 --> 00:46:14.960 And where we'd go, you know what, we care more about them than their opinion of us. 00:46:15.440 --> 00:46:19.360 And we long for them to experience his grace and mercy. 00:46:20.239 --> 00:46:23.679 And I want us to invite just a time of reflection. 00:46:23.760 --> 00:46:32.480 And on these cards that are on your seat, or maybe you didn't have cards, and our team will drop off some cards if you need cards, and you can just raise your hand during worship for that. 00:46:32.800 --> 00:46:39.920 Would you just write on the card who you're gonna pray for or who you've been praying for and who you're gonna invite this week? 00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:41.920 And just write their name on it. 00:46:42.639 --> 00:46:56.079 And I want you to take time as we respond in worship to remember God's grace in your life, to remember his saving work in your life, to remember the moment when you first said yes to him. 00:46:58.480 --> 00:47:09.840 And then respond and go, God, may I be your hands and feet, to bring grace and hope to those around me. 00:47:10.079 --> 00:47:13.599 We're gonna sing a song called Oh, come to the altar. 00:47:14.639 --> 00:47:21.920 And I want us to just simply sit in this because it speaks of his grace, the Father's open arms for us. 00:47:22.159 --> 00:47:28.480 And then the closing line says, Bear your cross as you wait for the crown. 00:47:29.039 --> 00:47:32.079 Tell the world of the treasure you found. 00:47:32.239 --> 00:47:36.719 Like this is so good, this is so amazing, your grace in my life, what you've done. 00:47:36.960 --> 00:47:39.360 How can I keep this to myself? 00:47:40.159 --> 00:47:44.239 Heavenly Father, would you break our hearts? 00:47:44.880 --> 00:47:46.320 For what breaks yours? 00:47:47.599 --> 00:48:06.960 Would you make us a people that would never be satisfied sitting in our comfort, sitting east of the city, but draw us to your heart, draw us to your grace, draw us to the people around us that you love. 00:48:07.679 --> 00:48:09.280 In Jesus' name. 00:48:10.000 --> 00:48:10.639 Amen. 00:48:12.639 --> 00:48:14.960 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:48:15.119 --> 00:48:19.599 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:48:19.760 --> 00:48:21.840 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:48:22.000 --> 00:48:27.920 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.