WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.720 Father, thank you that you are a speaking God. 00:00:02.800 --> 00:00:08.439 You speak to us words, words of love, words of mercy, words that are from you. 00:00:08.439 --> 00:00:09.820 Pray that we would hear that. 00:00:10.259 --> 00:00:11.720 Pray that Marco reads your words. 00:00:11.939 --> 00:00:12.599 We would listen. 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:19.219 And after that, as I try to explain the passage, I pray that you would work through that. 00:00:19.300 --> 00:00:22.179 We would hear you speak, not me, in each of our hearts. 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:23.600 You know where each one of us is at. 00:00:24.240 --> 00:00:27.039 Would we hear what you want to say to us today? 00:00:27.339 --> 00:00:28.260 In Jesus' name. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:29.000 Amen. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:39.759 Good morning, church. 00:00:41.100 --> 00:00:45.939 Today's reading is from Jonah, chapter 3, verses 1 to 10. 00:00:46.359 --> 00:00:51.100 If you are using the Bible, it's at page 727, 727. 00:00:55.519 --> 00:00:59.480 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 00:01:00.139 --> 00:01:06.039 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you. 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:10.739 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. 00:01:11.640 --> 00:01:16.679 Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breath. 00:01:17.679 --> 00:01:21.060 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. 00:01:21.060 --> 00:01:26.280 And he called out, yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 00:01:26.340 --> 00:01:29.879 And the people of Nineveh believed God. 00:01:30.420 --> 00:01:36.079 They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:46.340 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his rope, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 00:01:46.340 --> 00:01:50.159 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh. 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:57.780 By the decree of the king and his nobles, let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. 00:01:58.519 --> 00:02:06.299 Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. 00:02:07.299 --> 00:02:11.800 Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 00:02:11.800 --> 00:02:13.260 Who knows? 00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:18.820 God may turn and relent, and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish. 00:02:19.820 --> 00:02:27.740 When God saw what they did, how they had turned from the evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them. 00:02:28.160 --> 00:02:29.720 And he did not do it. 00:02:30.840 --> 00:02:31.840 This is the word of God. 00:02:39.020 --> 00:02:40.140 Great. Thank you, Margo. 00:02:40.139 --> 00:02:45.859 So, yes, if you're visiting, we're doing a series on this short book of Jonah. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:48.779 It's a great book. 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:51.099 And it's nice to have the youth here today. 00:02:51.239 --> 00:02:56.139 And I know you've been doing Jonah as well, so it's nice that you're not here in this random sermon. 00:02:56.279 --> 00:02:59.299 But actually, hey, this is the next chapter of what you've been looking at. 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:02.060 Now, yeah, what do we see today? 00:03:03.139 --> 00:03:05.859 I don't know if you know the word revival. 00:03:05.860 --> 00:03:07.980 It's one of those Christian words. 00:03:08.660 --> 00:03:12.680 Sometimes it refers to kind of meetings where, you know, someone preaches the gospel. 00:03:12.680 --> 00:03:18.360 But usually it's kind of when God really powerfully works suddenly, right? 00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:21.020 And a lot of people are renewed in their faith. 00:03:21.060 --> 00:03:24.719 And a lot of people are being saved, are coming to Christ. 00:03:24.860 --> 00:03:26.140 It's a wonderful thing, of course. 00:03:26.580 --> 00:03:31.840 I mean, what we want at Wanamark is for many people to come to Jesus and receive the best gift ever. 00:03:31.920 --> 00:03:33.980 That's our greatest desire. 00:03:33.979 --> 00:03:37.599 And it's wonderful to see that happening a lot, right? 00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:40.979 In the past, last week we talked about John Newton. 00:03:41.179 --> 00:03:44.019 That was part of a great awakening in England. 00:03:44.259 --> 00:03:46.839 And many people, yeah, were saved. 00:03:46.939 --> 00:03:51.819 There's been a Welsh revival, early last century Korean revival. 00:03:52.679 --> 00:03:55.019 Apparently these days there's in the U.S. and U.K. 00:03:55.079 --> 00:03:59.319 a quiet revival of a lot of Gen Z men coming to church. 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:00.459 I don't know if that's true. 00:04:00.459 --> 00:04:01.459 I live here. 00:04:01.979 --> 00:04:03.560 But it sounds really exciting. 00:04:04.599 --> 00:04:04.739 Right? 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:07.039 But sometimes it's also very unexpected. 00:04:07.699 --> 00:04:10.419 You have people being saved who you wouldn't expect. 00:04:10.840 --> 00:04:12.699 A few years ago there was a movie. 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:16.379 I think it was a secular movie, Jesus Revolution. 00:04:17.019 --> 00:04:18.079 It was really cool. 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:24.459 It was about a kind of revival in kind of California in the 60s with lots of hippies becoming Christians. 00:04:25.099 --> 00:04:27.379 And that was very disruptive for the church, right? 00:04:27.379 --> 00:04:29.199 Because everyone always looked their Sunday best. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:34.300 And then you have these people with long hair and shorts and sandals coming in. 00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:37.539 And, you know, okay, this is really not what we expect. 00:04:37.659 --> 00:04:39.560 Do these people, what do they need? 00:04:40.199 --> 00:04:40.399 Right? 00:04:40.459 --> 00:04:41.719 I mean, that's always been an issue. 00:04:42.279 --> 00:04:45.379 In the book of Acts, that's where we're going after Jonah. 00:04:45.379 --> 00:04:50.139 You know, we see the gospel going to Gentiles, the non-Jews. 00:04:51.139 --> 00:04:51.860 Big question. 00:04:51.939 --> 00:04:53.139 Do they need to get circumcised? 00:04:53.259 --> 00:04:56.420 What do you actually need to, you know, to come to God? 00:04:57.240 --> 00:04:58.759 And, yeah, those hippies. 00:04:58.819 --> 00:04:59.680 Do they need the haircuts? 00:04:59.800 --> 00:05:01.480 What do they need to get to God? 00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:02.540 Right? 00:05:02.540 --> 00:05:05.100 Now, it's great to think about that. 00:05:05.660 --> 00:05:07.300 And we want people to come to God, I hope. 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:09.140 What do people need? 00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:11.879 And that is what we see today. 00:05:12.020 --> 00:05:17.400 We see a lot of people turning to God and maybe surprising people, unexpected people. 00:05:18.100 --> 00:05:18.900 Is that possible? 00:05:19.100 --> 00:05:20.340 And then what do they need to do? 00:05:20.420 --> 00:05:22.620 Well, what do you need to turn back to God? 00:05:22.660 --> 00:05:23.400 That's where we're going. 00:05:24.180 --> 00:05:28.020 Now, Jonah, if you don't know the story, of course, he's a prophet. 00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:31.799 But he is one of God's spokesmen, one of his ambassadors. 00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:36.319 And he, yeah, you probably know he gets this message to go to Nineveh. 00:05:36.779 --> 00:05:40.579 Nineveh is the capital of the local superpower of the day. 00:05:41.359 --> 00:05:41.799 Yeah. 00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:44.479 And violent, cruel people. 00:05:44.859 --> 00:05:46.019 Of course, he doesn't want to go there. 00:05:46.099 --> 00:05:51.319 He runs the other way, ends up in a storm, nearly drowns, except that God saves him. 00:05:51.379 --> 00:05:53.539 He sends a big fish to swallow him up. 00:05:53.539 --> 00:05:56.719 And while Jonah has a change of heart, he's really grateful. 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:58.620 So the fish brings him to land. 00:05:58.780 --> 00:06:00.500 And that's where we pick up the story. 00:06:01.060 --> 00:06:05.220 What I'll do, I'll just first go through the story because it's quite short and quite simple. 00:06:05.540 --> 00:06:09.080 And then, yeah, what are the things that God wants us to learn? 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:11.920 So, yeah, what happens? 00:06:12.060 --> 00:06:19.580 Well, God's first, well, as we, maybe, I don't know if you expected this, but God still has this job to do, right? 00:06:19.580 --> 00:06:21.780 So God calls Jonah again, verse one. 00:06:21.779 --> 00:06:32.000 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. 00:06:32.799 --> 00:06:39.919 I'm not sure if he was still on the beach with seaweed in his hair just from the fish or whether he, you know, he went home first. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:40.519 No idea. 00:06:40.679 --> 00:06:43.439 But he gets exactly the same call, right? 00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:45.039 Arise and go to Nineveh. 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:47.879 But big change from before, right? 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:48.920 He obeys. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:53.700 Verse two, so Jonah, verse three, so Jonah arose and went to Nineveh. 00:06:54.080 --> 00:06:56.760 He arose and went just like he should. 00:06:56.860 --> 00:06:59.160 I don't know what he really thought of it. 00:07:00.220 --> 00:07:01.480 We find out next week. 00:07:01.540 --> 00:07:04.780 I'm not sure if he really wanted to go, but he does go, right? 00:07:05.220 --> 00:07:07.720 Last week, he had such an amazing change of heart. 00:07:08.280 --> 00:07:09.259 God rescued him. 00:07:09.840 --> 00:07:10.660 He was grateful. 00:07:10.660 --> 00:07:13.840 And so, yeah, this time he did go. 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:15.580 He was amazed by the Lord's salvation. 00:07:15.720 --> 00:07:16.800 So he goes to Nineveh. 00:07:17.520 --> 00:07:19.560 I don't know what you would expect then to happen. 00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:22.000 I mean, Nineveh is a huge city, right? 00:07:22.060 --> 00:07:26.200 It says here, Nineveh was an exceedingly great city. 00:07:26.400 --> 00:07:28.360 Three days, journey, and breath. 00:07:29.060 --> 00:07:32.540 I mean, this is nearly 2,800 years, about 2,800 years ago, right? 00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:33.660 Most people lived in villages. 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:38.260 This town has 120,000 people, we read next week. 00:07:38.300 --> 00:07:39.860 That's huge, right? 00:07:39.860 --> 00:07:42.360 So it takes three days to go around it. 00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:45.180 But Jonah doesn't need three days, right? 00:07:45.259 --> 00:07:48.100 On his very first day, what happens? 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:52.939 Verse 4, Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. 00:07:53.500 --> 00:07:57.220 And he called out, he had 40 days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. 00:07:58.420 --> 00:07:58.759 Right? 00:07:59.620 --> 00:08:00.600 Judgment is coming. 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:05.100 And he immediately goes viral, right? 00:08:05.100 --> 00:08:08.319 Verse 5, and the people of Nineveh believed God. 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:13.620 They called for a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them to the least of them. 00:08:14.139 --> 00:08:15.599 There's a huge response. 00:08:15.699 --> 00:08:16.800 The people believe him. 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:19.879 The people turn and mourn. 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:22.199 And, you know, it even reaches the king. 00:08:22.360 --> 00:08:24.319 Verse 6, the word reached the king of Nineveh. 00:08:24.980 --> 00:08:27.180 Like the emperor of this huge empire. 00:08:27.180 --> 00:08:33.779 And he arose, but he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:38.680 And he makes this proclamation for the whole nation, for the whole city. 00:08:39.019 --> 00:08:40.139 Everyone should fast. 00:08:40.299 --> 00:08:44.060 Even the flocks and herds, they get no water, no food. 00:08:44.360 --> 00:08:44.519 No. 00:08:44.919 --> 00:08:47.320 Everyone call out to God, right? 00:08:47.399 --> 00:08:50.680 Verse 8, let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. 00:08:50.679 --> 00:08:53.279 Let him call out mightily to God. 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:57.279 Yeah, the call out to be spared. 00:08:57.759 --> 00:08:58.919 And not just mourn. 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:00.639 They didn't just make a show of it, right? 00:09:01.139 --> 00:09:02.319 They repented. 00:09:03.019 --> 00:09:08.219 Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 00:09:09.219 --> 00:09:12.079 And maybe different cities are known for their own vices. 00:09:12.359 --> 00:09:14.500 The Ninevites, they were violent. 00:09:15.019 --> 00:09:18.279 And, yeah, we need to stop our violence. 00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:18.720 Why? 00:09:18.899 --> 00:09:20.279 Well, verse 9, who knows? 00:09:20.659 --> 00:09:25.620 God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger so that we may not perish. 00:09:26.079 --> 00:09:27.779 We don't want to perish, right? 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:30.980 I mean, judgment is coming, but maybe God will spare us. 00:09:31.079 --> 00:09:32.620 I mean, judgment is right. 00:09:32.759 --> 00:09:33.559 They knew that. 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:35.419 We just say it in the catechism. 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:39.740 It is right that we who were created by God should live for his glory. 00:09:40.319 --> 00:09:42.379 And, of course, violence is not to God's glory. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:45.139 They know judgment is coming. 00:09:45.419 --> 00:09:46.720 But let's stop it. 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:48.360 Let's plead for mercy. 00:09:49.220 --> 00:09:50.800 And that's what they did. 00:09:50.899 --> 00:09:51.379 And guess what? 00:09:51.660 --> 00:09:53.220 Well, it worked. 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:54.019 Verse 10. 00:09:54.779 --> 00:10:02.980 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. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:04.740 And he did not do it. 00:10:05.180 --> 00:10:07.399 And he sees how they turned from evil. 00:10:08.139 --> 00:10:09.759 He hears their cries. 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:11.940 And he responds with mercy. 00:10:12.080 --> 00:10:12.840 He relents. 00:10:12.840 --> 00:10:14.920 He doesn't destroy the city. 00:10:15.660 --> 00:10:16.139 And phew. 00:10:16.980 --> 00:10:18.160 Which is so ironic, right? 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:19.920 He's one of the worst prophets in the Bible. 00:10:20.060 --> 00:10:23.580 The only one who kind of, you know, ran away from God and those kind of things. 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:24.259 And he's grumpy. 00:10:24.920 --> 00:10:27.480 But, you know, he has this incredible ministry. 00:10:27.860 --> 00:10:28.940 I'd love to see that, right? 00:10:28.940 --> 00:10:32.900 I preach another bad sermon and everyone falls on their knees. 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:33.580 And wow. 00:10:34.780 --> 00:10:35.680 That'd be great. 00:10:37.920 --> 00:10:41.300 I mean, when you read this, it sounds so unrealistic, right? 00:10:41.760 --> 00:10:44.040 All the cattle and the herds and everyone. 00:10:45.080 --> 00:10:48.060 You know, many people think, Jonah, I just made up, right? 00:10:48.100 --> 00:10:48.880 This fish. 00:10:49.020 --> 00:10:51.660 And then the Assyrians all repenting. 00:10:51.700 --> 00:10:52.300 Oh, come on. 00:10:53.299 --> 00:10:55.519 Actually, I once heard a lecture. 00:10:55.639 --> 00:10:59.839 Did you know that Assyrian history is really interesting? 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:02.879 They kept a lot of records, right? 00:11:02.939 --> 00:11:06.539 They kept a lot of details about all their wars and all their conquests. 00:11:07.000 --> 00:11:12.979 And the kings always made these wonderful pictures of, you know, how they conquered countries and those kind of things. 00:11:14.259 --> 00:11:18.679 For some reason, in the 770s BC, Assyria went dark. 00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:24.559 For some reason, you know, no records of any conquest, no wars. 00:11:25.719 --> 00:11:27.120 For about 35 years. 00:11:27.959 --> 00:11:32.719 During three kings, three brothers who were, who would have been alive at the same time. 00:11:33.519 --> 00:11:34.419 Very weird, right? 00:11:35.079 --> 00:11:41.319 Even in the Bible, we see Assyria attacking them and then suddenly for a few decades, they have peace. 00:11:43.139 --> 00:11:44.819 Now, of course, it's an argument from silence. 00:11:44.820 --> 00:11:51.360 But it's interesting, right, that suddenly for a few years, for a few decades, there's no, the Assyrian stop. 00:11:51.800 --> 00:11:58.620 What makes such a powerful empire suddenly stop, yeah, stop conquering, stop fighting? 00:11:59.800 --> 00:12:01.620 It's an argument from silence. 00:12:01.720 --> 00:12:06.160 But it's really interesting that this seems to be, yeah, the Bible gives us real history. 00:12:06.280 --> 00:12:07.300 This seems to really have happened. 00:12:07.299 --> 00:12:12.399 But, of course, it's a good, it's not here just to show it, hey, this is real. 00:12:13.159 --> 00:12:14.339 It's a great story. 00:12:15.179 --> 00:12:17.099 Now, what should we learn from this? 00:12:17.659 --> 00:12:19.259 So, that's a great story. 00:12:19.539 --> 00:12:20.319 It's wonderful. 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:21.979 Why is it in the Bible? 00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:24.979 What are we supposed to pick up from what happened here? 00:12:26.519 --> 00:12:30.159 I think the first thing, well, we just sang about his mercy is more. 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:34.779 I hope you see God's incredible mercy, right? 00:12:35.620 --> 00:12:39.539 If you ask me what Jonah is about, I would say it's about God's mercy. 00:12:39.740 --> 00:12:42.279 I mean, there's a lot you see about God, right? 00:12:42.299 --> 00:12:44.139 We see his sovereignty, right? 00:12:44.139 --> 00:12:48.480 How he can control storms and fishes and next week, worms and winds. 00:12:48.659 --> 00:12:50.299 And, you know, he controls everything. 00:12:50.299 --> 00:12:51.980 But there's no development. 00:12:53.079 --> 00:12:55.459 Actually, what do we really see develop here? 00:12:55.460 --> 00:13:00.540 What do we have a greater vision of by the end of the book is God's mercy. 00:13:02.019 --> 00:13:03.360 I mean, and not just in this chapter. 00:13:03.540 --> 00:13:04.680 I mean, even last week. 00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:05.840 I mean, come on, Jonah. 00:13:06.600 --> 00:13:08.379 Would you have saved Jonah, right? 00:13:08.420 --> 00:13:09.379 He's a prophet. 00:13:09.580 --> 00:13:11.280 He is one of God's spokesmen. 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:12.800 He's held to a really high standard. 00:13:13.580 --> 00:13:16.000 God gives him a job and he runs away. 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:18.960 I mean, God had hundreds of prophets. 00:13:19.060 --> 00:13:23.040 He could easily have let Jonah drown and chosen another one, right? 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:26.659 Except God sent a fish and saved Jonah. 00:13:27.819 --> 00:13:29.860 I mean, that fish was already in place, right? 00:13:29.939 --> 00:13:32.879 You know, God had already prepared the fish to save him. 00:13:33.240 --> 00:13:35.399 He was going to save Jonah, right? 00:13:35.459 --> 00:13:37.139 God is really merciful. 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:40.139 And no wonder Jonah is thanking and praising God. 00:13:40.259 --> 00:13:43.039 And then here, the Ninevites, right? 00:13:43.500 --> 00:13:46.740 Again, as we heard two weeks ago, these were terrible people. 00:13:47.379 --> 00:13:49.000 They were violent and cruel. 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:52.459 They were the worst bullies of the ancient Near East. 00:13:53.040 --> 00:13:54.600 They weren't ashamed of it, right? 00:13:55.220 --> 00:13:58.740 That picture I showed you with the kind of... 00:13:58.740 --> 00:14:02.620 Actually, I first had another one of some nice people being tortured and everything. 00:14:03.180 --> 00:14:05.980 I decided, okay, if I put that up, it's too distracting. 00:14:06.860 --> 00:14:13.540 But the king would decorate his palace with all these wonderful images of people being tortured and everything. 00:14:13.539 --> 00:14:19.879 I don't know if you remember when Islamic State was around, like 10, 15 years ago. 00:14:20.899 --> 00:14:26.079 I mean, that was so shocking because they just celebrated their violence, right? 00:14:26.139 --> 00:14:28.919 I mean, there's many nations in the world doing evil things. 00:14:29.019 --> 00:14:33.620 But then when the UN speaks to them, they always say, oh, no, no, we're not doing anything, right? 00:14:33.659 --> 00:14:35.079 Because they kind of know it's wrong. 00:14:35.819 --> 00:14:41.019 Except with Islamic State, they would behead people and video it and put it on the internet. 00:14:41.019 --> 00:14:42.919 And that was so shocking, right? 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:44.799 These people, they have just no shame. 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:46.240 They celebrate their violence. 00:14:47.019 --> 00:14:49.720 Well, maybe the Ninevites were a bit like that, right? 00:14:49.740 --> 00:14:51.460 They celebrated their violence. 00:14:51.460 --> 00:14:54.980 And yet, God had mercy. 00:14:56.120 --> 00:14:58.420 God sent them a prophet to warn them. 00:14:59.320 --> 00:15:04.800 And when they turned from their evil, he forgave them, despite everything they had done. 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:06.320 Right? 00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:08.560 That should be amazing, right? 00:15:08.740 --> 00:15:09.960 I mean, God is merciful. 00:15:10.160 --> 00:15:10.620 We know that. 00:15:10.680 --> 00:15:11.300 We believe that. 00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:12.980 But how merciful is he really? 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:15.220 Is he this merciful, this merciful, right? 00:15:15.220 --> 00:15:19.660 I hope we see here he is, he even spares Nineveh. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:21.639 Incredible mercy. 00:15:23.100 --> 00:15:23.300 Why? 00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:24.040 Just wow. 00:15:24.180 --> 00:15:28.200 And if he can spare Nineveh, just to say, it means he can spare anyone, right? 00:15:29.300 --> 00:15:33.139 If you're here and you're wondering, can God forgive you? 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:34.960 He can, right? 00:15:34.980 --> 00:15:37.340 Because he can have mercy on the worst people. 00:15:38.460 --> 00:15:43.019 A few weeks ago, I was talking to someone who kind of wondered, could God ever forgive me for the things I've done? 00:15:43.019 --> 00:15:46.079 And I said, well, do you remember the Apostle Paul? 00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:48.179 Why do you think you're worse than him? 00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:50.720 I mean, how many Christians have you got imprisoned and killed? 00:15:51.659 --> 00:15:51.899 Yeah. 00:15:52.539 --> 00:15:53.220 Good point. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:55.539 God can save the worst people. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:57.919 I mean, that is his plan in a way, right? 00:15:57.980 --> 00:16:00.620 He's going to, his plan is to save the whole world. 00:16:01.340 --> 00:16:03.419 And that's what we kind of see here, a glimpse of. 00:16:03.819 --> 00:16:05.860 He has mercy on Nineveh. 00:16:05.860 --> 00:16:14.419 Though at the same time, it's important that we understand that correctly, or at least how we should respond to that, right? 00:16:14.460 --> 00:16:15.879 How do we receive mercy? 00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:20.980 Because one thing that's very clear is that, well, turning is necessary. 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:23.259 Turning is necessary. 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:25.899 And all the talk about God's mercy is very important. 00:16:26.500 --> 00:16:28.419 You need to turn to him. 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:30.800 God doesn't destroy Nineveh. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:31.379 That's amazing. 00:16:31.379 --> 00:16:33.580 But it's only after they turn. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:36.879 You get that from some wordplay. 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:40.279 I don't know if you notice the word turning in verses 8 to 10. 00:16:40.419 --> 00:16:41.399 Let me read them again. 00:16:41.539 --> 00:16:42.480 They're here on the screen. 00:16:43.659 --> 00:16:45.720 Let man and beast be covered with sack love. 00:16:45.820 --> 00:16:47.460 Let them call out mightily to God. 00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:52.379 Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 00:16:52.919 --> 00:16:53.439 Who knows? 00:16:53.539 --> 00:16:58.259 God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger that we may not perish. 00:16:58.259 --> 00:17:04.099 And when God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster. 00:17:04.859 --> 00:17:05.000 Right? 00:17:05.579 --> 00:17:06.579 There's this turning. 00:17:06.740 --> 00:17:08.799 They turn and they hope that God turns. 00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:10.819 And indeed, God turns. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:11.200 Right? 00:17:12.519 --> 00:17:13.799 And it's not just turning. 00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:16.299 Actually, there's also evil and disaster. 00:17:16.420 --> 00:17:17.720 That's also the same word. 00:17:17.980 --> 00:17:22.180 I mean, not in English, but in, you know, think of the word bad. 00:17:22.619 --> 00:17:26.299 Bad can be, you can have a bad person and you can have a bad day. 00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:27.579 And it's not the same thing. 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:27.819 Right? 00:17:28.299 --> 00:17:29.980 So in a way, that's here as well. 00:17:30.099 --> 00:17:37.440 You could say, you know, the Ninevites turned from the bad things they were doing and God turned from the bad thing that he was planning to do. 00:17:37.799 --> 00:17:38.039 Right? 00:17:38.099 --> 00:17:38.879 It's kind of like that. 00:17:39.319 --> 00:17:41.059 But they're connected. 00:17:43.319 --> 00:17:45.559 God turns after they turn. 00:17:47.419 --> 00:17:49.180 You may think that's only a few words. 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:51.220 Jonah is part of the minor prophets. 00:17:51.220 --> 00:17:54.160 Actually, it's a big theme in many of them. 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:56.660 Often that same invitation. 00:17:57.180 --> 00:17:58.259 Turn and I will turn. 00:17:58.600 --> 00:18:04.079 Or return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts in a couple of books. 00:18:04.740 --> 00:18:06.720 The writer is saying, look at this example. 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:08.480 You know, you need to turn to God. 00:18:08.579 --> 00:18:10.380 Look what happened with Ninevites. 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:11.500 They turned to God. 00:18:12.059 --> 00:18:13.039 God turned to them. 00:18:14.940 --> 00:18:16.460 Of course, we need to understand that rightly. 00:18:16.460 --> 00:18:18.920 That doesn't mean that God had changed his mind. 00:18:20.900 --> 00:18:24.759 Clearly, it was like, oh, God was going to destroy them. 00:18:25.059 --> 00:18:26.000 And then suddenly they changed. 00:18:26.100 --> 00:18:26.539 Oh, whoa. 00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:26.940 Okay. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:27.819 I didn't expect that. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:28.079 No. 00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:30.420 I mean, God was planning to show mercy. 00:18:30.539 --> 00:18:30.720 Right? 00:18:31.120 --> 00:18:32.220 That's why he sent Jonah. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:35.799 He could have destroyed them straight away if he wanted to. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:36.759 No. 00:18:36.860 --> 00:18:37.960 He sent Jonah. 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:39.900 He was really patient. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:40.240 Right? 00:18:40.440 --> 00:18:45.819 He was waiting all the time that Jonah was, you know, fleeing away and in the fish and back to the beach. 00:18:45.819 --> 00:18:48.279 And even then it would take him a month of travel. 00:18:48.939 --> 00:18:50.500 And God was just patiently waiting. 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:52.799 It was not like he was flying off the handle. 00:18:53.980 --> 00:18:56.319 And he patiently waited for Jonah to get there. 00:18:56.740 --> 00:18:57.639 He warned them. 00:18:57.819 --> 00:19:00.720 In a way, his warning is an invitation to turn. 00:19:03.019 --> 00:19:05.299 God always wanted to turn and show mercy. 00:19:05.819 --> 00:19:07.500 But they still had to turn. 00:19:08.379 --> 00:19:10.659 Otherwise, they would have faced destruction. 00:19:13.099 --> 00:19:15.379 God is not like some parents, right? 00:19:15.380 --> 00:19:17.580 They, you know, who just indulge their kids. 00:19:17.700 --> 00:19:20.680 And they say, you know, hey, you need to stop talking like that. 00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:21.840 Otherwise, no screen time. 00:19:22.820 --> 00:19:24.560 And then the kid keeps talking like that. 00:19:24.620 --> 00:19:25.580 And what does the parent do? 00:19:26.020 --> 00:19:26.380 Nothing. 00:19:27.140 --> 00:19:28.480 And what does the child learn? 00:19:28.840 --> 00:19:29.180 Okay. 00:19:29.260 --> 00:19:30.300 It doesn't matter what I do. 00:19:30.360 --> 00:19:30.500 Right? 00:19:30.520 --> 00:19:33.720 I can do whatever I want because my parents just, all right? 00:19:34.020 --> 00:19:35.740 God is not like that. 00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:39.040 Parents, always follow through on your threats. 00:19:39.120 --> 00:19:39.320 Okay? 00:19:39.380 --> 00:19:39.880 Some advice. 00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:41.500 But it's important. 00:19:44.020 --> 00:19:44.400 Yes. 00:19:44.580 --> 00:19:44.840 Good. 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:46.820 But God does that. 00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:48.160 God follows through. 00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:51.220 If you don't believe me, you know, just read on. 00:19:51.520 --> 00:19:54.520 Two books later, we get Nahum, another minor prophet. 00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:55.920 And that's also Nineveh. 00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:57.320 150 years later. 00:19:58.120 --> 00:20:03.240 But that book is blistering judgment because at that time, there was no repentance. 00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:03.600 Right? 00:20:03.660 --> 00:20:06.420 God says, on whom has not come your unceasing evil. 00:20:06.420 --> 00:20:08.620 They didn't stop doing evil. 00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:10.160 Judgment came. 00:20:11.539 --> 00:20:15.440 And so God is so full of mercy, but you do need to turn. 00:20:15.539 --> 00:20:18.120 Otherwise, there's no change in the relationship. 00:20:19.400 --> 00:20:21.259 And that's no different in the New Testament. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:21.620 Right? 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:22.440 Jesus shows up. 00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:23.120 What does he say? 00:20:23.660 --> 00:20:24.820 Repent and believe. 00:20:24.980 --> 00:20:25.120 Right? 00:20:25.360 --> 00:20:27.480 Turning, repenting is the same idea. 00:20:27.600 --> 00:20:27.740 Right? 00:20:27.779 --> 00:20:29.600 Here is God and you're facing this way. 00:20:30.039 --> 00:20:32.160 And God wants you to turn back to him. 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:32.360 Right? 00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:37.119 We need to turn from our own way, from our evil way, to him. 00:20:38.659 --> 00:20:38.899 Yeah? 00:20:39.439 --> 00:20:42.519 And so if you're here and you haven't done that yet, yeah, you need to. 00:20:42.619 --> 00:20:43.959 It's wonderful to come to church. 00:20:44.059 --> 00:20:45.839 It's wonderful to hear about God's mercy. 00:20:46.539 --> 00:20:48.079 But you need to turn. 00:20:48.919 --> 00:20:49.119 Right? 00:20:49.219 --> 00:20:51.059 God invites you to turn to him. 00:20:51.139 --> 00:20:52.959 He promises that he will turn to you. 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:55.019 But you need to turn. 00:20:55.159 --> 00:20:56.519 Can I encourage you to do that? 00:20:56.519 --> 00:21:01.980 Again, we talk about God's love and God's mercy. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:05.160 And it's so easy to then just ignore this. 00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:08.139 To think, yeah, God loves me and it's wonderful. 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:12.259 While forgetting that actually we are still away from him. 00:21:13.220 --> 00:21:13.460 Right? 00:21:13.539 --> 00:21:14.539 We need to turn. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:16.619 And we don't. 00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:19.839 And of course, if you have done that, don't be complacent. 00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:20.039 Right? 00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:23.420 The Ninevites, later they turned back to their old ways. 00:21:24.019 --> 00:21:24.819 And things went wrong. 00:21:24.819 --> 00:21:27.019 Don't be complacent. 00:21:27.099 --> 00:21:28.039 Oh, yeah, God loves me. 00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:30.339 And then just start going your own way again. 00:21:30.460 --> 00:21:30.579 Right? 00:21:31.819 --> 00:21:32.579 Repentance, turning. 00:21:33.099 --> 00:21:35.119 It's a feature of the Christian life. 00:21:36.379 --> 00:21:39.319 Maybe, how do we share the message of Jesus? 00:21:40.179 --> 00:21:42.559 It's wonderful to say to people, hey, God loves you. 00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:45.279 But do we also invite people to turn? 00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:46.720 You need to come back to him. 00:21:47.779 --> 00:21:51.359 And it's not always easy because people don't like to hear it. 00:21:51.359 --> 00:21:55.859 Maybe for some people, their way of living is their identity. 00:21:56.179 --> 00:21:59.759 And it almost sounds like you're trying to tell them to stop being themselves. 00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:06.319 But, yeah, you know, becoming a Christian does involve turning away. 00:22:06.779 --> 00:22:08.059 We shouldn't forget that. 00:22:08.059 --> 00:22:11.259 So, yeah, turning is necessary. 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:16.980 And by the way, this is not about Jonah. 00:22:17.159 --> 00:22:21.679 It's actually the same with our forgiveness of each other. 00:22:22.639 --> 00:22:27.980 This week I had a couple of conversations about conflict, about sin. 00:22:28.539 --> 00:22:32.399 People who were really hurt by something terrible that someone had done to them. 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:35.320 And they were wondering, how about forgiveness? 00:22:35.540 --> 00:22:35.640 Right? 00:22:35.680 --> 00:22:37.200 Do I need to just forgive this person? 00:22:37.360 --> 00:22:39.840 Do I just, you know, pretend as if nothing happened? 00:22:39.940 --> 00:22:40.860 Is that what God wants? 00:22:40.920 --> 00:22:41.040 Right? 00:22:41.080 --> 00:22:42.360 Because God wants us to forgive. 00:22:43.140 --> 00:22:44.519 What does forgiveness look like? 00:22:44.560 --> 00:22:48.780 It struck me, it's exactly the same as in this passage. 00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:50.460 Right? 00:22:50.980 --> 00:22:53.420 Because with God, there's clearly two stages. 00:22:54.019 --> 00:22:56.500 On the one hand, God has a forgiving heart. 00:22:56.700 --> 00:22:56.860 Right? 00:22:57.220 --> 00:22:59.000 He wants the Ninevites to turn. 00:22:59.000 --> 00:23:02.539 And he, you know, this is why he sends Jonah to preach. 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:05.779 And yet, that's not the end of it. 00:23:05.859 --> 00:23:07.059 They do need to turn. 00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:11.920 And if they don't turn, there's no relationship. 00:23:12.200 --> 00:23:12.359 Right? 00:23:12.920 --> 00:23:14.519 They need to turn from their evil way. 00:23:14.579 --> 00:23:15.920 Otherwise, they still face judgment. 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:19.359 And that's actually the same with us. 00:23:19.700 --> 00:23:25.640 If someone sins against you, if someone really hurts you, we shouldn't be bitter. 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:27.539 We should have a forgiving heart towards them. 00:23:27.539 --> 00:23:29.720 We should want to reconcile. 00:23:30.940 --> 00:23:32.539 But they do need to turn. 00:23:32.700 --> 00:23:36.579 If they don't turn from their sin, if they don't admit they've done anything wrong, if 00:23:36.579 --> 00:23:40.879 they don't turn from what they've hurt you, then there's no restoration. 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:41.200 Right? 00:23:41.220 --> 00:23:42.019 There's no relationship. 00:23:42.259 --> 00:23:44.079 They're still away from you. 00:23:45.099 --> 00:23:46.539 And I think that's important. 00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:49.779 We should forgive, but only if people repent. 00:23:50.879 --> 00:23:52.599 Some people, they did a terrible thing. 00:23:52.899 --> 00:23:55.839 And you think, oh, I could just relate to them as if nothing happened. 00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:57.299 That's not what the Bible says. 00:23:58.019 --> 00:23:58.159 Right? 00:23:58.199 --> 00:23:59.559 It's just like what God does here. 00:23:59.819 --> 00:24:00.939 People need to turn. 00:24:02.159 --> 00:24:03.839 If someone repents, forgive them. 00:24:04.939 --> 00:24:07.119 And by the way, reconciliation is just one thing. 00:24:07.220 --> 00:24:07.959 Trust is another. 00:24:08.139 --> 00:24:08.279 Right? 00:24:08.299 --> 00:24:11.220 Even if you're reconciled to someone, they might still need to earn your trust. 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:14.299 But for some of us here, that may be relevant. 00:24:14.500 --> 00:24:14.619 Right? 00:24:14.619 --> 00:24:15.639 We should be like God. 00:24:15.699 --> 00:24:17.639 We should have a forgiving heart. 00:24:18.039 --> 00:24:18.919 No bitterness. 00:24:19.259 --> 00:24:19.919 No resentment. 00:24:20.639 --> 00:24:22.819 We should give all that to God and trust him. 00:24:23.559 --> 00:24:27.359 But yeah, people need to turn from the wrong they've done. 00:24:27.459 --> 00:24:30.079 If they don't turn, there's no reconciliation. 00:24:30.500 --> 00:24:32.439 And also no reconciliation with God. 00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:34.879 If they don't turn, God is still against them. 00:24:35.459 --> 00:24:36.599 And they will face his judgment. 00:24:36.599 --> 00:24:40.619 I thought it worth pointing that out because we see that so clearly here. 00:24:41.679 --> 00:24:45.059 But yeah, turning, repentance is necessary. 00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:50.199 But at the same time, I guess maybe you could have seen this coming. 00:24:50.659 --> 00:24:52.579 The other thing we see here, though, that's so wonderful. 00:24:53.139 --> 00:24:55.000 Turning is sufficient. 00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:57.119 Turning is sufficient. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:25:00.299 What did the Ninevites need to do to come back to God? 00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:02.919 What did they need to do to be spared? 00:25:03.639 --> 00:25:06.039 The only thing they needed to do was to repent. 00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:06.419 Right? 00:25:06.460 --> 00:25:08.079 The only thing they needed to do was to turn. 00:25:08.180 --> 00:25:08.899 And that was enough. 00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:13.220 I mean, back then, ethnicity was a big thing. 00:25:13.339 --> 00:25:13.480 Right? 00:25:13.579 --> 00:25:15.180 God's people were Israel. 00:25:15.460 --> 00:25:17.559 They were God's chosen nation. 00:25:18.139 --> 00:25:19.700 And there were all these Gentiles. 00:25:20.180 --> 00:25:22.299 The Assyrians, they were so far from the Israelites. 00:25:22.299 --> 00:25:24.460 They were not even distant cousins or anything. 00:25:26.220 --> 00:25:28.460 And yet, they could come to God and have mercy. 00:25:28.460 --> 00:25:31.400 I mean, they didn't even know this God. 00:25:31.740 --> 00:25:31.880 Right? 00:25:31.900 --> 00:25:32.759 They didn't even know him. 00:25:33.319 --> 00:25:36.100 One thing that's interesting is the use of names. 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:36.360 Right? 00:25:36.380 --> 00:25:39.740 If you go through Jonah, usually it talks about the Lord. 00:25:39.900 --> 00:25:40.100 Right? 00:25:40.140 --> 00:25:41.440 The Lord in capital letters. 00:25:41.940 --> 00:25:43.740 You may know that that's God's name. 00:25:43.980 --> 00:25:44.200 Right? 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:45.539 Y-H-W-H. 00:25:47.620 --> 00:25:51.880 Except that in these few verses, it doesn't say the Lord. 00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:53.460 It says God. 00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:54.559 Right? 00:25:54.680 --> 00:25:56.700 God is just a generic title. 00:25:56.700 --> 00:25:57.900 Why? 00:25:58.100 --> 00:25:59.940 Well, because the Nehemiah didn't know God. 00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:03.519 It's a bit like when I'm on the street and someone says, excuse me, mister. 00:26:04.200 --> 00:26:04.400 Right? 00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:05.340 They don't know my name. 00:26:05.500 --> 00:26:06.819 They don't know who I am. 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:07.920 They just call me mister. 00:26:08.440 --> 00:26:09.600 It's the same with these people. 00:26:09.700 --> 00:26:12.360 They don't say, they don't know the Lord. 00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:14.160 They just, you know, call out to the God. 00:26:14.519 --> 00:26:15.080 That God. 00:26:15.180 --> 00:26:16.640 And maybe he will spare us. 00:26:16.680 --> 00:26:17.799 And they turn to that God. 00:26:18.580 --> 00:26:18.799 Right? 00:26:19.420 --> 00:26:21.660 You don't, they didn't even know him. 00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:23.600 But they believed. 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:25.320 They cried out. 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:27.900 They kind of, they knew they had to turn. 00:26:28.740 --> 00:26:29.560 They turned. 00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:31.100 And in a way, that's enough. 00:26:31.220 --> 00:26:31.360 Right? 00:26:32.340 --> 00:26:33.580 Just turning. 00:26:33.720 --> 00:26:38.500 They didn't have to become Jews and get circumcised or anything like that. 00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:41.800 It's turning is the only thing that matters. 00:26:43.060 --> 00:26:43.220 Right? 00:26:43.220 --> 00:26:45.460 Anyone can turn. 00:26:45.700 --> 00:26:51.539 And the way that's, just like in the Bible, you know, in the New Testament, it just says, repent and believe. 00:26:51.660 --> 00:26:52.579 That's all you need to do. 00:26:53.019 --> 00:26:55.180 Just repent from your sin and trusting Jesus. 00:26:55.420 --> 00:26:58.319 And all the rest doesn't matter. 00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:00.839 It's great to know here. 00:27:00.940 --> 00:27:07.559 Again, if you're here and you're not a Christian and you want to come back to God, it's just turning to Jesus and trusting him. 00:27:07.559 --> 00:27:09.240 And there's nothing else you need to do. 00:27:09.980 --> 00:27:12.319 It doesn't matter what family you're from. 00:27:13.220 --> 00:27:14.759 It doesn't matter what school you went to. 00:27:15.600 --> 00:27:20.360 It doesn't matter what your ethnicity or your gender or your age is. 00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:24.759 It doesn't matter how much or how little you know about God. 00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:28.160 It doesn't matter how often you've been to church. 00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:30.960 If you want to turn, you can turn. 00:27:31.100 --> 00:27:32.720 That's all you need to do. 00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:35.860 By the way, it also works the other way around. 00:27:35.860 --> 00:27:38.319 If you don't turn, it doesn't matter how long you've been in church. 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:40.700 It doesn't matter what family you're from. 00:27:40.779 --> 00:27:42.100 It doesn't matter what school you went to. 00:27:42.099 --> 00:27:46.179 If you don't turn, of course, you'll miss out on mercy. 00:27:47.339 --> 00:27:51.139 But the positive thing here, anyone can turn. 00:27:51.919 --> 00:27:53.459 Anyone can turn to God. 00:27:54.299 --> 00:27:56.699 I think that's a big part of the message. 00:27:57.519 --> 00:27:58.919 Anyone can turn to God. 00:27:59.240 --> 00:28:00.240 Just cry out and turn. 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:03.299 And if you want to do that, I'd love to help you. 00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:04.200 Come and talk to me later. 00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:07.599 But how about for us as Christians? 00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:12.900 If turning is sufficient, of course, and maybe you're someone here and you have done that. 00:28:12.980 --> 00:28:13.940 We have turned. 00:28:14.059 --> 00:28:14.960 We have trusted Jesus. 00:28:16.279 --> 00:28:18.400 Well, I think it's the same kind of thing, right? 00:28:18.900 --> 00:28:20.059 Anyone can turn. 00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:21.339 Anyone can turn. 00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:23.579 I mean, God is so merciful. 00:28:23.740 --> 00:28:25.059 And turning is all you need. 00:28:25.799 --> 00:28:28.339 Well, it means anyone can turn. 00:28:29.220 --> 00:28:32.720 I think the Israelites, they were pretty shocked when they read this chapter, right? 00:28:32.740 --> 00:28:34.339 The Ninevites were these terrible people. 00:28:34.819 --> 00:28:36.039 They were so far from God. 00:28:36.899 --> 00:28:38.199 And yet they repented. 00:28:39.199 --> 00:28:39.419 Right? 00:28:39.420 --> 00:28:40.840 They were welcomed. 00:28:40.980 --> 00:28:42.140 It's not what you would expect. 00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:48.880 Later, when we go into Acts after Jonah, Gentiles, non-Jews become Christians. 00:28:48.980 --> 00:28:51.039 And again, the Jews are kind of, whoa, right? 00:28:51.060 --> 00:28:52.039 We didn't expect this. 00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:55.080 But actually, anyone can turn. 00:28:56.259 --> 00:28:58.820 It's almost a question, are we open to that? 00:28:59.560 --> 00:29:01.060 Are we aware of that? 00:29:01.120 --> 00:29:02.900 Are we expecting that? 00:29:03.220 --> 00:29:04.980 I'm not saying how do we feel about that. 00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:05.820 That's next week. 00:29:06.320 --> 00:29:08.039 As we see how Jonah feels about it. 00:29:08.039 --> 00:29:10.399 But are we aware God might do that? 00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:11.579 Right? 00:29:11.659 --> 00:29:15.539 Maybe you meet people and, you know, they're not Christians. 00:29:16.220 --> 00:29:18.759 Do you kind of unconsciously categorize them? 00:29:19.579 --> 00:29:23.159 I tend to, I meet someone and I think, oh, this person, maybe they could become a Christian. 00:29:23.639 --> 00:29:26.180 Yeah, because of maybe their demographic or whatever. 00:29:26.740 --> 00:29:30.559 And, okay, I pray, how can I get the gospel into this conversation and those kind of things. 00:29:31.240 --> 00:29:34.799 But then there's other people and unconsciously I just write them off. 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:43.879 I just feel like, oh, this person, you know, maybe because of their religion or whatever or their identity, no way they'll ever become a Christian. 00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:46.159 I just, I don't even try. 00:29:46.759 --> 00:29:46.859 Right? 00:29:47.359 --> 00:29:48.220 Isn't that weird? 00:29:49.740 --> 00:29:49.960 Right? 00:29:50.079 --> 00:29:51.940 I guess it's maybe our unconscious bias. 00:29:52.200 --> 00:29:56.019 But this passage says, no, look, anyone, God can save anyone. 00:29:56.759 --> 00:29:57.799 His mercy is big enough. 00:29:58.159 --> 00:29:58.299 Right? 00:29:58.980 --> 00:29:59.859 Anyone can turn. 00:29:59.940 --> 00:30:00.960 It doesn't matter their background. 00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:02.180 It doesn't matter their religion. 00:30:02.819 --> 00:30:03.839 Anyone can turn. 00:30:04.259 --> 00:30:05.359 Anyone can come to Jesus. 00:30:06.259 --> 00:30:07.680 You know, am I aware of that? 00:30:07.779 --> 00:30:08.980 Am I open to that? 00:30:09.659 --> 00:30:09.819 Right? 00:30:09.879 --> 00:30:18.759 When you, you know, maybe at your workplace or at your school or just, you know, as you walk down the streets, anyone could turn. 00:30:19.539 --> 00:30:20.680 Anyone is welcome. 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:23.000 God is merciful enough. 00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:26.519 And so, I just want to leave that with us. 00:30:26.759 --> 00:30:28.860 And, you know, we'll go more into that next week. 00:30:28.900 --> 00:30:30.420 But are we open to that? 00:30:30.500 --> 00:30:30.640 Right? 00:30:31.400 --> 00:30:32.900 And we want to see many people saved. 00:30:32.980 --> 00:30:35.680 But do we want to see all kinds of people saved? 00:30:35.820 --> 00:30:39.799 Or only, do we just only expect God to save a certain kind of people? 00:30:40.080 --> 00:30:41.440 Maybe people who are like us. 00:30:42.220 --> 00:30:43.880 Now, repentance is what people need. 00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:45.940 But it's all that people need. 00:30:46.019 --> 00:30:46.880 It's all they need. 00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:51.440 So, let's be open to God's mercy and ready to share. 00:30:51.840 --> 00:30:51.960 Right? 00:30:52.260 --> 00:30:57.120 And be amazed to see who can turn to the Lord as he has mercy. 00:30:58.040 --> 00:30:59.140 Why don't we do that? 00:30:59.460 --> 00:31:00.200 Why don't we pray? 00:31:01.880 --> 00:31:04.600 And just reflect on this and engage with it. 00:31:10.680 --> 00:31:13.500 Again, Father, we see such incredible mercy here. 00:31:13.500 --> 00:31:17.359 We see your mercy to Jonah, to the Ninevites. 00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:20.259 Many of us know your mercy for ourselves. 00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:21.519 We know we were sinners. 00:31:21.700 --> 00:31:23.960 We did not live for your glory. 00:31:24.859 --> 00:31:26.000 As we just confessed. 00:31:26.279 --> 00:31:27.119 And yet you had mercy. 00:31:27.259 --> 00:31:28.759 You sent your son to die for us. 00:31:29.500 --> 00:31:30.299 And you offer mercy. 00:31:30.500 --> 00:31:31.640 And we've turned. 00:31:32.720 --> 00:31:33.700 But, Lord, spread out this. 00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:37.500 It wouldn't just be something that we keep to ourselves. 00:31:37.660 --> 00:31:41.079 Lord, would we see that your love extends to everyone. 00:31:41.079 --> 00:31:46.819 And that your arms that's embraced us would embrace the whole world if people turned. 00:31:47.099 --> 00:31:48.679 So, would we be open? 00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:50.359 Would we have our eyes open? 00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:55.419 Would we long for many people to receive the same good news that we've received? 00:31:56.159 --> 00:31:57.359 And would you save many people? 00:31:57.500 --> 00:31:58.179 Would you have mercy? 00:31:58.539 --> 00:31:59.500 In Jesus' name. 00:31:59.919 --> 00:32:00.240 Amen. 00:32:00.240 --> 00:32:00.359 Amen.