WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:13.620 Good morning. My name is James. I have a lovely wife. I have three children. But you probably 00:00:13.620 --> 00:00:20.879 know most of those things. Here are some things that you might be surprised to learn. I've 00:00:20.879 --> 00:00:25.140 been, you might actually know this one, I've been trying to learn Mandarin for many years 00:00:25.140 --> 00:00:32.579 and I'm pretty terrible at it. I love K-pop music. Do you know what K-pop music is? It's Korean 00:00:32.579 --> 00:00:38.060 pop music and it's wonderful. I can educate you later, don't worry. And I really like this 00:00:38.060 --> 00:00:44.659 Chinese sauce. It's called Lao Gan Ma. Does anybody eat this? Yes, this stuff is delicious. 00:00:45.600 --> 00:00:54.519 You can try this on your jam and cream scone later on. This is really nice. As we get to 00:00:54.520 --> 00:01:01.340 know each other as people, we get to know what people like, but not just the positive things. 00:01:02.120 --> 00:01:09.460 We also get to know the negative things about people, the things that are more sad than surprising, 00:01:10.140 --> 00:01:17.300 the hidden sins, the personal struggles. When you get to know these parts of me, these might 00:01:17.299 --> 00:01:25.679 drive you to drive you to anger instead of joy. What about when it comes to God? As we get to know 00:01:25.679 --> 00:01:35.340 God, are we surprised that God can be angry, that God can be full of compassion? What if God is not 00:01:35.340 --> 00:01:46.179 as we expect him to be? For Jonah, God wasn't what he expected. God showed a character that Jonah was not 00:01:46.180 --> 00:01:55.100 very happy about. How do we react when we find out something new about God or when we see a truth? 00:01:55.220 --> 00:02:02.000 How do we react when we thought he was going to be different? What happens when we are confronted 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:10.659 with an aspect of God that we weren't prepared for? Do we run and hide? Do we allow God to reveal 00:02:10.659 --> 00:02:18.219 himself to find out more about him? As we conclude our series on Jonah today, at the end of mission 00:02:18.219 --> 00:02:24.139 month, we are going to be confronted with a God of wrath and a God of compassion. 00:02:26.039 --> 00:02:31.960 And we're going to be asking the question, how do we respond as we get to know our God? 00:02:32.740 --> 00:02:37.120 And today we're going to be challenged by our view of God and our view of other people. 00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:42.280 And we're going to do this in an attempt to understand God better. So as we do this, 00:02:42.680 --> 00:02:50.640 let's pray as we look at Jonah chapter 4. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this journey through the 00:02:50.640 --> 00:02:57.400 book of Jonah, that you have not only revealed yourself to us through your word, but you reveal 00:02:57.400 --> 00:03:04.879 who we are and what we are like as people. Father, help us come before you in dependence upon you. 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:11.479 And Lord, help us not run away when we learn more about you, but run to you instead. Amen. 00:03:12.579 --> 00:03:19.680 As we've seen over these four short chapters in the book of Jonah, Jonah has been called by God to go 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:27.639 to Nineveh and preach. Instead, he fled in the opposite direction. And then he was swallowed by a fish. 00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:36.119 And finally, he went to Nineveh. He preached about the coming of God's wrath. And Nineveh repented. 00:03:37.079 --> 00:03:42.479 They turned from their ways, from the people at the very top of society, the king, all the way down to 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:49.819 the very bottom. This is wonderful. It is great news. God's word has been proclaimed. 00:03:49.819 --> 00:03:57.500 And people have listened and responded. It's what every prophet, it's what every preacher dreams and 00:03:57.500 --> 00:04:03.959 prays would happen. That people would be confronted by God's word and have their lives impacted. 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:12.560 What better response to Jonah's preaching than the whole entire city repents. They change their ways. 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:20.399 How many prophets and preachers have had that kind of impact? And it's a bit of a surprise that 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:26.980 this book doesn't actually end in chapter 3 with Nineveh repenting and turning to God. 00:04:27.540 --> 00:04:31.259 This seems to be the high point of the book. Why did it not end there? 00:04:32.779 --> 00:04:39.459 At this point, we think Jonah, he should be joyful. He should be amazed at God's word has been preached 00:04:39.459 --> 00:04:49.060 and people have repented. He should be joyful. But he's not. Have a look with me. Jonah chapter 4, 00:04:49.399 --> 00:05:01.379 verse 1. But to Jonah, this seemed very wrong. And he became angry. It seems like a bit of a two-year-old 00:05:01.379 --> 00:05:06.299 temper tantrum meltdown. Verse 2, he prayed to the Lord, 00:05:06.300 --> 00:05:12.900 Isn't this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to 00:05:12.900 --> 00:05:19.759 Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:26.780 love, a God who relents from calamity. Jonah is saying, you know, God, I knew you would pull this 00:05:26.780 --> 00:05:34.259 kind of stunt. These people are evil. They should have been wiped out. Nothing is going to change. 00:05:34.259 --> 00:05:40.079 They're just going to act scared for a little while. And while you show the mercy, 00:05:40.680 --> 00:05:48.560 God, you're just hopeless. They don't deserve your love. Your love is for Israel. No one else. 00:05:49.899 --> 00:05:58.300 And because you've done this, verse 3, take away my life. It is better for me to die than to live. 00:05:58.300 --> 00:06:07.060 Now, this seems like a bit of an overreaction from Jonah. God's grace and mercy to Nineveh has revealed 00:06:07.060 --> 00:06:13.259 Jonah's real problem. God has turned out to be a different God than who he thought. 00:06:14.379 --> 00:06:21.900 Jonah had built this box and put God in it. Jonah wanted God to be someone who had exclusive love 00:06:21.899 --> 00:06:28.759 and compassion for Israel, for his people. And it was wrath and anger for other countries. 00:06:29.579 --> 00:06:35.519 He's seen Assyria with its capital at Nineveh. They've risen in power. They've invaded others. 00:06:35.620 --> 00:06:43.079 They've been incredibly violent, brutally killing many others. And Jonah wants God to show his wrath to 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:50.339 them and not his love and compassion. That is why in chapter 1, he flees from Nineveh. 00:06:50.339 --> 00:06:58.739 He doesn't want God to get the opportunity to relent and show compassion, to reveal his love and mercy. 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:06.299 He was worried that God would show his compassion. And so Jonah's response to God being different, 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:13.279 to not being the God he wanted, is that he wanted to die. Jonah's effectively saying, 00:07:13.399 --> 00:07:17.079 God, if you're not going to give me what I want, if you're not going to be the God that I want, 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:22.399 then do you know what? My life has no meaning and it may as well end right now. 00:07:24.500 --> 00:07:31.399 Nineveh's repentance was pleasing to God, but it was threatening to Israel's political interests. 00:07:32.039 --> 00:07:37.019 They were the massive superpower at the time. They were invading other countries and crushing 00:07:37.019 --> 00:07:44.360 other countries. And it was very likely to happen to Israel. And in fact, it would later. 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:52.780 Jonah didn't want Nineveh to repent. He wanted them wiped out as a political enemy. Because Jonah 00:07:52.780 --> 00:08:00.199 cared more for his interests, the interests of his people, than for the salvation of this city. 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:09.160 He valued God blessing his country over anyone else. And I think part of this comes down to racism. 00:08:09.160 --> 00:08:15.780 We're going to take a brief tangent from Noah. We're going to take a short sidestep. I'm going to 00:08:15.780 --> 00:08:23.000 talk about racism for a moment. Firstly, I don't believe that within humanity, there are different 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:30.660 races. I don't believe that there are different races within humanity. I believe that the idea of 00:08:30.660 --> 00:08:38.040 race was created to justify one skin color being preferred over another skin color. 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:46.899 And traditionally, the lighter the skin color, the better, the darker, the worse. Racism, race was 00:08:46.899 --> 00:08:54.399 created to justify slavery. I believe that there are humans and that within humanity, there are different 00:08:54.399 --> 00:09:03.159 ethnicities. Ethnicities are good. Ethnicity is a biblical term. Our ethnicity is actually going to 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:09.740 endure and continue into heaven. We see this in Revelation chapter 7. At the end of all time, 00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:18.039 where all nations, tribes and people and languages will be praising God. And this is something that 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:24.679 we love. This is something we celebrate here at St. Paul's, that it is our transcultural identity, 00:09:24.899 --> 00:09:30.199 that we are people from different ethnicities and we get to praise God together just like it will be 00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:37.520 in heaven. All of our ethnic backgrounds are different and we are all shaped in God's image 00:09:37.520 --> 00:09:44.980 and we all, all of our ethnicities have value, but no one culture is the culture. None of us have 00:09:44.980 --> 00:09:54.140 the right God culture. God wants all of our ethnicities and all of our cultures to be shaped and grown to be 00:09:54.139 --> 00:10:02.960 more like God, to be more like the way He wants us to be. But I think our ethnicity, it is so tightly 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:10.960 related to our identity. You know, for me, I'm an Aussie, I love cricket, you know, we might say I'm 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:19.319 Chinese, I'm Sri Lankan, and we can hold so tightly to our ethnicity that it pits our ethnicity against 00:10:19.320 --> 00:10:27.520 somebody else's ethnicity, to somebody else's people group. A proper way of describing racism would be 00:10:27.520 --> 00:10:35.379 ethnic pride. My group's way of doing church is the best. My group's food is the best. You know, 00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:42.360 Lao Gan Ma, I agree, that stuff is delicious. It's my people's way of doing things is better than your 00:10:42.360 --> 00:10:51.039 people's way. It's pride, it's arrogance that is a defense of our people group. And I think it is 00:10:51.039 --> 00:10:56.680 something that is very dangerous and it's something that we need to be aware of and to avoid. 00:10:57.940 --> 00:11:06.399 Jonah has fallen into a trap of ethnic pride. The God of Israel, His people would have compassion 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:15.919 only for Israel. We need to be aware here as a church that the things we desire to see, the way 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:23.519 we want to see church done, is the best for all of us. And it's not just ethnic preferences. It's not 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:31.319 just my people's way of doing things. It is something that we as a church are journeying towards, 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:39.660 becoming trans-cultural, becoming a culture defined by the cross, as we want to treasure Jesus together. 00:11:40.580 --> 00:11:47.540 Now that is a brief but important tangent on racism. Please come and talk to me later about that. 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:57.780 But coming back to Jonah 4 with his problem of racism, he has the audacity to quote God back to God. 00:11:57.779 --> 00:12:04.579 The God that he knew that he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:11.379 in verse 2, it's a quote from Exodus 34 that John Sock read for us before, where God reveals himself to 00:12:11.379 --> 00:12:20.980 Moses. And it's interesting because Jonah here, he reads God's words selectively. He ignores the last part, 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:26.860 which says from Exodus 34, yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished. 00:12:26.860 --> 00:12:32.539 Jonah just remembered the part about God's love and compassion and said, 00:12:32.740 --> 00:12:37.340 I knew you were that kind of God and I didn't want you to be that kind of God to Nineveh. 00:12:37.960 --> 00:12:44.879 He forgot that God was also a God of wrath who would punish those who are guilty. 00:12:45.700 --> 00:12:52.039 He uses God's words to justify his position of anger, but he doesn't read the whole paragraph. 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:55.299 He just chops out a verse at the end that he doesn't like. 00:12:56.879 --> 00:13:01.980 He forgets who God revealed himself to be. And he makes himself look silly. 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:07.379 It's very dangerous to pit God's word against God. 00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:12.219 One of the other people, I think it's the only other person in the Bible, 00:13:12.860 --> 00:13:17.980 guilty of twisting and quoting God's word against God is Satan himself. 00:13:17.980 --> 00:13:23.019 Remember in the Garden of Eden, Satan twists God's word to Adam and Eve, 00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:27.139 and he does it again to Jesus, tempting Jesus. 00:13:29.980 --> 00:13:35.080 While Jonah had been down a couple of chapters ago in rock bottom when he was in the belly of the fish, 00:13:35.580 --> 00:13:37.860 he saw his need for God's grace. 00:13:37.860 --> 00:13:52.300 Jonah has forgotten God's word and only remembered part of it that he liked. 00:13:53.340 --> 00:14:00.240 And he's created a simplistic picture of God who just loves everyone without any judgment on evil. 00:14:00.500 --> 00:14:05.920 He was so worried that God's character of compassion, he fled instead. 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:09.179 This is a danger for us. 00:14:10.759 --> 00:14:13.399 This was a prophet who spoke with God himself, 00:14:13.740 --> 00:14:16.360 who forgot about what he said, 00:14:16.579 --> 00:14:19.799 and then got so angry with God he wanted to die. 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:23.519 How much more careful do we need to be there? 00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:28.559 Our God is bigger than we know. 00:14:28.659 --> 00:14:30.500 He is more complicated than we know. 00:14:30.699 --> 00:14:33.319 We can't put him into a box like Jonah did. 00:14:33.320 --> 00:14:39.379 We can't simplify him into a stereotype of a God who doesn't judge but only loves. 00:14:40.660 --> 00:14:45.840 It is possible to use the Bible selectively to justify our actions, 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:49.720 to create a version of God that suits us. 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:58.000 It's possible to read the Bible selectively confirm our opinions against those who don't follow Jesus, 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:00.379 or those who are different to us, 00:15:00.379 --> 00:15:02.320 or those who don't hold the same views. 00:15:03.580 --> 00:15:06.460 It's easy to think that our understanding of God, 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:10.220 our theology is superior to anyone else's. 00:15:11.299 --> 00:15:13.799 It can be easy to read the Bible and think, 00:15:13.960 --> 00:15:15.860 yes, I'm right. 00:15:16.139 --> 00:15:17.639 I always knew I was right. 00:15:17.639 --> 00:15:21.439 You know, we shouldn't have voted that party in last week. 00:15:21.620 --> 00:15:24.360 Or I'm so glad we did vote that party in last week. 00:15:26.439 --> 00:15:30.299 If we read the Bible and it makes us feel that we are right, 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:32.360 that we are righteous, 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:34.439 we are reading it wrong. 00:15:35.539 --> 00:15:36.919 Go to the book of Romans. 00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:42.099 Be reminded of our sin and our dependence on God. 00:15:43.259 --> 00:15:46.740 When we read the Bible, it should humble us. 00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:50.339 It should change how we view our God. 00:15:50.620 --> 00:15:54.299 It should encourage us with God's love and grace despite our flaws. 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:59.059 It should remind us that our God is loving and compassionate and generous 00:15:59.059 --> 00:16:00.659 more than we could even know. 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:05.240 As we draw closer to God throughout our lives, 00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:08.759 His different aspects will be revealed to us. 00:16:09.620 --> 00:16:11.039 Our God doesn't change, 00:16:11.460 --> 00:16:13.980 but our understanding of Him does. 00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:17.259 Back in February earlier in the year, 00:16:17.340 --> 00:16:19.180 we did a month-long series on prayer. 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:21.639 And ever since that, 00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:23.740 I've been reading through the Psalms. 00:16:24.180 --> 00:16:26.500 I aim for every night to read a Psalm 00:16:26.500 --> 00:16:27.980 and then to pray through that Psalm. 00:16:28.779 --> 00:16:29.919 And there was this one week, 00:16:30.299 --> 00:16:30.820 I can't remember, 00:16:30.860 --> 00:16:32.279 it was maybe about two months ago, 00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:35.419 where every single night, 00:16:35.799 --> 00:16:37.519 the Psalm was about the same thing. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:41.379 It was about David praising God 00:16:41.379 --> 00:16:42.899 about how great God was. 00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:45.259 And let me surprise you 00:16:45.259 --> 00:16:48.259 by you all getting to know me a little bit more 00:16:48.259 --> 00:16:50.959 and getting to know my sinful heart a little bit more. 00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:54.259 After a week of the same theme, 00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:56.779 praying about how great God was, 00:16:56.779 --> 00:16:59.139 I was sick of it. 00:17:00.339 --> 00:17:03.039 I just kind of had had enough with that theme 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:03.439 and thought, 00:17:03.539 --> 00:17:04.940 it's time to move on to something else, David. 00:17:06.700 --> 00:17:09.139 I had a moment of being in bed. 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:10.339 It was about 11 o'clock at night, 00:17:10.399 --> 00:17:11.019 I remember it. 00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:14.440 And I was just in that in-between stage 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:16.220 between reading the Psalm, 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:17.839 meditating on it, 00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:18.740 and then praying. 00:17:18.819 --> 00:17:20.579 So I was in this in-between stage 00:17:20.579 --> 00:17:23.699 and I was just grumpy. 00:17:24.659 --> 00:17:26.579 Not full-blown Jonah angry, 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:27.399 I want to die. 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:31.379 But I was just a bit annoyed with God. 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:35.779 Ah, why do I need to praise God again? 00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:37.720 I've had a week of this. 00:17:38.539 --> 00:17:39.319 Come on. 00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:43.240 And I sat in this funk for a minute. 00:17:44.159 --> 00:17:45.379 And then God hit me. 00:17:46.339 --> 00:17:48.779 I can't describe it as anything other than God 00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:50.639 just revealing himself to me in that moment. 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:53.119 That he is so awesome 00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:54.819 and he is so amazing 00:17:54.819 --> 00:17:57.619 that he deserves not just a couple of minutes 00:17:57.619 --> 00:17:59.879 of a week's night of prayer, 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:02.920 he deserves every moment of praise. 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:06.619 He deserves to be praised every day. 00:18:07.420 --> 00:18:08.980 Every moment of my life. 00:18:09.220 --> 00:18:10.180 And in that brief moment, 00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:12.200 my view of God was changed. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:16.240 Now, I knew he deserved all the praise before that, 00:18:16.879 --> 00:18:18.259 but God surprised me. 00:18:18.779 --> 00:18:21.960 Our view of God will change, 00:18:22.039 --> 00:18:23.460 not because he changes, 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:29.099 but because we seek to grow and move closer to him. 00:18:30.200 --> 00:18:31.299 And when we do that, 00:18:31.339 --> 00:18:32.920 we can see him more clearly. 00:18:33.680 --> 00:18:35.819 Are you growing closer to God? 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:38.720 Have you had your view of God challenged? 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:43.279 Have you been surprised at God's wrath against sin? 00:18:44.259 --> 00:18:48.259 Have you been surprised by God's love and compassion? 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:49.720 Brothers and sisters, 00:18:49.720 --> 00:18:52.759 let me encourage you to do something like what I've been doing, 00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:57.000 which is trying to spend some time in prayer every single night, 00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:58.139 going through the Psalms. 00:18:58.200 --> 00:18:59.399 That's been wonderful for me 00:18:59.399 --> 00:19:01.559 so that I can be getting to know God better. 00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:05.079 Jonah's been angry with God, 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:07.460 and now we see God respond. 00:19:07.460 --> 00:19:08.600 Have a look with me. 00:19:08.660 --> 00:19:09.779 Chapter 4, verse 4. 00:19:10.600 --> 00:19:12.740 Is it right for you to be angry? 00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:16.900 God starts to deal differently with Jonah here. 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:18.240 When Jonah fled, 00:19:18.600 --> 00:19:19.980 God was very firm with him. 00:19:20.200 --> 00:19:21.640 He sent a storm to him. 00:19:21.900 --> 00:19:23.120 He was thrown into the ocean, 00:19:23.299 --> 00:19:24.299 swallowed by a fish. 00:19:24.900 --> 00:19:25.319 Now, 00:19:25.819 --> 00:19:28.299 God deals gently and patiently. 00:19:28.940 --> 00:19:30.519 It's like a parent who started with, 00:19:30.620 --> 00:19:30.720 you know, 00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:31.600 go clean your room. 00:19:32.059 --> 00:19:32.640 Come on, man. 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:33.039 Come on. 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:33.579 I'll help you. 00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:37.039 He's changed his tack, 00:19:37.579 --> 00:19:39.859 and he asks him the type of question 00:19:39.859 --> 00:19:42.159 a therapist might pose to someone. 00:19:42.879 --> 00:19:43.899 Is it good? 00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:45.399 Is it right for you to be angry? 00:19:47.079 --> 00:19:49.480 And Jonah doesn't respond to God's gentle prodding. 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:50.940 Instead, verse 5, 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:52.559 he heads out of the city, 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:53.639 and he sits down. 00:19:54.859 --> 00:19:55.859 It seems that Jonah, 00:19:55.960 --> 00:19:57.059 still angry with God, 00:19:57.559 --> 00:19:59.940 he's gone and sat down outside of the city, 00:20:00.639 --> 00:20:02.039 maybe to see what would happen. 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:05.119 God has decided to relent, 00:20:05.399 --> 00:20:06.960 to show compassion and mercy. 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:08.839 Maybe these people would slip up. 00:20:09.639 --> 00:20:10.779 Maybe they would change. 00:20:10.879 --> 00:20:12.359 Maybe they wouldn't stay repenting. 00:20:12.599 --> 00:20:14.539 Maybe they were going to revert to their own old ways, 00:20:14.579 --> 00:20:16.500 and God is going to send a meteor against them. 00:20:16.680 --> 00:20:18.680 And I want to be here to watch that happen. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:22.420 Maybe that's Jonah's motive 00:20:22.420 --> 00:20:24.180 for sitting outside the city. 00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:27.059 Making his stay more comfortable, 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:28.879 God sends a plant. 00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:30.859 A plant grows up. 00:20:30.859 --> 00:20:32.379 It's a big leafy plant 00:20:32.379 --> 00:20:35.159 that grows up and gives Jonah shade. 00:20:35.679 --> 00:20:37.079 It eases his pain. 00:20:37.219 --> 00:20:38.319 It makes him happy. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:42.019 And after a horrid couple of chapters, 00:20:42.119 --> 00:20:43.079 he's fled from God. 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:45.079 He's been on a ship in the middle of a storm. 00:20:45.319 --> 00:20:46.579 He's been in the belly of a fish, 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:47.779 spat out, 00:20:48.159 --> 00:20:49.419 preaching repentance to a city 00:20:49.419 --> 00:20:50.459 who didn't want it. 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:53.500 Now he has a moment of joy 00:20:53.500 --> 00:20:54.879 and happiness and peace. 00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:57.140 It's that moment of finally sitting down 00:20:57.140 --> 00:20:58.160 with a tea or a coffee 00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:59.340 and taking that first sip. 00:20:59.520 --> 00:21:00.060 Oh, joy. 00:21:01.780 --> 00:21:02.660 But verse 7, 00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:04.400 At dawn the next day, 00:21:04.980 --> 00:21:06.640 God provided a worm 00:21:06.640 --> 00:21:08.180 which chewed the plant 00:21:08.180 --> 00:21:09.040 so that it withered. 00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:11.220 When the sun rose, 00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:14.000 God provided a scorching east wind, 00:21:14.280 --> 00:21:16.420 and the sun blazed on Jonah's head 00:21:16.420 --> 00:21:17.340 so that he grew faint. 00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:19.040 He wanted to die 00:21:19.040 --> 00:21:20.040 and said, 00:21:20.200 --> 00:21:22.460 It would be better for me to die than to live. 00:21:22.460 --> 00:21:25.700 Jonah placated for a moment. 00:21:26.299 --> 00:21:28.759 He is now angry to die again. 00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:31.519 Angry enough to die. 00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:32.900 Life was good for those, 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:33.059 you know, 00:21:33.120 --> 00:21:33.779 couple of moments 00:21:33.779 --> 00:21:35.120 with that plant over his head. 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:37.539 He couldn't even leave me in peace. 00:21:39.299 --> 00:21:40.880 It seems God has done 00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:42.319 all of this in preparation 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:44.319 for God to teach Jonah 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:46.440 something about who God is. 00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:48.779 This is the moment 00:21:48.779 --> 00:21:50.059 that the book has been leading up to. 00:21:50.059 --> 00:21:52.599 God asks him again, 00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:55.740 Is it right for you to be angry 00:21:55.740 --> 00:21:57.139 about this plant? 00:21:58.039 --> 00:21:59.039 Jonah sulking, 00:21:59.399 --> 00:22:01.779 I can't help but picture him like a child, 00:22:02.179 --> 00:22:02.960 arms crossed, 00:22:03.460 --> 00:22:04.480 humping around. 00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:05.919 It is. 00:22:06.059 --> 00:22:07.700 It is right for me to be angry, 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:08.679 and I want to die. 00:22:10.419 --> 00:22:12.440 God reveals something about himself 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:13.440 in verse 10. 00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:15.559 But the Lord said, 00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:16.900 You have been concerned 00:22:16.900 --> 00:22:18.220 about this plant, 00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:20.080 though you did not tend it 00:22:20.080 --> 00:22:21.000 or make it grow. 00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:23.080 It sprang up overnight 00:22:23.080 --> 00:22:24.140 and died overnight. 00:22:24.940 --> 00:22:27.000 And should I not have concern 00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:29.000 for the great city of Nineveh, 00:22:29.220 --> 00:22:30.440 in which there are more than 00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:32.100 120,000 people 00:22:32.100 --> 00:22:34.039 who cannot tell their right hand 00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:34.740 from their left? 00:22:35.840 --> 00:22:37.580 Jonah had compassion 00:22:37.580 --> 00:22:40.799 and wept over a plant. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:43.700 God has compassion 00:22:43.700 --> 00:22:46.339 over a city of people. 00:22:47.379 --> 00:22:48.339 Jonah became attached 00:22:48.339 --> 00:22:49.079 to a plant 00:22:49.079 --> 00:22:51.000 that he had nothing to do with. 00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:52.359 He didn't even water it, 00:22:53.319 --> 00:22:54.680 but his heart was attached 00:22:54.680 --> 00:22:55.680 to it in some way, 00:22:56.119 --> 00:22:57.720 so that when it was destroyed, 00:22:58.099 --> 00:22:59.460 he was destroyed too. 00:23:00.579 --> 00:23:02.019 God says that he does 00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:02.879 the same thing 00:23:02.879 --> 00:23:04.419 with this city of Nineveh. 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:07.279 He attaches his compassion, 00:23:07.639 --> 00:23:08.619 his concern, 00:23:08.619 --> 00:23:09.419 and his heart 00:23:09.419 --> 00:23:10.799 to these people. 00:23:12.739 --> 00:23:13.039 Jonah, 00:23:13.199 --> 00:23:14.539 because he's a human, 00:23:14.899 --> 00:23:16.079 attaches his love 00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:16.639 and affection 00:23:16.639 --> 00:23:18.419 and his emotional dependence 00:23:18.419 --> 00:23:19.139 to a plant. 00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:20.919 He didn't look at it 00:23:20.919 --> 00:23:22.079 and make a mental choice. 00:23:22.219 --> 00:23:22.819 Oh, this plant 00:23:22.819 --> 00:23:23.819 is giving me shade. 00:23:24.019 --> 00:23:24.899 I'm going to choose 00:23:24.899 --> 00:23:25.599 to love it. 00:23:26.219 --> 00:23:27.479 It's leafy and green. 00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:29.299 It meets his need 00:23:29.299 --> 00:23:30.599 and he gets attached. 00:23:31.859 --> 00:23:33.059 If you've ever seen 00:23:33.059 --> 00:23:34.039 the TV show 00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:35.559 with Marie Kondo 00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:37.579 about cleaning clutter 00:23:37.579 --> 00:23:38.419 out of your house, 00:23:38.919 --> 00:23:39.899 this is what she is 00:23:39.899 --> 00:23:40.720 working against. 00:23:41.720 --> 00:23:41.980 You know, 00:23:42.220 --> 00:23:43.659 we get attached to things 00:23:43.659 --> 00:23:44.159 and we need to, 00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:44.439 you know, 00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:45.159 get rid of them. 00:23:46.119 --> 00:23:46.579 Alyssa and I 00:23:46.579 --> 00:23:47.659 have been cleaning out things. 00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:48.579 We cleaned out 00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:50.579 a lot of coffee mugs recently 00:23:50.579 --> 00:23:52.460 and it was really difficult 00:23:52.460 --> 00:23:53.980 because I was attached to them. 00:23:54.379 --> 00:23:55.339 Didn't use a lot of them. 00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:55.980 You know, 00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:57.419 this is like one coffee mug I use. 00:23:58.279 --> 00:24:00.179 We have so many novelty coffee mugs 00:24:00.179 --> 00:24:01.119 that we just ended up 00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:01.659 throwing out. 00:24:02.159 --> 00:24:03.439 But I find them hard 00:24:03.439 --> 00:24:05.339 because I attach myself to them. 00:24:05.339 --> 00:24:07.659 But God doesn't need anything. 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:09.779 God doesn't need a coffee mug 00:24:09.779 --> 00:24:10.259 that says, 00:24:10.419 --> 00:24:11.419 world's best God. 00:24:12.179 --> 00:24:13.639 He doesn't need a plant 00:24:13.639 --> 00:24:15.539 to give him happiness. 00:24:16.279 --> 00:24:17.980 He doesn't need people. 00:24:18.699 --> 00:24:19.859 God doesn't need 00:24:19.859 --> 00:24:21.079 to get attached to things 00:24:21.079 --> 00:24:21.740 for no reason. 00:24:22.639 --> 00:24:24.419 God is totally happy 00:24:24.419 --> 00:24:25.659 within himself, 00:24:25.799 --> 00:24:26.459 within the Trinity. 00:24:27.220 --> 00:24:28.500 The love between the Father 00:24:28.500 --> 00:24:29.159 and the Son 00:24:29.159 --> 00:24:30.199 and the Holy Spirit, 00:24:30.500 --> 00:24:31.359 that is enough 00:24:31.359 --> 00:24:32.919 because that is love. 00:24:33.019 --> 00:24:34.619 He doesn't need anything. 00:24:34.619 --> 00:24:37.279 The only reason 00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:37.979 that he can 00:24:37.979 --> 00:24:39.659 love other things 00:24:39.659 --> 00:24:40.979 and show compassion to them 00:24:40.979 --> 00:24:41.599 is because 00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:42.759 he wants to. 00:24:44.039 --> 00:24:45.519 God willingly chooses 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:46.159 the things 00:24:46.159 --> 00:24:47.239 that he will attach 00:24:47.239 --> 00:24:48.000 his love to 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:49.459 and compassion 00:24:49.459 --> 00:24:50.199 and grace. 00:24:50.719 --> 00:24:51.539 It's amazing 00:24:51.539 --> 00:24:52.239 that the God 00:24:52.239 --> 00:24:53.439 who created 00:24:53.439 --> 00:24:54.559 the universes, 00:24:54.759 --> 00:24:55.379 the stars, 00:24:55.500 --> 00:24:56.059 the galaxies, 00:24:56.199 --> 00:24:56.659 the planets, 00:24:57.259 --> 00:24:57.919 who can say, 00:24:58.299 --> 00:24:59.019 I care 00:24:59.019 --> 00:25:01.199 about these little people 00:25:01.199 --> 00:25:02.899 on this little rock. 00:25:02.900 --> 00:25:04.420 what happens 00:25:04.420 --> 00:25:05.140 to them 00:25:05.140 --> 00:25:06.160 moves 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:07.519 and grieves 00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:08.200 me. 00:25:09.600 --> 00:25:10.440 God is saying 00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:10.800 to Jonah, 00:25:11.019 --> 00:25:11.980 I am weeping 00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:12.580 and grieving 00:25:12.580 --> 00:25:13.740 over this city. 00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:15.519 Why aren't you? 00:25:16.840 --> 00:25:17.960 If you are my prophet, 00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:18.880 why don't you 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:19.740 have compassion? 00:25:21.640 --> 00:25:22.120 Because 00:25:22.120 --> 00:25:23.380 the reality of it 00:25:23.380 --> 00:25:23.720 is Jonah 00:25:23.720 --> 00:25:24.180 is just not 00:25:24.180 --> 00:25:25.019 a very good prophet. 00:25:25.019 --> 00:25:25.079 prophet. 00:25:26.579 --> 00:25:27.579 And Jesus 00:25:27.579 --> 00:25:28.779 is the prophet 00:25:28.779 --> 00:25:30.420 that Jonah 00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:31.000 leaves us 00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:32.299 wanting him to be. 00:25:33.079 --> 00:25:33.960 Jonah didn't 00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:34.819 weep for the city. 00:25:35.099 --> 00:25:35.960 He left it 00:25:35.960 --> 00:25:37.119 and was angry. 00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:38.599 He went outside 00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:38.859 of it 00:25:38.859 --> 00:25:39.559 hoping to see 00:25:39.559 --> 00:25:40.180 its destruction. 00:25:40.579 --> 00:25:41.920 If he'd stayed 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:43.339 and kept 00:25:43.339 --> 00:25:43.879 preaching 00:25:43.879 --> 00:25:44.700 to this city, 00:25:45.579 --> 00:25:46.079 maybe 00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:47.200 they would have 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:48.440 followed God 00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:49.640 and not 00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:50.400 just briefly. 00:25:51.620 --> 00:25:52.220 Jesus went 00:25:52.220 --> 00:25:53.759 into the city 00:25:53.759 --> 00:25:54.980 unlike Jonah. 00:25:55.240 --> 00:25:55.580 He went 00:25:55.580 --> 00:25:56.519 into Jerusalem 00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:57.860 and he wept 00:25:57.860 --> 00:25:59.299 over those 00:25:59.299 --> 00:26:00.000 who would not 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:00.420 follow. 00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:02.340 Jesus 00:26:02.340 --> 00:26:03.100 didn't stay 00:26:03.100 --> 00:26:03.660 outside. 00:26:03.840 --> 00:26:04.360 He went 00:26:04.360 --> 00:26:05.200 into the city 00:26:05.200 --> 00:26:07.140 and he 00:26:07.140 --> 00:26:08.000 was destroyed. 00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:09.120 He died 00:26:09.120 --> 00:26:10.320 on a cross 00:26:10.320 --> 00:26:11.660 so that the city, 00:26:11.840 --> 00:26:12.420 so that we 00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:13.259 could be saved. 00:26:13.259 --> 00:26:15.859 God has 00:26:15.859 --> 00:26:16.559 chosen to 00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:17.559 concern himself 00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:18.599 to attach 00:26:18.599 --> 00:26:19.460 his joys 00:26:19.460 --> 00:26:20.359 and his pains 00:26:20.359 --> 00:26:21.319 to us. 00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:23.059 So much 00:26:23.059 --> 00:26:23.559 so that he 00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:24.920 became like us. 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:25.559 He became 00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:26.460 human, 00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:27.740 able to 00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:28.400 weep with us, 00:26:28.519 --> 00:26:29.059 able to 00:26:29.059 --> 00:26:30.599 laugh with us 00:26:30.599 --> 00:26:31.099 out of 00:26:31.099 --> 00:26:31.619 compassion. 00:26:32.819 --> 00:26:33.500 He not only 00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:34.480 grieved to 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:35.140 see people 00:26:35.140 --> 00:26:35.740 lost, 00:26:36.299 --> 00:26:36.720 but was 00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:37.480 subject to 00:26:37.480 --> 00:26:38.379 the agonizing 00:26:38.379 --> 00:26:39.359 pain of 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:40.259 crucifixion 00:26:40.259 --> 00:26:41.180 to take 00:26:41.180 --> 00:26:41.900 our place. 00:26:43.259 --> 00:26:43.900 Jonah, 00:26:44.059 --> 00:26:44.379 full of 00:26:44.379 --> 00:26:45.039 racism 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:46.480 and self-righteousness, 00:26:46.819 --> 00:26:47.960 cannot imagine 00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:49.319 God saving 00:26:49.319 --> 00:26:50.680 anyone else. 00:26:52.180 --> 00:26:52.700 Jesus, 00:26:52.980 --> 00:26:53.500 full of 00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:54.079 love 00:26:54.079 --> 00:26:55.339 and selflessness, 00:26:56.259 --> 00:26:56.819 cannot do 00:26:56.819 --> 00:26:57.440 anything but 00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:58.720 sacrifice himself 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:00.019 to save 00:27:00.019 --> 00:27:00.779 people far 00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:01.339 from God. 00:27:02.660 --> 00:27:02.980 Jonah 00:27:02.980 --> 00:27:03.700 wanted to 00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:03.980 hate, 00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:05.519 wanted God 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:06.099 to hate the 00:27:06.099 --> 00:27:06.940 foreigner and 00:27:06.940 --> 00:27:07.500 only have 00:27:07.500 --> 00:27:08.220 compassion on 00:27:08.220 --> 00:27:08.700 Israel, 00:27:09.879 --> 00:27:11.019 but God's 00:27:11.019 --> 00:27:12.200 surprise character 00:27:12.200 --> 00:27:12.900 should not have 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:13.700 been a surprise. 00:27:14.820 --> 00:27:15.880 What surprises 00:27:15.880 --> 00:27:16.900 him is how 00:27:16.900 --> 00:27:17.800 his wrath and 00:27:17.800 --> 00:27:18.900 compassion play 00:27:18.900 --> 00:27:19.500 out together. 00:27:20.980 --> 00:27:21.960 For us, 00:27:22.080 --> 00:27:23.360 are we surprised 00:27:23.360 --> 00:27:23.940 that our God 00:27:23.940 --> 00:27:24.600 is a God of 00:27:24.600 --> 00:27:25.480 wrath who will 00:27:25.480 --> 00:27:25.980 judge the 00:27:25.980 --> 00:27:26.220 guilty, 00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:27.300 or that he is a 00:27:27.300 --> 00:27:28.060 God of 00:27:28.060 --> 00:27:29.160 compassion who 00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:29.620 will show 00:27:29.620 --> 00:27:30.040 mercy? 00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:31.920 I've often 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:32.540 heard people 00:27:32.540 --> 00:27:33.519 pit the God 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:33.960 of the Old 00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:35.080 Testament against 00:27:35.080 --> 00:27:35.560 the God of 00:27:35.560 --> 00:27:35.800 the New 00:27:35.800 --> 00:27:36.160 Testament. 00:27:36.580 --> 00:27:37.540 The God of 00:27:37.540 --> 00:27:37.759 the Old 00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:37.980 Testament, 00:27:38.120 --> 00:27:38.540 he's all about 00:27:38.540 --> 00:27:39.060 wrath, 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:40.640 and the God 00:27:40.640 --> 00:27:40.940 of the New 00:27:40.940 --> 00:27:41.160 Testament, 00:27:41.280 --> 00:27:41.680 he's all about 00:27:41.680 --> 00:27:42.360 love and 00:27:42.359 --> 00:27:42.759 mercy. 00:27:44.379 --> 00:27:45.099 Many people 00:27:45.099 --> 00:27:45.779 in the West 00:27:45.779 --> 00:27:46.579 would expect 00:27:46.579 --> 00:27:47.559 God to be 00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:48.159 a God of 00:27:48.159 --> 00:27:48.619 mercy, 00:27:48.619 --> 00:27:50.079 because we 00:27:50.079 --> 00:27:50.959 find it hard 00:27:50.959 --> 00:27:52.079 to accept that 00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:52.619 God should 00:27:52.619 --> 00:27:53.319 judge people. 00:27:54.339 --> 00:27:54.919 Maybe you've 00:27:54.919 --> 00:27:55.299 thought that 00:27:55.299 --> 00:27:55.859 yourself. 00:27:56.779 --> 00:27:57.359 Other people 00:27:57.359 --> 00:27:58.099 who come from 00:27:58.099 --> 00:27:58.799 maybe a 00:27:58.799 --> 00:27:59.459 damaged or 00:27:59.459 --> 00:28:00.519 war-torn 00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:01.379 area, 00:28:01.579 --> 00:28:03.539 they have a 00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:04.199 background where 00:28:04.199 --> 00:28:04.699 they want to 00:28:04.699 --> 00:28:05.699 see God 00:28:05.699 --> 00:28:07.019 bring justice 00:28:07.019 --> 00:28:08.079 and wrath 00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:09.119 who punishes 00:28:09.119 --> 00:28:09.719 those who do 00:28:09.719 --> 00:28:10.039 evil. 00:28:10.039 --> 00:28:12.180 that person 00:28:12.180 --> 00:28:12.619 can be 00:28:12.619 --> 00:28:13.539 surprised at 00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:14.319 God's free 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:15.920 offer of 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:16.359 forgiveness. 00:28:18.059 --> 00:28:18.420 Ultimately, 00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:19.619 God binds 00:28:19.619 --> 00:28:20.599 these two 00:28:20.599 --> 00:28:21.639 seemingly 00:28:21.639 --> 00:28:22.319 contradictory 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:23.000 parts of 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:23.500 his wrath 00:28:23.500 --> 00:28:23.839 and his 00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:24.319 compassion 00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:24.799 together, 00:28:25.299 --> 00:28:26.319 and they're 00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:27.259 combined in 00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:27.839 the cross, 00:28:28.379 --> 00:28:29.039 the place 00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:29.420 where his 00:28:29.420 --> 00:28:30.039 wrath is 00:28:30.039 --> 00:28:30.779 carried out 00:28:30.779 --> 00:28:31.859 on his 00:28:31.859 --> 00:28:32.200 son, 00:28:32.839 --> 00:28:33.240 so that 00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:34.019 his compassion 00:28:34.019 --> 00:28:34.500 and love 00:28:34.500 --> 00:28:35.039 can be shown 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:35.579 to us. 00:28:35.579 --> 00:28:38.039 The story 00:28:38.039 --> 00:28:38.480 of Jonah 00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:39.460 has a bit 00:28:39.460 --> 00:28:40.000 of a strange 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:40.359 ending. 00:28:41.379 --> 00:28:42.279 After God 00:28:42.279 --> 00:28:43.240 gently prods 00:28:43.240 --> 00:28:43.779 Jonah to 00:28:43.779 --> 00:28:44.599 have compassion 00:28:44.599 --> 00:28:45.259 on the right 00:28:45.259 --> 00:28:45.740 things, 00:28:46.099 --> 00:28:47.000 we don't hear 00:28:47.000 --> 00:28:47.720 any more. 00:28:48.500 --> 00:28:49.259 We don't find 00:28:49.259 --> 00:28:49.659 out what 00:28:49.659 --> 00:28:50.179 happens to 00:28:50.179 --> 00:28:50.439 Jonah. 00:28:51.599 --> 00:28:52.679 I wonder 00:28:52.679 --> 00:28:53.679 if it's 00:28:53.679 --> 00:28:54.419 possible that 00:28:54.419 --> 00:28:56.279 God surprised 00:28:56.279 --> 00:28:56.859 him with his 00:28:56.859 --> 00:28:57.679 compassion for 00:28:57.679 --> 00:28:58.319 the Ninevites, 00:28:58.619 --> 00:28:59.439 and Jonah 00:28:59.439 --> 00:29:00.639 went away 00:29:00.639 --> 00:29:02.099 and repented. 00:29:02.419 --> 00:29:03.439 I wonder if 00:29:03.439 --> 00:29:04.579 he was changed 00:29:04.579 --> 00:29:05.619 and that led 00:29:05.619 --> 00:29:06.379 him to write 00:29:06.379 --> 00:29:06.919 this book. 00:29:08.179 --> 00:29:09.039 I wonder. 00:29:10.119 --> 00:29:10.859 The question 00:29:10.859 --> 00:29:12.000 at the end 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:14.319 leaves us 00:29:14.319 --> 00:29:14.859 to ask 00:29:14.859 --> 00:29:15.539 ourselves and 00:29:15.539 --> 00:29:15.879 to put 00:29:15.879 --> 00:29:16.779 ourselves into 00:29:16.779 --> 00:29:17.279 that very 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.759 place. 00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:19.859 Will we 00:29:19.859 --> 00:29:21.220 respond like 00:29:21.220 --> 00:29:21.639 Jonah? 00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:22.319 Will we 00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:24.319 be angry 00:29:24.319 --> 00:29:25.460 out of racist 00:29:25.460 --> 00:29:26.899 national arrogance? 00:29:28.039 --> 00:29:28.599 Will we see 00:29:28.599 --> 00:29:29.679 God's compassion 00:29:29.679 --> 00:29:30.980 on other 00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:32.220 people to be 00:29:32.220 --> 00:29:32.980 sent to preach 00:29:32.980 --> 00:29:34.159 a word of 00:29:34.160 --> 00:29:34.880 compassion and 00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:35.240 repentance? 00:29:35.420 --> 00:29:35.880 Will we 00:29:35.880 --> 00:29:36.820 not just see 00:29:36.820 --> 00:29:37.340 mission month 00:29:37.340 --> 00:29:37.900 to be something 00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:38.820 that is nearly 00:29:38.820 --> 00:29:39.200 finished, 00:29:39.300 --> 00:29:39.680 mission month's 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:40.140 nearly over, 00:29:40.320 --> 00:29:41.040 but as 00:29:41.040 --> 00:29:42.060 something to 00:29:42.060 --> 00:29:43.160 spur us on 00:29:43.160 --> 00:29:43.960 for the year 00:29:43.960 --> 00:29:45.800 to see God's 00:29:45.800 --> 00:29:46.279 message of 00:29:46.279 --> 00:29:47.540 repentance go 00:29:47.540 --> 00:29:48.440 forth to this 00:29:48.440 --> 00:29:49.040 city and to 00:29:49.040 --> 00:29:49.460 the world? 00:29:50.759 --> 00:29:51.820 Will we let 00:29:51.820 --> 00:29:52.460 our own 00:29:52.460 --> 00:29:54.000 expectations of 00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:55.120 who God is 00:29:55.120 --> 00:29:56.160 get in the 00:29:56.160 --> 00:29:56.700 way of 00:29:56.700 --> 00:29:57.180 revealing, 00:29:57.620 --> 00:29:58.040 of God 00:29:58.040 --> 00:29:58.880 revealing himself 00:29:58.880 --> 00:29:59.560 to us? 00:29:59.559 --> 00:30:01.419 let me pray 00:30:01.419 --> 00:30:01.819 for us. 00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:05.519 Dearest 00:30:05.519 --> 00:30:05.819 Heavenly 00:30:05.819 --> 00:30:06.240 Father, 00:30:07.119 --> 00:30:07.700 we thank 00:30:07.700 --> 00:30:08.220 you for 00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:08.839 how you 00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:09.700 have indeed 00:30:09.700 --> 00:30:10.339 revealed your 00:30:10.339 --> 00:30:11.980 compassion and 00:30:11.980 --> 00:30:12.940 your mercy and 00:30:12.940 --> 00:30:13.679 your love to 00:30:13.679 --> 00:30:14.480 people who do 00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:15.200 not deserve it 00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:15.819 that it invites. 00:30:16.940 --> 00:30:17.339 And Lord, 00:30:17.399 --> 00:30:17.919 we thank you 00:30:17.919 --> 00:30:18.579 that you have 00:30:18.579 --> 00:30:19.339 revealed that to 00:30:19.339 --> 00:30:20.039 us as well, 00:30:20.159 --> 00:30:21.220 people who are 00:30:21.220 --> 00:30:22.379 not deserving of 00:30:22.379 --> 00:30:22.919 your love. 00:30:22.920 --> 00:30:24.580 Father, 00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:25.900 we ask that we 00:30:25.900 --> 00:30:26.840 would continue to 00:30:26.840 --> 00:30:27.519 get to know 00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:28.560 you, to know 00:30:28.560 --> 00:30:29.759 who you are as 00:30:29.759 --> 00:30:31.039 our God, that 00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:31.920 you are a God 00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:33.580 who will punish 00:30:33.580 --> 00:30:34.300 the unjust, 00:30:35.060 --> 00:30:36.279 but you also 00:30:36.279 --> 00:30:37.380 show us mercy 00:30:37.380 --> 00:30:39.279 in the cross so 00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:40.019 that we can be 00:30:40.019 --> 00:30:40.759 brought into your 00:30:40.759 --> 00:30:41.200 family. 00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:43.500 Heavenly Father, 00:30:43.620 --> 00:30:44.240 help us to 00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:44.900 continue to 00:30:44.900 --> 00:30:46.039 journey to get 00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:46.880 to know you, 00:30:47.600 --> 00:30:48.480 to love you 00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:49.340 more, to 00:30:49.340 --> 00:30:50.000 praise you 00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:51.039 more, and to 00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:51.380 have a 00:30:51.380 --> 00:30:52.160 willingness, a 00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:52.800 desire, 00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:54.180 to see your 00:30:54.180 --> 00:30:55.080 compassion and 00:30:55.080 --> 00:30:56.279 mercy spread out 00:30:56.279 --> 00:30:57.120 from here into 00:30:57.120 --> 00:30:58.160 Chatswood, into 00:30:58.160 --> 00:30:58.840 Sydney, and 00:30:58.840 --> 00:30:59.600 across the world. 00:31:00.300 --> 00:31:00.960 And we ask 00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:01.640 this in your 00:31:01.640 --> 00:31:02.240 Son's name and 00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:02.759 for your glory. 00:31:03.220 --> 00:31:03.539 Amen.