WEBVTT 00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:08.240 All right, we are continuing in our series on Jonah, lest you wonder from the video that 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:09.080 you just saw there. 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:12.780 Jonah chapter 3 is where we pick up our story. 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:18.879 I want to thank Greg Cox for ministering so well to us. 00:00:18.980 --> 00:00:19.539 Thank you, buddy. 00:00:21.980 --> 00:00:23.660 Every time I forget that, don't I? 00:00:24.240 --> 00:00:25.519 It's like an every time thing. 00:00:25.719 --> 00:00:26.400 That's all right. 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:33.519 Greg has ministered to us very well and will continue to do so. 00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:38.439 He's involved in many areas of our church life and I want to thank him for doing that. 00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:47.140 Jonah chapter 3, let's go by way of review just over the last few weeks. 00:00:47.299 --> 00:00:51.280 We talked about the runaway prophet in Jonah chapter 1. 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:58.579 And we looked at the very beginning of the story, perhaps the most well-known part of 00:00:58.579 --> 00:00:59.160 the story. 00:00:59.780 --> 00:01:04.620 Jonah and the fish, the whale, call it what you want. 00:01:05.400 --> 00:01:07.060 We know it was a big one, right? 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:09.200 And it swallowed Jonah. 00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:13.240 So the runaway prophet, Jonah chapter 1, we said, why do we run? 00:01:13.420 --> 00:01:15.060 Because of our lack of faith. 00:01:15.060 --> 00:01:19.240 And then why does God pursue us to draw us to himself? 00:01:19.379 --> 00:01:22.060 We saw that spelled out in Jonah chapter 1. 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:26.359 The takeaway was God's plan always does what? 00:01:26.939 --> 00:01:27.879 It wins. 00:01:27.960 --> 00:01:28.560 Let's say it together. 00:01:28.680 --> 00:01:31.120 God's plan always wins. 00:01:31.340 --> 00:01:31.920 That's right. 00:01:32.260 --> 00:01:35.980 Something we need to remember and we'll talk about that a little bit more today. 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:40.180 And then in Jonah chapter 2, we looked at two lies and a truth. 00:01:40.980 --> 00:01:42.620 Two lies and a truth. 00:01:42.620 --> 00:01:51.859 We said that Jonah blamed God and Jonah never repented. 00:01:52.240 --> 00:01:59.820 Those were two key takeaways from Jonah chapter 2, as well as this truth that self-deception 00:01:59.820 --> 00:02:03.240 keeps us from real change. 00:02:03.700 --> 00:02:05.020 So Jonah blamed God. 00:02:05.360 --> 00:02:10.500 He never once repented in this prayer from the depths of the sea and the belly of the whale. 00:02:10.500 --> 00:02:16.139 And we can learn from that that self-deception keeps us from real change. 00:02:16.199 --> 00:02:20.659 Even though he seemed like he was turning to God, crying out to God for help. 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:23.460 At the same time, he was deceiving himself. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:30.039 And seemingly that kept him from any real change, which we're going to see in the rest of the story. 00:02:30.039 --> 00:02:37.840 So the theme for today, Jonah chapter 3, is nothing is too hard for our God. 00:02:38.699 --> 00:02:42.060 Nothing is too hard for our God. 00:02:42.819 --> 00:02:49.219 If y'all came to the last movie night we had here at our church several weeks ago, we watched the movie Facing the Giants. 00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:52.859 And that is a big, big theme in that movie. 00:02:52.860 --> 00:02:55.980 Is anything too hard for our God? 00:02:56.060 --> 00:02:57.940 And of course the answer is no. 00:02:58.280 --> 00:03:00.520 Nothing is too hard for our God. 00:03:00.780 --> 00:03:05.980 So, before we dive into it, are there any basketball fans in the house today? 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:07.460 Anybody like basketball? 00:03:08.100 --> 00:03:09.720 There's got to be more than that. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:11.160 Raise your hand loud and proud. 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:13.560 I don't know how you raise your hand loud. 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:14.620 But up high anyway. 00:03:15.720 --> 00:03:16.480 There you go. 00:03:16.720 --> 00:03:17.060 Good. 00:03:17.939 --> 00:03:19.699 Anybody just hate basketball? 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:24.379 Y'all, I'm sorry. 00:03:24.520 --> 00:03:25.860 Just close your ears for a minute. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:27.740 We're going to talk basketball just for a second. 00:03:28.039 --> 00:03:31.319 I'll give you a little thumbs up when it's time to get back to the rest of the sermon, okay? 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:33.680 So, I love basketball. 00:03:33.819 --> 00:03:34.759 I love watching it. 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:36.360 Used to love playing it. 00:03:36.980 --> 00:03:40.080 My ankles don't like that anymore, so I don't play it anymore. 00:03:40.140 --> 00:03:41.080 But I like to watch it. 00:03:41.620 --> 00:03:43.020 And it's a lot of fun. 00:03:43.020 --> 00:04:02.520 So, for a season of my life, I wrote as an amateur, what do you call it, freelance sports writer for this website called Pounding the Rock. 00:04:03.780 --> 00:04:08.120 It's a fan blog for the San Antonio Spurs. 00:04:08.640 --> 00:04:10.879 So, are there any big Dallas Mavericks fans in the room? 00:04:11.340 --> 00:04:12.799 I figured we had a few, yeah. 00:04:13.299 --> 00:04:14.180 Any Spurs fans? 00:04:15.259 --> 00:04:17.399 I knew there was something I liked about Kenda Cox, man. 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:18.659 Tiffany, let's go. 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:21.740 Love me some Spurs, man. 00:04:21.779 --> 00:04:25.519 I think it was David Robinson back in the day that kind of made me a Spurs fan. 00:04:25.579 --> 00:04:29.420 And then you go on through Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. 00:04:29.719 --> 00:04:31.899 Anyway, Greg Popovich, he's still their coach. 00:04:32.019 --> 00:04:33.899 Just greatest basketball coach ever, I think. 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.899 Anyway, we could go on about the Spurs for a while. 00:04:36.899 --> 00:04:44.439 But I was a big fan and for a while I got a chance to write as one of the writers on this site called Pounding the Rock. 00:04:45.219 --> 00:04:51.319 Now, you might expect a Spurs blog to be named something other than Pounding the Rock, right? 00:04:51.620 --> 00:04:54.439 You know, Alamo Express or I don't know. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:55.120 You know, whatever. 00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:56.339 You get creative with the name. 00:04:56.679 --> 00:05:00.519 Why did they choose the name Pounding the Rock for their site? 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:08.959 It's because if you were paying attention to the Spurs organization back then, they were winning championships, by the way. 00:05:09.139 --> 00:05:10.899 Let me just throw that little nugget out there. 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:13.759 Now, they haven't done that in a little while, so that's okay. 00:05:14.379 --> 00:05:16.399 But back then, this was the heyday, man. 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:17.879 They were winning NBA titles. 00:05:18.060 --> 00:05:18.979 They were doing great. 00:05:18.980 --> 00:05:28.620 One of the biggest reasons, and many, many articles and TV specials have been done on the culture of the Spurs organization back then. 00:05:29.379 --> 00:05:31.280 They were very, very special. 00:05:32.540 --> 00:05:42.720 They had a very special culture that all of their organization, from the front office to all the staff down to the coaches and the players, adhered to. 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:47.600 And it was this idea of pounding the rock. 00:05:48.320 --> 00:06:00.480 It actually came from a Danish gentleman who grew up poor in New York City, became a famous writer, journalist named Jacob Reese. 00:06:01.180 --> 00:06:05.440 And he popularized this thing called the Stonecutter's Credo. 00:06:06.620 --> 00:06:07.700 Y'all still with me? 00:06:08.280 --> 00:06:09.580 Stonecutter's Credo, okay? 00:06:09.579 --> 00:06:15.000 So think an old-timey stonecutter, somebody who would make something out of stone. 00:06:15.899 --> 00:06:26.180 He says, look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:31.799 So he's beaten on this rock over and over, and there's not even a crack. 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:36.759 Yet at the hundred and first blow, it will split in two. 00:06:36.759 --> 00:06:44.079 And I know that it was not that blow that did it, but all the blows that had gone before. 00:06:45.039 --> 00:06:46.699 You understand the concept there? 00:06:47.379 --> 00:06:50.939 It wasn't anything magical about that hundred and first blow. 00:06:51.180 --> 00:06:57.500 It was the hundred blows before that had prepared it to finally achieve the desired goal. 00:06:59.019 --> 00:07:00.519 The Spurs embodied that. 00:07:01.240 --> 00:07:02.680 Game in and game out. 00:07:03.060 --> 00:07:04.180 They would be there. 00:07:04.180 --> 00:07:06.360 They would be giving a hundred percent effort. 00:07:06.579 --> 00:07:09.340 They would be adhering to the game plan, the system. 00:07:10.139 --> 00:07:11.980 There's nothing like watching the Spurs. 00:07:12.180 --> 00:07:18.980 They even made a movie called The Beautiful Game, talking about one of the Spurs' run to an NBA title that year. 00:07:19.060 --> 00:07:21.060 It was basketball as it was meant to be played. 00:07:21.060 --> 00:07:24.459 It was basketball as it was meant to be played. 00:07:24.459 --> 00:07:26.160 We're not going to take any shortcuts. 00:07:26.920 --> 00:07:30.379 We're not going to suddenly turn it on when it comes to the playoffs. 00:07:30.839 --> 00:07:37.340 We're going to give max effort, dial in, focus in, game in, and game out. 00:07:37.339 --> 00:07:44.279 It was not the final blow that did it. 00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:46.079 It was all that had gone before. 00:07:47.299 --> 00:07:54.699 So the idea behind it is just keep pounding on the rock and eventually it will break. 00:07:55.739 --> 00:07:59.079 Keep pounding on that rock. 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:06.079 Now, keep that in mind because we're going to refer to it again in just a minute. 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:15.839 But as we dive into Jonah chapter 3, I want to give you a little bit more context than we have in previous weeks because we're up to this part of the story now. 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:30.120 We have transitioned from Jonah running from God, getting thrown overboard, swallowed by the whale, spit up back on the land, and now we're picking it up in Jonah chapter 3. 00:08:30.679 --> 00:08:33.740 And the Lord speaks to Jonah a second time. 00:08:34.459 --> 00:08:38.199 Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:43.059 So this great city of Nineveh. 00:08:43.199 --> 00:08:44.439 Let's talk about it for a minute. 00:08:44.440 --> 00:08:51.320 Nineveh was perhaps the most feared city in the ancient world at that time. 00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:55.220 It was the capital of the nation of Assyria. 00:08:55.960 --> 00:09:00.000 And we'll get into some of the political turmoil that Assyria had been through at that time. 00:09:00.220 --> 00:09:04.420 But this place was the place you didn't want to go unless you were an Assyrian. 00:09:05.160 --> 00:09:07.500 It was population central back then. 00:09:07.500 --> 00:09:13.240 It was a big, beautiful, wealthy city and incredibly, incredibly wicked. 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:15.320 Horrifying place. 00:09:15.320 --> 00:09:15.960 Horrifying place. 00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:17.900 What they did to their enemies. 00:09:18.280 --> 00:09:21.420 What was allowed, what was legal back then. 00:09:21.780 --> 00:09:29.060 The crimes against humanity that would regularly take place in Assyria and especially in this city called Nineveh. 00:09:29.420 --> 00:09:30.360 It was huge. 00:09:31.760 --> 00:09:36.680 Later, King Sennacherib would take over and make it something to rival ancient Babylon. 00:09:36.679 --> 00:09:44.259 But even then, under this king, it was still an impressive place, a fearsome place. 00:09:44.819 --> 00:09:48.759 And Jonah was understandably terrified to go there. 00:09:49.419 --> 00:09:52.819 But that is what God commanded him to do. 00:09:53.319 --> 00:09:56.559 So let's pick it up in Jonah chapter 3 and verse 1. 00:09:56.699 --> 00:10:00.179 If you're able to stand with me, would you mind joining and standing? 00:10:00.539 --> 00:10:01.539 And let's read together. 00:10:01.539 --> 00:10:03.399 I'm reading from the New Living Translation. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:05.319 Back it up in verse 1. 00:10:05.379 --> 00:10:07.279 The Lord speaks to Jonah a second time. 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:11.779 Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh and deliver the message I have given you. 00:10:11.860 --> 00:10:14.059 We see that message back in chapter 1. 00:10:14.459 --> 00:10:21.860 This time, Jonah obeyed the Lord's command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all. 00:10:21.860 --> 00:10:29.879 On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds, 40 days from now, Nineveh will be destroyed. 00:10:30.259 --> 00:10:33.399 The people of Nineveh will be destroyed. 00:10:33.539 --> 00:10:36.300 The people of Nineveh then believed God's message. 00:10:36.919 --> 00:10:41.240 Boy, that's the most anticlimactic transition from verse 4 to verse 5. 00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:44.860 He shouts this warning to this horrible, terrible place. 00:10:45.860 --> 00:10:50.080 And instantly, verse 5, the people of Nineveh believed God's message. 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:56.020 And from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow. 00:10:56.379 --> 00:11:03.360 When the king of Nineveh, even the king, heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. 00:11:03.580 --> 00:11:06.820 He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. 00:11:07.220 --> 00:11:10.700 Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city. 00:11:10.980 --> 00:11:15.600 No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. 00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:18.899 People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning. 00:11:19.300 --> 00:11:21.659 And everyone must pray earnestly to God. 00:11:21.899 --> 00:11:24.720 They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violets. 00:11:24.980 --> 00:11:25.540 Who can tell? 00:11:25.779 --> 00:11:31.320 Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us. 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:41.120 This is an ancient freak out that's happening right now. 00:11:41.620 --> 00:11:43.240 They're losing their minds. 00:11:45.460 --> 00:11:46.420 So what happened? 00:11:46.680 --> 00:11:51.680 When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:57.040 he changed his mind, did not carry out the destruction he had threatened. 00:11:57.840 --> 00:11:58.780 Let's pray together. 00:11:58.779 --> 00:12:02.779 God, this is a familiar story for many of us. 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:05.019 Some of us, it might be new. 00:12:05.939 --> 00:12:11.019 But I just ask that you would reveal to us who you are, what you're about, 00:12:11.500 --> 00:12:14.639 how powerful and how great and mighty you are, God, 00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:17.699 and how good and merciful you are. 00:12:18.539 --> 00:12:19.500 Show us that today. 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:21.059 It's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:12:21.419 --> 00:12:21.639 Amen. 00:12:21.779 --> 00:12:22.319 You may be seated. 00:12:22.459 --> 00:12:23.120 Thanks for standing. 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:28.480 So backing it up to Jonah chapter 3 and verse 1, 00:12:29.060 --> 00:12:32.240 we see that God is the God of second chances. 00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:37.539 This is the first time that I want to apply this principle of pounding this rock. 00:12:37.899 --> 00:12:40.740 Keep at it and eventually that rock will break. 00:12:40.980 --> 00:12:42.879 We see God do that with Jonah. 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:47.840 So we see this entire story laid out before we ever get to this part. 00:12:48.539 --> 00:12:50.539 God came to Jonah with a simple request. 00:12:50.860 --> 00:12:55.879 He was about 500 miles away in his hometown from Nineveh where God wanted him to go. 00:12:56.120 --> 00:13:03.639 And he decided instead to go 2,500 miles in the opposite direction instead of just doing what God had required. 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:09.720 So instead of doing the simple but scary task that God had given him, 00:13:10.100 --> 00:13:12.340 Jonah ran, tried to outrun God. 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:14.819 If you try to outrun God, it's not going to work, right? 00:13:15.059 --> 00:13:18.279 Many of us would have given up on Jonah at that point and said, 00:13:18.379 --> 00:13:21.039 forget him, I'll go get somebody else. 00:13:21.179 --> 00:13:24.799 But God knew that he still had a plan for Jonah. 00:13:24.799 --> 00:13:32.379 Despite Jonah's crazy, despite his resistance, despite his arrogance, 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:37.259 possibly even racist mind against the Assyrian people, 00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:42.939 Jonah was still going to be used by God. 00:13:43.059 --> 00:13:47.459 So God kept coming back at him, kept messing with him, 00:13:47.859 --> 00:13:52.459 kept prolonging his mercy and grace toward Jonah. 00:13:52.460 --> 00:13:58.440 So he comes back to him again and gives him the same message. 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:04.940 Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh and deliver the message that I've given you. 00:14:05.040 --> 00:14:10.700 Back in verse 2 of chapter 1, here's the great message that God had for Nineveh. 00:14:11.040 --> 00:14:16.540 Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are. 00:14:17.160 --> 00:14:19.860 So God gives Jonah a very specific message. 00:14:19.860 --> 00:14:24.820 But we can understand that God is the God of second chances. 00:14:25.080 --> 00:14:27.659 You and I aren't good at giving second chances. 00:14:27.659 --> 00:14:30.960 When we're burned, we don't like to be burned again, do we? 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:34.980 It makes us feel silly, makes us feel foolish, makes us feel hurt. 00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:40.440 But God gives us second chances, third chances, fourth chances. 00:14:40.820 --> 00:14:44.240 Time and time again, God keeps coming back and saying, 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:46.879 the mission I have for you hasn't changed. 00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:49.259 My will for you hasn't changed. 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:53.340 Go back and do what I've been trying to get you to do all along. 00:14:53.740 --> 00:14:56.000 My long suffering will see you through. 00:14:56.820 --> 00:15:01.659 You might have to suffer the consequences of some of the bad choices you've made along the way. 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:03.440 But I will still be faithful. 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:09.200 I will still try to accomplish through you what I was trying to accomplish all along. 00:15:09.659 --> 00:15:11.620 We see that in the story of Jonah. 00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:18.039 So, verse 2, God's mission never changes. 00:15:18.620 --> 00:15:19.379 Look at verse 2. 00:15:20.060 --> 00:15:23.799 This time, Jonah obeyed the Lord's command and went to Nineveh. 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:26.320 Sorry, that's verse 3. 00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:27.320 Let me back up. 00:15:27.480 --> 00:15:29.279 Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. 00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:31.200 Deliver the message I have given you. 00:15:31.539 --> 00:15:34.179 That's kind of tying in back with verse 1. 00:15:34.560 --> 00:15:36.659 God's message didn't change. 00:15:36.899 --> 00:15:39.419 And God's mission for Jonah didn't change. 00:15:39.419 --> 00:15:49.199 Folks, the message today in 2024 is the same message that God had for First Baptist Henrietta in 1876. 00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:54.179 It's the same message that he had in 1924. 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:58.899 It's the same message he had in 1994 or 2004. 00:15:59.259 --> 00:16:01.819 It's the same message he'll have 20 years from now. 00:16:01.820 --> 00:16:09.260 50 years from now, 100 years from now, until he returns, God's mission and message never changes. 00:16:09.660 --> 00:16:13.260 That's why you and I should be able to get along. 00:16:14.100 --> 00:16:15.760 Just a little side note here. 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:20.379 We may not agree on the methods all the time. 00:16:21.100 --> 00:16:23.620 We may not agree on the style. 00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:28.179 Or we may not agree on all our opinions about all the different things. 00:16:29.580 --> 00:16:32.319 But we can agree on God's message. 00:16:32.919 --> 00:16:34.939 We can agree on God's mission. 00:16:34.940 --> 00:16:39.520 So we ought to be able to come together around that and say, 00:16:39.980 --> 00:16:42.240 we're going to join together around that. 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:48.580 If you polled everybody in the room, you'd get any number of different opinions about controversial topics out there. 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:55.620 But we can set those things aside and say God's message of saving grace is more important. 00:16:56.420 --> 00:17:02.300 God's mission to go out and shine his light in this dark world is most important. 00:17:02.299 --> 00:17:09.139 So we're going to set aside these things and get together and rally around the cross and the empty tomb 00:17:09.139 --> 00:17:12.980 and take that hope to a world that desperately needs it. 00:17:13.500 --> 00:17:15.339 That's why we can come together and have church. 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:23.799 That's why we can go out and see life change happen with people that we might never otherwise hang out with. 00:17:24.559 --> 00:17:27.379 Because God's mission is the same. 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:28.379 It's consistent. 00:17:28.599 --> 00:17:29.339 It never changes. 00:17:29.339 --> 00:17:35.099 And then in verse 3, Jonah did obey the Lord's command and this time he went to Nineveh. 00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:40.240 Sometimes you and I learn the hard way. 00:17:42.399 --> 00:17:44.019 Sometimes we learn the hard way. 00:17:47.859 --> 00:17:50.079 I've learned some lessons the easy way. 00:17:50.779 --> 00:17:53.539 Some lessons I've just learned because I've listened to wisdom. 00:17:53.539 --> 00:18:03.339 I've listened to the Holy Spirit guiding me and I avoided some difficult circumstance that God didn't plan for me because I listened. 00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:06.240 I wish I could say I've done that all the time. 00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:07.519 But I haven't. 00:18:08.180 --> 00:18:10.119 Sometimes I've learned things the hard way. 00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:16.440 Sometimes I've done what I thought was best and I've put myself and others through suffering. 00:18:16.440 --> 00:18:20.960 Unnecessary suffering that God didn't plan for me to go through. 00:18:21.320 --> 00:18:22.720 But I chose that. 00:18:23.380 --> 00:18:29.680 And so I endured and those around me endured hardship and suffering that God never intended. 00:18:29.840 --> 00:18:32.440 Just like we see in the book of Jonah. 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:52.680 So when we learn the hard way, we must then learn that lesson and not keep going back and having to relearn it over and over and over again as it gets harder and worse and more difficult each time because we're so hard headed. 00:18:53.000 --> 00:18:53.200 Right? 00:18:54.660 --> 00:18:56.039 We see that in Jonah. 00:18:56.039 --> 00:19:00.000 But at some point along the way, God wants us to learn that lesson. 00:19:00.819 --> 00:19:01.220 Learn it. 00:19:02.259 --> 00:19:03.180 Turn the page. 00:19:03.720 --> 00:19:08.879 Let God take you and teach you something else that he's got for you. 00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:16.200 So Jonah finally learns this lesson enough to go to Nineveh and obey God's command. 00:19:16.420 --> 00:19:19.279 Though he certainly had to learn it the hard way. 00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:23.759 For some reason this is going two slides at a time here and I apologize for that. 00:19:24.099 --> 00:19:24.519 There we go. 00:19:24.519 --> 00:19:27.240 God's truth is often a hard truth. 00:19:27.339 --> 00:19:28.059 Look at verse 4. 00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:36.259 On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds, 40 days from now, Nineveh will be destroyed. 00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:37.819 Listen, let me pivot for a minute. 00:19:38.460 --> 00:19:46.299 Oftentimes in today's world, and it's not just today, it's been around for a few decades now, there's this thing called the prosperity gospel. 00:19:46.619 --> 00:19:47.980 The health and wealth gospel. 00:19:47.980 --> 00:19:55.480 And even beyond that, there is this idea where pastors get up in their churches and they only preach the love of God. 00:19:55.860 --> 00:20:01.880 Listen, you're not accurately preaching the love of God unless you preach against sin. 00:20:02.700 --> 00:20:05.120 Unless you preach against unrighteousness. 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:13.859 Because you can't really show a picture of God's love unless you show that he loves us in spite of how bad we are. 00:20:14.399 --> 00:20:16.899 In spite of how bad the world is. 00:20:18.019 --> 00:20:22.339 In spite of this darkness, God wants to shine his light. 00:20:22.339 --> 00:20:27.099 No one can appreciate that light if they don't understand they're in darkness. 00:20:28.099 --> 00:20:29.500 They'll be blind to it. 00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:34.199 So God's truth is often, hey, you're bad. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:35.299 You're a sinner. 00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:37.179 You're going to hell. 00:20:38.059 --> 00:20:41.639 That is an inescapable message in the scriptures. 00:20:41.640 --> 00:20:49.060 But it's accompanied always, 100% of the time, by God's love. 00:20:49.940 --> 00:20:52.780 It's always, you can't help yourself. 00:20:53.140 --> 00:20:54.040 You did wrong. 00:20:54.280 --> 00:20:55.280 You broke my laws. 00:20:55.460 --> 00:20:58.620 But I love you anyway, and I'm here to save you. 00:21:00.540 --> 00:21:02.820 Sometimes churches go one extreme or the other. 00:21:03.580 --> 00:21:07.100 They'll preach God's love without ever preaching repentance from sin. 00:21:07.099 --> 00:21:12.679 Or they'll preach repentance from sin without ever preaching God's love and compassion and grace. 00:21:13.219 --> 00:21:16.139 But Jesus was always a balance of the two. 00:21:16.259 --> 00:21:19.199 He was always full of both grace and truth. 00:21:20.099 --> 00:21:22.879 So God's truth is often a hard truth. 00:21:23.899 --> 00:21:30.079 But ultimately, God was going to show great love to these people in Nineveh. 00:21:30.939 --> 00:21:34.759 So, God's truth is often a hard truth. 00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:35.779 Look down at verse 5. 00:21:35.779 --> 00:21:36.779 God's truth is often a hard truth. 00:21:36.779 --> 00:21:38.500 Belief produces change. 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:41.980 The people of Nineveh believed God's message. 00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:48.980 And from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow. 00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:52.700 I don't understand how this happened. 00:21:53.539 --> 00:21:57.980 Now, we can always look at the historical context of what we read in the Bible. 00:21:58.119 --> 00:22:00.059 We can look at the cultural context. 00:22:00.279 --> 00:22:03.500 We can try to understand how something like this could have happened. 00:22:03.500 --> 00:22:09.259 And historians have showed us that back then, around the time of Nineveh, there was great political turmoil. 00:22:09.779 --> 00:22:11.240 They had had successful kings. 00:22:11.420 --> 00:22:12.880 But then one had died. 00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:17.619 And so the individual leaders of the cities kind of became their own kings. 00:22:17.779 --> 00:22:24.500 Which is probably why we see here in Jonah 3 that it references the king of Nineveh as opposed to the king of Assyria. 00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:25.019 Assyria. 00:22:25.619 --> 00:22:30.119 So it's almost like he was a king of the city of Nineveh, but not the whole nation of Assyria. 00:22:30.259 --> 00:22:32.420 Because they were without a king at this time. 00:22:32.779 --> 00:22:35.180 So there was great political turmoil happening. 00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:41.480 There was also a great famine in the land of Assyria at this time. 00:22:41.539 --> 00:22:45.420 And people were struggling to get enough to feed their families and themselves. 00:22:46.360 --> 00:22:48.299 So this is a time of doing without. 00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:50.220 This is a time of political unrest. 00:22:50.860 --> 00:22:57.400 And then there was a big eclipse that happened shortly before this, it seems like, according to scientists. 00:22:57.400 --> 00:23:06.480 And sometimes back in those pagan ideas, when there was a solar eclipse, they would think that there was a God who was angry at them. 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:15.440 So all of this could be coming together to make these people ready to hear Jonah's message. 00:23:16.140 --> 00:23:17.620 Now Jonah didn't know that. 00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:24.880 He didn't know that God had already possibly prepared the hearts of the Ninevites to hear this message. 00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:26.640 Jonah just knew their reputation. 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:29.980 He knew they were fierce and bloodthirsty and had no morals. 00:23:30.320 --> 00:23:34.259 And they had been enemies to God's people for as long as anyone could remember. 00:23:35.900 --> 00:23:39.720 So Jonah is thinking, no, we need to go in with a military conquest. 00:23:40.380 --> 00:23:46.220 King Jeroboam, as Jonah had prophesied his military victories, and then he had had military victories. 00:23:46.360 --> 00:23:50.080 But then the prophet Amos had come in and said, oh, slow down. 00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:52.560 Jeroboam, you're going to die by the sword. 00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:56.679 The same sword that you're killing others with, you're going to die by the sword. 00:23:56.779 --> 00:24:00.559 And all of this military victory that you have achieved will be undone. 00:24:00.619 --> 00:24:01.119 And guess what? 00:24:01.159 --> 00:24:02.240 That prophecy came true. 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:09.920 And all of the achievements that Jeroboam had done for God's people because he was such a wicked king, 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:15.359 because he refused to follow God, Amos' prophecy came true, and all of that was lost. 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:20.819 But Jonah, at this moment, he's riding high. 00:24:21.399 --> 00:24:22.819 He's thinking, we got the right king. 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:27.119 Assyria is vulnerable at this moment. 00:24:27.379 --> 00:24:30.159 We don't need to ask them to repent and turn to God. 00:24:30.219 --> 00:24:31.479 We need to go in and wipe them out. 00:24:32.859 --> 00:24:33.939 That was his thought. 00:24:33.940 --> 00:24:39.980 But instead, God said, tell them a warning. 00:24:40.660 --> 00:24:41.700 Give them a warning. 00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:46.360 Because he knew that they were ready to believe. 00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:48.259 And what happened? 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:52.500 As soon as Jonah gives the warning, they believe. 00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:59.340 The people of Nineveh believed God's message from the greatest to the least. 00:24:59.339 --> 00:25:05.579 I pray that that would be the testimony of the people of First Baptist Church, Henrietta, Texas. 00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:10.919 That we would believe God's message from the greatest to the least. 00:25:12.619 --> 00:25:18.919 That the people of Clay County, when hearing the message of God, would respond in belief. 00:25:19.299 --> 00:25:21.119 And sorrow for our sin. 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:22.639 And turn from it. 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:24.579 And turn back to God. 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:29.079 Don't wait until God says, I'm going to destroy you. 00:25:29.779 --> 00:25:33.579 Don't wait until we get to the worst case scenario. 00:25:34.179 --> 00:25:35.679 Turn to God today. 00:25:36.159 --> 00:25:40.559 All of us in this room who have yet to turn to Jesus are in danger. 00:25:40.859 --> 00:25:44.679 Much greater danger than a city being wiped out. 00:25:44.859 --> 00:25:50.639 We're in danger of eternally paying for our sins in the lake of fire. 00:25:52.199 --> 00:25:56.419 That is the very real danger we are in without Jesus. 00:25:56.420 --> 00:26:02.300 So we have the opportunity today to turn from our sins. 00:26:02.700 --> 00:26:04.560 Repent and turn to Jesus. 00:26:04.800 --> 00:26:06.100 Believe God. 00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:08.279 And that will produce change. 00:26:08.380 --> 00:26:10.740 It produced sorrow in the people of Nineveh. 00:26:11.900 --> 00:26:14.400 It produced a turning from their sin. 00:26:14.700 --> 00:26:16.820 The king and his nobles sent out the decree. 00:26:16.819 --> 00:26:19.879 Verses 7 through 9. 00:26:19.980 --> 00:26:20.700 Talk about it. 00:26:20.700 --> 00:26:24.480 Nobody go throw a party. 00:26:25.080 --> 00:26:26.640 Nobody go work right now. 00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:28.920 Everyone put on your garments of mourning. 00:26:29.299 --> 00:26:31.200 Everyone humble yourself before God. 00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:35.059 Everyone pray to this God whom we have just heard about. 00:26:35.340 --> 00:26:36.680 We knew something was wrong. 00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:38.019 This political turmoil. 00:26:38.420 --> 00:26:39.039 This famine. 00:26:39.380 --> 00:26:40.000 This eclipse. 00:26:40.140 --> 00:26:41.920 We knew something bad was happening. 00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:44.759 We knew there was some kind of judgment coming on us. 00:26:44.759 --> 00:26:49.460 Now the prophet of the real God is here to tell us what this is about. 00:26:49.779 --> 00:26:50.500 We must stop. 00:26:50.640 --> 00:26:53.480 We must turn to him for salvation. 00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:56.400 That's what we see unfolding here in Nineveh. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:58.259 You know what the ironic thing is? 00:26:59.160 --> 00:27:02.079 Sometimes, let me jump ahead here. 00:27:02.480 --> 00:27:08.779 Sometimes those furthest from God have more faith than God's own servants. 00:27:08.779 --> 00:27:23.639 Sometimes, people that have heard about God and his saving message for the first time end up exhibiting more faith in God than those who have been Christians for 50 years. 00:27:24.940 --> 00:27:27.139 I've seen it happen in real life. 00:27:27.140 --> 00:27:32.080 I've seen the new joy. 00:27:33.020 --> 00:27:34.500 The new peace. 00:27:34.940 --> 00:27:36.080 The new trust. 00:27:36.240 --> 00:27:37.300 The new faith. 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:46.980 Jesus even said of the Gentiles, he hadn't found so great faith ever in Israel that he found in the Gentile people. 00:27:46.980 --> 00:28:00.599 Those who should have believed the most, who have known the longest, sometimes struggle to have the same faith as those who are newly hearing about God's saving grace. 00:28:01.579 --> 00:28:05.779 Now, something I don't want to skip over is back in verse 6. 00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:12.980 The king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying and he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. 00:28:13.039 --> 00:28:15.279 I think there's a great application for us there. 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:18.980 It's will we step down from our thrones. 00:28:20.180 --> 00:28:24.599 This king who did not worship Jonah's God. 00:28:25.099 --> 00:28:30.920 This king who was an adversary to the people who believed in Jonah's God. 00:28:31.720 --> 00:28:40.819 This king was willing when he heard the truth to step down from his throne, humble himself and turn to Jesus. 00:28:40.819 --> 00:28:44.000 You know who else stepped down from his throne and humbled himself? 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:45.700 The Bible says, 00:28:45.700 --> 00:28:59.940 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men. 00:29:00.220 --> 00:29:08.519 Therefore, God has highly exalted him and has given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. 00:29:08.519 --> 00:29:14.799 Things in heaven, things in heaven, things in earth, things under the earth, every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 00:29:15.160 --> 00:29:16.839 Jesus stepped down from his throne. 00:29:17.139 --> 00:29:21.339 He humbled himself so we could then be saved. 00:29:22.039 --> 00:29:28.579 This king stepped down from his throne and humbled himself so his people could be saved. 00:29:28.579 --> 00:29:42.099 Sometimes the lost, sometimes the unlikely candidates show more faith than those of us who really have no excuse. 00:29:44.879 --> 00:29:46.919 So, let's look. 00:29:49.419 --> 00:29:51.199 Back at our week one lesson. 00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:53.000 I said we'd come back to it. 00:29:53.779 --> 00:29:56.220 God's plan always wins. 00:29:56.220 --> 00:30:00.380 God's plan always wins. 00:30:01.819 --> 00:30:13.660 No historian, no political commentator could have ever predicted that this gigantic shift would happen in Assyria. 00:30:14.759 --> 00:30:15.940 Can you imagine? 00:30:17.059 --> 00:30:25.460 Back in World War II, if all of a sudden the nation of Germany turns to God, repents of its evil, its inflicting upon the world, 00:30:25.460 --> 00:30:27.519 and completely changes course. 00:30:28.100 --> 00:30:33.299 That's what we see happening with Nineveh, with the Assyrians. 00:30:35.620 --> 00:30:39.680 But that's because God kept hammering on the rock. 00:30:40.140 --> 00:30:43.559 Jonah tried to run away, but God kept bringing him back. 00:30:43.559 --> 00:30:53.500 He kept hammering on the hard, cold, resistant rock that was his prophet until he finally broke. 00:30:54.619 --> 00:30:59.720 And then he kept hammering on those Assyrian people through all that turmoil, 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:04.139 all that trouble that had been inflicted upon them as a people. 00:31:04.140 --> 00:31:07.280 And then finally, when they heard the message. 00:31:07.360 --> 00:31:08.700 It wasn't a friendly message. 00:31:09.160 --> 00:31:11.340 It wasn't, hey, God loves you. 00:31:11.780 --> 00:31:13.160 God wants to save you. 00:31:13.500 --> 00:31:15.220 God doesn't think you're that bad. 00:31:16.500 --> 00:31:17.740 God likes you. 00:31:18.520 --> 00:31:19.900 You should really turn to him. 00:31:19.980 --> 00:31:21.620 He'll give you all kinds of blessings. 00:31:22.420 --> 00:31:23.780 That wasn't at all the message. 00:31:24.259 --> 00:31:26.800 It was God's going to wipe you out 00:31:26.800 --> 00:31:28.780 because you're so wicked. 00:31:28.779 --> 00:31:36.399 But then, God's plan won. 00:31:37.740 --> 00:31:38.980 God's plan won. 00:31:39.839 --> 00:31:41.200 Why did God's plan win? 00:31:42.960 --> 00:31:47.019 Why have we seen throughout history, time and time again, 00:31:47.180 --> 00:31:50.779 sometimes atheists who spent their entire lives and careers 00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:56.059 just trying their very best to disprove the Bible and disprove God, 00:31:56.059 --> 00:31:59.319 then suddenly over the course of their study, 00:32:00.059 --> 00:32:02.799 see the truth of God and his word, 00:32:03.019 --> 00:32:06.419 and they turn to Jesus, the most unlikely candidates. 00:32:06.740 --> 00:32:08.379 Why do these things happen? 00:32:08.759 --> 00:32:10.279 Why did this happen in Nineveh? 00:32:10.419 --> 00:32:15.399 Because Hebrews 4 says the word of God is living, alive, 00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:18.679 it's quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, 00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:21.679 piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, 00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:22.919 the joints and marrow, 00:32:22.919 --> 00:32:25.819 and to the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 00:32:26.059 --> 00:32:27.619 Jeremiah 23, 29, 00:32:27.859 --> 00:32:30.839 does not my word burn like a fire, says the Lord? 00:32:31.099 --> 00:32:35.159 Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock in pieces? 00:32:35.500 --> 00:32:37.779 Keep pounding on that rock with God's word, 00:32:37.940 --> 00:32:38.759 and it will break. 00:32:38.859 --> 00:32:40.099 Isaiah 55, 11, 00:32:40.419 --> 00:32:43.099 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth. 00:32:43.240 --> 00:32:44.879 It shall not return to me empty, 00:32:45.059 --> 00:32:47.599 but it shall accomplish that for which I purpose, 00:32:47.819 --> 00:32:51.159 and it shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 00:32:51.160 --> 00:32:54.680 And then Jeremiah 32, verse 26, 00:32:54.960 --> 00:32:57.080 this message came to Jeremiah from the Lord. 00:32:57.380 --> 00:33:01.080 I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. 00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:03.380 Is anything too hard for me? 00:33:03.420 --> 00:33:04.160 Did you catch that? 00:33:04.360 --> 00:33:06.519 He is the God of all the peoples of the world. 00:33:06.759 --> 00:33:08.080 They may not recognize it. 00:33:08.320 --> 00:33:09.759 They may not acknowledge it. 00:33:09.840 --> 00:33:10.860 They may not admit it, 00:33:11.019 --> 00:33:13.200 but he is still God over the Assyrians. 00:33:13.400 --> 00:33:15.380 He is still God over Nineveh. 00:33:15.580 --> 00:33:17.240 He is still God over America. 00:33:17.240 --> 00:33:21.079 He is still God over those who seem like they resist him. 00:33:21.400 --> 00:33:22.559 He is still God, 00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:24.799 and nothing is too hard for him. 00:33:25.059 --> 00:33:28.259 And Jeremiah confirms that in verse 17 of Jeremiah 32. 00:33:28.680 --> 00:33:29.620 O sovereign Lord, 00:33:29.880 --> 00:33:31.200 you made the heavens and earth 00:33:31.200 --> 00:33:33.140 by your strong hand and powerful arm. 00:33:33.559 --> 00:33:36.640 Nothing is too hard for you. 00:33:38.220 --> 00:33:41.539 God is in the saving business, 00:33:42.420 --> 00:33:45.200 and he can save anyone. 00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:48.960 No one is too far gone. 00:33:49.920 --> 00:33:51.660 No one is too hard. 00:33:52.759 --> 00:33:55.319 He could break crusty old Jonah's heart 00:33:55.319 --> 00:33:59.660 to get him to finally go and give the message. 00:34:00.660 --> 00:34:05.779 He could break that terrifying, godless society 00:34:05.779 --> 00:34:08.860 with one message of the truth 00:34:08.860 --> 00:34:12.300 and save an entire people. 00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:17.320 God is in the saving business. 00:34:18.860 --> 00:34:21.260 I want to share this quote from Jerry Bridges with you, 00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:21.800 and we'll be done. 00:34:23.400 --> 00:34:26.640 Our worst days are never so bad 00:34:26.640 --> 00:34:31.820 that you're beyond the reach of God's grace. 00:34:31.820 --> 00:34:36.039 Our best days are never so good 00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:39.660 that you're beyond the need of God's grace. 00:34:42.240 --> 00:34:44.320 We'll go from either extreme sometimes. 00:34:44.900 --> 00:34:46.320 We'll bounce back and forth. 00:34:47.019 --> 00:34:48.140 Oh, I'm too bad. 00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:50.280 I've got too much history. 00:34:50.820 --> 00:34:51.900 You don't know what I've done. 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:53.100 You don't know how I grew up. 00:34:53.360 --> 00:34:54.960 You don't know the things that I've thought. 00:34:55.080 --> 00:34:56.720 You don't know what I've been involved with. 00:34:56.719 --> 00:35:01.199 There's nothing that's too hard for God. 00:35:01.859 --> 00:35:05.379 Where sin is great, grace is much greater. 00:35:06.679 --> 00:35:11.239 God is more powerful than anything that you've done. 00:35:12.139 --> 00:35:13.279 And on the other side of it, 00:35:13.759 --> 00:35:14.899 you're never so good 00:35:14.899 --> 00:35:17.379 that you don't still need that grace of God. 00:35:17.380 --> 00:35:21.300 You've never gotten so proud of yourself 00:35:21.300 --> 00:35:22.340 and so successful 00:35:22.340 --> 00:35:25.220 and so fulfilled in your own eyes 00:35:25.220 --> 00:35:29.599 that you aren't still in need of the grace of God 00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:32.360 just like you were at your lowest point. 00:35:33.660 --> 00:35:37.200 God is a saving God, 00:35:37.420 --> 00:35:40.840 and God still wants to save you today. 00:35:41.480 --> 00:35:44.280 So our takeaway today is very simple. 00:35:44.280 --> 00:35:47.660 Nothing is too hard for God. 00:35:48.140 --> 00:35:50.040 Nothing is too hard for God. 00:35:50.380 --> 00:35:52.380 No one is too hard for God. 00:35:52.680 --> 00:35:53.500 Not your spouse. 00:35:53.860 --> 00:35:54.640 Not your children. 00:35:55.460 --> 00:35:56.320 Not your friendships. 00:35:56.760 --> 00:35:57.519 Not your enemies. 00:35:58.680 --> 00:35:59.880 Not those who just, 00:36:01.040 --> 00:36:03.000 on your last nerve. 00:36:04.080 --> 00:36:05.060 God still loves them. 00:36:05.560 --> 00:36:06.780 God still wants to save them. 00:36:07.320 --> 00:36:07.900 And by the way, 00:36:08.100 --> 00:36:10.260 He still wants to love and save you. 00:36:10.540 --> 00:36:11.540 Would you bow your heads with me? 00:36:11.539 --> 00:36:14.500 God, I pray that you would save us today. 00:36:14.840 --> 00:36:18.179 I pray that there's someone in the room 00:36:18.179 --> 00:36:19.139 who doesn't know you 00:36:19.139 --> 00:36:20.960 and needs to be saved from their sin. 00:36:21.219 --> 00:36:22.519 But God, maybe there's someone 00:36:22.519 --> 00:36:24.000 who turned to you in repentance, 00:36:24.340 --> 00:36:25.599 and you have saved them, 00:36:25.739 --> 00:36:28.380 but they need to come back to you for saving today. 00:36:28.619 --> 00:36:29.980 They've been eaten up by pride. 00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:33.519 They've wandered far away from that need for grace. 00:36:33.739 --> 00:36:35.320 I pray that you would draw them back. 00:36:35.619 --> 00:36:37.440 Break through that brittle, hard heart. 00:36:37.860 --> 00:36:39.860 Pour your love on it again. 00:36:39.860 --> 00:36:42.200 Let your waters overflow it. 00:36:42.240 --> 00:36:44.220 Your Holy Spirit, warm it up 00:36:44.220 --> 00:36:47.320 and bring them back to you, God, today. 00:36:48.220 --> 00:36:51.120 Church, as you keep your seats, 00:36:51.240 --> 00:36:53.700 would you enter into an attitude of prayer with me 00:36:53.700 --> 00:36:55.280 in just the final moments 00:36:55.280 --> 00:36:56.660 that we have with us this morning? 00:36:56.900 --> 00:36:58.380 The music's gonna begin playing. 00:36:58.660 --> 00:37:00.599 Would you take this time just to pray? 00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:02.599 To ask God, 00:37:03.320 --> 00:37:05.000 have I wandered far from you? 00:37:05.000 --> 00:37:09.880 Maybe I haven't been as obvious as Jonah was, 00:37:10.500 --> 00:37:13.019 but in my heart, I've strayed far away. 00:37:13.280 --> 00:37:15.179 In my heart, I know there's something 00:37:15.179 --> 00:37:16.320 that you want from me, 00:37:16.440 --> 00:37:17.000 and I've resisted. 00:37:17.800 --> 00:37:19.380 But God, I know that you're greater. 00:37:19.539 --> 00:37:20.559 I know that you're stronger. 00:37:20.820 --> 00:37:22.599 I know that you can break me. 00:37:22.820 --> 00:37:24.619 Break me today, God. 00:37:24.679 --> 00:37:25.500 Maybe that's a prayer 00:37:25.500 --> 00:37:27.820 that somebody in this room needs to pray. 00:37:27.820 --> 00:37:30.920 Maybe there's somebody who needs to 00:37:30.920 --> 00:37:34.000 bow their heads finally for the first time 00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:35.240 in repentance of their sin 00:37:35.240 --> 00:37:36.580 and say, God, I give up. 00:37:37.120 --> 00:37:38.300 I turn to you. 00:37:38.720 --> 00:37:39.760 Please save me. 00:37:41.080 --> 00:37:42.740 I place all my faith in you, 00:37:42.840 --> 00:37:43.620 not the church, 00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:46.019 not anybody else. 00:37:46.500 --> 00:37:48.420 I place my faith in you 00:37:48.420 --> 00:37:50.320 to forgive me of my sins. 00:37:51.160 --> 00:37:52.059 Become your child. 00:37:52.980 --> 00:37:54.260 Is there anybody like that here today? 00:37:54.900 --> 00:37:56.000 Say, I need to be saved. 00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:58.059 I need to repent and turn to Jesus. 00:37:58.179 --> 00:37:59.059 Would you slip your hand up? 00:37:59.539 --> 00:38:00.699 There were a couple who came 00:38:00.699 --> 00:38:03.400 through my office this last week, 00:38:03.440 --> 00:38:04.699 and we sat down in the office 00:38:04.699 --> 00:38:05.579 and went through this, 00:38:05.639 --> 00:38:09.599 and we got to see two new souls 00:38:09.599 --> 00:38:11.880 come to Christ for the repentance of sin 00:38:11.880 --> 00:38:12.960 and turn to Jesus. 00:38:13.079 --> 00:38:14.420 Maybe there's somebody here this morning 00:38:14.420 --> 00:38:15.420 who needs to do the same thing. 00:38:16.079 --> 00:38:16.639 Thank you. 00:38:17.760 --> 00:38:19.099 Would you slip your hand up and say, 00:38:19.159 --> 00:38:20.199 Pastor, would you pray for me? 00:38:20.280 --> 00:38:21.900 I've got some things going on in my life 00:38:21.900 --> 00:38:23.019 that I need to hand over to God. 00:38:23.159 --> 00:38:24.059 I've been resisting, 00:38:24.559 --> 00:38:25.900 and I just need to hand it over to God 00:38:25.900 --> 00:38:26.139 now. 00:38:27.019 --> 00:38:28.860 Pray for God to break me. 00:38:29.579 --> 00:38:30.079 Thank you. 00:38:30.300 --> 00:38:30.740 Thank you. 00:38:30.940 --> 00:38:31.400 Thank you. 00:38:31.820 --> 00:38:32.300 Thank you. 00:38:33.800 --> 00:38:37.240 Let's do one final question here. 00:38:37.639 --> 00:38:38.340 How many of you would say 00:38:38.340 --> 00:38:39.519 there's somebody on my heart 00:38:39.519 --> 00:38:40.440 that I'm praying for 00:38:40.440 --> 00:38:42.160 that I know they've been resisting? 00:38:42.380 --> 00:38:45.039 I know it's the least likely person 00:38:45.039 --> 00:38:45.840 to turn to Jesus, 00:38:46.079 --> 00:38:48.579 but I just need God to work a miracle 00:38:48.579 --> 00:38:51.119 and break through to their heart. 00:38:51.800 --> 00:38:52.860 They're on my heart right now. 00:38:52.920 --> 00:38:53.420 It's a burden. 00:38:53.579 --> 00:38:54.500 Would you help me bear it? 00:38:54.500 --> 00:38:56.340 Would you pray for this person? 00:38:56.579 --> 00:38:57.179 Slip your hand up, 00:38:57.199 --> 00:38:58.099 and I'll pray for you as well. 00:38:58.179 --> 00:38:58.579 Thank you. 00:38:58.679 --> 00:38:59.420 All over the room. 00:38:59.820 --> 00:39:00.940 God, you see these hands? 00:39:01.039 --> 00:39:01.840 You know the names. 00:39:02.059 --> 00:39:03.000 You know the situations. 00:39:03.239 --> 00:39:04.019 You know the hurt, 00:39:04.139 --> 00:39:05.780 the hangups that are keeping people 00:39:05.780 --> 00:39:06.880 away from you. 00:39:07.059 --> 00:39:08.239 God, by your power, 00:39:08.360 --> 00:39:09.119 by your spirit, 00:39:09.239 --> 00:39:10.159 the same God 00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:11.920 that broke Jonah, 00:39:11.920 --> 00:39:13.000 the same God 00:39:13.000 --> 00:39:14.639 that broke Nineveh, 00:39:15.740 --> 00:39:16.700 the same God 00:39:16.700 --> 00:39:18.139 that conquered Goliath. 00:39:19.400 --> 00:39:20.300 Would you conquer? 00:39:20.420 --> 00:39:21.220 Would you win again? 00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:23.680 Would you, 00:39:23.800 --> 00:39:24.480 by your spirit, 00:39:24.619 --> 00:39:25.260 draw people 00:39:25.260 --> 00:39:26.579 to yourself? 00:39:27.119 --> 00:39:28.599 We'll give you all the glory for it. 00:39:29.000 --> 00:39:30.180 It's in Jesus' name we pray. 00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:30.880 Amen. 00:39:30.880 --> 00:39:31.019 Amen. 00:39:31.019 --> 00:39:31.079 Amen. 00:39:31.079 --> 00:39:31.200 Amen. 00:39:31.200 --> 00:39:31.840 Amen. 00:39:31.840 --> 00:39:32.019 Amen. 00:39:32.019 --> 00:39:32.079 Amen. 00:39:32.079 --> 00:39:32.180 Amen. 00:39:32.180 --> 00:39:33.000 Amen. 00:39:33.000 --> 00:39:33.159 Amen. 00:39:33.159 --> 00:39:33.720 Amen. 00:39:33.720 --> 00:39:33.800 Amen. 00:39:33.800 --> 00:39:33.840 Amen. 00:39:33.840 --> 00:39:34.180 Amen. 00:39:34.180 --> 00:39:34.980 Amen. 00:39:34.980 --> 00:39:35.079 Amen. 00:39:35.079 --> 00:39:35.099 Amen. 00:39:35.099 --> 00:39:35.139 Amen.