WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.080 Jonah chapter 4, as we finish looking at Jonah, the reluctant prophet and a merciful God. 00:00:09.859 --> 00:00:14.540 So we're going to read the whole of chapter 4 and then think about it together. 00:00:16.019 --> 00:00:21.640 Jonah chapter 4. In fact, we'll read chapter 3 verse 10 into chapter 4. 00:00:21.640 --> 00:00:25.800 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, 00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:30.780 he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. 00:00:31.420 --> 00:00:34.880 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:39.179 He prayed to the Lord, O Lord, is this not what I said when I was still at home? 00:00:39.820 --> 00:00:43.400 That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. 00:00:43.780 --> 00:00:46.659 I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, 00:00:47.179 --> 00:00:53.519 slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sin and calamity. 00:00:53.520 --> 00:01:00.580 Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it's better for me to die than to live. 00:01:01.640 --> 00:01:03.940 But the Lord replied, Have you any right to be angry? 00:01:05.520 --> 00:01:08.879 Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. 00:01:09.380 --> 00:01:16.020 There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 00:01:16.680 --> 00:01:20.159 Then the Lord God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:23.159 to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:25.700 And Jonah was very happy about the vine. 00:01:26.299 --> 00:01:28.840 But at dawn the next day, God provided a worm, 00:01:29.219 --> 00:01:31.719 which chewed the vine so that it withered. 00:01:32.340 --> 00:01:37.019 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind 00:01:37.019 --> 00:01:41.579 and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. 00:01:42.140 --> 00:01:43.620 He wanted to die and said, 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:47.099 It would be better for me to die than to live. 00:01:47.099 --> 00:01:49.099 Then God said to Jonah, 00:01:49.799 --> 00:01:52.959 Do you have a right to be angry about the vine? 00:01:53.619 --> 00:01:54.839 I do, he said. 00:01:54.899 --> 00:01:56.699 I am angry enough to die. 00:01:57.539 --> 00:01:58.599 But the Lord said, 00:01:59.060 --> 00:02:00.919 You've been concerned about this vine, 00:02:01.379 --> 00:02:03.359 though you did not tend it or make it grow. 00:02:04.259 --> 00:02:07.119 It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 00:02:07.979 --> 00:02:10.840 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people 00:02:10.840 --> 00:02:14.439 who cannot tell their right hand from their left, 00:02:14.439 --> 00:02:16.780 and many cattle as well. 00:02:17.340 --> 00:02:22.879 Should I not be concerned about that great city? 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:24.359 Amen. 00:02:27.620 --> 00:02:29.639 Now, Ian, as he was sharing his testimony, 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:31.939 was talking about life in a family. 00:02:32.360 --> 00:02:33.280 And I want us to think, 00:02:33.379 --> 00:02:37.520 how do children pick up family values? 00:02:37.620 --> 00:02:40.719 You can think about your own family context, perhaps. 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:42.900 There is usually some kind of process. 00:02:43.060 --> 00:02:46.719 Perhaps we are training and we're giving lessons, 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:47.759 if we're parents, 00:02:48.460 --> 00:02:53.159 looking to model patterns of speech and behavior 00:02:53.159 --> 00:02:56.479 that we feel it's appropriate for them to imitate. 00:02:57.219 --> 00:03:00.439 And there's also that process of inviting children 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:04.120 to reflect on where things don't go so well. 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:05.740 And maybe asking questions like, 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:07.800 How could we have done that differently? 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:12.120 How could you have reacted differently in that moment? 00:03:13.260 --> 00:03:16.520 Now, as we look at the whole story of Jonah, 00:03:16.920 --> 00:03:18.939 in a sense, that's what we have. 00:03:19.020 --> 00:03:22.040 We have God the Father helping Jonah 00:03:22.040 --> 00:03:25.880 to see and adopt his own family values. 00:03:26.340 --> 00:03:28.340 God the Father really wants to highlight 00:03:28.340 --> 00:03:30.140 in Jonah's life for Jonah, 00:03:30.500 --> 00:03:35.260 the importance of mercy and grace. 00:03:35.259 --> 00:03:38.539 So as we've gone through the first three chapters 00:03:38.539 --> 00:03:39.679 of the book of Jonah, 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:41.899 we've seen in God's actions 00:03:41.899 --> 00:03:43.959 what mercy looks like. 00:03:44.579 --> 00:03:45.919 Mercy towards Jonah, 00:03:46.399 --> 00:03:48.239 even while he was disobedient 00:03:48.239 --> 00:03:50.659 and was thrown overboard into a storm, 00:03:50.799 --> 00:03:51.599 sent by God. 00:03:51.879 --> 00:03:54.659 God in mercy sent a fish to swallow Jonah 00:03:54.659 --> 00:03:56.340 as an act of grace, 00:03:56.659 --> 00:03:58.859 giving him a second chance as a prophet. 00:03:58.860 --> 00:04:02.520 We've seen mercy shown to wicked, 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:04.740 pagan Nineveh, 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:07.280 and that they were spared the judgment 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:10.880 because they turned to God in repentance. 00:04:12.020 --> 00:04:14.360 And we hear in chapter four, 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:18.060 God as Father now inviting Jonah 00:04:18.060 --> 00:04:21.040 to reflect on his attitude 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:23.600 to the mercy of God 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:26.720 as it's seen towards Nineveh, 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:28.160 asking him a couple of times, 00:04:28.620 --> 00:04:31.660 do you have the right to be angry? 00:04:32.740 --> 00:04:36.120 So Jonah's story is one of seeing mercy 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:39.420 and then being pushed towards reflecting on it. 00:04:39.500 --> 00:04:42.420 And so that's what I want us to do this morning, 00:04:42.540 --> 00:04:43.940 to reflect. 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:49.880 How am I responding to God's mercy and grace? 00:04:49.879 --> 00:04:54.920 What limits and barriers do you and I 00:04:54.920 --> 00:04:56.800 either deliberately or unconsciously 00:04:56.800 --> 00:04:59.360 put on the mercy of God? 00:05:01.159 --> 00:05:04.459 And is God's mercy towards us in Jesus 00:05:04.459 --> 00:05:07.219 something that we celebrate 00:05:07.219 --> 00:05:10.639 and share with others? 00:05:11.740 --> 00:05:14.240 So two questions for us to reflect on 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:16.939 as we work our way through this passage. 00:05:17.060 --> 00:05:19.579 First one, coming out of the first four verses, 00:05:19.579 --> 00:05:23.300 do I take God's mercy for granted? 00:05:24.259 --> 00:05:26.479 Verse four begins with Jonah 00:05:26.479 --> 00:05:29.439 greatly displeased and angry. 00:05:30.339 --> 00:05:30.859 Why? 00:05:31.039 --> 00:05:32.659 What's prompted his anger? 00:05:32.839 --> 00:05:35.039 And even going back in our story, 00:05:35.159 --> 00:05:37.740 what has prompted his earlier disobedience 00:05:37.740 --> 00:05:40.759 when he ran away from God? 00:05:42.060 --> 00:05:43.979 And maybe the surprising answer is 00:05:43.979 --> 00:05:46.620 it's because of what he has seen 00:05:46.620 --> 00:05:49.459 and what he knows of the character 00:05:49.459 --> 00:05:50.920 and nature of his God. 00:05:51.699 --> 00:05:53.840 There is something that he knows about God 00:05:53.840 --> 00:05:56.019 that makes him not want to go to Nineveh 00:05:56.019 --> 00:05:56.740 in the first place 00:05:56.740 --> 00:05:58.060 and makes him really disappointed 00:05:58.060 --> 00:05:58.920 with what happened. 00:06:00.420 --> 00:06:02.500 So does Jonah think that his God 00:06:02.500 --> 00:06:03.879 is some kind of a tyrant, 00:06:04.340 --> 00:06:05.560 some kind of a monster? 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:07.459 Is that why he pulls away from God? 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:10.639 No, it's quite the opposite, isn't it? 00:06:10.680 --> 00:06:12.660 Look with me at verse two. 00:06:12.660 --> 00:06:16.220 It sounds like a wonderful statement of faith, 00:06:16.320 --> 00:06:19.100 but actually it's the basis of Jonah's complaint. 00:06:19.280 --> 00:06:22.960 I knew that you're a gracious and compassionate God, 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:25.120 slow to anger, abounding in love, 00:06:25.440 --> 00:06:28.580 a God who relents from sending calamity. 00:06:28.840 --> 00:06:31.540 He knew that it was in God's heart 00:06:31.540 --> 00:06:36.780 to pour out mercy on violent, evil enemies in Nineveh, 00:06:36.840 --> 00:06:38.420 and he wants no part of it. 00:06:38.420 --> 00:06:41.860 In verse three, we discover 00:06:41.860 --> 00:06:45.259 that he would rather die than live, 00:06:45.340 --> 00:06:48.500 knowing that God has spared his enemies. 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:51.759 And so the Lord invites him 00:06:51.759 --> 00:06:53.220 to think about his attitude, 00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:56.860 have you any right to be angry? 00:06:57.240 --> 00:06:58.720 Knowing what you know about me, 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:00.439 do you have the right to be angry? 00:07:01.460 --> 00:07:02.560 It's really interesting. 00:07:02.740 --> 00:07:04.660 Jonah obviously knows his Bible, 00:07:04.660 --> 00:07:08.860 and he's got this wonderful picture of God's character 00:07:08.860 --> 00:07:14.040 that God himself has revealed to Moses. 00:07:14.520 --> 00:07:16.740 So way back in the book of Exodus, 00:07:17.300 --> 00:07:20.160 Exodus chapter 34, verses six and seven, 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:23.780 there's a point where Moses asked to see the glory of God 00:07:23.780 --> 00:07:25.760 and God says, you can't see my glory, 00:07:25.960 --> 00:07:28.000 but I'll tell you my name. 00:07:28.440 --> 00:07:30.640 And it's exactly what we have here. 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:36.219 When that happens in the story of Israel is really important 00:07:36.219 --> 00:07:39.039 because God has saved Israel, 00:07:39.180 --> 00:07:40.379 shown mercy to Israel, 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:42.000 rescuing them from slavery, 00:07:42.539 --> 00:07:44.079 brought them to Mount Sinai 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:46.180 so that he could enter into a covenant with them 00:07:46.180 --> 00:07:47.740 so that he could be their God 00:07:47.740 --> 00:07:48.939 and they might be his people. 00:07:49.379 --> 00:07:52.360 But while Moses is away for a few weeks talking to God, 00:07:52.680 --> 00:07:54.039 the people have built, 00:07:54.759 --> 00:07:58.300 constructed a golden image of a calf 00:07:58.300 --> 00:08:00.300 to represent God. 00:08:00.860 --> 00:08:04.500 So while they're turning away from God and his ways, 00:08:05.420 --> 00:08:08.100 God reveals his character. 00:08:08.360 --> 00:08:12.520 God reveals himself after sparing Israel 00:08:12.520 --> 00:08:15.199 from the destruction that he said he was going to bring on them. 00:08:15.259 --> 00:08:17.500 He said to Moses, because of what they've done, 00:08:17.939 --> 00:08:19.699 I'm going to destroy them and start again. 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:22.220 And Moses prayed and God said, 00:08:22.340 --> 00:08:24.580 well, I'll continue with the people. 00:08:24.660 --> 00:08:25.439 So here's the thing. 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:29.040 They knew, Jonah knew, and Israel knew in their history 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:32.379 that it was because of this quality of God 00:08:32.379 --> 00:08:34.559 that they continued to exist, 00:08:35.259 --> 00:08:39.019 but he wasn't happy when it was shown to others. 00:08:39.820 --> 00:08:42.000 That they experienced grace. 00:08:42.200 --> 00:08:43.879 Jonah experienced grace in his life, 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:46.620 God's kindness and love that he didn't deserve or merit. 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:50.879 That he knew what it was to have the compassion of God. 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:54.279 God looking down, seeing their need, seeing their distress, 00:08:54.439 --> 00:08:56.980 and acting out of goodness for them. 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:00.820 That Jonah knew, and Israel knew, the patience of God. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:04.799 That they weren't judged instantly when they'd messed up 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:06.539 and when they'd walked away from God. 00:09:07.019 --> 00:09:09.179 Instead, they had an opportunity to repent. 00:09:09.860 --> 00:09:12.519 That time and time again, the story of Israel, 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:15.000 and the story of Jonah is one of them knowing love. 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:18.840 Living in the overflow of God's infinite love. 00:09:19.639 --> 00:09:22.019 Of receiving forgiveness. 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:26.340 Of knowing that the verdict of judgment against them 00:09:26.340 --> 00:09:29.059 was changed by God's merciful grace. 00:09:29.159 --> 00:09:30.019 They knew that. 00:09:30.179 --> 00:09:32.580 Jonah knew that in his own experience. 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:36.360 And here's again where we see this kind of disconnect 00:09:36.360 --> 00:09:38.299 in Jonah's life. 00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:40.919 And maybe it's something that we have ourselves sometimes, 00:09:41.000 --> 00:09:44.320 where he doesn't display God's family values, 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:47.400 when he doesn't pass on what he's received himself. 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:51.000 So these qualities that have saved Israel, 00:09:51.740 --> 00:09:54.020 these qualities of God that means Jonah 00:09:54.020 --> 00:09:56.480 isn't at the bottom of the ocean, 00:09:57.480 --> 00:10:01.360 he doesn't celebrate that in the lives 00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:02.720 of the people of Nineveh. 00:10:02.820 --> 00:10:04.080 He's enjoyed the mercy, 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:07.820 but he wants God to place limits on it for others. 00:10:08.400 --> 00:10:10.860 It's for us, yes, but not for those people over there. 00:10:10.860 --> 00:10:16.000 He fails to remember that he needs God's mercy 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:20.440 every bit as much as the city of Nineveh does. 00:10:21.620 --> 00:10:26.180 Now at this point, it's very easy to point the finger at Jonah. 00:10:27.220 --> 00:10:29.399 He sounds like a spoiled brat in truth, 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:32.759 but it can become very convicting 00:10:32.759 --> 00:10:34.860 when we turn the spotlight on ourselves, 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:38.600 when we think about how that attitude can play itself out 00:10:38.600 --> 00:10:40.080 in our own hearts and lives. 00:10:41.920 --> 00:10:44.120 One problem that we see Jonah has 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:45.560 is that he divides people 00:10:45.560 --> 00:10:49.360 into deserving and undeserving. 00:10:51.420 --> 00:10:53.220 Maybe it's easy for us to be quick 00:10:53.220 --> 00:10:56.120 to label people as good people 00:10:56.120 --> 00:10:57.519 and as bad people. 00:10:57.639 --> 00:10:58.960 Jonah certainly did that. 00:10:59.500 --> 00:11:01.360 Yes, of course God should show mercy 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:02.840 to the good people, to Israel, 00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:04.420 and to people like me, 00:11:04.419 --> 00:11:07.000 but not to people like Nineveh. 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:09.000 Look at what they've done in their past. 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:11.519 Look at the way they've treated God's people. 00:11:12.839 --> 00:11:14.659 And when we label people, 00:11:15.419 --> 00:11:18.740 it then inevitably influences how we treat them, 00:11:19.759 --> 00:11:22.500 how we speak to them and speak about them, 00:11:22.839 --> 00:11:25.919 how we pray for them or fail to pray for them, 00:11:26.299 --> 00:11:31.199 how we move towards or move away from people. 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:34.820 Think about the leaders in Jesus' day. 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:37.780 This is something that Jesus confronted so often. 00:11:38.560 --> 00:11:39.780 The religious leaders decided, 00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:42.620 okay, the good people that God will be pleased with 00:11:42.620 --> 00:11:45.480 are the ones who are the strict rule keepers like us. 00:11:45.520 --> 00:11:47.600 And so they kept their distance 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:52.300 and shut people off from receiving the mercy of God. 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:53.740 And Jesus was so different 00:11:53.740 --> 00:11:55.960 because he spent time with the tax collectors 00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:57.340 and the prostitutes and the sinners, 00:11:57.420 --> 00:12:00.960 and they were glad to hear God's true message of grace. 00:12:02.200 --> 00:12:04.960 There is a danger when we look at people 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:06.620 and pass judgments on them 00:12:06.620 --> 00:12:11.180 that we then become simply judgmental, harsh people, 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:14.400 that we can segregate ourselves. 00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:16.960 Say, I'm only going to spend time with these people 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:19.500 and pull away from others, 00:12:19.960 --> 00:12:22.200 to label people as no-hopers. 00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:25.200 God would never work in their life 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:27.960 or save someone like them. 00:12:27.960 --> 00:12:30.139 And that's clearly what Jonah has done 00:12:30.139 --> 00:12:31.340 with the city of Nineveh. 00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:33.740 But God's grace and mercy is greater. 00:12:35.019 --> 00:12:36.740 So let's remind ourselves, 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:39.060 there are no people so bad 00:12:39.060 --> 00:12:42.420 as to be beyond the grace of God. 00:12:43.220 --> 00:12:45.560 Nineveh stands as an object less than that. 00:12:45.960 --> 00:12:48.019 And there are no people who are so good 00:12:48.019 --> 00:12:50.100 that they don't need God's grace and mercy. 00:12:50.100 --> 00:12:51.840 And that's what we see in the life of Jonah. 00:12:51.840 --> 00:12:56.940 There's a second problem that we see with Jonah 00:12:56.940 --> 00:12:59.180 that we can perhaps detect in our own hearts, 00:12:59.180 --> 00:13:00.960 and it's that disconnect, 00:13:01.139 --> 00:13:03.800 disconnecting the mercy that we receive from God 00:13:03.800 --> 00:13:06.240 with how we treat others. 00:13:06.759 --> 00:13:10.700 It's why we read that parable from Jesus in Matthew 18. 00:13:11.460 --> 00:13:12.660 It's that heart that's, 00:13:12.980 --> 00:13:15.639 oh yeah, I'm happy to receive mercy and forgiveness, 00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:18.179 but I'm not going to pass it forward. 00:13:19.019 --> 00:13:20.500 And that can happen to us 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:23.500 when the grace of Jesus doesn't melt our hearts, 00:13:23.559 --> 00:13:25.899 it doesn't tear down barriers, 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:27.240 when we don't realize 00:13:27.240 --> 00:13:29.279 that this is an incredible gift 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:30.620 that we don't deserve. 00:13:31.899 --> 00:13:33.419 If we think it's our right, 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:36.919 then it will keep us being harsh towards others. 00:13:39.819 --> 00:13:41.159 Ask yourself the question, 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:45.039 is there somebody who I am bearing a grudge towards? 00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:51.139 Is there somebody that I refuse to forgive 00:13:51.139 --> 00:13:54.139 even when I know that God has forgiven me? 00:13:55.480 --> 00:14:00.220 Or am I jealous of God's kindness shown to other people? 00:14:01.259 --> 00:14:02.500 That I want mercy, 00:14:02.980 --> 00:14:05.659 and I don't like it when this other person seems to prosper. 00:14:07.419 --> 00:14:09.360 Perhaps connected to that, 00:14:10.319 --> 00:14:11.460 does the gospel, 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:15.039 the good news of God sending Jesus 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:16.059 to save sinners, 00:14:16.099 --> 00:14:18.299 does that bring joy and hope? 00:14:19.539 --> 00:14:21.179 Or does it leave me cold? 00:14:22.179 --> 00:14:23.620 Have I become so familiar 00:14:23.620 --> 00:14:24.599 and so comfortable 00:14:24.599 --> 00:14:25.319 and feel like 00:14:25.319 --> 00:14:27.679 this is just something I deserve, 00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:29.860 that it doesn't move me and change me? 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:37.299 I think this is a really convicting chapter of God's word, 00:14:37.419 --> 00:14:38.120 because honestly, 00:14:38.199 --> 00:14:39.639 when you start to think about it, 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:40.839 certainly in my case, 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:44.100 I discover I'm maybe not as far away from Jonah 00:14:44.100 --> 00:14:46.200 as I would like to be. 00:14:47.980 --> 00:14:51.060 We were up in Sky a couple of weeks ago 00:14:51.060 --> 00:14:52.040 visiting my folks, 00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:54.899 and especially last year, 00:14:54.899 --> 00:14:55.800 it was all over the news, 00:14:55.860 --> 00:14:58.460 just how busy Sky is becoming with tourism, 00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:00.139 and it's a real struggle now 00:15:00.139 --> 00:15:03.019 to find any places that are still 00:15:03.019 --> 00:15:04.960 kind of hidden gems where you can go, 00:15:05.340 --> 00:15:06.879 and there's not going to be crowds of people 00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:09.039 and cars everywhere, 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:11.059 and it seems to be a thing. 00:15:11.139 --> 00:15:12.299 We're having lots of conversations 00:15:12.299 --> 00:15:14.740 with different people from Sky, 00:15:14.840 --> 00:15:16.360 and when there's limited space, 00:15:16.820 --> 00:15:18.120 it's a relatively small island, 00:15:18.460 --> 00:15:20.799 and there's limited resources, 00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:23.220 it's a fact that when other people 00:15:23.220 --> 00:15:24.080 are enjoying it, 00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:26.740 when lots of other people are enjoying it, 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:30.139 my pleasure of it is then diminished, 00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:32.240 and so it can be very easy 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:33.519 to have the attitude that, 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:34.779 hang on a minute, 00:15:34.899 --> 00:15:36.019 this is my island. 00:15:36.699 --> 00:15:37.679 Get out of the way. 00:15:38.220 --> 00:15:40.379 I want to go and see the nice places. 00:15:41.139 --> 00:15:41.620 And you know, 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:42.960 sometimes we can do that 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:44.059 with the mercy of God. 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:46.000 We can hoard it for ourselves 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:48.659 as if it was some kind of limited resource. 00:15:49.480 --> 00:15:52.319 But God's mercy is infinite, 00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:55.679 and there should be deep joy in our hearts 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:58.240 when other people come to experience 00:15:58.240 --> 00:15:59.600 that mercy too. 00:16:00.199 --> 00:16:02.059 So let's examine our hearts. 00:16:02.059 --> 00:16:03.399 Let's reflect. 00:16:04.459 --> 00:16:08.379 Do I take God's mercy for granted? 00:16:09.179 --> 00:16:10.239 And if we do, 00:16:10.699 --> 00:16:12.219 what's the antidote? 00:16:12.299 --> 00:16:14.339 How do we get beyond that? 00:16:14.939 --> 00:16:17.099 When we're grudging mercy to others, 00:16:17.179 --> 00:16:19.419 when we are living with a sense of bitterness 00:16:19.419 --> 00:16:20.439 and a lack of forgiveness, 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:21.799 where do we go with that? 00:16:22.959 --> 00:16:23.439 Now, of course, 00:16:23.500 --> 00:16:24.959 the answer is that we need to reflect 00:16:24.959 --> 00:16:27.219 time and again on the gospel 00:16:27.219 --> 00:16:29.279 to remind ourselves, 00:16:30.019 --> 00:16:31.419 you think about the character of God 00:16:31.419 --> 00:16:32.519 that we find in verse 2. 00:16:32.759 --> 00:16:33.759 Remind ourselves, 00:16:34.199 --> 00:16:37.299 God has poured out His grace on us 00:16:37.299 --> 00:16:40.319 in sending Jesus to be our Savior. 00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:44.319 That He has chosen to show mercy to us 00:16:44.319 --> 00:16:45.919 in responding to us 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:49.199 when we were blind and lost and dead in our sin. 00:16:50.199 --> 00:16:52.399 That He is the God who, as Father, 00:16:52.539 --> 00:16:54.279 continues to be patient with us 00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:56.419 when we mess up time and time again. 00:16:56.419 --> 00:16:59.339 When He showed us incredible love 00:16:59.339 --> 00:17:00.939 and holding nothing back 00:17:00.939 --> 00:17:05.819 in sending Jesus to die for us on the cross, 00:17:05.899 --> 00:17:10.119 showing us that great and costly forgiveness. 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:12.379 When we look at Jonah, 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:14.599 we realize that He's not the prophet we need. 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:17.159 Jonah is someone who would rather die 00:17:17.159 --> 00:17:19.259 than see enemies receive mercy. 00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:21.160 But then we look at Jesus 00:17:21.160 --> 00:17:24.420 and we see that Jesus did die 00:17:24.420 --> 00:17:26.599 so that enemies, 00:17:27.160 --> 00:17:31.299 so that you and me could become friends of God 00:17:31.299 --> 00:17:35.180 and know the great mercy of God. 00:17:36.440 --> 00:17:40.379 Second question to reflect on is this one. 00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:45.420 Does God's mercy shape my priorities? 00:17:45.420 --> 00:17:47.140 Verse 5 onwards, 00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:50.019 we find Jonah in verse 5. 00:17:50.120 --> 00:17:54.140 He went out and sat down at a place east of the city. 00:17:55.080 --> 00:17:56.920 There he made himself a shelter, 00:17:57.700 --> 00:17:59.060 sat in its shade, 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:04.300 and waited to see what would happen to the city. 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:07.160 So in case you hadn't noticed, 00:18:07.259 --> 00:18:08.580 in Edinburgh it's festival time. 00:18:09.320 --> 00:18:11.840 So there's lots of people going to various shows, 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:12.980 lots of people looking around 00:18:12.980 --> 00:18:14.340 for the best seat in the house, 00:18:14.339 --> 00:18:15.740 looking for the best kind of shows. 00:18:16.980 --> 00:18:19.199 What's the show that Jonah is looking for? 00:18:20.199 --> 00:18:22.199 He's received his ticket 00:18:22.199 --> 00:18:25.619 to see this wonderful display of God's mercy to Nineveh, 00:18:26.500 --> 00:18:28.399 but he'd quite happily swap it 00:18:28.399 --> 00:18:30.720 for a show of God's swift justice. 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:32.119 He's sitting there thinking, 00:18:32.259 --> 00:18:33.720 maybe God will change his mind. 00:18:34.459 --> 00:18:37.659 Maybe the city will be overturned. 00:18:37.899 --> 00:18:40.699 And again, what we see in the rest of the chapter 00:18:40.700 --> 00:18:44.980 is God the Father's patience with Jonah 00:18:44.980 --> 00:18:48.920 through his reluctance and through his hard heart. 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:52.059 He actually gives him an object lesson 00:18:52.059 --> 00:18:54.420 in order to help him to reflect 00:18:54.420 --> 00:18:59.539 and to change his attitude to the mercy of God. 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:02.019 It's one of those places, again, 00:19:02.140 --> 00:19:04.680 where the Bible is so painfully honest, 00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:06.500 where Jonah is painfully honest. 00:19:06.500 --> 00:19:09.839 You know, we're not presented with caricatures 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:13.880 of spiritual superheroes who never get things wrong, 00:19:14.180 --> 00:19:17.440 but rather we get very honest pictures of God's people 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:21.019 so we remember that everybody needs the grace 00:19:21.019 --> 00:19:22.079 and mercy of God. 00:19:22.839 --> 00:19:25.240 So Jonah gets an object lesson. 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:29.359 We see a theme of the Lord God providing. 00:19:29.900 --> 00:19:31.339 Just as in chapter one, 00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:34.579 it was God who provided the fish to swallow Jonah, 00:19:34.579 --> 00:19:36.839 an act of grace towards him. 00:19:37.199 --> 00:19:38.779 So we see in verse six, 00:19:39.199 --> 00:19:41.779 the Lord God provided a vine 00:19:41.779 --> 00:19:45.319 and that vine gave very valued shade. 00:19:45.960 --> 00:19:47.759 Jonah was very happy about the vine. 00:19:48.399 --> 00:19:49.439 But then verse seven, 00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:54.339 God provides the worm to destroy that shade. 00:19:54.779 --> 00:19:55.919 And then in verse eight, 00:19:55.919 --> 00:20:00.579 he provides a scorching east wind. 00:20:00.579 --> 00:20:05.119 And Jonah is outraged. 00:20:05.879 --> 00:20:11.419 I am angry enough to die about the loss of this vine. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:15.639 And God picks up on that heart attitude 00:20:15.639 --> 00:20:20.119 and uses it to employ a lesser to greater argument. 00:20:20.539 --> 00:20:22.599 Well, Jonah, if you care about this vine, 00:20:22.980 --> 00:20:24.339 which you didn't plant, 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:25.460 you didn't look after, 00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:26.759 it sprung up and then it was gone. 00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:28.500 If you care for that, 00:20:29.379 --> 00:20:31.920 shouldn't I care for the great city of Nunavut? 00:20:32.339 --> 00:20:34.940 Shouldn't I care for those people that I made 00:20:34.940 --> 00:20:36.960 that are image bearers of God, 00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:39.440 those that don't know their left hand from their right, 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:42.039 meaning they're morally and spiritually ignorant? 00:20:42.220 --> 00:20:43.079 Shouldn't I care? 00:20:43.379 --> 00:20:46.180 I don't want to extend mercy to them, 00:20:46.339 --> 00:20:50.279 to those who'd be lost without God's intervention. 00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:54.799 And so Jonah's heart is being challenged. 00:20:54.799 --> 00:21:00.259 How is he going to respond this time to God's mercy 00:21:00.259 --> 00:21:02.379 when God says, 00:21:02.700 --> 00:21:07.599 should I not be concerned about that great city in verse 11? 00:21:08.039 --> 00:21:11.119 But notice, we don't hear Jonah's answer. 00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:15.059 We're kind of left with one of those cliffhanger moments. 00:21:16.399 --> 00:21:19.720 Will Jonah grasp the greatness of God's mercy? 00:21:19.899 --> 00:21:24.700 Will he learn to celebrate it in the lives of others? 00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:28.639 At this stage in his story, 00:21:29.639 --> 00:21:32.119 we can see that God's mercy 00:21:32.119 --> 00:21:33.819 hadn't gone all the way down to his heart 00:21:33.819 --> 00:21:36.099 to really change his outlook, 00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:37.599 to change his priority. 00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:42.019 His priority was his personal comfort 00:21:42.019 --> 00:21:45.200 more than people's conversion. 00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:51.139 He was more ready to see a vine preserved 00:21:51.140 --> 00:21:57.660 than to see 120,000 lives saved by God. 00:21:58.460 --> 00:22:00.120 Again, he was very happy 00:22:00.120 --> 00:22:03.940 to receive more examples of God's mercy 00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:05.280 and kindness to him, 00:22:06.100 --> 00:22:07.920 but he wasn't yet ready 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:10.840 to rejoice at God's mercy to outsiders. 00:22:10.839 --> 00:22:14.679 One of the things about cliffhangers, 00:22:14.779 --> 00:22:16.939 and Jesus does it sometimes with his parables as well, 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:18.379 they invite us into the story. 00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:22.839 How does the story go in our lives? 00:22:23.919 --> 00:22:25.980 Again, I find it very convicting to see, 00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:30.059 here is Jonah focused on his very small problem. 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:32.879 He's a bit hot and bothered. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:38.900 Failing to see the potential devastation 00:22:38.900 --> 00:22:42.180 that Nineveh had been saved from. 00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:45.020 And again, it seems crazy, 00:22:45.080 --> 00:22:46.340 and he seems like a spoiled brat, 00:22:46.440 --> 00:22:47.460 and then we ask ourselves, 00:22:47.560 --> 00:22:48.400 well, hang on a minute, 00:22:48.760 --> 00:22:50.900 how much time and money and energy 00:22:50.900 --> 00:22:54.800 do we spend on first world problems? 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:58.500 How easily are we distracted 00:22:58.500 --> 00:23:01.299 from the stuff that really matters? 00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:04.419 What is it that absorbs our time? 00:23:04.879 --> 00:23:07.059 What is it that gets our hearts? 00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:11.740 I wonder, do you need to pray with me 00:23:11.740 --> 00:23:14.180 for a heart that hurts more 00:23:14.180 --> 00:23:15.700 for those who are lost 00:23:15.700 --> 00:23:17.440 and who are far from God 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:18.919 and who have no interest 00:23:18.919 --> 00:23:20.819 in knowing Jesus Christ is Lord? 00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:25.899 To pray that we would be moving towards people 00:23:25.899 --> 00:23:28.960 because we know that nothing matters more 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:31.599 than knowing Jesus Christ as Lord, 00:23:31.639 --> 00:23:33.399 rather than getting absorbed 00:23:33.399 --> 00:23:36.119 in the relatively small and trivial stuff 00:23:36.119 --> 00:23:39.539 of our lives compared to that eternal perspective. 00:23:41.939 --> 00:23:46.559 Again, to borrow from the imagery of the festival, 00:23:46.740 --> 00:23:48.319 think about those shows 00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:49.559 that are going on all the time. 00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:52.539 God's incredible show of mercy 00:23:52.539 --> 00:23:55.779 and grace in Jesus to the world 00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:59.960 is not something to watch from the stands. 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:03.000 It's not something to politely applaud 00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:06.059 or like Jonah sometimes to get frustrated by. 00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:09.539 Rather by faith, we're invited onto the stage. 00:24:09.639 --> 00:24:11.500 We're invited to be players, 00:24:11.659 --> 00:24:13.240 to receive that mercy 00:24:13.240 --> 00:24:15.859 and then to share that mercy with others, 00:24:15.940 --> 00:24:18.220 to be directed by the Lord Jesus, 00:24:18.220 --> 00:24:19.920 to live lives that are all about 00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:23.200 demonstrating the mercy and love of God 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:25.519 in our communities. 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:33.400 Again, as we finish our time with Jonah, 00:24:33.860 --> 00:24:35.759 we're left here with Jonah 00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:37.720 at a weeping prophet 00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:40.819 because a city, Nineveh, 00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:44.379 turns to God and is saved. 00:24:46.159 --> 00:24:48.200 He's not the prophet we need. 00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:52.059 We need Jesus, the true prophet, priest and king, 00:24:52.139 --> 00:24:54.639 the one who weeps over Jerusalem 00:24:54.639 --> 00:24:58.200 because that city would reject him 00:24:58.200 --> 00:25:00.599 and would face destruction 00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:02.799 because they would turn their back 00:25:02.799 --> 00:25:05.680 on their saviour and king. 00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:05.819 Amen.