It is good to be in church with you this morning.
We're coming to the end of January,
which means hopefully you're starting to click out of holiday mode
if you had the privilege of being in holiday mode.
I'm sure work is coming back, school is about to go back.
Here at church, life is getting very busy,
particularly if you work in the youth department,
as we prepare to take our kids away for five days and four nights.
I know a few parents that are very appreciative
that we're going to give them a relaxing week off,
but it is busy and we're about to actually finish our Jonah series today
and then we'll be launching into a very exciting series,
not next week but the week after,
wrestling with who our God is,
wrestling with the question of the Trinity.
Now I wanted to warn you up front because that's sometimes a scary word,
but it's an important thing for us to wrestle with
and so we're going to spend quite a few weeks wrestling with that
and what that means for us as followers of Jesus.
So please be praying for the staff who are going to be preaching in that series,
that they won't just be talking over here and we'll all miss it,
but pray that as we wrestle with who our God is,
that that will shape us and change us.
But that said, let me pray and then we'll get stuck into finishing up
what we've been looking at through January and Jonah.
Father God, we want to thank you for the opportunity this morning to gather.
Father, we want to thank you for the slightly cooler weather.
We want to thank you for the gift that you have given us in your word
that we might hear you speak,
that you may work in us by the power of your spirit
and we ask that this morning that that would happen,
that it would not just be us sitting in the room together,
but that it would be your will being done
and that we would be transformed as a result of being here.
Amen.
Just to quickly remind you where we've been in the last couple of weeks,
two weeks ago we opened up Jonah 1
and kind of looked a bit beyond Jonah 1 as well,
but we were reminded that God is sovereign,
that God's will is unstoppable,
that even disobedient Jonah and disobedient us
can't stop what God is doing.
A week later we were reminded that God is a God who speaks
and when God speaks, stuff happens
and we were reminded that God speaks to us in his word
and so when we gather and have God speak to us,
stuff happens.
And so it is important that as we approach this morning
that we're ready for stuff to happen.
We're ready for God to do what he is going to do.
And so today we're going to open up Jonah chapter 4
and we're going to look a little bit back into Jonah as well
at one final thing about God
that I think the story of Jonah teaches us.
I don't know if you've noticed,
but something that I think all people are born with
is a sense of justice.
I have the joy of seeing this in action
in a 10-month-old at the moment.
It is amazing how even at 10 months old,
Bailey knows when somebody has stolen what is his.
If he has a toy that belongs to him
and somebody else wants to play with it,
he knows that he is entitled to that toy
because it's his.
And so if they steal it,
he is pretty quick to take it back
or to go and find something of theirs
that he can steal to balance the ledger.
He met his cousins for the first time over Christmas
and they're all still a little bit uncoordinated.
And so one cousin would push the other cousin over
and Bailey would very quickly grab them by the hair
and try and bang their head on the floor.
I maintain it was good-spirited,
but the reality is that even at that young age,
he knows that when something is done,
there is an equal reaction.
There is justice that is due.
They say that the best way to split a piece of cake in half
for two kids is to ask one to cut it
and the other one gets to choose.
You can be sure that it will be exactly down the middle.
But funnily enough,
we have the exact same sense of justice as we get older.
We try and be a little bit more subtle
about what we think we're entitled to,
but you know that feeling when you're sitting in the car in traffic
and somebody sneaks up the bus lane
and there's just this anger and rage
that makes you want to zip out at the last minute
and have them jam on the brakes
and you don't want to let them pass
because you're doing the right thing
and you're entitled to be in front of that person.
Maybe it's at work.
You're being honest.
You are making sure that you let the boss know
what you're spending on what
and you are not cheating in any way, shape or form,
but for some reason the people who are cheating
seem to be doing better than you.
They seem to have that little bit more money.
They seem to be first in line for promotion
and we have that sense in us that this isn't right.
We know what we deserve
and we want what we deserve.
We don't think that's unreasonable.
It's not unrealistic.
We just want what we have earned,
what we are entitled to.
But the problem is
that we do the same thing with God.
We want what we deserve with God.
We want Him to be loving towards us.
We want Him to look after us.
We want Him to protect us.
We want Him to make us healthy and well.
But is that what we deserve from God?
Is that what we are entitled to?
As we look at the story of Jonah,
I want to show you the way God responds to people.
Look quickly with me at chapter 3,
which we looked at last week.
Jonah has arrived at the city of Nineveh.
He has proclaimed that Nineveh will be destroyed
because of how it has been living
and then Nineveh repents.
Verse 7.
The king gets up.
He issues a proclamation
by decree of the king and his nobles.
Do not let any man or beast,
herd or flock, taste anything.
Do not let them eat or drink,
but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth.
Let everyone call urgently on God.
Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.
Who knows?
God may yet relent and with compassion
turn from His fierce anger
so that we will not perish.
Does God have to
forgive Nineveh at this point?
They've repented.
They've showed some obvious remorse.
They're fasting.
Even the king has gotten off his throne.
He's put sackcloth on.
He's showing that they know
they did the wrong thing.
He's showing that he knows
he's accountable to God.
But the question is,
does God have to
stop delivering the promised judgment
that He had sent?
What about with Jonah in chapter 4?
Jonah sits outside the city
all frustrated and angry
and God provides a vine
to give him shade.
Does God have to
provide that vine for Jonah?
Does Jonah deserve
that vine?
Does Nineveh deserve
God's forgiveness?
Now, Jonah might be
an easier answer,
but for those of you
who maybe feel
a little bit inside
that maybe Nineveh
does deserve
God's forgiveness.
I mean,
they're saying sorry.
They're acting sorry.
It's not even just words.
They obviously mean it.
I want you to imagine
for just a second
that somebody
breaks into your house.
You're home
and so to steal
the things that they want to steal,
they have to
physically restrain you,
perhaps hurt you
and they go through your house
stealing things
that matter to you,
stealing family heirlooms,
trashing your place
and from that point on
you will never feel
quite as safe
as you once did
in your home.
Now,
eventually the police
manage to catch
this person
who has broken
into your house,
who has stolen your things,
who has attacked you
and throughout the trial
it's obvious
that this person
is guilty.
It's obvious
that they've done
the wrong thing.
When it comes time
for sentencing,
the robber says,
I'm really sorry
and really means it.
You can tell,
somehow you just know
that there is genuine remorse
in what they're saying.
Would you be okay
if they just got let off?
They're saying,
sorry.
Is that enough?
Of course not.
It's not unloving
for you to want justice
in that situation.
It's not wrong
for you to want justice
in that situation.
That person has done
something illegal.
They have hurt you.
They have harmed you.
And so it is good
and right
that they face
punishment for that.
And the same
is true with God.
It's good
that Nineveh
has apologized,
that Nineveh
is repentant,
that Nineveh
is remorseful.
But it doesn't
therefore mean
that God
must forgive them.
Justice still
needs to be done.
Their wickedness
was at the point
where God would decree
that the whole city
will be destroyed.
And so sorry
does not cover over
what they've done.
Grace at its heart
fundamentally
is something
that you don't
deserve.
God's goodness
to Nineveh
in holding
his judgment back,
God's goodness
to Jonah
in providing
a tree,
in providing
a fish,
is not
what they deserve.
It is a gift
from God
that is very
generously given.
See the issue
that we face
in chapter 4
and verse 1,
Jonah is greatly
displeased
because of God's
grace.
Jonah is angry
that God
is showing grace
to Nineveh.
He is frustrated
because in his eyes
Nineveh
deserves
punishment,
deserves
judgment.
I mean,
if you can
understand why
Jonah feels
this way,
Nineveh is a city
that has repeatedly
attacked Israel,
God's people,
of whom Jonah
is one,
and will continue
to attack.
And so Jonah
looks at this city
and he's like,
God,
what are you doing?
They deserve
your punishment.
They're not like us.
We're your people.
They deserve
to be crushed
and destroyed.
He's sitting outside.
He gets a good vantage point.
It's like New Year's Eve
fireworks for him.
He wants to see
how spectacular
God's judgment
will be
because these people
are wicked
and they deserve
to be crushed
by God.
But can you see
the problem?
Jonah has gone
from being somebody
who has received
this gift of grace,
received this gift
that he did not deserve,
he's gone from
being someone
thankful
to being somebody
who thinks
he's entitled,
to somebody
who thinks
it's his right
that God
should forgive him,
that God
should love him,
that God
should protect him.
And we do
the same thing.
When we first
become Christians,
there is not
even a hint
of,
I deserve this.
So it's not
how it works.
Essential to
becoming a Christian
is realising
we need God
to do something
for us
that we can't
do ourselves.
But somehow
from that point,
slowly but surely,
we become people
who deserve
God's grace.
And you can tell
because just like Jonah,
we start to look
at other people
who we think
don't deserve it,
shouldn't receive it,
aren't entitled to it.
Think of the way
you respond
to those
who annoy you,
those who hurt you,
how would you feel
if
a rapist
was to walk
into church
and say,
I want to know God?
How would you feel
if a murderer
was to walk
into church
and say,
I want to be forgiven,
I know I've done
the wrong thing?
Would you have
this sense of joy
that somebody
has come from
such darkness
to know the life
that is in Jesus?
or maybe like Jonah,
if we're honest,
we would think
they don't deserve
to be here.
They don't deserve
God's forgiveness
no matter how much
they apologize.
But me,
I deserve it.
This is mine.
This is what
I'm entitled to.
We've got to understand
like Jonah needed
to understand
we are sinful
just like everyone else.
Jonah was a prophet,
he was part of God's people,
he was in a privileged position
but he was still sinful
and he deserved
from God
the same kind of judgment
that God promised
for Nineveh.
It actually doesn't take
that much honest
self-reflection
to realize that
all you deserve
from God
is judgment.
We need to be
very careful
that in the grace
that he has shown us
that we don't stop
seeing ourselves rightly.
God has been good
to us
but not because
of who we are.
God has given us
grace
which by definition
is something
that we don't deserve.
There is no pattern
in Jonah
or in life
for the recipients
of grace.
Look again
at chapter 3.
Having just made
their decree
at the end of verse 9
the king says
who knows
God may
yet relent
and with compassion
turn from his fierce anger
so that we will not perish.
There is no confidence
that because they have repented
God must
or God will
and in verse 10
when God saw
what they did
and how they turned
from their evil ways
he had compassion
and did not bring upon them
the destruction
he had threatened.
Have a look at
chapter 2
verse 7
This is Jonah's prayer
from inside the fish
When my life
was ebbing away
I remembered you Lord
and my prayer
rose to you
to your holy temple
Those who cling
to worthless idols
forfeit the grace
that could be theirs
but I
with a song of thanksgiving
will sacrifice to you
what I have vowed
I will make good
salvation
comes from the Lord.
Now it feels like
there is a bit of similarity
Jonah admits
that he has done
the wrong thing
and thanks God
for grace
but just look
a little bit closer
Nineveh repents
hoping that God
might forgive them
Jonah has already
been saved by God
Jonah was thrown
into the sea
and rescued by God
into the belly
of a fish
and having been saved
he thanks God
for his salvation
Nineveh
says sorry
and pleads for help
Jonah is still
running away
when God chooses
to show him grace
there is no
commonality
between the two
that we can say
this is what you must do
to get grace from God
this is who is worthy
of God's grace
Jonah is almost
just like a spoilt
child at this point
I'm sure you've been
in the shops
and seen that child
who is yelling
and screaming
and insisting
that mummy buys
another lolly
or another toy
or whatever it is
and if mum gives in
and gives that lolly
or toy
the child is ecstatic
for at least five minutes
before they've found
something new
that they want
Jonah is running
from God
and in chapter 2
having been saved
he is overwhelmed
with God's grace
and salvation
but by chapter 4
he is angry
at what God is doing
there is nothing
in Jonah
that makes him worthy
of God's grace
and love
of the goodness
that God has shown
what we see
when we look
at this story
what we see
when we look
at grace
is that it's about
the giver
not the receiver
grace is all
about God
last week
we reminded
that God's word
is all about God
it's always there
to point us
to God
and this story
of Jonah
and the grace
that God shows
is to tell us
that God is gracious
and that he is
compassionate
there was a clue
there in chapter 3
verse 10
when God saw
what they did
and how they turned
from their evil ways
he had compassion
on them
compassion is from
within God
it's something
he generates
it begins with him
it ends with him
it comes from him
everything
is generated
by the giver
when it comes
to grace
grace tells us
that our God
is slow to anger
that he is abounding
in love
and that he forgives
even unworthy
servants
like Nineveh
like Jonah
and like us
God's grace
to us
does not say
that we are important
God's grace
to us
does not say
that we are good
God's grace
to us
shows us
his incredible love
when we grasp
for just a second
that God
sees us
like he sees
Nineveh
that God
sees us
like he sees
Jonah
as sinful
as disobedient
as rebellious
we understand
that God's grace
to us
is about him
it's not about us
it's about his
willingness to love
people
who refuse
to obey him
people who are
running from him
people who ignore him
95% of their lives
grace
is about
the God
who gives
grace
not about those
he gives grace
to
God's grace
to us
is that
instead of
giving us
the judgment
and punishment
that we deserve
he gives us
Jesus
God's grace
to us
is put on
display
when you read
a chapter
like Romans
3
verse 10
of chapter 3
says
there is no one
righteous
not even one
no one who
understands
no one who
seeks God
all have
turned away
they have
together
become
worthless
there is no one
who does good
not even one
that's the picture
God sees
that's the situation
we're in
we are unacceptable
we are detestable
and yet
God looks
and with compassion
gives us
Jesus
we must
understand
the depths
of our own
sinfulness
if we are going
to understand
the grace
of our God
when we confess
like we did
just earlier
when Lindy led us
and we do regularly
here in our services
we must be careful
not to just
mouth those words
without actually
reflecting on the fact
that there are
things in us
today
potentially in the
last hour
in the last 10 minutes
that we need
to confess
because only
when we recognise
those things
will we begin
to grasp
the depth
and breadth
of God's
incredible love
and grace
to us
in Jesus
that like
Jonah
we can sit
angry
outside the wall
that God
would show
grace to another
and yet
his grace
is so far
reaching
that that does
not cancel out
what God
has done
for us
it is all
because of God
all because
of what he
has done
and all because
of the love
that he has
shown us
God's grace
when you begin
to grasp it
is overwhelming
the last verse
of Jonah
is significant
having challenged
Jonah
God says
this
Nineveh has
more than
120,000
people
who cannot
tell their
right hand
from their
left
and many
cattle as
well
should I
not be
concerned
about that
great city
God's grace
is not
dictated
by
how worthy
the people
in front
of him
are
God's
grace
is dictated
by the
need for
grace
that he
sees
in front
of him
I wonder
how you
look at
people
around you
do you
look at
them based
on how
they treat
you
based on
the things
that they
say
the clothes
that they
wear
the job
that they
have
the things
they do
in their
spare time
or do
you look
at them
as somebody
who needs
God's
grace
or knows
God's
grace
they're the
only two
categories
God has
those who
need
God's
grace
or those
who know
God's
grace
for us
who know
the forgiveness
that comes
in Jesus
for us
who know
the love
that reaches
us when
we are
still running
that chases
us down
that does
not fail
there is
no room
for pride
no room
for entitlement
what I
deserve
is a word
that I let
go of
when I
start to
follow
Jesus
what I'm
entitled
to
is something
that I
let go
of
when I
follow
Jesus
because
everything
is now
defined
by what
God
gives me
because of
his
great love
not because
of what I
deserve
there is no
room for
boasting
and no
room for
pride
only
gratitude
and
thankfulness
one of
the things
that we
have started
doing in
youth ministry
here at
St Paul's
and that I
also did
in my
previous
church
is we
made a
decision
and if
I'm honest
I made
a decision
and told
everyone
else
we decided
that we
would preach
through the
gospels
through Matthew
Mark
Luke and
John
every week
we did
Mark for
almost two
years
we have
just begun
John
and we are
working through
that
summer camp is
going to help
us make
some progress
forward
and next
year we
will begin
Luke
and that
will probably
take us
two or
three years
to get
through
we are
just doing
it a little
bit at a
time
just working
slowly
but surely
and sure
enough
after enough
time
in my
previous
church
I was
six years
as the
youth
pastor
and kids
start to
figure out
what you're
doing
it takes
them surprisingly
long
but eventually
they figure
out that we
just been
doing the
same book
every week
that all we
keep looking
at is Jesus
week after
week and
they're like
can't we
look at
something
else
I need
something
a bit
meatier
than Jesus
and that
is the
most
concerning
thing
that any
Christian
can ever
say
but you'll
be amazed
at how
often
you hear
it and
not just
from
teenagers
as soon
as we
stop looking
at Jesus
we have
begun to
treat him
like something
we own
something we
deserve
something we're
entitled to
I've got him
now I'm ready
for the next
stuff
that is never
how following
Jesus works
the gospel
says you
deserve to
be punished
from God
you deserve
to be separated
from God
but because of
his love
because of
his compassion
you can
instead know
life and
hope and
a relationship
for all
eternity
do you
look at the
people around
you
based on
what they
do
how they
dress
what they
say
how they
treat you
or do you
look with
God's eyes
and see
only those
who know
God's grace
and those
who need
God's grace
to you
is that you
might show
God's grace
to other
people
God's love
for you
is to release
you from
this sense
that you're
better than
anyone else
and instead
enable you to
realize that
his love is
so incredible
a gift
for you
that he's
going to let
you share
that incredible
gift with
other people
God's grace
doesn't even
stop when we
take the step
of following
him
when we
make the
decision to
call ourselves
a Christian
and completely
give our
lives to
his purpose
and his
glory
his grace
is new
each and
every day
as he
chooses to
guide us
step by
step through
situations
and relationships
as he
places those
in need of
God's grace
in our
path
that we
might love
them
and share
the gospel
with them
and speak
of the hope
that we
have in
Jesus
grace is
by definition
something that
we do not
deserve
we need to
remember that
grace exists
not to make
us feel
special
but to
show us
our glorious
loving
compassionate
and majestic
God
and grace
does not
exist to
just sit
here
grace exists
to flow
through you
the people
around you
that need
that grace
too
will you
start looking
with God's
eyes
and see
the people
who need
to know
what you
know
let's
pray
father
god
we want
to thank
and praise
you that
you love
us even
though we
don't deserve
it
we want
to thank
you that
in the
story of
Jonah
we are
reminded
that
you alone
have the
power to
forgive those
who are
unworthy
that you
alone have
the love
and compassion
to forgive
people who
are disobedient
and rebellious
that you
alone have
the patience
to bear
with consistently
disobedient
servants like
Jonah and
like us
father please
forgive us for
looking on other
people as less
deserving or less
worthy of your
grace
instead open our
eyes to see you
clearly
to see your
love
to see our
own sin
and to be
reminded constantly
that your love
holds us
that your love
humbles us
so that we
may be
exalted
with you
for all
eternity
father give
us eyes
to see those
that you
bring into
our lives
and across
our path
who don't
yet know
the hope
that we
have
give us
boldness
to speak
to them
give us
hearts
that love
them
even if
they are
our
enemies
even if
they hurt
us
help us
to trust
in the
power of
your grace
to transform
even the
darkest
heart
god
please
let your
grace
overflow
in us
keep us
from just
holding on
to it
ourselves
may we
be a
fountain
that just
waters
the earth
that you
have
placed
us
on
that
brings
your
love
and your
hope
and your
forgiveness
to people
who are
desperately
searching
for
meaning
and
identity
god
give us
your eyes
to see
amen