Morning all. If you don't know me, I'm John Lau. I've been here a long time.
Over the last seven weeks, we have been studying the Old Testament Book of Jonah.
! Do you have a chance to reveal those sermons? Did you miss any one of them?
Let me encourage you to go to our church website or our YouTube channel to hear or watch Jonah again.
As Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, why do we spend two months reading a book from the Old Testament?
What does the Book of Jonah or his story have to do with Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of the Christian faith, as it says in Hebrews chapter 12?
The Book of Jonah set out to help us to understand who we are as God's creation,
especially about the situation and conditions that humans are in,
and who God, our day creator, is,
to understand his grace and compassion through the treatment and interaction between the characters of the Book,
the sailors, the Ninevites, Jonah, and God.
The Book of Jonah teaches that God's grace and compassion,
His love, extend beyond Israel to the other nations into the whole creation.
Grace is for everyone.
The Book of Jonah demonstrates God's grace and compassion through his unrelenting pursuits towards his prophet Jonah
to draw to attention the inconsistency of his claims of being a follower and worshiper of God.
And in turn, it's also written for us to reflect on our relationship with God.
Instead of accepting that they are calling to help others come to know the true God,
to know about his grace and compassion,
many believers like Jonah pick and choose who they share God's love with.
If someone has wronged or hurt them,
they will expect God to lay out retribution.
They are willing to step towards those people.
Many Christians consider people of certain ethnicity are more dangerous or barbaric.
They look at people holding different belief systems to them as enemy of God,
or people with certain practice in life as outcasts.
But in fact, they cause God more grief than those unbelievers.
To treat others with contempt is not acceptable to God.
To show conformity of action on the outside,
but harbor bitterness and curses in your heart,
is as wicked as those deliberately rebels against God.
Let's revisit how God pursued Jonah
through Jonah's interaction with the sailors, the Ninevites, and God.
And how Jesus used Jonah in his teaching.
So if you turn to me back to Jonah,
in chapter 1,
it tells us that after the word of the Lord come to Jonah,
sending him to go to Nineveh
and preach against his wickedness,
Jonah went away to the opposite direction
to flee.
In verse 4 of chapter 1,
it tells us that
the Lord sent a great wind on the sea,
and such a violent storm arose
that the ship threatened to be broken up.
The sailors each cried out to their own God
and was doing everything to save their life.
And the captains found Jonah
in deep sleep under deck.
What the captains say to Jonah
revealed something common
about how people treat their gods.
He tells Jonah to get up
and call on your God,
maybe take notice of us
so that we will not perish.
To many people,
their God is at a distance.
They only approach their God
when they want something.
They do not have an ongoing relationship
with their God.
Looking at Jonah,
even though he understands
his God is of heaven
who made the sea and dry land,
do you agree that
he tried to flee from God
so that he thinks like those sailors
and other people too?
He saw no difference to the unbeliever.
He does not understand
the uniqueness of the Lord
that he came to worship,
and he misses the heart of grace
and compassion of the Lord.
A typical case of familiarity
breeds contempt.
He came to worship or feed the Lord,
but in his heart of hearts,
there is another God
that takes the center place.
The sailors pray and ask the Lord
not to hold them accountable
for the killing of an innocent man.
For you, Lord,
have done all you please
just before they threw Jonah
into the sea.
They believe the divine being
always do as they please.
Isn't that what a lot of people
believe too?
Or maybe you also believe that.
We can see all through
the book of Jonah,
he did exactly that.
He did only what pleases him.
And what takes place
in Jonah's heart
is himself.
He, in fact,
is his own God.
Such as they want to save themselves,
the sailors were not willing
to sacrifice someone
to achieve their salvation,
especially an innocent man.
Repeatedly,
the sailors did their best
to save each other,
but in the end,
they have no choice
but to rely on the word
of the Lord
through his wayward prophet.
We will come back
to this sacrifice
of the innocent later.
After throwing Jonah overboard
and a raging sea
climbed down,
the sailors realized
that the Lord
has answered
this desperate plea
to save them.
The sailor
saw what genuine faith
and worship looks like.
In verse 16,
at this,
the men greatly
feared the Lord
and they offered
a sacrifice to the Lord
and made vows to him.
The God-appointed prophet,
the man who think
he is all right with God,
ran away
and tried to flee from God.
Where the pagan sailors
became a true believer,
understood that they have saved
by God's grace
and compassion
when they understand
that salvation
was only from the Lord.
They entered
into a confident relationship
with God
by vows.
What a contrast
between Jonah
and the sailors.
To Jonah,
the Lord
is only another mean
for him
to get what he wants.
This fact
about Jonah's heart
shows up more
in his interaction
with the Ninevites.
With the word
of the Lord
come to him
a second time
after the fish
vomited him
out on dry land.
In chapter 3 of Jonah,
it tells us that
the great city
of Nineveh
was so large
that it takes
three days
to go across it.
And Jonah
didn't even go
into the heart
of the city.
He only walked
one journey.
And he proclaimed
the dooming message,
40 more days
and Nineveh
will be overthrown.
He delivered
the Lord's message
with accuracy
but without
any compassion
or grace.
The fact that
he went out
of the city
and sat down
and waited to see
God's place
judgment on Nineveh
after the whole city
has already shown
signs of repentance,
so even more
about his heart.
Further on,
he became angry
at God
when God relented
and did not bring
the destruction
on the city.
He had threatened.
Jonah's reaction
reveals again
how far
his heart
is from the Lord.
He is so blinded
towards God's grace
and compassion
for all people.
The king of Nineveh
in chapter 3,
verse 9
was betting on
the possibility
that maybe God
will relent
and with compassion
turned from
his fearsome
anger
so that they
will not perish.
He is willing
to stop
and give up
all their evil
ways
and their violence
and physically
show signs
of remorse
to exchange
for God's mercy.
They are willing
to untrust
their life
into the mercy
of God
and respond
to God's correction.
Historically,
we know that
the change
by the Nineveh
was very short-lived.
We might even
question
the generiveness
of their repentance.
But their quick
response
to repent
in repentance
was praised
by Jesus
as we have
just read out.
Saying both
Matthew 12,
41
and Luke 11,
32
that the man
of Nineveh
will stand up
at the judgment
with this
generation.
and condemn it
for they repent
at the preaching
of Jonah
and now something
greater than Jonah
is here.
The speediness
of the Nineveh
in responding
to Jonah's message
is a great contrast
towards Jonah's
lowness
in coming to terms
of God's grace
and compassion
of the idols
of his own heart.
God uses sailors
to show Jonah
what it means
to truly fear
and worship him.
is to honor
the relationship
you have
with God.
Submit
and commit
to him.
God used
the Nineveh
to show
the slowest
of hearts
and the idols
in Jonah's heart.
What has God
shown you
over the last
seven weeks?
What is the lesson
that you have been
taking on your heart?
looking at Jonah's heart,
it got me thinking
about his prayer,
especially
with this hindsight
of what happened
in the interaction
between God
and Jonah
in chapter 4.
Going back
through this
just a short
four chapters
of Jonah,
I would say
the sinister side
of me
do wonder
about the state
of mind
of Jonah
when he say
those prayers
in chapter 2.
I do not think
Jonah's prayer
in chapter 2
is a confession
and repentance prayer.
It sounds more like
he was glad
that even though
it was dark
and fishy,
disgusting,
smelly,
at least
he's not
in the lake of fire.
As he sat around
in the dark
in the belly
of the fish,
he was still alive,
maybe even
gaining some strength.
I wonder
in chapter 2
his prayer
is it just
a thanks
thinking that
God somehow
is still alright
with me.
God had kept me
to race again
in the resurrection
that last day
because that's
what the Jews
believe.
That's what Martha
tell Jesus
when Jesus
told her
that Lazarus
will rise again
in John 11.
I'm thinking
that because
just as Jonah
thinks that
he's still alright
with God,
maybe he's thinking
that him
offering himself
as a sacrifice
to save the sailor
have,
even now
he's running
away from God
and he's less guilty
because of
selfish act.
As he cries,
salvation comes
of the Lord!
I'm ready to stay
here until the last
day!
And God
commanded the fish
to back him out.
It's like God
said,
rightio,
go to the great
city,
to Nineveh
and proclaim
the message
I gave you
and make good
on your vow
to serve me.
Jonah's anger
towards God
for relenting
from destruction
and his
tension
sped about
the plans
show me
that he still
has many,
many
things to God
and that's
why I do not
think his
prayer in the
belly of fish
is a sign
of repentance.
Last week,
look at the
compassion of God
from chapter 4.
God's compassion
manifests
by his
concern about
Jonah
by providing
a plan
to ease
his discomfort
and sending
him to the
great city
with 120,000
Ninevites
who cannot
tell the right
from the left.
I can't tell
my left.
But he said
right from the left.
God voluntarily
attached himself
with Jonah
and Ninevites.
He patiently
guided,
provided
for his
wayward prophet
to lead him
to repentance.
for someone
who has
all the right
to be angry
with Jonah,
God gently
asks with
great restraint,
is it right
for you to be
angry?
Is it right
for you to be
angry about
the plant?
To provoke
Jonah into
a deeper
self-reflection.
God relentlessly
pursued Jonah
to turn him
away from the
idol that will
eventually
destroy him
and turn him
back towards
God himself.
God used
a plant
to sprung up
overnight
and die
overnight
to show
to Jonah
the inconsistency
of his worship
towards him.
There was no
rebuke,
no harsh
words.
The way
that God
dealt with
Ninevites
and Jonah
truly support
Jonah's
understanding
about God
that he is
a generous,
gracious,
compassionate God,
slow to anger
and abandoning
enough.
God has all
the time
he has
and he'll
use all
the time
they need
to get
to repent
and turn
to him.
Let me say
that again.
God has all
the time
he has
and he'll
use all
the time
needed
to turn
us
and repent
back to him.
it's like
what Peter
teaches
in his
second letter
in chapter 3
verse 8 to 9.
Do not
forgive
anything,
dear friends.
With the Lord
a day is like
a thousand years
and a thousand years
is like a day.
The Lord
is not slow
in keeping
his promise
as some
are slowest.
Instead
he's patient
with you
not wanting
anyone to perish
but everyone
to come to repentance.
if God's
grace
and compassion
can change
someone like
Jonah
who also
changed you
and bring you
into a new life
alive under
our Lord
Jesus Christ.
In Jesus'
time
both
Luke
told us
that Jesus
referred to
Jonah
in his
teaching
especially
when
the religious
leader
come to
see him.
Matthew
12
verse 38
which have
read out
for us
before.
Then some
of the Pharisees
and teachers
of the Lord
said to him
we want
to see
a sign
from you.
He answered
a wicked
and dangerous
generation
asked for
a sign
but none
will be
given it
except the
signs of
the prophet
Jonah.
For as
Jonah
was three
days
and three
nights
in the
belly
of the
hill
fresh
so the
son of
man
will be
three days
and three
nights
in the
heart
of the
earth.
Again
in Luke
11
starting
verse 29
it reads
as the
crowds
increased
Jesus
said
this is
a wicked
generation
they
asked
for
signs
but
none
will
be
given
it
except
the
sign
of
Jonah
as
Jonah
was
a
sign
to
the
Nine
so
also
will
the
son
of
man
be
to
this
generation
Jesus
has
very
strong
word
for
the
religious
leader
because
they
think
they're
good
enough
to
be
accepted
by
God
but
they
could
not
recognize
who
Jesus
is
and
reject
the
one
only
true
son
of
God
when
they
question
Jesus
authority
and
demand
a
sign
from
him
none
will
be
given
it
except
the
sign
of
the
prophet
Jonah
Jesus
mentioned
two
things
in
these
two
passages
firstly
he
creates
the
experience
Jonah
has
in
the
belly
of
the
hills
fish
to
his
experience
of
the
three
days
and
three
nights
in
the
heart
of
the
earth
Jonah
will
not
to
be
thrown
into
the
depth
of
the
sea
to
save
the
sailor
even
the
pagan
sailors
would
not
accept
that
killing
the
innocent
man
is
forgivable
but
Jesus
who
is
innocent
without
sin
has
made
to
be
sin
offerings
for
us
so
that
in
him
we
might
become
the
righteousness
of
God
when
Jesus
went
to
the
cross
he
repeats
the
suffering
of
Jonah
but
in
an
infinite
greater
degree
when
he
cries
out
on
the
cross
my
God
my
God
why
have
you
forsaken
me
for
he
went
into
the
death
of
the
death
and
separation
from
God
into
the
death
of
divine
judgment
to
save
Jonah
and
us
secondly
as
Jesus
was
assigned
as
Jonah
was
assigned
to
the
most
wicked
people
of
his
time
the
Ninevites
so
also
Jesus
the
son
of
man
is
assigned
to
this
generation
I love
this line
from
John's
preaching
this is
I'm just
quoting you
again
let me
say it
again
if God
can save
both
Ninevites
and
Jonah
if God
can cause
them to
change
there's
no man
or woman
too
sinful
that God's
grace
and compassion
cannot
touch
or save
and there's
no man
or woman
that's so
good
that do not
need God's
grace and
compassion
groan
if
you
are
a
Christian
no
matter
how
you
only
recently
come to
submit
your
life
to
Jesus
or
you
have
been
one
for
almost
your
whole
life
when
you
hear
about
the
gospel
of
Jesus
every
Sunday
or
doing
your
own
reading
of
God's
word
has
it
driven
you
to
deeper
levels
of
humanity
grace
compassion
and
forgiveness
towards
others
especially
those who
have
groan
will hurt you. Is Jesus your true joy and treasure? Don't get caught up with earthly things that
spun up overnight and die overnight. Praise God when suffering and hardship comes into your life,
for they are God pursuing you, like how he pursued Jonah, to make you holy and helping you become
worthy of the calling you have received. Remember Jesus your Lord and the things they have done for
you to be right with your Creator, your Father in heaven. We are saved not because of what any
righteous things we have done, but purely because of the grace and compassion of our God, of his mercy.
If our gracious and compassionate God can change the Ninevites and Jonah,
he will save and change you too.
Come, let's sing for joy to the Lord. Let's shout aloud to the rock of our salvation.
Let's come before him with thanksgiving and instill him with music and song, for the Lord is the great
God, the great kings above all gods. In his hands are the death of the earth, and the mountain peaks
belong to him. The sea is his, for he has made it, and his hands form the dry land.
Come, let's bow down in worship. Let's kneel before the Lord, our maker, for he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice,
do not harden your heart. Repent and believe the good news.