Day Old Toast

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:15-23)

Beloved,

Have you eaten a piece of toast that was left out over night?  It still is toast, but it does not taste the same.  Its staleness deadens the richness of the flavors.  It can still offer some nourishment, but it lacks freshness and vitality.  The prayer life of many Christians is like day old toast.  It still may offer some nourishment, but it is not satisfying. Prayer with the Triune God should not be stale, but vibrant and rich. 

One of the best ways to overcome a stale prayer life is to dig into the plethora of prayers in the Bible. For example, read the prayer of the Apostle Paul above.  It is rich with deep gospel truths and precious promises God has given his people.  Paul prays for the Spirit to give wisdom and revelation to the saints so we can grasp the riches of our future inheritance.  He prays of the immeasurable greatness of God’s power demonstrated in Christ’s victory over the grave that God is fully able to fulfill His promises. 

Reading this prayer fills my heart with eternal hope built on the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Paul’s prayer is beautiful and soul-inspiring, and yet, it is only one of the countless examples of what we should pray in God’s Word.

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Be Moving Luke 18:35-43

           

 Mez McConnell is the pastor of Niddrie Community Church in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mez was raised in a broken home and turned to drugs and violence as a teenager.  His violence landed him in prison.  While in prison, two Christian men came to visit Mez.  He was skeptical of Christianity and his only prior experience with Christians was not positive. He was impressed that these Christians drove over 300 miles to visit him and share the message of Jesus with him. As he was getting ready to be paroled, he needed a place to live and was invited into the homes of one of these Christian men who drove over 300 miles to share the message of the gospel with him.  Mez had never experienced such love and mercy from another human being. This love and mercy that was foreign to his life of poverty, drugs and violence broke Mez’s heart with the gospel of Christ. 
            Mez was transformed by this gospel and decided to spend his life sharing this message with the world.  After finishing Bible college, Mez wanted to return the favor of these men who moved towards him with the gospel in moving towards others with the same message of hope. Mez founded a ministry called 20schemes to plant gospel-centered churches in the poorest neighborhoods of Scotland.  20schemes moves church planters into the poorest communities or schemes in Scotland to reach the social and spiritual outcasts with the hope of Jesus Christ.  Their ministry of moving towards sinners with the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ is a life we all should model.

            As Christians, our lives should always be moving towards sinners with the gospel. As a church, we should always be moving towards sinners so that they can experience the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. This should epitomize our lives because it epitomized the life of Jesus Christ.  Jesus was always moving towards sinners. Over the last several weeks, we have followed Jesus’ journey as He makes his way towards Jerusalem.  He has met a broad cross-section of society from lepers to Pharisees, poor widows to rich rulers calling all of them to come and follow him.  Jesus was always moving towards sinners and I pray we will follow his example.

Be Moving towards Sinners

            It is important to remember that the last person Jesus encountered was the rich young ruler. Jesus told him that to inherit eternal life, he had to let go of the one thing that was keeping him from Christ (his riches), and to come, follow him.  The rich man went away sad because he would not let go of his riches so Jesus continues his journey and meets someone on the opposite end of the spectrum. Luke 18:35-37,

As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

Luke does an excellent job using space to identify favor.  Twice in his section he uses “near” both in verse 35 and in verse 39. Luke is drawing attention to the movement of Jesus. 

            He drew near specifically to Jericho. Jericho was where the Lord told Joshua to march around the city and blow the trumpets to bring the walls down. Luke mentioned Jericho in chapter 10 in the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. In both stories, salvation is a very key theme connected to Jericho. The blind man sat begging on the roadside near Jericho waiting for salvation and he hears a crowd coming.  He is curious why there is a crowd and is told that, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

            Jesus always appears to be passing by sinners.  Jesus lived so that he would be passing by sinners.  Is that your life? How often are you in situations where you are passing by sinners? Or more accurately, directly going towards sinners?  Beloved, we are so often too comfortable in the walls of the church. We would much rather gather with one another rather than go with one another to sinners in our community. How do we expect the lost to be saved unless go to them?       

            John 20:21, “Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” God the Father sent Jesus to sinners and Jesus is sending us to sinners.  So if we are not moving towards sinners, are we being obedient to Jesus?  We cannot shield ourselves from sinners, but we must go to them.  How do we model a life where we are moving towards sinners? Let me offer a few suggestions:

Open your Home: One of the best ways to reach those who do not know Jesus is to invite them into your home for food and fellowship. Share your lives with one another. Allow people into your lives so they can see what truly matters to you.

Shop and eat at the same places: When we frequent the same places, it is easier to build relationships with the people who work there.  Be nice and make friendly conversation. Ask questions and listen.  Regular three to five minute conversations can produce long term relationships.

Workplace: Be a good employee. Work hard at your job as if you are working for the Lord not man. Exercise fairness and kindness in how you supervise your employees and in how your honor and respect your coworkers. Show a vested interest in the people you work alongside, not just to get them to come to church, but because you genuinely love them and want them to experience the grace of Christ in their lives.

Recreation: Make the most of your hobbies.  Whether it is golf or kayaking, invite non-Christians to enjoy those activities with you. Parents, make a point to develop relationships with the parents of the other children at ballet or soccer.  These are opportunities that are right in front of us if we are intentional.  

Arrive early/Stay Late: The key to moving towards sinners (and saints) is relationships. It takes time to build relationships with people. Can I challenge you to work hard to get to places early and stay a little while afterwards so that you can be intentional in building relationships?

Jesus took time to move towards sinners.  This is the essence of the gospel. Jesus came to us who were far from God to bring us near to the Father through his life, death and resurrection. He is now leading us to spread the knowledge of Him everywhere including to those who are still far from God. Ask this question to each other today during lunch, “How can we move more towards sinners?”

Be Merciful towards Sinners

            The only way for sinners to experience God’s mercy is through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus not only moves towards sinners, but is merciful towards. Luke 18:38-42,

And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.”

It is important to notice how different this blind man responds to Jesus compared to the rich young ruler. The rich young ruler had everything, but could not see who Jesus truly was while this blind man had nothing, but could see clearly.  He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” He did not call him Jesus of Nazareth, but Jesus, Son of David.  He identifies Jesus as the Anointed One or the Messiah. 

            After David brought back the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, the Lord makes a covenant with David, 2 Sam 7:12-14,

When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.  He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.

God promised to establish a forever kingdom with a forever king on a forever throne.  All of Israel was waiting for this Son of David to come and establish His kingdom forever. The Scripture reveals that this Son of David is Jesus of Nazareth.  This blind man appeals for God’s mercy from the Son of David. 

            Now notice those who were crowded around to see Jesus.  They had come to see the same Jesus, but they did not understand who he truly was just like the disciples did not grasp that Jesus was the Messiah (v. 34). The crowd did not show the blind man mercy or allow him to call out for mercy, but attempted to silence him. 

Isn’t it amazing how often people attempt to silence those who speak about Jesus Christ’s true identity? From school officials to government leaders, the leaders of the crowd are working to silence believers from calling out and from extending mercy.  1 Thessalonians 2:15-16 says that the Jews, “displease God and oppose all mankind by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved.” Anyone who works to hinder the proclamation of the gospel is opposing all mankind because it they are silencing the only means of salvation.  It is as if someone drowning and refusing to throw them a lifesaver or starving and refusing to give them food.

Although the crowds attempted to silence the man, the blind keep begging for mercy.  Notice the end of verse 39, “But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” We can never allow people to silence us for crying out to the Son of David for mercy.  He is the only one who can give mercy.  Jesus looked at him and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” If Jesus looked at you and asked you, “What do you want me to do for you?” How would you answer? This man answered with that which he had longed for again and again, “Lord, let me recover my sight.”  He wanted to see and the Lord gave him sight. Focus on the last phrase that Jesus said: “Your faith has made you well.” 

      Friend, if you are a not a follower of Jesus, the Bible says that you are not well, but sick. We are sinners and separate from God. Our sin causes spiritual blindness hindering us from seeing our real need.  The only way you can get well is if you realize that you are helpless and blind and then to call out for mercy. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve.  We all deserve hell for our sin, but thanks be to God, who moved towards sinners through Jesus Christ to give us mercy. Jesus died in the place of sinners for whoever would call out for mercy and recognize Him as Lord.  We have hope in Christ because after his death, God raise him from the dead.  So now we have the promise that for those who are in Christ, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Friend, turn from your sins and trust in Christ.

Be Moving towards the Savior

           

The blind man was not like the rich young ruler, but tax collector and the persistent widow. The outcasts were the ones to experience God’s mercy not the rich and powerful.  This story of the blind man is the real-life illustration of the one who humbles himself will be exalted. See how the blind man responds to the Lord’s mercy, by moving towards Him, verse 43,

And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

The man received his sight and followed Jesus.  The same invitation to follow Jesus went out to the rich young ruler, “come, follow me” (Luke 18:22), but he didn’t accept the offer.  The offer went out to the one who had everything, but he loses it all, while the same offer goes out to the one who had nothing, but he gains it all.  The proud will fall and the humble will be exalted. 

            The blind man received his sight.  His faith in Christ made Him well.  He moved towards his Savior and glorified God.  This is what we are all called to do.  We are called display our faith by moving towards Jesus and glorifying God. We draw near to Jesus by reading and meditating on His Word, by praying and serving Him in the church.  The promise of the Scripture is when we draw near to Jesus, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). But notice the results when we move towards the Savior as this blind does, “And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.”

            Our drawing near to God is never only for ourselves, but it is also for those who are around us. We have the great privilege and opportunity to help others experience a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ by how we live.  Our lives will always affect someone else.  I have been reminded often this week about Paul’s words about Timothy in Philippians 2:19-21,

I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

It is easy to find people who are concerned with their own welfare and not those of Jesus Christ.  What set Timothy apart was how he was genuinely concerned for the welfare of others and for the glory of Jesus Christ and not only for his own interest. 

This should be the regular practice in the local church. As members of the same body, we should labor to show our love for one another. I have countless examples of “Timothy’s” in our church, those who show a genuine interest in the welfare of others. My heart is often encouraged as I look at the faithfulness of brothers and sisters in our local church as they express a genuine and sacrificial love for one another. Likewise, my heart is grieved when I see individuals concerned with their own interests rather than the interests of the others in this local body. I pray we would be a church where it would not be rare to find “Timothys,” but rare to find “Diotrephes,” who was described in 3 John 9 as one, “who likes to put himself first.” Ask yourself are you more like Timothy, “who is genuinely concerned for others,” or like Diotrephes, “who likes to put himself first?”

            When a person places their faith in Christ, their main aim is to please Jesus and to live for His glory. And when Christians follow Jesus, something amazing happens. Others will follow Jesus too.  We see this in Matthew 5:16:

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

And again in 1 Peter 2:12,

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

And again in Philippians 2:14-16,

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life,

As we move towards the Savior, we become spotlights to the world of his glorious grace.

           

During a power outage everything falls to darkness.  Darkness overtakes the light. In that darkness a very powerful tool is a flashlight.  A flashlight breaks through the darkness enabling sight, but a flashlight is useless if it is without power.  We are flashlights of God’s grace in a world of darkness, but we are useless if we are not charged with God’s power.  God wants to use his people to shine his grace to a lost and dying world.  How do we shine? How does God want to use us to be lights to this world?

            As mentioned above, we are lights as we live holy lives. As we walk closely with Jesus, our lives are changed by his grace to reflect his glory to the world. People see our deeds and they give praise to God.  Yet we never want to draw attention to ourselves, but through ourselves to God.  We want people to see the light. 2 Corinthians 4:3-6,

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

When we move towards the Savior, we do not proclaim ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord. We want the eyes of the world to be opened to the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

            A blind man on the road begging for mercy, lost in darkness. The Savior moves towards him and he believes and his eyes are opened to see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ so he follows Jesus.  And as he follows Jesus, others see it, and give praise to God. If you want to be used by God as a light to a dark world, you must draw near to the Savior, Jesus Christ.  Walk with Jesus and proclaim the gospel.  People will see your good deeds and hear your good words and when they see it, they will give praise to God.  Be always moving towards the Savior as you walk among sinners so that they will experience God’s mercy.  

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What does the Lord require? (A study of the prophet Micah)

The unemployment rate is a political marker of success. Presidents are judged on the rise and fall of the unemployment rates of our country.  The creation of new jobs is essential for the future stability of our country. Over 2 million degrees are awarded annually to college graduates.  Students go to college to they can meet the necessary job requirements of future employment.  In a job opening, an employer lists a number of preferred qualifications for the applicant, but also lists some minimum requirements.  Most jobs require a minimum level of experience and/or education to make candidates viable for effective employment. 

            Minimum requirements are something that we all face every day. Whether it is the requirements necessary to file taxes, change our address or renew our car insurance, we all are very familiar with minimum standards and necessary requirements.  It is fascinating how we are so familiar with requirements in the natural world, but do not understand the requirements in the spiritual world.  What does the Lord require of His people?  Does God have expectations and standards that He wants His people to fulfill? Does He have minimum requirements for effective employment into His Kingdom? 

            We continue through our series of the Minor Prophets with Micah.  Remember these books are not called minor because of their importance, but due to their length.  These books are short, but speak to eternal things.  Micah prophesied for about 20-25 years to the kingdom of Judah in the 8^th century B.C. The book begins with the word of the Lord coming to Micah 1:1,

The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. (Micah 1:1).

We should never take for granted that God speaks to His people. God is not impersonal, but intimately personal with people.  He speaks. And because He speaks, we would be wise to listen.  The word of the Lord given to Micah helps us answer that eternal question, “What does the Lord require?”

The Lord Requires the Discipline of Sin

            The book opens with the pronouncement of judgment against Israel and Jerusalem for the sins of the people.  Micah 1:2-7,

Hear, you peoples, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it, and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. For behold, the LORD is coming out of his place, and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains will melt under him, and the valleys will split open, like wax before the fire, like waters poured down a steep place. All this is for the transgression of Jacob and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what is the high place of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem? Therefore I will make Samaria a heap in the open country, a place for planting vineyards, and I will pour down her stones into the valley and uncover her foundations. All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces, all her wages shall be burned with fire, and all her idols I will lay waste, for from the fee of a prostitute she gathered them, and to the fee of a prostitute they shall return. (Micah 1:2-7)

Destruction is coming upon God’s people, because of their spiritual apostasy.  They have not been true to the Lord, but have chased after idols. 

            The reason for such rampant idolatry among the people rests on the shoulders of the leaders. They have disregarded God’s Word and led the people into sin.  Spiritual leadership is crucial to the spiritual health of God’s people. All throughout Scripture, leaders have either encouraged righteousness or wickedness.  This can be clearly seen in the books of 1 and 2 Kings.  As each King is announced, it says that “he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” or “he did  what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.” As leaders go, so goes the people.  And the leaders in Judah committed grievous sins,

And I said: Hear, you heads of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel! Is it not for you to know justice?— you who hate the good and love the evil, who tear the skin from off my people and their flesh from off their bones, who eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones in pieces and chop them up like meat in a pot, like flesh in a cauldron…Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight, who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the LORD and say, “Is not the LORD in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.” Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height. (Micah 3:1-3, 9-12)

God will bring judgment on nations because of poor leadership.  The key heart of the leaders is exposed in the second verse, “you who hate the good and love the evil.”

This is the opposite of what leaders should do both in the church and in the government. 1 Peter 2:13-14,           

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.

Leaders should encourage and praise those who do good and punish those who do evil. The leaders in Judah were punishing those who do  good and praising those who do evil. Can I encourage you to pray for your leaders?  Pray for our government leaders (local and national).  Pray for your church leaders (pastors and deacons).  God requires sin to be punished so pray that God would guide leaders to lead people in the way of righteousness. 

            The Lord brought this judgment against Judah as a discipline.  Discipline is an act of love.  God’s discipline shows how He delights in righteousness and truth. And it shows how He loves His people.  He does not want His people to stay in their sin and face future judgment, but He requires us to be delivered from sin and experience mercy. 

The Lord Requires the Deliverance of Sin

            God’s Word always reveals His character.  After a book full of harsh judgments, Micah closes his book in a way that reveals His tender love and mercy, Micah 7:18-20,

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

These three verses contain beautiful and precious promises and they remind us of how unique and truly special our God is.  Even the name Micah means, “Who is like you Yahweh?”  He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love. His love will be demonstrated in casting all our sins into the depths of the sea. 

            God will show compassion on us.  He will show His compassion to us to fulfill the promise He swore to Abraham that through his offspring He will bless all the nations of the earth.  God has done this ultimately in Christ.  The Lord requires us to be delivered from our sin and repent, but we are unable to bring about our own deliverance. The Bible says we are dead in our trespasses and sin.  Things that are dead have no power to bring life.  They are incapacitated and lifeless.  Our sin must be dealt with. So God in His infinite grace and compassion sent Jesus Christ to deal with our sin.  He dealt with our sin by absorbing our sin on the cross. He suffered for all our grievous sins.  He paid the penalty for our sin in full so that through faith in Christ all our sins are cast into the depths of the sea where we will never bear them again.  This promise is true because after death, Jesus Christ was raised from the dead to the right hand of God placing everything in subjection to Him.  He brings life from death for anyone who would turn from their sin and trust in Christ.

            We see the promise of the Christ in Micah when he speaks of the Messiah coming from Bethlehem, the smallest of clans of Judah, Micah 5:2-5a,

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace.

God requires deliverance from sin, but the Lord gives the deliverance. Who is like our God? He makes demands of us, and He meets the demands for us.  We have peace with God because of the Christ that comes from Bethlehem to stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. 

            The deliverance the Lord gives through Christ is pictured the gathering of all of God’s people from every tongue, tribe and people on the face of the earth. Hear God’s promise to gather his people, Micah 2:12-13,

I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men. He who opens the breach goes up before them; they break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king passes on before them, the LORD at their head. (Micah 2:12-13)

And Micah 4:1-7,

The Mountain of the Lord It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall decide for strong nations far away; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever. The Lord Shall Rescue Zion In that day, declares the LORD, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away and those whom I have afflicted; and the lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from this time forth and forevermore.

The Lord will one day gather all His people around His throne.  The Lord will reign forevermore and we will experience all the pleasures at His right hand through all eternity.

            It is a great promise, so what does the Lord require of us so that we can ensure that we will be part of those assembled to the Lord?

The Lord Requires the Departure of Sin

            We know right from wrong. We all have the moral law written on our hearts pricking our consciences when we sin against God or others.  Many try to insinuate that it is impossible to know God’s will and what He requires of us. They act as if God is unknowable. The Bible paints very different picture. The problem with humanity is not knowing the Lord’s requirements, but desiring to do them.  Micah 6:6-8,

“With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

We are clearly told what God wants us to do and how God wants us to live: to do justice, love kindness (mercy), and to walk humbly with your God.

            Do Justice. A believer departs from sin and wants to do justice.  We want to fight for what is right and honorable.  We care for widows and orphans.  We love the poor and the downtrodden.  One of the best ways to show justice is to care for your families as they are aging.  One of the greatest testimonies of justice and godliness is when a child cares for a dying parent.  I have never had to walk that road, but I have witnessed it.  It is a picture of God’s heart for justice to care for those who cannot care for themselves. 

            Love kindness.  Thomas Hobbes wrote in his seminal work, Leviathan, “And the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” We so often experience life in that way.  We see pictures of that all over society, but we must be rays of light. We must cherish and treasure kindness. When was the last time your heart rejoiced in seeing kindness? Think on kindness. Think on God’s kindness. Think on God’s kindness expressed in the local church. 

            Walk humbly with your God. When you are walking with God, you are not walking towards sin.  Humility and abiding in God’s Word are weaved together like grace and mercy.  They are intimately connected.  Humility is a disposition of constant need.  We do not try to leave God’s hand because we know we are in ever need of His presence. We never need to look any further for true humility than our Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians 2:5-8,

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

What does the Lord require of you?  He requires you to die to yourself, pick up your cross and follow Jesus.  You must die to live.  The Lord requires you walk in the footsteps of Christ.  Walk humbly with God. The key to all of life is walking humbly with God.  God invites you to depart from your sin by walking humbly with God. 




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Christ over cliches

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6

Beloved,

Have you ever gone through a difficult season of life and someone handed you a cliché like, “Don’t worry about it, just trust in God?” In moments of sorrow and sadness, Christian clichés are not balm for the soul, but salt in the wounds. Clichés rarely produce their desired effect, but that does not mean there is not powerful truth tied to their message.

God says that we should not be anxious about anything, but to share everything with God in prayer with thanksgiving.  Philippians 4:6 is a profound verse, because of the totality of space it covers. We are not to be anxious in anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  How can God tell us not to be anxious about anything? Aren’t there things that we have the right to worry about?  Doesn’t a lack of anxiety often show a lack of love? 

God is not asking us to live without anxiety, but rather to take our anxiety to God in prayer. Prayer is an act of love and trust in our God. God loves us and He is in control. Spurgeon says, “If I cannot trace his hand, I can always trust his heart.” We may not always understand the situations in our lives, but we can always trust that God will work in the midst of it for our good and for His glory (Romans 8:28). 

Prayer is a gift we must preserver to pursue.  Persevering prayer allows us to refocus our hearts off of our problems and on to the God who is bigger than our problems. Prayer helps us notice the sparrows who are not forgotten by God and reminds us that we are much more valuable than they (Luke 12:31).  In moments of sorrow and sadness, God does not give us clichés, but He gives us Himself.  Let us go to Him with love, perseverance and gratitude.

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True Delight (Luke 18:18-34)

           

Benjamin Franklin was one of our revered and honored founding fathers. He is known for his incredible intellect and numerous inventions.  His wisdom has endured through the ages in his pithy, wise sayings.  For example, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” Or “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”  He was the founder of the University of Pennsylvania where I received my undergraduate degree, so I have heard many of his sayings.  A common Franklin quote is actually a misquote taken from a letter he wrote to André Mollett in 1779 saying,

Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards, there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine, a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.[1]

Of course this would be one of the favorite quotes among college students, and most Americans have modified this quote by saying, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” 

            Franklin believed that God wanted humanity to be happy. The pursuit of happiness was one of the reasons he loved America. He said, “The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.”  America was founded on the idea of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  The question for us is “what makes us happy?” Franklin had his own ideas of what people should pursue to find happiness, and he is not alone.

            In a quick internet search of happiness, it seems that everyone has their own idea of what people should pursue to be happy: organic foods, chocolate, laughter, spending time outside, watching sports with friends, family, exercise, sleep, etc. It seems everyone has their own ideas of what brings happiness.  We all want to be happy, and we spend most of our lives pursuing things to make us happy only to discover they live us empty.  The truth is many of us do not know what makes us truly happy.  Is there a pursuit that will not leave us empty, but help us attain true and lasting happiness?  That which will fill us with true delight?

            We all have different activities we may enjoy, but there is only One true pursuit that can bring lasting happiness, and that is the pursuit of God.  Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”  The Lord is the only one who can give us what we truly desire, because He is the one who made us and knows the deepest desires of our hearts. In this passage, Luke shares how Jesus tries to help one man find true delight, and I pray that through his life we may also discover how we can find true and lasting joy. In looking at his man’s life, let us ask three questions of our own lives in the hopes we will be led to pursue true happiness.

Are you Distorting your Righteousness?

            A rich young ruler came to Jesus with the right question, verse 18, “And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” This indeed is a great question.  If you are not a Christian, how would you answer that question? Be a good person.  Do more good things than bad things.  Love people.  Go to church. Jesus responds in verse, 19,

And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” (Luke 18:19-21)

Jesus tried to expose how this young man had a distorted view of his own righteousness by stating that only God is good.  He was judging himself with the wrong standards.  Like the Pharisee in the passage above, he trusted in himself and his own righteousness. 

            The rich young man believed he was acceptable to God because he believed that he had not broken any of the commandments Jesus referenced. Notice how his reply, “All these I have kept from my youth,” reveals his distorted righteousness.  In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5), Jesus deepens these external commands to that of the heart.  Has this man ever been angry? Then, according to Jesus, he has committed murder of the heart (Matt 5:22).  Has this man ever had a lustful thought? Then, according to Jesus, he has committed adultery of the heart (Matt. 5:28). Jesus was trying to help this man see his distorted righteousness and to see his desperate need for a Savior. 

            It is almost as if he asked, “what he must do to inherit eternal life?” expecting to hear, “You’ve got it covered. Way to go. Well done. Eternal life is yours.” We all have asked questions expecting to get a pat on the back.  “How did those steaks taste?”  (Thinking they were grilled to perfection) “Do you like my new haircut?” (Thinking this is the best I’ve looked in years). Jesus does not give him the answer he was expecting, but says in verse 22,

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.

The man still lacked one thing.  His wealth was keeping him from following Jesus. He had false hope in his good works and false trust in his riches.

            Notice that Jesus answers the rich man’s question with three words at the end of verse 22, “Come, follow me.” Eternal life is found only in coming and following Jesus Christ. Jesus graciously told this man exactly what he needed to hear.  He exposed the idol of his heart and said lay down the one thing that is keeping you from following me.  Lay down your riches and give it away, and you will have treasure in heaven. Give it away, and come, follow me.  Jesus is offering this man true happiness.  Psalm 16:11,

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

True pleasure is only found when we loosen our grip on this world and pursue the presence of God where there is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. 

            So what’s your one thing?  What are you gripping so tight that it is keeping you from coming to Christ and following him? Before you can hold fast to Christ Jesus, you have to let go of lesser things.  What are you holding on to so you cannot hold onto Christ?  A relationship?
Your reputation? Your riches? Can I plead you this morning to let go of that one thing and cling to Christ?  Please know that you cannot hold on to that one thing and hold on to Christ. Imagine a rope connecting two cliffs with you hanging in the middle with one hand gripped to the rope and the other firmly grasping that one thing that is keeping your from Christ. Suddenly your hand that is clinging to the rope is starting to slip and the only way you are going to survive is if you loosen your grip on that one thing, letting it fall so that you can cling with two hands to be saved from death. 

            Let go of whatever is keeping you from Christ. Jesus wants to give you eternal life, but you must forsake all, come and follow him. 

           

Are you Deceived by Present Riches?

           

The rich young man was given the answer to his question.  He was given the truth, but would he listen?  Verse 23,

But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:23-25)

This man was extremely rich and yet he went away sad.  Money cannot buy true happiness. Even Ben Franklin wisely states,

Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has, the more one wants.

It is hard to loosen the grip to riches.  The wealthy will not enter the kingdom of God because the pride of their riches inhibits them from receiving the kingdom like a child. 

            Have you ever noticed that those who are extremely rich feel they are above the law? They believe that their wealth entitles them to a certain level of respect and privilege. It is hard for the wealthy to walk in humility. Riches are not the problem, but the deception that comes with riches.  Prosperity trains us to believe that we do not need God. God warned his people of the seduction of prosperity in Deuteronomy 8:11-14,17-18;19-20

“Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God; Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, And if you forget the LORD your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. Like the nations that the LORD makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.

Prosperity can deceive us and cause us to worship other gods besides Jesus Christ. 

            How you spend your money is a great barometer of your spiritual health. None of us may be extremely rich like this man, but that doesn’t mean we are not deceived by our riches. I quoted the statistic last week, but 12% of evangelical Christians give 10% of their income to church or a charitable organization. This means that 88% of Christians do not tithe.  If you do not tithe, why not? It could be that you are in a rough financial situation and trying to correct things so that you can tithe.  It could be that you just think you couldn’t make it by tithing. It could be you don’t think you need to tithe.  Listen to my heart, this is not me trying to boost our giving, but me trying to care for your souls.  The way you handle your money is a reflection of your heart, and an indicator of whether you are finding your happiness in God or in other things. 

            Giving is an act of obedience and a display of love to God.  It is not natural for us to loosen our grip on our riches.  It is an act of God.  Verse 26, “Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” We are not saved by our wealth, but in our faith in Christ.  We give because we believe that God loves a cheerful giver. In giving we are storing up for ourselves treasure in heaven which means we are putting our faith in the resurrection from the dead.  So it could mean that a lack of giving is a sign of deception and a lack of faith. Do you know the number one way to grow your faith?  Exercise faith.  If we want to grow our faith muscles, then we have to exercise them.  And what is a better way to exercise our faith than through our checkbooks?  

Are you Delighting in Future Rewards?

            The Christian life is geared toward the future.  We have faith that God exists and he rewards those who seek Him (Heb. 11:6). We are banking our lives on God’s promise of future reward. Peter wanted to remind Jesus how much they were losing now, but Jesus reminded him how much they were gaining for the future.  Verse 28-30,

And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke 18:28-30)

Jesus does not minimize the sacrifice, but he maximizes the future reward. 

            At 25 years old, Jim Elliot left the United States to work with the Quichua people in Ecuador.  They were known as cannibals with no gospel witness.  Elliot chose to leave his house, parents, and friends for the sake of the kingdom of God.  Elliot made contact with this remote tribe with four other missionaries.  They had several positive interactions with a few of the tribe’s members so they decided to visit the village.  Upon their arrival near the village, Elliot and his four companions were met by 10 Quichua warriors and were killed. On January 8, 1956 Jim’s wife, Elisabeth Elliot, was widowed and their daughter Valerie was orphaned.  Jim gave up his life for the sake of the kingdom of God.

            In a journal entry on October 28^th, 1949, Elliot, a then 22 year old wrote about how he wanted to labor for Jesus in his life because he was delighting in the hope of future rewards in the next life. He famously wrote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Jim Elliot wrote when he 22 and lived it until he died at 28.  Are you focusing on what God is asking you to give up or on what God is promising to give you? How you answer that question will determine if you are able to loosen your grip on that one thing.

            Jim Elliot is a great example of one who lost his life for the sake of the kingdom of God, but we have an even better example.  Verse 31-34,

And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Jesus Christ has given up more than any man. Jesus is the Eternal Son of God, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. He is perfect in every way, full of grace and truth.  The Creator became like his creation in every respect.  He humbled himself taking the form of a man.

            Jesus asks a lot of His people, but He does not ask what He Himself is not willing to give.  Jesus told his disciples that he was going to be mocked, spit upon, flogged and killed.  This Jesus who came to die is the same one who says, “Come, follow me.” Hebrews 12:1-3,

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

Jesus took the cross for the joy that was set before Him.  He was forsaken, suffered and died because he knew on the third day, He would rise.  He gave up everything in death, but gained everything in the resurrection and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

            It can be difficult to live in the promise of future grace.  And when it becomes hard and we are tempted to turn and grab our “one thing,” we must consider Jesus who endured and conquered death so that we may not grow weary and lose heart. Jesus has been exalted to the highest place and has been given the name that is above all names. And when turn from our sins and trust in His righteousness purchased through his blood, we are united to Him. We are perfect in Christ, holy in Christ and happy in Christ. The only pursuit that will lead to true delight is the pursuit of coming and following Jesus Christ.  He invites you to come, and to follow him. 

            I don’t know what makes you happy, but I know Him who has promised to give you true happiness now and in the age to come eternal life.  Pursue true happiness. Come, follow Jesus. Delight in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart.

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[1] Isaacson, Walter. Benjamin Franklin: An American Life. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2003. p.374.
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Is God Sovereign? (A Study of Jonah)

             We recently commemorated the 13^th anniversary of the September 11^th, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. It was a day that radically changed our country forever.  I remember sitting in history class when the professor told the class that the second plane just hit removing all doubts that our country was under attack. The events on September 11^th rattled our country’s security, yet reinforced our national pride.  September 11^th is a day when we remember.  We remember those who lost their lives and rededicate ourselves to be fervent in our fight against terrorism.  And as we remember that day, we often ask, “Where was God on September 11^th?” The question is often asked after events of great calamity.  Where was God during Hurricane Katrina? Or the Tsunami in Indonesia? Where is God now with the brutal slayings of Christians in the Middle East? It is a very honest and important question to ask.

            Granted, many people ask the question with disdain or anger, but others ask out of confusion or deep hurt.  If we are going to be honest, we all have probably asked that question.  The Psalmist asks this question in the face of much terror,

I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” (Psalm 42:9-10).

We live in a day of terror. We cannot escape it. And when we face this kind of terror and calamity, we may be tempted to ask, “God, are you sovereign?” Sovereignty means possessing supreme or ultimate power. In the face of terrible evil, we may be tempted to doubt God’s control of the universe.  Is God sovereign?  Is God in control?

            This is the question we hope to answer as we study the book of Jonah.  We continue our series through the Minor Prophets asking eternal questions. When most Christians hear of Jonah, we immediately think of him spending 3 days in the belly of a whale.  Although Jonah being swallowed by a great fish (perhaps a whale) is important to his life, it is not the ultimate purpose of the book.  G. Campbell Morgan aptly says, “Men have been looking so hard at the great fish that they have failed to see the great God.[1]” Jonah is a book displaying God’s sovereign compassion for the world even in the midst of much terror.  God is in control.

            Jonah is different from the rest of the Minor Prophets in that the focus of the book is on the prophet’s story rather than on his message.  It is written more as a narrative than as a prophetic book.  Some scholars question the veracity of this book and try to categorize it more as a fictional parable rather than a true historical event.  This is a flawed view and one that does not honor a high view of Scripture.  The book is full of real places and real people experiencing real events.  Jesus even referred to Jonah as a real historical person (Matthew 12:39-41). In effort to explain away the supernatural, scholars have denied the historicity of Jonah and set themselves up against the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ.

God Sovereignly Calls

            We see God’s sovereign hand at the very outset of the book in His calling of Jonah. God shows that He is in control from the beginning to the end of this book because He is control from the beginning to the end of all things.

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”

Nineveh is a great city and also a great enemy of God’s people. They were known for their brutality and cruelty.  God knows of their sin (as God knows of all sin) and has called one of His people to speak out against it.  It is foolish to think that we can hide anything from God.  All sin will be held accountable.  Are there any sins in your life that you think are hidden from God?  Rest assured, He sees all and one day will call you to account. 

            As it is foolish to think we can hide anything from God, it is also foolish to think we can hide anywhere from God, but that is exactly what Jonah tries to do, verse 3,

But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.

It is never good when God tells us to do something and our reply begins with, “But.”  I hear that word often as a parent after telling my children to do something, they often reply with, “But Daddy.”  The only thing that follows that statement is an excuse for disobedience.  Jonah went the opposite direction of Nineveh and paid a fare to go away from the presence of the Lord.  Jonah, the prophet of the Lord, was being disobedient. 

God Sovereignly Chases

            It is hard to miss the Lord’s hand traced throughout this book.  The people of Nineveh deserved to be destroyed for their evil and yet God was sending a prophet to call them to repentance. Jonah deserved to be cast from God’s presence because that was exactly where he wanted to go. And yet, the Lord sovereignly chases him with a compassionate love.  Verse 4-6,

But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.”

The Lord sent the wind. God was pursuing the disobedient Jonah through the wind and the raging. 

Sometimes the Lord uses circumstances to calls us to repentance.  We saw this happen after 9/11, Katrina and the Tsunami.  Tragedy exposes the reality of death and brevity of life which often cause us to call out to God.  Do you see the irony in that last part of verse 6?  The pagan sailors tell Jonah the prophet to call out to God and maybe God would think of them and they would not perish.  As the story continue, see how God has already thought much of them for the wind was not only for Jonah, but for these pagan sailors. 

The sudden power displayed in the wind and the sudden silence of the wind was to cause the sailors to fear the Lord.

And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.

The men recognized it was Jonah that caused the storm, yet they did not want to cast him into the sea. They rowed hard back to dry land, but the Lord would not allow them to as the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them.

 The Lord continued to hurl the mighty wind against them until finally the sailors had no choice. Verse 14-16,

Therefore they called out to the LORD, “O LORD, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.” So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

The demonstration of the Lord’s power caused these men to repent and fear the Lord exceedingly.  God sovereignly chased Jonah AND God sovereignly chased the sailors.

God Sovereignly Catches

            Jonah was heading down to the pit of the sea, but the Lord sovereignly catches this wayward prophet through appointing a great fish to swallow him. Do not stare at the fish, but notice the one behind the fish.  Verse 17,

And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 

Many scholars believe that Jonah wrote this book because of the intimate details that are shared which only he could know.  Through Jonah’s own words, he confirms God’s sovereign control of the whole situation. Listen how Jonah testifies to God’s control. Chapter 2,

Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, saying, “I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice. For you cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the flood surrounded me; all your waves and your billows passed over me. Then I said, ‘I am driven away from your sight; yet I shall again look upon your holy temple.’ The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD!” And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.

Salvation indeed belongs to the Lord.  God is sovereign in salvation from beginning to end.  He is in control.

God Sovereignly Calls (Again)!!

            The Lord continues to show His kindness to Jonah.  We come back to where the book started with God calling Jonah. Chapter 3:1-5,

Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

Jonah wisely obeyed God’s word and went to Nineveh as verse 3 highlights (according to the word of the Lord). God had been working on Nineveh long before Jonah got there. It has been documented through historical records that a few years prior to Jonah’s entering Nineveh, there was a severe famine and solar eclipse. This may have given people more reason to respond to God’s message. 

The message was declared and the people believed. And God was behind it all. He was behind the calling of Jonah, He gave the message, He was in control of their circumstances, and He prepared their hearts to believe. God saw the change in the people’s lives and relented in destroying the city, verse 3:10,

When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

God did not repay Nineveh for their sins, but gave them mercy.

God’s Sovereignly Compassionate

And this is the very reason Jonah ran in the first place.  It was not because he thought the task was too hard, but that he did not want God to show compassion.  God’s sovereign compassion given to His enemies and a proper response to that compassion is the main point of the book. Jonah 4:1-4,

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the LORD said, “Do you do well to be angry?”

Jonah was angry that God showed mercy.  Have you ever questioned God’s compassion?  Why did God show mercy to those people? Why was God kind to them? 

            Jonah was blind to the kindness of God in his own life. Jonah was in disobedience and God sovereignly chased him and caught him.  He was rescued by God’s grace, and yet, he does not want that same sovereign grace to be extended to his enemies.  He knows of God’s mercy, but he does not truly know God’s mercy.  So God demonstrated his merciless heart for the lost through a vine. Verse 5-11,

Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” And the LORD said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”

The book ends with a question. A question to make us think about the Nineveh’s in our life.  We may not be indignant like Jonah, but we may be indifferent. Do we trust that God is sovereign? Do we trust that He is good?  Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely that is unless the One who actually has absolute power is incorruptible. 

           

We have to always remember that God has compassion on the lost. We were once like the people of Nineveh not knowing our right hand from our left. We were like the pagan sailors bowing down to false gods.  We were like the wayward prophet knowing of God’s mercy, but not truly knowing His mercy personally.  We were lost so God sent His Son Jesus Christ to demonstrate true compassion.  Matthew9:36, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Lift your praise to God that He has sent us the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep.  This is the epitome of compassion. Jesus gave His life for us and now He expects us to do the same.

            God is in control of all things and His control always works for our good.  We may not always feel His presence or see His hand, but we can know for certainty that God is working.  God is working because God is always at work.  Jonah shows us God’s gracious control to pursue the disobedient prophet, the pagan sailors and the people of Nineveh.  God is working, so ask yourself, “Will you work with Him? Or will you flee from Him?

Jonah spent 3 days in the belly of the great fish and he spent 3 days teaching in the great city.  Jesus said in this Jonah served as a sign of His resurrection.  Jesus spent 3 days in the earth, before He would rise again.  Jonah foreshadowed the resurrection.  Jesus was declared to be the Only Sovereign, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in his resurrection (1 Tim 6:15-16).  And now we are called like Jonah, to be witnesses of the resurrection (Acts 1:22).  God had pity for the people of Nineveh, who are far from God. God had pity on us when we were far from God. Jonah ends with a question so we will ask ourselves, “If God has pity on the lost, will we?”

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[1] G. Campbell Morgan, The Minor Prophets: The Men and Their Message (Westword, N.J.: Revell,1960), 69 quoted in The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made. Dever, Mark. 782.

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