4 Encouragements For Living Out The Gospel
1. Use your second chance as an opportunity for obedience. (1-3a)
- Second time: Our God is a God of Second Chances. In fact if you’re a Christian, your life is a “second chance,” an opportunity to operate solely in God’s mercy and grace.
- Jonah receives the same exhortation: Get Up! GO! TO Nineveh!
-God tells us what to say-> The message that I tell you. *Bread Crumbs
God desires that we not only hear the gospel, and believe the gospel, but live the gospel.
- We so desperately want the blueprint, but we cannot handle it! We want all steps at once--> But you know what receiving his instructions piece by piece does...it galvanizes your faith.
- It takes your faith from just a set of beliefs, and energizes you in action.
- It also strengthens your faith by creating a deeper dependence for God. When He leads us step by step, we are LONGING for every word, attentive to detail, and much more effective for His Glory.
- Last time Jonah used his freedom as an opportunity for sin/rebellion.
- This time Jonah walks in God’s mercy—this glorious second chance as an opportunity for obedience.
- Galatians 5:13
- 2 John 1:6
• So what is the foundation for obedience? LOVE. A sincere love for God. A love for others that reflects GOD’S LOVE FOR OTHERS.
2. Don’t underestimate who will surrender to God. (3b-5)
- Not Jonah’s whole sermon: The thesis of his sermon: YOU ARE IN DANGER. THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TURN FROM YOUR SIN AND RECEIVE GRACE AND COMPASSION FROM GOD.
- Look at the response! The unthinkable happened: THE PEOPLE OF NINEVEH BELIEVED GOD.
- We have to camp out here for a moment: If we’re honest, when God tells us to get up and go, to THAT person, to that PLACE, at THAT time, in THAT way...We aren’t fully convinced it will make a difference.
- Don’t believe me? The litmus test.
We grossly underestimate what God can do.
- So here’s my encouragement and challenge to us tonight: Don’t underestimate who will surrender to God.
- Don’t underestimate what God will do! Expect Him to MOVE, because HE IS! HE DOES! Our faith grows as we experience His movement and as we are used by Him to lead people to salvation.
3. Take drastic action to live out your repentance. (6-9)
• We’re going to take a minute and lean back in to the great irony of this:
The King of Nineveh covers himself with sackcloth, sits in ashes. A fast has already been proclaimed. This nation is MOURNING THEIR SIN, and turning from it! ISRAEL=Not turning from their sin. Refuses to mourn. The very nation that will take Israel captive in 50 years into exile is the nation who is turning to the One True God.
• Repentance:
A. Begins with revelation. Proclaim WORD OF THE LORD.
B. Carried by faith(v. 5) We must believe before we repent.
C. Validated by action. People say the word repentance all the time but there’s no change of heart and mind. There’s a desire to avoid the consequences of disobedience, but a lack of desire to fully agree with God on what is GOOD, and CARRY IT OUT.
D. Effective by Emphasis. Illustration: Drastic changes that redefine and transform! (Golf swing?)
4. Receive the result of mercy: Peace With God (10).
- God saw their actions…not simply their lip service.
- God saw them turn from evil…not solely an acknowledgement of wrongdoing.
God relented...He did not do it. MERCY. Withholding what is truly deserved.
- Jonah under God’s judgment/wrath of the storm, rescued from death. (Ch. 2).
- Nineveh under God’s judgment/wrath now being delivered from death. Jesus has accomplished this for us.
Romans 5:1, 8-10
- Need for a Savior: The same opportunity available for Nineveh exists for you today: to turn from sin and trust in Jesus. He will come into your life, be your Lord and Savior, and give you a NEW BEGINNING.
- Need for a Fresh Start: Who needs one? Come to Him tonight and receive it through genuine repentance and faith in Him.
