1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:03,760 Well, please open your Bible then at Jonah Chapter 4 2 00:00:04,480 –> 00:00:09,520 and just a quick review of the story so far so that everyone is up to speed, 3 00:00:09,520 –> 00:00:12,000 especially if you’re visiting with us this weekend. 4 00:00:13,120 –> 00:00:17,040 God has done miracles of grace in Jonah’s life. 5 00:00:17,920 –> 00:00:20,240 Remember that while Jonah disobeyed God, 6 00:00:20,240 –> 00:00:24,639 God sent a storm to bring Jonah back from a life that would 7 00:00:24,639 –> 00:00:27,360 otherwise have been wasted in disobedience. 8 00:00:27,920 –> 00:00:33,119 Then God marvelously sends a fish to save Jonah’s life from drowning. 9 00:00:33,119 –> 00:00:36,639 We’ve been learning that God wonderfully cares about his servants 10 00:00:36,639 –> 00:00:38,799 and that when he sets his love on you, 11 00:00:38,799 –> 00:00:40,320 he never lets you go. 12 00:00:40,320 –> 00:00:44,400 He has his way of bringing his own children back 13 00:00:44,400 –> 00:00:46,639 and many of us from our hearts are going to be saying 14 00:00:46,639 –> 00:00:50,959 thank God for that in my life and in my experience. 15 00:00:51,599 –> 00:00:54,799 Not only has God been at work doing miracles in Jonah’s life, 16 00:00:55,439 –> 00:01:00,160 but God has been at work doing miracles through Jonah’s ministry. 17 00:01:00,160 –> 00:01:03,360 He went to Nineveh and we saw last weekend 18 00:01:03,360 –> 00:01:05,599 that going into this major city 19 00:01:06,160 –> 00:01:08,959 of an empire that really was known for terror 20 00:01:08,959 –> 00:01:11,680 and known for violence and known for torture. 21 00:01:12,400 –> 00:01:15,519 Jonah goes in and he proclaims the word of the Lord 22 00:01:15,519 –> 00:01:18,080 and there is this extraordinary response. 23 00:01:18,959 –> 00:01:22,720 The people of Nineveh, of all people believed God. 24 00:01:23,360 –> 00:01:24,959 They turned to God in repentance. 25 00:01:24,959 –> 00:01:27,760 They start crying out to God urgently in prayer 26 00:01:27,760 –> 00:01:32,720 and they put their hope in the mercy of the living God of the bible. 27 00:01:32,720 –> 00:01:37,120 Now by any standards what we saw last week in Jonah in chapter 3 28 00:01:37,120 –> 00:01:42,080 is an unusual, remarkable, amazing work of God. 29 00:01:42,639 –> 00:01:45,519 Thousands of Assyrian people 30 00:01:45,519 –> 00:01:48,239 in that generation, in Jonah’s time 31 00:01:48,239 –> 00:01:50,800 came to faith and repentance 32 00:01:50,800 –> 00:01:54,080 and you would think that a man who had been used by God 33 00:01:54,080 –> 00:01:57,120 in such an amazing way, miracles in his own life 34 00:01:57,120 –> 00:01:59,519 and miracles through his ministry 35 00:01:59,519 –> 00:02:01,919 would be in a position of being full of joy 36 00:02:03,440 –> 00:02:06,080 and yet what we find here, to our surprise 37 00:02:06,080 –> 00:02:09,199 is that exactly the opposite is the case. 38 00:02:09,199 –> 00:02:10,720 Chapter 4 in verse 1 39 00:02:10,720 –> 00:02:13,839 But after these miracles of grace 40 00:02:14,880 –> 00:02:19,919 Jonah was greatly displeased and he became angry. 41 00:02:21,759 –> 00:02:24,559 I want you to remember Jonah was a mature believer. 42 00:02:26,080 –> 00:02:28,880 I want you to remember he was a Prophet of the Living God. 43 00:02:30,399 –> 00:02:32,000 I want you to remember that he was 44 00:02:32,000 –> 00:02:33,520 if we can put it in our terms today 45 00:02:33,520 –> 00:02:36,800 a full time missionary, cross-cultural 46 00:02:38,720 –> 00:02:40,639 and you would think that a man like that 47 00:02:40,639 –> 00:02:43,039 mature in faith, a prophetic ministry 48 00:02:43,039 –> 00:02:44,639 an overseas missionary 49 00:02:45,839 –> 00:02:48,160 who had been blessed in an unusual way 50 00:02:48,160 –> 00:02:50,000 seeing a revival through his work 51 00:02:51,520 –> 00:02:53,279 would just be full of thanksgiving 52 00:02:53,279 –> 00:02:54,559 and praise to God 53 00:02:56,080 –> 00:02:58,160 but what we find in Jonah 4 54 00:02:58,160 –> 00:03:00,960 is that this man is angry 55 00:03:00,960 –> 00:03:02,320 he is frustrated 56 00:03:03,119 –> 00:03:05,039 and he is out of sorts 57 00:03:05,039 –> 00:03:07,919 with the God he set out to serve. 58 00:03:10,240 –> 00:03:11,279 Now I want you to notice 59 00:03:11,279 –> 00:03:12,720 before we get into this 60 00:03:12,720 –> 00:03:14,559 that in the Bible 61 00:03:14,559 –> 00:03:16,320 Jonah was not the only one 62 00:03:16,320 –> 00:03:17,759 to go through this experience. 63 00:03:17,759 –> 00:03:19,440 Let me give you a couple of examples 64 00:03:21,039 –> 00:03:22,479 in Psalm 73 65 00:03:22,479 –> 00:03:24,160 we have the testimony of a man 66 00:03:24,160 –> 00:03:26,080 by the name of Asaph 67 00:03:26,080 –> 00:03:28,720 who has some distinct similarities 68 00:03:28,720 –> 00:03:31,199 to Jonah both in his profile 69 00:03:31,199 –> 00:03:32,639 and in his experience 70 00:03:33,600 –> 00:03:36,479 Asaph was the director of music 71 00:03:36,479 –> 00:03:38,080 for king David 72 00:03:38,080 –> 00:03:38,960 his ministry 73 00:03:38,960 –> 00:03:40,639 very high profile ministry 74 00:03:40,639 –> 00:03:41,679 really in the time 75 00:03:41,679 –> 00:03:44,000 was to be the director of worship 76 00:03:44,000 –> 00:03:45,440 in the temple of God 77 00:03:45,440 –> 00:03:47,119 in the city of Jerusalem 78 00:03:47,119 –> 00:03:48,320 at David’s time of course 79 00:03:48,320 –> 00:03:49,360 before the temple 80 00:03:49,360 –> 00:03:51,759 as they anticipated the building of it 81 00:03:51,759 –> 00:03:52,880 In the time of Solomon 82 00:03:53,600 –> 00:03:55,199 But in Psalm 73 83 00:03:56,000 –> 00:03:58,160 Asaph tells us about 84 00:03:58,160 –> 00:04:00,720 how he went through an experience 85 00:04:00,720 –> 00:04:02,320 just like Jonah 86 00:04:02,320 –> 00:04:04,479 Psalm 73 in verse 2 87 00:04:04,479 –> 00:04:06,240 my feet had almost slipped 88 00:04:06,240 –> 00:04:08,639 He said I’d almost lost my way 89 00:04:08,639 –> 00:04:10,960 in terms of the faith personally 90 00:04:10,960 –> 00:04:11,839 and here’s why 91 00:04:11,839 –> 00:04:14,080 I saw the prosperity of the wicked 92 00:04:14,960 –> 00:04:16,079 I looked at the world 93 00:04:16,079 –> 00:04:17,679 and sometimes it seemed to me 94 00:04:17,679 –> 00:04:18,880 I could make no sense 95 00:04:18,880 –> 00:04:20,399 of how God orders the world 96 00:04:20,399 –> 00:04:21,519 It seemed to me sometimes 97 00:04:21,519 –> 00:04:23,920 that God was kinder to his enemies 98 00:04:23,920 –> 00:04:25,279 than he is to his own friends 99 00:04:26,239 –> 00:04:27,239 And so I began to 100 00:04:27,239 –> 00:04:28,399 ask this question 101 00:04:28,399 –> 00:04:29,440 What has been the point 102 00:04:29,440 –> 00:04:31,679 in me keeping my own heart pure? 103 00:04:32,880 –> 00:04:33,440 Here’s a man 104 00:04:33,440 –> 00:04:34,880 who’s pouring himself 105 00:04:34,880 –> 00:04:36,000 into ministry 106 00:04:36,000 –> 00:04:37,040 and at some point 107 00:04:37,040 –> 00:04:37,760 down the years 108 00:04:37,760 –> 00:04:38,399 he says 109 00:04:38,399 –> 00:04:39,440 What’s the point of 110 00:04:39,440 –> 00:04:40,320 living like this? 111 00:04:42,239 –> 00:04:43,440 The wicked prosper 112 00:04:43,440 –> 00:04:46,559 So why have I 113 00:04:46,559 –> 00:04:48,239 kept my heart pure? 114 00:04:49,760 –> 00:04:50,399 And he said 115 00:04:50,399 –> 00:04:51,920 My foot almost slipped 116 00:04:51,920 –> 00:04:52,959 I nearly lost it 117 00:04:52,959 –> 00:04:53,839 at that point 118 00:04:53,839 –> 00:04:55,040 because I was thrown 119 00:04:55,040 –> 00:04:56,000 into this 120 00:04:56,000 –> 00:04:57,119 internal struggle 121 00:04:57,119 –> 00:04:57,679 in which 122 00:04:57,679 –> 00:04:59,359 as a mature believer 123 00:04:59,359 –> 00:05:01,200 in service for God 124 00:05:01,200 –> 00:05:02,480 I found a struggle 125 00:05:02,480 –> 00:05:03,519 going on within me 126 00:05:03,519 –> 00:05:05,200 I could scarcely comprehend 127 00:05:07,440 –> 00:05:08,000 Let me give you 128 00:05:08,000 –> 00:05:08,720 another example 129 00:05:08,720 –> 00:05:09,359 that comes from 130 00:05:09,359 –> 00:05:10,079 a story that 131 00:05:10,079 –> 00:05:11,359 the Lord Jesus told 132 00:05:11,359 –> 00:05:12,399 perhaps his best known 133 00:05:12,399 –> 00:05:13,119 story of all 134 00:05:13,119 –> 00:05:13,839 the story of 135 00:05:13,839 –> 00:05:14,640 the prodigal son 136 00:05:15,320 –> 00:05:16,320 You remember the story 137 00:05:16,320 –> 00:05:17,839 Luke chapter 15 138 00:05:17,839 –> 00:05:19,040 The younger brother 139 00:05:19,040 –> 00:05:20,880 goes to a far country 140 00:05:20,880 –> 00:05:21,279 and wastes 141 00:05:21,279 –> 00:05:22,239 his inheritance 142 00:05:22,239 –> 00:05:23,359 on riotous living 143 00:05:24,320 –> 00:05:25,679 But then the older brother 144 00:05:25,679 –> 00:05:26,480 stayed at home 145 00:05:27,119 –> 00:05:28,239 And what did he do? 146 00:05:28,239 –> 00:05:29,040 He worked 147 00:05:30,000 –> 00:05:31,519 He served the Father 148 00:05:32,320 –> 00:05:33,279 He works hard 149 00:05:33,279 –> 00:05:34,000 day in 150 00:05:34,000 –> 00:05:34,799 day out 151 00:05:34,799 –> 00:05:36,079 in the Father’s service 152 00:05:36,079 –> 00:05:36,959 And then the young son 153 00:05:36,959 –> 00:05:37,440 comes home 154 00:05:38,720 –> 00:05:39,760 And when that happens 155 00:05:39,760 –> 00:05:40,880 the Father forgives him 156 00:05:40,880 –> 00:05:41,679 and he welcomes 157 00:05:41,679 –> 00:05:43,040 the younger son back 158 00:05:43,040 –> 00:05:43,839 into 159 00:05:43,839 –> 00:05:44,799 the family home 160 00:05:46,000 –> 00:05:47,119 And Jesus says 161 00:05:47,119 –> 00:05:48,079 Luke chapter 15 162 00:05:48,079 –> 00:05:49,119 In verse 28 163 00:05:49,119 –> 00:05:50,000 At this point 164 00:05:50,640 –> 00:05:52,079 the elder brother 165 00:05:52,079 –> 00:05:52,720 became 166 00:05:53,440 –> 00:05:54,239 angry 167 00:05:54,239 –> 00:05:55,119 Notice the word 168 00:05:56,720 –> 00:05:57,359 He said 169 00:05:58,239 –> 00:05:59,440 All these years 170 00:05:59,440 –> 00:06:01,119 I have been slaving 171 00:06:01,119 –> 00:06:01,679 for you 172 00:06:01,679 –> 00:06:02,959 That’s what he said to the Father 173 00:06:02,959 –> 00:06:04,720 I have never disobeyed your orders 174 00:06:06,160 –> 00:06:07,279 It’s rather like Esau 175 00:06:07,279 –> 00:06:08,720 You say I’ve kept my heart pure 176 00:06:09,519 –> 00:06:10,399 I’ve walked the road 177 00:06:10,399 –> 00:06:11,600 that you called me to walk 178 00:06:11,600 –> 00:06:12,640 and serve on 179 00:06:12,640 –> 00:06:13,920 The older brother is not 180 00:06:13,920 –> 00:06:15,440 angry with the younger brother 181 00:06:15,440 –> 00:06:16,959 The older brother 182 00:06:16,959 –> 00:06:18,239 is angry 183 00:06:18,239 –> 00:06:18,959 with 184 00:06:18,959 –> 00:06:20,320 the father 185 00:06:20,320 –> 00:06:22,239 And that is where Jonah was 186 00:06:22,239 –> 00:06:24,160 in Jonah and chapter four 187 00:06:25,519 –> 00:06:28,079 Now here’s an interesting question 188 00:06:28,079 –> 00:06:28,880 What do 189 00:06:28,880 –> 00:06:29,380 Jonah 190 00:06:30,160 –> 00:06:31,200 and Asaph 191 00:06:32,000 –> 00:06:33,040 and the older brother 192 00:06:33,040 –> 00:06:34,239 in Jesus’ story 193 00:06:34,239 –> 00:06:35,359 have in common? 194 00:06:35,359 –> 00:06:36,959 There’s a distinct similarity 195 00:06:36,959 –> 00:06:37,600 in the profile 196 00:06:38,880 –> 00:06:40,799 They’re all hard workers 197 00:06:42,480 –> 00:06:43,920 They’re all obedient 198 00:06:44,959 –> 00:06:47,920 They are all marvellous servants 199 00:06:47,920 –> 00:06:51,440 fulfilling everything that they have been called to do 200 00:06:51,440 –> 00:06:53,920 They stretch themselves out and serving 201 00:06:53,920 –> 00:06:56,000 Just like some of us do 202 00:06:57,920 –> 00:07:00,160 And I’m deducing this application 203 00:07:00,160 –> 00:07:01,200 from that profile 204 00:07:02,720 –> 00:07:04,399 That those who give themselves 205 00:07:04,399 –> 00:07:07,679 most fully to serving God 206 00:07:07,679 –> 00:07:09,119 Can find themselves 207 00:07:09,119 –> 00:07:10,559 at some point in their lives 208 00:07:10,559 –> 00:07:13,200 frustrated and even angry 209 00:07:13,200 –> 00:07:15,760 with the God they serve 210 00:07:17,279 –> 00:07:18,720 A massive issue for folks 211 00:07:18,720 –> 00:07:20,000 who serve on the mission field 212 00:07:20,880 –> 00:07:22,959 An issue that lies under the surface 213 00:07:24,480 –> 00:07:26,399 And yet God opens it up 214 00:07:26,399 –> 00:07:27,839 wonderfully to help us 215 00:07:29,519 –> 00:07:30,640 In the fourth chapter 216 00:07:30,640 –> 00:07:33,359 of the book of Jonah 217 00:07:35,519 –> 00:07:38,640 There is a particular darkness 218 00:07:39,440 –> 00:07:41,600 that may be a special trial 219 00:07:41,600 –> 00:07:44,320 of those who serve God best 220 00:07:45,119 –> 00:07:47,920 Those who serve Him well 221 00:07:47,920 –> 00:07:50,559 A special temptation of resentment 222 00:07:50,559 –> 00:07:52,079 that comes into the lives 223 00:07:52,079 –> 00:07:54,799 of those who sacrifice most 224 00:07:56,160 –> 00:07:57,600 for the work of our Lord 225 00:07:57,600 –> 00:07:59,359 and Savior Jesus Christ 226 00:08:00,559 –> 00:08:02,160 And there is a great mystery here 227 00:08:02,160 –> 00:08:03,279 that I don’t suppose any 228 00:08:03,279 –> 00:08:04,640 of us will fully understand 229 00:08:04,640 –> 00:08:05,920 this side of heaven 230 00:08:05,920 –> 00:08:07,679 How is it that I can experience 231 00:08:07,839 –> 00:08:09,440 God’s grace in my own life 232 00:08:09,440 –> 00:08:10,959 I can experience God’s grace 233 00:08:10,959 –> 00:08:12,079 in my ministry 234 00:08:12,079 –> 00:08:13,839 and still find that I struggle 235 00:08:13,839 –> 00:08:14,959 with the God that I love 236 00:08:16,959 –> 00:08:18,239 How is it possible to be 237 00:08:18,239 –> 00:08:19,920 in the middle of a great work of God 238 00:08:19,920 –> 00:08:22,160 and yet not to find joy in it? 239 00:08:24,239 –> 00:08:25,920 And what Jonah is showing us 240 00:08:25,920 –> 00:08:26,640 in chapter four 241 00:08:26,640 –> 00:08:27,920 this is very important 242 00:08:29,040 –> 00:08:30,640 is that one of the primary ways 243 00:08:30,640 –> 00:08:32,559 in which a mature believer 244 00:08:33,119 –> 00:08:35,679 can avoid a God-centered life 245 00:08:35,679 –> 00:08:37,200 is that you serve God 246 00:08:37,200 –> 00:08:38,320 you really do 247 00:08:38,320 –> 00:08:40,640 and then you end up resenting 248 00:08:41,919 –> 00:08:43,919 the very God that you serve 249 00:08:46,080 –> 00:08:47,840 Now if you have sacrificed much 250 00:08:47,840 –> 00:08:49,359 for the cause of Jesus Christ 251 00:08:49,359 –> 00:08:49,919 in your life 252 00:08:49,919 –> 00:08:52,559 you are likely to experience this trial 253 00:08:53,760 –> 00:08:55,440 therefore you need to know 254 00:08:55,440 –> 00:08:56,799 how to deal with it 255 00:08:56,799 –> 00:08:57,919 which is surely the reason 256 00:08:57,919 –> 00:08:58,960 that Jonah chapter four 257 00:08:58,960 –> 00:08:59,840 is given to us 258 00:09:00,960 –> 00:09:02,000 I want us to see 259 00:09:02,000 –> 00:09:04,159 first how this resentment towards God 260 00:09:04,159 –> 00:09:05,919 grew within Jonah’s life 261 00:09:06,719 –> 00:09:07,919 and then how wonderfully 262 00:09:07,919 –> 00:09:09,520 God dealt with Jonah 263 00:09:10,000 –> 00:09:12,239 to deliver him from it 264 00:09:13,599 –> 00:09:15,280 Now let’s jump in then to verse 2 265 00:09:15,280 –> 00:09:16,559 and let’s begin by observing 266 00:09:16,559 –> 00:09:19,119 something that Jonah did exactly right 267 00:09:19,119 –> 00:09:21,919 it says there that he prayed to the Lord 268 00:09:22,559 –> 00:09:24,239 do you notice the contrast 269 00:09:24,239 –> 00:09:25,440 in chapter one 270 00:09:25,440 –> 00:09:27,280 Jonah is unhappy with God 271 00:09:27,280 –> 00:09:29,200 and so he runs from the Lord 272 00:09:29,200 –> 00:09:30,400 in chapter four 273 00:09:30,400 –> 00:09:32,320 Jonah is still unhappy with God 274 00:09:32,320 –> 00:09:35,200 but now he prays to the Lord 275 00:09:35,200 –> 00:09:36,320 that’s progress 276 00:09:37,440 –> 00:09:38,559 but I want you to notice 277 00:09:38,559 –> 00:09:39,679 that Jonah’s prayer 278 00:09:39,679 –> 00:09:41,679 is a complaint against God 279 00:09:42,400 –> 00:09:43,840 and it’s not just a complaint 280 00:09:43,840 –> 00:09:44,960 about what God does 281 00:09:44,960 –> 00:09:46,239 it really is a complaint 282 00:09:46,239 –> 00:09:47,359 about who God is 283 00:09:48,960 –> 00:09:52,479 O Lord, is this not what I said 284 00:09:52,479 –> 00:09:53,679 while I was still at home? 285 00:09:54,640 –> 00:09:56,159 This is why I was so quick 286 00:09:56,159 –> 00:09:57,520 to flee from Tarshish 287 00:09:58,400 –> 00:10:01,679 I knew that you are a gracious 288 00:10:01,679 –> 00:10:02,880 and compassionate God 289 00:10:02,880 –> 00:10:05,119 Slow to anger and abounding in love 290 00:10:05,119 –> 00:10:06,640 a God who relents 291 00:10:06,640 –> 00:10:08,880 from sending calamity 292 00:10:10,239 –> 00:10:11,119 Now these words 293 00:10:11,119 –> 00:10:12,479 he’s really quoting 294 00:10:12,479 –> 00:10:13,679 what was a very 295 00:10:14,320 –> 00:10:15,679 famous phrase 296 00:10:15,679 –> 00:10:16,640 among God’s people 297 00:10:16,640 –> 00:10:17,679 it came from Exodus 298 00:10:17,679 –> 00:10:19,039 in chapter 34 299 00:10:19,039 –> 00:10:20,880 in verses 6 and 7 300 00:10:20,880 –> 00:10:21,840 where we have 301 00:10:21,840 –> 00:10:22,799 for the first time 302 00:10:22,799 –> 00:10:24,080 this great statement 303 00:10:24,080 –> 00:10:25,119 about God’s character 304 00:10:25,119 –> 00:10:26,320 he’s gracious 305 00:10:26,320 –> 00:10:27,520 he is compassionate 306 00:10:27,520 –> 00:10:28,640 he is slow to anger 307 00:10:28,640 –> 00:10:29,679 he is abounding in love 308 00:10:29,679 –> 00:10:30,719 and you will find these four 309 00:10:30,719 –> 00:10:32,159 repeated again and again 310 00:10:32,159 –> 00:10:33,599 throughout the scriptures 311 00:10:33,679 –> 00:10:34,400 And God’s people 312 00:10:34,400 –> 00:10:35,200 would regularly 313 00:10:35,200 –> 00:10:36,080 have repeated this 314 00:10:36,080 –> 00:10:37,359 as part of their praise 315 00:10:37,359 –> 00:10:38,320 sort of thing we could do 316 00:10:38,320 –> 00:10:39,200 as we gather together 317 00:10:39,200 –> 00:10:39,679 in worship 318 00:10:39,679 –> 00:10:40,799 Why do we praise God? 319 00:10:40,799 –> 00:10:41,760 Because he’s gracious 320 00:10:41,760 –> 00:10:42,640 he’s compassionate 321 00:10:42,640 –> 00:10:43,440 he’s slow to anger 322 00:10:43,440 –> 00:10:44,799 and he’s abounding in love 323 00:10:44,799 –> 00:10:45,760 What Jonah does is 324 00:10:45,760 –> 00:10:46,880 he turns that 325 00:10:46,880 –> 00:10:47,919 back towards God 326 00:10:47,919 –> 00:10:49,599 and he makes it his complaint 327 00:10:51,119 –> 00:10:51,840 And here’s why 328 00:10:53,119 –> 00:10:53,619 God 329 00:10:54,960 –> 00:10:57,119 you are too slow 330 00:10:57,119 –> 00:10:59,280 in dealing with evil 331 00:11:00,960 –> 00:11:02,640 See, this is Jonah’s struggle 332 00:11:03,760 –> 00:11:05,280 The people of Nineveh 333 00:11:05,280 –> 00:11:06,479 were evil 334 00:11:06,479 –> 00:11:06,960 wicked 335 00:11:08,080 –> 00:11:09,599 And Jonah was quite sure 336 00:11:09,599 –> 00:11:11,280 that within a short time 337 00:11:11,840 –> 00:11:13,200 this city would return 338 00:11:13,200 –> 00:11:14,400 to evilways 339 00:11:14,400 –> 00:11:15,919 even if they had stopped 340 00:11:15,919 –> 00:11:16,640 and repented 341 00:11:16,640 –> 00:11:17,599 as a result of 342 00:11:17,599 –> 00:11:18,479 God’s grace 343 00:11:18,479 –> 00:11:19,760 and his ministry 344 00:11:19,760 –> 00:11:20,880 Jonah was sure of this 345 00:11:20,880 –> 00:11:22,400 and Jonah was right 346 00:11:24,159 –> 00:11:25,359 See, we saw last week 347 00:11:25,359 –> 00:11:25,919 didn’t we 348 00:11:25,919 –> 00:11:26,960 that history shows 349 00:11:26,960 –> 00:11:28,159 within a generation 350 00:11:29,599 –> 00:11:30,159 Nineveh 351 00:11:30,719 –> 00:11:31,599 as the generation 352 00:11:31,599 –> 00:11:32,719 that had turned to God 353 00:11:32,719 –> 00:11:34,400 gave way to a new generation 354 00:11:34,400 –> 00:11:35,679 that had not experienced 355 00:11:35,679 –> 00:11:36,559 the revival 356 00:11:36,559 –> 00:11:37,679 Nineveh turned within 357 00:11:37,679 –> 00:11:39,280 a generation or so 358 00:11:39,280 –> 00:11:40,799 to evil ways 359 00:11:40,799 –> 00:11:41,599 And the generation 360 00:11:41,599 –> 00:11:42,640 that repented 361 00:11:42,640 –> 00:11:43,679 was now taken 362 00:11:43,679 –> 00:11:44,479 replaced by 363 00:11:44,479 –> 00:11:45,599 a generation 364 00:11:45,599 –> 00:11:46,559 that returned to 365 00:11:46,559 –> 00:11:47,520 the old violence 366 00:11:47,520 –> 00:11:48,880 the old torture 367 00:11:48,880 –> 00:11:50,400 And that generation 368 00:11:50,400 –> 00:11:50,880 did what 369 00:11:50,880 –> 00:11:51,840 they invaded 370 00:11:52,479 –> 00:11:53,359 The northern kingdom 371 00:11:53,359 –> 00:11:54,239 of Israel 372 00:11:54,239 –> 00:11:55,119 where 10 tribes 373 00:11:55,119 –> 00:11:56,000 were situated 374 00:11:56,000 –> 00:11:57,599 and they devastated them 375 00:11:59,119 –> 00:12:00,799 with extraordinary 376 00:12:00,799 –> 00:12:01,599 brutality 377 00:12:03,440 –> 00:12:05,280 Now Jonah saw that coming 378 00:12:06,559 –> 00:12:07,200 He was right 379 00:12:08,960 –> 00:12:10,479 The Book of Nahum 380 00:12:10,479 –> 00:12:11,359 that we’ve referred to 381 00:12:11,359 –> 00:12:12,159 a couple of times 382 00:12:12,159 –> 00:12:13,119 just a few pages on 383 00:12:13,119 –> 00:12:14,080 from Jonah 384 00:12:14,080 –> 00:12:14,880 It was written 385 00:12:14,880 –> 00:12:16,559 after the time of Jonah 386 00:12:16,559 –> 00:12:17,919 and it lays out 387 00:12:17,919 –> 00:12:20,080 the excruciating evil 388 00:12:20,080 –> 00:12:21,599 to which Nineveh returned 389 00:12:23,440 –> 00:12:24,479 All of which 390 00:12:24,479 –> 00:12:26,400 could have been avoided 391 00:12:27,039 –> 00:12:27,760 If only 392 00:12:28,559 –> 00:12:30,159 God had done 393 00:12:30,159 –> 00:12:31,440 what he first said 394 00:12:32,960 –> 00:12:34,960 and blitzed 395 00:12:34,960 –> 00:12:35,840 Nineveh 396 00:12:35,840 –> 00:12:37,119 in the time 397 00:12:38,000 –> 00:12:40,000 of Jonah 398 00:12:40,719 –> 00:12:41,520 Have you never 399 00:12:41,520 –> 00:12:42,000 wondered 400 00:12:42,000 –> 00:12:43,200 about God’s strange 401 00:12:43,200 –> 00:12:44,080 providence 402 00:12:44,080 –> 00:12:45,200 in the way he orders 403 00:12:45,200 –> 00:12:45,679 the world? 404 00:12:48,000 –> 00:12:49,119 How much suffering 405 00:12:49,119 –> 00:12:49,919 could this world 406 00:12:49,919 –> 00:12:50,960 have been spared 407 00:12:52,719 –> 00:12:54,320 If God had wiped out 408 00:12:54,320 –> 00:12:54,799 Hitler 409 00:12:56,159 –> 00:12:57,039 Or Stalin 410 00:12:58,479 –> 00:12:59,440 or Bin Laden 411 00:13:00,880 –> 00:13:02,640 when they were young 412 00:13:02,880 –> 00:13:08,000 Yet he let them 413 00:13:08,000 –> 00:13:09,200 Live 414 00:13:10,479 –> 00:13:10,799 why? 415 00:13:12,640 –> 00:13:13,760 Because he’s gracious 416 00:13:15,440 –> 00:13:17,599 and compassionate 417 00:13:18,400 –> 00:13:19,280 Slow to anger 418 00:13:19,280 –> 00:13:20,080 Abounding in love 419 00:13:20,080 –> 00:13:20,799 You see, that’s 420 00:13:20,799 –> 00:13:22,000 Jonah’s problem 421 00:13:22,000 –> 00:13:22,960 that’s his complaint 422 00:13:25,520 –> 00:13:26,320 And when Jonah 423 00:13:26,320 –> 00:13:27,039 thought about 424 00:13:27,039 –> 00:13:28,719 how God rules the world 425 00:13:28,719 –> 00:13:30,159 and how he allows 426 00:13:32,719 –> 00:13:33,359 wickedness 427 00:13:34,799 –> 00:13:36,799 and is so slow to bring 428 00:13:36,799 –> 00:13:37,760 devastating judgment 429 00:13:37,760 –> 00:13:38,559 that he could bring 430 00:13:40,080 –> 00:13:41,280 it made Jonah angry 431 00:13:42,960 –> 00:13:44,159 Same problem for Asaph 432 00:13:44,159 –> 00:13:46,080 I saw how the wicked prosper 433 00:13:46,080 –> 00:13:48,080 and it almost made my own feet slip 434 00:13:50,239 –> 00:13:51,039 If you haven’t struggled 435 00:13:51,039 –> 00:13:51,919 over that question 436 00:13:51,919 –> 00:13:53,280 you haven’t looked very much 437 00:13:54,400 –> 00:13:55,599 at what’s going on in the world 438 00:13:57,200 –> 00:13:58,320 Why does God 439 00:13:58,320 –> 00:13:59,200 rule the world 440 00:13:59,200 –> 00:14:00,159 in the way that 441 00:14:00,159 –> 00:14:01,359 he does? 442 00:14:03,119 –> 00:14:04,159 Now let’s try and probe 443 00:14:04,159 –> 00:14:04,880 a little bit deeper 444 00:14:04,880 –> 00:14:06,320 Try and get into what’s going on 445 00:14:06,320 –> 00:14:08,000 in Jonah’s heart here 446 00:14:08,000 –> 00:14:09,119 What’s actually happening? 447 00:14:09,119 –> 00:14:10,320 What has caused Jonah 448 00:14:10,320 –> 00:14:11,599 to be thrown into 449 00:14:11,599 –> 00:14:12,960 this great struggle? 450 00:14:12,960 –> 00:14:14,400 What is actually happening 451 00:14:14,400 –> 00:14:15,359 in his heart? 452 00:14:15,359 –> 00:14:16,640 I want you to notice 453 00:14:16,640 –> 00:14:18,400 and this is a very important principle 454 00:14:19,039 –> 00:14:21,200 how Jonah undermines 455 00:14:21,919 –> 00:14:23,760 his own repentance 456 00:14:24,320 –> 00:14:25,760 Now it’s right there in verse two 457 00:14:25,760 –> 00:14:27,280 Notice this statement 458 00:14:27,280 –> 00:14:29,440 This is why 459 00:14:29,440 –> 00:14:31,039 I was so quick 460 00:14:31,840 –> 00:14:34,000 to flee to Tarshish 461 00:14:34,000 –> 00:14:35,599 Now I want to suggest to you 462 00:14:35,599 –> 00:14:37,359 it’s important to see this clearly 463 00:14:37,359 –> 00:14:39,359 that this is a marvellous example 464 00:14:40,239 –> 00:14:41,760 of undermining 465 00:14:42,320 –> 00:14:44,640 your own repentance 466 00:14:46,000 –> 00:14:46,960 Remember the story 467 00:14:46,960 –> 00:14:48,239 Jonah had disobeyed God 468 00:14:48,239 –> 00:14:49,039 There was no doubt that 469 00:14:49,039 –> 00:14:50,960 he sinned when he got on the boat 470 00:14:50,960 –> 00:14:52,159 to go to Tarshish 471 00:14:52,159 –> 00:14:53,119 because God had told him 472 00:14:53,119 –> 00:14:53,840 to go to Nineveh 473 00:14:53,840 –> 00:14:54,239 He goes off 474 00:14:54,239 –> 00:14:55,599 in the opposite direction 475 00:14:55,599 –> 00:14:56,640 He disobeys God 476 00:14:56,640 –> 00:14:57,679 And God sends a storm 477 00:14:57,679 –> 00:14:58,479 to bring him back 478 00:14:59,440 –> 00:15:00,719 God is merciful to him 479 00:15:00,799 –> 00:15:02,159 God then sends the fish 480 00:15:02,159 –> 00:15:03,760 And the fish saves his life 481 00:15:03,760 –> 00:15:06,479 Jonah has repented of his disobedience 482 00:15:06,479 –> 00:15:08,000 And God forgave him 483 00:15:09,599 –> 00:15:10,960 Goes on into ministry 484 00:15:10,960 –> 00:15:11,919 And God blesses him 485 00:15:13,039 –> 00:15:14,880 But now what’s happening in Chapter 4? 486 00:15:14,880 –> 00:15:16,400 Ah, Jonah is going backwards 487 00:15:17,440 –> 00:15:18,799 Now he wants to raise 488 00:15:18,799 –> 00:15:20,080 the very sin for which 489 00:15:20,080 –> 00:15:21,440 he has been forgiven 490 00:15:21,440 –> 00:15:23,599 That is the sin of going to Tarshish 491 00:15:24,559 –> 00:15:26,799 And he now wants to explain 492 00:15:26,799 –> 00:15:28,799 why he did the very thing 493 00:15:28,799 –> 00:15:29,599 for which he had 494 00:15:29,760 –> 00:15:30,799 Previously repented 495 00:15:32,640 –> 00:15:33,599 He feels now 496 00:15:33,599 –> 00:15:34,799 As he looks back on it 497 00:15:34,799 –> 00:15:37,440 That there was some justification 498 00:15:37,440 –> 00:15:38,159 for what he did 499 00:15:39,359 –> 00:15:41,840 Some defense that could be offered 500 00:15:41,840 –> 00:15:43,440 Lord, I more I think about it 501 00:15:43,440 –> 00:15:44,080 There were actually 502 00:15:44,080 –> 00:15:45,039 some very good reasons 503 00:15:45,039 –> 00:15:47,359 Why I went to flee to Tarshish 504 00:15:47,359 –> 00:15:48,080 And you know what? 505 00:15:48,080 –> 00:15:50,400 As soon as you start explaining 506 00:15:50,400 –> 00:15:52,479 why it was that you sinned 507 00:15:54,320 –> 00:15:57,599 You undermine your own repentance 508 00:15:59,840 –> 00:16:00,880 See repentance says 509 00:16:00,880 –> 00:16:01,520 I did this 510 00:16:02,479 –> 00:16:03,119 It was wrong 511 00:16:04,159 –> 00:16:05,679 I take responsibility 512 00:16:05,679 –> 00:16:07,919 and I trust myself to the mercy of God 513 00:16:07,919 –> 00:16:08,960 For my forgiveness 514 00:16:10,719 –> 00:16:13,039 But self justification says 515 00:16:13,039 –> 00:16:15,119 Well, now you need to understand 516 00:16:15,119 –> 00:16:16,880 Why it was that I did this 517 00:16:18,640 –> 00:16:19,760 And the truth is 518 00:16:19,760 –> 00:16:21,520 That within every human soul 519 00:16:21,520 –> 00:16:23,280 there is a continuing battle 520 00:16:23,280 –> 00:16:25,200 that goes on between repentance 521 00:16:25,200 –> 00:16:26,080 On the one hand 522 00:16:26,640 –> 00:16:28,320 And self justification 523 00:16:28,400 –> 00:16:29,520 On the other hand 524 00:16:30,400 –> 00:16:32,479 So that even after you repent 525 00:16:32,479 –> 00:16:34,320 of a particular sin in your life 526 00:16:34,320 –> 00:16:36,239 you may find yourself down the track 527 00:16:36,799 –> 00:16:38,479 thinking differently about it 528 00:16:38,479 –> 00:16:40,640 And it will occur to you to think like this 529 00:16:40,640 –> 00:16:41,280 Actually, 530 00:16:41,280 –> 00:16:42,799 you know, I was very repentant 531 00:16:42,799 –> 00:16:43,840 But the more I think about it 532 00:16:43,840 –> 00:16:45,440 There’s another side to this story 533 00:16:46,719 –> 00:16:48,000 There are some explanations 534 00:16:48,000 –> 00:16:49,520 There is some defense to be offered 535 00:16:49,520 –> 00:16:50,400 For what I did 536 00:16:50,400 –> 00:16:52,320 Look at the pressures I was under 537 00:16:52,320 –> 00:16:54,640 Look at the difficulties I was facing at the time 538 00:16:54,640 –> 00:16:56,719 Look at the lack of support that I had 539 00:16:56,719 –> 00:16:58,719 It’s easy to understand why I fell 540 00:16:58,719 –> 00:17:00,559 In fact, the more that I think about it 541 00:17:00,559 –> 00:17:02,719 it would have been amazing if I did not fall 542 00:17:02,719 –> 00:17:03,520 and now suddenly 543 00:17:03,520 –> 00:17:06,239 you’ve undermined all your own repentance 544 00:17:07,359 –> 00:17:08,160 It happens 545 00:17:10,160 –> 00:17:12,160 Does this sound familiar? 546 00:17:12,640 –> 00:17:13,839 A man has an affair 547 00:17:14,959 –> 00:17:15,680 He repents 548 00:17:16,640 –> 00:17:18,000 He takes responsibility 549 00:17:18,000 –> 00:17:18,880 says he’s sorry 550 00:17:18,880 –> 00:17:19,839 But a few weeks later 551 00:17:19,839 –> 00:17:20,479 what happens? 552 00:17:20,479 –> 00:17:21,439 His tone changes 553 00:17:23,040 –> 00:17:24,640 He begins to explain 554 00:17:25,119 –> 00:17:27,680 why it happened 555 00:17:28,719 –> 00:17:32,959 and his explanation undermines his repentance 556 00:17:32,959 –> 00:17:33,439 It turns out 557 00:17:33,439 –> 00:17:34,959 actually, it was someone else’s fault 558 00:17:37,280 –> 00:17:39,439 I’m sorry I lost my temper 559 00:17:39,439 –> 00:17:40,800 But remember, you said 560 00:17:42,640 –> 00:17:43,920 just to undermine your repentance 561 00:17:45,119 –> 00:17:46,719 No point in saying sorry 562 00:17:48,880 –> 00:17:50,640 Now there is a subtle change 563 00:17:50,640 –> 00:17:53,520 that’s going on in Jonah right here 564 00:17:53,520 –> 00:17:56,000 that is of devastating spiritual proportions 565 00:17:57,599 –> 00:17:59,839 He saw himself earlier 566 00:18:01,359 –> 00:18:03,920 as a sinner in need of the mercy of God 567 00:18:05,119 –> 00:18:07,199 A sinner who finds his hope in God 568 00:18:08,719 –> 00:18:11,839 But now he is seeing himself as a man 569 00:18:11,839 –> 00:18:13,680 who can offer an explanation 570 00:18:13,680 –> 00:18:15,520 for the wrong in his life to God 571 00:18:16,560 –> 00:18:17,680 All the difference in the world 572 00:18:17,680 –> 00:18:18,719 between these two things 573 00:18:20,000 –> 00:18:21,839 Do you see it happening right here 574 00:18:21,920 –> 00:18:23,920 in Jonah chapter 4 and verse 2 575 00:18:23,920 –> 00:18:26,160 O Lord is not this what I said 576 00:18:26,160 –> 00:18:27,439 while I was still at home 577 00:18:27,439 –> 00:18:30,880 This is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish 578 00:18:31,839 –> 00:18:33,040 Anybody is saying 579 00:18:33,040 –> 00:18:36,000 I went to Tarshish and I know it was wrong 580 00:18:37,839 –> 00:18:40,880 But actually God it’s your fault 581 00:18:41,839 –> 00:18:43,439 Because if you judge the wicked 582 00:18:43,439 –> 00:18:44,560 like you should be doing 583 00:18:45,199 –> 00:18:46,400 there wouldn’t have been a problem 584 00:18:46,400 –> 00:18:47,680 but I know that you’re the God 585 00:18:47,680 –> 00:18:49,439 who relents from sending calamity 586 00:18:49,439 –> 00:18:52,079 and that is why I went so quickly to Tarshish 587 00:18:54,319 –> 00:18:55,439 Now notice the pattern 588 00:18:57,839 –> 00:19:02,880 When you feel that you can offer an explanation 589 00:19:04,160 –> 00:19:05,760 for your sin against God 590 00:19:07,680 –> 00:19:09,920 you undermine your own repentance 591 00:19:12,000 –> 00:19:14,160 You go back even on where perhaps 592 00:19:14,160 –> 00:19:15,280 you were once before 593 00:19:17,359 –> 00:19:18,160 And here’s 594 00:19:19,599 –> 00:19:20,880 the tragedy of it 595 00:19:22,719 –> 00:19:24,319 If you go down that path 596 00:19:24,319 –> 00:19:30,640 it will not be long before you are angry with God 597 00:19:30,640 –> 00:19:31,680 That’s what we learn here 598 00:19:32,719 –> 00:19:36,319 That’s the path into Jonah’s anger with God 599 00:19:36,319 –> 00:19:37,920 You see because it’s all God’s fault now 600 00:19:39,439 –> 00:19:40,640 God made me like this 601 00:19:40,640 –> 00:19:42,079 God put me in this position 602 00:19:42,079 –> 00:19:44,079 It’s the way of God in the world 603 00:19:44,079 –> 00:19:45,920 that justifies what I did 604 00:19:45,920 –> 00:19:47,199 in going to Tarshish 605 00:19:47,199 –> 00:19:50,000 When a man undermines his own repentance 606 00:19:51,359 –> 00:19:56,640 it will not be long before that man is angry with God 607 00:19:58,800 –> 00:20:01,599 Now those of you who are thoughtful might want to ponder this 608 00:20:03,359 –> 00:20:09,760 but explaining sin is big business in America 609 00:20:11,680 –> 00:20:12,800 and the tragedy 610 00:20:13,599 –> 00:20:22,640 of big business that explains sin is that it leads many into the dead end 611 00:20:23,599 –> 00:20:28,640 of long-term anger with God 612 00:20:29,760 –> 00:20:33,520 and if you’ve been encouraged in some way to explain away your own sin 613 00:20:33,520 –> 00:20:37,359 rather than take responsibility for it that’s where that will take you 614 00:20:37,439 –> 00:20:42,800 And lest and until as we’re going to see Jonah does here 615 00:20:44,000 –> 00:20:48,880 God graciously brings you back to take responsibility for what is your responsibility 616 00:20:49,839 –> 00:20:55,119 and to find yourself again looking up to God who in mercy 617 00:20:56,160 –> 00:21:01,359 is the source of healing of the repentant human heart 618 00:21:01,359 –> 00:21:06,079 huge themes for our culture today 619 00:21:06,079 –> 00:21:09,599 you cannot repent as long as you’re explaining why you did it 620 00:21:09,599 –> 00:21:15,760 you’re just pushing blame off that’s all you do and it undermines repentance 621 00:21:17,439 –> 00:21:24,319 Now that’s where the anger came from and it seems very clear that there is a pattern here 622 00:21:24,319 –> 00:21:27,680 I want you to notice how the theme of anger runs right through the chapter 623 00:21:27,680 –> 00:21:31,439 and we’re going to be coming back to this God willing in subsequent weekends 624 00:21:31,439 –> 00:21:33,599 but notice how it’s the theme of the whole chapter 625 00:21:33,920 –> 00:21:37,760 in verse one Jonah was greatly displeased and he became angry 626 00:21:37,760 –> 00:21:41,280 in verse four God asked Jonah have you any right to be angry? 627 00:21:41,280 –> 00:21:46,239 in verse nine God asks the second time do you have any right to be angry? 628 00:21:46,239 –> 00:21:48,880 in verse nine Jonah says I am angry enough to die 629 00:21:48,880 –> 00:21:53,520 if the word anger comes four times in reference to Jonah in this one chapter 630 00:21:53,520 –> 00:21:57,160 you can be fairly sure that his anger with and towards God 631 00:21:57,160 –> 00:22:01,199 is the central issue that is being dealt with in this chapter 632 00:22:01,520 –> 00:22:05,920 and so this chapter takes us into a surprising truth that you may never 633 00:22:05,920 –> 00:22:12,319 have thought of before God’s grace makes some people angry 634 00:22:12,319 –> 00:22:15,760 in fact I want to suggest to you 635 00:22:15,760 –> 00:22:19,199 today that God’s grace will do one of two 636 00:22:19,199 –> 00:22:23,680 things in your life and that all people in who are thinking 637 00:22:23,680 –> 00:22:26,479 about God’s grace are moving in one of these two directions 638 00:22:26,479 –> 00:22:30,000 either God’s grace will make you angry or 639 00:22:30,000 –> 00:22:35,339 God’s grace will make you worship you will go one of these two ways 640 00:22:35,339 –> 00:22:36,719 now let’s think for a few moments 641 00:22:36,719 –> 00:22:39,520 then about how God’s grace makes some people 642 00:22:39,520 –> 00:22:44,319 angry if you want to know whether God’s grace could possibly make you 643 00:22:44,319 –> 00:22:48,160 angry turn with me to Romans and chapter 9 644 00:22:48,160 –> 00:22:53,839 would you do that with me today Romans and chapter 9 for of all the 645 00:22:53,859 –> 00:22:58,920 chapters in the Bible Romans chapter 9 is probably the 646 00:22:58,920 –> 00:23:04,520 starkest of all statements of what God’s grace 647 00:23:04,520 –> 00:23:10,359 actually means. Many folks have the idea that God’s grace simply means that he’s 648 00:23:10,359 –> 00:23:14,040 kindly, benevolent in a general sort of a way 649 00:3:14,040 –> 00:23:17,880 but the Bible speaks in a much more incisive way than that 650 00:23:17,880 –> 00:23:22,359 and never more starkly than in Romans chapter 9 651 00:23:22,439 –> 00:23:26,319 the whole chapter really is devoted to an explanation of what God’s grace is 652 00:23:26,319 –> 00:23:27,719 really all about 653 00:23:27,719 –> 00:23:30,959 Let me quote to you some examples of why 654 00:23:30,959 –> 00:23:34,020 God’s grace makes some people angry 655 00:23:34,880 –> 00:23:38,520 Here’s what God’s grace looks like, chapter 9 in verse 13 656 00:23:38,520 –> 00:23:44,599 one of the most difficult statements in the whole Bible 657 00:23:44,599 –> 00:23:52,239 Jacob, I loved but Esau I hated 658 00:23:52,239 –> 00:23:55,020 How many people feel uncomfortable about that already? 659 00:23:55,020 –> 00:23:56,619 ok 660 00:23:56,640 –> 00:24:00,719 See there’s an instinct in us, we want to say to God 661 00:24:00,719 –> 00:24:02,939 Oh it’s fine for you to love Jacob but you must do 662 00:24:02,939 –> 00:24:05,439 the same for Esau 663 00:24:05,439 –> 00:24:07,140 Paul continues, verse 14 664 00:24:07,140 –> 00:24:09,719 What shall we say then, is God unjust? 665 00:24:09,719 –> 00:24:17,880 Not at all, for he said to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy 666 00:24:17,880 –> 00:24:22,000 I will have compassion on whom I have compassion 667 00:24:22,000 –> 00:24:26,660 It’s up to me to decide where I exercise mercy and 668 00:24:26,660 –> 00:24:30,079 where I exercise compassion. that’s what God says 669 00:24:30,079 –> 00:24:34,380 beginning to see why God’s grace makes some people angry 670 00:24:34,380 –> 00:24:39,599 it does not, verse 16, therefore depend 671 00:24:40,060 –> 00:24:47,579 on man’s desire or effort but on God’s mercy 672 00:24:48,540 –> 00:24:51,739 Your salvation doesn’t come from the fact that you want it to be saved 673 00:24:51,739 –> 00:24:54,020 that’s what he’s saying 674 00:24:54,020 –> 00:24:56,660 or from your effort to be saved but simply 675 00:24:56,660 –> 00:25:03,180 it is an effect of God’s amazing, indescribable, unexplainable mercy 676 00:25:03,180 –> 00:25:05,079 at work in you 677 00:25:06,079 –> 00:25:09,839 Paul goes on to deal with the obvious objection 678 00:25:09,839 –> 00:25:12,060 One of you will say to me 679 00:25:12,060 –> 00:25:14,800 I like that Paul’s anticipating the objection 680 00:25:14,800 –> 00:25:17,319 It’s kind of like if he was living today he’ll say 681 00:25:17,319 –> 00:25:21,640 A bunch of of you will e-mail me this week with the following question 682 00:25:21,640 –> 00:25:23,160 That’s what he’s saying 683 00:25:23,160 –> 00:25:25,000 He knows the question is going to come up 684 00:25:25,000 –> 00:25:28,060 And of course it’s this question 685 00:25:28,060 –> 00:25:29,839 Why does God still blame us? 686 00:25:29,839 –> 00:25:32,900 God chooses where he’s going to have compassion and 687 00:25:32,900 –> 00:25:34,459 where he’s going to have mercy 688 00:25:34,660 –> 00:25:36,060 Why does he blame us? 689 00:25:36,060 –> 00:25:37,819 Because he says verse 19 690 00:25:37,819 –> 00:25:39,319 Who resists his will? 691 00:25:39,319 –> 00:25:43,119 And notice the profound answer to that verse 20 692 00:25:43,119 –> 00:25:45,859 The biblical answer to that 693 00:25:45,859 –> 00:25:49,060 But who are you, oh man to talk back to God? 694 00:25:49,060 –> 00:25:50,060 Bang 695 00:25:50,060 –> 00:25:51,599 In other words 696 00:25:51,599 –> 00:25:53,380 God steps in and God says 697 00:25:53,380 –> 00:25:55,199 Excuse me 698 00:25:55,199 –> 00:25:59,719 Are you telling me what I can and cannot do? 699 00:25:59,719 –> 00:26:03,000 Who are you again? 700 00:26:03,699 –> 00:26:04,880 Read Romans Chapter 9 701 00:26:04,880 –> 00:26:11,140 And you will begin to see why God’s grace makes some people angry 702 00:26:11,140 –> 00:26:13,859 Because grace means that God is free 703 00:26:13,859 –> 00:26:15,560 That’s the word 704 00:26:15,560 –> 00:26:18,280 God is free 705 00:26:18,280 –> 00:26:22,739 To do whatever he wants in any situation 706 00:26:22,739 –> 00:26:26,439 Beautifully stated in Psalm 115 in Verse 3 707 00:26:26,439 –> 00:26:33,439 Our God is in heaven, and he does whatever pleases him 708 00:26:33,439 –> 00:26:35,219 And you know, it is an expression 709 00:26:35,219 –> 00:26:36,180 Think about this 710 00:26:36,180 –> 00:26:41,599 Is it not an expression of our own utter pride and arrogance 711 00:26:41,599 –> 00:26:52,040 That we make so much of our need to be free to accept or reject Him 712 00:26:52,880 –> 00:26:57,300 But we do not feel that he should be free to accept or reject us 713 00:26:58,000 –> 00:27:02,500 Now, I told you grace makes some people angry 714 00:27:02,500 –> 00:27:04,839 Let me tell you this 715 00:27:04,839 –> 00:27:10,500 If you are really struggling with this right now, you are not alone 716 00:27:10,500 –> 00:27:14,839 And one reason why many people struggle here 717 00:27:15,479 –> 00:27:19,640 is that it seems as if God’s freedom 718 00:27:19,640 –> 00:27:22,699 Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated 719 00:27:22,699 –> 00:27:26,479 It would seem that that would make God’s love less 720 00:27:26,479 –> 00:27:32,300 If God is really loving 721 00:27:32,300 –> 00:27:36,739 shouldn’t that mean that he treats everybody the same? 722 00:27:36,739 –> 00:27:40,579 But I want you to think about this 723 00:27:41,359 –> 00:27:43,819 a love that treats everybody the same 724 00:27:43,819 –> 00:27:48,520 is actually a very weak kind of love 725 00:27:48,520 –> 00:27:53,300 Let me tell you about a stronger kind of love 726 00:27:53,300 –> 00:27:57,140 I love my wife 727 00:27:57,140 –> 00:28:03,900 and that means I treat nobody the same 728 00:28:03,900 –> 00:28:09,920 So if your idea of God’s love is that He is generally benevolent towards everybody 729 00:28:10,119 –> 00:28:14,839 in an in-specific kind of way 730 00:28:14,839 –> 00:28:19,859 then you’re gonna to struggle 731 00:28:19,859 –> 00:28:23,239 but if it might occur to you that in the Scriptures 732 00:28:23,239 –> 00:28:28,119 the Bible speaks of God’s love in a different kind of a way 733 00:28:28,119 –> 00:28:31,239 like Christ having a bride 734 00:28:31,239 –> 00:28:33,920 that He chooses for Himself 735 00:28:34,260 –> 00:28:36,739 like God calling his people Israel 736 00:28:36,739 –> 00:28:41,400 as the channel of His mercy 737 00:28:41,400 –> 00:28:47,979 you might begin to think in a different kind of a way 738 00:28:47,979 –> 00:28:50,160 some folks are so locked into the idea 739 00:28:50,160 –> 00:28:52,560 that God must treat everybody the same 740 00:28:52,560 –> 00:28:55,420 that they think of God simply as opening the door 741 00:28:55,420 –> 00:28:58,020 to make salvation possible 742 00:28:58,020 –> 00:28:59,859 and then standing back to just wait and see 743 00:28:59,859 –> 00:29:02,000 who will come in 744 00:29:02,000 –> 00:29:03,239 but I’m suggesting to you 745 00:29:03,479 –> 00:29:05,640 that the Bible speaks of a greater love than that 746 00:29:05,640 –> 00:29:08,380 in which God takes the initiative 747 00:29:08,420 –> 00:29:10,760 in sending his son into the world 748 00:29:10,760 –> 00:29:11,719 but more than that 749 00:29:11,719 –> 00:29:13,920 God takes the initiative in breaking in to the lives 750 00:29:13,920 –> 00:29:15,719 of particular people 751 00:29:15,719 –> 00:29:16,959 so that you should be saved 752 00:29:16,959 –> 00:29:20,920 and I should be saved 753 00:29:20,920 –> 00:29:22,280 let me point you to one more scripture 754 00:29:22,280 –> 00:29:25,199 that just kind of from the Old Testament 755 00:29:25,199 –> 00:29:26,780 I think speaks powerfully to this 756 00:29:26,780 –> 00:29:28,040 turn back to Deuteronomy 757 00:29:28,040 –> 00:29:29,040 in chapter 7 758 00:29:29,040 –> 00:29:30,040 if you would 759 00:29:30,920 –> 00:29:34,599 Deuteronomy and chapter 7 760 00:29:34,599 –> 00:29:37,719 this is really one of the great statements 761 00:29:37,719 –> 00:29:39,640 in the Old Testament scriptures 762 00:29:39,640 –> 00:29:41,560 about God’s particular love 763 00:29:41,560 –> 00:29:44,560 for his own covenant people 764 00:29:44,560 –> 00:29:47,719 and notice what God says here 765 00:29:47,719 –> 00:29:48,920 he says to Israel 766 00:29:48,920 –> 00:29:53,319 you are a people holy to the Lord your God 767 00:29:53,319 –> 00:29:56,520 holy, separate different special unique 768 00:29:56,520 –> 00:29:59,119 because of the relationship that God has forged 769 00:29:59,439 –> 00:30:02,640 he says the Lord your God has chosen you 770 00:30:02,640 –> 00:30:05,359 out of all the peoples on the face of the earth 771 00:30:05,359 –> 00:30:06,319 to be his people 772 00:30:07,040 –> 00:30:08,420 his treasured possession 773 00:30:08,420 –> 00:30:11,280 you say okay God has chosen this people 774 00:30:11,280 –> 00:30:12,959 out of all the peoples on the face of the earth 775 00:30:12,959 –> 00:30:15,359 to be his special and treasured possession 776 00:30:15,359 –> 00:30:17,439 why did God love them in this special way? 777 00:30:18,400 –> 00:30:19,520 well verse seven 778 00:30:19,520 –> 00:30:21,680 the Lord did not set his affection on you 779 00:30:21,680 –> 00:30:22,400 and choose you 780 00:30:22,400 –> 00:30:24,239 because you were more numerous than other people 781 00:30:24,239 –> 00:30:26,479 because you were the fewest of all people 782 00:30:26,479 –> 00:30:27,599 okay we’re now being told 783 00:30:27,599 –> 00:30:29,439 that God didn’t set his love on Israel 784 00:30:29,439 –> 00:30:31,439 because there was anything special about them 785 00:30:31,439 –> 00:30:33,520 numerical strength or whatever else 786 00:30:33,520 –> 00:30:35,680 so why now we’re holding our breath 787 00:30:35,680 –> 00:30:38,319 why is it that God then set his affection on them 788 00:30:38,319 –> 00:30:40,000 we’re going to get the answer in verse eight 789 00:30:40,000 –> 00:30:43,280 it was because the Lord loved you 790 00:30:44,400 –> 00:30:45,280 and kept the oath 791 00:30:45,280 –> 00:30:46,719 that he swore to your forefathers 792 00:30:46,719 –> 00:30:47,839 that he brought you out 793 00:30:48,479 –> 00:30:49,359 with a mighty hand 794 00:30:49,359 –> 00:30:51,119 and redeemed you from the land of slavery 795 00:30:51,119 –> 00:30:54,079 from the power of pharaoh king of Egypt 796 00:30:54,079 –> 00:30:54,800 see what it’s saying 797 00:30:55,760 –> 00:30:56,880 why does God love you? 798 00:30:58,479 –> 00:31:00,079 because he loves you 799 00:31:01,439 –> 00:31:02,239 no other reason 800 00:31:04,239 –> 00:31:05,040 not your prayers 801 00:31:05,040 –> 00:31:05,920 not your ministry 802 00:31:05,920 –> 00:31:06,880 not your service 803 00:31:06,880 –> 00:31:07,760 not your commitment 804 00:31:07,760 –> 00:31:08,400 not your faith 805 00:31:08,400 –> 00:31:09,359 not your good life 806 00:31:11,199 –> 00:31:15,520 God set his love on you brother and sister in Christ 807 00:31:15,520 –> 00:31:17,119 for this one and only reason 808 00:31:17,119 –> 00:31:19,760 because he loved you 809 00:31:21,439 –> 00:31:22,560 that’s why he chose you 810 00:31:22,560 –> 00:31:24,479 out of the people on all the face of the earth 811 00:31:24,479 –> 00:31:26,400 to be among his treasured possession 812 00:31:27,199 –> 00:31:30,079 and now God extends his love to Nineveh 813 00:31:30,079 –> 00:31:31,119 of all places 814 00:31:31,119 –> 00:31:32,959 the capital of terror and torture 815 00:31:33,920 –> 00:31:34,800 and Jonah saying 816 00:31:34,800 –> 00:31:35,760 why Nineveh? 817 00:31:35,760 –> 00:31:36,959 and he’s making him mad 818 00:31:38,880 –> 00:31:41,760 of all the cities God could have chosen to send a prophet 819 00:31:41,760 –> 00:31:42,400 why this one? 820 00:31:42,400 –> 00:31:45,040 of all the cities God could have raised a revival 821 00:31:45,040 –> 00:31:46,079 why this one? 822 00:31:47,920 –> 00:31:49,439 you can’t get beyond this answer 823 00:31:49,439 –> 00:31:50,319 our God is in heaven 824 00:31:50,319 –> 00:31:51,839 and he does whatever pleases him 825 00:31:52,560 –> 00:31:53,439 free proclamation 826 00:31:53,439 –> 00:31:55,520 nobody tells him what to do 827 00:31:57,119 –> 00:31:59,760 and that made Jonah 828 00:32:00,880 –> 00:32:01,359 mad 829 00:32:03,920 –> 00:32:06,800 we’re more comfortable with a God who’s more controlled 830 00:32:08,800 –> 00:32:12,079 who operates within a framework 831 00:32:13,439 –> 00:32:14,880 but that’s not the God in the bible 832 00:32:17,199 –> 00:32:19,199 God’s grace makes some people angry 833 00:32:19,199 –> 00:32:20,880 here’s the second thing more briefly 834 00:32:20,880 –> 00:32:21,680 more wonderfully 835 00:32:22,239 –> 00:32:24,239 God’s grace makes some people worship 836 00:32:27,280 –> 00:32:28,479 now let me just say this 837 00:32:28,479 –> 00:32:31,599 some Christians disagree on how we should understand these things 838 00:32:31,599 –> 00:32:33,199 that i’ve been speaking about 839 00:32:33,199 –> 00:32:36,000 and trying to point you to in the bible 840 00:32:36,000 –> 00:32:38,800 as best i understand it 841 00:32:38,800 –> 00:32:40,400 and if you find yourself saying 842 00:32:40,400 –> 00:32:43,520 you know i really don’t see what pastor colon sees in the bible 843 00:32:44,319 –> 00:32:45,920 then we can agree to differ 844 00:32:46,560 –> 00:32:47,219 that’s okay 845 00:32:47,219 –> 00:32:51,060 your eternal future doesn’t hang on this 846 00:32:52,260 –> 00:32:53,219 you’ll be glad to know that 847 00:32:54,500 –> 00:32:55,780 so why am i speaking about it 848 00:32:55,780 –> 00:32:57,780 for this reason i’m utterly convinced 849 00:32:57,780 –> 00:33:02,979 that a great deal of your joy in worship does hang on this 850 00:33:04,900 –> 00:33:07,459 because if all that you think is that God is sort of generally 851 00:33:08,500 –> 00:33:12,020 munificent to to you in a way that he is to everybody else 852 00:33:12,020 –> 00:33:14,739 and then it’s difficult to see 853 00:33:14,739 –> 00:33:16,819 how your whole heart, soul, mind and strength 854 00:33:16,819 –> 00:33:19,619 is really going to be galvanized in the worship of God 855 00:33:22,099 –> 00:33:24,979 Let God’s grace lead you not into anger my friend 856 00:33:24,979 –> 00:33:26,020 but into worship 857 00:33:27,060 –> 00:33:28,260 let me try and point you 858 00:33:29,060 –> 00:33:30,819 as to how that might happen for you 859 00:33:30,819 –> 00:33:32,260 how it has happened for me 860 00:33:32,979 –> 00:33:35,380 and for thousands and thousands of other Christians 861 00:33:37,219 –> 00:33:39,859 if you are a Christian ask this question honestly 862 00:33:39,859 –> 00:33:43,459 and with wonder and amazement in your heart 863 00:33:43,540 –> 00:33:47,459 why is it that you believe 864 00:33:49,140 –> 00:33:50,339 and someone else 865 00:33:50,339 –> 00:33:51,380 in your family 866 00:33:51,380 –> 00:33:51,939 your work 867 00:33:52,579 –> 00:33:54,020 in your group of friends 868 00:33:54,020 –> 00:33:54,819 does not? 869 00:33:56,099 –> 00:33:57,380 I’m thinking of folks who have 870 00:33:57,380 –> 00:33:59,939 exactly the same background as I do 871 00:34:01,699 –> 00:34:04,099 and polar opposite lives 872 00:34:05,699 –> 00:34:05,939 why? 873 00:34:08,340 –> 00:34:10,659 Do you think it is because you are wiser than them? 874 00:34:12,020 –> 00:34:12,659 Would you say 875 00:34:12,659 –> 00:34:14,419 well you know I made a better choice 876 00:34:14,419 –> 00:34:15,860 well why did you make a better choice 877 00:34:15,860 –> 00:34:17,300 is that because you’re a better person? 878 00:34:19,860 –> 00:34:21,060 See if that is what you think 879 00:34:21,060 –> 00:34:22,020 in your heart of hearts 880 00:34:22,020 –> 00:34:23,939 you just turned God’s grace into works 881 00:34:25,620 –> 00:34:26,979 here is why you believe 882 00:34:28,100 –> 00:34:28,979 if you are a Christian 883 00:34:31,300 –> 00:34:33,219 God set His love on you 884 00:34:35,060 –> 00:34:37,139 God’s Holy Spirit awakened you 885 00:34:38,419 –> 00:34:40,340 God drew you to Himself 886 00:34:40,340 –> 00:34:41,379 God redeemed you 887 00:34:41,540 –> 00:34:43,459 God gave you life from above 888 00:34:43,459 –> 00:34:45,459 and you did nothing to deserve it 889 00:34:45,459 –> 00:34:46,260 neither did I 890 00:34:48,100 –> 00:34:49,060 that’s grace 891 00:34:51,139 –> 00:34:52,580 Isaac Watts wrote a hymn 892 00:34:52,580 –> 00:34:54,419 it is one of my favorite hymns 893 00:34:55,620 –> 00:34:57,139 because it describes the thing 894 00:34:57,139 –> 00:34:59,860 I cannot get over in my own life 895 00:35:02,179 –> 00:35:04,580 It’s called How Sweet and Awesome Is the Place 896 00:35:04,580 –> 00:35:05,780 I hope you’ll come to love it 897 00:35:05,780 –> 00:35:06,739 we’ve sung it 898 00:35:06,739 –> 00:35:08,179 in our worship services 899 00:35:08,179 –> 00:35:09,540 at different times already 900 00:35:09,540 –> 00:35:10,979 and it just takes up the 901 00:35:11,780 –> 00:35:13,860 picture that our Lord Jesus uses 902 00:35:13,860 –> 00:35:16,580 of salvation being like a great banquet 903 00:35:17,939 –> 00:35:20,260 and Watt’s pictures us as believers 904 00:35:20,260 –> 00:35:22,260 coming into this great banquet 905 00:35:22,739 –> 00:35:24,500 and can you imagine this vast 906 00:35:24,500 –> 00:35:25,939 vast banqueting hall 907 00:35:25,939 –> 00:35:27,219 bigger than you have ever seen 908 00:35:27,219 –> 00:35:28,739 or ever can imagine 909 00:35:28,739 –> 00:35:30,899 and it is spread with tables 910 00:35:30,899 –> 00:35:32,580 as far as the eye can see 911 00:35:32,580 –> 00:35:33,620 and they are laden 912 00:35:33,620 –> 00:35:34,899 prepared for the feast 913 00:35:36,020 –> 00:35:37,620 and now you have come in 914 00:35:37,620 –> 00:35:39,860 and all of your brothers and sisters 915 00:35:39,860 –> 00:35:41,699 when Christ are coming in 916 00:35:41,699 –> 00:35:44,580 and we are seeing the feast 917 00:35:46,260 –> 00:35:48,340 and Watt writes these words 918 00:35:49,060 –> 00:35:51,060 while all our hearts 919 00:35:51,060 –> 00:35:52,899 and all our songs 920 00:35:54,100 –> 00:35:56,419 join to admire the feast 921 00:35:57,780 –> 00:36:00,179 each of us cry 922 00:36:00,179 –> 00:36:02,179 with thankful hearts 923 00:36:02,179 –> 00:36:05,699 Lord why was I a guest 924 00:36:05,699 –> 00:36:10,739 why was I made to hear Your voice 925 00:36:11,780 –> 00:36:13,780 and enter while there’s room 926 00:36:13,780 –> 00:36:16,580 when thousands make a wretched choice 927 00:36:16,580 –> 00:36:18,260 and rather starve than come 928 00:36:20,179 –> 00:36:21,939 and here’s what he says about that 929 00:36:21,939 –> 00:36:24,100 he says here’s how I came 930 00:36:24,100 –> 00:36:25,860 it was the same love 931 00:36:25,860 –> 00:36:27,379 that spread the feast 932 00:36:28,419 –> 00:36:30,659 that sweetly drew us in 933 00:36:30,659 –> 00:36:31,620 you see the Lord 934 00:36:31,620 –> 00:36:33,300 who sent his son into the world 935 00:36:33,300 –> 00:36:35,139 is the Lord who sent his spirit 936 00:36:36,260 –> 00:36:38,100 to work in your mind in your heart 937 00:36:38,100 –> 00:36:39,939 and to change you from the rebel 938 00:36:39,939 –> 00:36:41,060 you would have been 939 00:36:41,060 –> 00:36:42,179 apart from his grace 940 00:36:43,860 –> 00:36:44,820 it was the same love 941 00:36:44,820 –> 00:36:45,780 that spread the feast 942 00:36:45,780 –> 00:36:47,219 that sweetly drew us in 943 00:36:48,899 –> 00:36:51,939 or else we had still refused to taste 944 00:36:51,939 –> 00:36:55,379 and rather starve than come 945 00:36:56,340 –> 00:36:58,340 my friend apart from God’s grace 946 00:36:58,340 –> 00:37:00,739 you would never have come to Jesus Christ 947 00:37:00,739 –> 00:37:02,179 apart from the work of the Spirit 948 00:37:02,179 –> 00:37:03,540 opening your mind to the truth 949 00:37:03,540 –> 00:37:05,139 changing your heart towards the truth 950 00:37:06,659 –> 00:37:08,739 recreating you as a new person 951 00:37:08,739 –> 00:37:11,939 you would have spent the rest of your life 952 00:37:11,939 –> 00:37:13,219 with your own sinful heart 953 00:37:13,219 –> 00:37:14,820 taking you away from Christ 954 00:37:14,820 –> 00:37:15,860 and so would I 955 00:37:17,219 –> 00:37:18,580 we would be outside 956 00:37:18,580 –> 00:37:19,939 for the rest of our lives 957 00:37:19,939 –> 00:37:21,379 still refusing to come 958 00:37:23,219 –> 00:37:26,020 that’s what isaac watts is convinced of 959 00:37:27,060 –> 00:37:28,179 and I’m convinced of it too 960 00:37:29,620 –> 00:37:31,699 I cannot think of any other reason 961 00:37:31,699 –> 00:37:33,300 why I love Christ 962 00:37:33,300 –> 00:37:34,899 and someone else I know 963 00:37:34,899 –> 00:37:37,139 and love who had the same background does not 964 00:37:40,179 –> 00:37:42,899 so let God’s grace lead you to worship 965 00:37:45,219 –> 00:37:48,340 because once you get a taste of God’s grace 966 00:37:48,340 –> 00:37:51,060 you will spend the rest of your life 967 00:37:51,060 –> 00:37:53,219 keeping coming back to this question 968 00:37:53,219 –> 00:37:55,379 Lord, Why me? 969 00:37:57,780 –> 00:38:00,100 and you will never get a better answer than this 970 00:38:00,100 –> 00:38:02,820 that he has set his love on you 971 00:38:02,820 –> 00:38:04,340 and that will make you say again 972 00:38:04,340 –> 00:38:06,020 but why me? 973 00:38:07,780 –> 00:38:09,459 you’ll start to feel with John Newton 974 00:38:09,459 –> 00:38:10,659 another great hymn writer 975 00:38:10,659 –> 00:38:12,659 that God’s grace is what 976 00:38:13,540 –> 00:38:14,340 Amazing! 977 00:38:16,580 –> 00:38:17,219 Newton said 978 00:38:17,219 –> 00:38:18,739 Amazing Grace how sweet the sound 979 00:38:18,739 –> 00:38:20,100 that saved a wretch like me 980 00:38:20,100 –> 00:38:21,219 I once was lost 981 00:38:22,340 –> 00:38:23,379 but now am found 982 00:38:23,379 –> 00:38:25,139 was blind 983 00:38:25,139 –> 00:38:26,179 but now I see 984 00:38:26,179 –> 00:38:27,540 if you said to john newton 985 00:38:27,540 –> 00:38:30,179 tell me john what is so amazing about grace 986 00:38:30,179 –> 00:38:31,379 john newton would say this to you 987 00:38:31,379 –> 00:38:33,139 look I was lost and God found me 988 00:38:35,300 –> 00:38:37,620 I was blind and God gave me sight 989 00:38:37,620 –> 00:38:38,500 he healed me 990 00:38:40,260 –> 00:38:42,739 and why God would do this for me 991 00:38:42,739 –> 00:38:44,500 when thousands live their lives 992 00:38:44,500 –> 00:38:46,100 and die their deaths 993 00:38:47,459 –> 00:38:50,260 still lost and still blind 994 00:38:50,260 –> 00:38:52,340 is amazing beyond anything 995 00:38:52,340 –> 00:38:54,899 I can imagine or begin to explain 996 00:38:56,820 –> 00:38:58,100 and when you see 997 00:38:58,100 –> 00:38:59,860 God’s amazing grace 998 00:38:59,860 –> 00:39:04,739 you will find yourself increasingly lost 999 00:39:04,739 –> 00:39:08,500 in wonder love and praise 1000 00:39:10,979 –> 00:39:12,979 I wish that more of us believed 1001 00:39:12,979 –> 00:39:14,739 not only that God made it possible 1002 00:39:14,739 –> 00:39:15,780 for us to be saved 1003 00:39:16,979 –> 00:39:19,060 but that God saved us 1004 00:39:20,020 –> 00:39:21,459 because that’s what the bible says 1005 00:39:22,500 –> 00:39:23,540 he saved us 1006 00:39:25,860 –> 00:39:29,540 so let this amazing doctrine 1007 00:39:30,340 –> 00:39:31,459 of God’s grace that 1008 00:39:32,020 –> 00:39:34,020 raises so many questions 1009 00:39:34,020 –> 00:39:35,699 let it not take you with 1010 00:39:35,699 –> 00:39:38,020 the company of those who become angry 1011 00:39:39,540 –> 00:39:42,179 you join the company of those 1012 00:39:42,179 –> 00:39:43,939 who beholding God’s 1013 00:39:43,939 –> 00:39:45,939 inexplicable grace in our lives 1014 00:39:45,939 –> 00:39:49,060 find that it leads us to worship 1015 00:39:50,659 –> 00:39:52,500 and then there is just one more thing 1016 00:39:52,500 –> 00:39:53,379 that I want to say 1017 00:39:53,379 –> 00:39:55,060 in the very last moment here 1018 00:39:55,060 –> 00:39:56,179 and it’s this that 1019 00:39:57,060 –> 00:39:59,139 God’s grace that makes some people angry 1020 00:40:00,100 –> 00:40:02,100 and God’s grace that makes some people worship 1021 00:40:03,379 –> 00:40:04,820 is also the same grace 1022 00:40:04,820 –> 00:40:06,659 that makes some people pray 1023 00:40:06,659 –> 00:40:07,939 and the reason I mentioned this 1024 00:40:07,939 –> 00:40:09,379 we’ll come back to this another time 1025 00:40:10,260 –> 00:40:11,860 but I want just to mention it today 1026 00:40:11,860 –> 00:40:12,899 for this reason that 1027 00:40:13,540 –> 00:40:15,300 the obvious question that comes up 1028 00:40:15,300 –> 00:40:16,820 when we think about God’s grace 1029 00:40:16,820 –> 00:40:18,100 in our lives as believers 1030 00:40:18,100 –> 00:40:18,979 is someone will say 1031 00:40:18,979 –> 00:40:20,340 well that’s all very well for you 1032 00:40:21,620 –> 00:40:23,379 but what about the folks who are lost 1033 00:40:24,899 –> 00:40:25,860 and that leads me just to 1034 00:40:25,860 –> 00:40:27,379 this very last observation 1035 00:40:27,379 –> 00:40:29,060 and it’s interesting how it comes in 1036 00:40:29,620 –> 00:40:31,139 in Isaac Watt’s great hymn 1037 00:40:31,780 –> 00:40:33,300 that I’ve introduced here 1038 00:40:33,939 –> 00:40:35,459 because he marvels at God’s grace 1039 00:40:35,459 –> 00:40:36,260 in his own life 1040 00:40:37,060 –> 00:40:38,580 it was the same love that spread 1041 00:40:38,580 –> 00:40:38,899 the feast 1042 00:40:38,899 –> 00:40:40,260 that sweetly drew us in 1043 00:40:40,260 –> 00:40:40,659 he says 1044 00:40:40,659 –> 00:40:42,580 or else we had still refused to taste 1045 00:40:42,580 –> 00:40:44,899 and we would rather have starved than come 1046 00:40:44,899 –> 00:40:45,780 we would never have come 1047 00:40:45,780 –> 00:40:47,139 if it wasn’t for your grace Lord 1048 00:40:47,139 –> 00:40:48,500 I know that’s true of my life 1049 00:40:48,500 –> 00:40:49,459 and then he says this 1050 00:40:51,060 –> 00:40:52,419 pity the nation’s 1051 00:40:53,300 –> 00:40:54,419 oh our God 1052 00:40:55,060 –> 00:40:57,780 constrain the earth to come 1053 00:40:58,820 –> 00:41:01,540 send thy victorious word abroad 1054 00:41:02,580 –> 00:41:05,699 and bring the strangers home 1055 00:41:06,899 –> 00:41:08,659 now you see the reason that 1056 00:41:08,659 –> 00:41:10,340 Watts can pray like that 1057 00:41:10,340 –> 00:41:11,699 and the reason you can pray like that 1058 00:41:13,060 –> 00:41:14,739 is because Watts 1059 00:41:14,739 –> 00:41:16,260 believes and understands 1060 00:41:16,260 –> 00:41:18,260 that God does constrain people to come 1061 00:41:18,260 –> 00:41:20,179 and God does bring strangers home 1062 00:41:20,820 –> 00:41:21,780 he doesn’t just stand by 1063 00:41:21,780 –> 00:41:22,979 an open door and watch 1064 00:41:22,979 –> 00:41:25,540 he actually by his Spirit 1065 00:41:25,540 –> 00:41:27,139 is at work in the world 1066 00:41:27,139 –> 00:41:28,260 he saves people 1067 00:41:28,260 –> 00:41:29,060 not just make it 1068 00:41:29,060 –> 00:41:30,659 possible for them to save 1069 00:41:30,659 –> 00:41:32,659 that is why I want to end on this note 1070 00:41:32,659 –> 00:41:34,979 that God’s grace is the greatest 1071 00:41:34,979 –> 00:41:36,500 incentive I know 1072 00:41:37,060 –> 00:41:39,939 to pray for the salvation of lost people 1073 00:41:41,060 –> 00:41:42,020 if all God did 1074 00:41:42,020 –> 00:41:43,219 was simply open the door 1075 00:41:43,219 –> 00:41:44,020 and then stand back 1076 00:41:44,020 –> 00:41:46,020 and watch to see who would come 1077 00:41:46,020 –> 00:41:47,219 there would be little point 1078 00:41:47,219 –> 00:41:48,419 in praying for the lost 1079 00:41:49,060 –> 00:41:50,419 but when you see in the Bible 1080 00:41:50,419 –> 00:41:51,459 that God wonderfully 1081 00:41:51,459 –> 00:41:53,219 graciously takes the initiative 1082 00:41:54,100 –> 00:41:55,300 think of it this way 1083 00:41:55,300 –> 00:41:58,179 if God can swoop into my life 1084 00:41:58,179 –> 00:41:58,979 uninvited 1085 00:42:00,739 –> 00:42:01,860 to change my mind 1086 00:42:01,860 –> 00:42:02,419 and my heart 1087 00:42:02,419 –> 00:42:04,260 so I begin to seek after him 1088 00:42:05,620 –> 00:42:07,219 He can do that in the 1089 00:42:07,219 –> 00:42:09,459 lives of other people as well 1090 00:42:09,459 –> 00:42:10,739 including the lives of those 1091 00:42:10,739 –> 00:42:11,620 who right now 1092 00:42:11,620 –> 00:42:13,780 are filled 1093 00:42:13,780 –> 00:42:15,219 with resentment towards him 1094 00:42:16,739 –> 00:42:18,020 like someone you’re praying for 1095 00:42:19,939 –> 00:42:21,219 let that sustain your prayers 1096 00:42:21,300 –> 00:42:21,939 God’s grace 1097 00:42:22,659 –> 00:42:23,860 He is free to swoop 1098 00:42:23,860 –> 00:42:25,139 into that person’s life 1099 00:42:25,139 –> 00:42:26,979 you’re bringing that person before him 1100 00:42:28,820 –> 00:42:29,860 He can do it in a moment 1101 00:42:31,379 –> 00:42:32,179 because he’s free 1102 00:42:33,300 –> 00:42:34,020 because he’s God 1103 00:42:36,020 –> 00:42:37,300 God’s grace is amazing 1104 00:42:38,500 –> 00:42:39,060 no one 1105 00:42:40,020 –> 00:42:41,939 is so good as to deserve it 1106 00:42:41,939 –> 00:42:44,580 no one is so bad as to be beyond it 1107 00:42:46,100 –> 00:42:46,820 and either 1108 00:42:46,820 –> 00:42:48,659 God’s grace will make you angry 1109 00:42:49,060 –> 00:42:50,739 or it will make you worship 1110 00:42:52,020 –> 00:42:54,020 and it will lead you to prayer 1111 00:42:55,219 –> 00:42:57,300 and we’ll come back to the rest of Jonah chapter four 1112 00:42:57,300 –> 00:42:59,699 but it’s all about the story of how God 1113 00:43:00,260 –> 00:43:03,939 led very gently a man who was angry about grace 1114 00:43:05,139 –> 00:43:07,060 to the place of worship and prayer 1115 00:43:08,340 –> 00:43:11,379 that’s expressed in his marvelous song 1116 00:43:12,020 –> 00:43:12,899 in chapter 2 1117 00:43:14,100 –> 00:43:15,419 that he ends with these words 1118 00:43:15,419 –> 00:43:16,739 saying triumphantly 1119 00:43:17,219 –> 00:43:18,179 salvation 1120 00:43:18,340 –> 00:43:20,139 salvation comes 1121 00:43:21,620 –> 00:43:22,500 from the Lord 1122 00:43:23,459 –> 00:43:24,659 Let’s pray together shall we? 1123 00:43:26,899 –> 00:43:27,780 Father in heaven 1124 00:43:30,179 –> 00:43:32,899 help us in all our struggles with anger 1125 00:43:34,899 –> 00:43:38,500 deliver us from undermining our own repentance 1126 00:43:40,979 –> 00:43:44,820 and fill our souls with a sense of wonder and amazement 1127 00:43:45,379 –> 00:43:47,939 at your grace in our own lives 1128 00:43:47,939 –> 00:43:52,100 that is bigger and greater and further than we have ever known before 1129 00:43:53,379 –> 00:44:00,419 and with it a compassion and a renewed resolve to pray to you the saving God 1130 00:44:01,860 –> 00:44:10,500 on behalf of others who you can reach in exactly the same way as you reached us 1131 00:44:10,500 –> 00:44:19,139 hear our prayers and increase our gratitude for Jesus’ sake we ask it and God’s people said, Amen