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Jonah 4 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Jonah chapter 4 is where we are.
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We are closing up, finishing up the series on Jonah today.
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!
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In an interview with lead singer of U2 Bono, Bono said,
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!
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I love it.
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I'm not talking about people being graceful in their actions,
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but just covering over the cracks.
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Our topic this morning is grace.
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As we close out this sermon series,
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grace is clearly evident in this chapter,
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in the story of Jonah.
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And I'm not talking about, like Bono said,
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the people being graceful in their actions,
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but the act of God showing the undeserving,
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those who have no right to or desire for grace.
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God's grace has been evident in this story.
1:21
God being merciful and showing grace to the sailors
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by ending the storm and not destroying them.
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God being merciful and showing Jonah grace
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by providing a big ship and not allowing him to die.
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God being merciful and showing grace to the people of Nineveh
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by not destroying them for their evil
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that had, in chapter 1, come up against God.
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Grace is a radical idea.
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The definition that is thrown out a lot is unmerited favor.
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If grace is unmerited,
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as A.W. Pink said,
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if grace is unmerited,
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then none can claim it as their right.
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If grace is unearned and undeserved,
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then none are entitled to it.
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If grace is a gift,
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then none can demand it.
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Can't claim it.
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Can't deserve it.
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Aren't entitled to it.
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Can't demand it.
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Grace is a radical idea.
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In his book, Sovereignty of God,
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he quotes an author,
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doesn't give us the name,
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and this definition is,
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this statement is great in regards to grace.
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To feed a tramp who calls on me
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is unmerited favor.
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But it is scarcely grace.
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But suppose that after robbing me,
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I should feed that starving tramp.
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That would be grace.
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Grace then is favor shown
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where there is positive demerit
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in the one receiving.
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What a radical idea.
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Our definition fails to truly define
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all the weight of grace
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and that grace carries with it.
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Every moment of every day,
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God shows you grace.
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The air that you breathe right now.
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The car that you drove in to get here.
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The clothes that you have on.
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The fact that driving down the road,
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you're within four feet of oncoming traffic
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and you didn't have an accident,
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is grace.
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Saving grace is what we find in chapter 3.
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God's mercy and grace shown to Nineveh.
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Not destroying them,
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but them repenting
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and God showing them grace.
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Chapter 4,
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we have sanctifying grace.
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We have God perfecting Jonah,
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teaching Jonah a lesson,
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and God being graceful
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and gracious to Jonah.
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Saving grace is what causes us
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to be born again.
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Sanctifying grace is what God uses
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to perfect His children.
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And in this case, Jonah.
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So let's read chapter 4
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all the way through
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and then we'll dive in.
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Chapter 4,
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But it displeased Jonah exceedingly.
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What displeased him?
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Verse 10 of chapter 3,
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When God saw what they did,
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how they named,
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how they turned from their evil way,
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God relented of the disaster
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that He had said He would do to them
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and He did not do it.
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So this is what displeased Jonah exceedingly.
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And he was angry.
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And he prayed to the Lord and said,
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O Lord,
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is not this what I said
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when I was yet in my country?
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That is why I made haste
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to flee to Tarshish,
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for I knew that You were
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a gracious God and merciful,
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slow to anger
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and abounding in steadfast love
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and relenting from disaster.
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Therefore now, O Lord,
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please take my life,
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for it is better for me
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to die than to live.
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And the Lord said,
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Do you do well to be angry?
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Do you have any right to be angry?
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Jonah went out of the city
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and sat to the east of the city
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and made a booth for himself there.
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He sat under it in the shade
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till he should see
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what would become of the city.
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Now the Lord God appointed a plant
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and made it come up over Jonah
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that it might be a shade over his head
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to save him from his discomfort.
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So Jonah was exceedingly glad
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because of the plant.
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But when dawn came up the next day,
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God appointed a worm
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that attacked the plant
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so that it withered.
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When the sun rose,
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God appointed a scorching east wind
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and the sun beat down
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on the head of Jonah
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so that he was faint.
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And he asked that he might die
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and said,
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It is better for me to die
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than to live.
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But God said to Jonah,
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Do you do well to be angry for the plant?
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And he said,
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Yes, I do well to be angry,
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angry enough to die.
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And the Lord said,
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You pity the plant
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for which you did not labor,
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nor did you make it grow,
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which came into being in a night
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and perished in a night.
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And should not I pity Nineveh,
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that great city,
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in which there are more than
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120,000 persons
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who do not know
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their right hand from their left
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and also much cattle.
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In the first chapter of Jonah,
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God gives Jonah a mission.
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Go to Nineveh,
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preach to them
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because their evil
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has come up against me.
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So we have God's mission.
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We have God's plan for Jonah.
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God desires Jonah
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to go this direction.
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And then we're shown
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that Jonah immediately gets up
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and runs the opposite direction.
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So we have man's heart,
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man's foolishness,
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God's mission and man's heart.
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Well, we've come full circle
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after God has shown mercy
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to Jonah,
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after He's shown mercy
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to the sailors,
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after He's shown mercy
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to Nineveh
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and been gracious to them.
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Chapter 4,
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we see it again.
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God's mission,
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God's desire,
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and man's foolishness.
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We're full circle.
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He's once again,
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Jonah has once again
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shown his true colors.
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In this case,
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after God has been gracious
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and merciful to him.
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There are four points
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out of our text this morning
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about grace.
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I'll read them off
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and then we'll go through them.
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Grace is not justice.
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Grace is not found
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in temporal, physical things.
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Grace does not fit
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in our box or definition.
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And grace is a gift
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from the sovereign God.
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So, first point.
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Grace,
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God's grace,
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is not justice.
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Verses 1-3.
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But it displeased Jonah exceedingly
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and he was angry.
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And he prayed to the Lord
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and said,
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O Lord,
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is not this what I said
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when I was yet in my country?
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That is why I made haste
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to flee to Tarshish,
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for I knew,
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I knew that you are
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a gracious God
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and merciful.
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Slow to anger
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and abounding
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in steadfast love
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and relenting from disaster.
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Therefore,
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now,
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O Lord,
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please take my life from me,
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for it is better
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for me to die
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than to live.
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Grace is not justice.
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In fact,
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the antithesis of justice
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is grace.
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The opposite of justice
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is grace.
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See,
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justice tells us
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that each person
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should receive
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what is due him
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or her.
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my kids,
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at the earliest,
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maybe three,
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were all about justice.
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So and so did this,
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now you should punish them.
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Or so and so did this to me,
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you should punish them.
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Or they got three
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and I only got two and a half.
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That's not fair.
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People this weekend
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are asking questions like,
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how could an earthquake
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of such a huge magnitude
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hit Japan like this?
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They don't deserve it.
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Where is the justice?
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Our world is framed
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in justice.
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You get what you deserve.
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Even our capitalist economy
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in the United States
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is built on the idea of
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if you work hard,
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you work long hours,
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you climb the ladder,
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then you're given a reward.
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Justice.
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But justice can only go so far.
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We are sinful creatures
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with self-preservation
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as one of our life values.
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Dennis Holia,
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a television host
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for PBS
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and other channels like that,
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said,
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expecting the world
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to treat you fairly
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because you are a good person
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is a little like
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expecting a bull
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not to attack
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because you are a vegetarian.
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That's pretty good.
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Let me put that
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on my Facebook wall.
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Expecting the world
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to treat you fairly
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because you are a good person
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is a little like
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expecting a bull
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not to attack
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because you are a vegetarian.
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He's right.
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Though justice
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is what we try to live by,
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it isn't always right.
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In fact,
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it fails more than
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we care to admit.
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In chapter 4,
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Jonah's complaints to God,
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Jonah being displeased
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and being angry,
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are rooted in justice.
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God,
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how evil have they been
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to Israel?
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How harsh and cruel
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have they been?
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They deserve destruction.
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But God shows grace
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when Jonah felt
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justice needed to be delivered.
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Jonah becomes angry
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about this grace
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that God showed Nineveh.
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In fact,
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Jonah literally hated
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what God had done.
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He hated it.
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His cause for anger
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and hatred
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is chapter 3.
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I hate
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that you've not
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shown them mercy.
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And Jonah believed
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because of their past actions,
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because of how cruel
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they've been,
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they deserved
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destruction.
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But see,
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grace
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is not based
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on what we think.
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Grace is not
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based on justice.
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Grace is based
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completely
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on God.
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And praise God
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for it.
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Praise God
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for His grace
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and that He
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is the author
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and the creator
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of that grace.
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Now,
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the funny thing is,
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is Jonah's angry.
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He's displeased.
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Exceedingly displeased.
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He hates
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what God did.
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And then he
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tries to blame
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God
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for his sinful choices.
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He tries
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to blame God.
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I ran
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because I knew
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you were going
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to do this.
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I knew
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you were going
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to be merciful,
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so I split
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because I know
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better than you.
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I knew
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you were going
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to pardon Him.
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We kind of
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laugh at that
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and say,
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what an idiot.
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But don't we
11:55
do that though?
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When sin
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is in our lives
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and either people
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confront us
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or ask us
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about it,
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we try to defend
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our actions,
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we sound irrational.
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We sound like
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babbling idiots.
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sin.
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See,
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sin casts
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blame on
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everyone but
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ourselves.
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And it even
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casts blame
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on God
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sometimes.
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And Jonah
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put blame
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on God
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for the choices
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he made
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because God
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was going
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to be merciful.
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And Jonah
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knew it.
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Jonah is
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crazy.
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He even
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says,
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I cannot
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live anymore.
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I can't
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bear to see
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what you're
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doing to
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those people.
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people.
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I can't
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bear,
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it's not
12:39
like saying,
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watching a
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horror flick
12:42
and you
12:42
can't stand
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to look at
12:43
something scary
12:44
happen.
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Or
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God telling
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Lot not
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to look back
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because I'm
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about to
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destroy Sodom.
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It's not
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like that.
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God is
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doing something
12:52
great and
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Jonah cannot
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look.
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Jonah wants
12:55
to die.
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I cannot
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look at
12:59
his grace
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towards this
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people.
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I can't
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handle it.
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See,
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Jonah not
13:05
only let
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his view
13:05
of justice
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through,
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but he
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also let
13:08
his racism
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show.
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God,
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you cannot
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be gracious
13:13
towards that
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people.
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They're not
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even Jewish.
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If you
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were Jewish
13:21
and you
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have been
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taught from
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your birth
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that you
13:25
are going
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to be,
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you're a
13:26
chosen people
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that through
13:28
Abraham you're
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going to be
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blessed,
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blessed,
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you would
13:31
probably think
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the same
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thing as
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Jonah.
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God,
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how can
13:34
you be
13:34
graceful
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to that
13:35
people?
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Here was
13:39
God showing
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grace.
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Israel's
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grace.
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Israel's
13:43
grace towards
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Nineveh.
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At least
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that's what
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Jonah thought.
13:47
How dare
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you,
13:48
God?
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Like when
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you're a
13:50
kid,
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are you
13:50
sharing my
13:51
candy with
13:52
my brother?
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Mom,
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come on!
13:54
That's my
13:54
candy!
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For us
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though,
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who believe
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that God's
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chosen people
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are now
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the church
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or now
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His church,
14:05
we can
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easily fall
14:07
into this
14:07
same practice.
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That person
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over there
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is undeserving
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of God's
14:13
grace.
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Or,
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I'm certain
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that God
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is not
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asking me
14:17
to go
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talk to
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that person.
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Cannot
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possibly be
14:20
the case.
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God
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wouldn't
14:23
show them
14:24
grace.
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That is
14:26
Jonah.
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That is
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us.
14:28
God.
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And that
14:30
is God.
14:30
There's
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the picture.
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Praise
14:32
God that
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His grace
14:33
is not
14:33
founded
14:34
in
14:34
justice.
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Jonah
14:37
was foolish.
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Jonah
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was a
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fool.
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But he
14:41
was not
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dumb.
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He
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was not
14:44
dumb.
14:45
He knew
14:46
that based
14:46
on justice
14:47
alone,
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Nineveh
14:48
deserved
14:49
destruction.
14:53
Like
14:54
Nineveh,
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you and I
14:55
deserve
14:56
destruction
14:57
based on
14:58
justice.
15:00
Praise God
15:00
though.
15:02
Grace
15:03
is radical.
15:05
Praise the
15:05
Lord that
15:06
grace exists
15:07
and that
15:07
God gives
15:08
us grace
15:09
and mercy.
15:11
So if
15:11
grace is
15:12
not justice,
15:14
then a
15:15
Christian will
15:15
not look to
15:16
justice as
15:17
their measuring
15:17
stick.
15:19
So,
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okay,
15:21
you did
15:22
this.
15:22
Let me
15:22
see.
15:23
Yeah,
15:23
okay.
15:24
Even it
15:24
out.
15:25
Let's
15:25
even it
15:25
out.
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See,
15:28
what we
15:29
want to
15:29
do is
15:29
look at
15:30
everything
15:30
and measure
15:31
it with
15:32
justice in
15:32
mind.
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But what
15:35
we should
15:36
be doing
15:36
as
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Christians,
15:37
as
15:38
disciples,
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look through
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the lens
15:41
of grace
15:41
and see
15:42
what God
15:43
is doing.
15:44
And God
15:44
will be
15:45
glorified in
15:46
that.
15:47
So,
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not only
15:49
is grace
15:49
not justice,
15:51
but God's
15:52
grace is
15:52
not found
15:53
in temporal
15:54
or physical
15:54
things.
15:56
This is
15:56
verse 5
15:57
through 10.
15:59
Jonah went
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out of the
16:00
city and
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sat to
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the east
16:02
of the
16:02
city and
16:02
made a
16:03
booth for
16:03
himself there.
16:05
He sat
16:05
under it in
16:06
the shade
16:06
till he
16:07
should see
16:07
what would
16:08
become of
16:08
the city.
16:09
Then the
16:10
Lord appointed
16:10
a plant and
16:11
made it come
16:12
up over
16:12
Jonah that
16:13
it might be
16:13
a shade over
16:14
his head to
16:15
save him from
16:16
his discomfort.
16:17
So,
16:18
Jonah was
16:18
exceedingly
16:19
glad because
16:20
of the
16:20
plant.
16:20
But when
16:21
dawn came
16:22
up,
16:22
the next
16:23
day God
16:24
appointed a
16:24
worm that
16:25
attacked the
16:25
plant so
16:26
that it
16:26
withered.
16:27
When the
16:28
sun rose,
16:29
God appointed
16:29
a scorching
16:30
east wind and
16:31
the sun beat
16:32
down on the
16:32
head of Jonah
16:33
so that he
16:33
was faint.
16:35
And he
16:35
asked that
16:36
he might die
16:37
and said,
16:38
it is better
16:38
for me to
16:39
die than
16:39
to live.
16:40
But God
16:41
said to
16:41
Jonah,
16:42
do you do
16:42
well to be
16:43
angry for
16:43
the plant?
16:44
And he
16:45
said,
16:45
yes,
16:45
I do
16:46
well to be
16:46
angry,
16:47
angry enough
16:47
to die.
16:48
And the
16:49
Lord said,
16:50
you pity
16:50
the plant
16:51
for which
16:51
you did
16:52
not labor,
16:53
nor did
16:53
you make
16:54
it grow,
16:54
which came
16:54
into being
16:55
in a night
16:55
and perished
16:57
in a night.
16:59
See,
16:59
Jonah goes
17:00
up to the
17:00
east of
17:01
the city
17:01
on a
17:02
hill to
17:03
have a
17:03
little pity
17:04
party.
17:04
He pouts
17:05
for what
17:05
God has
17:06
done.
17:07
He goes
17:08
to watch
17:08
and maybe
17:09
a little
17:10
hope that
17:10
that destruction
17:11
might still
17:12
come down,
17:12
just inkling,
17:13
gosh,
17:14
I hope
17:14
that God
17:15
just rains
17:15
down fire.
17:17
I'm
17:17
going to
17:17
sit and
17:17
watch just
17:18
in case.
17:20
And while
17:20
he's there,
17:21
he makes
17:21
the seat
17:21
for himself
17:22
out of
17:23
leaves and
17:23
tree branches
17:24
and sits
17:25
under the
17:26
shade.
17:28
And while
17:28
he's up
17:29
there,
17:29
God appoints
17:30
a plant
17:31
for him.
17:34
As verse
17:35
six says,
17:36
to save
17:36
him from
17:37
his discomfort.
17:38
God
17:38
certainly
17:39
showed
17:39
Jonah
17:40
grace by
17:40
providing
17:41
the plant.
17:43
But as
17:43
we read,
17:45
God also
17:45
showed
17:46
Jonah
17:46
grace by
17:47
having it
17:47
destroyed.
17:49
Jonah took
17:49
comfort and
17:50
joy,
17:51
not in
17:51
God,
17:52
but from
17:53
the plant.
17:54
Not in
17:54
the mighty
17:55
work of
17:56
grace that
17:56
God showed
17:57
Nineveh,
17:57
but he took
17:58
comfort and
17:59
joy in
18:00
the plant.
18:02
And when it
18:03
was destroyed,
18:04
he was angry
18:05
again and
18:07
wanted to
18:07
die.
18:09
Between
18:10
chapter four
18:10
and chapter
18:11
two,
18:12
we have
18:12
like this
18:12
bipolar
18:13
Jonah guy.
18:14
on one
18:15
hand,
18:15
he's
18:15
repenting
18:16
and he's
18:16
like,
18:16
God,
18:17
I'll do
18:17
whatever
18:17
you want
18:18
in chapter
18:18
two while
18:18
he's in
18:19
the belly
18:19
of the
18:19
big fish.
18:20
And then
18:21
chapter four
18:21
comes and
18:22
he's like
18:22
throwing stuff
18:23
against the
18:24
wall and
18:24
having these
18:25
tantrums.
18:26
And God,
18:26
God,
18:27
you're
18:27
horrible.
18:30
And then
18:30
he gets
18:31
this plant
18:31
that shades
18:32
him.
18:32
He's like,
18:33
oh,
18:33
this is so
18:33
great.
18:34
This plant
18:34
is wonderful.
18:36
I love
18:36
this plant.
18:38
This plant
18:38
just makes
18:39
me so
18:39
happy.
18:46
Because
18:47
grace is
18:48
based on
18:48
God,
18:49
because God
18:50
is the
18:50
author and
18:51
creator of
18:51
grace.
18:52
It's based
18:53
on him and
18:54
his doing
18:54
and not
18:55
on ours.
18:57
We must
18:58
not look to
18:59
things as
19:00
God's saving
19:00
grace.
19:01
Now,
19:01
they're acts
19:01
of grace.
19:02
God gives
19:03
him a plant.
19:05
But is
19:06
that saving
19:07
grace?
19:07
Is his
19:08
comfort and
19:08
his
19:09
joy in
19:10
the plant
19:11
or is
19:12
it in
19:12
God?
19:14
And in
19:15
our sinful
19:16
nature,
19:17
we're always
19:18
looking for
19:18
opportunities to
19:19
make us
19:20
better,
19:20
to make us
19:21
look great,
19:23
you know,
19:23
and make us
19:24
comfortable.
19:25
And whether
19:26
that's the
19:26
clothes we
19:27
wear or
19:28
the things
19:29
we drive or
19:30
the degrees
19:30
that we
19:30
get or
19:31
the people
19:32
we marry,
19:33
all these
19:33
things are
19:34
not bad.
19:35
None of
19:36
these things
19:36
are bad.
19:37
The plant
19:37
was given
19:38
by God,
19:39
was appointed
19:39
by God.
19:44
But Jonah
19:45
made it
19:46
bad by
19:47
finding his
19:48
joy and
19:48
his comfort
19:49
in it.
19:50
He made
19:51
an idol out
19:51
of something
19:52
that disappears
19:53
in a short
19:53
time.
19:54
And God
19:55
used it
19:55
to teach
19:56
Jonah a
19:57
lesson.
20:00
Jonah took
20:00
more concern
20:01
and joy for
20:02
the plant
20:02
than he did
20:04
for the people
20:04
of Nineveh
20:05
that he just
20:06
went through
20:06
and preached
20:07
to.
20:09
He took
20:09
more concern
20:10
for the
20:11
comfort of
20:12
the shade
20:12
in the hot
20:13
sun than
20:14
he did
20:15
for what
20:15
mighty work
20:17
God is
20:17
doing to
20:18
Nineveh.
20:22
The second
20:23
we look to
20:24
things or
20:25
people for
20:26
joy and
20:26
comfort,
20:28
we say to
20:28
God that
20:29
you are not
20:30
good enough
20:30
for my
20:30
praise.
20:31
This plant
20:32
or this
20:33
degree or
20:34
this house
20:35
or this
20:36
is better
20:36
than you
20:37
or this
20:38
children,
20:39
this quiver
20:40
is better
20:40
than you.
20:42
Jonah said
20:43
to God
20:43
with his
20:44
actions that
20:44
this plant
20:45
is better
20:46
than you.
20:47
Forget about
20:48
the ship
20:48
and the fish
20:49
God and
20:50
the opportunity
20:50
to join you.
20:51
Forget about
20:52
all that stuff
20:52
because you
20:53
did not do
20:54
what I thought
20:54
was best
20:55
and because
20:56
this plant
20:57
is so great,
20:58
this plant
20:59
is so great,
21:00
I worship
21:00
it.
21:02
See,
21:04
we do
21:04
this though
21:04
with more
21:06
evidence of
21:07
grace shown
21:07
to us
21:08
than what
21:10
we see
21:10
in Jonah's
21:11
life.
21:12
See,
21:12
God through
21:13
Jesus Christ
21:13
has taken
21:14
your sin
21:14
and my sin
21:15
so that we
21:16
can be counted
21:16
righteous.
21:17
He died
21:18
so that we
21:19
would not
21:19
have to
21:20
die.
21:22
And yet
21:22
we covet
21:23
things that
21:23
are temporary.
21:26
We worship
21:27
things that
21:27
don't last.
21:31
See,
21:31
grace,
21:32
saving grace
21:33
is not
21:33
found in
21:34
temporal
21:34
or physical
21:35
things.
21:36
It is
21:36
found in
21:36
Jesus Christ
21:37
who is
21:38
eternal
21:38
and never
21:40
changing.
21:42
So,
21:43
if grace
21:44
is not
21:45
found in
21:45
temporary
21:46
things,
21:47
then a
21:47
Christian
21:48
will look
21:48
to Christ
21:49
for their
21:50
security
21:50
and identity,
21:53
not in
21:53
their stuff,
21:55
achievements,
21:55
or circumstances.
21:57
Jesus Christ
21:58
the
22:00
stuff,
22:01
the plant,
22:02
is so
22:02
tangible.
22:03
We can
22:03
see it.
22:04
We can
22:04
touch it.
22:04
We enjoy
22:05
the shade
22:05
of that
22:06
tree.
22:06
We enjoy
22:07
the pleasures
22:07
of that
22:08
car or
22:09
that lifestyle
22:10
or whatever
22:11
it is.
22:14
But we
22:14
find our
22:15
comfort and
22:15
joy in it.
22:16
We find our
22:16
identity and
22:17
security in it.
22:19
We've made
22:20
a good thing
22:21
a bad thing
22:22
and turn
22:24
it into
22:25
a God
22:25
thing.
22:26
And that's
22:26
what Jonah
22:27
does with
22:27
the plant.
22:28
A plant
22:29
that God
22:30
even appointed
22:31
for him.
22:32
Even said,
22:33
hey, I'm
22:33
going to
22:33
take care
22:34
of you,
22:34
even though
22:34
you're
22:34
throwing a
22:35
hissy fit.
22:37
I'm going
22:37
to put this
22:38
over your
22:38
head and
22:38
I'm going
22:38
to shade
22:39
you.
22:41
So,
22:42
God's grace
22:43
is not found
22:44
in temporal
22:44
or physical
22:45
things.
22:46
God's grace
22:47
does not fit
22:48
in our box
22:49
or definition.
22:51
Verses
22:51
7 and 8.
22:52
But when
22:54
dawn came
22:55
up the next
22:55
day,
22:57
God appointed
22:57
a worm that
22:58
attacked the
22:59
plant so that
22:59
it withered.
23:00
When the sun
23:01
rose,
23:01
God appointed
23:02
a scorching
23:03
east wind
23:04
and the sun
23:05
beat down
23:05
on the head
23:06
of Jonah
23:06
so that he
23:07
was faint
23:07
and he asked
23:08
that he might
23:09
die and said,
23:09
it is better
23:10
for me to
23:10
die than
23:13
to live.
23:14
God appointed
23:15
a worm
23:16
and a scorching
23:17
east wind
23:18
to make Jonah
23:19
uncomfortable.
23:21
Now,
23:21
I know
23:22
what you're
23:23
thinking.
23:23
These two
23:23
acts don't
23:24
really fit
23:24
very well
23:25
in our
23:26
view of
23:26
grace.
23:28
How can
23:28
something
23:29
negative
23:29
happen
23:30
and we
23:30
call it
23:31
grace?
23:33
But this
23:33
chapter is
23:34
the summation
23:35
is God's
23:36
lesson,
23:37
the conclusion
23:37
of God's
23:38
lesson for
23:39
Jonah.
23:40
It started
23:41
in chapter
23:42
1 when he
23:42
told him
23:43
to go
23:43
to Nineveh
23:44
and it
23:45
ends
23:45
in verse
23:46
11
23:47
chapter 4.
23:49
He
23:49
destroys
23:50
the thing
23:51
that Jonah
23:51
felt good
23:52
about
23:52
that he
23:53
took
23:53
comfort
23:53
in.
23:55
Just
23:55
because it
23:56
doesn't agree
23:56
with us
23:57
logically,
23:58
just because
23:58
we don't
23:59
understand it
24:00
or doesn't
24:02
make us feel
24:02
a certain
24:03
way,
24:03
doesn't mean
24:04
that it's
24:04
not God
24:05
showing grace
24:06
to you.
24:07
See,
24:08
God showed
24:08
grace to
24:09
Jonah by
24:09
teaching him
24:10
a lesson,
24:11
by teaching
24:12
him more
24:12
of who
24:13
God is,
24:13
how merciful
24:14
he is,
24:15
how his
24:16
mission isn't
24:17
just to the
24:17
people of
24:18
Israel,
24:18
how it's
24:18
to more
24:19
than that.
24:22
God's
24:23
grace is
24:23
not based
24:24
on me
24:24
or on
24:25
you,
24:25
as I've
24:26
said,
24:27
but it's
24:27
based
24:27
completely
24:28
on him.
24:31
For us
24:32
to say,
24:33
surely this
24:34
isn't God
24:35
because it's
24:36
negative and
24:36
I don't
24:37
like it,
24:38
is naive
24:39
and arrogant
24:40
of us.
24:42
We're
24:43
quick to
24:43
throw out
24:44
Romans 8
24:44
28,
24:45
and we
24:46
know that
24:46
for those
24:47
who love
24:47
God,
24:47
all things
24:48
work together
24:48
for good,
24:49
for those
24:50
who are
24:50
called
24:50
according to
24:51
his purpose.
24:52
Do we
24:53
really believe
24:53
this?
24:55
Or is it
24:56
just full of
24:56
words that
24:57
mean nothing
24:58
to us?
25:01
See,
25:02
that's why a
25:03
story like
25:03
Jonah is in
25:04
here.
25:04
Not to
25:04
say,
25:04
look what
25:05
God can
25:05
do with
25:05
a big
25:06
fish,
25:07
but to
25:07
say,
25:07
look what
25:07
God can
25:08
do even
25:08
in taking
25:10
away a
25:10
plant,
25:11
or even
25:11
in showing
25:12
mercy to
25:12
an evil,
25:14
cruel nation,
25:15
city,
25:16
or,
25:18
look,
25:18
God can
25:18
control the
25:19
wind,
25:19
and can
25:20
control a
25:20
big fish,
25:21
and can
25:21
control a
25:22
plant.
25:25
Verses
25:25
10 and
25:26
11,
25:27
do we
25:28
really believe
25:28
828?
25:29
Because
25:30
verse 10
25:30
and 11
25:31
is God's
25:31
final lesson,
25:33
God's
25:33
conclusion of
25:34
this lesson.
25:36
And the
25:37
Lord said,
25:38
you pity the
25:38
plant for
25:39
which you
25:39
did not
25:39
labor,
25:40
nor did
25:41
you make
25:41
it grow,
25:42
which came
25:42
into being
25:43
in a
25:43
night,
25:43
and
25:43
perished
25:44
in a
25:44
night.
25:45
And
25:45
should
25:46
not
25:46
I
25:46
pity
25:47
Nineveh,
25:47
that
25:47
great
25:47
city,
25:48
in which
25:49
there are
25:49
more than
25:50
120,000
25:51
persons who
25:51
do not
25:52
know their
25:52
right hand
25:52
from their
25:53
left,
25:53
and also
25:54
much
25:55
cattle?
25:57
Do you
25:58
really have
25:58
any reason
25:59
to be sad
25:59
or angry,
26:00
Jonah,
26:00
about the
26:01
plant that
26:02
does not
26:02
last?
26:04
And that
26:04
has very
26:05
little value?
26:07
And how
26:07
should I
26:08
feel about
26:08
the people
26:08
that I
26:09
created in
26:09
my own
26:10
image?
26:10
Should I
26:11
just ignore
26:11
them because
26:12
that's what
26:12
you want
26:12
me to
26:13
do?
26:16
His basic
26:17
point is
26:18
look at the
26:19
people of the
26:20
world as I
26:20
see them.
26:21
Look at the
26:22
people of the
26:22
world through
26:23
grace as I
26:25
see them,
26:26
not as you
26:26
see them.
26:28
Have a
26:28
kingdom view.
26:29
God will
26:33
use what he
26:50
deems
26:51
appropriate to
26:52
perfect you,
26:54
to
26:54
sanctify you
26:55
for your
26:56
good and
26:56
his glory.
26:57
glory.
26:58
He's
26:58
working in
26:59
your life
26:59
now.
27:00
Bad things
27:01
happen,
27:01
but he's
27:01
using those
27:02
bad things
27:03
to make
27:03
you more
27:04
like him,
27:04
to make
27:04
you more
27:05
like Christ.
27:08
So if
27:09
grace does
27:10
not fit in
27:10
our box,
27:12
then a
27:12
Christian will
27:13
have faith
27:14
to trust
27:15
God completely
27:16
in good
27:17
times and
27:19
in what we
27:20
see as
27:20
bad.
27:24
Trust God
27:25
completely.
27:27
fourth point,
27:29
grace is a
27:30
gift from
27:31
the sovereign
27:32
God.
27:33
In chapter
27:34
four, God
27:36
shows his
27:36
sovereignty over
27:37
creation again.
27:39
Chapter one,
27:40
he did.
27:41
Chapter two,
27:41
he did.
27:43
Chapter four,
27:43
he did.
27:45
Over a
27:46
worm, over
27:47
a plant, over
27:48
an eastern
27:49
wind.
27:49
God has
27:52
flexed his
27:53
sovereignty
27:53
muscles.
27:56
And not
27:58
to show,
27:58
look how
27:59
strong I
28:00
am, or
28:00
look how
28:01
powerful I
28:01
am, but
28:02
to show us
28:03
that he is
28:04
sovereign, that
28:05
he is in
28:05
control.
28:07
God who
28:08
hurled a
28:09
wind at
28:10
Jonah in
28:11
chapter one,
28:12
who made
28:14
the sea, a
28:16
storm like
28:16
the sailors
28:17
had never
28:17
seen before,
28:18
who provided
28:19
a fish for
28:20
Jonah, a
28:21
big fish for
28:22
him to live
28:22
in three
28:22
days.
28:23
That's
28:23
crazy.
28:26
For him
28:27
to say,
28:28
fish, I want
28:29
you to spit
28:29
them out right
28:30
there.
28:30
And for the
28:31
fish to do
28:31
that.
28:33
And in
28:33
chapter four,
28:34
to provide a
28:35
plant, to
28:36
provide a
28:36
worm to eat
28:37
that plant,
28:38
and then
28:38
provide a
28:39
scorching east
28:39
wind to make
28:40
Jonah
28:41
uncomfortable.
28:45
Grace is
28:46
an act from
28:47
the sovereign
28:48
God.
28:52
The one
28:52
thing that we
28:53
see clearly
28:54
about Jonah
28:54
in this
28:55
story, and
28:56
how we
28:57
really do
28:58
relate, is
28:59
that Jonah
28:59
doesn't deserve
29:01
the grace that
29:03
God shows
29:03
him.
29:04
He doesn't
29:04
deserve any
29:05
of it.
29:06
Even in
29:06
the middle
29:07
of receiving
29:07
it, he
29:08
throws this
29:09
tantrum.
29:09
Even in
29:10
the middle
29:10
of being
29:12
defiant, God
29:13
provides a
29:14
fish for
29:14
him.
29:22
As we
29:22
know from
29:23
other
29:23
scriptures,
29:24
like Ephesians
29:25
2, grace,
29:28
and like that
29:28
definition, is
29:29
favor shown
29:30
where there is
29:30
positive
29:31
demerit in
29:32
the one
29:33
receiving it.
29:35
So grace
29:36
is given to
29:37
those who
29:37
don't deserve
29:38
it.
29:38
God.
29:40
And the
29:40
only one who
29:41
can show
29:41
this type
29:42
of grace
29:42
is sovereign
29:44
God.
29:44
One who
29:45
is never
29:45
surprised, who
29:47
rules over
29:47
all and has
29:48
everything in
29:49
his control.
29:50
That God is
29:51
the God who
29:52
can give
29:52
grace.
29:54
And God
29:54
makes this
29:55
point again
29:55
in verse
29:56
10 and
29:56
11.
29:58
And I
29:58
just read
29:58
it.
30:00
You
30:01
pity the
30:01
plant for
30:02
which you
30:02
did not
30:02
labor, nor
30:03
did you
30:03
make it
30:03
grow, which
30:04
came into
30:05
being in
30:05
a night and
30:06
perished in
30:06
a night.
30:08
As we
30:08
read verse
30:09
10, we
30:09
see that
30:10
God is
30:10
God is on
30:11
one hand
30:12
saying,
30:12
Joni, you
30:12
didn't do
30:13
any of
30:13
these things
30:14
and communicating
30:16
to him, but
30:17
I did.
30:18
I'm the
30:18
one who
30:19
made the
30:19
plant grow.
30:20
I'm the
30:20
one who
30:21
labored
30:21
in creating
30:23
it.
30:25
And then
30:25
verse 11,
30:26
of course,
30:26
follows verse
30:27
10.
30:28
I did
30:29
these things
30:29
and I
30:30
created the
30:31
people of
30:31
Nineveh in
30:32
my image and
30:33
I will show
30:33
them grace,
30:34
whether you
30:35
want me to
30:36
or not.
30:38
God's grace,
30:39
His sovereignty
30:40
and His mercy
30:41
are all on
30:41
display in
30:42
this book.
30:43
It is no
30:43
longer a good
30:44
story.
30:45
It is no
30:45
longer a
30:46
flannel board
30:47
Sunday school
30:47
happy story.
30:52
God's mercy
30:53
is displayed.
30:54
God's grace
30:55
is given.
30:57
And God's
30:58
sovereignty is
30:59
throughout the
31:00
book.
31:01
book is a
31:04
lesson for you
31:05
and for me
31:06
about the
31:06
God who
31:07
has shown
31:07
us mercy.
31:10
On
31:10
Yom
31:11
Kippur,
31:12
the day of
31:12
atonement,
31:13
the highest
31:14
holy day of
31:14
the year
31:15
in the Jewish
31:16
religion.
31:18
At the
31:19
last moments
31:20
of the day,
31:21
a Jewish
31:21
leader will
31:23
read the
31:23
book of
31:23
Jonah out
31:24
loud for
31:24
everyone to
31:25
hear.
31:27
They listen
31:28
to how the
31:28
sea is moved
31:30
by a mighty
31:30
wind hurled
31:31
by God.
31:32
They listen
31:33
to God
31:33
saving Jonah
31:34
from death
31:35
by appointing
31:36
a big
31:36
fish.
31:38
They listen
31:39
to God
31:39
showing mercy
31:40
and grace
31:41
to the people
31:41
of Nineveh.
31:43
They listen
31:43
to Jonah
31:44
not wanting
31:45
a pagan
31:46
people to
31:46
be the
31:47
beneficiary
31:47
of God's
31:48
grace.
31:49
They listen
31:50
to the
31:50
prophet
31:51
throw a
31:51
pity party
31:52
for himself
31:52
and they
31:53
listen to
31:54
God give
31:54
his final
31:55
words to
31:55
Jonah by
31:56
saying,
31:57
I will
31:57
have mercy
31:58
on whom
31:58
I have
31:58
mercy
31:59
and I
32:00
will have
32:00
compassion
32:00
on whom
32:01
I have
32:01
compassion.
32:03
When the
32:03
reading is
32:04
over,
32:05
everyone
32:05
listening to
32:06
the story,
32:07
everyone
32:07
all together
32:08
will say,
32:09
and we
32:10
are
32:11
Jonah.
32:13
No one
32:14
can outrun
32:15
God.
32:16
No one
32:17
can outthink
32:17
God.
32:18
And no one
32:19
can decide
32:19
where his
32:20
mercy and
32:21
grace will
32:21
be given
32:22
for he
32:22
is
32:23
God.
32:25
We
32:25
are
32:26
Jonah.
32:27
Jonah,
32:28
deserving
32:29
of death,
32:30
punishment
32:30
for our
32:31
sinful
32:31
nature,
32:32
and at
32:32
the mercy
32:33
of the
32:34
Lord.
32:34
We
32:35
are
32:35
Jonah,
32:36
fools
32:36
who way
32:37
too often
32:38
look to
32:38
our own
32:39
needs and
32:39
desires and
32:40
forget the
32:41
needs of
32:41
those around
32:42
us.
32:43
We
32:43
are
32:44
Jonah,
32:44
and when
32:44
things don't
32:45
go as
32:46
planned,
32:46
throw a
32:47
pity party
32:47
over
32:47
things that
32:48
we don't
32:49
even
32:49
control
32:49
or have
32:55
control in
32:56
their
32:56
appearance.
32:56
and of
32:57
which
32:58
last but
32:58
a day
32:59
and
32:59
disappear.
33:00
We
33:00
are
33:01
Jonah,
33:01
we
33:01
are
33:02
Nineveh,
33:02
and we
33:02
are the
33:03
sailors,
33:04
and we
33:04
are at
33:05
the mercy
33:05
of a
33:05
merciful
33:06
God
33:06
who is,
33:07
as
33:08
Jonah
33:08
tells us
33:09
in
33:10
verse
33:11
2,
33:12
who is
33:12
gracious
33:13
and
33:14
merciful,
33:15
slow
33:15
to
33:15
anger,
33:16
and abounding
33:17
in steadfast
33:17
love,
33:18
and relenting
33:19
from
33:20
disaster.
33:22
If we
33:22
are
33:22
Jonah,
33:24
then let's
33:24
learn from
33:25
the original
33:25
Jonah,
33:26
and join
33:27
God in
33:27
what He
33:27
is doing.
33:29
Let's
33:29
love those
33:30
around us
33:30
no matter
33:31
the differences
33:31
we have.
33:32
And let's
33:33
be gracious
33:33
as God
33:34
has been
33:34
gracious
33:35
towards
33:35
us.
33:37
Pray with
33:37
me.
33:37
Amen.
33:37
Amen.
33:37
Amen.
33:39
Amen.