Text: Jonah 4:1-11, Matthew 9:36, Matthew 10:29, Acts 11:15-18, Romans 5:6-11, Psalm 103:8
This is part of a 7-day series on Jonah in the Lent 2016 reading plan.
At the end of chapter four, we find Jonah throwing a childlike tantrum in response to God’s extravagant mercy on a city full of eye-gouging sinners—the same extravagant mercy Jonah himself received inside the gut of a fish (Jonah 2:10).
The Bible tells us in Romans 1:16 (and many other places) that Jesus Christ came to save the Jew and the Gentile—everyone—and that there is no distinction. But do you ever find yourself, like Jonah, subscribing to a gospel of entitlement? Or maybe God’s tender mercy toward anyone He chooses sits quite comfortably with you, but the call to love others in that same undiscriminating way is harder to swallow (see James 2:1-12).
Whether regarding God’s love or your own, are you ever tempted toward a members-only mentality?
We are not entitled to God’s love. Not because of our nationality or upbringing, not because of our bank accounts or marital status, not even because of our charitable giving or our care for widows and orphans.
Scripture says that what we are entitled to is death.
Whoa. It sounds harsh, but it’s true (Romans 6:23). And here’s why it is important to say this harsh truth out loud: we cannot know the depth of God’s grace if we do not know the depth of our need.
I love how Matthew 9:36 describes God’s heart toward us, His needy children:
“When [Jesus] saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a Shepherd.”
Do you hear the tenderness in those words? Jesus saw those crowds of people, and He sees us, as we really, truly are: weary and worn out. Utterly lost and hopeless in sin and despair, and desperately in need of a loving Shepherd. And in His great mercy, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And for Jonah. And for the people of Nineveh. And for all of the unlovables.
Christ loves the unlovables. And we are all the unlovables.
The compassion the Lord shows the Ninevites stands in stark contrast to Jonah’s contempt for them. Yes, he had obeyed and gone to Nineveh like God commanded. But when the Lord’s purposes were fulfilled there, Jonah was enraged. The condition of his proud heart prevented him from seeing that, while the Lord had been pursuing Nineveh, the Lord had also been pursuing him. The Ninevites’ wickedness was a mirror, showing Jonah the ugliness of his own sin.
Understanding the depth of our sin not only shows us the depths of God’s mercy, it enables us to pour out God’s love and compassion on those around us. For all have sinned and fallen short—including me, including you, including the prophet chosen by God to deliver the message of salvation to the entire city of Nineveh. All of us.
If we walk away from our reading of the book of Jonah with one thing, know this:
God’s mercy is far-reaching. It is deep and wide and for you.
Thanks be to God!
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
-Romans 5:6-8
We as a nation have come into this type of
entitlement thinking, where we deserve this or I’m entitled to that. Where in reality, we are people just like any other nation is made up of people just like us. I can’t help but compare what Trump recently said to Jonah’s attitude( I would never compare Trump to Jonah-merely his attitude). He has hatred and anger towards the Mexican people. Living in Texas my best friends are Mexican American and yes I have known many illegal immigrants. Not one that I know of is a rapist or thief, instead they are some of the most honest, gracious and hardest working people I know! I hope I didn’t sound to political! We can just really compare what we read today with today God loves all of us and wants all of his people to be saved, and what is hard for me at least to grasp is that he has mercy and compassion for ALL of us!! Even our present day Ninivah. And even for me! :)
SRT Sisters, we- like Jonah and the people of Nineveh- need grace upon grace. Maybe you could also use a little laugh this Friday morning (at my expense). Come join my Driveway Confessions at:
https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/44277458/posts/945894413
I hate that I relate to Jonah here, but I’m thankful for the light shed on dark places.. It has helped though some to have been stripped of a title that made me think more highly of myself than I ought to have.. It helped to have a rebellious teenager.. It helped when I experienced rejection.. All the humbling surprise circumstances that hit my life were a way to allow me to see I wasn’t on a different level of holiness than those I felt were beneath me.. I now have more compassion and see others differently than I once did with my leadership title.. God is good to not allow us to stay in those place of exalting ourselves above others.. He’s good to humble us and get our heads right about seeing with His vision all people.. I’m still a work in progress, but I know He will not relent working in me to have the right heart towards others. Thx is be to God for His continual moving and working in us! Oh how He loves us so much and desires that we have His heart!
“We cannot know the depth of Gods grace if we do not know the depth of our need.” In a Revelation study last week, I was asked to read scriptures describing the natural traits of humanity (such as Romans 1:18-23 and Romans 3:10-20) and then to think about how I had seen these traits in my life. It was not a pretty picture that I saw. I want and need to keep that image fresh to give me an inkling of the great darkness from which He has saved me. Looking inward with God’s eyes before I look outward should help me to show more of His compassion. I was reminded of a quote by Timothy Keller: “The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” Thank you, SRT, for introducing me to that quote in an earlier study. I have been reminded of it many times since; I need to remember what I have been saved from and how very loved I am.
Christ loves the unlovables. And we are all the unlovables.
Thank you Lord for loving the unlovable
http://www.in-due-time.com
Oh my goodness. Thank you, SRT, for this week’s deep dive on Jonah. It has really helped reveal some dark Jonah-like places in my own heart. I thank God for using his word and your devotional to crack open the door and help me see the attitudes I need to change.
Thanks for joining us, Tracey! We love having you in our community!
xoxo-Kaitlin
Is there perhaps a parallel between the truths presented here and the current story of Kanye West and Kirk Franklin? (See article here http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/christians-need-think-criticizing-kanye-west) Perhaps a modern-day application of the Jonah/Nineveh narrative?
Exactly!