Jonah: God's Grace and the Great City
Jonah preached, Nineveh repented, and God relented. Great, right? Jonah was angry. It's possible to preach to the city without loving the city. May we instead love the city, because God does.
Resources:
Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), Desmond Alexander
The Books of Joel, Jonah, and Micah (NICOT), Leslie Allen
The Prodigal Prophet, Timothy Keller
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Have mercy on the great city. Why should we have mercy on the great city? Three answers: (1) The Lord’s mercy extends beyond your tribe (2) The Lord’s mercy your self-righteousness and, (3) The Lord is merciful.
Resources:
Jonah 3:10-4:11
C.S. Lewis, Four Loves
Keller, Prodigal Prophet
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Though we've all failed to go where God is sending us in various ways, God is still sending us, and by His grace, we can go with great hope.
Resources:
Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), Desmond Alexander
The Books of Joel, Jonah, and Micah (NICOT), Leslie Allen
The Prodigal Prophet, Timothy Keller
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God is calling people to be saved: through you.
Resources:
Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), Desmond Alexander
The Books of Joel, Jonah, and Micah (NICOT), Leslie Allen
The Prodigal Prophet, Timothy Keller
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"Salvation belongs to the Lord" is the highpoint of not only this chapter, but of the whole book of Jonah, and the entire Bible. How do we respond to this statement?
Resources:
Jonah 1:17-2:10
Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), Desmond Alexander
The Prodigal Prophet, Timothy Keller
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Rejoice in the Lord's Salvation because we really need to be saved and because He has really saved us.
Resources:
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Just as God sent Jonah to the great city of Nineveh, God has sent us, His church, to the great cities of the nations, to make disciples. Don't flee from the call!
Resources:
Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), Desmond Alexander
The Books of Joel, Jonah, and Micah (NICOT), Leslie Allen
The Prodigal Prophet, Timothy Keller
“God Won’t Take No for an Answer”, sermon by H.B. Charles, Jr.
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Go where the Lord sends you because the lord is the one calling you, the lord will come after you, and because the lord’s purpose will prevail
Resources:
This is a naval urban legend popularized by former Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell in a 2008 speech and debunked by the U.S. Navy. The story as an illustration for the situation in Jonah 1:1-16 was first used, to my knowledge, by H.B. Charles Jr.
Tyndale Old Testament Commentary, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, by Desmond Alexander
Tim Keller, The Prodigal Prophet
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