Lessons From Jonah That Might Make You Mad!

Who doesn’t love the story of Jonah? Even people who don’t know much about it are familiar with Jonah and the Whale! The lessons here are so relevant and timely today that some people may be offended by them.

Recap

Jonah received a commission from God he didn’t like. He was told to go and share God’s love with a bunch of rotten foreigners, including some terrorists. Okay, I added that terrorist part but the people he was sent to were sworn enemies.

He didn’t like the assignment and decided to run. That involved taking a cruise to a distant place. However, God intervened and threatened to send the boat to the bottom of the sea. The solution, Jonah discovered, would be to have the crew throw him overboard. When they did that, a whale swallowed Jonah. In the whale, Jonah repented and then went on his mission.

Lessons

One – God doesn’t love just us

We sometimes think that God loves only us. Ninevah was the enemy. In fact, they had a reputation for being a cruel and oppressive enemy. They made those they conquered suffer terribly. Here’s what God said:

“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”

Jonah 1:2 (ESV)

When God sends someone to proclaim his truth and his will, it is always for redemptive purposes. Jonah knew this. That’s why he ran away.

Two – God’s Grace is not just for us

And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

Jonah 3:5 (ESV)

Because the people were willing to repent, God withheld his wrath.

I know people today that acknowledge that God’s grace is for everyone but they don’t act like it. God’s grace is for us, for our enemies, for people who look, talk and think differently from us.

Three – We must proclaim God’s Love and Grace

How else will our enemies hear? God has given us a commission to make disciples of all people. That means people like us and people unlike us. When we spout words of condemnation and judgment, it really doesn’t communicate mercy, grace and love.

There is no other plan to reach the lost than our obedient proclamation of salvation through Jesus. Too many people who call themselves Christian cannot proclaim that message because they are consumed with hatred (maybe too strong a word) for those who don’t agree with them.

Four – Our attitudes must change

Something wonderful happened when Jonah was obedient. People repented. This is just what God wanted and just what we should want.

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.

Jonah 4:1 (ESV)

Today, when people are saved and enter the church, many people become angry. They don’t want ‘those kind of people’ in church. This is a sad state of affairs.

Too many people who call themselves Christian are, at best, indifferent to those who are different. Many call them their enemies and hope for their destruction. They lobby against them and want to see them at least marginalized, if not eliminated!

We must work and pray for our enemies’ repentance and reconciliation not their destruction. It is time for the followers of Jesus to spread the good news to those who are not yet followers, no matter what they look like, sound like or currently believe.

It’s time to put aside enmity and embrace all people for who they truly are, those Jesus died for in order to experience God’s forgiveness and adoption as his children, our brothers and sisters.

Are you ready to do this?

Your turn

Add someone to your prayer list today who doesn’t know Jesus. Share God’s mercy, grace and love with someone you might not otherwise get along with. Make a positive difference in your world today.

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