Death To Self-Justification Part 1

Race is before us, looking to Jesus and Jonah finally obeyed God, but no joy in the revival. Following his reaching his self focus kept him from seeing the big instead he sat down asking God, you might die.

Pity party in the state from the Moody Church in Chicago is going to win with Dr. Erwin Moser is clear teaching to get across the finish line. Master looks are so far Jonah has died to self will self-reliance and self-interest. What's up today for our troubled profit will date as you just mentioned he was having a pity party. So I'd like to say that he had to die to self justification. God had to bring him to the point where all of the excuses had to be knocked out from under him. But before we go there. I want to ask our listeners a question.

How are you handling all of the buzz that is taking place in the political world. We need to rethink our role in the world, and specifically our role in America. I say that because many of the foundations are crumbling. Where do we go, what we learn from Scripture what do we learn from church history. I've written a book entitled Christians politics and the cross of love for you to have a copy for your gift of any amount.

It can be yours.

Here's what you do go to RTW offer.com RTW offer.com and now let me give you a phone number and thanks in advance. By the way, for helping us in the ministry of running to win. Phone number 1-888-218-9337 and now we go to the life of Jonah and lessons necessary for us all to self justification there's any trait about the fallen human nature. It is the tendency for us to protect ourselves to justify ourselves to dig deep walls behind which we hi to make sure that no one ever sees us as we are to prevent God and others from revealing to us what we are really like. Till we begin to even believe our own lives. Enter Jonah chapter 4 chapter 4 the book of Jonah, the last in a series of messages entitled brokenness how God gets us to say yes at the end of the message. I'll tell you whether or not God ever got Jonah to say yes we read in verse one, but it displeased Jonah exceedingly and he was angry what happened. Something terrible happened. He preached to the city of Nineveh and the Ninevites repented awful Hebrew text is actually more vivid but it was evil to Jonah a very great evil and it burned. He was really really mad now. Isn't it interesting that God was compassionate and Jonah was angry. The pagans ended up fearing God Jonah ends up hating God, even the sailors fear the Lord, the Ninevites repented and got relented regarding the destruction of the city of Nineveh as God had warned, and lo and behold, here is Jonah who is angry at that kind of compassion that's maybe why he didn't tell them what they could do to prevent the overthrow he just simply said Nineveh shall be overthrown. Thankfully, we discover that it was a conditional warning.

I mentioned that to Jonah.

At this point tells us exactly why he is fleeing he says in verse two and he prayed to the Lord and said, oh Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country.

This is why I made haste to flee to Tarsus for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and relenting from disaster.

Therefore, now all Lord please take my life from me these words, which are based on one of the Psalms are always strong in and said in honor to God that God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

I need that's what we sing about. That's what we talk about is the wonderful compassion of God, and we adore him for that Jonah is indicting God before that he is saying this in derision that you are compassionate. I mentioned to you earlier that I think what we have here is a case of what I call full-blown narcissism. You know what Narcissus narcissism is I got that out. Narcissus was a young man, the son of the river God in ancient mythology and that he was in love with himself when he saw a reflection of himself in those days they didn't have mirrors, so when he sought reflection of himself in a pool of Clearwater. He still fell in love with himself that he could never love anyone else you've heard me say how do you identify a narcissist because it's possible that one is listening today. We all have various degrees of narcissism and if you live with someone like that or if narcissist happens to be sitting in your chair today. I can tell you about yourself narcissist interpret all events through the filter of themselves. They will always say to themselves for everything that comes how does this make me look and how does this make me feel and that's all that matters. I remember the illustration that I love to give true stories because narcissists exist all over the place, a wife who was beaten by her husband, a Christian woman phones a friend who is also Christian, but who is very narcissistic right now, catch the picture, here's a wife, you know who's just sustained a meeting she needs to tell somebody and so she phones her narcissistic friend and says you know my husband just beat me up because what this dear woman, God bless her she's looking for some compassion, some feelings about this.

You get all really. Is that what happened will you know you guys are sure a lot worse than my husband and me.

We we have our own fights to but you know he's never beaten me. You know, so really we are better than you in terms of our relationship. Thank you so very much for the compassion that I was looking for but were going to see is traits of that in and Jonah. So God has this problem on his hands and this entire chapter is just between God and Jonah. So God tries therapy.

God says that Jonah, you'll notice that the Lord says to him in verse four.

Do you well to be angry is a good that you're angry God wants to get to the root of it is he wants to help Jonah reflect back his feelings as good counselors are to try to get to the bottom of the matter. And Jonah won't cooperate. He doesn't stay for the session.

He walks away.

He stomps out of the city.

Verse five and a slap to the east of the city and made a booth for himself.

There and he sat under the shade until he could see what will become of the city. Now remember that the King of Nineveh is sitting in an ashy, hoping that God will spare the city. Jonah is sitting here in his booth that he built for himself, hoping that God will destroy the city and while God is compassionate Jonah is full of hate and he refuses to see the world God's way and he's got this death wish.

I'd rather die than see what you're doing. I'd rather die than see these Ninevites repented and not be judged. What a man so it God decides to do is to give Jonah an object lesson what the Lord does is he says I'm going to give you a lesson in comforts and so forth. And then I'm gonna give you some lessons in compassion.

So that's the direction that the text takes from here. You'll notice that the Lord first of all, appoints something now four times the word appointed the quarters in the book of Jonah.

First of all, it says that God appointed a fish that's in chapter 1, but here in succession.

There are three other appointments that God makes and let's look at them.

You'll notice it says in verse six. Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head to save them from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad about the planned thing ever get a narcissist to be happy about something. Yes, if they are particularly blessed and you add to their comfort, they will be quite joyful and work it into their day.

So that's what Jonah was doing here is what God does. God appoints comfort for Jonah. Here's a plant that grows up in the night as we learn in a few verses it rose up just very very quickly in one night. Obviously it was a miracle, a plant like that, growing in the midst of the desert and a plant growing up that quickly. And probably what is known as the castor plant which which is great foliage and beautiful leaves that are as big as the palm of your hand in this. This plant grows up and it encases his shelter and you can just see Jonah enjoying it because at last, in the midst of this hot climate, God has given him an air conditioner is very, very happy about the plant.

Well, that's not all that God appoints. You'll notice it says now in verse seven, but when the dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm. God said to this little worm little worm here you are using a plant over there.

I want you to sought down work at it all night but get the things sought down because I am appointing you to bug Jonah.

So God talks to this little worm and a little worm comes in and he begins to work on this plant and by morning he has a down God appoints our comforts. God also appoints our disappointments and our losses and Jonah is supposed to learn that lesson. So the little worm comes along and by morning. The plant is down and assume the sun is going to rise and it's going to become very very hot.

And Jonah is going to become very, very angry. Just as he was exceedingly glad for the plant he is going to become very very angry because he's going to have a death wish and just a verse or two again saying I want to die. Just get me out of this. I would rather die then deal with a God whom I can't change, and whose will I will pose well it's going to turn out that this plant was really his God meant more to him than the will of God's amazing what happens when you take away people's air-conditioners. My wife and I live in a condo complex where you either have heat as you do during the winter. Or you can have cold air air conditioning during the summer about the whole apparatus has to be changed over a day or two so they try to find a good time and perhaps near the end of April and then another time in the fall when they make this change. Well, they don't change it into air-conditioning until probably somewhere around the end of April.

The beginning of May but one April 2 or three years ago it became about 85° before April was over.

You should just see how angry some of these pleasant and wonderful people began. I mean, some of them swore some of them curse some of them threatened the administration because they didn't have their air conditioner and these are nice people who open doors for you and who will help you carrying groceries if you needed and you're saying is all this stuff coming from people who are so nice. No wonder the little girl prayed. Oh God, make all bad people, good and please make the good people nice and that a great prayer. Now if you'd gone to these people and said hey by the way, did you know the 25,000 children died today because of malnutrition, which is approximately the number that die every day because of that with that have mattered. I don't care about whether or not the kids die get me an air conditioner.

I can't stand it if you ever notice that God not only appoints our comforts, but he also appoints our discomforts and our disappointments and the very thing that was bringing Jonah happiness is the very thing that God takes away because what God wants to do is to get at the heart of this guy. The reason for these appointments as God is saying Jonah I am putting a mirror here so that you can see yourself. I want to take this mirror and shove it right up to your face so that you can see what's in your heart while God is not through with him. We know that Joan is going to have a bad day with this plant has withered. Now, thanks to this little worm. And so God is saying, oh Jonah so you think you're hot. While guess what verse eight when the sun arose, God appointed a scorching east wind and the sun down on the head of Jonah, so that he was faint and once again he asked that he might die. It is better for me to die than to live. God had this wind come like a kill.

Now you know that Nineveh is actually not too far from Baghdad as a matter fact when you're looking on the map and you often see that there have been flashpoints of resistance in muscle it directly across the Tigris River. From that city's Nineveh.

That's where it is in our son-in-law who survived the summer in Baghdad said that there was one day when I got nearly 140° and the people, by the way couldn't understand how the American soldiers were able to manage it with all of their equipment. Well that's understandable. I wonder, to how they managed with all of their equipment so so this is the area now and and God sends this scorching east wind to Jonah and says well Jonah, how do you like that to God appoints our comforts. He appoints our disappointments, our losses and he also appoints our trials and Jonah's not handling this trial very well.

I say parenthetically and theologically, you'll notice that all are equally appointed by God. Do we have comforts today. Can you believe that God gives us comforts we have comforts as human beings in friendships in loving and opportunity in close and houses and all of the things that we enjoy and those comforts are God given they are appointed by God, but so are our losses appointed by God, our disappointments, those things that we cannot control the just happen situations over which we have absolutely no control but God brings into our life, probably for the same reason that he brought these things into the life of Jonah. And then God appoints also goes scorching east winds when we are almost about to die and to see what is in our hearts because because it's only these events that really show what's in there. It's not all the niceties all the pleasantries, when everything is going well. It's how you handle adversity, but each are equally appointed by God. I'm sure that Jonah was very angry with the worm.

I am sure that he had some very choice words for the wind. Actually no use getting angry at the worm notice getting angry at the window because the worm and the wind are both sent by God. It's God that stands behind these events.

So God again begins a questioning he picks up the therapy and says I wonder if you're willing to listen to my question now so you'll notice there in verse nine God continues the dialogue. But God said to Jonah deal with the well to be angry for the plant and this time he answered God. You see, the first time got asked the question, it was do you have a right to be angry because the Ninevites repented. Jonah didn't answer that question, but God says to him now.

Do you do well to be angry for the plant and without even skipping a beat. He says yes I do well to be angry any angry enough to die. I just think for a moment what it is that Jonah is really saying he's saying I have a right to the comforts that God gives me I have a right to my air conditioner.

I have a right to be comfortable and not to be in this heat but I am denying the compassion of God that brings me those comforts.

I am denying the right of other people to experience that compassion I did neither rights of the Ninevites eternal comfort. I would rather see them burn in hell than to have me burn under the sunlight here in a temporary way without a good booth and without a plant and with a scorching east wind so you can see here that Jonah is in the midst of this dilemma and he does not get the lesson at this point that God is trying to teach them so God goes on and he says Jonah that's a lesson in comforts.

Now what I want to do is to give you a lesson in the whole business of compassion.

So God picks it up in verse 10 and the Lord said to him you pity the plant for which you did not labor. Did you deserve the plan. Did you created by the way, do we deserve our money. You say we earned it all really. Did you who gave you the ability the brains and the opportunities to be born where you were to be gifted the way in which you are fuming to say you have a right to this.

Believe me, you and I have no rights to any of this but you'll notice that the Lord says you have pity for the plan for which you did not labor. You did not make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. Now comes the really big question, and should not. I pity Nineveh. All right, my friend.

Let's get real. Jonah was sent to a culture he didn't like to people that he didn't like in God's is preached to them. You and I are called to preach the gospel to share it with everyone. People who differ with those politically people of different racial groups. We are sent to them all, and in the midst of all of this, we have to remember the cross of Christ. I've written a book entitled Christians politics and the cross for a gift of any amount. It can be yours. Here is what you do go to RTW offer.com RTW offer.com or call us at 1-888-218-9337 let us remember our true calling our heavenly calling, even in the midst of a culture that is absorbed in politics 1-888-218-9337 is time now for another chance for you to ask Pastor lutes or a question about the Bible or the Christian life Pastor lutes or most Christians see heaven as the ideal place of rest and rejoicing, but one running to win listener is concerned that not all of heaven will be gladness in light.

She asks what about painful memories in heaven will my friend today. I do think that in heaven those painful memories will vanish. You know the Bible says that God will wipe away all tears from their eyes. Those may be tears as a result of our own failures when we think of the way in which we lived in light of all the opportunities that we had, we may experience some deep regret and God will wipe tears from our eyes. Maybe also we will be weeping when we think of those who are not in heaven, whom we love who will be lost forever. I could think that that also would produce tears, but here's the point that's important. God will wipe away all tears.

I don't think that means that God is going to go about with a handkerchief wiping the tears from our eyes. I think that means that God is going to give us his perspective were going to see things from his viewpoint. We will discover that once we look at it through his eyes, so to speak, in his prism, but all things are well. Justice has been done the will of God has been accomplished in heaven and on earth, and the painful memories will all be gone. So don't worry about that, but we should worry about is living for God with all the energy and enthusiasm that we have until we see him face-to-face. What a day that will be.

Thank you. Pastor lutes or if you'd like to hear your question answered. Go to our website@rtwoffer.com and click on ask Pastor lutes or or call us at 1-888-218-9337 that's 1-888-218-9337 you can write to us running to win 1635 N. LaSalle Boulevard Chicago, IL 60614 running to win is all about helping you understand God's roadmap for your race of life.

After Jonah preached he got angry and depressed. Then God sent a sequence of events to teach the wayward prophet.

Some object lesson. Next time I'm running to win will meet went a worm and a scorching east wind. Dr. lutes will conclude this series on brokenness of God gets us to say yes as we turn again to Jonah chapter 4 will see God making sure that Jonah gets his point for Dr. Irwin lutes or this is Dave McAllister running to win is sponsored by the Moody Church