A Whole New Kind of Obedience, Part 2

The question for Joan answer the question.

I personally like to think that he does because most scholars think that Jonah himself wrote the book, which means that Jonah is posing the question which means that Jonah got but it's left is a question because of the question for you a question for me.

Do we get it. Are you engaged heart and soul and the mission of God that did this is a fancy word for the way to the store gets wrapped up in when we get closure with all of the characters. When we look at the book of Jonah.

We don't really get that kind of closure for transcendent life pastor JD Greer explains why this story leaves that as he continues our series titled Castaway if you missed any of the previous messages and catch up online@jennygreer.com. Now here's pastor JD with a message titled a whole new kind of obedience Jonah job, but it displays Jonah exceedingly and he was angry and he prayed the Lord and said, oh Lord.

Is this not what I said when I was yet in my country. This why I made haste to flee the charges he still justified himself so he might have consented to obey God because he knows that you can't actually fight against God and win. But in his heart he still disagrees. What you see is that Jonah has consented because of the pressure of the belly of a well but as soon as those pressures are gone. He's going back to his original heart position is justified, himself, and he's expressing his hatred for the Ninevites. Jonah's behavior was in this Jonah's behavior may have conformed to what God wanted, but his heart is still on melted. That's why called the difference with Christianity 1.0 and 3.0 and some of you at one point you can't fight against God and win, but God's not after just obedience. He's out for a new kind of obedience, the kind that grows where your heart delights in him and the lights and what he delights. It write more about a little bit was reading bright new Jonah says that you are a gracious God and merciful out there. You slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and LinkedIn from disaster. How awful. Verse three. Therefore, now, Lord, please take my life from me, for it's better for me to dive in the live I love this verse.

For the Lord said you'd well be angry. Mrs. baseboard saying really Jonah really Jonah's disease is twofold.

One, Jonah is an idolater, Jonah's idol is that he loves his racial identity. He loves his status as a leader and a prosperous nation. The Ninevites not being destroyed would threaten that. So he hates them because they threatened to take from him that thing which he loves most of the second the second element of Jonah's disease does ignorant, just ignorant of the grace of God is extended toward him you in verse two.

Jonah says I know I know that you were a God who was compassionate. Jonah is resentful that no Jonah, you bring up the compassion of God. He should probably not be resentful of it. He should probably be grateful because what character in this story has received more compassion than anybody else. Jonah, when you see yourself as a recipient of great grace that God's compassion listen becomes his most precious attribute to you.

And when God's compassion becomes his most precious attribute to you, then you become compassionate by nature.

To others when you're generous, it's because you understand the beauty of God's grace. If you're not forgiving with your spouse or those around you and you probably don't understand grace. Those people who are recipients of great grace become dispensers of great grace.

Honestly, Jonah probably saw his sin and Nineveh sand into different categories like all the Nineveh then about their adulterers, their cruel I'm not a bad sinner like them initiate what had Jonah done Jonah look in the face of God said no each of you in this room have looked it's got some point in your life, you should know God I'm not doing that and that is blasphemy of the highest order.

Jonah didn't understand that you and I don't understand that. Which is why we don't understand how much grace God is given us but is there a spirit of unforgiveness and a lack of generosity is the indication you are out of touch with the grace of God in your own life, a spirit of unforgiveness and a lack of generosity is the indication that you are out of touch with the grace of God in your life. That's Jonah's disease, idolatry and ignorance. Finally, and all this after after he is considered to do God's will write me.

But Jonah for Joan is no longer directly defined of God is he's doing exactly what God wants is not even to impart what God what is all what God wants. That is the picture of most religious people, religious people I want to want to go to hell and I will be the belly well so I'll do what God wants, but that doesn't mean that you come to the light in God become forgiving like God delighting in God becoming loving, like God, those things can only happen in you by a deep and profound experience of grace. That's why the messianic reading of Jonah is so important because in the messianic reading, you begin to see that Jesus is the one who suffered all the consequences for your disobedience and when you begin to see that that should produce love and generosity in your heart. God is not just after obedience church listen several new kind of obedience. The obedience that grows the passions of the heart right before verse five verse five Jonah went out of the city and set the use of the city made a booth for himself. There he sat under the shade till he should see what would become of the city man. He is hoping he liked. I hope that repentance wears off. God forgets about it.

I hope they take got off again, nothing that Jonah would love more than the steel lightning bolt, to heaven, and just obliterate the city of Nineveh right.

Nothing made him feel better, you got somebody in your life like that verse six now the Lord God of point of plant may come up over Jonah, but it might be a shade over his head to save him from his discomfort.

So Jonah was exceedingly glad, because of the plant. But when the plant came up the next day, God appointed a young arm that attacked the plan, but still the plan attacked it so that it withered. Verse eight when the sun rose God appointed a scorching east with just east when a scorching went in the sun beat down on the baldheaded Jonah so that he was faint as a balding paper but I'm pretty sure Jonah was bold and he asked that he might die and he said it is better for me to dive in the live and God said to Jonah you will be angry for the plant and Jonah said yes I do well to be angry.

Angry enough to die. Now if I were Jonah's counsel Jonah was telling me the story got to this point about God said to me, you'd well be angry as a data well-being of the plant angry enough to die at that point I would've intended to laugh and then I would've looked at Jonah and seeing that he is not laughing and what the small of my face and that's it. Well, that plant was really important to you, Jonah is going to nod my head. This is the second time that God has asked Jonah if he has a right to be angry. First, I was in verse four and Jonah had no response.

This time he explodes back to God.

Your dog line. I'm angry and I don't like to be angry. I justified in my verse. The Lord said you pity the plant for which you did not labor nor did you make it grow. It came into being, a night edit Paris tonight. Should I not pity never that great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the right hand from the left and also some cows the word of God, my friends, Lord God conscious Jonah girl tore up on a plan plant, plant came into being, and I Paris tonight.

That's pretty impressive plan among a larger turbo plan that you did more for its temporaries passing hundred 20,000 people in the city on the right. Hafner left by the way most scholars say that's not a reference to people who are ambidextrous. That's means that their children right.

Hafner left hundred 20,000 kids Jonah how could you look at such a massive destruction of life of simple people. Yes, people Jonah just like you and even children who are as precious to me as your children, Jonah, are you how could you look at that with no motion. Jonah yeah I think the last light is going there for a little sardonic, comic relief, but also by the way, this will click this little off topic but that last line also much cattle is in there for another reason. You notice all the Old Testament there is a promise that God is not just redeeming human race is also redeemable world, which includes all creation told you last week that the towels go without food and the effect that would be to move cows all over the city movie increasing a sense of morning Romans chapter 8 says all creation is groaning, awaiting the redemption of the sons of God through someone that you hate Jonah is not just even if it's about the people yes but it's also the whole world cries out redemption.

Can you resend it. You resented John's Jonah in what is Jonah's response about what's in it for site there is no next verse. That's right, that's it. That's the end the Dukes of Hazard in a moment to commit air.

You just don't know whether gamelan the cliffhanger it into the question because the book is a question for religious people like Chuck that question is do you care do you care more for perishing people than you do for your stuff. Stuff that is temporary like the plant comes up goes away, fades away as quickly as you obtain it and on the scale of eternity is actually pretty meaningless is the question of the book of Jonah is a question for you. What you care the most about what you most upset about right now.

The tears that you shared last year. Last year the tears that you shatter the course of the year. What were they about how much grief does the fate of the lost people bring to you. Romans chapter 9 Paul says what he thinks about the fate of people apart from God. He says literally. I am in anguish and free day which cried out last year. Have you ever been in anguish over lost people.

Have you ever shed a tear over somebody who is lost not so your problem exact same spot Jonah is Jonah.

The Ninevites were not people. They were a concept was a big enemy city. That's why God points out the hundred 20,000 children. God thought of them as individuals. Do you know there are 2.2 billion individuals in our world yet to be warned about Jesus.

Individuals just like you made in the image of God like you who experience pain and sadness and fear. Just like you who love their kids just like you love yours know what it's like to be alone know it's like to be scared for going into eternity apart from God in the hell would be every bit the tragedy that it would be for you, no worse for them than it would be for you know better for them that it would be for you individuals just like you do you care do you care is your life of any imitation or demonstration that you care. Judson first American missionary for Monday my first son said this wasn't quote but surely, if any, sin will lie with crushing weight on the trembling shrinking Christian soul when grim Jeff draws near, it would be the sin of turning a deaf ear to the plaintive cry of tens of millions of immortal beings who day and night cry out, and save us, for we are sinking into hell would not care how can we not weep why we have so much passion for things that really don't matter at all and so little passion for things that actually do you weep about the plant but there's 2.2 billion people will remember the name of Jesus and never a tear comes smiles didn't try to retire the day that are part of our church members tell me really excited filing a retire now they get a chance and collected a certain item for about 20 years.

Great collection of it and now the next 20 years or life to be able to travel around the world and get the biggest collection. These anybody's ever seen and I'm looking without politeness a little bit think I would really that's I use want to spend a good person going to be a Christian was for the next 20 years of your life before you meeting Jesus walking around the world collecting toys. That's how you want to spend the last 20 years of your life collecting toys when there's 2.2 billion people on our planet that never heard the name of Jesus I might save everyone of you when you retire have to be a missionary.

Most of you probably do understand that it just doesn't make sense. A life that is gilded for the trajectory of the acquisition of more stuff for the thing about Joan. I want to point out I told you that Joan is a literary masterpiece. Brenda all kinds a literary device is one of them was in one of them is repetition of the word great were great and he prepares all throughout the book of the now sometimes in your Bible to translate it differently than than great review all the times it's it's it shows up but I'll always translate a great job over Shiraz give Nineveh, that great city, one for the Lord hurled a great went up on the seat and there was a great campus on the seat general & the men were greatly afraid.

116 and the men fear the Lord greatly.

117 the Lord appointed a great fish generally prefers to go to Nineveh, God said that great city, none Nineveh was a exceedingly great city or great great city is that we translated several three verse five he put on sackcloth and the greatest event the beliefs of their 41. It was squeeze Jonah greatly and he was angry for six or Jonah was greatly glad because the player 411 should I not kidding about that great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons.

The whole point about literary device is to show you the greatness of God's mission Nineveh's wickedness is great God's grace is greater. Jonah's hatred for the Ninevites is great God's compassion for them is greater.

Have you felt the greatness and the weightiness of that mission and is your life now characterized by the greatness and weightiness of admission. It was said that Hudson Taylor, the famous missionary to China could hardly bear to stand to be in an audience like this one church was an Englishman he came to England he said I cannot bear the sound of a thousand English-speaking people singing the praises of God together when there are still so many millions of Chinese no-brainer's name. You made the statement he said what that God would make hell so real to the church, but none of us can rest is your life marked by the happiness that comes from participation in that greatness. Every year we take up Christmas missions offering the original name for right there is a reportable Lottie Moon Christmas offering buffer is taken by the name of a single 4 foot six missionary to China embodiment she gave away her 30 years there in the mission field to the Chinese people. Famine swept China when she was in her late 40s, so she started to write American pastor's where she was from and say won't you please give something to your brothers and sisters in Christ in China who are starving. She literally gave up all the food that she had all of it to her Chinese brothers and sisters and she died of starvation. They say that she weighed less than 50 pounds of her death. Chinese nurses with her when she died, said that the last thing she was. She died his breathing very slowly and heavily.

She could tell was coming for the energies of vitamin B can see Jesus left she got to the end of that song seen in Chinese and she began to do this for she clapped her hands together open which are part of China was a traditional greeting when you greet somebody that you love to. This should open and she would say the name of every time she better that of a Chinese believer who had already gone on to be with Jesus. It is said the nurse and she came to the very initiate one more time. She clapped her hands open, but she said no name, and that she quit breathing. She got in the Chinese nurse. He was a Christian, said it was clearly obvious to me that she had seen the Lord Jesus at last she saw him and just died. Her whole life with speaks of the weightiness of the mission. So again Joan answer the question. This Jonah ever get. I personally like to think that he does because most scholars think that Jonah himself wrote the book, which means that Jonah is posing the question which means that Jonah got it, but it's left is a question because it's a question for you a question for me. Do we get it. Are you engaged heart and soul and the mission of God is even a choice. You can either be involved in radical self emptying devotion to the mission of God or you can be disobedient. I know most of us like a bigot. His middle category will become the church we volunteer little bit we might tie like a it's okay on the lookout was really doing. And no, I'm not really radically generous with money on the poorness about a mission but I'm okay. I'm got your not exist. Geez. And if anybody wants to come after me going to come across in politics, not of a handful selected one, come after me to take up their cross. Anybody that comes after me is to take up their cross and follow me. You are either deeply involved in the mission of God for your disobedient self like some of the justice selectively read the Bible just baffles me universally. First Peter 57 cast your cares upon him because he cares for you. Hello that promise, mom of three kids and so that burst administers me internal review pages in reverse like this. Anybody comes after me, let him take up his cross and follow me going all the world and preach the gospel, not a lobotomy for college students.

You have a job that's for. I sent myself from that universe like Matthew 1128 coming to me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest the gods for me at the love that Bertha got it on the coffee cup and a kitchen wall universe like acts 18 this is going all the world and Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, most parts of the earth for me by what right do you appropriate become part of Scripture, but not the commands.

There is no category when you exempt yourself from those things you read are part of the going and sending process all years was to be set. But maybe God's put some of your place for you to be part of sending process. Maybe he's given you a job you can help support. Maybe he's given you skills I can help open up different fields maybe is supposed to be. You devote yourself to prayer. Her going ascending or you are walking in disobedience. There is no middle category.

In a similar say if you're not bundling naturally inclined this way. The question I would ask us to really understand the gospel, this do you really believe the gospel. You say you believe, but how could you believe what the gospel says about the losses of the world and then live the way that you left right I don't understand the gospel really don't believe it or not tainted by the love that the gospel is supposed to produce. Where would you be without Jesus, where would you be without Jesus exactly the same place in 2.2 billion people in our world or without you understand will transform your life, not because I stand here yelling because you understand the gospel says when you engage in entertaining career made clear today be a part of his mission will be disobedient people can write this mission is at the core of all we do here at Summit life if you join us late or if you'd like to complete edited message transcripts. You can find all the archived messages in our Bible study tools free of charge@jdgreer.com Pastor Jenny. We spent day after day here in Summit life dissecting Scripture or what created this love for the word of God and you know the church that I grew up in was a perfect one of the things I did is they taught me to love Scripture to love the gospel and the love seeing people come to faith in Christ be taught to trust the Bible to know that really there's only two things in life that really last forever. Once the word of God.

Once the souls of people and so I grew up had the privilege growing up in a home in a church setting where where the Bible was taught that we we we were championed to memorize it.

That was something that I didn't realize what a gift that was because even though even though a lot of those verses didn't fully harvest in my life you want while was at that church. Even now preaching some 30 years later I'm going back and reaping the harvest of what was sown into me by my church so I am certain deeply almost unspeakably grateful for how that church taught me to memorize Scripture over great hopes is that we can assist people in knowing the work better. This is a replacement for your local church but maybe it can supplement what you're hearing on the weekend and can take you deeper into the gospel for the reasons we were were were providing burst memory cards. This month is because we really want to see you have tools to be able to align the chambers of your heart with God's word so that said the other day when life cuts you as our way of saying thank you for your one-time donation of $25 or more for your monthly and you are brand-new exclusive resort.

All things new memory verse card to help you remember the word of God freshly for your sent today call I think I 20 online by Molly minutes Thursday when Pastor Katie says that Jonah be sure to join us, right here on Summit life