Annc (1) Small Group Registration (2) Plans for the Fall
JONAH 1:1-10 (Read text)
New series—JONAH (Acct of how a Jewish man runs from G, & how G pursues…)
G says go to Nineveh (Jonah swiftly buys a ticket opp direxn [fish…3 days…spit])
Off the bat (Fish swallows man…really? Hinges on what believe @ miracles)
If there’s a G (Pwr to speak universe into existence…raise dead [W/G all thgs possible])
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A primal instinct (Reason Jonah fled reveals default condition of ♥) Q1
B4 condemn Jonah (Stop & symp: Justice/wrath IS 1 of G’s attributes ([1]))
Some have concluded Xity implausible (MY GOD is a G of love & tolerance)
Tolerance can be a form tv’d hatred (Oft true Platform to condemn…don’t affirm)
J Wilson If U only tolerate ppl who agree w/you, it’s not tolerance UR after
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Hostile @ idea of a G who can get hostile? (Sheltered? Ever abused? Suffered?)
If no such thg as angry G (Wrld hopelessly cruel: Evil & injustice…free pass) Q2
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A self-made prison ([2])
Impact of grudge Aliena from G 10 away from the presence Isola from ppl 5 sleep
IOW (Resentment leads to forfeiture: 2 thgs need most…G/ppl Q3)
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A healing path ([3])
G putting spotlight on Jonah (The evil perpetrated by Nin Seeds of same in your ♥)
Mercy to Nin is tender (Severe to Jnh: Luv U2 much…spiteful/comf @ same time)
G does send suff to his ppl (Never punitive: Always surgical…scalpel vs sword Q4)
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Hard feelings die hard 4 bitter ppl (But there is way out of prison [worse/loved])
Take comfort in mercy of G 2U (♥ will begin to open: mercy of G twd others)
Bono That the Bible is full of murderers, cowards, adulterers, and mercenaries used to shock me. Now it's a source of great comfort to me.
When see selves in this light Grateful for justice/wrath of G Direct…All evil will one day be cast into abyss Vicarious…If J would take hit for evil in me…others
In glory lamb…lion / infant…scorpion / dividing walls of hostility destroyed
G’s call to Jonah…his call to us. Begin imagining that future into the present so the sweet poison of resentment will lose its appeal
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Prayer
Offering
Q1 Why he could have fled—DANGER (2) Go to Nineveh, that great city, & call out against it, for their evil has come up b4 me Nineveh Assyrian city / historically been hostile to Israel & Jewish ppl
G telling Jwsh preacher to go into harshest, cruelest, most hostile & powerful city in world & tell everyone to repent/turn to Yhwh Suicide msn Lk Am Xn…♥ of Afghan
Actual reason he fled—PREJUDICE (Chp 3) G carries Jnh to N thru fish… preaches…ppl repent / turn to G 4:1 It displeased J exceedingly & he was angry Why angry? 4:2 I knew UR a gracious G & merciful, slow to anger & abounding in steadfast love & relenting from disaster
Rsn Jonah ran Couldn’t bear thought of G forgiving / kind to enemies (bitter saint)
Q2 Wrath of God can be incredibly comforting especially if UR…
Victim of injustice / bullying Rsn we love movie “42” (Good triumphs / evil)
For same reason When J comes to defense of weak, humble…sp bullies (cheer)
Victim of suffering (Jn 11 Lazarus) Wept…Moved (enraged) Bully on G’s playgrd
So before dismiss Jonah too quickly Seeds of true img of G beneath distorted rxn
Q3 2:8 Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs
Best way for enemy to keep pwr over U Close ♥ to possibility of forgiving them
Anne Lamott Holding a grudge is like drinking rat poison & waiting for the rat to die
Frederick Buechner One of the 7 deadly sins, anger, is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back—in many ways it is a feast fit for a King. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.
If G has a word for Jonah That hatred U refuse to let go of That grudge U continue to nurse in ♥ That disdain for my mercy that has no limits How’s it working 4U?
Biblically The only way to kill an enemy is to kill w/kindness…This is something that must happen in you before it can happen through you. It’s not the same as trust (Bible never says be a doormat) It’s opening ♥ to the possibility, even the hope, that a bully will experience sorrow for the hurt, seek forgiveness from God you, and begin the process of restoring love & trust Forgiveness is leaving it to God to decide how to punish wrongdoing...refusal to retaliate…movement of the heart toward daydreaming about reconciliation (apology/restora over time) vs. pay dearly
Q4 Well child shots Hold baby down…needle Thought friends! Thought on same page. How could U abandon me like this. Angry enough to die Truth Greatest cruelty would be to bias her comfort over her long term health & flourishing
Miroslav Volf Forgiveness flounders because I exclude my enemy from the community of humans even as I exclude myself from the community of sinners
Ppl > plants sermon Mirror to Jonah @ his own exclusion, self-righteousness
Problem w/the world, Jonah, is not other ppl. As far as UR concerned, problem w/world is you. As soon as U see this…U’ll start to experience the release you are seeking in so many of the wrong places. Relief from sins against U. Relief from own powerlessness to heal your own grudges.
[1] Misconception G of OT…wrath – NT…luv/grace Here we have mercy/compasn
♥ of NT (Rom 12) Chp starts with declaration of the mercies of G, then 19 Leave room for G’s wrath…It’s mine to avenge, I will repay, says the L Consider…
If blood of your relatives on hands of ppl who, to date, have continued to mock & exploit U & UR ppl, spitting on graves…Somebody has to pay!
[2] 3 When he fled to Tarshish (furthest place/opp direxn from Nin) he paid the fare & went down into the ship Carrying out a grudge U’ll always pay a fare. Want to make an enemy pay? Will always cost U2 do so As Img of G Also made to forgive
Eph 4.32 Put on kindness & compassion. Forgive as G in Xr has forgiven U
[3] End of book Jonah sulking under shade of plant, looking on in anger at the new, improved, redeemed, forgiven city of Nineveh God scorches the plant Jonah gets angry Right 2B angry? Angry enough to die Final word You have no right. U care more about a plant than ppl. Should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120K ppl who don’t know their right hand from their left?