God's Unrelenting Grace: Issues of the Heart
God’s Unrelenting Grace Series Pt 5
Issues of the Heart
March 4, 2018
We have been studying the book of Jonah for the past month and seeing the theme of God’s unrelenting grace woven through the events and circumstances of the book. The video a moment ago with the kids telling the story obviously embellished the narrative a bit. Many people, however, think the story ends with chapter 3 and ignore chapter 4.
The last chapter is an important part of revealing God’s unrelenting Grace! Chapter 4 shows us that God looks beyond the outward appearances sees the issues of the heart.
So let’ look at the chapter, follow along as I read Jonah 4:1-11
The book of Jonah reveals God’s unrelenting grace…
I. Despite a Rebellious Heart (Jonah 4:1-3) But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, "O Lord, is this not I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."
One of the most incredible revivals and Jonah is displeased and angry?
It is almost mind-blowing to think that Jonah isn’t happy that these people have turned to God and that God’s hand of judgment has stayed.
(I have seen this before when a spouse repents of adultery and returns to husband/wife.)
A. I said (v.2) "O Lord, is this not I said when I was still at home?
· Jonah had the heart of the Pharisees who grumbled and complained when Jesus ate and offered mercy to tax collectors and sinners
· His attitude was “they be destroyed and let their sins carry them to hell – they deserve it”
· Self-righteous- and quite possibly more interested what his peers thought of him than God’s character.
· Jonah is attempting correct God!
· The rebellious heart believes and acts as though it knows better than God!
B. I knew (v.2) I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God
· Whoa! Jonah is ticked because God is good, gracious and compassionate!
· Notice that Jonah’s focus is all on himself! (“I” said, “I” knew)
Point? Pride and selfishness are issues of the heart. They are at the heart of our rebellion against God! Although Jonah did obey God and go to Nineveh in about 40 days he was back to his old self. He was outwardly obedient but inwardly rebellious!
The last chapter of the book of Jonah reveals God’s unrelenting grace towards him…
II. Despite a Divided Heart (Jonah 4:4-9) But the Lord replied, "Have you any right to be angry?" Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, "It would be better for me to die than to live."
But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?" "I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die."
· Now we dare not miss what rules Jonah here. He seems to be a different person on land than when he was in the fish!
· In tribulation and trial, he is remorseful at ease he is spiteful
Play Igniter Video “Emotions, Getting a Grip on Your Heart and Mind”.
Clearly, Jonah was controlled by his anger and God in his grace was intent in revealing this to Jonah. God’s unrelenting grace was pursuing the issues of Jonah’s heart. God reveals the issue of Jonah’s divided heart in the waiting as well as the worm. First, consider…
A. The Wait (v.5) sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city
Scholars are divided on whether the 40 days that Jonah prophesied of Nineveh’s destruction have already expired. And if Jonah’s watching to see if God will decimate Nineveh. But regardless of the fact, God uses the wait to expose Jonah’s divided heart.
Have you ever contemplated the waiting rooms of God?
· God promised Abraham a son and then placed in the waiting room
· Then there is Hannah who agonized with God for a baby and her agony was mocked
· Or how about Joseph who spent years in the waiting rooms of false accusations, pits, and prisons before seeing the promised vision?
· Noah’s had 120 years of waiting before the first drop fell
There are people listening to this today that God wants you to see and hear that he is just as much in the waiting as he is in the answering!
You and I are in a rush but God’s not waiting is fundamental to dealing with the issues of our heart.
God not only dealt with Jonah’s heart in waiting – he exposed it with…
B. The Worm (v.7) But at dawn the next day God provided a worm
Whoa! – Did you see that! The book of Jonah tells us:
· God sent a storm and violent wind
· God provided a fish
· God commanded the fish
· God provided a worm
The pattern here is that God’s unrelenting grace is orchestrating the events to reveal Jonah’s heart.
Look hard enough and you will see God’s grace even in the ‘worms’ of life! This is the promise of God’s Word in:
Isa 30:20 Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable
Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
Finally, the Holy Spirit desires to show us God’s unrelenting grace towards Jonah…
III. Despite a Blinded Heart (Jonah 4:10-11) But the Lord said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?" NIV
Some believe that the statement in v.11 is in regard to 120,00 people who cannot tell their right from their left hand is a reference to children under two years of age.
Not sure if this is so but regardless the point is that God in his mercy and unrelenting grace desires that we see God’s heart for the lost and those blinded by sin.
A. Comfort (v.10) But the Lord said, "You have been concerned about this vine
· The vine was a source of comfort to him. God is not against our comfort
· However, when my comfort is of greater concern to us than what matters to God our hearts are blinded
· Jonah was grieved/discomforted at the destruction to his shade (Comfort)
· He was wanting to relish at the destruct of the people of Nineveh
God also highlights Jonah’s blindness of heart but pointing to his blindness towards God’s…
B. Compassion (v.11) Should I not be concerned about that great city?
· What are we passionate about and show concern towards?
· To whom do we show compassion towards
· Clearly God is NOT willing that any should perish
What matters to God is people! That is what he says here. That is Jesus point to going after the One lost sheep and not being satisfied with having just recused the ninety-nine.
Point that the object of our compassion reveals our true concerns. It is an issue of the heart. God in his unrelenting grace desires to transform our hearts just as he did Jonah’s.
Conclusion:
The place of true transformation is the heart. It must start there, or it will not endure.
What is the issue of our heart today? Is your heart blinded, is it divided? Is it rebelling with pride and stubbornness? God’s grace is speaking to you today to search and examine the issues of your heart.
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