Sermons on Jonah

In chapter 4 we see the height of Jonah’s self-righteousness and hypocrisy. Though he is glad for his own salvation, he is angry about Nineveh’s. Though he is angry about a plant’s perishing, he is unconcerned about a city’s perishing. Though he is concerned for the life of the plant, he charges God with wrongdoing for being concerned with a whole city of lost people. Jonah chapter 4 teaches us that God is a God of compassion, whose compassion is bestowed…

God’s second call to Jonah shows us that, despite Jonah’s resistance, God is still committed to reaching the lost. It also shows us that God’s patience and willingness to use failures. Nineveh’s genuine repentance is a surprising contrasts to Jonah’s – which only appears to be skin-deep.

We sometimes think that salvation is about us doing what we can and God meeting us halfway. But Jonah’s rescue from the depths of the sea is a picture of how we are rescued from sin & death: Jonah’s contribution is to sink in utter helplessness with nothing of his own to offer … God’s contribution is to graciously and powerfully accomplish his salvation. Jonah’s prayer in chapter 2 expresses his thankfulness for God’s gracious salvation. But, read in light of…

When God calls Jonah to go to Nineveh, he tries to flee. Though God is full of compassion, even for his enemies, Jonah lacks compassion and so wants no part of God’s mission. But God graciously pursues rebels like Jonah and like us.