JONAH, GOD’S GOT QUESTIONS

The Book of Jonah #1

Pastor Dennis Clanton

Woodland Church

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

1. GOD HAS COMPASSION FOR LOST PEOPLE

(Jonah 4:11, NLT) “But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

(Jonah 3:3, NLT) “This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.”

(Jonah 1:2, NLT) “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

(Jonah 4:2, NLT) “You are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.”

2. GOD’S PEOPLE DON’T ALWAYS SHARE HIS COMPASSION FOR LOST PEOPLE

(Jonah 4:1, NLT) “This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry.”

(Jonah 1:6, NLT) “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.”

(Jonah 4:5, NLT) “Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city.”

(Jonah 4:4, NLT) “The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

(Jonah 4:9, NLT) “Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?” “Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!”

(Jonah 4:11, NLT) “But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

• In chapter 1 God has Jonah’s mind
• In chapter 2 God has Jonah’s will
• In chapter 3 God has Jonah’s body
• In chapter 4 God does not have Jonah’s heart

GROWTHWORK

1. God saves me when I run

“O the length of the saving arm of God! … Do not go about trying to measure arms with God, as some good men are apt to do; I mean, do not conclude, that because you cannot reach God by your short stump, therefore he cannot reach you with his long arm. Look again, ‘Have you an arm like God’ (Job 40:9), an arm like his for length and strength? So when you cannot perceive that God is within the reach of your arm, then believe that you are within the reach of his; for his arm is long, and none knows how long.” -John Bunyan

(Jonah 1:17, NLT) “Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.”

2. God saves me from the depths

(Jonah 2:9–10, NLT) “My salvation comes from the Lord alone.” Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.”

3. God’s grace is unconditional

(Jonah 3:10, NLT) “When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.”

“One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God … The thought struck me, How did you come to be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment—I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith.” –Charles Spurgeon

“I was in the robe chamber, adjoining the house of lords, when the king put on his robes. His brow was much furrowed with age, and quite clouded with care. And is this all the world can give even to a king? All the grandeur it can afford? A blanket of ermine round his shoulders, so heavy and cumbersome he can scarce move under it? A huge heap of borrowed hair, with a few plates of gold and glittering stones upon his head! Alas, what a bauble is human greatness! And even this will not endure.” –John Wesley