## God in Pursuit #3

## Jonah 3:1-10

We have been looking at the life and experience of the Old Testament prophet Jonah. Now I hope that our approach to this familiar book isn't one that only considers the historical view. Certainly, we could study this or any passage and only learn history; but my goal and desire is that we learn and apply the personal lessons from God that we can find as we study. We all should be able to identify personally with Jonah. God called him to complete a specific task, and he chose to rebel against the Lord. Remember we said rebellion is when a person knows what God wants for them to do, but intentionally says no to God.

(James 4:17) Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

God wasn't satisfied with Jonah's answer. He began to pursue him…even though Jonah tried to get as far away from God as he could, God loved him and pursued him through the storm, the sailors, and finally through the fish. Oh how thankful I am that God pursues His disobedient children. As a matter of fact, it reveals an important truth.

(Heb 12:6-8) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. {7} If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? {8} But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

God will chasten His children! He will not allow us to stray without coming after us. For that I am thankful! Last week we left Jonah dripping with 'fish saliva'.

(Jonah 2:10) And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

Now in this third chapter we have a new beginning. Rewind back to when God initially called Jonah (1:2). Now that Jonah is ready to obey God he finds that God hasn't changed His mind one bit. Repentance brings us back to the place where we left God's will. In God's wonderful grace, He gives Jonah a second opportunity to obey Him.

(2 Pet 3:9b) The Lord … is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

In chapter one, we saw Jonah running from God, in chapter two we saw Jonah running back to God, and now in chapter three we see Jonah obeying God. When we view God we find that in chapter one we focused on God's patience, in chapter two it was God's pardon, and now in this chapter it is God's power. Jonah preached and the people of Nineveh turned to God.

Read: Jonah 3:1-10

I. Jonah is Re-Commissioned.

(Jonah 3:1) And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,

A. Re-Commission = Put back into service.

1. The item in Monday's newspaper brought back several memories for me.

2. There on the front page was a photo of an old Navy ship they were sinking off the Florida Keys.

3. It just so happened that it was Landing Ship Dock. L.S.D.

4. The same kind of ship on which I spent 3½ years of my life.

5. They were going to use it to create an artificial reef.

6. Now it was not being re-commissioned!

7. When a ship was re-commissioned it was placed back in service to fulfill its original purpose. (a destroyer was never re-commissioned as an aircraft carrier)

B. When Jonah was re-commissioned, it wasn't so he could sell insurance or used cars! C. God called him to preach His message to the people of Nineveh.

II. Jonah Obeyed and God Blessed.

(Jonah 3:5) So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

A. What we do has an impact on others.

1. Just as his disobedience impacted the sailors…

2. Jonah's obedience impacted the people of Nineveh.

3. That is a principle that is always true.

B. Note some important clarifications.

1. Jonah went 'according to the Word of the Lord'.

2. 'The people of Nineveh believed God…'

3. They knew that Jonah was delivering the very Word of God to them!

4. The message was one that spoke of impending judgment with no suggestion that God might withhold His wrath if the people repented.

5. But the King ascertained that if God were merciful enough to send a warning, perhaps He would be merciful enough to stay His hand of judgment if He saw the people had truly repented.

(Jonah 3:9) Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

C. God chose not to destroy them.

(Jonah 3:10) And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

III. Thoughts on Revival.

A. Definition:

1. Revival = renewed interest after indifference and decline.

2. Before we can renew a relationship with God, we must first have one.

3. So 'revival' isn't about the lost being saved, it is about the saved getting fired up again and coming back to where they need to be with God.

4. In our text tonight, the revival was in Jonah, not in Nineveh.

5. Make no mistake about this, revival comes only from God…we cannot work it up ourselves…we can only pray and beg God to send it to us.

B. Do we need revival?

1. Here are some questions and thoughts for us to consider.

2. These are not original, but they are important for us to ask ourselves in this matter.

3. Do we need revival in America?

a. According to statistics, there are only half as many churches in America today as there were in 1900 in proportion to population.

b. Approximately 4000 churches close in N. America every year.

c. Giving in today's churches is less proportionately than it was during the Great Depression…we give less in our prosperity than God's people gave in times of great adversity.

d. Around 3500 people a day decide to quit church…do you think we need revival?

4. Do we need personal revival? Let's be honest with ourselves and with God tonight as we consider these thoughts.

a. Revival is needed when prayer ceases to be a vital part of the believer's life.

b. Revival is needed when the quest for truth ceases and we become content with our level of understanding of the Scriptures.

c. When the reality of the eternal condition of my lost loved ones and friends no longer move me to action.

d. When I do not rejoice in the blessings of God upon others, but rather struggle with envy.

e. When I no longer have within me the desire to become more like Christ.

f. When I can listen to the Lord's name being taken in vain or listen to others mock spiritual things, and not be moved to indignation.

g. When I find more delight in bringing discord among the brethren than I do in working to bring unity and harmony among them.

h. When my sin or the sin of others no longer grieves my soul.

i. When I recognize the need of others around me, but am content to sit back and do nothing to reach them with the Gospel.

j. Do we need revival?

C. Revival comes from God.

1. Jonah was revived when he was obedient to the Word.

2. There is no revival without obedience, and that means we must listen to what God is saying to us.

3. The result of hearing God is obedience!

4. Much of what people call revival today isn't from God!

5. When God sends revival, we will not be the same.

We belong to a God who loves us and cares for us so much that He will not give up on us. He won't let us go away from Him without coming after us, because He loves us too much to allow that to happen. Jonah ran from God, but God came after him. Then, God revived him…Jonah was put back into active duty.

What about us tonight? Are we running from God? Do we need revival? Will you come and do business with God. Whatever your need, will you come to the Lord? Come now.