Sermon – Jonah 4 – Missions & Attitudes

Today is Pentecost and the end of our Jonah series. This morning, we will look at Jonah, the missionary and pouting prophet; Jesus’ Great Commission; the Day of Pentecost; and what the response to that was and should be.
During Jonah 3, he – Jonah – finally made it to Nineveh. He ventured through the city for three days and warned them of the destruction that would be coming in forty days. All the people – from the least to the greatest – including the king and nobles – repented, and wore sackcloth and ashes, and fasted … they hoped God would relent; and He did.
Which gets us to Jonah 4 (NLT) … (1) This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. (2) So he complained to the LORD about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that 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. (3) Just kill me now, LORD! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.” (4) The LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?” (5) 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. (6) And the LORD God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant. (7) But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. (8) And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed. (9) 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!” (10) Then the LORD said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. (11) 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 should have been ecstatic about this mission that the LORD gave him; but he couldn’t get over his feelings towards those he was sent to. Is there anyone you would refuse the Gospel to?
He went out and set up camp east of the city to see what would happen. Maybe it would be like Sodom and Gomorrah and not enough righteous people would be found and the city would still be destroyed. Maybe he thought the repentance was fake and the city would still be destroyed. Its also possible that this verse is chronological before the first verse; and that Jonah set up camp and waited and then complained.
Instead of being happy that God relented and saved people that repented, he pouted and complained and thought it would be better to be dead instead of witnessing this miracle.
God granted mercy to Nineveh and Jonah. The people of Nineveh were spared and Jonah was provided with shade; but when it was removed he complained again. He was concerned more about his comfort than the souls of more than 120,000 … we should take warning from that. What is more important … our feelings / desires / wants or the eternal destination of others?
Skip forward roughly 800 years. In Mark 1 and Matthew 4, Jesus calls His first disciples. They were fishermen and Jesus told them that they would be fishers of men.

Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) … Jesus came and told His disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the command I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Acts 1:4-8 (NLT) … Once when He was eating with them, He commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift He promised, as I told you before. (5) John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (6) So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking Him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom? (7) He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. (8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
How do you catch fish? You have to know about the fish. You have to use lures and baits the fish will go after. You have to be patient; and try and try until you catch something.
What do people in this world want? How can we present the Gospel and Jesus and the Church as solutions to their wants / needs / desires?
How can we be equipped and prepared to take the Gospel to a lost and dying world? Well, unless we have the Holy Spirit and are obedient to His leading, we can’t and won’t be successful. While there are things we can do on our own – the Church was created to be the vessel in which Christians learn, serve, give, edify, and reach out … don’t forget and forsake the corporate faith.
Acts 2 contains the story of the Holy Spirit being poured out on the day of Pentecost.
That is a passage we’ve read and heard many times. The image and sounds we know. The rushing wind. The tongues of fire. Those in the city hearing the message in their own languages. The scoffers thinking they were drunk at 9 in the morning.
Hearing about old and young; men and women, receiving the Spirit and prophesying, having visions, and dreaming. About the signs in the skies.
Hearing about God’s plan of salvation and how King David knew what the future held – about Jesus being betrayed and killed and His resurrection and ascension.
We know the end result – those who believed Peter’s words about Jesus were baptized and 3,000 were added to the Church. The same Gospel is true today – only through Jesus can our sins be forgiven. The chapter ends with a community being formed – and we’ll cover that more next week.
The same message Jesus gave to the apostles about being fishers of men; and going into the world to make and baptize disciples also applies to us.
The apostles couldn’t do that on their own – they couldn’t reach anyone for Jesus – Jew or Gentile alike – without the proper help; and this was the promised comforter – the Holy Spirit.
It took 9 chapters in Acts for the Holy Spirit to work through the apostles (Jews) and their hesitancies or attitudes or even just the work they had to do closer to home before they reached out to the Gentiles. Even then the Holy Spirit was working and preparing.
Many Jews – and maybe rightly so – wanted others to come to them if they wanted access to God – they were exclusive. God wanted the Jewish people to live in such a way that would attract the world; but we know they failed in many ways – (so glad we aren’t like that, right?). They didn’t reach out – they didn’t evangelize – they just wanted people to show up at their synagogue or the Temple and want to be Jews.
Sadly, many Christians and local churches are the same way. They don’t reach out. They don’t evangelize. They don’t promote. They don’t invite. They don’t fulfill needs. They just want “sinners” to show up and want to be saved; or even people who are disgruntled with other congregations to stop attending there and join them … and that does happen – it might look like a church is healthy and growing, but they are just accepting the “mad believers.”
On this day of Pentecost, please remember what the Spirit does for us and what He provides for us.
Spiritual Fruit … Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) … love – joy – peace – patience – kindness – goodness – faithfulness – gentleness – self-control (if we walk in the faith – these are evidence of it)
Spiritual Gifts – Romans 12:6 says God has given us different gifts; Ephesians 4:7 says the gifts are distributed by the Holy Spirit’s will. 1^st Corinthians 12:7 says gifts are given to help each other.
Ministry Gifts … apostles – prophets – evangelists – pastors – teacher – helpers
Manifestation … wisdom – knowledge – faith – healing – miracles – prophecy – discernment – tongues (speaking in and interpreting)
Motivational … prophesying – serving – teaching – encouraging – giving – leading – showing mercy
The Holy Spirit is poured out to and lives within each believer. The Spirit guides us and wants us to grow closer to God and become more Christ-like.
When we follow His leading, we grow in the faith; but when we ignore Him, we fall away from God.
We are told in 1^st Thessalonians 5:19 to not quench or extinguish the Spirit.
We are not given a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and self-control (2^nd Timothy 1:7).
As we walk in the Spirit, He will lead, prompt, and help us overcome. By His power we will make it to eternal life; and along the way do the work God has prepared for us in Christ Jesus. Be a willing vessel – do what you can privately – do what you can corporately – as the Spirit wills and leads.