Scripture: II Chronicles 33:9-11; Jonah 1:1-3

C.I.: Jonah: “The God of the Second Chance”

If God wanted you to share the gospel with Usama ben Lauden, or Sadaam Hussein – would you want to go?!
How about with the person at work trying to get you fired – or the kid at school who hates you? - Would you go
The people of God hated the Assyrians – now God tells Jonah to go (this book is about God giving a 2nd chance)

I. The Means God Uses to Draw People to Himself (Jonah)

A. The Sins of Others (Chapter 1)

1. On the day that Jonah ran from God, God was allowing him to run - in a direction to save others.
a. God used the consequences of Jonah’s sin – to help the sailors grow in their own faith:
1) (v. 4), “And the Lord hurled a great wind on the sea – and there was a great storm on….”
2) (v. 5), “Then the sailors became afraid, - and every man cried to his god.”
3) (v. 6), “The captain approached Jonah and said, ‘How is it that you are sleeping? – Get up and call on your God. – Perhaps your God will be concerned about us so that we will not….”
4) (v. 14), “Then the sailors called on the Lord and said, ‘We earnestly pray, O Lord, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life and do not put innocent blood on us.’”
5) (vs. 15-16), “…and the sea stopped its raging. – Then the men feared the Lord greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.”
b. While God will never remove our free will – He will use His providence – to draw people to Him - so they can have a 2nd chance. – This is often why we experience great storms in this life…
1) “Why did God allow Columbine?” – So we could learn of young people who lived/died for J.!
2) “Why did God allow 9/11 to occur?” – So Afghanistan & Iraq would allow Xn missionaries!
c. We can’t always see God’s purpose for events – but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t have a purpose.
1) (Quote Romans 8:28), “For we know that God causes ALL THINGS to work together….”
2) So the sins of others – are a means God uses – to give people a 2nd Chance!

B. Our Own Sin (Chapter 2)

1. God allows the consequences of our own sins – to bring us to repentance – and back to Him.
a. Jonah initially hoped his death to bring about Nineveh’s destruction – (1:12), “Pick me up and throw me into the sea. – Then the sea will become calm for you, for I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you.”
b. Now he is having 2nd thoughts - (2:1-2), “Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish, - and he said, ‘I called out of my distress to the Lord, and He answered me.”
1) In spite of; running, hoping for the death of 1000s, & now in a great fish …God answered!!
c. At one time or another – all of us have been in the belly of the beast (suffering consequences…)!
1) These are not allowed because God now hates us – but to show that God still loves us.
2) (Heb. 12:5-6), “Have you forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly…; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines…!”
d. Even though we may sin and run from God – He is still willing to give us a 2nd chance –
1) (Jonah 2:10), “Lord commanded the fish, - and it vomited Jonah up on dry land.”

C. The Repentance of His People (Chapter 3)

1. God gave Jonah a 2nd Chance – and now he is ready - to proclaim God’s words.
a. (vs. 1-2), “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh the great city – and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.”

2. When people seize the 2nd chance God offers them – He uses them in great & marvelous ways…
a. (vs. 4-5), “Then Jonah began to go throughout the city and days walk; - and he cried out and said, ‘Yet 40 days and Nineveh will be overthrown. - Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; - and they called a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them.”

3. Those who accept God’s 2nd Chance – become the means He uses - to offer others a 2nd Chance.
a. (v. 10), “When God saw their deeds, - that they turned from their wicked way, - then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. – And He did not do it.”
b. Some of the greatest people in the Bible – are those who seized the 2nd Chance – God offers…
1) (Matt. 26:69-70; Acts 2:22-24), “Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him and said, ‘You too were with Jesus the Galilean.’ – But Peter denied it before them all, saying, ‘I do not know what you are talking about.’” – “Men of Israel….”
c. All of us who are saved - are the recipients of a 2nd Chance from God!!!
1) Today Jesus calls us to share the message of the 2nd chance (Rom. 10:13-17; Mk. 16:15-16).

D. The Love of God (Chapter 4)

1. Jonah’s former repentance (he went and preached) was external – but his internal problem remained.
a. Jonah still hated the Assyrians – now he is angry with God - for NOT destroying them.
1) (4:1-3), “This greatly displeased Jonah, and he became angry. – And he prayed to the Lord and said, - ‘Please Lord, was this not what I said while I was still in my own country? – Therefore, in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, - slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness, - and one who relents…
2) That “ben Laudin & Hussein thing” – Jonah couldn’t handle it – he was “out for blood”!
b. But it is God’s love & His patience with us – that leads us to seize – our 2nd chance.
1) (Quote Rom. 2:4; II Pt. 3:9), “Do you think lightly of the riches” – “God does not desire…”
c. Ultimately, Jonah’s own heart was changed - by the love of God.
1) (Jonah 4:11), “Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are 120,000 people who do not know the difference between their right and left hand” (children).
2) How do I know Jonah changed??? – HE WROTE THIS BOOK TO SHOW GOD’S LOVE!!!
3) So Jonah was given a 2nd chance – not only to be changed on the outside – but also the inside.

CONCLUSIONS:

1. Because 1 man accepted his 2nd Chance – and did as God desired – an entire nation was spared God’s wrath.

2. How many nations, cities, neighborhoods & individuals could be saved from God’s wrath – if His people in
this place would accept His 2nd Chance – and present the message of Jesus to them??!

3. Today God is offering to each of us a 2nd Chance. – Maybe you need it to be saved! Maybe to be freed from
the belly of the beast of your sins. – Maybe just to receive the strength to go on…!