The God of a
Second Chance
Jonah 3:1-4
Have
you ever caught up by a traffic police because you have been driving the
vehicle in the wrong direction? Traveling in the opposite direction is very
dangerous, accident can happen at any time.
In
life, quite often, we travel in the wrong direction, and many times we mess up
the life journey. Sometimes, it can be wrong relationship, bad habits,
addictions, etc, etc.
Jonah
was caught up with running in the wrong direction. His life could have been in
ruin, but God had a different plan for him. God second time commissioned him
and sent him to Nineveh.
·
God, the merciful and gracious
Father in Heaven, gave him a second chance.
So
our title for this morning’s sermon is “The God of a Second Chance.” Our God
never gives up with us. He waits patiently till the last moment.
·
For the unsaved, our God is like the father of the prodigal son, waiting
for the son’s return.
·
For the saved, the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 1:6, Being confident of this very thing, that he
which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ.
o
We can never run away from the plan
and will the Lord has for our lives.
o
Adam sinned in the Garden, but God
covered him.
o
Moses murdered a man and God called
and he became the great deliverer of Israel.
o
The prophet Elijah quit and
complained, but God re-commissioned him.
o
Peter denied the Lord, but then God
used him at Pentecost.
o
John Mark deserted the mission team
of Paul at Pamphylia, yet God moved upon him to write the second Gospel.
o
This has been the story of the
church all through the ages.
o
The Lord gives us a multitude of
opportunities to return to God and serve Him.
Second Chance Begins with God’s
Mercy (vv 1-2)
Our
God is a good and merciful God, and Jonah just experienced the goodness and
mercies of God in his life.
·
Jonah 1:17 >> Jonah’s time in
the fish’s belly was for self-examination and repentance, which God provided as
a second chance to him. This is nothing, but grace greater than all our sin.
>> How many time we have
experienced this mercy of God in our lives?
>> God has no obligation
towards us, but He acts purely on His mercy!
·
Jonah 2:9 >> “Salvation is of
the LORD.” Jonah recognizes in the fish’s belly that there is no other way, but
physical and spiritual salvation is of the LORD.
o
So he responded to God with a prayer
of repentance, restfulness, and resolution.
As
a result, the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time (v 1), saying
arise, go, and preach (v 2).
·
God’s direction for our lives is
very specific. God very clearly commanded Jonah what exactly he needed to do.
o
There are three imperatives in verse
2 >> Arise, Go, and Preach
o
And then He adds, preach only what
He tells him.
>> God wants us to do that
which He bids us to do—this is obedience.
Second Chance Happens with an
Obedient Heart (vv 3-4)
In
Jonah chapter 1, Jonah runs away from God
In
Jonah chapter 2, Jonah runs to God
In
Jonah chapter 3, Jonah runs with God
Running
with God is obedience. “So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the
word of the LORD” (v 3).
The
message was straight forward, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown”
(v 4).
Jonah
chapter 3 is all about true revival.
·
True revival began with obedience to
the Lord’s call.
Conclusion
John
21:15-19
The marks of a Second Chance:
1. Compassion of Christ
2. Confrontation by Christ
3. Contrition by sinner
4. Commitment by sinner
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