True
Repentance and Spiritual Awakening
Jonah 3:4-10
The
story of Jonah and Nineveh turns to a very encouraging climax in chapters 3-4.
There are few things stand out here:
1.
Salvation belongs to God
2.
The LORD came to save both the Jews
and the Gentiles
3.
All who turn to God, will receive
His pardoning grace
4.
Nothing will stand in between a
gracious and merciful God and a repentant sinner
Today’s
portion encourages us to seek God without any reservation, and when we turn to
Him, He will do His mighty work of salvation through our lives (2 Chronicles
7:14).
·
Come to God with the realization
that there is nothing in our hands, and then, then only, God will fill us up.
·
True spiritual awakening happens
when we know that we are absolutely wretched, and we need the merciful presence
and guidance of God every day in our lives.
True Repentance is the Work of the
Spirit through His Word (vv 4-5)
·
Jonah’s faithful preaching (v 4).
The message was straight forward, clear, and convincing.
o
Jonah preached by the power of God
and through the guidance of the Spirit of God.
·
The power of God’s Word
o
Hebrews 4:12, For the word of God
is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to
the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
True Repentance Can be Evidenced
through Man’s Genuine Response (vv 5-9)
·
Ninevites’ inward faith was
evidenced through their outward action (v 5)
·
It impacted from the lowest to the
highest (vv 6-7)
·
They cried before the Lord (v 8)
·
They turned from their evil way (v
8)
2 Corinthians 7:9-10, Now I rejoice, not
that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made
sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to
salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
o
Godly sorrow is the result of the
illumination of the true condition of man and conviction of sin.
o
Eg. of the Great Awakenings in the
history of the Church – 18th and 19th centuries –
Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, the Wesley brothers, etc in England and
America; and John Sung in Asia in the early 20th century.
True Repentance Causes God to
Showforth His Mercy (vv 9-10)
The
Ninevites realized that God will hear their cry, turn toward them, and forgive
their sin as He does not want anyone to perish (v 9).
·
God does not desire anyone to
perish. 2 Peter 3:9, The Lord is not
slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering
to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance.
God repented does not mean that God
changed His ultimate plan for the Ninevites. But it means when the Ninevites
changed their attitude toward God, He could deal with them in grace rather than
judging them for their sins.
In other words, truly, God is a God
of salvation.
·
Our God is a God of mercy and
forgiveness, Micah 7:18-20.
·
There is always place for hope and
trust in God as He never fails.
Conclusion
What
are the marks of true spiritual revival or awakening?
1.
Consciousness of our own sin and
willingness to forsake the sinful way
2.
Cry from the heart for mercy and
forgiveness
3.
Coming to God’s Word in study,
meditation, and prayer – illumined by the Spirit of God
4.
Committed to Christian fellowship
and service
Acts
2:37-47
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