In the Bible, Jonah was a prophet who God asked to go preach in a place called Nineveh. Jonah wasn’t a big fan of the Ninevite people, so he decided to buck against the Lord and go in the opposite direction away from Nineveh to a place called Tarshish. When we look at Jonah and Nineveh, we can pull out TONS of encouragement and truth!
So, he’s on the boat traveling to Tarshish and suddenly the Lord sends a storm. The sailors become afraid. They begin to throw things overboard, trying to lighten the ship. They begin praying to their gods. Nothing is working. They find Jonah sleeping. They wake him up, yelling at him to start DOING SOMETHING.
Jonah quickly realizes that he is the reason that the storm has come upon the boat. After brief debate with the sailors. They agree to throw him into the sea, where he is promptly swallowed whole by a big fish (not necessarily a whale 😉). Jonah remains in the big fish for 3 days and 3 nights. He gets right with God and repents. God causes the fish to spit him out on dry land. Jonah, having learned his lesson, goes and preaches to the Ninevite people. They repent and are saved.
End of story, close curtain.
Yeah… not quite, although that’s what most of us remember when we recount the story of Jonah.
Let’s read Jonah 3:10-4:10.
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.
4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
3 Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
4 Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?
5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.
6 And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.
7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.
8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
10 Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:
Jonah 3:10-4:10
What is happening here?
Jonah has gone and preached in the city of Nineveh. They have repented of their evil and God has decided not to destroy them. Now… Jonah is angry. Why?
Turns out Jonah HATED the Ninevites. He wanted them to be destroyed. That’s the initial reason he got on the boat to Tarshish. The, when God FORCED him to go, his heart still hadn’t changed. The whole time he was in the streets of Nineveh, preaching about the judgement of God, he was inwardly wishing for it to fall on the people. He wanted nothing to do with them.
So when Jonah preached the message, the people of Nineveh repented. A wonderful work was done in their lives! But we see Jonah wasn’t at all pleased.
Jonah thought certain people were worthy of God’s message and other people weren’t. He was called to talk to the people who he believed were in the “weren’t” category. Probably to his surprise, they believed! How simple it happened. Jonah went around and said one simple thing. What was it?
You’ll find out if you read Jonah 3:4-5
One simple message, with the power of God behind it, caused the people to come to salvation. Was Jonah friends with these people? Did Jonah go through a 3 month outreach plan? Did he canvas neighborhoods with flyers and door knockers and run Facebook ad campaigns? No. He preached a simple message of salvation to the people that God wanted him to, NOT the people that he himself wanted to preach to.
Application for us
What does this have to do with me Sam?
I think we have it wrong on what it means to serve the Lord. Especially in (what I like to call anyway) our Nineveh.
Do you have anyone in your life that you look at and say “ugh… I don’t know if I can talk to them about the Lord”. Or “ugh… I don’t WANT to talk to them about the Lord”.
Number 1, you should want to talk to everyone about the Lord.
Number 2: THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD THE MOST.
We spend too much time trying to figure out a game plan of how we’re going to reach people for God. We give ourselves too much credit for the witnessing process. God puts the people in your path. He makes the path known when you seek Him. Go read John 4:35. It speaks of the fields being white with harvest.
The fields are white with harvest. There are people waiting to hear God’s word from your lips today just like in John’s day just like in Jonah’s day. Why? Because God’s word is just as true today as it was in their days.
So why doesn’t it happen? BECAUSE NONE OF US WANT TO SERVE IN NINEVAH.
We have an idea of the type of people we want to be in our church families and our youth groups. In our heads they dress a certain way, smell a certain way, talk a certain way. In many cases, they’re like us. Evidently…Tarshish was a bit more like Jonah’s hometown. Nineveh wasn’t.
What if the place were the fields are white with harvest isn’t in the the cookie cutter HOA suburban neighborhood? What if it’s not the average American family with a 2013 minivan, a white picket fence, a dog, and 2.5 kids? Are you still willing to harvest those fields?
You have 4 types of people.
- They have it all together on the outside and they know the Lord
- They have it all together on the outside and they DON’T know the Lord
- They don’t have it all together on the outside and they know the Lord
- They don’t have it all together on the outside and they DON’T know the Lord.
Many of us probably find ourselves in group 1. The Lord has blessed us. We have some issues as anyone would, but by and large life is going along fine and we love the Lord.
We target group 2. That’s the ideal people we want. These people are socially aware. They’ll bring an extra dish to fellowship night. Their kids will get involved in youth group and won’t be rowdy and uncouth. If we can convert them, they’ll tithe good. They’ll open their house for small group Bible study.
We tolerate group 3. These people know the Lord, but they need a lot of help. It’s burdensome for us sometimes to pour so much into someone that can’t give us anything back, but they’re brothers and sisters in Christ so it’s the right thing to do. But they can be needy sometimes. We like to have a couple of these in the church so we can highlight how our church is giving and helpful. We build ramps for their front porches and we send them meals and we mention them during prayer time.
We try to limit group 4. These are the rough ones. They’ve got 4 kids from 3 different men. They’re fresh out of rehab. They’re covered in tats, they’re unshaven, they wear questionable clothing. They say things that are embarrassing and off-the-wall. Sometimes they’re vulgar and sometimes we feel they’re just there for the free food or a handout.
I’m just being honest. Nineveh was probably comprised of groups 2 and 4.
All 4 groups need the Word of the Lord equally, but not all 4 groups respond equally. Why?
- Group 1 has been blessed, but they have the spiritual maturity to know that their blessings come from the Lord.
- Group 2 has been blessed. But they think that they are the ones who made it happen. Life’s going well. Why would they need to change anything?
- Group 3 struggles, but they have the spiritual maturity to rely on God for their sustenance. They know that if he cares for the lilies of the field, he’ll care for them.
- Group 4 struggles and they have no one to turn to. They don’t have any reprieve or relief. That’s part of the reason they get hooked on their vices and bad habits. They are painfully aware of the hole in their life, and everything they try to fill it with is temporary and unfulfilling.
Which of those groups, on average, do you think would be most responsive to the Word of the Lord? Where do we find those people?
Jesus didn’t target those who had it all together. Often, he was very quiet around the judges and the Pharisees and the upper class. However, he preached and told parables and spent time among the lowest. Now… remember… Jesus sat with the sinners, he didn’t sin with them. But he made a point to go to group 4 in a way many of us don’t today.
Let’s read Matthew 22:8-14.
8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.
9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.
10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
There were still standards at the feast. It wasn’t a free for all. Even the poor man was sent out because he refused to wear the wedding garment. Still, who came to the feast? Not those who were well to do (the ones who were bidden). They were too wrapped up in their earthly lives.
Similarly, as you serve in your Nineveh, recognize that there are standards. Just as the king extended the wedding invitation to the poor and the rich alike, we should extend the invitation to meet Jesus to all, but we should not allow those who accept the invitation to then make a mockery of it after the fact. You have to be discerning.
So, let’s say that God identifies your Nineveh to you. Maybe it’s a person you’re not comfortable around or fond of. Maybe it’s a stranger you don’t know who walks into your classroom, your church, or your workplace one day out of the blue. What do you do?
You give them the message of Christ. Now… I’d wager none of us are prophets, so we may not be able to walk up and down streets shouting for repentance, but there is a process we can take.
- You establish a relationship. A good way I’ve found is to ask for something. Maybe ask them to give you a hand in moving something. Or ask their opinion on a problem you’re having. You make them feel like they’re helping you. Like you need them. Make them feel valuable. Then the door opens. And you foster that relationship. You check up on them. You initiate contact. You be a godly friend. It’s hard work, but thinking about the consequences in the context of eternity if you don’t.
- Then you witness as God opens doors. It’s not dragging them by the shirt to a church building. It’s pointing them to Christ in everything you do. Even the little things that you don’t think anyone cares about or is watching
- If someone does you wrong, you don’t lash out in anger
- You’re assigned a hard task, you don’t complain
- When something happens that makes you sad, you don’t become bitter
- When something happens that makes you happy, you don’t become prideful
- You don’t use language that is dirty. Not just cursing either. Gossip is dirty too.
- You don’t take part in events or conversations that Jesus wouldn’t take part in.
THAT’S THE METRIC. THAT’S THE STANDARD. IF JESUS WOULDN’T, YOU DON’T.
When God blessed your efforts, you rejoice. I’m guilty of not doing this. I feel compelled to reach out to someone. I do so because the Holy Spirit tells me to. But I’m like a pouty child. I don’t have the WANT TO. The people Jonah was called to responded with repentance. Jonah still despised them.
If God calls you to witness to your childhood bully. Or someone who was arrogant or prideful. Someone who hurt you. And they responded with TRUE repentance. Do you have it in your heart to love them as Jesus would? To forgive? Jonah didn’t.
You may find in life that God calls you to a Nineveh. He calls you to serve in a place you don’t want to be. Or to serve people you don’t want to.
- Joseph had to serve in the Potiphar’s house.
- Jonah had to serve in Nineveh.
- Paul served in prison.
Are you willing to do serve in less-than-ideal conditions if it means that the kingdom of God will be advanced? If it means He will grow you or someone else? Even if it seems like your brook has dried up? Learn from the story of Jonah. Make a commitment to the Lord today. Maybe take a couple quiet minutes to have a conversation with Him. Make that commitment to serve in your Nineveh.
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Thanks for reading. I’ll catch you on the flip!
–Sam
