Sunday, October 3, 2004 – Communion Sunday

The Mysterious Joy of Repentance

#3. Believing that God really means what He says

Jonah 3

8. . . Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from His fierce anger so that we will not perish.”Jonah 3:8-9NIV

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I have entitled this short series of sermons on Jonah, “Themysterious joy of repentance.” My guess is that we do not tend to associate the emotion of joy with repentance. But, if we can see the larger picture, of which repentance is a major part, I believe we will then see its connection with joy. The larger picture is our salvationand repentance is a necessary prerequisitefor salvation. When we think of salvation, of being rescued from a life threatening situation, theforemost emotionis joy. For those who have been eternally rescued, joy is a resident emotion from that day on. Since repentanceis a must for salvation to become a reality, even repentance is laced with joy.

In the first message in this series I asked, why does God want us to repent?In verse 2 of chapter 1, we saw that the presence of wickedness is a major reason to repent. God said to Jonah:

2“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me.”

God had every right to condemn the city because God holds all the world morally accountable.All creation belongs to God and is thus accountable to Him.

Verse 2 is the assignment that God gave Jonah. But, before Jonah can fulfill his assignment of calling the Ninevites to repentance, he had to do some repenting of his own. Thus, the messenger of repentance, Jonah, illustrated by his own repentance the meaning of repentance. Repentance is the radical turning away from anything that hinders one's wholehearted devotion to God and the corresponding turning to God in love and obedience.Running away to Tarshish was anobvious hindrance to Jonah’s wholehearted devotion to God. He needed to turn away from Tarshish and obey God. Through his repentance, Jonah’s joy was restored.

Just as joy comes to the repenter, it is hope that beckons the person to repent. This was the theme in the second message on repentance. Hope is at the very heart of repentance.

Jonah understood that God was involved in the storm that forced him to face his disobedience. Chapter 1, verse 3, You hurled me into the deep. . . .all Your waves and breakers swept over me.

The storm was God’s doing and Jonah knew it. God was on to him. There was no running away. But, in the midst of God’s pursuit, Jonah realized that the best thing that could happen to him was to throw his hands up in surrender to Almighty God because in God is our best hope.

God may come to youin the storm, in the wind and rain. He may come to youin the earthquake, tornado, huricane or shipwreck. He may scare us to death in the way He comes after us, and yet, there is no place more secure and at peace than in the arms of our merciful God. This is what makes repentance so full of hope.

Jonah was disciplined by his loving God so that he would see the folly of his disobedient ways and turn back with hope that he would once again enjoy the benefits of an intimate relationship with Almighty God.

This morning I will attempt to answer the question, why we need to continually repent.

We are studying Jonah. But, in order to show that the message of Jonah is every bit a New Testament message, let’s turn to Matthew’s gospel, chapter 12 and verse 38. Here Jesus is quite obviously confronting the Pharisees and teachers of the law and challenging their perception that their own goodness is good enough to earn heaven. In this confrontation, Jesus links Himself with the prophet Jonah and makes it clear that even these self-proclaimed righteous Pharisees and teachersneed to repent if they wish to enter heaven’s gates.

Matthew 12:38-41 (NIV)

38Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from You.”

Realize this: these Pharisees had already seen many miraculous signs. One only has to back up a few verses in this same chapter to see the truth of this.

We note from verses 1 and 2 that the Pharisees are hovering around Jesus like vultures, anxiously awaiting an opportunity to abuse Him. More accurately, these Pharisees were not asking for a sign, but yet another miraculous sign. And as our Lord knew, a ton of miracles would not satisfy their demands.

In verse 13, Jesus completely restores the shriveled hand of a man right in front of the Pharisees. Their response? Not belief. Rather, it was hatred.

13Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

The request by the Pharisees to see another miraculous sign was undoubtedly a mocking of Jesus. It was no legitimate request.

39 He (Jesus) answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

Why are we studying Jonah? Because its message is a relevant today as it was three thousand years ago. Jonah’s call to repentance is Jesus’ call to repentance.

Here’s how Pastor Art Azurdia put it:

Jonah, son of Amittai, a prophet of the living God, was appointed by God to reveal a word from God. He disobeys and as a result experiences the violent consequences of his sin. Finally, descending into an abyss where for three days he lies in an enclosure of death.

But then, God speaks. His enclosure of death (belly of fish)opens wide and he subsequently carries amessage to the Gentiles bearing one primary theme: Repentance.

His Galilean counter-part Jesus Christ, the Son of God, a prophet of the living God, was appointed by God to reveal a word from God. He obeys and as a result experiences the violent consequences of other people's sin. Finally, descending into an abyss where for three daysHe lies in an enclosure of death.

But then, God speaks. His enclosure of death (grave) opens wide and he subsequently carries a message to the Gentiles bearing one primary theme:Repentance.

Whether it is Jonah or Jesus, they share one common objective: Eternal Salvation

God's messageto the Ninevites through Jonah and God's message to us through Jesus Christ is of one piece. They both concern the eternal salvation of their respective hearers and thus they are characterized by the same unqualified command:repent.

Whether it is Jonah or Jesus, they share one common command: Repent

It is the Biblical notion that refers to the radical turning away from anything that hinders one's wholehearted devotion to God and the corresponding turning to God in love and obedience.

As I stated in a previous message, the words “repent” and “believe” are interchangeable. To say, “we are believers” is to say “we are repenters.” Sometimes the Bible says, “repent and believe.” Sometimes, just “repent.” Other times, just “believe.” If we are “repenting,” we are “believing.” If we are “believing,” we are “repenting.”

Jesus calls on the Pharisees to repent. But they still think their goodness is good enough. This interaction of Jesus with the Pharisees should sound a loud alarm for us who may be thinking that we are pretty good people. Surely, our goodness is good enough to be welcomed into God’s heaven.

But Jesus says it is not. He calls on everyone everywhere to repent. Repent of our tendency to think that our own goodness is good enough to enter heaven.

This isreason #1 that we mustcontinuallyrepent. It is so easy to view our goodness as the basis of our salvation. But, God’s call to repent is a serious challenge to that notion. It is only as we are in Christ that we are good enough. And, we are only “in Christ” when we are believing that our rescue can only be completed by Christ.

The second reason that we must continually repent is found in the definition of repentance. (The meaning of) Repentanceis the radical turning away from anything that hinders one'swholehearted devotion to Godand the corresponding turningtoGod in love and obedience.

Turning awayfrom. . . – Turning to . . .

The writer of Hebrews understood this. In Hebrews chapter 12 we have a very clear definition of repentance.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, . . .

Reason #2that we mustcontinuallyrepent is because hindrances, entanglements, weariness and distractions continually follow us.

In repenting we are throwing off the hindrances and the entanglements and pressing on with perseverance and sharpening our focus on the race that is marked out for us that has Jesus as the lead runner.

Put yourself in the shoes of a runner who wants to win the race. Now think of those things that hinder him from running well? Let me tell you, folks, most of those things you identify will be small things, little things, seemingly insignificant things to us who don’t have a passion to win the race. But, to the runner, passing on the candy bar, foregoing a late night t.v. show, refusing to skip a work out, these are all big.

You can believe that this runner has legitimate excuses for not throwing off these hindrances, were he to decide to take that course. “I’ve earned a break from the strict regimen. I can handle a little less sleep this one time. One missed work out won’t hurt me that much.”

Of course, we Christians neveruse such excuses. Or do we?Why do you suppose Jesus tells us the story of a man who prepared a great banquet and sent out invitations? Could it be that He understands that life is a constant struggle with priorities? Could it be that Jesus wants us to face up to the excuses we make when we don’t take God seriously?

Luke 14:16-24 (NIV)

16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22 ”‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

(sing) I cannot come, I cannot come to the banquet, don’t trouble me now. I have married a wife, I have bought me a cow. I have fields and commitments that cost a pretty sum. Pray hold me excused, I cannot come.

Whether it’s an invitation or a warning, do we take either seriously? Are we clear about what God is inviting us to participate in? You see, I believe that there are some very clear and basic invitations that God has presented to each of us that we are either resolutely and obediently pursuing or presently making excuses for why we are not.

Jonah had an excuse for why he headed to Tarshish. We don’t hear about it until chapter 4 after Nineveh takes God seriously and repents.

Jonah 4:1-2 (NIV)

4 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.

God’s invitations call for very practical and tangible responses. When He invites us to participate in the race He has charted out for us, the responses He is looking for are as clear as a football coach instructing his players in how to play the game.

Some of us in Christian leadership have been so intimidated by the fear that when we get too specific about what it looks like to follow Christ that we will somehow be caught up into legalism, and so we never quite dare to spell it out. If I’ve only learned one thing from coaching 7th grade football for 9 years, it’s at least this: teams that win have coaches that help their players do what they’re supposed to do.

If I’m winning in my walk with the Lord, it’s because someone helped me understand some very basic invitations that God has given that I can respond to. I can say “yes!” I can do that.

God invites me to meet with Him every day. I understand that at a very basic level that means that I’m going to reserve a minimal amount of time to read from my Bible and take what I read seriously. This is precisely why I need to be a continual repenter. Because I find it much too easy to not take God’s word seriously.

I believe God has invited you to meet with Him every day, too. As simple a task as reading a small portion of Scripture every day, it will require perseverance on your part. . . .let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

I believe God has invited me to be committed to a fellowship of believers in Christ. I understand that to be a local church. When the apostle Paul likens the church to a human body, I understand that I need all the members of the body and they, in some mysterious way, need me. Therefore, my response to God’s invitation is to give myself to fully participate in the life of this local church. That means that there are blocks of time in my weekly calendar that are reserved, that set aside, to be with all of you and some of you. I take this invitation from God more seriously than any human invitation.

There are other invitations that I will speak of at another time. They, too, are invitations we must take seriously.

Jonah, chapter 3.

3 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

3 Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very important city—a visit required three days. 4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

6When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh:

“By the decree of the king and his nobles:

Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from His fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.

God sent Jonah to Nineveh with a warning and an invitation.

One of my fellow coaches at Meridianasked me what I was preaching about these days. I said I was preaching from Jonah. His immediate response was, “O, the whale story.”

The popular view of Jonah is that the big miracle was Jonah being swallowed by a whale. But that is not the big miracle of Jonah. Neither is the storm that God sent to call Jonah to his own repentance. The greatest miraclein the book of Jonah is that the evil people of Nineveh actually believed God would do what He said.They believed that God was real. They believed that God could and would carry out His threat against them. That He had both the power and the resolve to destroy them. It was a very simple message. And they believed.