1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:03,900 I want to invite your attention to the Book of Jonah and we'll 2 00:00:03,900 --> 00:00:08,100 read beginning in verse 1 of the third chapter of the Book of 3 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:13,000 Jonah for our text this morning, beginning there, in verse 1, the 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:15,400 Bible says, and the word of the Lord came unto. 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,100 Jonah. The second time saying, arise, 6 00:00:19,100 --> 00:00:23,200 go unto Nineveh that great City and preach under the, and preach 7 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,200 unto it, the preaching that I bid thee. 8 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:30,200 So, Jonah arose and went unto Nineveh according to the word of 9 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,300 the Oh Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding, 10 00:00:33,300 --> 00:00:38,300 great city of three days journey and Jonah began to enter into 11 00:00:38,300 --> 00:00:42,900 the city, a Day's Journey and he cried and said yet forty days 12 00:00:42,900 --> 00:00:47,000 and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh 13 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,500 believed God and proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth from 14 00:00:51,500 --> 00:00:55,900 the greatest of them even to the least of them forward, came unto 15 00:00:55,900 --> 00:01:00,700 the king of Nineveh and he arose from his throne and he he laid 16 00:01:00,700 --> 00:01:05,000 his robe from him and covered him with sackcloth and sat in 17 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:09,800 ashes and he caused it to be proclaimed and published through 18 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:14,700 Nineveh by the degree, decree of the king, and of his Noble 19 00:01:14,700 --> 00:01:18,600 saying, let neither man nor Beast heard nor flock taste, 20 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:24,000 anything less them not feed nor drink water, But let, man and 21 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:28,500 Beast be covered with sackcloth and cry mightily and to God, ye 22 00:01:28,500 --> 00:01:31,500 let them turn everyone from his evil way. 23 00:01:31,500 --> 00:01:36,000 And from the violence, that is in thy hand, their hands who can 24 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,600 tell if God will turn and repent and turn away from his Fierce 25 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:45,100 anger that we perish not. And God saw their works that 26 00:01:45,100 --> 00:01:49,300 they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil 27 00:01:49,300 --> 00:01:53,700 that he had said that he would do unto them and he did it not 28 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,600 correctly, read and barring any mistakes on my part reads, the 29 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,300 third chapter of the Book of Jonah. 30 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,600 This is the second of the Minor Prophets. 31 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,400 We've studied the book of Obadiah, the minor Prophet 32 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:07,800 Obadiah. And we understand that, when we 33 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:10,699 say Minor Prophets, were not talking about things that were 34 00:02:10,699 --> 00:02:14,100 written in God's word, that were less important than other things 35 00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:17,100 were just talking about the length of the writings. 36 00:02:17,100 --> 00:02:20,900 And so of the literary prophets, we have major and minor prophets 37 00:02:20,900 --> 00:02:25,000 under that category, this Is one of the Minor Prophets, it's only 38 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,500 four chapters long. And for a little while this 39 00:02:27,500 --> 00:02:29,800 morning I want to talk to you about Jonah. 40 00:02:31,700 --> 00:02:35,200 The Book of Jonah gives us an unusual insight into the 41 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,200 character of a man. His name and place of birth 42 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:43,900 identify him as the prophet of Israel in the days of jeroboam. 43 00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:48,300 The second second, Kings, chapter 14, and verses, 23 44 00:02:48,300 --> 00:02:52,500 through 25, there can be no doubt that Jonah played an 45 00:02:52,500 --> 00:02:56,600 important role in the exploits of this king who restored, the 46 00:02:56,600 --> 00:03:01,100 borders of Israel and brought great prosperity to the nation. 47 00:03:01,700 --> 00:03:05,000 The home of Jonah is said to have been a village located 48 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:09,100 about four miles Northeast from what was later, the city of 49 00:03:09,100 --> 00:03:13,000 Nazareth in Galilee. He is pictured in the book, that 50 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,700 bears, his name as a narrow-minded, fiercely zealous 51 00:03:16,700 --> 00:03:21,300 Patriot, he is jealous for God and desirous of seeing the 52 00:03:21,300 --> 00:03:25,600 enemies of his people destroyed. But the expression of divine 53 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:30,200 love for a heathen nation and of God's Great desire to spare, it 54 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,600 it is magnified. As it is shown in contrast to 55 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:38,300 the spirit of this prophet of old, the Book of Jonah also 56 00:03:38,300 --> 00:03:42,100 differs from all other books of the prophets because it's 57 00:03:42,100 --> 00:03:45,900 written primarily from a historical point of view where 58 00:03:45,900 --> 00:03:49,500 it gives the history of a man the history of a nation. 59 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:53,800 And lastly and certainly not least it tells us a great deal. 60 00:03:53,900 --> 00:03:57,000 All about God. There are three basic 61 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,800 interpretations of the book that are taken by various schools of 62 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,300 writers. And they are the mythical, the 63 00:04:04,300 --> 00:04:08,200 allegorical, and the historical interpretation. 64 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:12,000 The mythical interpretation assumes that the story is just 65 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,100 that, that it is a fable or a myth that grew up around some 66 00:04:16,100 --> 00:04:18,700 incident in the history of Israel. 67 00:04:18,700 --> 00:04:23,000 The allegorical interpretation that some would assume or 68 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:26,700 contend that this This is it assumes that the story is an 69 00:04:26,700 --> 00:04:32,100 allegory of Israel's captivity, repentance and restoration to 70 00:04:32,100 --> 00:04:35,700 its land? But finally, the historical 71 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:40,200 interpretation that interpretation accepts, the fact 72 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:43,300 that there actually was a prophet named Jonah that he 73 00:04:43,300 --> 00:04:47,600 actually went and lived and went to a place called Nineveh and 74 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:49,600 preach to the people of that City. 75 00:04:49,900 --> 00:04:53,700 And because of the repentance that these people made based on 76 00:04:53,700 --> 00:04:57,100 the Carmen that they heard from this profit, it accepts us, 77 00:04:57,100 --> 00:05:01,300 historical fact. They repented and God spared the 78 00:05:01,300 --> 00:05:04,300 nation. It also accepts as historical 79 00:05:04,300 --> 00:05:07,800 fact that before he went to Nineveh Jonah, tried to do 80 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:10,100 something that no man could ever do. 81 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:14,000 He tried to flee from the very presence of the great God of 82 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:18,100 heaven, and when he did that, God created or manifested, a 83 00:05:18,100 --> 00:05:23,000 great storm at sea that this prophet of old was cast into the 84 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:28,200 sea And was swallowed by a great fish that God had prepared and 85 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:30,900 was later. Vomited out, three days, and 86 00:05:30,900 --> 00:05:33,700 three nights later out upon that beach. 87 00:05:33,700 --> 00:05:35,800 And as Linwood Smith used to say. 88 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:41,100 And brother that man, hit the beach running, these are things 89 00:05:41,100 --> 00:05:45,900 that are accepted as historical fact, let me just notice this 90 00:05:45,900 --> 00:05:50,400 with you, rather briefly Jesus one time, placed his sanction on 91 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:56,000 this story as historical Bible. By comparing it to his own 92 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,000 death. His own burial and his own 93 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:03,800 Resurrection, Matthew chapter 12 and also Luke the 11th chapter. 94 00:06:04,100 --> 00:06:06,600 You remember that? Jesus said these very words. 95 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:11,200 He said, as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whales 96 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:15,700 belly, so shall the son of man, be three days and three nights 97 00:06:15,900 --> 00:06:19,300 in the heart of the earth. Therefore, the historical 98 00:06:19,300 --> 00:06:24,400 interpretation is by far. The only one that is Is worthy 99 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:28,700 of acceptance to all of us today who accept the fact that Jesus 100 00:06:28,700 --> 00:06:32,600 Christ was the Lamb of God. And that in the great scheme of 101 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:37,000 redemption, God sent his son to Bear the sins of the world that 102 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:38,400 on gothis. Brow. 103 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:42,400 So long ago, he hung on calvary's Cross for about six 104 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,400 hours, they took his body down from the cross. 105 00:06:45,500 --> 00:06:50,400 He was buried and on the third day he rose again from the dead. 106 00:06:50,500 --> 00:06:52,400 Yes. We all believe that with all of 107 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:56,600 our heart and that's Reason that we have hope as we live this 108 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,200 life is because of what Jesus has done. 109 00:06:59,500 --> 00:07:02,900 Jesus compared. What he was going to do before 110 00:07:02,900 --> 00:07:06,200 he did it to what happened to the prophet, Jonah. 111 00:07:06,500 --> 00:07:12,000 So we accept it as Bible, historical fact, let me just 112 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,000 notice one more thing along this line. 113 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,200 Before we move into our storing, a book may be historically 114 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:24,100 accurate and not be inspired. You can go to a library and pull 115 00:07:24,100 --> 00:07:28,600 out any kind of history book that's recording any history on 116 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,800 any subject during any period of time. 117 00:07:32,100 --> 00:07:36,300 And it can be absolutely even though it's coming by or being 118 00:07:36,300 --> 00:07:39,900 written by the recollection of the human being and not 119 00:07:39,900 --> 00:07:44,200 certainly coming from God, you can have line by line, you can 120 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,800 have a history book or a history story. 121 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:51,200 That contains facts that are 100% accurate. 122 00:07:51,300 --> 00:07:53,700 You can find a history book, that'll do that. 123 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,800 And yet not be inspired. Here's my point though. 124 00:07:57,500 --> 00:08:02,400 You cannot take a book like the Bible That's inspired and have 125 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:07,100 it be historically, inaccurate it is not possible. 126 00:08:07,700 --> 00:08:11,500 All the things that are written in, God's word are historically 127 00:08:11,500 --> 00:08:15,800 accurate because it's all divinely inspired by the holy 128 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:19,800 spirit of God. Well now our story surely we 129 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:22,500 know the story, we've known it probably since we were little 130 00:08:22,500 --> 00:08:25,700 children. But notice this as it begins, 131 00:08:25,700 --> 00:08:30,500 the word of the Lord comes to Jonah and said arise and go to 132 00:08:30,500 --> 00:08:34,799 Nineveh that great City and cry against it for their wickedness 133 00:08:34,799 --> 00:08:38,900 is come up before me. But instead of doing just 134 00:08:38,900 --> 00:08:42,600 exactly what God or the word of the Lord had instructed Jonah to 135 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:44,100 do. He says, I've got a better 136 00:08:44,100 --> 00:08:47,000 solution. I'm going to go to the further 137 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:50,700 ends, or I'm going to go in the opposite direction than what the 138 00:08:50,700 --> 00:08:53,100 word of the Lord is, instructing me to do. 139 00:08:53,300 --> 00:08:57,300 I'm going to go to tarshish in the Bible says that he goes down 140 00:08:57,300 --> 00:08:59,600 to Joppa. The chief Seaport of the holy 141 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:04,300 land and finds a vessel sailing Westward, and he goes on board, 142 00:09:04,300 --> 00:09:08,100 and he pays his fair in the Bible says, then he Goes down as 143 00:09:08,100 --> 00:09:12,000 the King James version, says in chapter 1, he goes down into the 144 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:16,500 sides of the ship or Essence. He goes down into the very hold 145 00:09:16,500 --> 00:09:20,800 of the ship and he begins to sleep very interesting though. 146 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:24,600 He is able to go and fall asleep without his conscience, 147 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:28,700 bothering him because somehow some way he hasn't said in his 148 00:09:28,700 --> 00:09:33,000 mind that he can flee from the very presence of God, another 149 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:37,200 words if God said go to Nineveh and cry out against that City, 150 00:09:37,500 --> 00:09:40,500 Preach the sermon that I'm telling you to preach that if he 151 00:09:40,500 --> 00:09:43,900 goes in the opposite direction, if he goes on the ship he can 152 00:09:43,900 --> 00:09:48,900 somehow someway hide from the eyes of the Lord deep down in 153 00:09:48,900 --> 00:09:51,800 the sides of the ship. So his conscience. 154 00:09:52,100 --> 00:09:57,700 Also slept you remember the story of Jesus one time in the 155 00:09:57,700 --> 00:10:00,100 New Testament scriptures. You remember one time when there 156 00:10:00,100 --> 00:10:04,200 was a tempestuous sea and Jesus was on board but he was sound 157 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:06,600 asleep. You remember that those that 158 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:08,600 were there came. Came to Jesus and they said 159 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:11,100 Master carest, thou, not that. We perish. 160 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,000 Remember that song we used to sing. 161 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:14,800 Peace. Be still carest. 162 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:16,300 Thou, not that. We perish. 163 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,700 How camp-style lie, asleep. And you remember that, they came 164 00:10:19,700 --> 00:10:23,800 to Jesus and said that in utter, desperation in panic. 165 00:10:23,900 --> 00:10:29,900 But Jesus said, he said, peace be still and the wind ceased and 166 00:10:29,900 --> 00:10:33,400 there was a great calm. I like what one scholar said in 167 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,300 likening these two men, Jesus Christ was sound asleep without 168 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:41,500 Anything bothering him and Jonah on this ship was sound asleep, 169 00:10:41,500 --> 00:10:43,900 without anything bothering him as well. 170 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,700 They're both in the very midst of this great storm and 171 00:10:46,700 --> 00:10:49,600 tempestuous sea, that's beating against the ship. 172 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:53,900 But here's the difference, as one man said, as they both slept 173 00:10:53,900 --> 00:10:59,600 peacefully, Jesus was confident. Not because he felt himself far 174 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:04,900 from God's hand, but because he was hidden in God's hand and 175 00:11:04,900 --> 00:11:08,700 that's the difference. And as one said, One time when 176 00:11:08,700 --> 00:11:12,500 you run from God there's going to be a storm. 177 00:11:12,900 --> 00:11:16,200 Well, we know the story and the Bible says that the sea ran high 178 00:11:16,200 --> 00:11:19,400 in the sailors or the Mariners began to pray to their own 179 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:21,800 idolatrous. God they're in utter 180 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,000 desperation. They think they're going to lose 181 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,500 their very lives and so they're going one to the other and 182 00:11:27,500 --> 00:11:32,500 imploring or encouraging them to pray to their own God and see if 183 00:11:32,500 --> 00:11:36,300 this Calamity be over past and all of a sudden they get 184 00:11:36,300 --> 00:11:40,100 together and they Wait at each other that there has got to be a 185 00:11:40,100 --> 00:11:43,900 culprit on board. We've done all that we can we've 186 00:11:43,900 --> 00:11:47,400 lightened the load of the ship and yet it's not going to help. 187 00:11:47,500 --> 00:11:50,400 We've done all these things and so on and so forth. 188 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:54,500 We prayed there are our own Gods, our own idolatrous Gods 189 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:58,300 but to no avail, there must be a culprit on the ship. 190 00:11:58,700 --> 00:12:03,600 The Bible says that they cast lots and the lot fell upon 191 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:06,000 Jonah. You remember when they came down 192 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,100 and found him in the sides of the The ship asleep at the one 193 00:12:09,100 --> 00:12:11,500 fella says, what is it thou sleeper? 194 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:15,800 What's going on? Who are you, where'd you come 195 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:18,300 from? And who is your God? 196 00:12:19,100 --> 00:12:21,900 But notice what Jonah says, in reply to that. 197 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:26,900 He says, I am a Hebrew and I feared the Lord, the god of 198 00:12:26,900 --> 00:12:31,100 Heaven, which hath made the Sea and the dry land and Jonah 199 00:12:31,100 --> 00:12:34,700 admits to them to those that he was trying to flee from the very 200 00:12:34,700 --> 00:12:38,500 presence of the Lord. And at that very moment, he was 201 00:12:38,500 --> 00:12:43,500 the only as one scholar said, the only Heathen on the ship. 202 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:46,400 They asked Jonah, what could we possibly do that? 203 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,700 We're going to be spared from this great destruction, or this. 204 00:12:50,300 --> 00:12:55,400 We're not going to be cast into the sea, Jonas's take me up and 205 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:59,000 cast me overboard. And the Sea would be made calm 206 00:12:59,600 --> 00:13:03,300 until you again. Well, we know the story that 207 00:13:03,300 --> 00:13:08,900 Jonah was cast into the sea and God There's a great fish and 208 00:13:08,900 --> 00:13:13,100 that great fish, swallows, Jonah, ho and the Bible says 209 00:13:13,100 --> 00:13:17,600 that he was three days and three nights in the in the belly of 210 00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:21,000 that great fish. You know what he was doing when 211 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,900 he got there, very interesting. You know, if we think about the 212 00:13:24,900 --> 00:13:28,200 story of Jonah, I would imagine. If God didn't have his 213 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,100 attention, he's got it now. And the Bible says that Jonah 214 00:13:32,100 --> 00:13:35,100 begins to pray. And I like so very much his 215 00:13:35,100 --> 00:13:36,800 prayers, some time, and your time. 216 00:13:36,900 --> 00:13:40,700 Read the second chapter of the Book of Jonah time will not 217 00:13:40,700 --> 00:13:44,400 allow us to do that today. But if you read that it reads, 218 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:48,800 more like a Psalm or a prayer of praise and thanksgiving. 219 00:13:49,100 --> 00:13:51,900 Now, I'll tell you This? There was no man, that was in 220 00:13:51,900 --> 00:13:55,100 any group any lower depths than Jonah, was when he was in the 221 00:13:55,100 --> 00:13:57,900 belly of this whale, or this great fish. 222 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:02,400 And what does he do? He gives a prayer of praise and 223 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:04,900 thanksgiving. Why is that important? 224 00:14:04,900 --> 00:14:06,300 I thought you might understand this. 225 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:07,700 This way. I like it. 226 00:14:07,700 --> 00:14:11,200 It is fashion. Have you ever had something in 227 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:15,600 your life? That seems at the time that it's 228 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,300 so dark. Have you ever been an utter 229 00:14:19,300 --> 00:14:23,200 desperation? And you bow before the great God 230 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:26,200 Of Heaven. And what do you pray for? 231 00:14:27,300 --> 00:14:32,400 You pray for relief. You pray that God could State 232 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:37,700 the problem that is before you that somehow someway, he will 233 00:14:37,700 --> 00:14:41,600 remove or relieved. What is before you? 234 00:14:43,100 --> 00:14:46,400 Sometimes we get so desperate, we just beg and beg, and beg, 235 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:50,300 and beg, and beg. You know what Jonah did when he 236 00:14:50,300 --> 00:14:53,300 was at its lowest depths? He praise God. 237 00:14:54,300 --> 00:14:57,900 He praised him and offered a prayer of Thanksgiving. 238 00:14:59,100 --> 00:15:05,400 And as he concludes his prayer, he says this, I will sacrifice 239 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:09,300 unto thee with the voice of Thanksgiving. 240 00:15:10,100 --> 00:15:16,300 I will pay that I have vowed salvation is of the Lord. 241 00:15:16,900 --> 00:15:20,300 And with these words, the Bible says that the Lord spake to the 242 00:15:20,300 --> 00:15:22,000 great fish. I don't know what he said. 243 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,600 Bible doesn't say very interesting though. 244 00:15:24,700 --> 00:15:28,100 The Bible says, he spake to the great fish and the great fish 245 00:15:28,100 --> 00:15:32,200 vomited. Out Jonah on the ground. 246 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,800 And I'll tell you something. Now, this fellow is ready to 247 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,800 preach it all. He's ready to go. 248 00:15:38,500 --> 00:15:43,000 He is ready to go and do just exactly what God had instructed 249 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,300 him to do. And like I said, I'm sure he hit 250 00:15:46,300 --> 00:15:49,500 the beach running. He has a message to tell, he has 251 00:15:49,500 --> 00:15:52,400 a charge to keep, and he is ready to do it. 252 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:56,200 Full force with every fiber of his being, but let me just 253 00:15:56,200 --> 00:15:59,800 notice this. There are two great Wonders in 254 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:04,100 this story, one is a miracle or an act of God that God did 255 00:16:04,100 --> 00:16:08,700 physically by actually creating a great fish that would swallow, 256 00:16:08,700 --> 00:16:11,500 Jonah whole have Jonah in the belly of that. 257 00:16:11,500 --> 00:16:15,000 Great fish for three days and three nights, he doesn't eat the 258 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:19,800 man, he doesn't digest the man, he just has him inside there in 259 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:23,800 the belly of that, great fish and then God speaks to this 260 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:27,500 great fish, another physical wonder who vomited out Jonah out 261 00:16:27,500 --> 00:16:30,100 on dry ground. That's the first thing. 262 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:34,500 But let's not forget the Second Great Wonder of this story. 263 00:16:36,100 --> 00:16:40,100 Hebrew Striker. Goes to Nineveh which is 264 00:16:40,100 --> 00:16:47,400 considered a great City, this is not some little small town know, 265 00:16:47,400 --> 00:16:52,300 this is a great City. My good friend Dwayne here. 266 00:16:52,300 --> 00:16:55,500 And I the other night was talking about how sometimes the 267 00:16:55,500 --> 00:16:59,300 various countries where people are really poor, how it said, if 268 00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:03,300 some in the Philippines and in Africa, and various places, how 269 00:17:03,300 --> 00:17:07,000 they have nothing, but the Lord. So they're willing to listen, 270 00:17:07,500 --> 00:17:10,800 they're so poor, they have nothing in this world and the 271 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:14,800 gospel has free course, and souls are saved and people are 272 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:19,099 interested in spiritual things, but sometimes we that live in a 273 00:17:19,108 --> 00:17:23,200 country of Plenty, some Sometimes we are so busy with 274 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:26,800 the distractions that are around us that it doesn't have the 275 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,900 effect that it could have or does have in other places. 276 00:17:31,300 --> 00:17:34,100 We're not talking about one of these poor places like that. 277 00:17:34,100 --> 00:17:38,900 No, we're talking about a great City and this Hebrew preacher 278 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:42,900 hits the ground and preaches a sermon to them. 279 00:17:43,300 --> 00:17:46,700 That's a that's a wonder and noticed also, if not only 280 00:17:46,700 --> 00:17:50,200 incredible, it is even Unthinkable. 281 00:17:50,500 --> 00:17:54,300 I And Nineveh was the London of Jonah's day. 282 00:17:54,300 --> 00:17:56,800 Having been built upon The Spoils of War. 283 00:17:57,400 --> 00:18:00,100 It was a place. Also, that was very populist. 284 00:18:00,100 --> 00:18:05,400 Having estimated not fewer than 120 thousand inhabitants, it had 285 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:09,900 walls surrounding her of 100 feet high and included within it 286 00:18:09,900 --> 00:18:14,600 were parks and Gardens possibly even pastureland you can picture 287 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:19,300 the very last verse of the Book of Jonah chapter 4 when God has 288 00:18:19,300 --> 00:18:22,700 a discussion with Jonah Any talks about all of those that 289 00:18:22,700 --> 00:18:24,900 are there? He talks about the six core 290 00:18:24,900 --> 00:18:28,000 thousand inhabitants, that don't know their right hand from their 291 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:32,000 left and all the much cattle. Chances are, this was a place 292 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,800 that beautiful pasture land. This was a place that was not 293 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:40,600 wanting for anything and that's the point when you notice the 294 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:46,600 power, Of God's message. The third chapter says that this 295 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:48,500 was a city of three days journey. 296 00:18:48,500 --> 00:18:52,300 I understand that this has nothing to do with the diameter 297 00:18:52,300 --> 00:18:56,600 or the circumference of the city, which some do say was 298 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:00,100 about 60 miles, but it referred to the fact that it would take 299 00:19:00,100 --> 00:19:05,300 three days to visit and see all of its principal points of 300 00:19:05,300 --> 00:19:08,100 interest. For example, Beirut, one time 301 00:19:08,100 --> 00:19:13,000 was said to be a city of three days referring to its great 302 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:14,600 size. It takes three days. 303 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:18,700 To get to see all of the principal places of interest. 304 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:23,200 Well, Jonah enters Nineveh which was a Day's Journey and he 305 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:29,600 begins to preach And by a Stern, cryptic message of repentance 306 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,300 Universal Panic was once produced. 307 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,300 You know, we can almost picture in Our Minds Eye Jonah's 308 00:19:37,300 --> 00:19:41,900 countenance, and his expression, his expression of desperation as 309 00:19:41,900 --> 00:19:45,400 he hit those streets and preached that sermon, Getting 310 00:19:45,400 --> 00:19:47,500 ready to preach. Perhaps, like a man that was 311 00:19:47,500 --> 00:19:50,600 raised from the dead his face doubtless. 312 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:56,600 Shown like Moses so long ago, his eye doubtless flashed his 313 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:59,400 brow was knit and his lips trembled as he shouted. 314 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:01,700 Those famous words. Here it is. 315 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:08,200 I'll give you the English words yet forty days and Nineveh shall 316 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,800 be overthrown. You know what's interesting 317 00:20:10,800 --> 00:20:13,000 about that. I understand that those eight 318 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:16,500 words in the English language in the Hebrew language, was only 319 00:20:16,500 --> 00:20:18,700 five words. That's a five-word sermon, 320 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:21,300 that's it. That's it. 321 00:20:22,700 --> 00:20:26,000 How many times? Did we preach our hearts out for 322 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:30,500 an hour? Days weeks and so on. 323 00:20:31,500 --> 00:20:34,100 And it seems like we see no visible results. 324 00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:39,300 This man, preaches, a five Hebrew, word, sermon, and the 325 00:20:39,300 --> 00:20:42,500 results were electric. He was as one man. 326 00:20:42,500 --> 00:20:45,900 Said, he surcharge with the thunderings and Lightnings of 327 00:20:45,900 --> 00:20:50,400 divine oratory as we picture in Our Minds Eye one. 328 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,700 Prefers to think of Jonah as uttering these words as a Stern. 329 00:20:53,700 --> 00:20:57,600 Preacher with a boldness, that is worthy of a Nathan or the 330 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:58,200 bow. Boldness. 331 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:01,800 That is worthy of the great Apostle, Paul so long ago, who's 332 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:05,300 burning truths within his preaching withered hostile 333 00:21:05,300 --> 00:21:08,500 hearts, or of one whose borst would be crying from the 334 00:21:08,500 --> 00:21:12,500 Wilderness John, the Baptist, who repeated his prophetic call 335 00:21:12,500 --> 00:21:15,900 repent. Ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is 336 00:21:15,900 --> 00:21:19,400 at hand, Jonah spoke. Those few words and words of 337 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:24,200 Doom it that but the effect was electric, the Bible says that 338 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:28,300 the ninevites repented. And as a consequence God, God 339 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:32,700 also repented of what he was going to do unto them and he did 340 00:21:32,700 --> 00:21:34,900 it not. Now I'll tell you something. 341 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:38,500 For somebody that preaches God's word, you would think that he'd 342 00:21:38,500 --> 00:21:42,200 be ecstatic. You would think that when he saw 343 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:45,900 those results that he would be absolutely beside himself. 344 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:49,400 You would think that he would bow before God and praise God, 345 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:51,700 for the increase and so on and so forth. 346 00:21:51,700 --> 00:21:56,200 But he does not. He know what he does, he's angry 347 00:21:56,500 --> 00:21:59,300 and God asks, him, do you do well to be angry? 348 00:21:59,300 --> 00:22:03,900 And he says, yes, I do well, and he goes someplace and he sits 349 00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:07,300 down and he begins to pout by himself. 350 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:12,800 And God produces a Vine that grows up over the night and when 351 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,600 he awakens, he sees the vine. And the Bible says that he is 352 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:19,900 elated. He's happy about what God has 353 00:22:19,900 --> 00:22:21,900 produced. The very next night. 354 00:22:21,900 --> 00:22:25,200 The Bible says that God also produces a worm and the worm 355 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:29,000 comes and smoke that plant and it withered and died. 356 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:31,700 And now, the profit is pouting again. 357 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:35,500 And as we near the end of our story, what happens what we find 358 00:22:35,500 --> 00:22:38,800 is is God says to him, what a great Lesson. 359 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:43,000 What a great point. You have more sorrow for a plant 360 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:46,800 that you did absolutely nothing to enhance. 361 00:22:46,900 --> 00:22:51,300 You did nothing to grow, you did nothing to help it along at all, 362 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,700 it was produced one day and the next day at withered and was 363 00:22:54,700 --> 00:22:59,400 gone and you have a greater soft spot in your heart for that vine 364 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:03,500 or that plant. Then all of those inhabitants of 365 00:23:03,500 --> 00:23:07,100 Nineveh who don't know their right hand from their left and 366 00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:09,900 incidentally, that means this they don't know right from 367 00:23:09,900 --> 00:23:12,300 wrong. And the much cap. 368 00:23:13,300 --> 00:23:17,600 And that's the point that God made back to. 369 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:21,600 This prophet in summary, the entire story can be broken down 370 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:25,400 into four categories and the broken down into four chapters. 371 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:27,900 Number one running away from God. 372 00:23:28,300 --> 00:23:33,300 Number two, running to God. Number three, running with God, 373 00:23:33,500 --> 00:23:36,600 and number for running ahead of God. 374 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:41,200 That was the story of Jonah. I want to notice just a Few 375 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:43,500 things. All there are many preaching 376 00:23:43,500 --> 00:23:45,300 points that we can pull from this story of. 377 00:23:45,300 --> 00:23:48,900 There's certainly many things we could say, I want to leave you 378 00:23:48,900 --> 00:23:54,600 with three brief lessons that we can glean today from this story. 379 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:59,500 Number one, get this. Regardless of how hard you try 380 00:24:00,300 --> 00:24:04,200 regardless of all of your best intentions or efforts. 381 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:11,400 You will never run from God. You will never be able to run 382 00:24:11,700 --> 00:24:15,600 from the All-Seeing Eye of the great God Of Heaven. 383 00:24:16,100 --> 00:24:19,700 And the reason for that is, and the reason we cannot escape the 384 00:24:19,700 --> 00:24:23,600 eyes of the Lord, is because God is everywhere. 385 00:24:23,900 --> 00:24:26,900 And Acts chapter 17 and verse 28. 386 00:24:27,100 --> 00:24:30,700 The Bible says, for, in him, we live and move, and have our 387 00:24:30,700 --> 00:24:35,700 being as certain poets have said, for we are also his 388 00:24:35,700 --> 00:24:39,800 offspring hear the words of the psalmist, David Who said this 389 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,500 about understanding with regards to, what he would do in his 390 00:24:43,500 --> 00:24:49,400 life, he understood where God was and what God sees beginning 391 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:55,000 in verse 7, in the 139th Psalm whither, shall I go from thy 392 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:59,100 Spirit or whither? Shall I flee from thy presence 393 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:05,000 if I Ascend into heaven? Thou Art there, if I make my bed 394 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:10,100 in hell, behold Thou Art there. If I Take the wings of the 395 00:25:10,100 --> 00:25:13,600 morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea. 396 00:25:14,100 --> 00:25:19,000 Even there shall be thy hand to lead me and thy right hand shall 397 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:22,600 hold me. If I say, surely Darkness shall 398 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:25,000 cover me. Even the night shall be light 399 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:28,500 about me. Yay, the darkness hideth, not 400 00:25:28,500 --> 00:25:31,800 from D but the night shine it as the day. 401 00:25:32,100 --> 00:25:37,000 The darkness and the light are both alike to be for thou Hast 402 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,900 possessed my rings. Thou has covered me in my 403 00:25:40,900 --> 00:25:43,900 mother's womb. I will praise thee for, I am 404 00:25:43,900 --> 00:25:48,800 fearfully and wonderfully. Made marvelous are thy works and 405 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:53,100 that my soul, no with right, well, my substance was not hid 406 00:25:53,100 --> 00:25:56,900 from thee when I was made perfect made in secret and 407 00:25:56,900 --> 00:25:59,700 curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 408 00:26:00,100 --> 00:26:04,600 Thine Eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in my 409 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,600 book and in thy book, all my members were written. 410 00:26:08,100 --> 00:26:11,300 Which in continuance were fashioned when. 411 00:26:11,300 --> 00:26:15,700 As yet there was, none of them all the psalmist, David 412 00:26:15,700 --> 00:26:20,600 understood that he could never depart from the eyes of the 413 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:23,200 Lord. The Hebrew writer said and 414 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:27,900 Hebrews chapter 4, and verse 13. You said neither is there any 415 00:26:27,900 --> 00:26:32,300 creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are 416 00:26:32,300 --> 00:26:37,100 naked and open done to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 417 00:26:38,300 --> 00:26:43,000 Jeremiah 23 and 24 says, can any hide himself in secret places 418 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,800 that I shall not see him. Saith the Lord do not. 419 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:49,700 I feel Heaven and Earth saith. The Lord. 420 00:26:50,500 --> 00:26:55,900 I'll tell you something. The greatest compliment, get 421 00:26:55,900 --> 00:27:01,900 this. the greatest compliment that a Christian could ever 422 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:08,100 receive in this world is when someone looks at your life and 423 00:27:08,100 --> 00:27:13,800 makes the statement that you live what you say, That is the 424 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:18,100 greatest compliment that you will ever be given is that those 425 00:27:18,100 --> 00:27:21,500 people live it. What a beautiful thing that is 426 00:27:22,500 --> 00:27:26,400 But sometimes folks, don't live. It's very sadly. 427 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:30,100 They some folks don't I'll just tell you this. 428 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:36,300 What you are for real in your heart is what you are. 429 00:27:36,300 --> 00:27:39,400 When you're not around God's people, it's what you are in 430 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:42,400 your busy day, it's the decisions that you make. 431 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,000 It's the things that you say is the language, you choose. 432 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:46,800 It's the lifestyle that you have. 433 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:51,800 That's what God sees, when you're not around these people 434 00:27:52,500 --> 00:27:57,500 and you can never escape the All-Seeing eyes of God. 435 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:02,000 No matter what we do. The Bible says be not deceived. 436 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:03,700 God is Not mocked for whatsoever. 437 00:28:03,700 --> 00:28:08,900 A man soweth that shall he also reap but secondly you know what 438 00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:13,800 else we learn we learn that it's dangerous to have a sectarian 439 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:18,400 Spirit, we find Jonah manifesting a sectarian Spirit. 440 00:28:19,100 --> 00:28:22,200 Perhaps I don't know that there was an underlying racism in his 441 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,600 heart. This might explain why he fled 442 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:28,300 to Tarsus in the beginning. He possessed The Same Spirit as 443 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:31,000 As the elder brother of the prodigal son. 444 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:32,500 You know, we talk about that story. 445 00:28:32,500 --> 00:28:36,500 We always mention the younger son, we mentioned the younger 446 00:28:36,500 --> 00:28:40,700 son and rightfully, so we should because it shows the loving 447 00:28:40,700 --> 00:28:44,100 father and forgiveness, when one, we would repent, 448 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:49,100 absolutely, beautiful story. But sometimes we forget the 449 00:28:49,100 --> 00:28:52,700 Elder son. You know, he was a prodigal too. 450 00:28:53,900 --> 00:28:56,000 The word prodigal means, wasteful. 451 00:28:57,100 --> 00:29:01,400 And the one that left, he was a prodigal but the one that stayed 452 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:04,500 was the one as well. You would think. 453 00:29:05,500 --> 00:29:09,500 That after his younger brother had come back and owned it and 454 00:29:09,500 --> 00:29:13,600 accepted that all he had done and wasting his substance with 455 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:16,700 riotous living. And all of the horrible things 456 00:29:16,700 --> 00:29:19,800 that he had done. He Hebrew boy, in the midst of 457 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:22,700 pigs Rises up. And says, I'm going to go to my 458 00:29:22,700 --> 00:29:26,100 father and I'm going to say, don't make me like your son, 459 00:29:26,300 --> 00:29:29,300 make me a hired servant, that's good enough for me. 460 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:32,900 I'm not worthy to be called thy son because of the choices that 461 00:29:32,900 --> 00:29:36,900 I have made, and because of the sin That I have been living in 462 00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,800 so we purposes I'm going to rise up and I'm going to speak to my 463 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:45,100 father when he does, he stands before his father and he says I 464 00:29:45,100 --> 00:29:48,900 have sinned against heaven and against me and I am no more 465 00:29:48,900 --> 00:29:52,200 worthy to be called thy son but you remember what the father 466 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:54,600 does? He stops him in mid-sentence and 467 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:59,700 says no put a ring on his hand. Put a robe on him. 468 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:04,800 Kill the fatted calf. Let's eat and drink and be merry 469 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,100 for this. My son was dead and is alive. 470 00:30:08,100 --> 00:30:12,500 He was lost and is found You would think that his older 471 00:30:12,500 --> 00:30:15,200 brother would be a lady but his older brother was out there in 472 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:16,600 the field. You remember that? 473 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:20,600 And all of a sudden he hears all of this goings-on, he hears the 474 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:23,500 celebration he hears the music and he wonders. 475 00:30:23,500 --> 00:30:26,600 What's going on down there? When he finds out? 476 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:29,200 It's because his brother had come back. 477 00:30:29,700 --> 00:30:33,200 He's angry and refuses to go into the celebration, 478 00:30:33,900 --> 00:30:40,400 manifesting a sectarian Spirit. When the father entreated him 479 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:42,200 this. Was his response. 480 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:47,200 He said, Lo these many years. Do I serve thee neither 481 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:50,700 transgressed. I at any time thy commandment 482 00:30:51,100 --> 00:30:56,100 and yet thou never gave us me a kid that I might make Merry with 483 00:30:56,100 --> 00:31:01,300 my friends, but as soon as this by son was come, which hath 484 00:31:01,300 --> 00:31:05,000 devoured thy living, with harlots thou Hast killed for 485 00:31:05,000 --> 00:31:09,500 him, the fatted calf, and he said unto him, son, thou art 486 00:31:09,500 --> 00:31:12,400 ever with me and That I have is thine. 487 00:31:12,700 --> 00:31:16,500 It was meat that we would make Merry and be glad for this thy 488 00:31:16,500 --> 00:31:22,000 brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found, 489 00:31:22,700 --> 00:31:25,600 you know, there was another time when folks had this attitude and 490 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:28,300 it was to Jesus. You remember that in Matthew, 491 00:31:28,300 --> 00:31:31,900 the 9th chapter verses 10 through 13 when they had their 492 00:31:31,900 --> 00:31:35,900 Spirit toward Jesus, when Jesus was eating with publicans and 493 00:31:35,900 --> 00:31:38,400 Sinners. And the Bible says beginning in 494 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:42,700 verse 10, and it came to pass. As Jesus sat at meat in the 495 00:31:42,700 --> 00:31:46,900 house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down 496 00:31:46,900 --> 00:31:50,900 with him and his disciples, and when the Pharisees saw it, they 497 00:31:50,900 --> 00:31:54,000 said unto his disciples, why eateth your master with 498 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:57,900 publicans and sinners, but when Jesus heard that he said unto 499 00:31:57,900 --> 00:32:01,400 them, they that be whole need not a physician, but they that 500 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:05,000 are sick, but go ye and learn what that meaneth. 501 00:32:05,100 --> 00:32:08,100 I will have mercy and not sacrifice for. 502 00:32:08,100 --> 00:32:10,300 I am not come to call the righteous. 503 00:32:10,900 --> 00:32:18,400 But to The Sinner to repentance. Never ever, let it be said to of 504 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:23,000 any of God's people. That we would refuse to embrace 505 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:26,900 our brother or sister who repents and comes back. 506 00:32:30,700 --> 00:32:32,900 You know why? That's a blessing, you know, 507 00:32:32,900 --> 00:32:35,900 why? We Rejoice we rejoice and using 508 00:32:35,900 --> 00:32:40,200 the verbiage of what the Bible just said, because he was lost 509 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:45,000 and is now found You remember 1st Corinthians 5. 510 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:47,200 Oh, what a simple thing was going on in court. 511 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:50,300 At that time, the Apostle Paul had to address. 512 00:32:50,300 --> 00:32:52,800 The he said it's so bad, it's not even mentioned among the 513 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:58,500 Gentiles He repented their didn't and by the second letter 514 00:32:58,500 --> 00:33:02,000 he says, you embracing you receive him and you love him. 515 00:33:02,100 --> 00:33:06,400 So he's not overcome with over much sorrow. 516 00:33:06,900 --> 00:33:11,600 All let's never have a sectarian Spirit when someone repents and 517 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:16,100 comes to the Lord, but thirdly and finally, we learned that God 518 00:33:16,100 --> 00:33:19,800 is willing to relent where there is repentance. 519 00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:23,600 We learned that from such preaching of condemnation. 520 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:26,500 It's also it's often conditional. 521 00:33:27,700 --> 00:33:30,600 In Jeremiah chapter 18 beginning in verse 7. 522 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:35,000 It says, and what instance I shall speak concerning a nation 523 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:38,800 and concerning a kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to 524 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:42,200 destroy it. If that Nation against whom I 525 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:47,200 have pronounced turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil 526 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:50,900 that I thought to do unto them and at what instant I shall 527 00:33:50,900 --> 00:33:54,900 speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to build 528 00:33:54,900 --> 00:33:59,600 and to plant it if it do evil. In my sight that it obey not my 529 00:33:59,600 --> 00:34:02,500 voice. Then I will repent of the good 530 00:34:02,500 --> 00:34:06,000 wear with. I said I would benefit them and 531 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,800 notice this to you know, what else we learn? 532 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:12,699 We learn, sometimes that the least likely candidate is the 533 00:34:12,699 --> 00:34:15,400 one that becomes converted, your seen. 534 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:20,199 That sure, we have Let's never prejudge Anonymous, folks. 535 00:34:21,100 --> 00:34:26,500 Let's never prejudge a heart, we don't know what's going on in 536 00:34:26,500 --> 00:34:29,800 the heart. So everyone is treated the same, 537 00:34:30,199 --> 00:34:33,199 we take the Glorious seed of the gospel and we spread it to those 538 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:36,199 that are in the world. It's their responsibility to 539 00:34:36,199 --> 00:34:39,300 have a good and honest heart. It's not my responsibility to 540 00:34:39,300 --> 00:34:41,900 judge whether they have one and God. 541 00:34:41,900 --> 00:34:45,600 He said that, if I'll do my part, if you'll do your part 542 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:49,500 with the seed of the gospel and the sin, Has the good heart God 543 00:34:49,500 --> 00:34:52,300 will give the increase. Remember this? 544 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:54,900 There's been some folks that have made some horrible 545 00:34:54,900 --> 00:34:58,400 decisions in their life and live as almost the devil's disciple 546 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:02,000 but came to a point in their life when they said I'm no 547 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:05,600 longer and going to live like this anymore, I'm going to 548 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:08,300 become a Christian that happens here. 549 00:35:08,300 --> 00:35:11,400 What Paul said, here's an example of just that First 550 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:15,100 Corinthians chapter 6. Hear the language of Paul 551 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:18,700 beginning in verse 9 He says know, ye not that. 552 00:35:18,700 --> 00:35:23,000 The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 553 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:25,800 Be not deceived neither fornicators. 554 00:35:26,300 --> 00:35:31,800 Idolaters adulterers effeminate abusers of themselves with 555 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:36,800 mankind, nor thieves nor Covetous, nor drunkards, nor 556 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:42,200 revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. 557 00:35:42,300 --> 00:35:45,700 Paul is saying all of these that have taken these paths. 558 00:35:45,900 --> 00:35:47,700 Are those of the unrighteous Righteous. 559 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:51,400 And they shall not see the kingdom of God, but notice what 560 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:58,200 he says next and such were some of you, you know, who he's 561 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:02,600 writing to. He's writing to Christians, he 562 00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:10,100 said and such were some of you but you are washed, but you are 563 00:36:10,100 --> 00:36:13,600 Sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the 564 00:36:13,607 --> 00:36:17,500 Lord Jesus. And by the spirit of our God. 565 00:36:18,700 --> 00:36:22,900 In conclusion this morning. This is a great lesson for so 566 00:36:22,900 --> 00:36:25,600 many of us actually to great lesson for all of us. 567 00:36:26,300 --> 00:36:27,700 It's a good lesson for preachers. 568 00:36:27,700 --> 00:36:31,500 I'll tell you that and that's to never prejudge an audience and 569 00:36:31,500 --> 00:36:34,900 don't ever avoid the responsibility that God has 570 00:36:34,900 --> 00:36:39,400 placed upon the preacher. It's a value to every single 571 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:44,400 Christian as to never have a selfish narrow minded sectarian 572 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:49,600 spirit and to be concerned for the wicked wherever they are and 573 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:52,500 finally, it's a value to sinners. 574 00:36:53,700 --> 00:36:58,600 That God loves you, but listen. Destruction is coming. 575 00:37:00,100 --> 00:37:04,700 Destruction is coming. We have to be in obedience to 576 00:37:04,700 --> 00:37:07,800 the word of God. The gospel in order to be saved. 577 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:14,600 But God loves The Sinner. He loves the alien sinner who 578 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:16,600 has never been washed in the blood of the Lamb. 579 00:37:17,700 --> 00:37:20,600 Who has never heard the word of God, believing Jesus for, whom 580 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:23,100 he is repented of their sins and decided. 581 00:37:23,100 --> 00:37:24,900 I no longer want to live like that. 582 00:37:25,900 --> 00:37:28,000 Those that have not confess Jesus Christ. 583 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:31,200 As the Son of God, he gone down into the Waters of baptism 584 00:37:31,300 --> 00:37:36,000 Horizon walking in the street life, God loves those people, 585 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:41,400 but destruction is coming. He also loves those that have 586 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:44,900 been enlightened by the gospel, and I've decided to go back and 587 00:37:44,900 --> 00:37:49,400 turn back and go back to the ways of the world, he loves you. 588 00:37:50,500 --> 00:37:55,200 But destruction is coming. But the best part of all, if 589 00:37:55,200 --> 00:38:00,000 Will repent, if will change, if we're take that stand, if Will 590 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:02,900 obey the gospel would bake and be baptized for the remission of 591 00:38:02,900 --> 00:38:07,200 our sins, we are embraced and he will relent the destruction. 592 00:38:07,700 --> 00:38:35,200 That would be coming to us. We thank you for listening to 593 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:39,800 our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. 594 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:43,400 Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional 595 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:46,100 information or you would like to receive a free Bible 596 00:38:46,100 --> 00:38:51,200 correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at 597 00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:53,500 search of Christ Bakersfield.com. 598 00:38:54,900 --> 00:38:59,600 Our service times are Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 599 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:04,300 Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. please make plans to join us. 600 00:39:04,700 --> 00:39:07,000 We would love for you to be our honored.