A LESSON ON COMPASSION (Part II) – Jonah, chapters 3 and 4

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The book of Jonah, chapter 2, ended with the description of the great fish spitting up Jonah onto the dry land at God’s command. God caused this to happen because of what Jonah said at the end of his prayer of thanksgiving. To put it in today’s language, Jonah was saying, “I’ll do what you command” and “You can save whomever you choose.” Let’s see what happens in chapters 3 and 4.

III. JONAH’S PREACHING AT NINEVEH (Chapter 3)

We find God repeating His initial command to Jonah in chapter 3, verses 1 and 2, and this time Jonah obeys God’s command and walks through the city over a period of three days crying out and saying, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The result was that the people believed in God and repented of their sins. They demonstrated their repentance by proclaiming a fast and putting on sackcloth. That would be like wearing a large burlap sack over your bare body. Can you imagine how much that would itch and irritate your skin. Even the king of Nineveh took off his royal robes and put on sackcloth and sat on the ashes. He also issued a decree, beginning in verse 7 saying, “. . . Do not let man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let them eat or drink water. But both man and beast must be clothed in sackcloth; and let men call on God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked way and the violence which is in his hands. Who knows, God may turn and relent, and withdraw His burning anger so that we shall not perish?”

It doesn’t say how long they did this. It may have been for days, or weeks, or even the full 40 days. They were appealing to God’s mercy and they found that God is a merciful God. In verse 10 it says, “When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.”

II. JONAH’S DISCONTENT AND CORRECTION (Chapter 4)

There must have been great rejoicing in the city of Nineveh. But one person wasn’t rejoicing. He was angry. And that person was the prophet Jonah. Was Jonah mad because his prophesy didn’t come true? Was he embarrassed? No. The real reason why Jonah fled from the Lord, and why he was angry with God is found in 4:2-3. Jonah was willing to die for the sailors. He thanked God for sparing his own life. But Jonah didn’t want God to spare Nineveh because they were a very wicked people; they weren’t Jewish, and Nineveh was the capitol of the nation of Assyria. The prophet Isaiah had already prophesied that Assyria was going to someday destroy the nation of Israel and take the remainder of the people back to Assyria as captives. This prophecy is found in Isaiah 7:17-20 and following. In Jonah 4:2 he even accuses God of being “gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness”, as if those were God’s faults or weaknesses!

Jonah is so angry that he asks God to take his life. He would rather die than have God spare the lives of the people of Nineveh, and God questions his anger. Jonah leaves the city and builds a booth “outside” the city; waiting to see if God will come to His senses and decide that these people don’t deserve to be spared. While Jonah sleeps God causes a gourd plant to sprout out of the ground overnight and grow big enough to provide shade for Jonah. This makes Jonah very happy! He must have been thinking, “God has finally come to His senses and has agreed with me that these people don’t deserve to live!” But then God causes a worm to destroy the vine, and Jonah becomes very angry again. There is an important lesson here. God is in control. He caused the storm. He caused the fish to swallow Jonah and later spit him out. He caused the vine to grow up overnight, and He caused the worm to kill the vine. Everyone and everything obeyed God except the preacher. The storm, the dice, the sailors, the fish, the Ninevites, the east wind, the gourd plant, the worm! Everyone and everything except . . . Jonah! Sometimes God allows us to suffer the consequences of our actions so that we might know that He is in control.

A second lesson is found in 4:10-11. Jonah lacked God’s compassion for people. There’s a little bit of Jonah in all of us sometimes, isn’t there? Sometimes more than a “little bit”? It is the Jewish custom on the annual celebration of the Day of Atonement to read from the book of Jonah. And at the end of the reading all would say, “We are Jonah!”

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, the book of Jonah is saying that God loves you and wants to show you mercy, no matter how sinful you have been. God wants to receive you into His family if you are ready to turn from your sins and let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of your life. The Controller of the universe gives you the freedom to give Him control over your life, and you can do that right now.

If you are a Christian, the book of Jonah is saying that people are precious because God considers them to be precious. God wants us to lay aside our prejudices and let Him fill our hearts with His compassion for the sinning and suffering people we meet. Do you remember that person I asked you to bring to mind at the beginning of this message? What are you and I going to do this week to reach out by the power of God’s love to that person we’ve been avoiding?

I’m closing this message by reading a portion from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The Lord Jesus says it better than anyone else. The passage of Scripture is Matthew 5:43-48. The Lord Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

SURVEY OF THE EPISTLE OF JAMES

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INTRODUCTION:

If we were asked the question, “Which book of the New Testament was written first”, I imagine that many of us might guess that it was one of the gospels since they talk about the birth, life, and death of the Lord Jesus Christ. I was personally surprised when I learned that the first book of the New Testament was the epistle of James, in all probability. It was written possibly as early as 45 A.D., and as late as 50 A.D. That’s approximately fifteen to twenty years after the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is important to realize that the arrangement of the books in the New Testament is a topical arrangement rather than a chronological one. If the books were arranged chronologically by the dates that they were written, James would probably appear first. It’s interesting that in the book of James, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ only appears twice. His cross is never mentioned, nor is His resurrection. The Holy Spirit is not mentioned either. James is not a doctrinal book but a practical book, encouraging us to live our Christian faith.

I. THE AUTHOR

Who was the author of the book of James? Obviously, it was James, but which James? There are five men in the New Testament who are called by that name: James, the father of the apostle Judas; James, the son of Zebedee; James, the son of Cleophas; James the Less; and James, the brother of the Lord Jesus Christ and the son of Mary and Joseph. It is generally agreed that James, the brother of the Lord Jesus, was the author of the book.

The Scriptures tell us that during the time Jesus was growing up to adulthood, and even during His earthly ministry, His brothers did not believe that He was the Messiah. In fact, Jesus experienced opposition from them at times. And yet we find that James was a leader in the church in Jerusalem after the Lord’s ascension into heaven. We are left to conclude that it was after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ that James came to the realization that Jesus was the true Messiah. After Jesus Christ rose from the dead, He appeared to various groups. I Corinthians 15:7 states, “after that, He appeared to James; then to all the apostles.” It was probably after Jesus’ appearance to James after His resurrection that James placed his faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord.

Since James was not a believer in Jesus as the Christ during His earthly ministry, James was not one of the twelve apostles. But after he became a Christian, James became one of the leaders of the church in Jerusalem. He is mentioned as one of the speakers at the council in Jerusalem in Acts 15, and his suggestion was accepted by the whole assembly.

III. THE EPISTLE OF JAMES

The epistle of James has been called the “Proverbs of the New Testament” because James goes from one topic to another. The epistle is also very practical, and very convicting. In the 108 verses of this short letter, there are 54 commands. That means that half the verses are commands. Someone has described James’ style as “a string of pearls”. In a string of pearls, there is a basic relationship of one pearl to the other, and yet each pearl is unique and different.

While James was still an unbeliever, he must have paid attention to what Jesus taught because his letter is very much like Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. We’ll see this comparison more clearly as we study the book of James in detail over the next several months.

The book of James has been misunderstood and condemned by many because of its emphasis on good works. Martin Luther called the epistle of James an “epistle of straw” that ought to be burned. He and several other leaders of the Protestant Reformation felt that the Epistle of James should be removed from the Bible because of its emphasis on good works. But they misunderstood its meaning. The epistle of James is saying that “genuine faith produces genuine works”. Or, to put it another way, “the person who has genuinely found the Way, walks in it”.

The problems that James discusses have a common cause: spiritual immaturity. The Christians mentioned in his epistle were not growing spiritually. Spiritual maturity is one of the greatest needs in our churches today. The five chapters of James suggest five marks of a mature Christian. In chapter one, a mature Christian is patient in trials and temptations. In chapter two, a mature Christian practices the truth. In chapter three, a mature Christian has power over his tongue. And in chapter four, a mature Christian is prayerful in the midst of troubles.

Christian maturity is something we must work at constantly. So, don’t give up, because mature Christians are happy, useful Christians, Christians who help to encourage and build up others. As we study this epistle of James together, with God’s enabling we will learn together and mature together, and our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will become even more evident to those around us.

THE SECRET OF CONTENTMENT – Philippians 4:10-23

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INTRODUCTION:

A deacon in a church once said to his pastor: “We Christians are either thermometers or thermostats”. A thermometer doesn’t change anything around it. It just tells the temperature. It’s always going up and down. But a thermostat regulates the room or building it is in. When you turn up the thermostat, the heater comes on and the room gets warmer.

The apostle Paul was a thermostat. Instead of having spiritual ups and downs as his situation changed, Paul went right on, doing his work and serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Here in Philippians 4:10-23, Paul gives the reasons for his contentment, and gives the glory to God.

I. PAUL’S CONTENTMENT (verses 10-13)

In verse 10, the apostle Paul rejoices that the church at Philippi had become concerned about his needs. He had been praying for them. Now Paul rejoices at the way God had answered his prayers and provided an opportunity for them to be of service to him while he was in prison at Rome. Then Paul says in verse 11, “For I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” The word “learned” means “learned by experience” Paul had to go through many difficult experiences in life in order to learn how to be content. When Paul wrote these words, he was deprived of almost everything – except contentment.

I may have shared this illustration with you before , but it’s so appropriate for this verse. Leaning on his fence one day, a devout Quaker, who believed in simplicity of life, was watching a new neighbor move in next door. After all kinds of modern appliances, electronic gadgets, and plush furnishings had been carried into the house, the Quaker called over to his new neighbor and said, “If you are lacking anything, neighbor, let me know, and I’ll show you how to live without it.” That Quaker and the apostle Paul had at least one thing in common – they had learned the secret of contentment. We may not always be able to choose our circumstances in life, but we can choose our attitude toward them.

The opposite of contentment is dissatisfaction or greed. I’m sure we’ve all met greedy people, but people aren’t the only ones who are greedy. An animal that is almost impossible to capture is the ring-tailed monkey of Africa. But the Zulu people have a method that’s both simple and effective. It’s based on this little creature’s love for a particular melon that grows on a vine. The seeds are its favorite food. Knowing this, the Zulus cut a small hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey to put his hand inside to get the delicious morsels. The little fellow reaches through the hole and grabs as many seeds as he can. But pulling his clenched fist out of the melon is impossible because now it is larger than the hole. He will pull and tug and scream and struggle to get free, but it’s no use. As long as he holds on to his prized seeds, he is trapped by the melon – and the Zulus have captured one more ring-tailed monkey.

All too often we also become the victims of our own selfishness and greed. Lured by the attractiveness of material things, we strive to get more and more. Then one day we realize that what we have been living for is the cause of our frustration and unhappiness. Our hand is in the “hole” and we can’t seem to get it out because we won’t let go!

Happy is the person, whether wealthy or poor, whose greatest satisfaction is in the Lord Jesus Christ! That person can say with the apostle Paul, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”

Paul’s motto is found in verse 13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” A father found his little boy one day trying to lift a heavy stone. The youngster pushed, pulled, and struggled to get the boulder to move. Then, as he was just about to give up, his dad said, “Son, are you using all your strength?” “Sure am”, he answered. “No, you aren’t”, the father responded. “I’ve been standing here all the time and you haven’t asked me for help!” How often have we tried to do things without relying on God’s strength? We use up all our energies, and then, because the task seems impossible, we’re tempted to throw up our hands and give up. Remember, we are not using all our strength unless we are drawing upon the power of the Lord Jesus Christ in us.

II. PAUL’S GRATITUDE (verses 14-18)

In verses 10-13, Paul expresses his gratitude to the church at Philippi for their many gifts, especially for their most recent gift. In verse 15, Paul says “No church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone.” They showed their devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ, and their love for the apostle Paul, by giving sacrificially to Paul. Let me share with you another example of sacrificial giving. In about 1490, two friends, Albrecht Durer and Franz Knigstein were struggling to become artists. They were very poor and a lot of training was involved. So they decided that one would work and support both while the other pursued art classes. They cast lots and Durer won. Before leaving, he assured Franz that he would return and help him so that he could develop his talent. He did come back to keep his promise, but to his surprise, he discovered the enormous price his friend paid. Hard labor had caused his slender, sensitive fingers to become stiff and twisted. They would never be able to perform the delicate brush strokes necessary in fine painting. On one occasion Durer found Franz kneeling, his gnarled hands folded as he prayed for his companion. Quickly the great artist sketched that scene, and from it he produced his masterpiece, “The Praying Hands”. The world is richer because of Albrecht Durer, but much credit must also go to his faithful friend.

In verse 18, the apostle Paul thanks the Philippian church for their most recent gift. He calls it “a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.” Thank you notes give us the opportunity to make permanent our feelings of gratitude for our friends or loved ones. Paul sent a thank you note to the Christians at Philippi. They were the only church that had supported him financially on his missionary journey, and Paul did more than just say thanks. He told them specifically what good they had done by helping him. Thank you notes work both ways. They help the sender to express appreciation, and they help the receiver to know what he had done to assist. Does someone you know deserve a note of thanks?

III. PRAISE TO GOD (verses 19-20)

In verses 19 and 20, Paul gives praise and glory to God, and says, “You met my need, and God is going to meet your every need.” A needy widow in Chicago lived by the motto: “The Lord will provide.” Even when severely tested, Mrs. Hokanson never lost her smile and her deep faith. Casting all her cares on God, she found that He always took the burden and supplied the needs.

Mrs. Hokanson was the sole support for her mentally retarded son. Eventually, chronic arthritis confined her to bed. When a church youth group went over to Mrs. Hokanson’s house to cheer her up,, they were amazed to discover that she was not depressed. When she was asked, “What will you and Arthur do?” She gave her usual quiet, confident response, “The Lord will provide.” When Mrs. Hokanson died, many people wondered what would happen to her son. But when friends and neighbors went home with Arthur after the funeral, he proudly showed them his collection of stamps. Instead of tearing the stamps off the envelopes, he had taken and kept over a hundred letters intended for his mother and left them unopened. Many contained substantial gifts – enough to care for the boy for the rest of his life.

When we cast all our cares on the Lord, we’ll be amazed at the wondrous way He provides! Our needs can never exhaust God’s supply.

God’s promise to provide for our needs covers the little things as well as the big ones. The same God who helped Elisha retrieve the borrowed axe head in II Kings 6, and who supplied flour and oil for a faithful widow in I Kings 17, will meet all our needs as well, not only the physical needs, but also the emotional, social, and spiritual needs. We worship a God who is greater than any of our problems.

Have you learned the secret of contentment in your life? If you are still searching and want answers, please go to my ABOUT PAGE, especially to the section entitled QUESTION. If you have more questions or want to know more about a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, please leave a comment and I’ll respond to you. Thank you for your attention, and may God give you the joy and contentment you desire as you respond to Him.