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February 4, 2011
As I sat in Bible study last night I was struck by the similarities between the story of Jonah and many of our current battles among church methodologies, styles and ideologies. Let me explain.
Jonah was called of God to "GO" to Nineveh. He wasn’t asked to stay and wait hoping some of them might find their way to the temple. Jonah was asked to pack up his things, and go to the sinful and vile center of the Assyrian empire. He was asked to go into the midst of their culture to meet them where they lived and share with them the word of God. The Ninevites were a vile, nasty and vicious people. They didn’t care about the God of the Israelites. They had little empathy for the suffering of those they conquered. Yet God called Jonah to go and share His word with them.
Chapter four is where the story get interesting. After preaching to them, much to Jonah’s dissatisfaction, Nineveh repented and God spared the city. Jonah was furious with God. Imagine that; furious with God because he had mercy on sinners. Jonah said, “I knew that You are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to become angry, rich in faithful love, and one who from sending disaster.” I don’t know about you, but I would hate to be recorded for all of history as one who was angry with God because he was merciful to sinners.
Later on that day, Jonah sits on a hillside and waits to see if God will destroy them anyway. I think Jonah secretly wanted God to pull back from being merciful. As the story continues, God provides a plant to shade Jonah and then later takes it way. Jonah becomes so miserable, he asks God to kill him. What a baby! But this event gives us a glimpse into the heart of Jonah and his motivations.
Jonah is selfish. Bottom line, Jonah is more concerned with his own comfort, than with the salvation of the Ninevites. God says to Jonah, “Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”(NLT)
Here is the question for us to ponder. Have we become a religious culture more concerned for our own comfort than for the millions of people living in spiritual darkness? Do we complain and fight for methodologies, styles, and ideologies that are built around our own selfishness whims and desires while many die and spend an eternity separated from God?
Do not misunderstand me. I am not advocating for one methodology or style over another. My question goes deeper than that. God has called us to “GO” to those who need his word, meet them on their turf, in their culture and call them to repentance. But like Jonah, many of us run from this calling.
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