100:00:00,040 –> 00:00:02,800as a team200:00:03,680 –> 00:00:08,480is a large cities so the folks there in doing what folks in every large city to300:00:09,040 –> 00:00:12,640they’re concerned with the relentlessness let those lines400:00:13,120 –> 00:00:16,920running businesses raising families and join the sports500:00:18,040 –> 00:00:20,879and Gina comes into the city600:00:21,639 –> 00:00:24,080where people are consumed with monado700:00:25,000 –> 00:00:27,200and he says let me tell you about the future800:00:27,520 –> 00:00:32,000Welcome to open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick900:00:32,000 –> 00:00:37,279I’m pleased you could be with us today and Colin for many of us whether we live in a big city or not1000:00:37,520 –> 00:00:43,540We can relate to the busyness of the people of Nineveh our schedules are just relentless. Yeah, that’s right1100:00:43,560 –> 00:00:48,520I don’t think there’s many people listening to us right now as we’re thinking I’m looking for something to fill my day today1200:00:48,520 –> 00:00:50,840Right, so we’re consumed with everything1300:00:50,840 –> 00:00:56,259We think we have to get done and we don’t slow down for long enough to hear what God is trying to say to us1400:00:56,299 –> 00:00:56,740Yeah1500:00:56,740 –> 00:00:58,560And when Jonah came into Nineveh1600:00:58,560 –> 00:01:05,180It was just one sentence that caught the attention of busy people forty more days and Nineveh is going to be destroyed1700:01:05,180 –> 00:01:10,959You’ve got forty days to live suddenly people who are rushing through the relentlessness of life1800:01:11,339 –> 00:01:13,339They’re beginning to think wait a minute1900:01:13,339 –> 00:01:18,300I got to start thinking seriously because I’ve been told something that makes life look very different indeed2000:01:18,300 –> 00:01:23,680So the Ninevites had that one simple message, what do you think God is saying to us today?2100:01:24,220 –> 00:01:25,739Well, he wouldn’t be 40 days2200:01:25,739 –> 00:01:28,800That was the prophetic word there but it is the same theme2300:01:28,860 –> 00:01:33,779You know here we are in time in the business of our lives. But what about eternity?2400:01:34,419 –> 00:01:41,000That’s coming and it’s unavoidable. It’s a head of every single person. We’re gonna meet God2500:01:41,000 –> 00:01:43,099We got to prepare to meet with God2600:01:43,099 –> 00:01:45,540and so the message that Jonah brought is2700:01:45,699 –> 00:01:50,199Essentially the message that runs right throughout the Bible and it’s the message that we’re focused on today2800:01:50,239 –> 00:01:54,400So that’s where we’ll be today in Jonah re as we begin a message2900:01:54,739 –> 00:02:03,160Resigned God’s work here is Colin we come today to Jonah in chapter three, which describes for us. The amazing story3000:02:03,480 –> 00:02:05,480of how a large city3100:02:06,040 –> 00:02:10,479Was transformed through the proclamation of God’s word3200:02:10,479 –> 00:02:15,279I want to jump straight into it today in verse one of chapter three where we’re told3300:02:15,600 –> 00:02:18,940That the Word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time3400:02:19,860 –> 00:02:22,380Go to the great city of Nineveh and3500:02:23,139 –> 00:02:28,139Proclaim to it the message that I give you now isn’t that a wonderful thing3600:02:28,899 –> 00:02:31,559That the Word of God comes a second time3700:02:32,940 –> 00:02:37,539How many of us were ever converted the first time we heard the Gospel?3800:02:38,500 –> 00:02:45,259how many of us can say that we have consistently obeyed the Lord the first time that his word has come to our hearts and3900:02:45,500 –> 00:02:48,740How wonderful it is that God very graciously4000:02:49,320 –> 00:02:50,759Does not4100:02:50,759 –> 00:02:52,759sign off his4200:02:53,220 –> 00:02:56,919Servants when we fail and we disobey, but in His great mercy4300:02:56,919 –> 00:03:00,399He perseveres with us and in His great patience4400:03:00,399 –> 00:03:05,720He will often bring us full circle back to where we were once before and give us another4500:03:06,059 –> 00:03:08,880Opportunity to move forward in His grace4600:03:09,380 –> 00:03:15,139It’s very interesting that when God brings Jonah full circle. He brings him back to the same place he was before4700:03:15,139 –> 00:03:22,080It’s not a different Commission. It’s the same Commission Jonah. Here’s what I want you to do. I want you to go to, Nineveh and4800:03:22,880 –> 00:03:26,940To proclaim their the word that I give to you4900:03:27,779 –> 00:03:34,039Now it was not a foregone conclusion that Jonah would go to Nineveh when God called him the second time after all5000:03:34,740 –> 00:03:36,839nothing had changed in Nineveh5100:03:37,339 –> 00:03:43,020Since Jonah was first called by God and that meant that he had to overcome all the old5200:03:43,179 –> 00:03:45,179Barriers that had come up in his mind5300:03:45,800 –> 00:03:52,100Against going and fulfilling God’s call in the first place and he even had to overcome some new barriers as well5400:03:52,559 –> 00:03:55,419For example, he still had to overcome his fear5500:03:55,660 –> 00:04:03,320The Assyrians you remember were known for their terror and for their torture and that hadn’t changed since God first5600:04:03,320 –> 00:04:06,580Called Jonah none of it was still the city of blood5700:04:07,139 –> 00:04:11,539Still full of lies still full of plunder and still never without victims5800:04:11,539 –> 00:04:14,259That’s the way may whom describes it in chapter 3?5900:04:14,259 –> 00:04:16,160Nothing had changed in Nineveh6000:04:16,160 –> 00:04:22,059So Jonah had to overcome the same fears that would have been there when God called him the first time6100:04:22,500 –> 00:04:27,079In addition to the barriers he faced before there was now the issue of his own shame6200:04:27,559 –> 00:04:34,440Jonah had failed the Lord big time as many of us full see places in our lives where we have failed the Lord and6300:04:34,619 –> 00:04:39,820when his sin had been exposed he must have said can God really use me and6400:04:40,799 –> 00:04:46,380Jonah had to overcome his shame in order to move forward in obedience to the Lord6500:04:47,040 –> 00:04:49,619Then there was the whole issue of self interest6600:04:50,239 –> 00:04:52,239Remember the Assyrian army6700:04:52,279 –> 00:04:56,459were the greatest single threat to God’s people in the time of Jonah and6800:04:56,519 –> 00:05:03,519That is why many of God’s people would have been very pleased if God had destroyed the city of Nineveh and the rest of the6900:05:03,739 –> 00:05:06,040Assyrian Kingdom as well and7000:05:06,640 –> 00:05:08,640Jonah tells us in chapter 47100:05:08,760 –> 00:05:12,279Candidly that that was one of the reasons he didn’t want to go to Neneva7200:05:12,279 –> 00:05:17,700He was afraid that God might have compassion on them. He would far rather they had been destroyed and7300:05:18,380 –> 00:05:21,459So he still has to overcome this self-interest7400:05:22,040 –> 00:05:28,320Which is that in the view of the people of God the world would have been better without as Syria and now God is calling7500:05:29,000 –> 00:05:32,679Jonah to go to one of the main Assyrian cities and to7600:05:33,160 –> 00:05:34,839proclaim God’s Word7700:05:34,839 –> 00:05:40,459And he said that’s just going to lead to God’s compassion and his mercy and I don’t know that that’s what we want7800:05:40,940 –> 00:05:45,359So he has to overcome self-interest and of course he has to overcome unbelief7900:05:46,920 –> 00:05:53,239How easy is it to believe that God can change the city through the Ministry of the Word of God one man in a Bible8000:05:54,160 –> 00:05:56,160but that takes some believing and8100:05:57,000 –> 00:06:00,899So all these barriers to obedience have to be overcome8200:06:01,459 –> 00:06:06,799When God calls Jona a second time Nineveh had not changed8300:06:07,260 –> 00:06:11,339but by the grace and the mercy of God Jonah had changed and8400:06:11,660 –> 00:06:15,579so verse three we read Jonah obeyed the Word of the Lord and8500:06:16,059 –> 00:06:18,059He went to Nineveh8600:06:18,339 –> 00:06:24,619Now by any standards what happened through Jonah’s ministry in Nineveh was an extraordinary8700:06:25,179 –> 00:06:27,179work of God’s Grace8800:06:27,799 –> 00:06:33,959I want us to see from the Bible what happened here in the unusual response of these people8900:06:34,660 –> 00:06:41,000First in verse five when Jonah preached the word of God the Ninevite’s believed God they believed9000:06:41,959 –> 00:06:47,339Second verse five they declared a fast all of them, and they put on sackcloth9100:06:47,880 –> 00:06:51,339Third verse six the king rose from his throne9200:06:51,820 –> 00:06:56,440You picture this the king rising from his throne. He takes off his robes9300:06:56,440 –> 00:07:03,380And the king puts on sackcloth and the king sits down in the dust as an expression of his repentance9400:07:03,880 –> 00:07:07,339The sackcloth business was a way of expressing humility9500:07:08,299 –> 00:07:10,000repentance penitence9600:07:10,000 –> 00:07:17,540Sorrow before God and the king said even the animals in Nineveh are to be covered with sackcloth9700:07:17,540 –> 00:07:20,619we want God to know that this whole community is9800:07:20,859 –> 00:07:27,700Really sorry for what we have done that has brought offence to him and that we really are turning from our evil ways9900:07:28,260 –> 00:07:34,359The king issues a proclamation verse 8 let everyone call urgently on God10000:07:35,779 –> 00:07:37,779So there’s prayer a10100:07:38,660 –> 00:07:41,559National call to prayer verse 810200:07:42,660 –> 00:07:48,619Verse 8 there’s a call to repentance. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence10300:07:48,739 –> 00:07:49,619Verse 9 who knows10400:07:51,779 –> 00:07:57,600God may even yet relent and with compassion turn from the fears and fears anger so that we will not10500:07:58,059 –> 00:08:05,480Perish so there is faith in the response the Ninevites believed God that is prayer in the response10600:08:05,660 –> 00:08:10,119They called urgently on the Lord. There is repentance they10700:08:10,899 –> 00:08:16,420Give up their evil ways and turn from their violence and there is hope in the mercy of God10800:08:17,079 –> 00:08:22,260Perhaps he will have compassion on us and not bring the destruction10900:08:22,260 –> 00:08:25,179he has threatened though by any standards11000:08:26,339 –> 00:08:30,380For a city that is known for terror and violence11100:08:31,160 –> 00:08:35,099For a city full of lies a city full of plunder a city full of blood11200:08:35,979 –> 00:08:40,059To see that kind of response on a citywide level11300:08:40,599 –> 00:08:45,440To the Ministry of the Word of God is absolutely extraordinary11400:08:45,440 –> 00:08:49,179It is an amazing transformation of a whole11500:08:50,000 –> 00:08:52,619megacity at least in terms of11600:08:53,140 –> 00:09:00,719The world in those days now. I want us to focus in on this most important thing for us11700:09:01,960 –> 00:09:03,960how was it that11800:09:04,080 –> 00:09:08,859this transformation of a great city came about11900:09:09,299 –> 00:09:13,059You’re listening to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith and a message called12000:09:13,539 –> 00:09:18,099Resign God’s work. It’s part of our series how to avoid a God-Centered life12100:09:18,099 –> 00:09:23,539And that’s based on the book of Jonah if you ever missed one of pastor Cullen’s messages12200:09:23,539 –> 00:09:28,419It’s very easy to catch up or go back and listen again by coming online to our website12300:09:28,840 –> 00:09:34,659Open the Bible dot org dot UK or you can also find us as a podcast on all the main12400:09:34,659 –> 00:09:38,219Podcast sites by searching for open the Bible UK12500:09:38,799 –> 00:09:40,880Open the Bible is supported by our listeners12600:09:40,880 –> 00:09:45,080That’s people just like you and if you already give to support the work12700:09:45,299 –> 00:09:46,820Thank you so much12800:09:46,820 –> 00:09:49,460if that’s something you’re considering doing if12900:09:49,580 –> 00:09:56,059you’re able to begin a new direct debit to the work of open the Bible in the amount of five pounds per month or more or13000:09:56,059 –> 00:09:58,159a one-off gift of fifty pounds or more13100:09:58,700 –> 00:10:03,039We’d be delighted to say, thank you by sending you a special gift13200:10:03,299 –> 00:10:06,559It’s a book called gospel stories by Andrew Wilson13300:10:07,140 –> 00:10:10,419The book explores real encounters with Jesus13400:10:11,059 –> 00:10:17,619conversations and moments that revealed who he is and why he came and the kind of love that he offers a13500:10:17,919 –> 00:10:21,280love that pursues forgives and restores and13600:10:21,599 –> 00:10:23,000Never, let’s go13700:10:23,000 –> 00:10:25,640That’s gospel stories by Andrew Wilson13800:10:25,640 –> 00:10:32,520And it’s our free gift to you when you begin supporting open the Bible with a direct debit or a one-off gift13900:10:33,000 –> 00:10:35,460Full terms and conditions are on our website14000:10:35,559 –> 00:10:37,559That’s at open the Bible.org14100:10:37,960 –> 00:10:39,960UK and you can give online14200:10:41,059 –> 00:10:46,179Back to the message now. Here again is Colin. Now. I want us to focus in on14300:10:46,979 –> 00:10:48,979This most important thing for us14400:10:49,940 –> 00:10:51,940How was it?14500:10:52,020 –> 00:10:56,659That this transformation of a great city came about14600:10:57,539 –> 00:10:59,539That’s a great question for us to ask14700:11:00,400 –> 00:11:02,440We also live in a great city14800:11:02,440 –> 00:11:03,659with14900:11:03,659 –> 00:11:05,659Much good, but also much evil15000:11:07,059 –> 00:11:13,239With many who love and worship the Lord and many who have no idea of Him are of His ways15100:11:14,200 –> 00:11:16,559And we’re asking the question15200:11:17,440 –> 00:11:20,179from the Bible how in15300:11:20,900 –> 00:11:23,460history did God bring about a15400:11:24,380 –> 00:11:26,380transformation of15500:11:26,460 –> 00:11:28,460one of the world’s15600:11:28,979 –> 00:11:30,979great cities in15700:11:31,500 –> 00:11:33,500The time of Jonah15800:11:33,539 –> 00:11:35,599And I want us to notice three things15900:11:36,820 –> 00:11:38,820the message16000:11:38,880 –> 00:11:40,880the man and16100:11:41,140 –> 00:11:43,500the moment these three things16200:11:45,659 –> 00:11:49,419Here’s the first then the message God sent his word16300:11:50,700 –> 00:11:52,440to change16400:11:52,440 –> 00:11:59,219The city that’s the first thing that we learned from Jonah and chapter 3 on the first day verse 416500:12:00,039 –> 00:12:01,320Jonah16600:12:01,320 –> 00:12:04,119Started into the city. What did he do?16700:12:05,159 –> 00:12:07,159He proclaimed16800:12:08,000 –> 00:12:10,14040 more days and Nineveh16900:12:11,260 –> 00:12:13,260Will be overturned. I17000:12:13,960 –> 00:12:16,840Want you to try and imagine the impact of this ministry?17100:12:18,799 –> 00:12:23,619Nineveh’s a large city. So the folks that are doing what folks in every large city do17200:12:24,119 –> 00:12:27,479They’re concerned with the relentlessness of their own lives17300:12:28,299 –> 00:12:32,260Running businesses raising families enjoying sports and17400:12:33,979 –> 00:12:36,140Jonah comes into this city17500:12:36,900 –> 00:12:42,380Where people are consumed with the now and he says let me tell you about the future17600:12:43,900 –> 00:12:45,979Let me point you to what is coming17700:12:47,760 –> 00:12:52,21940 more days and Nineveh will be destroyed17800:12:52,239 –> 00:12:54,219destroyed17900:12:54,219 –> 00:12:57,760And I want to draw this principle from that that authentic18000:12:58,679 –> 00:13:00,679gospel preaching18100:13:00,780 –> 00:13:03,700Always engages people with internal issues18200:13:04,719 –> 00:13:06,080it18300:13:06,080 –> 00:13:10,580intercepts the lives of ordinary city dwellers suburban people like ourselves18400:13:11,419 –> 00:13:17,859Who are consumed with the here and the now and everything that is happening in our lives and authentic gospel preaching18500:13:18,460 –> 00:13:23,080Intersects that preoccupation with the now and engages us with18600:13:23,880 –> 00:13:27,520eternal issues 40 more days and Nineveh will be destroyed18700:13:29,280 –> 00:13:35,940Now this isn’t just Jonah, there’s a biblical pattern here. Where did the teaching and preaching of our Lord Jesus begin?18800:13:37,380 –> 00:13:39,700The kingdom of God is at hand18900:13:40,479 –> 00:13:42,500Repent and believe the good news. See19000:13:43,059 –> 00:13:45,059Something is imminent19100:13:45,119 –> 00:13:47,119God coming near19200:13:47,979 –> 00:13:54,380Where does Paul begin his presentation of the gospel when he sets it out so clearly in the book of Romans19300:13:55,419 –> 00:13:58,440Well, he begins chapter 1 in verse 18 with this19400:13:59,340 –> 00:14:04,280The wrath of God is being revealed against all the godlessness and wickedness of men19500:14:05,099 –> 00:14:07,099There’s a judgment that’s coming19600:14:07,640 –> 00:14:11,940It cannot simply live in the preoccupation of life in your world19700:14:12,659 –> 00:14:14,659There is a reality that is ahead19800:14:15,239 –> 00:14:18,880God and eternity are nearer than you think and19900:14:19,880 –> 00:14:21,880an authentic ministry of the gospel20000:14:22,539 –> 00:14:24,539engages people with20100:14:24,619 –> 00:14:30,340Eternal issues, that’s what Jonah does here 40 more days and Nineveh will be destroyed20200:14:32,619 –> 00:14:38,700Now, I don’t think that’s the only thing he said he wasn’t just going around like an automaton repeating a sentence20300:14:38,700 –> 00:14:45,580But seriously, I mean if you just think about our own country in the last year as we’ve gone through the presidential election20400:14:47,099 –> 00:14:49,059Our new president20500:14:49,059 –> 00:14:51,080ran an entire campaign20600:14:52,219 –> 00:14:53,760that20700:14:53,760 –> 00:14:59,359Communicated essentially to everyone in the nation with great effect. One word which was20800:15:00,080 –> 00:15:03,479Even older everyone knows that the message was one word20900:15:04,840 –> 00:15:08,219Now everyone in Nineveh knew that the message of Jonah was one sentence21000:15:08,700 –> 00:15:13,659But all the times he spoke, for all the things that he said, everyone knew that what this man’s message was21100:15:14,599 –> 00:15:15,719was simply21200:15:15,719 –> 00:15:19,02040 more days and Nineveh will be21300:15:19,719 –> 00:15:21,719destroyed21400:15:21,719 –> 00:15:25,320And God took that one sentence and21500:15:25,780 –> 00:15:29,500He burned it into the hearts and into the minds of the people21600:15:30,340 –> 00:15:32,340He brought conviction through it21700:15:33,059 –> 00:15:36,200He brought repentance through the ministry of his word21800:15:36,979 –> 00:15:38,979Cities change21900:15:39,080 –> 00:15:41,080when people hear22000:15:41,460 –> 00:15:43,460the Word of God22100:15:44,419 –> 00:15:46,840You know the city of Glasgow in Scotland22200:15:47,580 –> 00:15:51,419You ever get a chance to visit Glasgow we’ll never visit there22300:15:52,280 –> 00:15:54,260You know in the center of the city22400:15:54,840 –> 00:16:00,039There is a large bell and it has the city motto engraved on it22500:16:00,780 –> 00:16:03,280the city motto for Glasgow is22600:16:04,239 –> 00:16:07,419Let Glasgow flourish22700:16:07,619 –> 00:16:10,419by the preaching of God’s Word22800:16:10,599 –> 00:16:14,700Isn’t that a great motto for an international city?22900:16:15,880 –> 00:16:18,739Of course they’ve shortened it now23000:16:19,119 –> 00:16:20,700And it is no longer23100:16:20,700 –> 00:16:23,619Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of God’s Word23200:16:23,619 –> 00:16:25,539you can guess what it is it’s just23300:16:25,539 –> 00:16:28,559Let Glasgow flourish23400:16:29,320 –> 00:16:32,059A large number of people in Glasgow haven’t a clue23500:16:32,059 –> 00:16:35,320as to how Glasgow will flourish23600:16:37,000 –> 00:16:40,460City founders had it right23700:16:40,859 –> 00:16:44,859that a city at every level will flourish23800:16:44,859 –> 00:16:52,460through the advance of the word of the living God23900:16:52,460 –> 00:16:54,140Now let’s think about our city24000:16:54,140 –> 00:16:57,479I want you to think about this24100:16:57,479 –> 00:17:01,700If the number of people hearing the Word of God24200:17:01,700 –> 00:17:05,560in Chicago doubled24300:17:05,560 –> 00:17:10,020Just the number of people hearing the Word of God in Chicago doubled24400:17:10,020 –> 00:17:14,660Would that make a difference to our city?24500:17:14,660 –> 00:17:20,359Answer absolutely, absolutely24600:17:20,359 –> 00:17:24,660Even if people were not converted24700:17:24,660 –> 00:17:29,459hearing the word of God brings an awareness of God into the culture24800:17:29,599 –> 00:17:33,540and that’s something we’re desperately losing24900:17:33,540 –> 00:17:37,500and even if folks are not converted the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom25000:17:37,500 –> 00:17:42,780Proverbs Chapter 1 verse 725100:17:42,780 –> 00:17:48,079More than that, if people are to be converted faith comes by hearing25200:17:48,079 –> 00:17:52,319and hearing comes by the Word of God25300:17:52,319 –> 00:17:56,319Romans Chapter 10 verse 1725400:17:56,319 –> 00:17:59,060There are thousands of people in our city25500:17:59,060 –> 00:18:02,000who are comfortably absorbed in their daily lives25600:18:02,000 –> 00:18:07,900and think little or nothing of their eternal destiny25700:18:07,900 –> 00:18:11,280Would it not be a good thing in our city25800:18:11,280 –> 00:18:15,339if more of the people heard more of God’s word25900:18:15,339 –> 00:18:16,839in more of the churches?26000:18:16,839 –> 00:18:20,219That’s something to pray for26100:18:20,439 –> 00:18:27,380because God uses his word to change a city26200:18:27,380 –> 00:18:36,599Let Chicago flourish by the preaching of God’s word26300:18:38,260 –> 00:18:43,859God uses his man to change the city26400:18:43,859 –> 00:18:46,680I want you to notice that this great principle26500:18:46,680 –> 00:18:49,739not only does God work through his word26600:18:49,739 –> 00:18:52,660but God’s word comes through his people26700:18:53,800 –> 00:18:55,359God used Jonah26800:18:56,199 –> 00:19:00,099and I want you to see how wonderfully God used everything26900:19:00,099 –> 00:19:03,079that he had been doing in Jonah’s life27000:19:03,079 –> 00:19:05,079for the eternal good27100:19:05,079 –> 00:19:08,540of these people in the city of Nineveh27200:19:08,979 –> 00:19:10,339Now here’s an interesting question27300:19:10,339 –> 00:19:13,260that some of the folks who’ve written on Jonah debate27400:19:13,260 –> 00:19:16,260and it’s an intriguing question27500:19:17,079 –> 00:19:19,079Did Jonah27600:19:19,420 –> 00:19:21,699tell the people in Nineveh27700:19:21,699 –> 00:19:23,680about his own experience27800:19:23,680 –> 00:19:26,479as to the route by which he had got there?27900:19:27,040 –> 00:19:28,119interesting question28000:19:28,119 –> 00:19:31,959well, I’m persuaded that the answer to that question is yes28100:19:32,859 –> 00:19:34,959and I believe that for two reasons28200:19:34,959 –> 00:19:36,640that I want to offer to you28300:19:36,640 –> 00:19:39,540The first is the words of the king in verse nine28400:19:40,500 –> 00:19:41,699when the king says28500:19:41,699 –> 00:19:43,699Who knows, God may yet relent28600:19:44,040 –> 00:19:46,400and with compassion turn from his fierce anger28700:19:46,400 –> 00:19:48,400so that we will not perish28800:19:49,660 –> 00:19:52,339where did the king get the idea that God has compassion28900:19:54,459 –> 00:19:56,579if all that Jonah had said was29000:19:56,579 –> 00:19:58,979forty more days and Nineveh will be destroyed29100:19:59,939 –> 00:20:01,739how would the king have had reason to hope29200:20:01,739 –> 00:20:03,819in the mercy and compassion of God29300:20:05,380 –> 00:20:07,900But if the king knew Jonah’s story29400:20:08,660 –> 00:20:10,520he would have had reason to say29500:20:10,640 –> 00:20:14,439aah, but if God saved his rebel servant Jonah29600:20:15,680 –> 00:20:18,000then maybe he will have mercy also29700:20:18,000 –> 00:20:20,119on this rebellious city29800:20:21,199 –> 00:20:23,680You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith29900:20:23,680 –> 00:20:25,280and Colin will be back in just a moment30000:20:25,280 –> 00:20:26,880with some final thoughts30100:20:27,599 –> 00:20:28,760today’s message is called30200:20:28,760 –> 00:20:30,400Resign God’s Work30300:20:31,000 –> 00:20:31,920and it’s part of our series30400:20:31,920 –> 00:20:34,239How To Avoid A God-Centered Life30500:20:34,520 –> 00:20:36,160based on the book of Jonah30600:20:36,520 –> 00:20:37,560Don’t forget if you ever miss30700:20:37,560 –> 00:20:39,319one of the messages in the series30800:20:39,359 –> 00:20:40,680you can easily catch up30900:20:40,680 –> 00:20:42,239or go back and listen again31000:20:42,239 –> 00:20:44,119by coming online to our website31100:20:44,479 –> 00:20:47,800that’s at www.openthebible.org.uk31200:20:47,800 –> 00:20:49,599or you can find us as a podcast31300:20:49,599 –> 00:20:50,640if that’s a better way for you31400:20:50,640 –> 00:20:52,560to keep up with Pastor Colin’s teaching31500:20:52,959 –> 00:20:54,959and those are on all the main podcast sites31600:20:55,160 –> 00:20:56,880you can find them by searching for31700:20:56,880 –> 00:20:58,520Open The Bible UK31800:20:58,520 –> 00:21:01,000or by following the link from our website31900:21:01,599 –> 00:21:02,719When you’re on the website32000:21:02,719 –> 00:21:04,599or searching for podcasts32100:21:04,599 –> 00:21:07,160don’t forget about our daily series32200:21:07,160 –> 00:21:08,800Open The Bible Daily32300:21:08,839 –> 00:21:10,239It’s a series of short32400:21:10,239 –> 00:21:11,8802 to 3 minute reflections32500:21:11,880 –> 00:21:13,800based on Pastor Colin’s teaching32600:21:14,199 –> 00:21:15,479There’s a new one every day32700:21:15,479 –> 00:21:17,640and it’s available on our website32800:21:17,640 –> 00:21:19,079and as a podcast32900:21:19,599 –> 00:21:21,479A reminder of what today’s message33000:21:21,479 –> 00:21:22,839on Jonah is all about33100:21:23,199 –> 00:21:24,920Jonah spent much of his life33200:21:24,920 –> 00:21:27,199running from the God he professed to serve33300:21:27,199 –> 00:21:30,239and God knew how to deal with Jonah’s anger33400:21:30,520 –> 00:21:32,199and he knows how to deal with us33500:21:32,199 –> 00:21:34,439We don’t need to spend the rest of our lives33600:21:34,439 –> 00:21:35,560running from God33700:21:35,560 –> 00:21:37,319and Colin, I think, today’s message33800:21:37,439 –> 00:21:39,400is one we can get a lot of hope from33900:21:39,400 –> 00:21:42,319because as God’s Word is faithfully proclaimed34000:21:42,520 –> 00:21:44,439and as we spend time engaging34100:21:44,439 –> 00:21:46,520with his Word, and believing his Word34200:21:46,680 –> 00:21:48,199that’s when change happens34300:21:48,359 –> 00:21:49,479And it strikes me34400:21:49,479 –> 00:21:50,920the significant thing here34500:21:50,920 –> 00:21:53,800is that God’s Word had to come to Jonah34600:21:53,800 –> 00:21:55,839before it could come through Jonah34700:21:56,199 –> 00:21:58,599God’s Word had to change the man himself34800:21:58,599 –> 00:22:01,239before the man could be a means of ministry34900:22:01,239 –> 00:22:04,400that brought change to a city in desperate need35000:22:04,640 –> 00:22:06,280And that’s always true for us35100:22:06,680 –> 00:22:08,359It’s easy for us as Christians to think35200:22:08,400 –> 00:22:09,959now how do we take the gospel35300:22:09,959 –> 00:22:11,800to other people who are lost35400:22:11,800 –> 00:22:13,719and in darkness… and so forth and so on35500:22:13,920 –> 00:22:15,520The first question is35600:22:15,520 –> 00:22:17,959how is the gospel changing me?35700:22:17,959 –> 00:22:19,760What is the Word of God doing in my life?35800:22:19,760 –> 00:22:21,599How am I seeing my own sins?35900:22:21,599 –> 00:22:24,160How am I being changed by this Word?36000:22:24,160 –> 00:22:25,160As Jonah was36100:22:25,160 –> 00:22:27,760so that I can be before God handily36200:22:27,760 –> 00:22:29,959Because I have my own sins36300:22:30,079 –> 00:22:32,400An effective communicator36400:22:32,400 –> 00:22:35,839of his gracious gospel into the lives of others36500:22:35,959 –> 00:22:38,000Jonah was also spending a lot of time36600:22:38,000 –> 00:22:39,839talking about what was going to be36700:22:39,839 –> 00:22:42,079happening… So how important do you feel36800:22:42,079 –> 00:22:44,079it is for us, as we go out to share36900:22:44,079 –> 00:22:45,800the gospel with others to talk about37000:22:45,800 –> 00:22:47,160where they may be spending their37100:22:47,160 –> 00:22:49,280eternity? Where their future is headed?37200:22:49,280 –> 00:22:51,359This message that he proclaims37300:22:51,359 –> 00:22:53,319forty more days and none of them37400:22:53,319 –> 00:22:54,920will be destroyed… I suppose it’s37500:22:54,920 –> 00:22:56,160a little bit like the political campaign37600:22:56,160 –> 00:22:59,160as it were, it’s summed up in a soundbite37700:22:59,160 –> 00:23:01,400but that was the message that he brought37800:23:01,400 –> 00:23:04,040and here are people who are relentlessly37900:23:04,239 –> 00:23:06,800into their calendars and all the rest of it38000:23:06,800 –> 00:23:08,359every person listening to this38100:23:08,359 –> 00:23:11,040program today has a list of things to do38200:23:11,040 –> 00:23:12,400and we’re moving from one thing to38300:23:12,400 –> 00:23:15,479the next, to the next and the word38400:23:15,479 –> 00:23:16,839of God comes in and says38500:23:16,839 –> 00:23:18,520now there is eternity38600:23:18,520 –> 00:23:21,239one day everything that’s in my38700:23:21,239 –> 00:23:22,800calendar, everything that I’m working38800:23:22,800 –> 00:23:25,439for here, that’s not going to be there38900:23:25,439 –> 00:23:27,439and have I thought about eternity39000:23:27,439 –> 00:23:30,359forty more days and none of it will be39100:23:30,359 –> 00:23:32,239destroyed and then there’s me and39200:23:32,239 –> 00:23:35,000then there’s God and I need to come to39300:23:35,000 –> 00:23:37,479Him now and to know that I’m at peace39400:23:37,479 –> 00:23:39,680with Him because one day everything39500:23:39,680 –> 00:23:41,040that’s occupying me is going to pass39600:23:41,040 –> 00:23:43,280away so do you think that something we39700:23:43,280 –> 00:23:45,359should be discussing with people as part39800:23:45,359 –> 00:23:47,920of our evangelism yeah I mean at that’s39900:23:47,920 –> 00:23:49,239the only way to be faithful to the40000:23:49,239 –> 00:23:51,839gospel Jesus comes in and says the40100:23:51,839 –> 00:23:53,800Kingdom of God is a hand repent and40200:23:53,800 –> 00:23:55,459believe and so he’s pointing to40300:23:55,459 –> 00:23:57,839something that is coming here we’re40400:23:57,839 –> 00:24:00,599consumed in this culture with living my40500:24:00,599 –> 00:24:03,000best life now you can only live your40600:24:03,000 –> 00:24:05,160best life now if you’re going to hell if40700:24:05,160 –> 00:24:07,160you’re going to heaven your best life is40800:24:07,160 –> 00:24:08,339ahead of you40900:24:08,339 –> 00:24:11,060and and the gospel brings us to a place41000:24:11,060 –> 00:24:14,439of thinking about the eternal future of41100:24:14,439 –> 00:24:17,199every person every person will41200:24:17,199 –> 00:24:19,500experience either heaven or hell the41300:24:19,500 –> 00:24:22,699judgment of God or the mercy of God no41400:24:22,699 –> 00:24:25,280person experiencing both and yet this41500:24:25,280 –> 00:24:27,319mercy is offered to us in Jesus Christ41600:24:27,319 –> 00:24:29,640thank God for the transformation in41700:24:29,819 –> 00:24:31,540well that’s the first half of the41800:24:31,540 –> 00:24:33,680message next time on the program we’re41900:24:33,680 –> 00:24:35,239going to be spending time looking a42000:24:35,239 –> 00:24:37,400little bit deeper at this and how God42100:24:37,400 –> 00:24:39,400actually uses what he’s doing in your42200:24:39,400 –> 00:24:41,719life to reach others to impact others42300:24:41,719 –> 00:24:43,839and we’re going to see with a little bit42400:24:43,839 –> 00:24:46,560more detail how never was changed and42500:24:46,560 –> 00:24:48,640the change God may want to do in your42600:24:48,640 –> 00:24:50,640life as well so I hope you’ll join us42700:24:50,640 –> 00:24:52,439for the next part in our series how to42800:24:52,439 –> 00:24:55,280avoid a God-centered life for open the42900:24:55,280 –> 00:24:57,400Bible and pastor Colin Smith I’m David43000:24:57,400 –> 00:24:59,020pic and I look forward to being with you43100:24:59,219 –> 00:25:02,020again next time43200:25:10,300 –> 00:25:13,219God never wastes anything he uses your43300:25:13,219 –> 00:25:15,520failures and shame to advance the43400:25:15,520 –> 00:25:18,800gospel find out how next time on open43500:25:18,800 –> 00:25:23,420the Bible