The Post-Revival Blues

We are back in our study of Jonah this morning, in fact, we are concluding our study in our time together. So take your Bible and join me in the Old Testament book of Jonah.

 

Now as you’re finding the book of Jonah, let me tell you about a new series of messages that will begin next Sunday that I believe God is going to use to help sweeten up our home life. I’m calling it the M & M’s series.

Marriage & Money, Marriage & Mates, Marriage & Morality, Marriage & Mentoring. M & M’s! And I’ll be preaching these messages in both our 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. worship gatherings. I hope you will plan to be here with a friend. The M & M’s message series!

Now today as we conclude our series of messages under the heading LIFE ON THE RUN … we come to chapter 4.

All of us find ourselves today living in one of the four chapters of Jonah. I’m talking to some people today that are living in chapter 1. Like Jonah, you are running from God! And if so, let me give you two words to consider that we’ve learned from Jonah.

First, the word DISCIPLINE.

Hebrews 12.6, “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” Here’s another translation of Hebrews 12.6, “the Lord disciplines those He loves and punishes everyone He accepts as a son.” Just as a loving parent disciplines their children because they love them, God disciplines those who are saved when rebellion takes place.

So, if you belong to Him and you run from Him, you can anticipate God’s discipline! And if when you run from Him and don’t receive His discipline, it’s because you don’t belong to Him. Hebrews 12.8, “But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.”

So there is the word DISCIPLINE.

The second word to you who are running from God today is the word DANGER.

Let me ask you a question: who did Jonah place in danger by running from God? Not just himself, but those who were the closest to him, right? And so do you! When we run from God … we place those closest to us in danger: physical danger, spiritual danger, emotional danger, psychological danger! The best thing that can be said about running from God is that it’s a waste of time! Now some of you have had enough of chapter 1 living and you’ve started living in chapter 2: Running to God. That’s what happened to Jonah.

After he chose to run from God, God pursed Him just like God pursues you. And aren’t you glad that He does! I know I am. So that’s chapter 2. But some of you today are living in chapter 3: Running with God! That’s where the joy is! That’s where the peace is! That’s where the power is! There is nothing like running with God in sweet fellowship!

Now that brings us to chapter 4 where we find Jonah running ahead of God.. As you know, after Jonah repented of his sin and began running with God, God used him in one of the greatest revivals in history and it took place in the city of Nineveh. It’s amazing what God can get done through one man who decides to run with Him. Don’t tell me that one person cannot make a difference! If you don’t believe me, just ask the people of Nineveh!

What do you think would happen if you got right with God? I mean, if you stopped running from God and started running with God. What kind of impact would you make if you got right with God?

Men, if you decided to get off of the fence of compromise and sell out to God, how would that impact your wife? Your child? Your parents? Your neighbors? Your co-workers?

Ladies, if you decided to start running with God, how would that impact your marriage? Your children? Your relationships? Oh, just think of how life would change for yous and for those around you if you stopped running from God and started running with God!

That’s what happened to Jonah! He repented from his sin and committed himself to God and an entire city was saved. I wonder who would get saved if you got right with God? Perhaps a husband? Or maybe a wife? Or a son or a daughter?

Well, after revival fell in Nineveh, you would think that Jonah would be praising God! But that’s not what happened. In fact ..rather than praising, Jonah began pouting! In fact, he got so low that he said to God in 4.3, “… please take my life from me, it is better for me to die than to live.” You see, Jonah experienced what I want to call: The Post-Revival Blues and we read about it beginning in chapter 4.1.

 

 

The Post-Revival Blues

1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2 So he prayed to the LORD, and said, “Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. 3 Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than live!”
4 Then the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 5 So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. 6 And the LORD God prepared a plant[a] and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7 But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8 And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 Then God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" And he said, "It is right for me to be angry, even to death!"
10 But the LORD said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”

Now notice that chapter 4 begins with the word “But.” “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry.” Circle the word “but.” It expresses opposition or contradiction. Jonah stood in opposition to the revival God had sent as a result of the repentance of the Ninevites.

Now this wasn’t the first time Jonah stood in opposition to God. Jonah 1.3, “But Jonah ..” 1.5, “… but Jonah, “. That little word “but” carries a cargo of opposition to the will of God.

We do the same thing today. We say, “Lord, I’m turning from my sin, but …” Lord, I want your will regarding this relationship, but.” “Lord, I’m going to be a tither, but ..” “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry.” He was angry with God for saving the Ninevites!

By the way, God didn’t make Jonah angry. Jonah made Jonah angry! Nobody can make you angry, you make you angry! Anger is an emotional choice we each make. Anger is a choice we make as a response to a situation or to a person or to an event. And for every minute you’re angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness! Proverbs 19.19, “A man of great anger shall suffer.” And Jonah suffered for his anger will you!

Now before our time is spent, lets see how Jonah dealt with his Post-Revival Blues.

(1)The Prayer to the LORD.

Now give him credit! He’s displeased! He’s angry! Now often when some body is displeased or angry, prayer is not on their radar! But not Jonah! Though he was displeased and angry, both bad choices, he made a good choice: He sought God through prayer!

Now a man’s prayer life reveals much about his heart. Listen to what comes out of a man in his prayer and learn what’s in a man. Take Jonah for example. His prayer gives us some insight into what was inside of him.

Here’s what we learn through his prayer:

-the reason for his departure.

Verse 2, “So he prayed to the LORD, and said, ‘Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness. One who relents from doing harm.”

That’s why he didn’t want to go to Nineveh: He knew that God was “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents from doing harm.” And because He knew God … he knew that if he went to those godless, unrighteous, pagan Ninevites, that some of them would be saved. And quite frankly, Jonah didn’t want to see them saved. He didn’t want them forgiven. He despised them and wanted God’s judgment to fall upon them.

Several years ago when our oldest son Jordan was just a boy, he was playing on a little-league Basketball team and had a Ninevite for a coach. Not only was he a sinner, he was a screamer and a shaker.

He would yell at those boys, grab them and even try to shake them into being better players. As a result, I had no respect for him. I wouldn’t give him the time of day. I felt toward him much like Jonah felt toward the Ninevites.

One Sunday as I stood to preach, I looked up and there he sat! In our church! Somebody in our church had the gall to invite that Ninevite to worship with us. But God was working in his life and in my life.

A few weeks later, as I gave the invitation, down the isle walked Edgar the Ninevite with tears running down his face. I walked down to the floor level and embraced him and there before God and the church, Edgar repented of his sin and decided to follow Jesus. He was never the same man after meeting Jesus. He was a different coach after he me Jesus. He was a different businessman after he met Jesus. He was a different Father after he me Jesus. And we soon became friends!

As a result of his decision, in the next few weeks, all three of his children were saved and baptized. Now let me ask you a question: are there any Ninevites in your life? Maybe somebody that you would like to see God’s judgment fall upon? 2 Peter 3.9, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing for any to perish but that all should come to repentance ...” including the Ninevites! If the book of Jonah teaches us anything, it teaches us that God wants EVERYBODY saved.

Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Don’t leave anybody out. Not even the Ninevites. Not even those you dislike because of their wickedness.

Now there is something else we learn about Jonah through his prayer. Not only the reason for his departure, but,

–the request for his death.

Verse 3, “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Plain and simple: HE WANTED TO DIE! In fact … he said the same thing to God again in verse 8b, “… It is better for me to die than to live.” Elijah said the same thing. And like Jonah, he felt that way following a great revival! Satan knows when to attack us, doesn’t he? He usually attacks us on the heels of a mighty movement of God!

And look how God responded to His pouting prophet. Verse 4, “Then the LORD said, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?” In other words, “Jonah, who do you think you are? What kind of attitude is that? After all … more than 120,000 people were just saved.”

Jonah reminds me of a bird in the Canary Islands called the Mee-Mee bird. It got it’s name by the sound it makes. When it chirps, all is says is MEE, MEE, MEE, MEE. I’ve met some people in Georgia and some of them are Baptist that remind me of the MEE MEE bird, living for self and self alone!

And look what Jonah did next. We read in verse 5, “So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, tell he might see what would become of the city.” Rather than being in Nineveh discipling and guiding and setting up small groups so that they could begin to grow, he left them like sheep without a shepherd.

(1)The Prayer to the LORD.

(2)The Preparation by the LORD.

Very briefly I want you to see how and what God prepared in order for His will to be fulfilled.

-He prepared a plant.

Verse 6, “And the LORD GOD prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from the misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant.” During the night God caused a plant to grow to cover the shelter that Jonah had built. You talk about “miracle grow!” FINALLY … Jonah was grateful for something. But again, it was all about him. I can hear him chirping, “MEE MEE, MEE MEE.”

-He prepared a worm.

Verse 7, “But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered.” Now Jonah was exposed to the hot sun!

-He prepared the wind.

Verse 8, “And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished for death for himself and said, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.” You talk about a stubborn saint! Sometimes we can get so stubborn that we would rather continue doing what we’re doing rather than to listen to God and change our ways.

A lot of people go to Hell because of their stubbornness. They know that Jesus is the only way and they know that they are lost, yet because of their stubbornness they refuse to repent of their sin and be saved.

Don’t let your stubbornness keep you out of heaven! Don’t let your stubbornness rob you of God’s best! Don’t do it!

You know, it’s kind of funny, don’t you think. Everything seemed to obey God, except Jonah. The Storm obeyed. The Fish obeyed. The Ninevites obeyed. The plant obeyed. The wind obeyed. Even the worm obeyed! They all obeyed except the man of God! You may wonder if God can use somebody like you. If God can use a worm to fulfill His purposes, He can use you too.

Now before we leave, let me show you one last thing.

(1) The Prayer to the LORD.

(2) The Preparation by the LORD.

(3) The Pity of the LORD.

Verse 11, “And should I not pity Nineveh ..?

The word “pity” speaks of compassion. The same compassion that is available to you today. When you run from God, He will pursue you. He pursues you because He loves you and wants to use you to help reach others for Christ, just like He did with Jonah!

Let me ask you something: who have you helped come to Jesus in the last 12 months? Who has God reached out to through you? One of the proofs that you’re running with God is that God will work through you to reach somebody for Jesus!

As God pursued Jonah, He had the Ninevites on His heart. And as God pursues you, He as your children, your spouse, your co-workers, your neighbors on His heart.

God forbid that we be like Jonah and be more interested in our shelter than we are in souls. What about your Sunday School class? We ought to be enrolling people in Sunday School every week! Every class ought to have a first time guest every Sunday! Who was the last person you enrolled in Sunday School who needed Jesus?

Better than running from the Lord, better than running to the Lord is running with the Lord. Run with Jesus and experience His compassion!