Connect Church
Crisis of the Heart
Sunday Morning Worship
Locations & Times
Connect Church
401 SW Plaza, Arlington, TX 76016, USA
Sunday 10:30 AM
July 31, 2022
Jonah – Arise & Go
Crisis of the Heart
Jonah 4
Sermon Idea – When God Conquers Our Heart Grace Overflows
Outline-
1. A Conflict of the Heart v.1-4
1. This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. 3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”
— What would cause Jonah to be so displeased with how God deals with Nineveh?
— Verse 2 – 6 times in the bible this statement is mentioned about God
Exodus 34:6-7
New Living Translation
6 The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out,
“Yahweh! The LORD!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
7 I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
But I do not excuse the guilty.
I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren;
the entire family is affected— even children in the third and fourth generations.”
God’s Question “Is it right for you to be angry about this”
2. A Confrontation of the Heart v.5-9
4 The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”
5 Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.
7 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. 8 And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.
9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”
— “Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die
Jeremiah 17:9-10
9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?
10 I, the LORD, search the heart,
I test the mind,
To give to each person according to his ways,
According to the results of his deeds.
3. God’s Heart – Grace v.10-11
10 Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11 But 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?”
Isaiah 66:2
2 My hands have made both heaven and earth;
they and everything in them are mine.
I, the LORD, have spoken!
“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts,
who tremble at my word.
Definition of Contrite Heart:
Those who have a broken heart, and a contrite spirit are willing to do anything and everything that God asks of them, without resistance or resentment. We cease doing things our way and learn to do them God's way.
— Jonah could not understand that God’s grace is for the oppressed and the oppressor.
Jonah – Arise & Go
Crisis of the Heart
Jonah 4
Sermon Idea – When God Conquers Our Heart Grace Overflows
Outline-
1. A Conflict of the Heart v.1-4
1. This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. 3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”
— What would cause Jonah to be so displeased with how God deals with Nineveh?
— Verse 2 – 6 times in the bible this statement is mentioned about God
Exodus 34:6-7
New Living Translation
6 The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out,
“Yahweh! The LORD!
The God of compassion and mercy!
I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
7 I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations.
I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
But I do not excuse the guilty.
I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren;
the entire family is affected— even children in the third and fourth generations.”
God’s Question “Is it right for you to be angry about this”
2. A Confrontation of the Heart v.5-9
4 The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”
5 Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.
7 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. 8 And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.
9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”
— “Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die
Jeremiah 17:9-10
9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?
10 I, the LORD, search the heart,
I test the mind,
To give to each person according to his ways,
According to the results of his deeds.
3. God’s Heart – Grace v.10-11
10 Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11 But 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?”
Isaiah 66:2
2 My hands have made both heaven and earth;
they and everything in them are mine.
I, the LORD, have spoken!
“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts,
who tremble at my word.
Definition of Contrite Heart:
Those who have a broken heart, and a contrite spirit are willing to do anything and everything that God asks of them, without resistance or resentment. We cease doing things our way and learn to do them God's way.
— Jonah could not understand that God’s grace is for the oppressed and the oppressor.