A Community to Redeem

March 14, 2010

Background Scripture: Jonah 3:10 – 4:11
Lesson Passage: Jonah 3:10 – 4:11

The Apostle Peter wrote concerning God that he is patient towards us and not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. These are very eloquent words when thinking of family, friends, and all others that we believe to be lovable people. These same words, however, ring hollow when thinking of our enemies or those that we don’t “particularly care for”. Frankly, we want God to destroy our enemy. We want those that we don’t like to fail and not have success. We don’t want to think of them as our brothers and sisters in God’s family. In fact, we want God’s family to be our little personal experience absent all of the undesirable people we don’t want to be around. Hopefully by now you can see that the attitude we sometimes have towards others doesn’t agree with God’s plans for those same individuals according to Peter. Without a change of heart, we could be setting ourselves up for disappointment when we discover who’s in Heaven when we get there as well as who shows up after our arrival. In this sea of humanity in which we live, mission demands that we have a sense of accountability for unsaved souls. Christians cannot afford to classify people as desirable and undesirable or acceptable and unacceptable. No matter how we attempt to classify people spiritually, we were once in the other category. God and God alone saved us and he is in the process of sanctifying us. If God saved us, who then is beyond his reach? God is the one who judges all.

Israel was separated from the world by God to become a kingdom of priests to bring light to the Gentiles. The book of Jonah is a reminder to the church of what happens when those who God redeems out of the world start to look down on the unredeemed in disdain. This book is a reminder that we are to shall the gospel with every soul. This should be done in the sincere hope that it will instigate repentance and salvation. How were we judged by others before we repented and called upon God for ourselves? Jonah was convinced of God’s grace, mercy, and patience towards sinners. All who have been saved should be just as convinced. Jonah, like many today, did not want the goodness of God to be shown and experienced by his enemies—especially as a result of something he did. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria. The Assyrians were the enemy of Israel. They made repeated attacks against Israel and eventually took the northern kingdom into captivity. How dare God save such a people! Israel wanted the Assyrians destroyed not rescued by their own God. Jonah knew God’s character—if the prophet preach and the people hear, God would be gracious, merciful and patient towards them. God was going to bless Israel’s enemy as a result of Jonah’s preaching. God’s message to Jonah indicates that he desires that we have a concern for the souls of men and not get hung up on their past behavior or attitude. It is God’s desire that all repent and be redeemed. Our role, as Christians, is to be agents of redemption and there is a community to redeem.

Robert C. Hudson
March 3, 2010