Kansas City, Missouri, United States - Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “Our God-Given Mission” – Saturday, 14 June 2014 - Scripture: Jonah 4:1-11

Kansas City, Missouri, United States - Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - “Our God-Given Mission” – Saturday, 14 June 2014 - Scripture: Jonah 4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 He prayed to Yahweh, and said, “Please, Yahweh, wasn’t this what I said when I was still in my own country? Therefore I hurried to flee to Tarshish, for I knew that you are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and you relent of doing harm. 3 Therefore now, Yahweh, take, I beg you, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.”
4 Yahweh said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Then Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made himself a booth, and sat under it in the shade, until he might see what would become of the city. 6 Yahweh God prepared a vine, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the vine. 7 But God prepared a worm at dawn the next day, and it chewed on the vine, so that it withered. 8 When the sun arose, God prepared a sultry east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he fainted, and requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
9 God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the vine?”
He said, “I am right to be angry, even to death.”
10 Yahweh said, “You have been concerned for the vine, for which you have not labored, neither made it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night. 11 Shouldn’t I be concerned for Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred twenty thousand persons who can’t discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much livestock?”
“Our God-Given Mission” by Bill Manning
When the people of Nineveh realized they had been spared by God, their public demonstration of repentance turned into a holy celebration. However, Jonah did not participate in the festivities. No one in Nineveh knew more about God’s deliverance than Jonah. When God had rescued him, Jonah had vowed to live before God with a song of thanksgiving on his lips (Jonah 2:9). But now we find him grumbling. He was quite ready to live with the destruction of Nineveh, but he could not tolerate the thought of her people being spared.
How could God tolerate someone like Jonah? The prophet was angry because God was good. He possessed a proud and exclusive spirit that stood in opposition to the spirit of God. His displeasure revealed a misunderstanding of our God-given mission.

• Is there some of that same attitude in us? If so, God wants to cleanse our hearts of it and fill us with His perfect love for all people.
• Have we grasped God’s message to Jonah and to us? It is that no one is outside of God’s mercy. We are to take the message of God's love and forgiveness to everyone we can reach.

Hymn for Today:
“If Jesus Goes With Me” by C. Austin Miles
1. It may be in the valley, where countless dangers hide;
It may be in the sunshine that I, in peace, abide;
But this one thing I know—-if it be dark or fair,
If Jesus is with me, 
I’ll go anywhere! 
Chorus:
If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go 
Anywhere!
’Tis heaven to me, 
Where’er I may be, 
If He is there!
I count it a privilege here,
His cross to bear,
If Jesus goes with me, 
I’ll go 
Anywhere! 
2. It may be I must carry the blessed Word of life
Across the burning deserts to those in sinful strife;
And tho' it be my lot to bear my colors there,
If Jesus goes with me, 
I’ll go anywhere!
Chorus:
If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go 
Anywhere!
’Tis heaven to me, 
Where’er I may be, 
If He is there!
I count it a privilege here,
His cross to bear,
If Jesus goes with me, 
I’ll go 
Anywhere!
3. But if it be my portion to bear my cross at home,
While others bear their burdens beyond the billow’s foam,
I’ll prove my faith in Him—-confess His judgments fair,
And, if He stays with me, 
I’ll stay anywhere!
Chorus:
If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go 
Anywhere!
’Tis heaven to me, 
Where’er I may be, 
If He is there!
I count it a privilege here,
His cross to bear,
If Jesus goes with me, 
I’ll go 
Anywhere!
4. It is not mine to question the judgments of my Lord,
It is but mine to follow the leadings of His Word;
But if to go or stay, or whether here or there,
I’ll be, with my Savior, 
Content anywhere!
Chorus:
If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go 
Anywhere!
’Tis heaven to me, 
Where’er I may be, 
If He is there!
I count it a privilege here,
His cross to bear,
If Jesus goes with me, 
I’ll go 
Anywhere!
Thought for Today:
“For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. For, ‘Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” (Romans 10:12-13)
Prayer Needs:
Many people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will come to know Jesus the Christ, Yeshua the Messiah, and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
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