In Jonah the introduction is God’s desire to save the people of Nineveh. At the end of Jonah we see that the Ninevites are saved. In between these two points we see the weakness and failure of God’s servant Jonah. But despite Jonah’s failings God still used him as the instrument to reach the Ninevites. In brief, Jonah is all about God saving sinners despite the failures of his people. God prepares his people and uses them to reach the lost. God saves sinners by using sanctified saints.

Consider first the mission defined. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh the capital of the Assyrian empire and cry out against its wickedness (1:2). God is a God of mercy. Although people sin greatly yet he desires their salvation. His sending out of Jonah is proof of his tender mercy to the lost. The Gentiles come into the range of God’s mercy. God has not changed. He remains merciful to all peoples, Jew and non Jew. He sent his Son Jesus into the world to save whoever would believe upon him.

Next consider the messenger prepared. Jonah must be prepared for the task of reaching the lost. His first instinct is to run away (1:3). He boards a ship and heads for Tarshish. But as he sails the Lord sent a great wind and a mighty tempest on the sea (1:4). The result of this is that Jonah is thrown overboard by the mariners. But Jonah does not die. The Lord prepared a great fish which swallowed up Jonah (1:17) and ultimately vomited him out onto dry land (2:10).

What does all this mean? It means that God’s servant must die to self in order to serve the Lord. Jonah’s experience in the belly of the fish was his death experience. Indeed he himself said he cried from the belly of Sheol (2:2). God’s servant must be raised in newness of life. Jonah’s survival is nothing less than a miracle. It is a sign of new life - resurrection life. Thus Jonah must die to self and be raised again in order to be a properly prepared channel for God’s work.

We see the Lord Jesus in the story of Jonah. Jesus spoke of Jonah’s time in the belly of the fish as a sign of his own death and resurrection (Matt. 12:40). Jesus the Saviour of sinners must die to self and be raised again in order to save his people. In the Garden of Gethsemane he was severely tested. But he denied himself and yielded to the Father’s will. He died but then rose from death. The Father used his sanctified Son for the saving of the lost.

Consider now the message preached. Jonah goes to Nineveh and preached God’s judgment and mercy. God judges sin because he is holy. God shows mercy because he is a God of love. The Ninevites hear all this from Jonah. Jonah’s message of judgment and mercy foreshadows the gospel of Jesus Christ which speaks also of judgment and mercy. Those who do not believe the gospel remain under condemnation and judgment. Those who do believe receive mercy and become God’s children.

Finally consider the mission accomplished. The Ninevites repent. They believed in God and showed signs of genuine faith (3:3-5). Even the king of Nineveh got involved in this national repentance. It was a genuine work of the Spirit. God saw that the Ninevites turned from their evil ways and relented from the disaster that he had said he would do. God accomplished his original purpose of saving the Ninevites. God will accomplish his purpose of saving his people through Jesus Christ. His redeemed people shall one day be gathered before him singing the praises of Christ, the one, who like Jonah, came and preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

The lesson from Jonah is that God saves sinners through sanctified saints. By this is meant God desires the salvation of the lost and uses his people to reach out to them. Despite the failings of his people he will accomplish his purposes through his prepared saints. We can surely take comfort in this. Jonah failed over and over again. He ran from the presence of God which means he ran from everything that reminded him of God such as his own people the Jews and the temple. He was angry that God saved non Jews. He was angry again when the plant God raised up to shelter him withered. But despite all these failings Jonah was still used by God. This is the precious lesson we learn from Jonah. No matter how you have failed the Lord he can still use you.

God’s sanctified servants must learn the lesson of dying to self. For Jonah it meant “dying” in the belly of the fish and being raised from death when the fish vomited him onto dry land. For us it means yielding to the will of God in our lives. Let us submit to the will of God and obey his commandments.

Let us proclaim the gospel despite our faults. We all have weaknesses and failings but take heart from the fact that just as God prepared Jonah so he prepares us. We must die to self and experience resurrection life in order to be effective servants of God.

Let all non believers take heed of God’s gospel. Now is the time to repent and believe upon the Son of God. The people of Nineveh had a chance. Now is your chance. Repent and believe in Jesus for your salvation.

Summary of Sunday Sermon by David Yan