Jonah 4

We’ve talked a lot about Jonah’s greatest failures
He ran away from God
He put other people at risk
Tonight we’ll see his greatest failure: his priorities were mixed up

What were Jonah’s greatest strengths?
He didn’t do things half-heartedly, he went all out
He owned up to his mistakes, took responsibility
Tonight we’ll see his greatest strength: his honesty

Jonah’s honesty is his greatest strength, but it reveals his greatest weakness. Nowhere in this made more clear than in chapter 4.

First of all….we need to ask ourselves WHY there even is a chapter 4. God’s desire was for Jonah to preach to Nineveh. That was accomplished at the end of chapter 3. The reason the account goes on is because God cares as much about the worker as He does the work.

HONEST TO GOD- Jonah’s example of honest praying
Speak like you speak to a friend
Tell Him your TRUE emotions
Tell Him your TRUE thoughts
God responds to honesty
Lay it all on the line
Prayer is not CASUAL, but it is PERSONAL

WHAT IS YOUR TOP PRIORITY?
Material Possessions? (Mark 10:17-31)
Career Progress? (Luke 4;5-8, Luke 9:46-48)
Social Popularity (Jesus started off popular and lost it b/c of His mission)
Physical Pleasure/peace/comfort? (Jonah 4:5-9)
Lost People (Jonah 4:10-11)

HOW DO WE KNOW LOST PEOPLE ARE OUR TOP PRIORITY?
1. Are we seeing with God’s eyes? How do we see people? Are they in the way? Annoying? Rude? Weird? Or are they lost?
2. Are we walking with God’s feet? Are we going where we want to go or where God would lead us to go?
3. Are we touching with God’s hands? Are we reaching up to the popular and the beautiful or reaching down to the lowly and hurting?
4. Are we speaking with God’s voice? Or we attracting them to us or to God? Are we using God’s Word? Are we speaking God’s love?Are we loving with God’s heart? God’s heart is a heart for people. He loved them so much He died for them.