Reluctant to be Sent: The Missionary without the Missionary’s Heart
23/09/07 16:36 Filed in: Missions
Reluctant to be Sent: The Missionary without the
Missionary’s Heart
Pastor David Lenz
23 September 2007
Text: Jonah 1:1-3, 3:1 – 4:11
Chapter 1: “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son saying, “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.”
We are a sent people. The problem is that we don’t enjoy being sent.
We are reluctant because:
We are afraid. We don’t want to look like fanatics. We are not prepared.
We are apathetic and pre-occupied
We don’t love the people to whom we are sent.
Nineveh: A bit of background:
Located in Iraq near modern day Mosul.
Capital of Assyria. In 772BC wiped away the Northern Kingdom of Israel
City of violence, wickedness, and unceasing evil as described in Nahum 3.
Chapter 2 and 3: “But the Lord provided a large fish…..” I called out to the Lord out of my distress”……“ The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh.”
Jonah Goes
Jonah’s msg: “Forty days more and Nineveh will be overturned.” Jonah 3:4
Not the greatest sermon of all time. The prophet’s heart was not in it.
Nineveh repents. God is stirred by their repentance and spares them.
Jonah is not happy.
Chapter 4: “ But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry....” for I knew you were a gracious God and merciful....... Please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
Jonah’s Problem
Problem is not that he doesn’t understand God’s mercy.
Problem is that he does understand God’s mercy.
Real problem is that he doesn’t love the Ninevites and wanted them destroyed.
Our Problem
Hard to love lost people because they do lost things.
Ministry to lost people is messy.
Lost people disappoint us, hurt us, and wound us.
Chariots of Fire:
“You can’t get out what God has not put in.” Sam Mussabini
Call to Action :
Ask God to put in what is missing. A love for the people to whom God has sent you.
Where is Nineveh for you?
Summary: God loves Nineveh and God loves Jonah.
Pastor David Lenz
23 September 2007
Text: Jonah 1:1-3, 3:1 – 4:11
Chapter 1: “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son saying, “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.”
We are a sent people. The problem is that we don’t enjoy being sent.
We are reluctant because:
We are afraid. We don’t want to look like fanatics. We are not prepared.
We are apathetic and pre-occupied
We don’t love the people to whom we are sent.
Nineveh: A bit of background:
Located in Iraq near modern day Mosul.
Capital of Assyria. In 772BC wiped away the Northern Kingdom of Israel
City of violence, wickedness, and unceasing evil as described in Nahum 3.
Chapter 2 and 3: “But the Lord provided a large fish…..” I called out to the Lord out of my distress”……“ The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time saying, “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh.”
Jonah Goes
Jonah’s msg: “Forty days more and Nineveh will be overturned.” Jonah 3:4
Not the greatest sermon of all time. The prophet’s heart was not in it.
Nineveh repents. God is stirred by their repentance and spares them.
Jonah is not happy.
Chapter 4: “ But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry....” for I knew you were a gracious God and merciful....... Please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
Jonah’s Problem
Problem is not that he doesn’t understand God’s mercy.
Problem is that he does understand God’s mercy.
Real problem is that he doesn’t love the Ninevites and wanted them destroyed.
Our Problem
Hard to love lost people because they do lost things.
Ministry to lost people is messy.
Lost people disappoint us, hurt us, and wound us.
Chariots of Fire:
“You can’t get out what God has not put in.” Sam Mussabini
Call to Action :
Ask God to put in what is missing. A love for the people to whom God has sent you.
Where is Nineveh for you?
Summary: God loves Nineveh and God loves Jonah.