Jonah 3:4-10
Repentance is realizing you’re going in the wrong way and asking God for forgiveness so you can walk the right path. It might be the Holy Spirit that reveals it to you or maybe a friend, but it’s the moment when you know you’re walking down the path of sin, and you need to do something about it.
When Christians speak of repentance, it’s common to talk about it as a topic, but it is rarely mentioned today while preaching the Gospel.
Through Jonah’s story with Nineveh, we learn what repentance looks like:
“Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he cried out and said, ‘Forty more days, and Nineveh will be overthrown.’
“Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, removed his robe from himself, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat on the dust.
“And he issued a proclamation, and it said, ‘In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: No person, animal, herd, or flock is to taste anything. They are not to eat, or drink water. But every person and animal must be covered with sackcloth; and people are to call on God vehemently, and they are to turn, each one from his evil way, and from the violence which is in their hands. Who knows, God may turn and relent, and turn from His burning anger so that we will not perish.’
“When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their evil way, then God relented of the disaster which He had declared He would bring on them. So He did not do it.” – Jonah 3:4-10 [NASB]
I think it’s great news to know that if we repent and humble ourselves, then He will relent in His wrath in our lives. Many reading this are going through a secret sin. No one knows. But God does, and He is well aware of the sin you are living in. If you stop, repent, and humble yourself to the Lord, you can be forgiven and walk the right path.
Sin brings death. Nineveh was told that they would be destroyed without repentance. They had forty days to repent and humble themselves in hopes that God would give them a second chance. And He did.
Your Performance Does Not limit God
Despite Jonah’s best effort to avoid God’s call, and despite Jonah’s lackluster message, God still used His servant. Our performance does not limit God’s ability to work through us.
How many times have you avoided a message from God’s Word? How many times have we fallen short when God asks something of us? Yet, God still uses us.
Should we do our best and strive for accuracy and excellence when we’re preaching God’s word, or we’re sharing the Gospel? Absolutely. But please don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you should not share because you are flawed.
Jonah was as flawed as you can get, running in the opposite direction from God. But God’s power overcame those weaknesses and made something out of it.
I remember once I shared the Gospel in a rough community within San Antonio. The woman was tough and smoked a blunt while I talked to her. I fumbled around with my words. If it was me alone, I was not doing an excellent job resonating with her. I told her my testimony.
The minute I presented Jesus’s gift of salvation to her and the opportunity to repent, her face of stone completely changed. She confessed her sins. And my life completely changed when I experienced the moment God worked.
I had little to do with it. I obeyed, and God made something out of nothing to change His Kingdom.
What neighbor, family member, and friend could be filling up these pews this morning? But you are afraid to ask them again because you’re afraid of rejection.
He will work through you as He did with Jonah. All you need to do is share His message of the Gospel and repentance.
Signs of Repentance
Nineveh repented, and we got a picture of what they did. The first thing they did was believe in God. Then they turned from their wicked faith. Repentance and faith are the core of this message.
The people fasted. We do fasting to give up food to connect us in intimacy with God. It’s a physical sign that points to a spiritual change. Fasting has always been a resource for us as believers to help us focus on God.
When you fast, you’re physically giving up food to create intimacy with God spiritually. That’s why when we fast; we connect fasting with prayer.
Then the people did another physical sign of spiritual change. They put on sackcloth. Think of burlap and how uncomfortable it is. It caused them physical pain to illustrate the spiritual burden over their sin.
Genuine repentance has a bit of a sad expression in our hearts, and that’s where repentance starts. When you’re going to change from one direction to another, the change begins in your heart and mind. You must first be convinced that your direction is wrong before you see the better direction towards God that you should be traveling.
The people of Nineveh received the message and repented, along with their King.
Repent, and God will Relent
If you want God’s wrath to leave you, then you turn away from that. God sent Jonah to Nineveh to allow them to repent. Today, you have Jesus and the sacrifice He did to wipe away your sins. You only need to stop, repent, and turn your ways to God.
God is pursuing you, even when in sin. He may shatter your world to get your attention. So do what He has planned for you. Obey. And live the life He created for you.
