The God of Second Chances | McDonald County Press

Our Sunday morning message was brought to us by our associate pastor, Brother Ryan Crawford: "The God of Second Chances."

We stood for opening prayer and the reading of God's word taken from:

Jonah 3:1-3

1 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, 2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. 3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.

"Jonah and the Great Fish, or Jonah and the Whale, is one of the most famous from the Bible. Many folks today put it down to being a fairy tale as the goings on seem impossible. What they fail to grasp is my God, your God, is a God of the impossible."

11 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

"Just because the modern scoffers do not believe this story (and this sadly, includes a lot of the New Testament churches, as well as some Jewish scholars and rabbis) does not mean it is not true. And this applies to the argument that the Bible contradicts itself with this whale of a tale. Where the Old Testament (Jonah) called the creature prepared by the LORD as a big fish. Which to Jonah's understanding it WAS a fish. And in the New Testament (Jesus) called the creature God called into being, a great whale. And as Jesus was the one who created the whale, He knew more about its physical make up, and what it actually was than Jonah. So, no contradiction. The story is TRUE, in all of its aspects."

"Jonah is called a minor prophet along with 11 others. But not because their words and prophesies are less important, but only because their messages from God are shorter. The Bible holds the testaments of four major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel) and 12 minor ones (with Jewish scholars labeling three major prophets -- putting Daniel with the minor ones). The minor prophets are the last 12 (or 12) books of the Old Testament, so you can find Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi there."

"Some think the story of Jonah is about a great fish. But this great fish is mentioned only four times. Some think it is about the city of Nineveh, but it is just mentioned nine times. Then it is a story about Jonah! Nope, not exactly, though he is mentioned 15 times. Somebody is mentioned 38 times in Jonah ... and He is The LORD God Almighty [YHWH].

"This book is all about God. So this morning I'm not going to preach to you about a fish that is very long dead, or a city that no longer exists, or even about a prophet who has gone on to his reward; but I will take the time to tell you about God. God who exists, is alive and well, and has not changed, but is the same yesterday, today and forever. The God of Jonah is still my God in 2015. And will be the same in 2016 to days without end or number. "

"I jumped into Jonah 3:1 as the Second Time God spoke to him is the most important time. The First Time God spoke to him, Jonah messed up, made a mistake, failed in his mission, made a boo-boo, goofed miserably. And chances are, had we been God, Jonah might have wound up fish food, tasty white meat, an end of the story. But we are not God. Only God is God. Only God will ever be God. Only God is the God of second chances, or third chances, or fourth. ...

"I have made mistakes in my life. So have you. We all have sinned. We all have feelings of guilt about it. But that is not enough, just feeling sorry. We have to repent. Tell God we are sorry. Then turn from that sin, and sin it no more. And despite your failures in the past, no matter what they are, if you are still alive, God can forgive you where you sit, today. He really, really IS the God of second chances. The following things have helped me personally in the past, so I know they can be of help you in your Christian walk."

Jonah 1:1-3

1 Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. 3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

"Jonah was a saint but he rebelled against God. You can be saved, yet still do the same. God told Jonah, arise and go. Maybe he is saying to you, get up and do something. Jonah's address was Nineveh. Yours might be to drive a bus, watch the babies, sing in the choir, serve our Thanksgiving Dinner, gather up gifts for the Angel Tree.

"Rebellion is not doing something when you don't know what it is. Rebellion is when we are clear with our instructions, but we do otherwise. And don't point at Jonah when he ran from the call, rejected God's command for his life, and was comfortable (for a time) doing his will in his life. Are you in rebellion with God's will for your life? Church, stop playing at church! Jesus' return is soon. And even, very soon. Be about your Father's business."

Jonah 1:4-15

4 But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not. 7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah. 8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. 10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them. 11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you. 13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

14 Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, We beseech thee, O Lord, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O Lord, hast done as it pleased thee. 15 So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

"Sin Always has repercussions. God will send you a storm. Your plan like Jonah's will get jolted into reality. And while you are in rebellion your sin will jeopardize other people around you. Your spouse, your children, your co-workers, your friends, all in your fallout. You all have in jest, moved away from someone, when you anticipate them being hit with lightening, due to their word or deed. And please know, God has indeed many ways to send the lightening into your life."

Jonah 1:17 -- Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

"How cool it would have been to see God working with the whale." 'What's for lunch God?' 'Jonah.' 'Aw, God not a man, I only like plankton, I don't want to eat him.' 'Don't eat Jonah, just swallow him for three days and three night, then your belly can vomit him up, as he wasn't meant to be your food.' "

Lesson here: no matter how bad you are, God can whip up a great fish for you, when you are not where you are supposed to be. So if you don't want to be eaten up by the wrong stuff ... don't be where the wrong stuff eats."

Jonah 2:1-2, 7, 9

1 Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,

2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.

"Repentance. You can not get back to God without repentance. Guilt alone is not repentance. Tears dry up. Guilt lessens with time. We all want a second chance. We want it from God, from our friends, from our family. But if our heart hasn't changed, if it hasn't been broken, we haven't changed.

Want to know when repentance is real? When it becomes personal. Jonah admitted he was the problem. In Psalm 57, David did not demand anything from God. He begged God to forgive him as he had sinned against Him, and only Him."

Jonah 3:1-4

And lastly, resolution to service. You have admitted to God you have sinned. You have come to the altar and asked forgiveness. Now sit at His feet and wait for that still small voice, and you will hear it. And when He calls, He will call you personally, by name. The proof of repentance is obedience. He will give you a place to work and to serve in His church. Just as He gave you at least one Spiritual Gift when He saved you. And as Jonah as the example, be obedient to that call." Or be looking out for your great fish, as he has been given his mission, by no less than the One who created him.

All Bible verses quoted above are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

We will host a free traditional Thanksgiving dinner in the Family Life Center, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015, from noon to 5 p.m. Open to the public. After dinner activities for all ages. Come join us for food, fellowship and fun. Please don't dine alone on this special day of thanksgiving.

Religion on 11/26/2015