"The Unforgiving Heart" Jonah Pt 4 Series

a. How many here remember John Bevere’s book The Bait oF Satan.

i. He said, “The Greek word for ‘offend’ in Luke 17:1 comes from the word skandalon. This word originally referred to the part of the trap to which the bait was attached. Hence the word signifies laying a trap in someone’s way. In the New Testament ift often describes an entrapment used by the enemy. Offense is a tool of the devil to bring people into captivity” (page 7).

b. This week I have been reading the book, “How to Forgive When You Don’t Feel Like It” by June Hunt.

i. She opened her book with the following Introduction, “Resentment...rage…retaliation. Ever struggle with forgiveness? Ever thought it was impossible? Ever knew you oughta but didn’t wanna? I believe the majority of the world’s population is struggling with forgiveness-right now! If you are human (which you are) and if you are reading this book (which you are), you have been hurt-deeply and profoundly-and have faced the formidable foe of un-forgiveness” (page 9).

1. The truth is Jonah is angry at God because his heart is filled with un-forgiveness toward these lost people.

a. He wanted them judged and condemned for their evil ways – not forgiven.

2. Jonah is mad, no, outraged and resentful that God would show mercy and grace to these wicked people. He was furious that God would bestow the gift of forgiveness on this wicked heathen city of a 120,000 people.

3. The truth is Jonah hated the Ninevite’s – they were the enemy of Israel and He hated the fact that God would save them from judgment. He had a spirit of offense against these people and he wanted them wiped out by God not saved by God.

a. Besides Jonah may have rationed in his heart that they were Gentiles! They were not even God’s chosen people the Jews!

i. How could God do this- save non-Jewish heathens?

ii. Why would God do such an awful and unfair act to the Israelites?

1. If Jonah would have gotten his way here with God then the reality is - none of us sitting here today could have been given the gift of salvation.

2. Jonah did not want any of us Gentiles saved!

c. Let’s flash forward to the time of Jesus for a moment.

i. We leave Jonah stomping mad with God for showing forgiveness to a city full of sinners. We open up our new scene with a cloud of dust and a crowd of angry people dragging a woman half clothed to Jesus. They are mad – outraged – steam is coming off their fuming heads of anger! Jesus hears people shouting “Stone the wicked women! Stone her! She is despicable to our sight! Kill her!”

1. The crowd is angry at the act of the sin of adultery and demands justice – judgment on this sin!

ii. John 8:1-11: 1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”