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God Gives Second Chances
Ticked at God
Jonah 4:1-11
Ryan Heller
November 20, 2011
My Anger
I. My anger takes my eyes off of God as I focus on myself
But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the LORD, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
Jonah 4:1-3 (NIV)
II. My anger keeps me from rejoicing with and serving others
Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.
Jonah 4:5 (NIV)
III. My anger makes me irrational
Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
Jonah 4:3 (NIV)
God’s Compassion
I. God shows his compassion through His patience
But the LORD replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”
Jonah 4:4 (NIV)
II. God shows his compassion through His correction
Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine.
Jonah 4:6 (NIV)
But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.
Jonah 4:10 (NIV)
III. God shows his compassion through His personal concern
But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?”
Jonah 4:11 (NIV)