The Bible repeatedly confirms that we have been given the spiritual blessings in Christ. What Christ has, is given to those who rest in Him. What He did on the cross, the freedom and forgiveness has been granted to those who believe in Him. In this passage, Paul once again affirms all that Christians posses as Christ’s redeemed people. Listen to this sermon to know what God the Father has bestowed on you because of Christ’s perfect obedience and Christ’s perfect sacrifice of His own life on the cross.
What is the story of Jonah trying to teach us ultimately? It is teaching us about the Sovereignty of God and His compassion over nations, and even over Jonah. In this passage, Jonah is outraged by God’s compassion and mercy towards a rebellious nation who repents of her sins. Can a sinner like Jonah saved by grace dictate whether other people deserve God’s grace or not? Grace is undeserved favor from a Holy God. In this sermon, we see how God shows his kindness and mercy over Jonah even when he questions God’s sovereign grace over sinners.
Repentance is turning away from sin and turning towards God. In today’s passage, we learn how God’s message of Judgement to the people of Nineveh enabled them to see His mercy toward them and produced repentance in their hearts. In the sermon, we also learn how God is not just the main author of our salvation, but also the main author of our repentance.
As the speaker says, “Salvation is not a joint venture between God and man.” It’s a complete work of the Triune God. In this sermon we learn how God’s plans supersede man’s plans. We see how God exposes Jonah’s heart and causes him to repent of his disobedience. We also learn how Jonah points us to Christ as he suffers in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.
The God of the bible is not just sovereign over Israel but over all the earth. Each incident in the book of Jonah sheds light on God’s sovereignty over man’s disobedience. It is really a book about God, and how one man came, through painful experience, to discover the true character of God.
The history records that Resurrection of Christ took place. The secular scholars cannot deny that Jesus was risen from the dead. The resurrection was witnessed by the most insignificant people of those times, mainly women. If history is so clear about this event, then what does it mean for us? It means the only hope for eternal life is Jesus Christ, it means He is who he claimed to be. It means you have no other choice but to believe in Him, He is not just the way of Salvation but He is your salvation. Resurrection is the foundation of Christianity!
We finally come to the passage where the Greatest exchange took place. Our sins were put on Christ, He bore the wrath of God the Father and bought forgiveness in exchange. God the Father turned his face away from Jesus Christ so that He would not turn His face away from us, the sinners. This exchange took place between God the Father and God the Son. To save us, Jesus Christ had to die for our sins. We will be saved only when we believe that Jesus is the Son of God who came as a ransom for us.
When Jesus was crucified, people around Him watching said “if you’re the messiah then come down and save yourself”, but Jesus didn’t come down from the cross because of you and me. He went through the punishment that you and I justly deserved, so that we don’t have to be punished. If Jesus did not die for us then we would not have forgiveness of sins (the greatest need of the world). Crucifixion was a worst form of punishment and that’s exactly what Jesus went through. Jesus chose the worst life possible on this earth so that we would have the best life possible in Heaven with God for eternity… Christ is God’s Wisdom for us. He is the solution for every problem in this life.
