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A Sermon by Dr. Bob Griffin, Teaching Elder at Sovereign Grace Church
I. REPENTANCE BEGINS WITH GOD’S WORD
A. ACTION OF FAITH
>>1. OBEYED GOD’S LESSON
Jonah 2:7-9 When my life was ebbing away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer rose to You, to Your holy temple. Those who still cling to worthless idols forsake hope of Your mercy, but with shouts of thanksgiving I will sacrifice to You; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
>>2. OBEYED GOD’S CALL
Jonah 3:1-2 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to that great city Nineveh, and proclaim against it the message that I give you.” (Jonah 1:2 vs. Jonah 3:2)
B. ACTION OF JONAH
>>1. OBEYED EXPLICITLY
Jonah 3:3 So Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh, an extremely large city (three days’ walk around).
>>2. OBEYED EXACTLY
Jonah 3:4 Jonah went a day’s journey into the city and proclaimed, “In forty days Nineveh will be overthrown!” (Gen 19:25; Amos 4:11; Lam 4:6)
II. REVIVAL BROADENS AMONG THE PEOPLE
A. ACTION OF INDIVIDUALS
>>1. FACED THEIR GOD
Jonah 3:5a The people of Nineveh believed God. (Mt 19:23)
>>2. FACED THEIR SIN
Jonah 3:5b They announced a fast and wore sackcloth, from the highest in society the lowest of them.
B. ACTION OF LEADERSHIP
>>1. FACED HIS POSITION
Jonah 3:6 When word reached the king of Nineveh, he left his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
>>2. FACED HIS PEOPLE
Jonah 3:7-8a He issued a proclamation and published through the city, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, eat anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth and let them call out urgently to God.
III. REFORMATION BRINGS GOD’S BLESSINGS
A. ACTION OF MAN
>>1. TURNED FROM SIN
Jonah 3:8b Let everyone turn from his evil way and from his own violent behavior.
>>2. TURNED TO GOD
Jonah 3:9 Who knows? God may relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we might not perish.”
B. ACTION OF GOD
>>1. TURNED TOWARD MEN
Jonah 3:10a When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, (Prov 14:34; II Chron 7:14)
>>2. TURNED FROM DESTRUCTION
Jonah 3:10b God relented of the disaster that He had threatened. (Jer 18:6-8)
CONCLUSION:
Repentance believes God
Repentance does something
Repentance changes business as usual
Repentance spreads
Repentance reaches all levels of society
Repentance impacts everything
Repentance cries mightily to God
Repentance turns from your evil way
Repentance hopes in the mercy and love of God