WHY NOW?

Jonah 3:1-10 3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to
the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a
very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s
journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be
overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of
them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne,
took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7
This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh:

“By the decree of the king and his nobles:

Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or
drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call
urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who
knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that
we will not perish.”

10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he
relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

Let us pray first: Father we thank you for the gift of your word, we thank for the
wonderful relationship that we have establish with you.
We pray that you will bless us as we listen to your word this morning, in Jesus
name we pray AMEN.

FIVE PRINCIPLES: why now? Because…

(1) The nations are PERISHING without salvation
(2) The nations are WAITING for us
(3) The nations WILL LISTEN to our message
(4) The nations have been CALLED by God to repent
(5) The nations day of salvation is today.
I- THE CALL:
Verse 1says… “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time”

Philip.1:6 “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry
it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

verses 2-3. Says…. “[2] Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the
message I give you.” [3] Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.
Now Nineveh was a very important city--a visit required three days.”

Psalm 119:71 “It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your
decrees.”

Another translation says, “My punishment was good for me, because it made me
learn your commands.”

Verse 3a said “Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh”.

three components; faith, reason, or emotion.

1. Faith says in the face of the situation, “This is what God says.”
2. Reason says, “This is what I think and what seems right to me.”
3. Emotion says, “This is how I feel right now and I’m going to go with my feelings.”

PART-II : THE URGENCY OF THE CALL

Verses 4-9 says... "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." [5] “The
Ninevites believed God.

Verse 9 “Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his
fierce anger so that we will not perish."

Firstly, Repentance comes from the fear of the Lord.

Luke says.. 12:4-5 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the
body and after that can do no more. [5] But I will show you whom you should fear:
Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I
tell you, fear him.”

Matthew 12:39-41, “A wicked and adulterous generation….. The men of Nineveh

will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they
repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here!”

Secondly, The urgency of God’s judgment.

"Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned."

James 4:14 “You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life?
You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Verse 10. “[10] When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil
ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had
threatened.”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand
slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to
come to repentance.”
Romans 10:13-15 for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can
they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear
without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless
they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring
good news!’

God’s plan A is to use His people to share His message with His lost children who
are waiting for that message; there is no plan B.
CLOSING PRAYER & BENEDICTION:
Dear God & Heavenly Father, We ask you to Help us this morning to see the great
need all around us to proclaim your truth in every corner of this community and
throughout the world. Help us not to look upon the world as if the world is full of
troublemakers that don’t deserve your grace. Rather,

Help us to look upon the world with eyes of compassion; with eyes like Jesus - to
see people as
ones who are lost like sheep without a shepherd. May we always point them to
you, the good
shepherd who saves us from our sins.

Thank You that there is a purpose for whatever troubles comes our way and that
You only allow what we can handle and what is for my good. Thank You that
sometimes we may not understand it now, but we have faith that the day is
coming when we will see it clearly and understand why you allowed those things
to happen.

Father we ask you to help us in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus,
that we may experience your healing love. Heal us from our fear, which prevents
nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another.

Whether our viewers is at home or abroad, surrounded them with your love,
protection, provision & healing.

BENEDICTION:
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you, and be
gracious to you; the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace; and the
blessing of God almighty be among you and remain with you always. In the name
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Go in peace, go in Joy & go in Love.
Numbers 6:24-26