October 11th| Return to My Mercy

Message Pastor Jeff Waterman Jonah 1-4 We live in a world where we often want God's justice for others but His mercy for ourselves. We may gladly receive God's grace while struggling to extend it to people we believe don't deserve it. God often calls us to carry His mercy to people we would rather see receive His judgment. His compassion isn't limited by our preferences, prejudices, or opinions about who deserves it. Amos and Jonah ministered during the same general period. Amos warned Israel that God would use Assyria to bring judgment upon them. Then God called Jonah to go to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, and preach repentance. Jonah didn't run because he was afraid the Ninevites would reject his message. He ran because he knew they might accept it—and that God might forgive them. Jonah understood something about God's character that he didn't want to accept: God's mercy was big enough for Israel's enemies. And that is God's challenge to us: Will we be willing to share God's mercy with the very people we don't want to receive it? God often calls us to share His mercy with people we don't want to receive it.