Chapters 1 & 2 – Jonah acts like the prodigal son who ran from his Father in disobedience (Lk 15:11-24). • An act of rebellion – Jonah disobeyed God’s call o God said go to Nineveh, Jonah went 180 degrees the other way • An act of mistrust – Jonah did not trust God’s goodness o Jonah did not believe it was good to warn Nineveh

Chapters 3 & 4 – Jonah acts like the older brother who was angry at his father for his mercy toward sinners (Lk 15:25-32). • An attitude of self-righteousness o He believed only his people were “worthy” of God’s grace.

Jonah acts like the priest and the Levite who pass by the the wounded man in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:29-37). • An attitude of comfortable self-absorption • An attitude of indifference toward others

One God Who Abounds in Compassion • God pursues the rebel o “The Lord hurled a great wind… appointed a great fish” (Jonah 1:4, 17) o “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced” (Lk 15:20) • God invites the self-righteous into his acts of grace o “Arise, go to Nineveh…” (Jonah 3:2) o “His father came out and entreated him.” (Lk 15:28b) • God shows the self-absorbed and indifferent their need for change. o “Should I not pity the 120,000 [lost] persons” (Jonah 4:11) o “He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You go, and do likewise.’” (Lk 10:37)

Can God save the rebel who runs from God? Can He cure the self-righteous attitude that looks down on “others”? Can he heal a comfortable, self-absorbed heart, that is indifferent to “others”?

Philippians 2:3-11 Christ’s Example of Humility Jesus is wholly other from us. He is eternal and glorious.

Jesus himself is the One Who is wholly “other” from us. • In him the fullness of God dwells. (Col 2:9) • He is the image of the invisible God.(Col 1:15) • He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature (Heb 1:3)

Yet, he emptied (and humbled) himself to be like us: fragile, mortal. He humbled himself further to be a servant. He humbled himself further to die in our place. He humbled himself further to die in shame on a cross.

Can God save the rebel who runs from God? • Christ came to to give his life as a ransom for yours, • that you might be reconciled to your Father. No one is beyond his reach.

Can He cure the self-righteous attitude that looks down on “others”? • He came as wholly “other”, different from you to show you that you can not save yourself.

Can he heal a comfortable, self-absorbed heart, that is indifferent to “others”? • Christ came precisely because God will NOT be comfortable and indifferent while his children are lost. • God took drastic and costly action to demonstrate his love for you. • He gave us a perfect example to follow.

Jesus finished the parable of the Good Samaritan this way… Luke 10:36-37 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?"37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise."