Jonah 1:17

Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

 Can you imagine a few months after Nineveh?

Jonah is sitting around, having a few drinks with his friends. And as guys are wont to do, they’re telling fish stories, trying to outdo each other.

Jonah says, ok, I’ve got one for you.

God told me to go to Nineveh and preach, but I didn’t do it, and the next thing I know I’m in the belly of a big fish! Boy, is it dark and smelly in there. You wouldn’t believe it!

Wow, his friend are transfixed with this incredible story!

No way, they say! Didn’t happen. You’re telling a big one, Jonah.

No, no, says Jonah. It’s true. It really happened.

Then, the fish spit me up on the dry land, and then I went to Nineveh.

But, it’s even more amazing than that, he says. God had grace on Nineveh, and they believed God!

No way, they say again! God had grace on Nineveh?!? Couldn’t happen!

Yeah, way! Jonah said. And, they repented!

Ok, Jonah, now you’ve gone too far. Repented?!? Not Nineveh.

Aren’t these the guys who are known to cut off the legs and one arm of their enemies so they can shake their remaining hand to mock them? God could not have had mercy on them and shown them grace. Impossible!

Jonah said, I know, I know, I couldn’t believe it either. God shouldn’t have grace on those awful people.

I know he has grace on US, but we’re His chosen people. He SHOULD have grace on us. I was actually pretty mad about it.

Well, well, well. Now we’re getting down to it.

Let’s take a look at this lesson.

God has mercy and shows grace to all of those BAD sinners while all of us GOOD sinners are being made to feel uncomfortable about the whole thing. Well, that’s just not right!

I don’t think we like God being gracious to all of those bad people, while all of us good people are going to church every Sunday, carrying a casserole AND a salad AND a dessert for lunch, AND cleaning up EVERY SUNDAY. Not only that, but we have the RIGHT doctrine and practice, we have the TRUTH, not like those other churches down the street. And we dress NICE for church, not like those COME AS YOU ARE people. And, and, we ACT right at church. We KNOW how to behave.

Maybe God just needs to remember all of the GOOD things us GOOD sinners are doing, so he won’t be showing all of that grace and mercy to those BAD sinners.

Or, wait a minute. Hold the phone. Maybe all of us GOOD sinners need to stop pouting outside the party, and go inside where the celebration is happening, where we can rejoice in the UNMERITED favor of our heavenly Father. ALL us sinners!

Yep, I think I’ve got it now. Thank you for grace, Father! Thank you for grace for all of us, all alike, all exactly alike!

Wow, what a fish story!

May God Bless You