September 24 Philippians 1:21-30 Best of both worlds

By your life or death bring honor to God!

                             Old Testament Jonah 3:10-4:11

10Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it. Jonah 4 Jonah’s Anger and God’s Kindness 1But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. 2So he prayed to the LORD, and said, “Ah, LORD, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. 3Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” 4Then the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 5So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. 6And the LORD God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. 7But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. 8And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!” 10But the LORD said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. 11And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”

Jonah 3:10-4:11 NKJV

21For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. 25And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 26that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again. Striving and Suffering for Christ 27Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

                                      Philippians 1:21-30 NKJV

The story of Jonah usually stops with the whale or correctly the great fish.  We miss the real story.

Jonah hated the people of Nineveh who had killed so many of his people.  JONAH DID NOT WANT THEM FORGIVEN!  So much so that he got angry at God for forgiving them!  So the angry Jonah sulked!

Paul in Philippians gives us such a different picture as he is willing to invest and even give his life so others may know the grace of Jesus Christ.  Paul was willing to give up his own salvation that those who had persecuted him, the Jews, could come to Jesus!

Compare the two pictures as Jonah sulks on a hill waiting for God to destroy Nineveh and then because his shade plant dies. --- Then Paul who says, “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,” One who suffers because God offers grace and one who suffers so grace can be extended even to his enemies!  Which are you? 

I had not been a Christian long when all was getting ready for Ted Bundy to be executed.  Bundy had called a pastor who led him to grace in Jesus.  After that Bundy shared his testimony and the danger of pornography.  Ted Bundy believed that he deserved to be executed for what he had done and grieved for those who may not have able to come to Jesus because of what he had done.

When Ted Bundy was executed many congregations came in buses to celebrate his execution and sang and shouted “burn Bundy burn!”  As a new Christian I was ashamed!   With an ungracious spirit I wondered who would be in heaven!

As God’s people forgiven by grace we MUST offer grace to those who need it as much as we did.  DO NOT believe Ted Bundy needed grace more than you do or that Saul who became Paul was worse than you!  We all need grace which is God’s “unmerited” gift!

Forgive as you have been forgiven!  Offer forgiveness as it was offered to you!  As God has loved you love those who He cares for and longs for!