God had been very merciful to the Prophet Jonah by sparing his life but also by giving Jonah another chance to fulfill the mission of God. It is clear that Jonah did not deserve to get a 2nd chance but God graciously extended another opportunity for Jonah to be an instrument of mercy for the city of Nineveh, with the mercy he himself had received. Jonah ran from God and experienced divine discipline through a great storm & a great fish which God appointed. He spent three days and nights in the belly of that great fish and “then he prayed” and cried out to God. The Lord spoke to that fish and it vomited Jonah out on dry land. “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time…” (Jonah 3:1 ESV).
Notice that God used a man who was significantly flawed and underserving to accomplish His mission. God used his life to bring one of the greatest revivals ever recorded. God granted him a 2nd chance and entrusted Jonah with His message to speak to the Ninevites. Jonah had been humbled by the merciful discipline of God and expressed gratitude to God for sparing his life. God is the God of the second chance. Throughout the Bible there are instances of God granting mercy and grace to his servants who had failed to obey Him perfectly. Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, Paul … God’s ability to redeem & restore is greater than our ability to mess things up. Rest in God’s grace that He grants you and respond in obedience to His will by His grace.
Another reason Christians should share the gospel with others is simply that Jesus has commanded us to do it. “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15 ESV) Evangelism isn’t something that God has merely called some Christians to do. Every redeemed saint has the responsibility to share the good news of how they became forgiven, free and brought into right relationship with God. Simple obedience to this clear command must be put to practice by every person calls Jesus their Lord. Our obedience to Christ displays our love for Him and His lordship in our lives. Jesus said “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15 ESV). And he said “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. (Luke 6:46-48 ESV).
gospel. …it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.(1 Corinthians 1:21 ESV) How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:14-17). It is a glorious privilege and responsibility that we have been given by God to be able to share a message that brings eternal salvation to those who believe and receive it. Let us not neglect faithful stewardship of the gospel message. Beware of getting weighed down and distracted by good activities while forgetting the God-given task of evangelism.
For The Gospel's Sake 