This is a moment in our history as a nation when people are probably more open to the gospel than maybe they've been in decades. And harvest is at the right place at the right time. We've seen 1,200,000 professions of faith in the history of harvest. 10,000 people baptized through harvest since 2023.
So, this is a really good time to pour some rocket fuel on a burning fire. When you give, you're investing in this revival fire. Just go to harvest.org. What I'm concerned about is with a person who has known the Lord for years and stopped changing a long time ago and they've got crankier and they've got meaner. We're thinking, what happened to that person?
And that's what was happening actually with Jonah. Coming up today, Pastor Greg Laurie points out anyone can go backward in their walk of faith. Even an Old Testament preacher. Jonah was the prodigal prophet. He was angry with and bitter toward God.
This is the day. When the lost are found. This is the day for a new beginning. Amazing graves and squeeze the sound. But can you hear all the angels are singing?
This is the day, the day when I begin. Never accidentally gone the wrong way on a one-way street. Things don't go well, do they? People are honking, shouting, waving their arms, not usually smiling either. And it seems kind of hostile.
Well, things don't go well when we go the wrong way in our faith, either. People seem hostile. Or maybe it's us. Today on a new beginning, as we launch our best of series of messages, Pastor Greg Laurie shows us the effects of Jonah going in the wrong direction. This is the day, the day when life begins.
We're in our final message in the book of Jonah. Jonah chapter three and Luke chapter fifteen. Jonah 3 and Luke 15, and the title of my message is The Prodigal Prophet. And we all know about Jonah and the whale.
Now I want to talk about another creature and the story of Jonah that is often overlooked. I'm talking about the worm. You've heard of Jonah and the whale, but have you heard of Jonah and the worm?
Well, you're going to hear about it tonight because a worm plays a significant role in the life of the prophet toward the end of the story. But before we look at that part, let's sort of get the big picture. What is Jonah about? It's about the largest spiritual awakening in biblical history. And what is significant is that it happened in the most wicked of places, the city of Nineveh, which was the capital of Assyria.
As I've mentioned in earlier messages in this series, that Nineveh was renowned for its wickedness. And the Ninevites were well known for their horrific atrocities. When they would conquer other nations, they were destructive and especially cruel and would literally build monuments made out of human skulls to their accomplishments. They were incredibly awful people. And yet, this is who the Lord calls Jonah to preach to, this wicked group of people.
And so he was reluctant, obviously, and he did not want to go, but yet he went, and to his credit, this great spiritual awakening breaks out. The Lord says, Go and preach to them. Jonah effectively says, Lord, they drink Hatorade in Nineveh. I don't want to talk to him. In fact, I want you to destroy them.
But he went, reluctantly, I might add. And then, of course, we all know the story. He boarded the ship, and the great storm came because he was going in the wrong direction. And all of these sailors called out to their various gods, and somehow they determined that the storm had come as a result of this strange guy that they'd never seen before, and they brought on deck. And he identified himself as Jonah.
He said, I'm a Hebrew and I serve the Lord God that created all things. And they're thinking, okay, dude, why would you run from a God this powerful? Are you out of your mind? In a sense, he was at this point. And as we also mentioned, the reason the Lord allowed Jonah to go into this storm and ultimately be swallowed by the great fish or the whale was to discipline him.
You know, when you're one of God's children and you go astray, the Lord is going to chasten you. Another way we might put it is, give you a little swat. Not because he's against you, but because he's for you. Not because he hates you, but because he loves you. Let me illustrate.
If you start to go off course and think something you should not think or do something you should not do and you're convicted in your heart, that is not a bad thing, my friend. That is a good thing. The time to be concerned is when you can go and overtly sin. Do something the Bible says you should not do, and have no pang of conscience, no sense of guilt, or no remorse afterwards. That is scary.
But if you're a true child of God, you will be unhappy while you're living in sin. And Jonah was certainly unhappy as he was running from the Lord. But the Lord, of course, worked on his heart while he was in the belly of the beast. You might say that Jonah had a personal revival in the stomach of the whale, if it was a whale.
So first he had revival, then God used him to bring revival. And as I pointed out earlier, nothing can happen through you until it first happens to you.
So God was getting them ready for something that was to come.
Now we come to Jonah 3, verse 4. Reading from the New Living Translation. On the day that Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds, 40 days from now, and Nineveh will be destroyed.
Now, here's the surprising part: the people of Nineveh believed God's message from the greatest to the least, and they decided to go without food and wear sackcloth to show their sorrow. Drop down to verse 10. And when God saw that they had put a stop to their evil ways, he had mercy on them and didn't carry out the destruction he had threatened.
Now this is a stunning spiritual awakening. An entire city turns to God. It's also worth noting that As I mentioned, they were known for their acts of violence, and that's the very thing that they repented of, in particular. And this was from a guy who simply said, 40 days and Nineveh will be overthrown. I mean, that is not the most hopeful message I've ever heard.
But yet God used that message to bring these people to himself. There was no offer of forgiveness or any other thing, but they somehow got the memo that they had 40 days to get right with God, and they believed. And I think this is an important thing to bring to mind, and I've mentioned this before, but no one is beyond the reach of God. These Ninevites were so bad, but yet God reached them. And I bet you know somebody that's really bad.
Bad to the bone. A person that doesn't want to hear about the Lord. They don't want to hear you talk about the Bible. They don't want to hear about an invitation to church. And so you've kind of written them off, haven't you?
I'm not going to invite them because every time I engage them in a conversation, it turns into a conflict. I'm going to ask you to focus your prayers in particular on those difficult people. Because in fact, they may be closer to coming to Christ than you realize.
Sometimes one of the reasons a person will strike out at you when you share the gospel with them is because they're actually under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. And that very reaction could be a good sign. rather than a bad sign.
So be praying for those people and maybe that's one of the people you'll invite to church. And so I think that we should go out when we share the gospel and expect God to bless it because he says his word will not return void. You know, most preachers quote C.H. Spurgeon. He's a guy who lived quite a number of years ago in England.
He's called the Prince of Preachers, a really fantastic. a communicator, but uh he had a very successful church. In the 1800s, and many people attended it there in London. And so a young pastor came to Spurgeon once, and he wasn't having the results Spurgeon was having, and he wasn't having people come to Christ in his church like Spurgeon was having.
So he said to Spurgeon, I don't understand it. He said, we never have people come to Christ. And whenever I preach, no one comes to believe in Jesus. And Spurgeon asked him, let me ask you a question. Do you expect people to come to Christ every time you preach?
And the young preacher said, Well, of course not. And Spurgeon said, And that's why you don't have people coming to Christ. See when I speak, I expect people to come to Christ. Not because I'm a great preacher, but because I have a great gospel and there's power in the gospel and it impacts people.
So I expect it. You know, we need to attempt great things for God and expect great things from God. That's not an original statement to me, but it's been said many times. Attempt great things for God, expect great things from God. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment.
Hey everyone, I want you to know about our app called Harvest Plus. Think of it as a harvest version of Netflix. We have all of our resources in one place. We have our movies like Steve McQueen, The Salvation of an American Icon, Johnny Cash, the Redemption of an American Icon, A Rush of Hope, and much more. Then we have our television program, daily devotions, and much more.
So go and download the Harvest Plus app. And now Pastor Greg continues his message called The Prodigal Prophet.
Now we shift gears in the narrative, and we come to the surprising finale of the book of Jonah. How many of you believe that the Bible is inspired by God? Raise your hand up, okay? I believe it too. I believe the scripture is inspired by God for many reasons.
I believe that The Bible is given to us from God because it is the one book that dares to predict the future. Not once, not twice, but hundreds of times with 100% accuracy. I believe the Bible is the Word of God. Because everything it has promised to me, I have found to be true. And I believe the Bible is the word of God because there's a Jonah chapter 4.
Because if I was Jonah. And I was writing my own story almost Scholars believe Jonah wrote the book of Jonah. I would definitely not have put in chapter four. The book would have ended on chapter three. Epic ending.
Thousands of people believe, probably upwards of a million, in a great revival. Thank you very much. Good night. God bless. Drop the mic.
Exit stage. But no. We have Jonah chapter 4. And to Jonah's credit, he wrote it. He literally throws himself under the bus in chapter four.
And shows How ridiculous he was after this revival happened.
So I know. This is an inspired book because why else would a story like this be in it? Jonah 4, verse 1.
Now, remember to the backdrop: all these people have believed. It's a spiritual awakening, it's amazing. And this is what Jonah does. This change of plans upset Jonah and he became very angry. And he complained to the Lord about it, saying, Didn't I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord?
That's why I ran away to Tarshus, because I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. I knew how easily you could cancel your plans for destroying these people.
So just kill me now, Lord. I'd rather be dead than alive because nothing I predicted is going to happen. I love God's response. The Lord replied. Is it right for you to be angry about this?
This is amazing. Jonah's angry. Because God did not wipe out The Ninevites. A clear translation of what God said would be. You're very angry, aren't you?
The word that is used here means to burn with anger. He was fuming. He should have been rejoicing, and instead he's really mad. He was preoccupied with himself. Just kill me now, God.
Yeah, really.
Someone's getting dramatic here. Yeah, I just don't even want to live anymore because nothing I predicted happened.
Well, actually, what you were predicting was really horrible.
So, you should be happy it didn't happen. But Jonah knew what he was talking about. He said, I knew you'd do this, Lord. You're gracious. You're full of mercy.
I know you would do something like this. And this is why I did not want to speak to these people. Think about this. Here is a guy who survived three days and three nights in a fish's stomach, a man who repents and prays and preaches the truth, and the people of Nineveh. Come to believe, and now look at the condition he is in at this point.
Now, this just reminds us that no matter how powerfully you're used by God. you can still crash and burn. No matter how Incredibly God. Blesses you. You can still self-destruct.
You can still sin and sin horribly. If you don't believe me, Just ask. Abraham, ask Moses, ask David, ask Samson, ask Simon Peter, all people that were remarkably used by God who made big mistakes and committed sins afterwards. And so that's what was happening with old Jonah.
Now sometimes people worry about new believers not changing quickly enough. I'm more concerned with older converts who have stopped changing. Listen, we all know new believers, you know, they're kind of figuring this out, it's all new to them. And maybe they're a little rough around the edges, and maybe some profanity slips out, or there's some old vices that haven't completely dropped off yet, or something happens. You think, yeah, they have a little growing to do.
That's understandable. I actually find myself pretty patient with that sort of thing. What I'm more concerned about is with a person who has known the Lord for years and stopped changing a long time ago, and they've got crankier and they've got meaner. But yet they quote the Bible all the time. We're thinking, what happened to that person?
How do they end up in that state? They've literally stagnated in their walk with Christ and no longer are making the changes, and now instead they're becoming bitter and very critical. Their new form of ministry, it seems to be, is tearing other people down. That passion they used to have for evangelism is now used to critique other Christians. And this can happen, and that's what was happening actually with Jonah.
Jonah was a mature believer. He should have known better, but he was having a relapse. Jonah was the prodigal prophet. He was angry with and bitter toward God. Let me ask you.
Have you ever felt like God has let you down. You had certain dreams, certain aspirations. Certain hopes Those things didn't pan out as you had planned. And you feel like God lets you down. And that's what's happening with Joni.
He felt like God had let him down, and he was angry with God. Have any of you ever been angry with God? Where did you do this, Lord? Or why didn't you do that, Lord? Where were you, Lord?
He was angry with the Lord at this point. And we can be that way as well. Maybe sometimes that's when God... Bless us, somebody. And we think he should have blessed me instead of them.
They shouldn't have that blessing. I should have that blessing. Maybe that's one of the very reasons they have it and you don't. Because you thought you were deserving. Excuse me, deserving?
Friend, you deserve judgment. Not blessing.
So when God gives you a blessing, be thankful for it. And if God gives someone else what you perceive as a greater blessing, be thankful to God He gave it to them. You know, the Bible says, rejoice with those that rejoice, and weep with those that weep. I found it's a lot easier to weep with those that weep than rejoice with those that rejoice. Does that make sense?
You know, maybe someone comes to you and says, oh man, my fiancé broke up with me. Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Let's pray. Then somebody else comes up to you and says, My boyfriend just proposed to me, and you've been single for a long time, and you're like, Oh, praise God.
You know. You're not rejoicing with those that rejoice. Oh yeah, your heart went out to the person who was having trouble. Oh man, I just checked into the hospital. I'm having medical issues.
Oh man, I'll come be there with you. I'll bring you something to eat. I'll weep with those that weep. Oh man, I just got a raise at work and I got a brand new car. Oh praise God.
You know, you're mad. That's not fair, you say. I deserve that actually you didn't, nor did they. But I think that we need to just get things into perspective. And this is the problem: Jonah was actually falling into sin.
Here's a little app on my phone. I don't know which grandkid ordered it. But uh these weird games appear on my phone. And sometimes, like, I get little updates in the middle of the night. Ding, pet hotel, just something, I don't know, like.
How do I get this thing off my phone? And one of the apps on my phone is Dumb Ways2Die. Have you ever seen that? And it's kind of funny actually. It's these little cartoon characters and they have all these dumb ways to die and some of them are setting fire to your hair, poking a grizzly bear.
Getting toast. Out of toaster with a fork. Those are bad ideas.
Okay.
Well, listen, I can tell you, there's a lot of dumb ways to fall into sin, too. Because sin makes you stupid. And you don't think clearly. And we sometimes think a backslider, to use a Bible word. A backslider It's someone who falls into gross sin.
Oh, yeah. Yeah, they left their wife and they're having an affair. That's a backsliding. Yes, it is. Oh man, they're back into drinking and drugs again.
They're back sitting. Yes, they are. But that's not the only way to backslide.
Well, they don't come to church anymore. They're backslidden, could be. But did you know you can be in church every Sunday and even in a midweek study and still be backslidden? Oh how? I'm here, aren't I?
Yes, you are. It's a good thing that you're here. But there's different ways for us to fall away. And so that's what was happening to Jonah. You see, he.
He was falling. He was in a state of spiritual failure. And he was hoping to be entertained. You know, he predicted Nineveh would be judged. Pulled up a ringside seat.
Got out some milk duds and popcorn. Probably didn't have it back then. I don't know why. I like milk duds with popcorn. A little salty, a little sweet, right?
And uh And I go to a movie and by the way, my seat looks like a bum went off. It's just horror. My wife says, this is embarrassing. Look at your seat. Popcorn everywhere, you know.
I go into some kind of weird feeding forensic, I don't know what happens. But He's waiting to be entertained, okay? I'm going to just sit here and watch the judgment of God fall on the city. But things did not go as planned. that he was angry with God.
And so that's what was happening to Jonah. Um Pastor Greg Laurie, with insight on Jonah's rebellion and refusal to follow through on God's directive. It's the first in our top 10 series of most requested messages here on a new beginning. and there's more to come.
Now, the gospel message is an important message, a life-saving message, even though Jonah had his priorities mixed up. But having our priorities mixed up is the very reason for the gospel in the first place. Have you ever reprioritized and come to the Lord and made a decision to follow Him, to ask Him to forgive your sins and give you eternal life? Pastor Gregg, if if someone would like to do that right now, they'd like to make that kind of decision. What would you say to them?
I would say that God is just a prayer away. You know, it doesn't take years to become a Christian, it doesn't take months. Frankly, it doesn't even take hours. It can happen so quickly. It just starts with...
You saying to God, I know I'm a sinner, I know that you You love me? I know that you sent Jesus to die on the cross for my sin and pay for those sins and then to rise again from the dead. And I want him to come into my life.
So, here's my question to you: Have you done that yet? because Jesus, who did die on that cross and rose again from the dead three days later, is alive and standing at the door of your life right now, and He's knocking, and He's saying, If you'll hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in. Would you like your sin forgiven? Would you like to know that when you die you will go to heaven? Do you want Christ to come into your life right now?
If so, why don't you just stop whatever it is you're doing and pray this prayer with me? You could pray it out loud. You can pray it in the quietness of your own heart. But pray this prayer. to God.
Say, Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. but I know that you are the Saviour. who died on the cross for my sin. and rose again from the dead. I'm sorry for my sin, and I turn from it now.
and I choose to follow you. From this moment forward, I ask all of this in Jesus' name. Amen. Listen. If you just prayed that prayer, the Bible promises that God has heard your prayer and has answered that prayer.
The Bible says that we will confess our sin, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
So. God bless you. You've made the right decision. The decision to follow Jesus Christ. Yeah, yeah, that's right.
And listen, as you begin to live this new life, we want to send you something to help you get started off right. It's Pastor Gregg's New Believer's Bible. It's in an easy-to-understand translation, along with hundreds and hundreds of study helps, especially for those who are new to the faith. Millions of people have been helped by this resource.
So get in touch for your own New Believer's Bible. We'll send it free of charge. Just call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300. or write a new beginning box 4000 Riverside, California, 92514.
or go online to harvest.org and click Know God. Yeah. You know, Pastor Gregg, we hear from people all the time who tell us how these daily studies have impacted their lives.
So many have found the Lord and been encouraged through this teaching. That's right. And we hope our listeners might pray about making an investment so these studies can continue. Yeah, it's really true, Dave. You know, and even a little bit helps.
You know, people need to hear the gospel so badly. They need to hear the teaching of the word of God. It changes everything because it changes us. And I'm so passionate about it, and I'm called to do it, and I'm thankful for it. But I can't do it alone.
So I'm going to ask folks that are listening: if you think more people need to hear the gospel. If you believe more people need to hear the teaching of the Word of God, then Carefully consider investing in harvest ministries and maybe even become a harvest partner. Which means you're someone who stands with us every month in your faithful giving. And that opens up a lot of new opportunities for us.
So, thanks for that. Yeah, that's right. And we really are thankful for your partnership. You can reach us anytime day or night at 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300.
Or write a new beginning box 4000. Riverside, California, 92514. or just go online to harvest.org.
Well next time we'll see Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh. He changed his mind. He did preach to Nineveh. But he was still angry. More of the story coming next time.
Join us here on A New Beginning with Pastor and Bible teacher Greg Laurie. And it's just the day, the day when life begins.
