Do you ever feel like you've blown it so badly that God couldn't possibly use you? Maybe, just maybe, he's preparing you for something great. Today, on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindahl shares the stunning story of history's most reluctant preacher. Jonah delivered a five-word sermon to his worst enemies and witnessed the impossible. An entire city known for violence and brutality experienced complete transformation overnight.
This biblical account reveals how your failures, fears, and flaws might be exactly what God wants to use. Teaching from Jonah chapter 3, Chuck titled today's message, Proclamation, Transformation, Compassion. You observe that Jonah didn't hold back when he declared. his extremely confrontive message. to a city that was known for violence.
He doesn't mince words. Forty days from now, Nineveh will be destroyed. Any messenger who delivers this kind of bold message. has no concern for winning a lot of friends. and being liked.
by his audience. He doesn't tell them what they want to hear. He tells them What they must hear. What they need to hear. It occurred to me that what we want from a Trusted.
Physician is the truth. Hard as it may be to hear. If it's cancer. We want the person to tell us. We have cancer.
Not to do so is malpractice. If we're having an attorney give us advice, We want advice that is legal. trustworthy. not something that sounds good to our ears. We trust professionals.
to tell us the truth.
Now we're about to witness the single most significant revival in biblical history. As the Spirit of God ignites the message of God. and birds it into the hearts of the people of Nineveh. Jonah isn't concerned about his life. For all he knew, they would spear him.
He might die. For telling them this, he doesn't know. Nevertheless, He delivered the message. There was an instant spontaneous acceptance. A clear and full realization that the truth had been told and the truth must be believed.
Clearly the people believed In forty days. We will be annihilated. And so? Not surprisingly, verse five. The people of Nineveh believed Not Jonah's message.
It wasn't Jonah's message. They believed God's message. How interesting. They aren't God-fearing people, or they weren't until now. They're godless, idol-worshiping Gentiles living in a violent country.
known for atrocities. But here comes this prophet. with the courage to declare God's message. And we read Continuing in verse 5, from the greatest to the least They declared a fast and put on burlap To show their sorrow. Your Bible probably reads sackcloth.
Sackcloth was a coarse fabric. Made from goat's hair. And it was worn by often by those who were in mourning. It's called here Burlap, which is as close as we can get to it. though it was certainly much less.
comfortable to wear. as we read that they all were to put on this rap of of sackcloth. And he goes further in verse 6. Heard what Jonah was saying. There's no argument.
He doesn't bring him in to question him. Where are you from? Who gave you the right to speak to? None of that. He stepped down from his throne.
He took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap. And he sat on a heap of ashes. Strange words to us in our 21st century world. But in that world, that was the sign of absolute and abject.
Bankruptcy. He saw himself spiritually bankrupt. He realized that he himself Was not able to hold back this destruction. And he is outranked. by the God of heaven who is able to bring this kind of annihilation.
So he steps down. He dresses himself in burlap. Then look at the edict. The king and his nobles sent out the decree. Throughout the city, not one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink.
Anything at all. First sign of true repentance. They call a fast after they wrap themselves in the sackcloth.
Next, we read: people and animals alike must wear garments of mourning. How strange. They wrapped the garments of mourning around the goats. And the sheep? And whatever cattle there may have been.
And the animals wore the garments of mourning. Everyone must pray earnestly. To God, they must turn from their evil ways, stop all their violence. That is the Clearest illustration of repentance. Literally, the Greek word metana eo, which is the word for repentance.
means to change the mind. Get this. You're moving in this direction. Violence. Atrocities.
Evil deeds. Idol worship. You change and you move in that direction. A direction of repentance. Humility.
The realization of shame. Wrong, sinfulness, evil. and the need for forgiveness. They moved from That direction to this direction. And that is what is said here.
in this verse. Where he says they must turn from their evil ways and stop all their Violence. It was their lifestyle. He adds, who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger, from destroying us.
I don't know if any of you, I'm sure many of you have.
So I would ask you to remember. Attending a Graham Crusade. Back in the days when they were held in stadium, around the country, in fact around the world. You can remember sitting in the stands as I do. I was a part of three of them.
One was in Houston when I was a very young man. Another was when I taught in their school of evangelism in Seattle. I was invited to be a part of that crusade. And then the one that was in Orange County, California. in the 80s.
As I recall, the Houston one was in the 50s. I believe the Seattle ministry was in the late 70s, and I know the Orange County would. was in the late 80s. Let me go to Orange County, since that's the most recent and stands out in my mind. Though I have to tell you, having been raised in Houston, I watched that city change.
Now, it wasn't a wholesale or repentance like we read of Nineveh. But it is remarkable. What happened? in the write-ups of the newspaper. In the opinion of various journalists.
who were willing to state the truth. They never heard anything like it in their lives. The attention of the people was arrested. Same in Seattle. But here we are in Orange County.
I'm sitting in Angel Stadium. That's a nice place to be for a crusade. And it's packed. I listened to aging Billy Graham. And I'll say that respectfully.
Uh who can compare? Uh none that I know of. As he stands and delivers maybe A 20-minute gospel message. As clear as he had presented it in the 50s and the 70s, here he is now. standing on the pitcher's mound where the platform is.
Speaking to all of us in the wraparound stadium. of Christ. who loved us and gave himself for us. A simple gospel message. It wasn't all that Creative.
It certainly wasn't lengthy. He didn't attempt to be eloquent. He was faithful. To deliver the gospel message. As I'll recall, it was straight from John 3, verse 16.
God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son. That whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He ended it rather abruptly. He didn't have a smooth ending. to lead into the invitation.
He just sort of stopped. And I have to tell you something here. I confess it. I'm sitting up there. A fellow preacher.
taking mental notes of the master at work. Thinking Well, you could have gone a little longer. And thinking, you could have... You know, persuaded us a little more. I'm looking around, there are people that don't seem all that interested.
I'm thinking, Man, this is gonna It's going to be a little embarrassing, I'm afraid. Oh. How wrong I was. And then he begins with that famous southern drawl.
Well, I said every head be bowed. Every eye closed. And before he could get started. People were walking into the aisles, over the chairs, around each other, on each other, and they began to fill up the infield. I thought, well, that's a terrific response.
And then they moved into the A shallow outfield. And they kept coming. all through the stands. It came down like ants. Pouring down.
And then finally, the entire outfield is filled all the way to the fence. All the way. And there's a little Opening area that leads out into a tunnel area. They were in there. They moved out into that area.
And he's. Looking at him in the round, if you will, has the mic now in his hand as he speaks to all of these people. And I watch God. move in the hearts. of multiple thousands of people.
who heard a simple brief message. of the gospel.
Now how do I tell you this? Because you cannot tell by looking. the condition of a human heart. When I looked around the People Obviously, some of them look bored. They look like they had other things on their mind, but I'll tell you.
when he came to the point of the gospel. They were riveted. That's the way it was here. And the king and his subjects and all the people. or riveted to that message.
By the way, Where's Jonah? The last time you read of him It's in verse 3 where he obeyed. and took the message He's not even mentioned by name. Because the messenger isn't that important. Once he's delivered the message.
The message takes over. It's the message God said he would bless. Listen to Isaiah 55. As the rains come down and the snow from heaven, And water the earth to make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the farmer and bread to the hungry.
So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth. It will not return to me empty. but it will accomplish the thing for which I sent it. My message. My word.
Jonah gets out of the way. The message takes over. And it runs through the rank and file of the Menovites. Like flooding water. Seeking a level.
And the people one after another All ages and stages in life, young and old, boys and girls, men and women, aged. Beggars. King. And all of his subjects, they're all now in Burlap. Revealing their Repentance.
the change of mind toward the living God. They've not only Heard it. They've shifted from their idols to the God who could destroy them. Remarkable. And will you look at what happens?
Yeah. Verse 10. First, we'll see what God saw. And then we'll see how God responded. When God saw what they had done, Done.
That's interesting. Not simply what they had heard. But he saw the fruit of their belief. He saw evidence. of the change.
He saw the sincerity of their response. When he saw what they had done, how they had put a stop to their evil ways. How did he respond? He changed his mind. and did not carry out The catastrophic.
There's the word again. The destruction He had threatened. Compassion replaced Destruction. There it is. It all begins with a proclamation.
which leads to transformation. and which results in compassion. The proclamation from the messenger The transformation of the human heart and the compassion of the living God. to come into a life and bring about a change. God not only changed his mind regarding the destruction, He changed them from within.
This leads me to two questions. And I want you to hear them carefully. Every one of you. The first question is to you who know the Lord. You know Christ, you look back on a time in your life.
When you have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, You're a believer. You're a Christian. Question. Is there someone you have mentally written off? thinking They're too far gone.
They'll never repent. Think again. Think again. That person Whether you may feel this is true or not. isn't important.
The truth is that person may feel like the most empty, ashamed, lonely individual on the planet. And you hold the treasure.
So I urge you, obviously. Having thought about this, Take every name out of the book that you've written them in. Impossibility. Because God is a God of impossibilities. There's no one too far gone for the Lord to reach.
Remember, He's not willing that any should perish. but that all should come to repentance.
So think again. It may be this is the week for you to connect. with that person you have deliberately shunned. thinking they're not interested. That's not for you to say.
You don't know enough to make that judgment call. I'm sure there were those in the Apostle Prophet. Paul, known as Saul of Tarsus Day, who would say, now there is a man who'll never be interested in the message of Christianity. I mean, he's killing Christians. And the Lord reached him.
So that's my first question. Is there anyone you may have mentally written off? Think again. Here's the second question. To you who have never believed.
You probably think you have forever. I mean, you're doing pretty well. You showed up in church. Man. You probably can tell yourself I I'm okay.
But I I'm not really interested in Trusting in Jesus.
Well, that may work for Now But when you draw your last breath, which may be tonight. Not meant to be dramatic. Just truthful. I've noticed lately that in the funerals that I officiate. Most of those who die are dying younger.
Than they used to. You have no guarantee of older age. You have no assurance that your good health is now and will be from now on. You don't know what's growing inside of you. You don't know the accident around the corner.
You who think you know how long you have to live before you come to your final hour, think again. Think again. What an intelligent decision it would be. to do just what the king did.
Okay. No argument, no fight. No resistance. Just step down from your man-made throne. And step into the Lord's presence and say, Here I am.
Warts and all. I drag with me all the stuff of my past. And trust me. None of it will turn the Lord off. He takes you just as you are.
Just as you are. Remember the song that we always sang at the end of the Crusades, Just as I Am. without one plea. but that thy blood was shed for me, O Lamb of God. I come.
I come. Bow your heads with me, will you please? You've listened so well and I commend you.
Now it's time to respond. Ever been a time in your life when you have personally Not just talked about it or thought about it, but when you have. personally acted by faith. And trusted the Lord Jesus Christ. with your life.
When you've acknowledged that your sin has come between you and a holy God, And you want that to stop. You want the Lord to come and clean things up. Turn your life around. Move you in a new direction. From a life of uh Shame and secrecy and Disappointment to others.
to a life of openness and honesty and Trust in the Lord Jesus. You come today. Come now. We'd love to talk with you following this service. If you want to know about the Lord Jesus Christ and you need help, Come to us.
Or if you prefer not to come, at least get a hold of our ministry. And let us help you make that journey. I'll give you a prayer to follow, Dear Father. I'm lost. I've never trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ.
But today I do that. I take him as my own Saviour. I believe in him. And by your grace, I will turn from a lifestyle that I've lived. in the direction of Your truth.
and righteousness. Help me.
Now as I began a journey, as I trust you with my life. And, dear Father, as you minister to others, I pray that you will touch the lives of your children. and free us to speak openly of your Son Jesus. May we lose the habit of being reluctant. Hesitant.
thinking that we know that Others wouldn't be interested when in fact we don't know that. Give us the boldness of this prophet. Give us the willingness to speak. And then give us the encourage to live the message. Uh so that our lives do not cloud.
what our lips may say. Use these words today in a very special way. in all our lives. I ask for Jesus. Fate.
Everyone said. Amen. Our prayer is that God will use today's message from Chuck Swindahl to encourage boldness in believers. Our friends, our family, our world need to hear the truth about God's amazing grace. You're listening to Insight for Living and message number 6 in Chuck's nine-part biography of Jonah the Reluctant Prophet.
To purchase the audio C D's or MP three s for this series, call us at eight hundred seven seven two eighty eight eighty eight, or go to insight dot org slash offer. By the way, you have full access to more than a thousand messages from Chuck when you download the convenient Insight for Living mobile app. It's our gift to you and the countless others who want to benefit from the wisdom of the Bible. Today, we'd like to send you a brand new booklet from Insight for Living called Look Beyond. it features the final sermon that Chuck delivered to the church that he founded.
His message was delivered on the weekend of his 90th birthday. Chuck cited the powerful counsel that Paul offered to his young protégé, Timothy. Paul charged Timothy to see beyond his circumstances and to walk boldly into the future with eternity in mind. We'd like to share this stirring message with you. The booklet is called Look Beyond.
Will you focus on eternity? And we'd be pleased to send you a copy when you give a gift to support the Ministry of Insight for Living. We know you support your local church and other nonprofit ministries, but if Insight for Living continues to serve as your daily oasis, and if you've deepened your walk with God as a result of listening to this program, well, we'd invite your voluntary support as well. Your financial gift will bless someone you may never meet who needs to learn more about God's amazing grace. To send your donation in the mail, write to us at InsightForLiving.
Post Office Box 5000. Frisco, Texas 75034. You can also call us at 800-772-8888 or go to insight.org/slash donate. I'm Bill Meyer. Be sure to join us when Chuckswindahl describes what he calls the grumblings of an angry prophet.
Tomorrow on Insight for Living. The preceding message. Proclamation, Transformation, Compassion. Was copyrighted in 2018, 2019, and 2025. And the sound recording was copyrighted in 2025 by Charles R.
Swindahl Incorporated. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.
