Lifeway Research uncovered that in 2019, approximately 4,500 Protestant churches closed in the US. This evangelical organization analyzed congregational information from 34 denominations and groups representing 60 percent of US Protestant churches…The next year the Covid Pandemic hit. People fled their churches. People died and others feared church crowds and stayed at home. Churches dwindled in attendance. One pastor echo what so many have learned, “Most of the people who are not attending [services] are afraid”. “They are uncomfortable being around crowds.” Due to unrealistic fears as many as one in five churches will permanently close. This is a result of shutdowns stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, according to David Kinnaman. He is the president of the prominent Christian research organization Barna Group founded by George Barna.

Kinnaman said that as time passes, “we’ll look back at the pandemic as a fundamental change to the way Americans” handled church attendance and church donations. Many of them have already closed. Just in our area alone there are three… Let’s be honest the church cave in to fear, indifference and apathy. We fled in fear just like Jonah fled and the results are being tally even now. There are times in our life that we all face fear, but fear is not something that should be easily accepted in the Christian Life. Hebrews 13:6 boldly says, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Fear not was the first message I preached on March 15, 2020 when we were ordered to close for the pandemic.

There are 331 times the message “fear not” appears in the bible and over 182 times that exact phrase tells us “fear not”. Fear is one of Satan’s most effective weapons to keep us from fulfilling God’s purpose. Listen to what Satan did to us because of fear. He ruin…

A recent report by John Hopkins tells us that COVID-19 lockdowns were “a global policy failure of gigantic proportions.” The draconian policies failed to significantly reduce deaths while imposing substantial social, cultural, and economic costs… Professor Steve Hanke of the Johns Hopkins University consider a range of studies that determined the impact of individual lockdowns, restrictions, including stay at-home rules to school closures, travel restrictions and mask mandates. They did very little according to the percentages that did not out weight the cost and damage.
Sadly, churches that have closed are now being used as stores, offices, and power plants that once accommodate the crowds of people seeking to meet God. The wholesale disposal of churches and church furnishings is a sad commentary on the state of the Church. When wickedness dominates the world we live in; we are in danger of becoming anesthetized to its potential power and pull. This is why we need Revival and we need evangelists to come preach revival to stir us to repentance. The church needs a second chance since this evil came upon us… We need to pray for Revival and not fear what people will say or do.

If we examine revivals of pasted history, one of the common factors we see in each is that there is always a committed and devout preacher behind the revival. Since the time of the Reformation, we can point to revivals connected to the preaching of such men as John Knox and John Wesley. In the Great Awakening of 1734 there was Jonathan Edwards’s former teacher at Yale and George Whitefield known as the circuit riding preacher. The results were 1000’s of converts and 100’s of churches started.

Folks, I believe our church is a by-product of that revival. There were Bible Colleges started and missionary’s institutes. The late Dr. Billy Graham would be the closest to a great revival preacher of our times. Where is that preacher for such a time as this? Jonah was for his day a revival preacher to the wickedest place on the globe. Jonah was given a second chance and I believe God is giving the Church a second chance to repent and reform before the Tribulation hour.

I Jonah is Recommission to Nineveh 1, 2

1. In this chapter we see nothing less than the greatest mass conversion in the history of the world. That was because God gave Jonah and Nineveh a second chance. Praise God that he is the God of second chances.
The great (3:2) city of Nineveh gets a second chance because of the preaching of a prophet who too got a second chance. The text begins by saying “the Word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time “(3:1). God gave Jonah a second chance to obey, and now He was giving the city of Nineveh one more chance to obey.

2. What intrigues me is that when “the Word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time “it was the same Word — “Arise, go to Nineveh “(3:2; 1:2). It doesn’t surprise us that God pursues us when we wander. God is the God of the second chance… But one might think that God would take note of the fact that Jonah ran away the last time He told him to go to Nineveh and, therefore, change the command. But God does not change His command.

3. The first time Jonah is commissioned to go to Nineveh we read that, “Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord “(1:3). Two things I remind you to notice. Jonah is supposed to be a holy and caring prophet of God. But he doesn’t care about these people. Do we care about the people around us?

4. But now, after receiving the commission the second time, we read that, “Jonah arose and went… this is personal revival. Jonah’s obedience makes this story more remarkable. For in this chapter we see God, in His mercy, use a reluctant prophet to convert an enormous city given him a 2nd chance.

II Jonah Preaches to the City of Nineveh 3,4

1. The Bible said, “The city was a three days journey (3:3). So, Nineveh was a city of great magnitude in what today is modern Iraq. The city was 30 miles long and 20 miles wide. Its walls were one hundred feet wide and could hold four chariots riding side by side. It was the capital city of Assyria. Over 1/2 million people lived in and around this capital. In chapter 4, the text says that there are “more than 120,000 people “(4:11) living in Nineveh. Historians and theologians agree, however, that this number accounts only for the adults. With an average of 3-4 children per household, Jonah would have witnessed the conversion of nearly 600,000 people. Folks, that a great revival with the potential of greater fruit.

2. Nineveh was a city of depravity. Jonah knew about their cruelty and brutality. Its people were known for their savagery. They burned children alive and tortured adults by skinning them and leaving them to die in the scorching sun. Sexual immorality was the way of life with widespread worship of fertility goddess and temples of lewd worship. History says they were one of the worst yet culturally they contribute to the worlds. So God saw something that could be redeemed. The impact of revival can change a people, a city or even the course of a nation.

3. Jonah didn’t want to share his faith with these wicked people. We may not be eager to share our faith, but if we do–who knows? Perhaps we will witness a revival, not necessarily the conversion of an entire city, but perhaps the conversion of our entire family. Perhaps we will see the conversion of our circle of friends. Perhaps we will see the conversion of those we work with or even many in our town.

4. Jonah’s message as he walked through the city of Nineveh, “yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown “(3:4). Jonah was told to “proclaim” what the Lord told him to proclaim. God did the rest! He was already working in their hearts and minds. On the surface, Jonah’s message is quite unimpressive. Jonah does not present any persuasive evidence nor does he utilize any clever arguments. In the same way, we Christians must deliver the message. Psalms 126:6— They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

Application:

The question today is; are you going to “flee” from the commission of God, or are you going to share your faith with others? Let me remind you–that when Jonah fled, it got him trapped in the belly of a whale. When Jonah shared his faith, 600,000 became converted. While the world struggles to validate their beliefs on more than what they see on television, Christians have the trustworthy Scriptures to base their beliefs and message on. When you witness to others, follow the example of Jonah, and stick to God’s Word.

Pastor John Ortberg wrote, “Redeeming is what our God is into. He is the finder of directionally-challenged sheep, the searcher of missing coins, and the embracer of foolish prodigal children. His favorite department is ‘Lost and Found.’ If there is one way that human beings consistently underestimate God’s love, it is perhaps in His loving longing to forgive.”

Conclusion:

Jonah was a reluctant, bitter prophet. He wanted to keep God to himself. But the call of God and the purpose of our church is to preach and teach Jesus, so that others, and yes, even our so- called enemies turn their lives around and embrace the love, joy, peace, grace and forgiveness God offers.
We need Revival because it’s time like never before to deal with hated, division and apathy. Are you praying for revival, both in your own life and in the lives of others?