When Grace Feels Unfair
Jonah Chapter 4 | When Grace Feels Unfair
God's Grace Isn't Just For Me, It's Also For Them
In the final message of our series on the Book of Jonah, Pastor David Watson took us through the fourth chapter, revealing that Jonah is far more than just a "big fish story." At its heart, the book of Jonah explores the depths of God's grace and His desire to extend that grace to all people—even those we might consider undeserving.
Pastor David opened with the powerful story of Gordon Wilson, an Irish man whose daughter was killed in an IRA bombing in 1987. Hours after her death, Wilson shocked the world by publicly stating, "I bear no ill will, I bear no grudge... May God forgive them." This display of grace and forgiveness toward his daughter's killers sparked controversy, with many asking, "How dare you forgive?"
This real-life example perfectly illustrates the central tension in Jonah chapter 4. Like many who were outraged at Wilson's forgiveness, Jonah was furious when God showed mercy to the Ninevites. The prophet had hoped for their destruction, not their redemption.
"We all have a problem with God's grace," Pastor David explained. "In theory, we love that God is gracious to us. But in practice, when that same grace is extended to those we consider enemies or undeserving, we often struggle with it."
As Pastor David walked us verse by verse through the chapter, we saw Jonah's anger escalate to the point where he told God, "Take my life, for it is better for me to die than to live." Jonah was so consumed with his prejudice against the Ninevites that he completely missed the heart of God.
God's response to Jonah's anger came in the form of a penetrating question: "Is it right for you to be angry?" God was inviting Jonah to examine his heart and recognize how far it had strayed from God's own heart of compassion.
To teach Jonah this lesson, God appointed a plant to provide shade for the sulking prophet. Jonah was "greatly pleased with the plant," showing more joy over this temporary comfort than he had at any other point in the book. But when God then appointed a worm to destroy the plant, Jonah's anger flared again, and he once more wished for death.
God used this moment to reveal Jonah's misplaced priorities: "You cared about the plant, which you did not labor over and did not grow... Should I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left, as well as many animals?"
Pastor David highlighted how this story reveals two crucial aspects of God's mission:
God's mission is dependent on Him, but requires us to remember who God is. Jonah knew God's character—"gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love"—but failed to embrace it. We are called to not just know God's attributes but to be transformed by them.
God's mission requires us to reflect His heart. Throughout the book, God was not after Jonah's life but after his heart. The prophet was outwardly obedient in chapter 3 but remained inwardly distant from God's heart of grace.
Pastor David offered a striking contrast between Jonah's heart and Jesus's heart:
Jonah hated sinners; Jesus loved them
Jonah ran from his assignment; Jesus ran toward it
Jonah came because he had to; Jesus came because He wanted to
Jonah delivered his message to save his own life; Jesus delivered His message even though it cost Him His life
The sermon concluded with a challenging question: "Are we going to take a seat or take part in God's mission?" Pastor David emphasized that there are no bystanders in God's mission. The call for Bear Creek Community Church is to help more people find life in Christ—not because of programs or personalities, but because we remember who God is and reflect His heart to our community.
"God has called us not to just take a seat, but to take part," Pastor David concluded, "to extend His grace. Because His grace is not just for me, it's also for them."
This sermon was delivered by Pastor David Watson as the conclusion of our series on the Book of Jonah.