City of Sinners

OK, open up your Bible to Jonah. We're going to be in Jonah

Jonah 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3. Good morning.

If you're visiting, my name is Steven.

I have the privilege of unpacking a portion of one of

the themes of Jonah together. I mentioned last week while

you're turning me. I mentioned that I've noticed

this every time we've preached from Jonah.

We've always begun with Jonah one verse one, and we're going

to. Do that today because.

I don't know if you know this, but in the ancient Near East,

when it came to literature, they didn't have emojis.

They also didn't have highlighters and exclamation

mark. So when they wanted to emphasize

something, they would repeat themselves.

So we read in Isaiah, the angels see the Lord and they cry out.

Holy, holy, holy. Not just because he's three

times holy, but because. He's he's.

Holy, holy. Holy.

Well, we read in Genesis where the armies are busy fleeing the

battlefield and it says. That the soldiers fell.

Into. Pit pits.

Clearly, they weren't ordinary. Pits.

They were pits. That needed some emojis.

Maybe they would. Swallow you whole.

So they were called pit pits and we.

Found the same thing in Jonah. Unfortunately, it's not.

Verse after. Verse so we can sometimes miss

it. So I want to show it to you.

Jonah one verse one says the word of the Lord came to Jonah

son of Amitai go 3 verse one says almost exactly the same.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.

Go. Underline The only difference is

once God had highlighted, it's underlined at the second time.

Jonah, actually. Decided to go and I.

Want to look at this morning what it means.

To be called. To go.

But I want to show you what happens when we go.

Verse 5. The Ninevites.

Believed God now. You're going to know you heard

Rowan. Read it there in English.

It's 8 words, Jonah. Goes but he preaches 8 words.

He might have said more, but he only highlights 8 words in

Hebrew. It's only.

Five, it's like. Lowest possible, lowest common

denominator. This like subversive.

Reaction against God in Hebrew this.

Five is like you guys are. Going to die.

I don't know, but the Ninevites believed God.

The Ninevites. Not the priests, not the head

boy. The Ninevites, the terrorists

the most. Brutal.

Wicked. Empire known to man.

Believe God a fast. Is proclaimed, and all of them

from the. Greatest to the least.

Put on sackcloth and how's. This verse 6.

When Jonah's warning reached the king of Nineveh, he didn't.

Even go to the. King Yeah, it's like.

That was too much. But the warning when it reached

the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his

royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat down in

the dust. The most wicked?

Most. Debauched.

Nation and we found the greatest revival.

Known to man up until that point in.

History. Why?

Because. One person from three.

CI heard the word. And said.

I'll go because one. Person stepped in obedience.

This is the power. Of the purposes of God.

When we act in obedience, this. Is what God is.

Calling us. To for the O. 1/2 And what's

interesting is actually when you peel back some of the layers you

notice. That this is golden thread of

going. Is found throughout scripture,

not just the prophets, not just the.

Elders or the pastors? Not even the just the priests.

The people of God are called to go.

Ongoingly, Jesus himself at the very end of his ministry, He's

about. To go to.

Heaven again, and he. Leaves.

Us with one last command, he says.

All authority in heaven and earth.

Matthew 28. It's given to me therefore.

Go, go. Make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them into the name of the Father and the Son of the

Holy Spirit, and behold, I will be with you.

Always to the very. End as you go.

Not just the people, not just Jesus, but even the Holy.

Spirit, as Rory was saying, full package, Jesus says.

Wait in Jerusalem until you receive.

The Holy Spirit. Why?

Because you will receive. Tower in your.

Witnessing in your going. Power to go.

It's in the very. Heart of God, actually.

Some very name of. God, I don't know.

If you've realized this, 2/3. Of the name of.

God spells GO go. A good one.

Brilliant. OK, the Pretoria.

Boys, hi guys are. Getting it all right?

Yeah, it's actually. It's just it's.

Helpful for me. Sometimes God needs.

To draw pictures, go. Actually, I do want to draw a

picture. To you, for you.

From Ezekiel 22 and in looking at this and chewing on this.

Call to go. If you know my personality, I'm

just like Jonah. I'm an introvert.

Let me hide. Rather go oh so.

Hard. And then God reminded me of

Ezekiel chapter 22. And in Ezekiel, the prophet

Ezekiel 22 · chapter mention

Ezekiel was talking to Jerusalem, Jonah was talking to

Nineveh. But I believe the both of them

are talking. To.

Pretoria to you and I and it begins it says it talks about

Jerusalem as being in verse five it says you infamous city full

of turmoil. It says in you there is

corruption and bribery and murder and crime and it just.

Lists all these. Sins and it goes from the very

top, from your MPs and your politicians all the way down to

the priests and everyone in between and then he says.

This says but I've. Searched for someone among them

who would. Build up the wall.

Stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land, so I would

not have to. Destroy it but.

I found no one. Now I want you to get this.

So we're going to. I want to put this verse up on

the screen. I want to show you.

Bear with me. This is my vivid imagination.

It begins, it says. I searched I.

Searched for someone among them. It doesn't say God puts out his

tender hey, if there's anyone who's got some space in their

diary, it would be wonderful. No, no, no, I searched to me.

That's like. When you came through that

parking lot, he was. Hey, hey, listen.

Dennis, can I talk to you about the city?

Dennis, not Dennis, was going for coffee.

Let me go grab maybe one of the staff searching for someone.

Can I just get through? Hey.

How's it? Can can I talk?

To you about Pretoria. Sorry, I just want to I.

Searched. I searched.

I searched for pastors. No, I searched for.

Someone we are talking about the lowest possible qualification

has. Pulse.

We'll go. Someone.

Can I just find someone among us?

Someone in the O 1-2, someone in Pretoria, someone in three CR.

Who would build? Up the wall and stand before me

in the gap. The ESV.

Says in the breach. Because the.

City has been breached and God. Is looking for someone.

But I found no one in my mind's eye.

It's like Jesus. Walking into this building

looking for someone and all he finds is 2 1/2 thousand Jonas.

I mentioned this in prepping with the staff and someone said

2 1/2 thousand Jonas. God's going.

To need a bigger fish. To which Damien said, what if

this building? Is our fish because the.

Word of the Lord came to three CR a second time.

The call comes a second time this time.

Would we go so I want. To look at what does it mean?

To be called to go. And I need to.

Take a step or two back before we actually get to the SO.

That we're talking the same language.

I remember the one stage when Nelson Mandela came to power.

He empowered. People to start radio.

Stations and I remember having a long conversation with a friend

because the the party that we were part of managed to get one

of these radio station licenses. And we were talking about.

Radio for the longest. Of time before I suddenly

realized. We are talking about two.

Completely different things. He was talking about seven O 2.

Which is not radio. That's rubbish.

I was talking about 5 FM. You know.

That. That is real radio, but we were

talking about radio for. Probably 20 minutes before I'm

really like. No, I don't want.

To no different radio, same word and so when when we talk about.

Go, I also realized. Actually, I was on my knees and

I'm like, Lord, I don't think I can with integrity stand here

and talk about going according to my mindset of going.

Because I don't. Know if if what I think of

going. Is what you?

Think of going in. Scripture so because what I

think of. Going has been.

Force fed over the years. Bubble bashed and beaten because

I'm a child, a grandchild of missionaries.

So going true going is losing it all, giving it all away,

climbing on that horse and KZN and right.

Into the Bush to share the gospel that's.

True going or maybe you've been in a church like I've been in

where you become a member and you suddenly get the letter OK

this is what it means to really count you know you've got to

join a life group you've. Got to participate to.

The point where? You evolve the obvious.

Choice to multiply and. Lead a life group.

Of your own, and then hopefully you'll become a.

Deacon when you. Become a Deacon you.

Obviously insect yourself. From becoming an elder.

And the minute you are an elder, you come off that stage and the

first person you meet needs to ask you where you're going to

plant a church. True story.

Exhibit A, that's what. Happened.

And so I'm like, Lord, I can't. I don't know if that is what

what's in your heart when we're. Talking about going but.

Also, no, it's not my little lens of introvert Stephen.

Who wants to hide? So follow what is?

What is it to? Go when?

When we look at Jonah, when we look at this call, when, when

God comes. To us.

How can I present this without my fingerprints on it?

Without my past on it, without the two-dimensional.

Only if you plant a church do you count on it.

And this is. What God showed me.

In. Sorry, going back to.

Jonah chapter 3 in in chapter 3 verse one it says the following.

Jonah 3 · chapter mention

It says the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second.

Time go. To the great.

City of Nineveh. But he.

He uses a word there that has. Completely turned the Book of

Jonah upside down. For me.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah in the Hebrew.

Is the word higher? I pronounce it.

Because. Because that's exactly.

What the word means. You see, I've always.

Believed that God is. A sneaky ninja and I'll get

proof. The word of God.

With Jonah. Because.

The the the nuances. Of this word.

Haya is when someone. Sneaks up on you.

But then abides. And when I realized that, it was

like. Suddenly the lights came on.

Because I suddenly realise I don't know about you.

I look at Jonah. I think like.

The word of the Lord. Came unto Jonah.

He was levitating. He'd been.

Fasting for 90 days. And then the Lord saith unto.

Thee go. And that's not me.

I'm not a prophet. God doesn't talk to me like.

This, but God does haya. With me and he has.

Hayaard with you. You know when you were washing

dishes. You know the dishwashing.

Of of 90. Two guys at one time you were

washing dishes and while you're there.

You thought of that guy from? School.

You hadn't thought of him for like 15 years, but suddenly.

You're thinking of Austin. Stone And you're wondering, I

wonder what's up with Austin. I wonder where he is in the

world. And it's a.

Thought that wants to be. Thought because it abides.

And it doesn't leave you. Or maybe you're driving past

your old school and you're. Almost like grieved something.

There was just something abiding there.

Or you hear of. Royal going to Australia and

something stirs. And then you hear.

Eugene's. Brothers here from Australia.

And this word is. Still.

Abiding. When?

That comes when that happens, the response.

That God is waiting. For from you.

Is what Jonah is talking about and what Scripture talks about

when we are. Called to go.

And it is something. You've probably experienced

before. It's something available and.

Accessible to. All of us.

If we are listening when the word comes and abides.

Two things. For you and I if and when this

happens. The first.

Thing is to recognize the fact when the word of the Lord comes

to Stephen to. Rory to Kathy to.

Eugene, to you and I, when the word of the Lord comes the 1st.

Thing to remember that. God always goes before you I.

Was looking at Jonah. I actually didn't realize.

This but they historians say that at.

The time of Jonah, the Assyrian Empire was.

Being. Shaken, it talks about.

Times of famine they were experiencing.

Plagues. Revolts.

Flooding and storms. They even had this.

Eclipse. And I mean.

Yeah, you see what happens in in first world cities like New

York. Imagine back in the day, you're

looking at something's eating the sun.

And they say this. They say rulers.

And subjects were unusually attuned to the spiritual

climate. It's like.

Something's going on, and here comes Jonah Yellow Owens is.

I don't know, let me not. I'm fracked.

And you're sounding like I'm listening.

Tell me more. God goes before you.

Actually read You need They say human nature needs 7 positive

affirmations when it comes to God.

Church Christians before. We'd even consider going to

church. So sometimes you just you're #3

or 4. But there will come the.

Moment where I'm going to invite that person and God's going

before me. Ready.

Like, yeah, now come. Well, maybe you just got to

invite seven times. But there's this lady.

Lady called. Ashley Anderson When we were in

Cape Town, I heard a. Story they church do what they.

Call a sending Saturday. And she said she'd been avoiding

this thing because, like me, introvert, it's like.

It's you at your. Worst random stranger?

If you were. To die tonight, you know one of

those. But she.

Really felt compelled to go and so she had gone and what they do

is they get together coffee and rusks and they pray for one

another and then they go out into the streets and where the.

Church is situated there's. Very much like Green Point, you

know, where you'd have lots of tourists and activities on a

Saturday morning and cafes. And so there's.

You have access to people. And so she walks out and, and

the first person that she sees, the word of the Lord comes,

Yeah. And there's this guy sitting on

a on a bench. She.

Knows that she knows that she knows.

That that's the person she has. To speak to.

So she goes to. Tarshish, she runs and hides in

a flower shop and she has this argument with God and which ends

in You can't make me do this in Jesus name, Amen.

And she walks up. And she says she's.

Walking but. If she takes.

One more step. She knows she's in trouble, so

she now she doesn't know what to do.

So she decides I'm just going to sort of pass by, maybe God will

give me some wisdom here. And she says she's walking and

she's about 10 meters away from him.

He randomly turns, looks her straight in the eyes and says

hi. So she finds herself sitting

next to this guy. That's.

Awkward. And then she has a brain, right?

She said. Listen, sorry to bother.

You. I'm actually doing a prayer.

Walk through this neighbourhood. Is there anything that you can

recommend that I pray for? Maybe, you know, you look like

you're from around here. Anything I can?

Pray for that's obvious to you. And he says actually cannot be

selfish. Can you pray for me?

Doors just open and he says. Today is the first day of

sobriety. I said I don't know how I'm

going to do this. That's incredible.

But Ashley was a recovering alcoholic.

Herself 12 years. God goes before you.

So Ashley sat there, shared the gospel.

Shared her journey, she doesn't have to quote.

Scriptures or. Pray in tongues or do an

interpretive dance. She just.

She just tells her. Story and she's sitting there

and he is encountering. God, He.

Begins to sob. And so she says, is there any

reason why you shouldn't give your life to?

Jesus, he's like. Nothing I can think of right

now. Cool, pray after me.

God goes before you. It's my wife's story.

Too, she was. Also an alcoholic?

No, not Yeah, that's lightning. Sorry Lord, the people at the

back didn't hear she's. Still an alcoholic.

Thanks Rory. So when my wife was 17.

I've shared before her. Father's an atheist.

There, there is no God. Story in their family's history.

And for reasons that are too lengthy to explain today, they

end up missing the holiday home that they always stay in.

So you used to stay in a home in Carmouth, right on the beach.

And for certain reasons, they didn't actually get it.

And so they're staying in another place far away from the

beach. And so Calf at 17, being Calf,

takes it on herself to go let this family know.

This is. The one and only time they are

going to stand their holiday home.

See, God goes. Before you even makes Kathy not

like me but like Kathy I would so bad all month and not from

the beach. They're not, not Kathy.

She's going to go tell these people random strangers, I will

knock on their. Door and let.

Them know they're not staying here ever again.

But God goes before us. And so this family had been

praying Lord. Would you give us?

An inroad into the people on these beaches during our

December holiday. Bring them to our door.

Who knows? What they were praying.

So snot nosed arrogant 17 year old Kathy bangs on that door and

behind the door is a lady by the name of a doll who opens the

door and on his shirt says. Jesus loves you.

Get the ends of spending the entire December holiday in that

home anyway with that family. And gets radically saved.

Because God will mess. Up your holiday.

Plans and the place. That you book.

And you know. You'll give you a.

Character and a personality. That is a little.

Bit slimy, dysfunctional because he.

Goes before you. And he goes, and he messes with

and he. Prepares the soil.

And he tills, and he waters any weeds.

So when you come and you sow that seed, the Ninevites

believe. God.

And for me and my personality, that is so encouraging.

Oh gosh. Because if there's one thing.

That this. Human being struggles.

With is. Talking to strangers and this

can condemn and break and disqualify, but when I realize.

God goes. Before me, there's power, it's a

point #1. God goes before you.

My time is on 0 so we still got half an hour point #2.

God goes before you. I figured if Jonah can repeat

himself, I can as well. Point #1.

God goes before you. Point #2.

God goes before you. Can I get an A?

Nah. God goes before.

You just come come all authority in heaven and earth and given to

me therefore. Go, go.

From the very back. To the very front.

The most senior Saints to the youngest.

Go, the Lord goes before you, says.

The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.

Go to the great city of Nineveh. Proclaim to it the message.

I give you what I love. There in verse three of the ESV.

Says talks about this great city, but it says it was a great

city to God. I found that interesting.

We talk about the great. City of Nineveh, but it actually

says in the ESV. It was a great city to God.

Now that great. You know, if we we often think

great isn't. Big but if I say.

He's a great man. I'm not saying he's a rather

large man and he's to hold back on the pizza.

I'm saying he carries some significance.

He's a great man. Right to God.

Nineveh was a significant. A great city.

God goes before you. Because when he's sending Jonah,

he's not just sending Jonah to intercede.

Stand in the Gap on behalf of the Ninevites.

He's. Actually doing it for.

The Israelites as well, because what we saw a few weeks ago was

just a few decades later, the. Assyrian army descends on Israel

and decimates them. And what Jonah doesn't realize

is. That God is going before.

Him before his, family before his.

Future and. When he calls us to the city,

it's not because Cyril Ramaphosa needs help, it's because

actually your children need the intervention of God.

For their future. And the city and the churches

and the people that. Visit here God goes before you,

your story is. Woven into this and sometimes

we're so self-centered we don't see the.

Forest for the trees. I was chatting to Amarinda

yesterday. I picked an Amarinda on

eldership. They've been with us for many,

many years. And she was telling.

Me the story of how the word of the.

Lord came to the Linda Keys and when their kids were in high

school at worst. School VAT the Cliff.

They felt that God said this is. Where you need to minister, this

is where you need to pour your life out when they play.

Cricket, you're the. First ones there with a picnic

blanket and chairs and a cooler. Box full of stuff.

And you get to know the parents, and you find out what's going on

in the lives of the children, and you minister to them, and

you pray for them, and you intercede on their behalf, He

said to them, Vertical watercloth, go.

And so they did that. But God goes before you.

And so she was saying when one of the years came to they, they

do. Sort of like the leaders.

Lunch or or breakfast. You know the new prefects.

The school. Board it's.

Sort of like. You know, the matrix leaders of

the next year, they have this little moment and because

Amarinda and lady friends have set up a team where they're

constantly praying, they were invited to this moment and they.

Were asked to. Pray for the different student

leaders and Amarinda just happened to pray for a young

girl called Robin. She was going to be the head

girl the next year, so she. Prayed for her.

But knowing that she was now that Robin was going to take

this leadership role for the next year, she just sort of came

alongside young Robin. And, and from time to time, we

touch base with message of praise, anything we can pray

for. What are you struggling with?

What's going on in the school? What's going on in your life?

Because God goes before you. And many years later, one of his

sons walks into the home with his new girlfriend.

Mom, I want to introduce you to Robin.

They're married now. They are the most remarkable

couple. See, but it's like.

Joe, you want me to spend my Saturdays on the side?

Of the cricket field. I mean, I'm sure Amarinda is not

that big a fan of cricket. You want me to go?

Early in the morning. To the school.

Assembly and and pray for you want me to.

Go to this breakfast. God goes before you because

your. Story is woven into.

All of this the. Problem is.

When God goes before you. Into the city, into your

department, to that school. To that.

Beach holiday so often. The word of the.

Lord comes to. Botox Believers.

Like you and I. You know what?

A Botox believer is. In Sanson they put Botox in

their face in. Pretoria, we put.

Botox in our hearts. Nothing moves us.

You want me to go pray for them? Sure.

Shame he's dying. Must be rough.

Oh, you lost your job? Yeah, nothing moves us.

The word of the. Lord comes to.

Concrete cold Botox hearts. But we must be attentive to

this, and then we must tend to. This is what means to be.

Called to go, we had. We had an interesting experience

at Life Group this week. They.

They do know. When I go to I don't leave the

life group. We go to life group.

And they know, yeah, warning anything can be a sermon

illustration she had. Your own risk.

And we had one of the So what what we do in life group is we

we'd take a look at. What was preached on the Sunday

and we just hold on another accountable essentially, you

know, it's like, hey, I didn't understand what what was he

meaning by? That or or how?

Are you responding in this area or you know what?

Did you hear What is the Holy? Spirit saying to you, and so

we're having laugh group and we're all Botox.

Believers because. We had this one question.

I'll read it to you. Jonah was called to.

Stand in the gap for Nineveh now that for me already had my

attention because no one who put these questions together knew

what I was going to preach and what.

God is already. Speaking to me out of Ezekiel 22

so when it. Says Jonah was called.

To stand in the gap for Nineveh, I'm like, hello, who are you

being asked to stand in the gap for and have you responded?

You know what is amazing with our life group is we didn't

answer that question. We just.

We it was actually. Quite amazing to.

See how we sidestepped? That and just risen into the

weather and the sport and you just have to mention the

springwalks, OK, we've forgotten that and that and we can carry

on with our Botox. Hearts.

And the word of the Lord falls on fellow ground.

What has God been saying to? You during the series.

Of Jonah, what have you done with that?

Word that is. Higher in your heart.

What did you? Do when you heard Kai and Sam

and Sofia stand here and share? About the affair.

And the near divorce and God's remarkable redemption.

You know, when you thought I need to come clean and then you

forgot about it by Monday, and then you switched on the radio

and it just happened to be focused on the family.

Yeah, John, you know, and I had that affair and the Lord said I

need to. And those are you switching it

off? Because the word is.

Abiding And you went to Yukaranda and you heard the song

about how much he regrets giving that away and the third wife

and. God is looking Hello.

What have you done with what you've heard?

What have you done with that word that's come to?

Abide for the city. For.

The politicians for your department, for your boss, for

your spouse, for your children. There is.

Power behind that obedience. And I want to.

Call you to that. I'll end with this now.

Whenever this is on your radio, it's almost like.

You hear it everywhere, right? And I heard a crazy story.

About a small church. In Tokyo a few years ago.

One of the guys came to church and he said listen.

God is really speaking. To me, about the prostitutes in

the city, apparently it was a big problem.

I say. Apparently I was going to do

some research. But I thought like.

I don't know what's going to come up on my screen if I Google

how many prostitutes are there in Tokyo.

So I'm I'm just right, I'm shooting from the hippie.

But from what I could tell, it seemed like there was quite a

problem there also, not just because of the prostitution, but

because it came with a. Whole sex trade.

Industry and women that were held captive against the wills

or whatever the case might be. And this guy comes to church and

says. God has laid this.

On my heart. And so the leaders ask him.

But I've been asking you. OK, what?

What does God said for you to do?

Because it's abiding in you, not in US.

He's spoken to you. And so he said, OK, I'll go and.

Deal with. Do some homework.

I'll wrestle with God. I want to find out what God is

saying. And he came back with a plan.

He said this is my plan. We're going to notify the media.

Then we're going to go to the nearest brothel.

We're going to go and then we're going to ask, are there any

girls who want to come out and whoever wants to leave can

leave. See, because they were often

their passports were taken and they couldn't leave and they

were held under Juris. So they did this.

They contacted the media. They had a premium meeting for a

few days and then Saturday arrived and they went to the

brothel and this guy's like, OK, Johnny, your turn.

I said at reception. Are there any ladies?

Here who want? To leave who want to give up on

prostitution? We'll look.

After you, we'll finance you, we'll get you back to your

families. And seven ladies came out and

when the owners heard about this.

They've grabbed stuffs. The one guy apparently grabbed a

pole. Another guy had a wrench and

they started beating the Christians they because they had

to encircle these girls as they took and they were pulverizing

these Christians dragged them out.

And of course the media were there to watch and document and

and report back on it. And they did this over the

course of three months and 57 ladies.

Were rescued over three. Months because of one word that

had come to the sky. But then they started getting

death. Threats.

The Church, the. Threatened they were going to

burn to the ground and all of a sudden this thing became very,

very real until it went viral in the media and the government

heard about it and they passed an imperial.

Decree that basically said. From this.

State to this state. If you want to leave

prostitution, if you don't have paperwork, if you don't have

finances, you come to us and we will set you free and 12,000.

Prostitutes were set free 12,000.

And I want to leave you with some numbers, 12,000, for

example, 12,000, That's this. This is one one prostitute held

against her will. Abused day after day.

Night after night, that's one, Two.

Another one hasn't seen their family in years.

Three had to have. Three or four abortions against

the will, held on three 12,000. That's what happens when one

person. Says Lord, I'll go.

Here's another #120,000. That's how many Ninevites there

were in Nineveh when one guy Jonah.

Heard the word and decided to go last number.

O 1/2. What if you?

Are the one that. God is looking.

For. What if?

You are that someone who will stand in the gap and revival

will break out in the city like it did in Nineveh.

What if you're? The one would you go the word of

the Lord came to Jonah a second time.

If the word of the. Lord is coming to you a second

time. Could I ask you, would you go?

Would you respond? Knowing God goes.

Before you. God goes before you, but it's

you. He's calling to God.

Thanks, City.