Community Christian Church
  • Home
  • About
    • We Believe
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Prayer Requests
    • Assistance Resources
  • Events
  • Sermons
    • Current Series
    • Guest Sermons
    • Sermon Archives
    • Live
  • From Tyler's Desk
  • Links
  • Donate
Picture

The New Year and A Second Chance

1/1/2014

0 Comments

 
In the book of Jonah there are three words that are easy to overlook.  They come right after Jonah was spit up by the great fish that had swallowed him and right before the great revival that saved the people of Nineveh.  In Jonah 1:1-2 the story begins with these words:  “The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.’”  But Jonah headed west to Tarshish instead of east to Nineveh.

In the midst of his travels by ship away from Nineveh, a powerful storm came up in which Jonah was swallowed by the huge fish.  Then in Jonah 3:1-2 we read, “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.’”

Now that is interesting.  The words “a second time” are God’s way of saying to Jonah, “I’m giving you another chance, a new beginning, a fresh start.  Now go to Nineveh and tell the people about me.”  I like second chances, how about you?  It’s easy to overlook these three words, yet they reveal a great deal about God’s character.  God is the God of the second chance, the fresh start, and the new beginning.  He doesn’t ignore the repentant person no matter how blatant the rebellion or how bad the transgression.

Jonah, like all of us, would have been a washed-up failure had God not given him a second chance.  We can look beyond our shortcomings to see ourselves from God’s point of view.  You are God’s special treasure, and he loves you deeply.  God knows you and accepts you just as you are, but he loves you too much to leave you just the same.  He does not give up on you, no matter how many times you have failed.

Jonah ran away from his responsibility and his calling, but God reissued the call and gave him a second chance.  And “Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh” (Jonah 3:3).  As a result of his obedience and the grace of God, many people of Nineveh—including the king, the main leader of the people—came to believe in God and they turned from the way leading to destruction.  And guess what?  No matter what you’ve done, with repentance and an intentional desire to live for God, he will renew, reinstate, and reshape you to be the person you are meant to be.  It’s never too late to say to God, “I need a do-over.  Help me to do better.”

Happy New Year!  Live it with intentionality and in God’s grace.
Tyler

0 Comments

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

​Facebook

Contact

​Subscribe

Watch

Blog


VISIT 400 E. State Street (M-21), St. Johns
CALL (989) 224-6421

JOIN US!

SUNDAY

9:30 am
Adult & Children's Bible Study
​
10:30 am
Worship Service
WEDNESDAY

7:00 pm
Kids of the Kingdom (K-5th)
​& Adult Bible Study
FRIDAY

4:30 pm

​Jr & Sr High School Group
  • Home
  • About
    • We Believe
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Prayer Requests
    • Assistance Resources
  • Events
  • Sermons
    • Current Series
    • Guest Sermons
    • Sermon Archives
    • Live
  • From Tyler's Desk
  • Links
  • Donate