God’s compassion exceeds our compassion. This might seem like an obvious thing to say, but sometimes we don’t act like it’s true. We act like it’s untrue in two ways: First, we could look at God’s condemnation of sin and think that God is being too harsh. This view of our compassion exceeding God’s leads to the question, “Why would a loving God send people to hell?” But this misunderstands both God’s compassion and His justice. It ignores God’s regular new mercies and how offensive our sin is to God. We also act like our compassion exceeds God’s when we refuse compassion to anyone. This view leads to an embittered spirit rooted in pride and self-righteousness. We forget God’s compassion toward us, and we desire God’s justice toward others. This second view of God’s compassion wants to limit God’s compassion to match ours. This was Jonah’s attitude as he sat under the plant. Without much consideration, he wanted the plant spared and God to show him compassion. At the same time, he wanted God’s justice to destroy Nineveh for its sin. Jonah failed to see God’s compassion toward him in the storm, the whale, and the message that he preached. He needed to combat this by reminding himself of what he deserved and of God’s compassion toward him. This turns whining into worship as we turn our focus away from ourselves and toward God. God is a God of infinite compassion; praise God that He is more compassionate than me. – Pastor Rory
Sunday at Liberty
9AM: BTH–Stewarding Our Health
10AM: Pastor Nate–Sovereign Mercy, part 1–Jonah 4:5-11 (sermon notes)