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Jonah 3:9 – What is Repentance?

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Jonah 3:9 what is repentanceWhat is repentance? How do we repent? Does God ever need to repent?

It is these sorts of questions we are considering today as we look at Jonah 3:9, where the king of Nineveh expresses his hope that God will repent.

The Text of Jonah 3:9

9Who knows? Perhaps God will repent and be sorry, repenting of His burning anger, and we will not be destroyed.”

In this discussion of Jonah 3:9 we look at:

  • The king’s statement that he hoped God would repent
  • The two words for repentance that the king uses and what they both mean
  • Why repentance is important for all people
  • The fact that repentance is not a condition for receiving eternal life

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

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Do you like learning about the Bible online?

Do you like learning about Scripture and theology through my podcast? If so, then you will also love my online courses. They all have MP3 audio downloads, PDF transcripts, quizzes, and a comment section for questions and interaction with other students.

If you want to deepen your relationship with God and better understand Scripture, take one (or all) of these courses. They are great for personal study or for a small group Bible study.

You can see the list of available courses here, and if you join the Discipleship group, you can take all the courses at no additional cost. Go here to learn more and join now.

How to live the Gospel through Art

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Art is a giant potential outlet for the beauty of the gospel.

And by art, I mean not just paintings and drawing, but also music, poetry, movies, dance and anything that is in the “artistic” realm.

Most people do not realize it, but art usually is at the forefront of world change. Before changes hit philosophy and science, politics and medicine, or government and religion, these changes first make their appearance in art.

If you want to see where the world is headed, all you need to do is look at art.

Artists are the prophets of our time.

This means that those whose lives are influenced by the gospel can allow their artistic endeavors to also be influenced by the gospel.

And by this, I do not mean that all art must be “Christian” art. Far from it.

Truly “Christian” art is not art that is blatantly about Jesus or Scripture, but is art that touches people, connects with lives, and calls people to a better and different way of living.

art of the gospel

Gospel-focused art is inspiring art. It elicits changes in people. It touches them where they are at and gives them the courage and imagination to try something new or work toward something different.

At the same time, as Spirit-filled Christian, we can see gospel truths in art that was created by people who are not Christians.

The Christian who has eyes to see and ears to hear can observe and perceive gospel truths all around them in music, movies, art, and plays, even when those things were created by people who were not Christians.

I once heard someone say that without the Spirit, reading the Bible is no different than reading the newspaper; but with the Spirit, you can learn just as much from reading Harry Potter as you can from reading the Bible. That may be a bit of an overstatement, but sometimes I wonder.

Occasionally, as I listen to a piece of secular music, watch an R-rated movie, or read a non-Christian book, I gasp at the gospel truths and insights which the creator of that piece of art reveals. It is at these moments that I realize the truth that there is no such thing as “secular.”

For the Christian who understands the gospel, everything is sacred. Everything is holy. God is in everything, at work in everything, and is truly drawing everything and everyone to Jesus.

So if you are “artistic,” allow your work to be an expression of the beauty of the gospel. Don’t try to do “Christian art.” Just be artistic in a way that inspires others to think about truth, feel the love of God, and live in a way that promotes freedom. These are gospel values, and as such, any art that promotes such things is gospel art.

The Gospel According to ScriptureWant to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."

The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!

Jonah 3:6-8 – How to Beat an Evil Empire

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Jonah 3:6-8 violence and evilI don’t know what your political views are, and frankly, I don’t care too much. But however you categorize yourself, I imagine that you have strong opinions about the violent actions of the people on the other side of the political aisle. Their violence is unjustified, right? It is wrong and should be condemned in the strongest possible ways, right? It needs to stop, because it’s evil, right?

Along the same lines, this week we remembered the anniversary of the tragic terrorist attack that took place on 9-11, and western countries have been waging war against terrorist ever since. And sometimes I wonder if there is not a better way to defeat terrorists. I often believe that our violence against them just increases their violence against us.

What if there was another way to defeat violent groups of people, other than with more violence? What if there was a better, godly ways to defeat violence?

This is what we are going to learn about today, as we see how God brought the violent and evil empire of Assyria to its knees in sorrow and repentance. If you want to defeat evil, if you want to beat an evil empire, the best way is to follow the way of God, which is also the way of Jesus.

The Text of Jonah 3:6-8

6The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he got up from his throne, laid his robe down, covered himself in sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7He proclaimed a decree in Nineveh from the king and his great men, saying, “Let neither man nor cattle, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water. 8Let man and cattle cover themselves in sackcloth and cry out to God with might, every man turning from his evil ways and from the violence which is in his hands.

In this discussion of Jonah 3:6-8 we look at:

  • The call of the King of Nineveh for the city to repent
  • The significance of fasting and sackcloth for showing repentance
  • Why the king also gets the animals involved
  • The stark contrast between the people of Nineveh and Jonah
  • How God brings the evil empire of Assyria to its knees in repentance

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

You must join a discipleship group or login to download the MP3 and view the transcript.

Membership-become-a-member

Thanks for visiting this page ... but this page is for Discipleship Group members.

If you are already part of a Faith, Hope, or Love Discipleship Group,
Login here.

If you are part of the free "Grace" Discipleship group, you will need to
Upgrade your Membership to one of the paid groups.

If you are not part of any group, you may learn about the various groups and their benefits here:
Join Us Today.

Membership-become-a-member


Do you like learning about the Bible online?

Do you like learning about Scripture and theology through my podcast? If so, then you will also love my online courses. They all have MP3 audio downloads, PDF transcripts, quizzes, and a comment section for questions and interaction with other students.

If you want to deepen your relationship with God and better understand Scripture, take one (or all) of these courses. They are great for personal study or for a small group Bible study.

You can see the list of available courses here, and if you join the Discipleship group, you can take all the courses at no additional cost. Go here to learn more and join now.

Buy my new book, and get BONUS Materials

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Nothing but the Blood of JesusMy new book, Nothing but the Blood of Jesus, is out, and people are loving it!

It’s #1 in three categories on Amazon, and many say that it has helped the Bible make a lot of more sense to them … especially the passages about a violent God.

If you have ever struggled with why the Bible is so violent, this is the book you need to read.

The book also received several enthusiastic reviews from other authors. I put them on the Amazon book detail page if you want to read them. Here is one such endorsement:

Sharon Baker Putt

To celebrate the launch of my book, if you buy it before September 17, 2017, and then send an email to me at bl**********@**********od.com stating that you bought the book, I will send you some bonus materials next week.

It’s hard to know what the bonus materials are worth, but I estimate they are around $50-$100 in value. Here is what you will get:

  • A free PDF of the book (for printing on your computer to use for Bible studies – please don’t share the whole thing with others though!)
  • A video related to one of the central ideas in the book
  • Five mp3 audio downloads based on the five key terms of the book (Sin, Law, Sacrifice, Scapegoat, Blood)
  • The opportunity to buy paperback copies in bulk at a steep discount (for small group study purposes).

The book is only $3.99, so get the book today, and then send me an email for your bonus materials.

Nothing but the Blood of Jesus Stack

The Gospel is Political

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The political arena is a mess. It might be one of the darkest areas on earth. It seems impossible to be a politician without also being a liar, a thief, and a backstabbing jerk.

Which means that due to the corruption in politics, the realm of politics is ripe for the gospel!

Though many governments think that there should be a separation between church and state, the call of the gospel affects all areas of life, including the areas of government and politics. Ultimately, the gospel is political because the gospel is a description of how God wants the world to be run.

Since government and those in political positions of power are those who make decisions about how the world is to be run, such decisions should be guided and governed by gospel values and goals.

political gospel

This does not mean that our governmental bodies should endorse Christianity as the official state religion, or that we should force all people to read the Bible and become Christians. Such actions are completely contrary to the values and goals of the gospel.

Just as God loves all and accepts all regardless of whether they love or follow Him in return, so also, a government guided by the gospel will govern with values of equality, justice, and generosity without forcing anyone to follow the ways of Scripture. This is not some Christian form of Sharia Law, where we force Christian morality on everyone else, but is instead a gospel-based law of love where all are treated with dignity, equality, and respect, regardless of how they think, believe, or behave.

politics and the gospel

Yes, there should be laws to enforce human decency and peace, but we cannot force anyone to worship a particular God or ascribe a particular set of beliefs. The goal of a gospel-focused politician would be to create laws that bring about a spirit of creativity, generosity, freedom, and equality, while doing away with laws that hinder such things.

If we were guided by gospel values in political decisions, this would affect areas such as economics and taxation, military spending and war, the prison system and the penal codes, equality among the sexes, training and education, and a wide variety of other issues that consume the national debates.

When the gospel guides our discussion of these issues, the question of what is best for me and my country disappears, and the question instead becomes what is best for the world and for all people everywhere. When you pray for your political leaders, pray that they would see these things and lead our countries in gospel-oriented directions.

The Gospel According to ScriptureWant to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."

The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!

Jonah 3:5 – It Only Takes a Spark

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Did you know that you can evangelize and be a witness for the Gospel as you go about your day and interact with others without having to share the Four Spiritual Laws with them, or walk them through the Romans’ Road? It’s true! You do not have to stand on the street corner shouting through a bullhorn or go door-to-door interrupting people in their homes to share the gospel.

God can start a city-wide revival through the smallest of acts. You don’t have to be Billy Graham. This is what we are going to learn today from Jonah 3:5.

Jonah 3:5 - Nineveh repents

The Text of Jonah 3:5

So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them.

In this discussion of Jonah 3:5 we look at:

  • The surprising response of the people of Nineveh to the preaching of Jonah
  • Why the response of the people of Nineveh had nothing to do with false gods
  • Why the response of the people of Nineveh had almost nothing to do with Jonah
  • How you and I can be encouraged that God will work through us to reach a lost and dying world

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

You must join a discipleship group or login to download the MP3 and view the transcript.

Membership-become-a-member

Thanks for visiting this page ... but this page is for Discipleship Group members.

If you are already part of a Faith, Hope, or Love Discipleship Group,
Login here.

If you are part of the free "Grace" Discipleship group, you will need to
Upgrade your Membership to one of the paid groups.

If you are not part of any group, you may learn about the various groups and their benefits here:
Join Us Today.

Membership-become-a-member


Do you like learning about the Bible online?

Do you like learning about Scripture and theology through my podcast? If so, then you will also love my online courses. They all have MP3 audio downloads, PDF transcripts, quizzes, and a comment section for questions and interaction with other students.

If you want to deepen your relationship with God and better understand Scripture, take one (or all) of these courses. They are great for personal study or for a small group Bible study.

You can see the list of available courses here, and if you join the Discipleship group, you can take all the courses at no additional cost. Go here to learn more and join now.

How to live the Gospel at Work

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gospel at workWork and employment is a wonderful opportunity for the gospel to take center stage.

Though many people consider work to be part of the curse that came upon humankind as a result of the fall in Genesis 3, the truth is that work was given to Adam and Eve prior to their choice to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The only thing that changed was that their work became more difficult.

Furthermore, work will also be an integral part of the new heavens and new earth of the eternal kingdom ruled by Jesus.

Therefore, in light of the fact that God created work for humans to do and God will have work for us to do in eternity, it only makes sense that we can live now in light of this purpose for our lives.

As Christians engage in work, we are fulfilling the gospel responsibilities to bring God’s rule and reign upon the earth.

Work, then, can be done according to the kingdom principles of honesty, integrity, and generosity.

gospel workWhether one is working for a company or is the CEO of a company, the standards and values by which the company runs and according to which the work is performed should fit the standards and values of the gospel. Business owners and employers can treat their workers and employees with dignity and respect, paying generous wages.

Employees themselves can work hard and with loyalty, honoring and respecting those for whom they work.

Are you a follower of Jesus? Then follow Him to work, not in handing out tracts and carrying around your Bible, but in being the best employee or boss you can be at your job.

The Gospel According to ScriptureWant to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."

The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!

Why your family is the first priority of the Gospel

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The family is the centerpiece of God’s work in the world.

We often look to churches and corporations and non-profit organizations as the chief method by which God carries out His work in this world, but that is a human way of looking at things. The place in the world that the gospel is most at work is in the family relationships.

If the gospel is not functioning within your family relationships, with your spouse, your children, and your parents, then you really have no business trying to live out the gospel in any meaningful way anywhere else.

family

If there is mistrust, hate, discord, anger, jealousy, and shame at the center of your family relationships, the truths of the gospel need to be planted within your family so that the gospel can begin to grow and flourish there. Self-sacrificial and forgiving love must be at the center.

We must love those in our family as God loves us. We must, as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13, be patient and kind. We must not envy or boast. We must keep our tongue and actions in check so that we say no evil and do no evil toward others. We must allow ourselves to be wronged while always forgiving those who wrong us. We must rejoice in the truth and always hold forth hope, always believe in others, and never let our love fail.

This is a tall order, and will consume most of the gospel energy of most people. But that is the way it should be. The home is the frontline of the gospel.

gospel familyIf Christians worldwide only sought to live out the gospel in their own home and nowhere else, our entire world would be completely different. The entire world would be Christian within a few generations if the gospel was only lived out in our homes. After all, if the first Christian had all simply passed the gospel down to their families, and this had continued through all history, then everywhere the gospel has spread (which was all the way to Asia within a few centuries) would continue to be Christian to this very day. But many of first century strongholds of Christianity (Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, etc.) have very little Christian presence today.

I believe that maybe 98% of the way you live out the gospel should focus on the gospel taking root in your own life and in the lives of those in your family. If Christians simply did these two things, the entire world would be transformed by the gospel.

At the same time, if the way we live out the gospel fails in the home, then we should not feel pressured to live out the gospel outside of the home either. If your home is not filled with gospel truth, gospel faith, gospel grace, and gospel love, then do not think you are called to live out the gospel anywhere else to anyone else. Make the relationships in your own home the primary target of your gospel life.

The Gospel According to ScriptureWant to learn more about the gospel? Take my new course, "The Gospel According to Scripture."

The entire course is free for those who join my online Discipleship group here on RedeemingGod.com. I can't wait to see you inside the course!

Hack the Theologian – Bruxy Cavey

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This is part of an ongoing series where I briefly interview a theologian, pastor, author, or Bible scholar that I highly respect, and ask them to tell us a bit about themselves, their most current teaching project, and the one most important truth (the hack) they wish every Christian could learn.

I call the series “Hack the Theologian.” This doesn’t mean I think these theologians are hacks. Far from it! It means that I am trying to find (and share with you) the one thing that makes them tick, the one insight that keeps them writing and teaching, the one truth they are most passionate about, the one idea that turned their life and theology upside down. You can read the other posts in the series right here.

(Do you know an author I can highlight in this series? Have them contact me!)

So Let’s “Hack” Bruxy Cavey

Bruxy CaveyBruxy Cavey is the senior pastor at The Meeting House, a church for people who aren’t into church. The Meeting House is a multisite Anabaptist congregation in Ontario, Canada where thousands of people connect to God and each other through Sunday services, online interaction, and a widespread house church network. His newest book, (re)union, released earlier this year.

Truth be told, I only like Bruxy because of his hair. It remind me of some author author/blogger with long hair. (It’s a joke!)

Here are Bruxy’s answers to my questions:

1. Can you tell us who you are and what you do in 40 words or less? (I put the word limit so we can see what you focus on.)

I’m Jesus-loving Jesus lover, who really loves Jesus. Beyond that, I’m the teaching pastor at The Meeting House: A Church For People Who Aren’t Into Church.

2. Tell us something about yourself that few people know.

Even though I speak in front of thousands of people each week, I’m a highly skewed introvert and a mild agoraphobic. I’m basically afraid of people! When I was younger, the one super power I wished I had was invisibility. I would prefer never to be seen.

Over the years God has helped me balance this tendency to want to run away and hide with a growing, maturing love for people, which wins out on most days and I’m happy to engage and connect.

I just think it’s funny that God gave this timid INFP one simple gift – public teaching to thousands. Very funny God.

3. What is the best book you have read this past year? (It doesn’t have to be theological!)

I really enjoyed Brant Hansen’s Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better.

(re)union by Bruxy Cavey4. You have a new book, (re)union. Tell us a bit about it. What is the main point and what do you want people to learn or do?

Ever since the 1950s, when a booklet called The Four Spiritual Laws was released, Christians have learned how to talk about the good news of Jesus in terms of four basic points – God loves us, we have sinned, Jesus is the solution, we accept him by faith.

This God-Sin-Jesus-Faith pattern has been repeated in various formats throughout the decades since, such as “The Bridge to Life,” “Steps To Peace With God,” and “The Roman Road.”

And while I celebrate the truth in this way of presenting the gospel, I’m also aware of some key aspects of the gospel that are missing, such as the nature and call to enter the Kingdom of God here and now, as well as the inherent challenge to religious systems embedded within the message.

In (re)union I want to help us press the reset button on how we present the gospel, through what I call simply The Gospel in Thirty Words: Jesus is God with us, come to SHOW US God’s love, SAVE US from sin, SET UP God’s kingdom, and SHUT DOWN religion, so we can SHARE IN God’s life. (You counted, didn’t you.) [Jeremy’s Note: Yes I did!]

Also, the “target audience” is different. There are countless books out there designed to help Christians learn how to talk to non-Christians about the gospel. My hope is that (re)union will be accessible to both Christians AND non-believers to read, inviting them all to learn and grow and discuss together.

5. Karl Barth was once asked to summarize his life’s work in one sentence. He answered, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” How would you summarize your life’s work? To put this question another way, if you could get people to understand just one idea, what would it be?

God loves me, this I know, for Jesus tells me so.

Bruxy’s book, (re)union has already released. I really enjoyed it, and you can get a copy of it on Amazon right now. While you’re there, pick up a copy of his other book as well, The End of Religion. It’s one of my favorites.

Jonah 3:4 – Jonah’s School of Evangelism

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How do you evangelize? Do you use tracts? Invite people to church, or to an evangelism crusade? Do you use the Roman’s Road? Do you shout into a bullhorn that people are going to hell unless they repent?

In Jonah 3:4, we see how Jonah shared the message of God to the people of Nineveh. We’ll also see that his approach to evangelism left much to be desired.

Jonah 3:4 evangelism

The Text of Jonah 3:4

Jonah began to go into the city, walking for one day. He cried out, saying, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned!”

In this discussion of Jonah 3:4 we look at:

  • How Jonah evangelized the city of Nineveh
  • Why Jonah’s obedience was … less than satisfactory
  • How we too can evangelize others today

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

You must join a discipleship group or login to download the MP3 and view the transcript.

Membership-become-a-member

Thanks for visiting this page ... but this page is for Discipleship Group members.

If you are already part of a Faith, Hope, or Love Discipleship Group,
Login here.

If you are part of the free "Grace" Discipleship group, you will need to
Upgrade your Membership to one of the paid groups.

If you are not part of any group, you may learn about the various groups and their benefits here:
Join Us Today.

Membership-become-a-member


Do you like learning about the Bible online?

Do you like learning about Scripture and theology through my podcast? If so, then you will also love my online courses. They all have MP3 audio downloads, PDF transcripts, quizzes, and a comment section for questions and interaction with other students.

If you want to deepen your relationship with God and better understand Scripture, take one (or all) of these courses. They are great for personal study or for a small group Bible study.

You can see the list of available courses here, and if you join the Discipleship group, you can take all the courses at no additional cost. Go here to learn more and join now.

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