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Worlds shortest sermon led to a city wide revivalby Ron Thomsonhttp://TheCrossCounts.com The worlds shortest sermon led to a city wide revival Did you know the world's shortest sermon led immediately to the world's greatest revival? The sermon was simply, "In 40 days, you are all going to be wiped out" The revival was every single person in the entire city, more than 120,000 men, women and children, immediately gave their life to God and were saved from total destruction. Where and when? Nineveh, in about 800 BC, and the preacher was someone who was afraid to take the job and then was angry over the result - Jonah. And God held off the total destruction of Nineveh for more than 100 years after that, therefore ensuring that all those who had been saved would not be destroyed with the city. This, alone, might be called the greatest miracle in the Bible, but the book is filled with more -- the "great fish" episode, the bush that grows in one day and then is eaten completely by a worm the next. But, for you and me, the real story here could really be how God can and will use us, as unwilling or fearful as we might be, to do His work of redemption here on earth, and the results which can come about when we simply do what He asks. God simply told Jonah, "Go to Nineveh and tell them that they are going to be destroyed." End of message. But, Jonah ran, and you know the rest of the story. When God finally got Jonah back on the track to Nineveh, the message hadn't changed -- just Jonah's willingness to deliver the message. When the people heard that simple, yet chilling message, they believed it, repented and were saved. Jonah didn't have to do any wonders; he certainly didn't deliver a message of resounding oratory; he didn't give any proofs of the message, or sit in the local meeting hall and teach persuasive classes. He just said what God told him to say -- and God did the rest. And even when Jonah got upset over the results (the people in Nineveh really were enemies of Jonah's people), God used the message in His own way and perfected the results anyway. And so it can be for us. When Christ said to go into all the world teaching and baptizing, he didn't say it to an elite group of scholarly ministers, all with Doctorate degrees. When He said to go into Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and the rest of the world, he wasn't directing His comments to people who had long years of ministry service - people who had proven themselves. He was speaking to a handful of men, most of whom had come from rough, hardworking backgrounds, who weren't highly educated and who were even yet doubtful of who this Christ really was. He was entrusting the ministry into the hands of a few unproven men who He was hoping would simply go out and do what He had asked. And when they did just that, the world was turned upside down and shaken to the core and has not been the same since. Friends, Christ's words were also directed to you and me. The same power He gave to that handful of untrained, fearful -- but willing -- men, He has for us today. And the results can be just the same. You don't "need" a Pastor to lead a friend to the Lord, or even to baptize him. You don't "need" a Bible college degree to go out into the world and start a ministry for Him. You don't "need" all the right words and a beautiful voice and great poise and just the right clothes to lead a revival. Many of the world's greatest servants of the Lord started as drunks in the gutter, men who hated God, and people who physically had NO attributes of a spiritual leader. But they did have, in the end, the one thing we all must have to really reach out and serve Him -- the willingness to simply step out and do what He says and follow where He leads. That's the only thing you need, friend. Because God says He will be with you in everything you try to do for Him. He will guide and protect, will give the words needed, will lift us up when we make mistakes. HE will do the work -- through His faithful servants, those willing to step out in faith and do as He asks. Jonah's sermon was only a few words -- but God used it to save more than 120,000. He used the unlearned, untrained Disciples to start a religion -- a relationship with Him -- that will not stop until the end of time. And He will use every poor, tiny effort you and I are able to build up courage enough to give out to do His work and to bring the world to Him. "And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age." "Oh the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all Just to think that God loves me. Oh the wonder of it all, the wonder of it all Just to think that God loves me." anon PS Who is going to tell the Local Preacher teaching staff?? Leave a Reply |
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