1

The Gourd Vines and God's Love

2

[Jonah 4:10]

But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine,

though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.

3

The sinful city of Nineveh was warned by Jonah about God's judgment.

The prophet Jonah, sent by God, went around the city to warn of God's judgment.

Jonah didn't want to do this, so he ran to Tarshish, failed, and came here to work.

4

When Jonah was warned, something amazing began to happen in the city of Nineveh.

All the people, including the king, began to repent of their mistakes.

Everyone in the city did not eat anything (even the domestic animals were fed nothing)

and prayed to God for judgment.

5

Jonah wanted to see the city of Nineveh fall under God's judgment as he warned.

However, the loving God received repentance from the people of Nineveh.

God reaped and forgiven his judgment plan, which he wanted to bring down to the city.

6

Jonah hated God's forgiveness of Nineveh and was angry.

Jonah complained and prayed to God why he broke God's command and

ran back to himself, and why he didn't want this to happen.

7

Jonah said that from the time he first received God's command,

he knew that the city of Nineveh would be forgiven from God.

First, he told God that he knew that God would forgive because he was merciful

and gracious, and second, because he was slow to anger and so loving.

8

Jonah said that if he felt that he would forgive Nineveh, he would rather kill him.

Hearing Jonah's force, God asked him again.

“Do you think it is right for you to be so angry?”

9

Jonah gave no answer to God's Word.

And he built a hut overlooking the city and sat in the shade.

And for what he said he was waiting for God to do.

10

God made the gourd vines to grow above where Jonah sat.

The gourd vine grew and became a great shade over Jonah's head.

Jonah, who was covered in the hot sun by the shade created by the gourd vines,

felt better and relaxed.

11

The next day, at dawn, God sent a bug.

The bug ate the leaves of the vine.

The bug killed the gourd vine.

12

In the morning, the sun rose. God made a hot east wind blow.

Jonah was irritated and angry as the hot sunlight hit Jonah's head.

He was even more upset that the gourd vine had suddenly withered.

Jonah was so sorry that the gourd vines that provided him with shade had withered and died.

13

He felt like he was going to die from the hot sun and the hot wind.

So he complained to God again. “It is better for me to die than to live.”

14

God asked Jonah again. “Do you really think it's right for you to be angry with the vine?”

In response to God's question, Jonah said, “Yes. I am so angry that I want to die.” Said.

Jonah said that he was regretting that the vine was dead, so he wanted to die.

15

At Jonah's words, God awakened Jonah and spoke.

“You haven't planted, you haven't taken care of it, and you appear all night and die the next day,

but you care about the vines so much.

But more than one hundred and twenty thousand people live, and there are countless livestock,

the great city Nineveh. Can I not spare it?"

16

Jonah valued the insignificant plants that gave him shade more than the lives of the people

of Nineveh. He cherished the gourd vines, but regarded the lives of the people of Nineveh.

God's love for the people of Nineveh was far greater and surprising than Jonah thought.

17

We must not forget that we, like the wicked Ninevites, originally did not know God.

It is the grace of God that gave us the gospel of life and made us believe in Jesus the Savior.

The Lord and King over all the earth, God wants all people to return to God.

As those who first received the marvelous love of God,

we have a duty to bring that love to the world.

I hope that you will get to know God in the Word and live byliving your life as a child of God.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)