Overview:
So rich, so reliable, so spiritually satisfying—the Bible can use just a few words to convey worlds of theology.In his study of Jonah 3:1–2, Chuck Swindoll teaches us about the riches of God’s grace and abundance of mercy from that quaint phrase, “the Lord came to Jonah a second time.”Hear about the God of second chances. Do you need a second chance?
Message Summary:
In “God of the Second Chance,” Chuck Swindoll explores one of the most encouraging sentences in the Bible: “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.” After Jonah’s disastrous flight and his harrowing experience in the depths, God does not discard His servant. Instead, He meets the restored prophet on the shore and repeats His original command. Swindoll emphasizes the difference between “probation” and “grace,” highlighting that God’s restoration is complete and His mercy is persistent. This message serves as a powerful reminder that our failures do not have to be final and that God is a specialist in giving new beginnings to those who have stumbled.
Message Key Facts:
- The Gracious Invitation: The repetition of the call in Jonah 3:2 is identical to Jonah 1:2, showing that God’s purpose for Nineveh—and for Jonah—had not changed.
- Grace vs. Probation: Swindoll distinguishes between the human tendency to keep people “on trial” after they fail and God’s willingness to immediately put His servants back to work.
- The Persistence of God: The sermon highlights that Jonah didn’t just get a second chance; he got a “God of the second chance” who pursued him until his heart was aligned with the mission.
- The Mission Renewed: Jonah finally journeys to Nineveh, a “three days’ walk” city, to deliver a message that wasn’t his own, but God’s.
Message References:
Note: Timestamps are approximate based on standard broadcast formatting.
- The Beauty of the “Second Time”
- An introduction to the grace found in the phrase “the Lord came a second time.”
- Scripture: Jonah 3:1 (Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time).
- God’s Relentless Grace and Persistent Calling
- Why God doesn’t give up on His people even when they give up on Him.
- Scripture: Jonah 3:2 (“Arise, go to Nineveh… and proclaim to it the proclamation that I am going to tell you”).
- Jonah’s Obedience and the Journey to Nineveh
- The physical and spiritual transition from the Mediterranean shore to the Assyrian capital.
- Scripture: Jonah 3:3 (So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord).
- The Message Proclaimed to the Great City
- The content of Jonah’s brief but powerful sermon of judgment.
- Scripture: Jonah 3:4 (“Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown”).
