Old Testament – Jonah 3:10 -4:11
These verses tell the end of the story of Jonah. Jonah’s story starts when God
tells Jonah to go to Nineveh. Nineveh was a very wicked city and the people who
lived there were very bad. Also God tells Jonah to say to everyone in Nineveh
that they must give up their bad ways, turn to the Lord and start doing right
otherwise God will destroy the entire city. But, Jonah disobeys God and runs
away. Here at the end of the story Jonah is finally obeying God. He goes through
the city and gives them God’s message. They repent and God is happy and
doesn’t kill them. But, Jonah is mad that God has changed His mind. So we see
Jonah pouting because God hasn’t killed many people and the animals that lived
in Nineveh. Jonah’s story ends with God asking Jonah why Jonah is upset about
God’s love toward the Ninevehites.
Have you ever been upset when someone wasn’t punished for something they
did? Do you complain to everyone how unfair it is and spend the rest of the day
being unhappy? You are being Jonah. God isn’t happy when we behave like
Jonah. We must always remember God is patient with us too and shows us love
when we don’t deserve it.
Watch Jonah’s story below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOSadLyqshg
Old Testament – Psalm 145
This is the last psalm written by David. This song sings about God’s love and His
care for creation. This psalm tells us of God’s steadfast and overflowing love
toward us.
New Testament – Philippians 1:21-30
Paul is writing to the Philippians. Paul is already in jail because he is a Christian.
Paul will be sentenced to death and he tells them if he dies he will be happy
because he will be with Jesus. But, Paul says it is better for Paul to remain alive so
he can help the Philippians grow in their faith.
Today as Christians in America we forget that people such as Paul died for Christ.
We in American do not suffer for being Christians. We need to keep people who
are suffering for being Christians in our prayers.
New Testament – Matthew 20:1-6
Jesus tells the story about a man who needed workers for his field. The man
hired workers very early in the morning for regular pay. A few hours later the
owner needed more workers but didn’t say how much he would pay them. The
workers agreed to work without knowing how much they would be paid. Finally,
almost at quitting time, the man still needs more workers. He hires another
group of workers. Again, the workers agree to go even though they don’t know
how much they are getting paid.
It is now time for everyone to get paid. The owner starts with the last group first.
He pays them the regular day’s pay. The next group who was hired later in the
day also gets the regular day’s pay. The first group thinks they will get more than
the regular pay because the others have been given the same pay as the first
group agreed on. But, the owner gives the first group the same pay as everyone
else. They are not happy. The owner says he hasn’t done anything wrong. The
first group agreed on their pay and he gave them what was agreed on. He asks
them if they are envious because he is generous. Jesus ends this story with saying
the “last will be first; and the first will be last.”
What does this mean? No matter when a Christian comes to believe in Christ a
Christian still will go to heaven. So if a person has been a Christian all his/her life
and someone becomes a Christian in the last minute of his/her life; both go to
heaven. Below is today’s story. The video is special because it shows Jesus
speaking in Aramaic and the story is told entirely in Aramaic. It reminds us that no
matter what culture we live in or what time the Word of God is universal.
