25 January 2015 - better catch

Jesus says to us, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." He invites us to follow him. We are caught up in the world. We're caught up in weeping and rejoicing. We're caught up in buying the things of this world and using them. Jesus changes our relationship to these things because "the world in its present form is passing away."

The people of Nineveh are invested in something impermanent which has the potential to be even more impermanent than they expect. Nineveh itself is scheduled for destruction if the people do not repent. Fortunately, they do not take much convincing to realize that they need to change their ways. Jonah isn't even all the way through the city and already they proclaim a fast and put on sackcloth.

But there is something greater than Jonah here:

"This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel."

If we continue to pursue this world at the expense of God we end up with neither this world nor God. What good is it to gain the world and lose our souls (cf. Mat. 16:26)? If we repent and follow Jesus we get not only God but the world, now in its proper place, too. "For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God" (cf. 1 Cor. 3:21-23).

Our ability to respond should be far greater than that of the Ninevites. Jesus is greater than Jonah because, unlike Jonah, he isn't forced to come to us. He actually wants to come. Jonah is swallowed by the wale against his will. When Jesus is swallowed by the grave no one takes his life from him. He freely lays it down (cf. Joh. 10:18). No greater love has anyone than how Jesus lays down his life for his friends (cf. Joh. 15:13) and he calls us friends (cf. Joh. 15:15).

When we respond we get far more than the Ninevites. Yes, God "repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them". And they probably learn something. Their hearts might even change a little. But they are still living for the sake of that earthly city. They are still just trying to get as much time there as they can. Whether they know it or not Ninevah can't last forever.  When we follow Jesus we know that "here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come" (cf. Heb. 13:14).

This, as Jesus says, is the time of fulfillment. The shadows are passing. The world is now pointing beyond itself to the kingdom. Creation itself whispers that there is more than we can see. With every change, loss, and pain we receive the invitation. "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (cf. 2 Cor. 4:18)

Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.

Let us fix our gaze on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (cf. Heb. 12:2). We need to seek first the kingdom. When we do we get everything else besides (cf. Mat. 6:33). The way to seek the kingdom is to seek the king. Jesus says, "Come after me", so we come.