God Loves This City
Introduction
It’s amazing to be with you all this morning. Truly. This church plant has been over a decade in the making, and I can’t thank God enough for allowing me to be part of this amazing team and this already beautiful church.
Over the last few weeks, people have kept asking me if I felt nervous about today—and I get it. Church planting comes with a lot of unknowns: fundraising, building a team, and navigating uncertainty. Renaut, our sending pastor, often says that the life of a church mirrors the life of a child. Today, we celebrate the birth of King’s Cross Church. It’s a newborn. Many of you are here to visit, support, encourage, and celebrate—just like you would visit a new mother in the hospital.
But we all know that a baby is fragile. It comes with a rollercoaster of questions, excitement, and concerns. I understand why people ask if I’m nervous, but honestly, my nerves have dissipated. It’s not that I’ve grown more confident in myself; it’s that I’ve seen God do too much for this church plant for me to be nervous. If anything, I’m excited. If God has already done this much, what more will He do? I’m excited to see Him move in power through this church.
Setting the Stage for the Message
This morning, I have the privilege of preaching King’s Cross’ first-ever Sunday message. As I prepared, many passages came to mind, but God directed my heart to Jonah 4.
This passage reveals how God interacts with people who are far from Him—people who reject Him, run away from Him, or even oppose Him. It is a fitting passage for our first Sunday because it sets the pace for what we aim to do at King’s Cross Church.
The Mission and Challenge Before Us
Our mission is to proclaim the Good News of King Jesus and invite people to experience the transformative power of His cross. But this mission must extend beyond the walls of this building and beyond Sunday gatherings.
It is very easy for a church to exist in a community without impacting it. We can do the Christian thing on Sundays and never truly engage in advancing the Kingdom of God in Orlando. But God has called us to go and care for the people of this city, pointing them to Jesus. This is not just a Sunday activity—it is the lifestyle of a disciple.
However, people are complicated. Their stories are complex. The neighborhoods surrounding our church, Pine Hills and College Park, have unique hardships. Many people in Orlando are resistant to the church today, and there is an expected opposition to the teachings of Jesus.
When confronted with constant resistance, it can wear down our desire to engage. The temptation will be to retreat—to only do the Sunday thing, hang out with Christians, and isolate ourselves from the city because it feels too hard.
But let me remind you: God loves Orlando. He reigns over this city. It belongs to no other power or authority but His. And He has placed us here for a reason.
The Question We Must Ask Ourselves
What will keep us moving forward in the mission God has given us for the people of Orlando?
What will allow us to proclaim Jesus and demonstrate His power to people who are far from Him?
Let’s turn to our passage for today: Jonah 4.
Exposition of Jonah 4: A Prideful Heart vs. God’s Compassion
Jonah was a prophet sent by God to Nineveh to preach repentance. But instead of obeying, Jonah ran away. Through a series of events, God redirected him, and Jonah ultimately preached to Nineveh. The entire city repented, and God showed them mercy.
This brings us to Jonah 4, where we see Jonah’s response.
1. A Prideful Heart Stands in Opposition to God’s Compassion (Jonah 4:1-4)
Jonah was furious that God showed mercy to Nineveh. The Hebrew word used here for “wrong” is ra-ah, meaning evil. Jonah saw God’s mercy as unjust and evil because he believed the Ninevites deserved destruction.
Historical Context of Nineveh and Jonah’s Anger
The Ninevites were the capital city of the Assyrian Empire—Israel’s brutal enemies. Their atrocities were horrific:
Mass executions
Flaying (skinning people alive)
Impalement in public spaces
Gouging out eyes, amputations
These were Jonah’s people’s oppressors. So, naturally, Jonah believed they deserved destruction, not mercy.
But Jonah’s pride clouded his vision of God’s grace. He thought he knew better than God about who deserved mercy.
Bringing This to Today
As a church, we must be vigilant against this same pride. We can easily fall into thinking that God’s grace is for us because we are somehow better than those outside the church.
But the truth is: No one is too far from the compassionate mercy of God.
Ask yourself:
Who do you see as your “Ninevites”? Who do you think is too far gone?
Are there racial, social, or political groups you struggle to show compassion toward?
Have you written off certain people as a waste of time?
If we, like Jonah, think we are better than those we are called to reach, we will be ineffective proclaimers of the Gospel.
2. God Is Compassionate Even When We Don’t Deserve It (Jonah 4:5-8)
Jonah sat outside Nineveh, hoping God would still destroy them. Instead, God provided (Hebrew: mah-nah, meaning "appointed") a leafy plant for shade. But He also appointed a worm to eat it and a scorching wind.
Why? To rescue Jonah from his own evil heart.
God wasn’t just dealing with Jonah’s physical comfort—He was dealing with his spiritual pride.
Bringing This to Today
Think back to when you were far from Jesus. You deserved judgment, but instead, God showed you mercy.
Paul reminds us:
"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8)
God has been directing His mercies toward you your whole life. Can you see why Orlando needs to hear about His compassion?
3. God’s Heart of Compassion Must Become Our Heart (Jonah 4:9-11)
God contrasted Jonah’s pity for a plant with His pity for Nineveh. Jonah cared more about a temporary plant than an entire city of people made in God’s image.
God’s message to Jonah—and to us—is clear: His heart of compassion for the lost must become ours.
Bringing This to Today
Do you have God’s heart or Jonah’s heart?
Do you see Orlando the way God sees it?
Does your heart break for the lost in this city?
The Call to Action: Loving Orlando with God’s Heart
God has placed King’s Cross Church here for a reason.
Our presence in this city is no accident—we are called to be vessels of His Gospel and His compassion.
Having God’s heart will draw us to reach the lost in Orlando.
Just as God pursued Nineveh, Jonah, and you—He is pursuing this city. And He wants to use us to demonstrate His love.
Communal Response and Next Steps
For Parents:
Model compassion for the lost to your children. Let them see you loving those beyond just fellow Christians.
For Those Struggling with Pride:
Ask God to renew your heart with His compassion. Repent of any pride that keeps you from loving others.
For Those Who’ve Been Hurt by Christians:
Jesus sees your pain. Don’t let bitterness rob you of compassion. Ask Him to bring healing.
For Those Who Are Far from Jesus:
Know this: Jesus is drawing near to you with great compassion. He wants you to live in His abundant life.
Closing Prayer
"God, make our hearts like Yours. Give us a heart for the lost. Humble our hardened hearts. Remove any trace of pride. Make us vessels of Your Gospel. And let Orlando be renewed because of this church’s presence in the city."
Amen.
