If we are honest we can all admit that we have encountered people who just seem too far gone to turn their lives to God. Even when you have the biggest heart for people, as a Christian, there are still certain individuals you see, know, or have heard of that you easily believe will never come to repentance. Which makes you question if you should even share the Gospel with them. It’s not because you don’t want to see them saved. But because of all you know about them they simply seem to have no interest in God. Yet more often than not there is more to be seen beyond the surface. In fact, sometimes the greatest acts of repentance can come from the most unlikely sources.
This is exactly what Jonah experienced when God sent him to preach to the inhabitants of Nineveh. Of course, Jonah ran from the Lord because of prejudice. Not wanting to see a gentile nation receive the forgiveness he knew God would offer. But at the same time, he never would have expected a bunch of gentiles to listen to the word of the Lord. Or be truly affected by it. In fact, he even stayed in Nineveh after delivering the Lord’s message. Because he believed the people would quickly return to their sins and he wanted to see what would happen. Yet this was not something that happened in that generation. Instead, it seems as though those unlikely gentiles continued in a life of repentance and focus on God.
Jonah 4:5 (ESV)
5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.
It would have seemed especially unlikely in a time when God’s own people refused to listen to the prophets. Yet, these unlikely people who didn’t even know or serve the God of Israel took His message seriously. Meeting it with great repentance. Such that was even unseen amongst the Jews when they turned back to the Lord from sin and idols. Their act of repentance involved declaring a national fast including all livestock and clothing everyone from the king down in sackcloth and ashes. Ultimately causing the Lord’s anger to subside and stoping all the judgment that Jonah had warned was soon to come.
Jonah 3:5–10 (ESV)
5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.
6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, 8 but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”
10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
What we have to remember is that those who we see as the most unlikely to turn in repentance because of the sin in their lives have the most to gain by turning to Christ. They are being told they can be freed from deep-seated bondage and troubles. Offered a new life and a chance to put all they have ever done behind them. They are told they are truly loved possibly for the first time in a long time. Promised eternity in paradise away from everything in this world that caused them so much pain. So it should come as no surprise that they are willing to come to repentance in big ways. As Jesus Himself taught the one to whom much is given will return even more love.
Luke 7:41–47 (ESV)
41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
We even see this in the life of Zacchaeus. The people knew him as a corrupt tax collector so they stood in judgment as Jesus joined him for a meal. In their eyes, he was someone who would never change and an unlikely candidate to repent of his past actions. Yet, something in that short time he spent at the table with Jesus had a major effect on him. Leading to a mighty act of repentance in which he promised to pay back the money he had cheated others out of. As well as giving half of all he owned to the poor.
Luke 19:7–10 (ESV)
7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Before Saul became Paul no one would have ever imagined that he would be willing to accept the Gospel message. Considering he was well known for trying to destroy the early church. Even when spoken to directly by God Ananias still questioned if Paul would repent. Worrying about the sake of his own life if he went to the man known for attacking Christians. Thankfully Ananias headed the Lord’s call and Paul did repent. Becoming one of the most impactful men in History and used to write much of the New Testament.
Acts 9:10–17 (ESV)
10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
All these examples from the Bible only help to solidify the fact that as believers and agents in Christ we should be taking the message of the Gospel to all people. Just as the scripture instructs us to. No matter how far away from God they may seem or what lifestyle they may try to portray. The truth is there is no way to know who will head the message God has given you to deliver.
Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
In fact, I believe the church would be astonished and amazed at the response if we truly take God’s word to the streets as they did in the book of Acts. As Jesus said the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. There are so many people in this world ready to be added to the kingdom if we would only reach out to them in the love of Christ. Many of whom are some of the most unlikely and last people you would ever expect to turn to God. As they portray a life of freedom but are in fact bound by the chains of sin.
Matthew 9:35–38 (ESV)
35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
2 Peter 2:19 (ESV)
19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
The Bible is the greatest teacher not to judge a book by its cover. So don’t look at people and choose not to share the gospel with them because you don’t think they will accept it. You don’t know in what ways God has already been dealing with them in their heart. Instead, simply fulfill the call on your life to share the Gospel with all people regardless of how they live or what they claim. Then be amazed as some of the most unlikely people you encounter display the greatest shows of repentance.
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