When God's People Don't Share God's Heart

St. Charles | Bob Ingle
October 11, 2026
Jonah 4:9-11

““But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”” Jonah 4:9-11 (ESV)

Our Heart May Not Align with God’s Heart When…

1. WE ADAMANTLY DEFEND WHAT WE PREFER.

“But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.”” Jonah 4:9 (ESV)

“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.” Proverbs 21:2 (ESV)

You cannot SURRENDER your attitude and DEFEND it at the same time.

Our Heart May Not Align with God’s Heart When…

2. WE SELFISHLY PROTECT WHAT WE ENJOY.

“And the LORD said, ‘You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night.’” Jonah 4:10 (ESV)

Jonah cared more about losing his SHADE than people losing their SOULS.

“(God) richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” 1 Timothy 6:17 (ESV)

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4 (ESV)

A blessing becomes an idol when we PROTECT it from the PURPOSE of God.

Our Heart May Not Align with God’s Heart When…

3. WE WILLINGLY NEGLECT WHOM GOD LOVES.

“And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” Jonah 4:11 (ESV)

A church that neglects the lost has FORGOTTEN the heart of God.