Romans 3:20-25a and Jonah 2:1-10
We continue following Tim Keller in our sermon series on the Book of Jonah, and today we come to the prayer of Jonah in the belly of the fish. Jonah has been called by God to go and preach to Nineveh but Jonah has run away, boarded a ship to Tarshish, the farthest point away in the then known world.  God orchestrates an intervention, a violent storm at sea, in order to teach Jonah what His grace is all about.  Jonah is thrown overboard “But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.” In our text today we hear Jonah’s prayer in the belly of the fish, in which he finally “gets” the grace of God, whereupon “… the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” And so today we look at Jonah’s prayer and there find the depths of God’s grace.  Grace is, says Keller, “favor given to an undeserving person by an unobligated giver.” This is what Paul makes so clear in Romans 3 where we are reminded that we cannot attain righteousness by observing the law, yet there is "a righteousness from God, apart from law … a righteousness from God” that “comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” This grace of God can be received by unbeliever and believer alike, and it brings about a humility that recognizes God’s grace is for all.