What sometimes gets lost in this story, as we focus on how bad Jonah was, is how evil Nineveh was. They weren't the poor, innocent neighbors who just needed to hear about Jesus. Assyrians hated Israel. They eventually would help undo the entire nation. Eventually, the northern ten tribes of Israel, because of the actions of the Assyrians, would never be heard from again. Jonah had good reason to hate Nineveh. At least he had good human reasons to hate Nineveh. When Jonah was finally obedient, he would only offer an eight word sermon. It is almost as if he thought about it five minutes before he began. Even after the great storm, the great waves, the great fish, Jonah still didn't put much effort into his sermon when he saw the great walls of Nineveh. Who knows? Maybe he just whispered it gently and tried to walk away before anyone started asking questions. Jonah was obedient and only did what was required. Jonah 3 demonstrates what happens when God's people are obedient and love their enemies. It's easy to pick apart other people's belief systems and to shove doctrine down their throats. But are we willing to love those who do harm to us? Are we willing to go where others don't want to go? Is our mission an incarnational mission? The Church must be willing to do what no one else will do. Jonah once again demonstrates how great Jesus is. Jonah was obedient—but begrudgingly so. Philippians tells us that Jesus did all that was required and more. He humbled himself to the worst possible death. He went where no one else could go in order to save his enemies. That's right. We were the enemies of God and yet he loves us so much to send Jesus to die in our place. Jesus didn't preach eight word sermons. He healed, he loved, he wept, he taught, he died and he rose again. Jesus was no Pinto.