A Second Chance: Embracing God’s Grace and Mercy

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Second Chances Are Gracious, But Not Guaranteed

God is a God of second chances, offering us opportunities to start again even when we least deserve it. Like Jonah, who ran from God and found himself in the belly of a fish, we too have rebelled and made a mess of our lives. Yet, God steps into our brokenness, not because He must, but because of His grace and mercy. However, we must not presume upon these second chances, as they are not promised indefinitely. Each new day is a precious gift, a chance to repent, return, and walk in obedience. Let us receive God’s grace with humility and gratitude, making the most of every opportunity He gives us. [20:49]

Jonah 3:1-3 (ESV)
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth.

Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you have been presuming upon God’s patience? What step of obedience can you take today to respond to His gracious second chance?

Day 2: God’s Mercy Often Meets Us in the Mess

Receiving a second chance from God does not mean all the consequences of our past choices are erased. Jonah was vomited out of the fish—disheveled, smelling terrible, and likely bearing the marks of his ordeal. In the same way, our journey back to God may be messy, with lingering scars, broken relationships, or ongoing struggles. Yet, God’s mercy is present in the midst of our mess, offering hope and a path forward. Don’t let the messiness of your situation make you doubt God’s mercy; instead, trust that He is with you, even as you walk through the consequences of your past. [25:19]

Reflection: What “mess” from your past are you still carrying? How can you invite God’s mercy into that area today, trusting Him to walk with you through the consequences?

Day 3: Second Chances Must Be Activated by Repentance and Submission

God’s offer of a second chance is available, but it requires a response from us. Jonah’s deliverance came after he saw his sin, showed remorse, sought repentance, reflected on his situation, and finally submitted to God’s command. Many desire God’s grace without letting go of the very sins that led them astray. True change comes when we surrender our stubbornness, confess our wrongs, and submit to God’s will. Only then do we truly activate the second chance God offers, moving from rebellion to obedience and from regret to restoration. [28:50]

Reflection: Is there a sin or habit you are holding onto while asking God for a fresh start? What would it look like to fully repent and submit that area to Him today?

Day 4: Compassion for Others Flows from the Compassion We’ve Received

Jonah’s story reminds us that the same grace, mercy, and compassion God showed us is meant to be extended to others—even those we might consider undeserving. God called Jonah to go to Nineveh, a city he despised, to offer them the same second chance he had received. When we truly grasp the depth of God’s compassion for us, it transforms our hearts toward others, breaking down barriers of judgment and self-righteousness. We are called to see people through God’s eyes and to move toward them with the same compassion that rescued us. [34:31]

Matthew 18:33 (ESV)
“And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?”

Reflection: Who in your life have you been reluctant to show compassion to? How can you take a step toward them today, reflecting the mercy God has shown you?

Day 5: God Calls Us to Share the Message of Second Chances with Our City

God did not give us a second chance just for our own benefit, but so that we would go and share His message of grace with others. Like Jonah was sent to Nineveh, we are sent to our own communities, workplaces, and neighborhoods to proclaim that God is a God of second chances. Our cities are full of people in need—people God loves deeply. He has placed us where we are for a purpose: to be His hands and feet, bringing hope and the good news of Jesus to those around us. Let us not keep God’s mercy to ourselves, but boldly share it with those who need it most. [42:16]

Acts 17:26-27 (ESV)
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us.

Reflection: Where has God placed you—in your city, workplace, or neighborhood—to be a messenger of His second chances? What is one intentional way you can share His love and hope with someone around you this week?

Sermon Summary

This morning, we gathered to reflect on the profound truth that God is a God of second chances. As we honored those who have served our country and prayed for our students returning from camp, we were reminded of the many ways God calls us to serve and to go where He leads—even when it’s uncomfortable or unexpected. The story of Jonah, especially as he emerges from the belly of the fish, is a vivid picture of both human rebellion and divine mercy. Jonah ran from God’s call, seeking to escape His presence, but God pursued him relentlessly—not to destroy him, but to restore him.

We see in Jonah’s journey a mirror of our own lives. Each of us, in our own way, has run from God, choosing our own path over His. Yet, God’s grace is persistent. He does not leave us in our rebellion but chases after us, offering us a second chance when we least deserve it. This second chance is not something we can demand or presume upon; it is a gift of grace, not a guarantee. The stories of figures like John Newton, Abraham Lincoln, and C.S. Lewis remind us that failure is not the end, and that God delights in rewriting our stories, no matter how broken they may be.

However, God’s second chances are often messy. Jonah was vomited onto dry land—a vivid reminder that restoration doesn’t erase the consequences of our choices. We may still bear scars, face broken relationships, or deal with the fallout of our past. Yet, God’s mercy meets us in the mess, inviting us to start again with a changed heart. True repentance involves seeing our sin, feeling genuine remorse, seeking God’s forgiveness, and submitting to His will.

But the story doesn’t end with our own restoration. God calls us, as He did Jonah, to extend the same compassion and mercy we have received to others—even to those we might consider undeserving. Jonah was sent to Nineveh, a city notorious for its wickedness, to proclaim God’s message. In the same way, we are called to our own “Ninevehs”—our cities, neighborhoods, and workplaces—to share the hope of a second chance through Jesus. The measure of our transformation is seen in our willingness to show compassion to others, just as God has shown compassion to us.

Key Takeaways

1. Second chances require a changed heart God’s offer of a second chance is not a license to continue in our old ways, but an invitation to genuine transformation. True repentance means recognizing the depth of our sin, feeling sorrow over it, and submitting ourselves to God’s will. Only then can we fully embrace the new beginning He offers. [17:20]
2. God’s mercy is often messy, not magical Restoration does not erase the consequences of our rebellion. Like Jonah, we may emerge from our “fish” experiences battered and scarred, but God’s mercy meets us in the midst of our mess. The journey forward may be difficult, but God’s grace is sufficient to sustain us as we walk in obedience. [25:19]
3. Second chances are gracious, not guaranteed We must never presume upon God’s patience. While He is rich in mercy, there comes a time when the opportunity for repentance ends. Each day is a gift, a fresh opportunity to turn to God and respond to His call. Let us not waste the grace we have been given, but respond with urgency and gratitude. [19:23]
4. Compassion received must become compassion given The true evidence of a changed heart is our willingness to extend the same mercy and grace to others that God has shown to us. We are called to see people not through the lens of their sin or our prejudices, but through God’s eyes of compassion. Our mission is to bring the hope of a second chance to those around us, no matter how far they seem from God. [33:34]
5. Our calling is to our own “Nineveh” God has placed us in our cities, neighborhoods, and workplaces for a purpose. We are not saved to simply enjoy God’s grace for ourselves, but to be agents of His mercy to those who need it most. Our obedience in sharing the message of hope can be the means by which others experience their own second chance. [40:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:58] - Honoring Veterans and Service
[02:03] - Student Ministry Updates and Prayer
[03:37] - Invitation to Missions and Opening Prayer
[07:14] - Introduction to Jonah 2-3
[08:44] - Jonah’s Rebellion and God’s Pursuit
[10:38] - The Universal Need for Second Chances
[12:18] - Stories of Redemption and Second Chances
[15:19] - Receiving Second Chances with a Changed Heart
[19:23] - God’s Grace: Gracious but Not Guaranteed
[23:09] - God’s Mercy: Merciful but Messy
[26:31] - Activating Second Chances Through Repentance
[29:42] - Responding with Compassion
[36:46] - The Greatness of Nineveh and Our Cities
[40:42] - Our Mission: Sharing Second Chances
[43:46] - Obedience and the Call to Go

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Jonah 2:10–3:3 (ESV) — 10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.
3:1 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying,
2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.”
3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth.

Observation Questions

What did God command Jonah to do after he was vomited out by the fish? (Jonah 3:1–2)
How did Jonah’s response in chapter 3 differ from his response in chapter 1? [30:30]
According to the sermon, what physical and emotional state was Jonah likely in when he arrived on dry land? [25:07]
What are some of the consequences Jonah faced even after receiving a second chance from God? [25:19]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think God gave Jonah a second chance, even after his rebellion? What does this reveal about God’s character? [11:25]
The sermon says God’s mercy is “messy, not magical.” What does this mean for someone who is coming back to God after a season of running away? [25:19]
The pastor mentioned that second chances are “gracious, not guaranteed.” How should this affect the way we view God’s patience and our own opportunities to repent? [19:23]
Why is it important that Jonah’s changed heart led to obedience, not just feeling sorry for his sin? [17:20]

Application Questions

Can you think of a time when you tried to run from something God was calling you to do? What happened, and how did God pursue you? [08:44]
The sermon talked about how restoration doesn’t erase the consequences of our choices. Are there any “scars” or ongoing challenges in your life that are a result of past decisions? How does God’s mercy meet you in those places? [25:19]
The pastor said, “Second chances are not a license to continue in our old ways, but an invitation to genuine transformation.” Is there an area in your life where you’ve been presuming on God’s grace instead of truly repenting? What would real change look like? [17:20]
Jonah was called to go to Nineveh, a place he didn’t want to go. Is there a “Nineveh” in your life—a person, place, or situation you feel God is calling you to, but you’re resisting? What’s holding you back? [40:42]
The sermon challenged us to extend the same compassion to others that God has shown us. Is there someone in your life you struggle to show compassion to because you feel they don’t deserve it? How might seeing them through God’s eyes change your attitude? [33:34]
The pastor asked, “If Village Bible Church was to cease to exist, would Sugar Grove even know we were gone?” How would your neighborhood, workplace, or school be different if you weren’t there as a follower of Jesus? [41:27]
What is one practical step you can take this week to share the hope of a second chance with someone in your “city,” whether that’s your family, workplace, or community? [42:16]

Sermon Clips

God's second chances are always gracious, but they're not guaranteed. They're always gracious. They're always guaranteed. Listen to me. There was nothing that God had to give Jonah, a second chance. When Jonah gets thrown over the ship side, God didn't have to say, "Okay, I'll save him." God didn't have to summon a great fish to come up and eat Jonah and save him from his despair. He was not guaranteed that. And friends, neither are we. [00:18:24] (45 seconds) #GraciousNotGuaranteed

Do not presume that you will always after your sin have an opportunity to fix it, that you'll have an opportunity to repent, that you'll have an opportunity to make right your wrongs. As we go throughout the scriptures, we see this. God is a God of second chances. He gave a second chance to Moses, but not to Jonah or King Saul. He gave a second chance to David, but not to Samson. He gave the prodigal son a second chance, but not Lot's wife. He gave a second chance to Peter, but not to Judas. He gave John Mark a second chance, but not Ananias and Sapphira. [00:19:37] (47 seconds) #NoPresumedRepentance

If I'm not dead, God, you're not done. If I'm not dead, then there's a second chance for me—a second chance for me to repent, a second chance for me to return, a second chance for me to turn from my wicked ways, to be offered a second chance. The question is, will you receive it with a changed heart? [00:21:35] (25 seconds) #NotDoneYet

Second chances are available, and they're available to you today, but they must be activated with a deep sense and sorrow for your sin and a submission to God's calling in your life. Second chances can and should be received with a changed heart. [00:29:16] (21 seconds) #ChangeWithSorrow

The same grace, the same mercy, and the same amount of mercy, the same compassion, and the same amount of compassion that was needed to bring Jonah back from death to life is the same amount and the same kind of mercy, grace and compassion, and the same amount that it would take to bring the Ninevites back. [00:34:14] (27 seconds) #CompassionInAction

God gave you a second chance. God did not give Jonah, nor did he give us, a second chance for us just to go home and relish in the fact that God loves us. God gave us a second chance so that we would, with compassion, go and share that second chance with others. [00:36:16] (19 seconds) #ReachYourCity

Jonah is given a commission to go and share the good news that God is a God of judgment and is also a God of grace. Who would know that better than Jonah? Jonah could walk into that city and say to them, "I know God doesn't mess around. So when he says, 'Enough is enough,' you better listen, because here's why I know. I know he'll hunt you down, and he'll chase you down, and he'll pursue you until you cry uncle. But here's the good news: when you cry uncle, he gives you a second chance. [00:39:19] (37 seconds) #SecondChanceMission

Why does God have you where you live? Whether it's in Hinkley or Big Rock, Yorkville or Bristol, Geneva or Batavia, Aurora or Elburn, the cities that we draw from. Why does God have you there? According to Acts 17, because God wants people who have been given a second chance in him, with compassion in our hearts, to go reach the places with people who need second chances. [00:41:49] (31 seconds) #LoveServePrayCity

People will never come to Jesus until you and I first come to Jesus in obedience. We can't expect God to give the world the second chance until we take hold of the second chance that God longs to give us. So would you come to Jesus this morning? Would you obey Jesus? Would you agree and be changed by Jesus so that the change that Jesus does in your life, that you can be the poster child to show the change that Jesus wants to do in the life of the Nineveh's and the Ninevites around us. [00:44:17] (40 seconds)

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