Christ City Church, Washington DC

Justin Fung reads Deryn van der Tang’s poetic response to Jonah 3. Dana Cunliffe walks us through Jonah chapter three, focusing on the Ninevites. She reminds us that God is at work, and there is always hope that powerful and wicked systems and empires can change. [Jonah 3]

Creative Response: Nineveh Repents by Deryn van der Tang

Three days did Jonah shout and sigh
God’s wrath in every street did cry
“Repent, repent before you die!”
The king threw off his royal clothes
Sat in the dust with barefoot toes
“Oh, evil men your sins disclose
Listen to what the prophet says
Or in forty days, you’ll be erased.
Man and beast, cease violent ways!
Sackcloth and ashes, fast and pray
If you want to live another day.”

As Jonah feared the people heard
The Word of God they preferred
From evil ways they turned away
God’s commandments to obey.
Compassion and Mercy is His Name
Just as Jonah knew the same.
We may huff and puff at others sin,
Before we really look within
This petulant child,
On whom God smiled
With His love He reconciled.

When Jesus is asked about the greatest commandment, he responds, “Love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength.” Pastor Watson explains that loving God “with all” is the challenging part. It’s not about working harder, it’s about surrendering and saying “yes” to God. [Mark 12:28-31]

Too often churches ask us to check our doubts at the door, to leave our most important questions behind. At Christ City Church, we believe that when we wrestle with our biggest questions, it actually deepens our faith. During this series, people in our own church community share how they have wrestled through their most important question.

In week 2, we heard from Sarah (“Can listening transform perspectives?”) and Evan (“God, what good are you?”).

Pastor Justin Fung gives an Ash Wednesday Homily on transformative fasting according to Isaiah 58.

How do we understand the ways the Bible talks about contentment in God, in the midst of a world that isn’t how it should be? Pastor Andrea Ackermann preaches on Psalm 131, a pilgrim song that reminds us who we are and where we’re going. We are challenged to find rest and satisfaction in God’s presence, as a child with its mother. [Psalm 131]