1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,920 But it is good to be here with you this morning and get to take part in the sermon series that we've been going through this summer as we move through 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,440 the book of Hosea, so 3 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:15,480 So start off today, I want to talk about fairy tales 4 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:18,720 So we all love 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,800 Fairy tale stories with fairy tale endings 6 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:27,440 Don't we whether it's a book or a movie or even a video game with an intense storyline 7 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:29,440 We all love to see 8 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:37,520 Happy endings of a fairy tale nature now even grown men love their fairy tale endings 9 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,560 We just choose to call them epics 10 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:45,240 Lord of the Rings Braveheart Marvel movies and Star Wars 11 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:52,280 So regardless of the storyline or the characters we all love to see that happily ever after 12 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:59,880 Now Hallmark has made its name in the movie world by writing some of the worst and the 13 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:06,340 cheesiest fairy tale stories that could possibly exist and turning them into sappy movies 14 00:01:06,340 --> 00:01:08,440 I know I just lost some of you didn't I so 15 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:17,760 The problem with these terrible movies is that in spite of how cheesy they are if we start watching them 16 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:24,020 They threaten to ensnare us to find out if the fairy tale ending really happens 17 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:32,440 Just once I would like to see Hallmark produce a movie where the couple doesn't end up in their happily ever after 18 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:37,880 I mean think about they're driving up in the mountains and they crash in a ravine out in the wilderness 19 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:43,160 And he dies leaving her to struggle alone to survive as she makes her way back to civilization 20 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:46,280 Or maybe she gets 21 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:53,160 Enamored with this innocent seeming pretty boy only to find out that he sits atop of an 22 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:57,400 International drug cartel and he has to flee the country to avoid the FBI 23 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:05,520 Or how about this for a Hallmark movie title a Hallmark Christmas alien invasion 24 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:13,240 So if anybody has connections with Hallmark movie people just let them know I've got some ideas for them. All right 25 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:19,560 So there are certain elements and features of these stories that really help us get into them, right? 26 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:24,800 How endearing are the main protagonists and when things start going wrong? 27 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:32,480 How high are the stakes? What's at risk and how dire and dark do the circumstances become and all of this determines? 28 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:37,440 How epic the victory will be and how great the fairy tale ending really is 29 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:46,840 Does the world whether it's the entire world or just the world and life of our protagonist get saved and become a better place and 30 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,560 Are we more? 31 00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:57,560 In love with the main characters and are they still as endearing to us after we experienced the ups and downs of their story? 32 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:07,360 Now if you didn't know the Bible has some of these fairy tale stories in it think about Joseph's story of tragedy turned to triumph in Genesis or 33 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:16,960 The book of Ruth or the story of Esther one could even look at the entire Bible in this fairy tale way and thinking about 34 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:23,040 Revelation being that climactic happily ever after that we are all looking forward to 35 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,000 now as we continue through 36 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,480 This journey through the book of Hosea 37 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:36,600 We are going to return to the relationship of Hosea and Gomer and we're going to find out that their relationship has taken a turn for the worse 38 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,400 But through this terrible term we are going to learn about the greatness of 39 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:50,360 God's love for his people and we're going to learn that God does indeed desire a fairy tale ending not only for Gomer and Hosea 40 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:53,320 But for his people which means all of us 41 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:58,440 So if you would you could turn over in your Bibles to Hosea chapter 3 42 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:06,480 Now just to remember that Hosea is a prophet to the northern kingdom of Israel after they had split from the southern kingdom and 43 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:13,680 Hosea's ministry is near the end of the northern kingdom before the Assyrians come in and take them captive and disperse them 44 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,400 Hosea 3 is a short chapter of scripture 45 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:26,640 But don't let its size fool you into thinking it is insignificant. This is a powerful section of scripture 46 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:33,440 Now this passage breaks down into two sections verses one through three and verses four through five 47 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:36,440 But let's read it in its entirety to start 48 00:04:37,840 --> 00:04:39,840 The Lord said to me go 49 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:45,000 Show your love to your wife again though. She is loved by another man and is an adulterous 50 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:52,000 Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raising cakes 51 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:58,000 So I bought her for 15 shekels of silver and about a Homer and a lethach of barley 52 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:02,120 Then I told her you are to live with me many days 53 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:09,200 You must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man and I will behave the same way towards you 54 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:16,720 For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince without sacrifice or sacred stones without a fad or household 55 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:22,120 God and afterward the Israelites will return to seek the Lord their God and David their king 56 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:27,680 They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days 57 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:37,040 So let's recap the story of Gomern Hosea in chapter 1 Hosea is told to take for himself a wife of Hordom 58 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:43,720 Hosea a found and married Gomer together. They had three children whose names 59 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:52,760 represented Israel's relationship to God there was Jezreel and he represented punishment that was to come to Israel for their spiritual adultery 60 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:58,680 There was low Ruhama whose name meant no mercy and 61 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:06,680 And represented the fact that when this punishment came Israel would receive no mercy from the Lord and finally there was low on me 62 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,560 Which means not my people 63 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:16,560 Representing that through their actions and desertion of God the covenant relationship was broken 64 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:24,120 We need to remember that God likes to use imagery to communicate theological truth 65 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:30,920 So God doesn't just say things he likes to show them and this little family is a 66 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:37,840 representation of God's relationship to Israel and when we pick things back up in chapter 3 we find that 67 00:06:38,280 --> 00:06:41,120 Circumstances have not improved but worsened 68 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:44,040 Look at the state of things in verse 1 69 00:06:45,200 --> 00:06:50,680 Gomer even after having had these children with Hosea has deserted him 70 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:55,200 Hence God has to tell him go again and love this woman 71 00:06:55,760 --> 00:07:00,800 Not only has Gomer deserted Hosea, but she has run into the arms of another man 72 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:07,160 She was promiscuous and wayward before and she has returned to her old ways 73 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:16,480 The spiritual adultery of Israel which Gomers actions represent is described by the specific actions that Gomer takes 74 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:20,320 First we note that she is loved by another 75 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:24,440 Now the Hebrew word for love here has a number of 76 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:30,880 Canotations it could be about sexual relations. It could be about falling in romantic love 77 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:38,040 It could be about a deep emotional care or commitment or simply making an alliance with someone 78 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:40,640 So this is a complex relationship 79 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:47,760 And we know for certain that this relationship is not just a business transaction 80 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:53,800 The adulterer took that took Gomer in is all in on this relationship and 81 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,200 She is taken by him 82 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:04,960 Like many broken love relationships this relationship is messy and out of whack on many levels 83 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:12,000 Now second we have to note that Gomer and Israel in turn reciprocates this love 84 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:17,360 Israel has turned to other gods and gone after them with their 85 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:22,040 Affections and actions when Israel has turned to other gods 86 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:30,080 This means that they have turned their backs on the God who loved them from their youth and provided for them throughout many generations 87 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:41,360 Now you'll notice that there's a comment in there about sacred raising cakes now the mention of these sacred raising cakes 88 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:46,960 Which I hope they taste a better than rice cakes that but they give us insight into exactly 89 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:54,600 Who Israel has put itself in spiritual bed with these cakes were used in their worship? 90 00:08:54,600 --> 00:09:03,240 Celebrations for the goddess a share a share was known as a goddess of war and sexuality and fertility 91 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:08,160 and some scholars even suggest that in Israelite folk religion 92 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,560 A share was viewed as Yahweh's divine consort 93 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:20,560 Which is why she is referred to as the Queen of Heaven in Jeremiah 7 and 44 and in Deuteronomy 12 94 00:09:20,560 --> 00:09:24,960 God explicitly commands the destruction of her shrines 95 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:30,000 explicitly for the sake of the purity of Israelite worship 96 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:35,040 But they didn't obey and now they have turned their back on him 97 00:09:35,560 --> 00:09:42,400 Now we must also note that God asked Hosea to initiate the reconciliation process 98 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:49,840 Hosea is supposed to go Hosea is supposed to love this wife who deserted him and love her with the same 99 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:56,120 affection and devotion with which she has gone after another man with this all-in 100 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:02,000 Kind of love with which he gives himself fully back to her 101 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:07,160 This is how the Lord loves the Israelites 102 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:12,360 No matter how great their spiritual apostasy and desertion 103 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:16,440 God is going to pursue them and take them back 104 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:23,320 His love is shown by the nature of his undivided and undeterred heart 105 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,320 It is also shown by his unrelenting pursuit 106 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,400 Even though there are consequences for their choices 107 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:36,560 He will inevitably come back for his beloved people 108 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:41,200 Do you know 109 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:46,040 That God's love for you is this extravagant and this 110 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:48,400 Unbreakable 111 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,560 Do you know that in spite of any 112 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:58,240 Circumstances or actions that might have carried you away whether you have experienced spiritual apathy 113 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:05,760 Idolatry sin or disobedience along with the shame or guilt or condemnation that accompanies these things 114 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:11,640 God loves all of us and each of you personally 115 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:20,200 With a powerful love that will cross any chasm and break down any barrier to bring us back into right relationship with him 116 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:24,000 He desires you that badly 117 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:30,400 Now in verse 2 we see that Josea has to buy Gomer back 118 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:36,600 He buys her for 15 shekels of silver and some barley now scholars have some 119 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:42,800 Various ideas about what exactly it is that Josea is paying this price for 120 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,880 Some think that he is purchasing her out of some form of enslavement 121 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:50,640 Some think this has to do with simple financial indebtedness 122 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:54,400 Now it is interesting to note that in Exodus 21 32 123 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:59,920 Restitution for a slave who had been gored to death was 30 shekels of silver 124 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:03,760 So if this is the case 125 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:08,840 Gomer's worth in society was that of a dead bond servant 126 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,160 Possibly even less 127 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:16,880 Nothing that was valid valued grandly in the world's eyes 128 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:22,160 Regardless of the interpretation we know that Josea bought her back 129 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:29,840 And God will buy us back out of whatever we are indebted or enslaved in 130 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,880 Whatever the price is set he will pay 131 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:44,000 And this is extravagant love because we already know what the price was that the Lord paid for us in the world 132 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:49,360 The price was that the Lord paid for us in sending his son to the cross for us and 133 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:54,360 That we are definitely not worth the price that God paid 134 00:12:54,640 --> 00:13:01,000 Peter describes the value of what he paid to redeem us and bring us back to him in 1st Peter 1 135 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,240 18 and 19 he says there that you know that you were 136 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:12,560 Ransom from feudal ways inherited from your forefathers not with perishable things as silver or gold 137 00:13:12,560 --> 00:13:18,800 But with the precious blood of Christ like that with of a lamb without 138 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:21,280 blemish or spot 139 00:13:22,680 --> 00:13:30,520 How great is the love of the father that he would send the son to pay the price of our redemption 140 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:40,280 Do you know that God loves us so deeply and profoundly and do you not just give a nod to it? 141 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:45,560 But do you have the well of that love alive in your hearts? 142 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:53,000 Because this is the hope that we have in Christ as Paul puts it that our hope does not put us to shame 143 00:13:53,680 --> 00:14:00,280 Because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit whom he has given to us 144 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:03,160 This is a living hope 145 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:09,600 It's a living reality free for us to drink deeply from and we don't just drink deeply from this well 146 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:14,720 We live vibrantly from this well in freedom knowing that through the cross of Christ 147 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:20,720 Our God has bought us back out of all the shame and guilt all of the hurt and all of the heartache 148 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,440 Our sin and rebellion has bought us 149 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:26,400 He has traversed 150 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:31,160 Every stretch of brokenness we have run across in our retreat from him 151 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:35,160 He his love will break down every barrier 152 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:40,200 We erect and push aside every hurt that we use as a shield to fend him off 153 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:45,380 And it will throw off every sin that we entangle ourselves in 154 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:52,000 But the question is do we turn to the Lord and receive his extravagant love? 155 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:56,040 Have you turned to the Lord and received his extravagant love for you? 156 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:00,320 Have you strayed far down the wrong road thinking you are too? 157 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:08,720 Unlovely too ugly too scarred or too ragged to experience such a powerful and redeeming and all enveloping love 158 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:11,480 It's not true 159 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:17,280 No one is too far gone to receive the love that God has for them in Christ 160 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:24,960 And he is there waiting patiently for you to turn to him even now if only you will avail yourself of that opportunity 161 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:30,160 Now a word of caution here I 162 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:34,160 Don't want to let us believe 163 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,600 That simply because we are sitting in this church building today 164 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:43,400 That we are actually living in the reality of that extravagant love 165 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:48,680 You know sometimes it is the one who has been too close for too long 166 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:53,040 That doesn't realize that they have forsaken the one who loves them so 167 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:54,840 And 168 00:15:54,840 --> 00:15:58,840 Since the Lord ordained that we should learn from Jose's broken marriage relationship 169 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,480 I thought that Matthew phrase own story might help us 170 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:10,400 Matthew wrote down his story in the lessons that he learned the hard way in a book called. This is how your marriage ends 171 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:18,600 He tells about how he always thought there were what he called major marriage crimes a 172 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:23,560 category of offenses that if committed would destroy a marriage 173 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:27,160 He thought that only things like sexual affairs 174 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:32,640 abuse or gambling away the family savings would break a marriage 175 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:36,280 So when he and his wife disagreed about something 176 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:44,040 When she was upset that he would never do the dishes when he got offended by what he perceived as her over reaction to the issue 177 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:46,720 He wasn't really concerned 178 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:51,840 He described his feeling of offense as being charged with pre-meditated murder 179 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:58,560 When his infraction was something closer to driving over the speed limit without with a burned-out tail light 180 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:01,160 That he didn't even know was burned out 181 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:10,560 And yet he writes the reason my marriage fell apart seems absurd when I describe it 182 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:16,520 My wife left me because sometimes I leave dishes by the sink 183 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:23,600 It makes her seem ridiculous. It makes me seem like a victim of unfair expectations 184 00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:31,680 However, it was only when his marriage crashed that he was finally able to see and he writes 185 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:36,800 But it wasn't the dishes not really it was what they represented 186 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:43,320 He figured out the hard way that the dishes issue wasn't really about the dishes 187 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:47,360 But about the level of his concern and consideration for her 188 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,760 His refusal to even consider changing his ways 189 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,280 Communicated disrespect and a lack of loving concern for her 190 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:02,880 It was his attitude of in lieu aloofness and entitlement that drove her to the breaking point 191 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:06,640 And it ended with the breaking of their marriage 192 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:13,680 He was so bent on being right and having his own way that he became blind 193 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:18,880 To the hurt that he had been causing throughout all the various aspects of their marriage relationship 194 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:28,360 Now there are two ways we can go with this on one level you may now be reflecting on some of the seemingly minor 195 00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:34,560 Misunderstandings and disagreements that you have in your own marriage or some other relationship 196 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:37,120 or even 197 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:39,120 You might need to recognize that 198 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:42,280 What you thought was the issue 199 00:18:43,360 --> 00:18:50,520 Wasn't really the issue that there was something much deeper and of much more significant concern behind that issue 200 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:53,480 now you may not completely understand it or 201 00:18:53,480 --> 00:19:01,120 You may have to admit that you really do understand what it is, but you just haven't wanted to face it 202 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:07,600 But if this is the case, maybe you need to go home and have a conversation that is long overdue 203 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:12,600 You may need to humble yourself and admit that there is a deeper problem there 204 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:19,400 But I also want each of you to consider that your own 205 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:26,880 Relationship with the Lord can go so far astray because you have no regard or consideration for him 206 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:28,840 and 207 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:36,320 Our disregard for the Lord can be found in the little things far more often than it can be found in the big things 208 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:38,840 Sure, we'll show up to church 209 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,280 maybe a bit midweek Bible study or small group and 210 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:50,400 We haven't killed anybody in small blood and cold blood. So that's a plus, right? However 211 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:58,800 Are we developing the daily consideration to inquire of the Lord the decisions we make of 212 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:08,640 The attitudes we have towards his people and whether or not we are actually honoring him with our lives at home at work at church and in public and 213 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:11,320 Then will we be patient? 214 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:14,120 Patient and humble enough to listen 215 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:18,400 without feeling the need to get defensive or 216 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,200 to self-justify or 217 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:23,680 to ignore 218 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:30,320 The input as being too invasive to demanding or just too out there for us to consider 219 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:33,720 For it is in the little ways that we show 220 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:40,440 Disrespect to the Lord that we end up going astray in big ways and all together too often 221 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:45,080 We only realize this in retrospect when the damage is already done 222 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,000 So I reflect on my own life 223 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:54,920 On the times when my wife tells me that the kids feel like I'm spending too much time on my phone 224 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:58,240 When she is concerned that 225 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:04,960 Seemingly insignificant things draw out unwarranted outbursts of anger from me 226 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:10,560 Or when the Lord pricks my soul and asked me to sit with him in prayer 227 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:17,720 Or about my failure to respond to his warnings about things that can become idols in my life 228 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:23,080 You know, it's not just these things that matter 229 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:26,400 But it's the people behind them 230 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:30,480 Will I show such disregard or 231 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,160 In consideration for the Lord and for my family 232 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:42,320 And what about you what are those things that the Holy Spirit has put on your conscience 233 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:49,440 Where it is not really about the thing itself but about your level of 234 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:54,640 consideration and appreciation for the people and relationships that are suffering and 235 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,080 And slowly burning out because of your lack of response 236 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,580 So if your conscience is being prodded 237 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:08,120 Act now while you can and revitalize those relationships with the Lord and the important people in your life 238 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:14,880 While those relationships still have a chance to be revived. We don't want to end up like mr. Frey 239 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:17,680 learning only afterward 240 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,000 When everything has fallen to pieces 241 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:26,200 Now as we continue through our passage 242 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:32,040 We find that there are conditions for us to return to the Lord 243 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:35,520 We come to verse 3 244 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:41,040 Where is written and I said to her you must dwell as mine for many days 245 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:45,000 You shall not play the horror or belong to another man 246 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:48,760 So I will also be to you 247 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:56,400 So here in verse 3 we get the words of Hosea to his newly redeemed wife 248 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,960 And not just words but restrictions conditions 249 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:08,240 Some translations have that last phrase reading even as I will not go into you 250 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:14,560 But it is important for us to know that there is not a negative participle present in the Hebrew 251 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:20,360 And this matters because we want to know that as Gomer returns to Hosea 252 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:28,040 Hosea is also returning to Gomer without putting up distance or boundaries to their relationship 253 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:36,920 Because as we return to God he will return to us and give himself fully to us again 254 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:41,280 So 255 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:47,120 What about these conditions that Hosea lays out for Gomer well, I'm actually going to turn to Paul 256 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:53,320 Because I feel like he gives us some good insight into why such conditions are laid out for Gomer 257 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:54,840 so if you want to 258 00:23:54,840 --> 00:24:01,480 Keep your finger in Hosea and turn over to the book of Ephesians. We will be in Ephesians chapter 4 here 259 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:04,160 And I feel like Paul 260 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:07,440 You know does a great job in this 261 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:16,920 Section telling us what our new lives in Christ ought to look like with some notable contrasts so Ephesians 4 we're going to start in verse 262 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,040 25 263 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:23,720 And Paul writes 264 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:26,480 Therefore 265 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:32,280 Having put away falsehood let each one of you speak truth to his neighbor for we are members of one another 266 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:38,360 Be angry and do not sin do not let the sin son go down on your anger 267 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:43,440 And give no opportunity to the devil let the thief no longer steal 268 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:49,680 But rather let him labor doing honest work with his own hands so that he may have something to share with anyone in need 269 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,360 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths 270 00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:59,520 But only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs that it may benefit those who listen and 271 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:05,240 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you are sealed for the day of redemption 272 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:11,720 Get rid of all bitterness rage and anger brawling and slander along with every form of malice 273 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:15,480 Instead be kind and compassionate to one another 274 00:25:16,440 --> 00:25:20,960 Forgiving each other just as Christ God forgave you 275 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:25,680 There is a simple principle at work here 276 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:33,800 That when you put the old life behind you you must replace it with habits belonging to the new life 277 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:37,960 When you put that old life behind you you must 278 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:43,440 Replace it with habits belonging to the new life. That's why Paul says don't lie 279 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,000 speak truth 280 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:51,400 Don't let your anger lead you to sin resolve the issue without sinning 281 00:25:52,360 --> 00:25:56,200 Don't steal do honest work with your hands to bless others 282 00:25:57,160 --> 00:25:59,440 No more dirty perverse talk 283 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,480 But speak things that love others and build them up 284 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:09,080 See this is what Jose assets out for for Gomer conditions for living a new life 285 00:26:10,120 --> 00:26:16,120 She has spent much time investing herself in her old ways, but Jose has says to her no more 286 00:26:16,120 --> 00:26:22,400 And in the same way God says no more we are going a new direction together you and I 287 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:28,520 Come follow me be with me allow my guidance to transform your life 288 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:36,480 So let me ask you and maybe you'll have something come to mind when I ask you this when is the last time 289 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:41,920 You tried to change a bad habit or start a good habit 290 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:45,920 How easy did you find it to do? 291 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:51,080 Now I find that changing habits are simple 292 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:55,360 Enough when it's fresh and we're enthusiastic about it 293 00:26:55,360 --> 00:27:00,280 But as time wears on it can be difficult to maintain that habit 294 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:06,520 Stuff gets in the way the new habit just isn't as fun or exciting as we thought it was going to be 295 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:12,880 Or we run into stress in life and we want a quick release 296 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:17,160 Or some pleasure and so we stopped doing that habit 297 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:20,200 Now I'm learning this 298 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:29,280 Right now in my life as I make my second attempt in the past year to learn the slap guitar technique on bass guitar 299 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:33,840 Yes, I have to say second because the first attempt only lasted about a week 300 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:39,160 Before I let things get in the way and it is still a struggle to find time to put into it 301 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:43,920 But that's just the habit of practicing an instrument 302 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:49,680 What about when we are trying to change an entire lifestyle? 303 00:27:50,360 --> 00:27:55,040 You know if you talk to somebody who's dealt with addiction in their life 304 00:27:55,560 --> 00:28:03,080 And they are serious about turning their life around you will find that they have put some important things in place 305 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:09,320 First they will have set themselves up in community and they will have accountability 306 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:11,640 And they will have boundaries 307 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:16,240 Most of them will have an attitude of humility and a teachable heart 308 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:20,640 You know they are willing to learn a new way of life 309 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:28,720 Even if they run into bumps along the way because they have resolved to say goodbye to their old habits and lifestyle 310 00:28:31,120 --> 00:28:39,120 Hosea wants to restore his relationship with Gomer the way God wants to restore his relationship with Israel 311 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:45,880 And with all of us and all he is doing is setting up a healthy pathway forward with healthy boundaries in place 312 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:50,880 He wants to see Gomer develop the things that matter most to their relationship 313 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:59,120 Purity faithfulness intimacy and togetherness along with a sense of their relationship moving in the right direction 314 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:02,120 And this is what God wants for you 315 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:09,120 You know spiritual habits and disciplines aren't just about the practices themselves 316 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:19,120 They communicate to God that you are willing to live within his will for the sake of having a vibrant relationship with him 317 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:26,120 And for me personally this is what I appreciate so much about being in discipleship relationships 318 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:33,120 And I'm not talking about leading in these relationships 319 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:40,120 I'm talking about being a participant because it's so much easier for me to set up and continue in those fundamental habits 320 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:45,120 Of relating to Christ when I am in ongoing community with others 321 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:50,120 And they are heading in the same direction that I am 322 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:57,120 They help me keep my life and my focus and my activity within the guardrails and focus on the Lord 323 00:29:57,120 --> 00:30:02,120 And perhaps maybe you need to seek out a relationship like that as well 324 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:12,120 So this setting up of new boundaries and direction for Gomer translates into setting up new boundaries and direction for Israel 325 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:22,120 We read in verse 4 that the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without fod or household gods 326 00:30:23,120 --> 00:30:31,120 So this list is a thing, is a list of all the things that have caused Israel to fall away from God 327 00:30:31,120 --> 00:30:37,120 I won't go through them all but I will highlight one in a way that summarizes why the Lord put these restrictions in place 328 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:40,120 That of being without king or prince 329 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:45,120 You see if you go and read 1 Samuel chapters 8 and 9 330 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:50,120 You will get to read about how Israel decided that they needed a king 331 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:56,120 And in 1 Samuel 8 verse 7 God reveals the true heart of the problem 332 00:30:56,120 --> 00:31:00,120 God says to Samuel, obey the voice of the people and all that they say to you 333 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:07,120 For they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them 334 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:17,120 The reason God takes away Israel's king and kingdom from them is so that they will learn that they need to accept him back as Lord of their lives 335 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:20,120 Not otherworldly rulers and leaders 336 00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:24,120 And it is the same for everything else that's listed in this verse 337 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:30,120 He removes those things from them so that they will draw close to him again 338 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:38,120 And likewise we must put aside the things that get in the way of our worship with God and our communion with him 339 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:42,120 And we must recognize that this is a means to an end 340 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:46,120 That we may experience the blessings of the Lord 341 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:48,120 As we read in verse 5 342 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:54,120 Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king 343 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:59,120 And they shall come and fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days 344 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:07,120 So when we are willing to set aside the barriers in our relationship with God and come to him with open hands and a willing heart 345 00:32:07,120 --> 00:32:13,120 He will open up the storehouse of his blessings and pour them out on us 346 00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:17,120 And we will experience the blessings of the Lord 347 00:32:17,120 --> 00:32:21,120 So God has a glorious future in store for his people 348 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:25,120 He has a glorious future in store for you 349 00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:31,120 And even a present day glory that you can experience now 350 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:37,120 Do you want to know what it means to truly live being known as a child of God? 351 00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:42,120 Do you want to know what it means to have an identity given to you by the one who created you 352 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:45,120 And knows you better than you know yourself? 353 00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:51,120 Do you want freedom, purpose, hope, acceptance, righteousness 354 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:59,120 And to be done with the fear and the shame and the guilt that so plague us all when we choose to live in our old lives 355 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:03,120 Instead of the new life that God desires for us 356 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:09,120 Now ultimately the doorway to experiencing the blessings of the Lord is Jesus 357 00:33:09,120 --> 00:33:12,120 You see Jesus came to be the way 358 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:16,120 He came to be the truth and he came to be the life that we all need 359 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:21,120 Jesus is the door through which we enter into the blessings and abundant life of God 360 00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:25,120 He is the Savior and Redeemer for you and for me 361 00:33:25,120 --> 00:33:29,120 He is the one who came to welcome us into the abundant goodness of the Father 362 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:34,120 Saying, my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they will follow me 363 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:38,120 I will give them eternal life and they will never perish 364 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:41,120 And no one will be able to snatch them out of my hand 365 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:49,120 My Father who has given them to me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand 366 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:55,120 He is the living hope, he is the trailblazer of our salvation and the guarantee of a better covenant 367 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:58,120 He is living water and he is the bread of life 368 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:03,120 Where else would we run to? 369 00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:08,120 So whatever you have tried to run to, whatever you have tried to hide behind 370 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:13,120 Whatever other little God or idol you have tried to find life in, just put it down 371 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:15,120 Set it down 372 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:18,120 Turn from those things to the living God 373 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:21,120 Be restored to Him through Christ our Redeemer 374 00:34:21,120 --> 00:34:26,120 Place your trust and faith in Him today again 375 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:30,120 And don't leave here without telling us if you have 376 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:34,120 Because we want to walk alongside you in your new life 377 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:41,120 Now the blessings of God and the experiences of His love may be interrupted by our actions 378 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:45,120 But that love will never be quenched 379 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:48,120 We need to come to Christ 380 00:34:48,120 --> 00:34:58,120 We need to rest in the extravagant, eternal and deep and abiding love God has shown for us in Christ today 381 00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:01,120 Would you join me in that? 382 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:06,120 Do you want that? Does that sound like something you need today? 383 00:35:06,120 --> 00:35:12,120 Let's bow our heads, close our eyes 384 00:35:12,120 --> 00:35:22,120 Just for a moment Lord, we're open before you 385 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:28,120 Lord, I believe that in this place you have made it known to people 386 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:33,120 Things that are standing in the way of their communion with you 387 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:37,120 Of knowing you and knowing your love deeply 388 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:42,120 Whether they're actions or objects or attitudes Lord 389 00:35:42,120 --> 00:35:47,120 I pray that in this moment of silence that you would just reveal these things to them 390 00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:52,120 And God that each individual would give up those things 391 00:35:52,120 --> 00:36:10,120 And lay them down at the altar and allow them to be taken away 392 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:14,120 And Father as we turn from those things God we turn to you 393 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:24,120 And we turn to experience the loving embrace of a good God who loves us so 394 00:36:24,120 --> 00:36:26,120 We give thanks that you are here with us 395 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:35,120 We give thanks that you love us beyond any of the stupid things that we can wrap ourselves up in 396 00:36:35,120 --> 00:36:45,120 That you will cross every boundary and barrier to bring us back to you to be with us 397 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:47,120 That is our open Christ 398 00:36:47,120 --> 00:37:07,120 You have thanks in Jesus' name, amen.