Youth Group: February 8

Okay. I'm really excited about this evening because it's lights on. Wow. Hey, I'm really excited about this evening because Hey, listen up tonight. Savannah is starting her two-part series on Christian dating and she has been preparing for this and she's been praying for this. And we've been praying for her and we believe that God wants to speak to you through her now. She's going to be reading from a book of the Bible called Hosea. It's in the Old Testament, and before she comes up here, there's something I have to talk to you about real quick. Okay, It's about this book that we call the Bible. This book isn't filled with fairy tales, it's filled with true stories. It's filled with. A witness to what God has been doing in the world and in people's lives in about his ultimate goal. Say Jamie, don't don't pet Landon, Okay, thank you.

Kind of distracting from what I'm saying that, you know, that's, that's funny. But here here's here's what I want. I want to tell you about this, this book is about God's story, it happens to have people in it. And the thing you need to know about the Bible as it pertains to people is the Bible uses real words, describing real people who have real problems. and I say this real real real because a lot, a lot of people think, when you come to church, you got to put on your best, face your best dress, your best behavior, use your best words and all of that is true to an extent, but when you get in the Bible, if uses words that might make your grandparents uncomfortable or you uncomfortable, there might be words in there that you don't understand.

A lot of people would think that I shouldn't read those words to you or that Savannah shouldn't read those words to you. But I believe that this word and and Savannah believes this to is living and active, and it's sharper than any double-edged sword and it pierces to the divisions of your soul, through bone and Marrow and it hits you where nothing else can. So with that said, there are words that Savannah's going to read from the scriptures that are not only awkward. In reality, they're a little vulgar. That word means pretty much inappropriate at times. These are not words, you just drop okay? In the middle of a conversation, trust me. But I want you to know that God uses these words on purpose because the vulgar newness of this word that's going to be used tonight. Is on purpose because it describes who we are without Jesus. I don't want to spoil it. Savannah wants to say but I wanted you to know that before she reads because this is a Book that uses real words. Describing real people who have real problems. So I'm going to pray for Savannah and then she's going to come up and she's going to teach you a father in Heaven. I pray right now for your Holy Spirit to descend in this place and that you would work in each person's heart and you would especially work in the heart of Savannah and that you would enable her to worship you. As she is proclaiming your truths tonight and make everyone attentive help us to hear what you want us to hear in Jesus name, amen.

Cool.

Hey.

Yeah. Hey I'm excited to share with you guys. I believe the Lord has put this message message on my heart for you and I know that the Lord has placed every single one of you here intentionally tonight. So I'm super excited for what God has for you. You might think that I'm going to go. Talk about dating and I will but not tonight. Tonight is about God's commitment to you. Because before we talk about dating, I can talk about Christian dating, but if you're not a Christian, it doesn't mean anything to you. If you don't know the Lord. Personally there's no point in me giving you all this advice on how to walk that out in a way that pleases Jesus because The ultimately don't want to please you this. So I'm going to talk about God's commitment to you and what better way to start that off with a great love story, you guys might not be super excited about that, but I know the ladies are

School.

All right, so there was this man and he was completely devoted to God. He loved God so much and because he loved God, so much, he was obedient to whatever God called him to do. Whatever. God told him to do, and God told him one day that he was to love and marry this woman who he knew in his town, but this wasn't just any woman. This woman was a known prostitute in the town. She would make a living by sleeping around with men everyday. So this was very hard, call on this, man, but out of his love for God, he obeyed. So he started for to pursue this woman. He began by delivering flowers to her door, telling her how much affection he had for her and that kind of won her over. So they started hanging out more. He asked her on date, they did all the things are hiking. They went out to eat all the fun things that you might think of. When you're thinking about dating and it was it was going good. She just expressed every time we're together. Who is like the Lord has called me to you. I love you. I'm committed to you. I'm here for you and not only was he just saying it but he really felt it too. He really loved this woman and she just never really received that, you know being her job being a prostitute. She just had never really received love like that. So after a while I was doing that, this man asked her to go on a hike of a beautiful mountain during sunset, they got to the top of the mountain and he got down on his knee. A post he said will you marry me will you be my wife and she said yes so they started walking on the mountain and she started running and she was telling everyone should I didn't gauge I'm going to marry this guy and everything was super happy and they were looking forward to getting married and soon later they did. They got married a beautiful wedding and they started a beautiful life together. They even started a family. They had three children within three years of being married so they had a beautiful family and their loving life and then everything was great until it wasn't one day. This woman, the wife, she did not come home. And the husband was obviously really concerned. So he did the kids and you went out in town and he was asking everyone, he knew he was like, where is my wife? Have you seen my wife? I cannot find her. She is not home. I haven't heard anything from her and no one knew where she was until this man came up to her and said to him. She's he said, I know your wife is she is gone back to her old ways. And she is a prostitute again and she will not be coming home and the man was just absolutely devastated. He went back home and he started weeping. He was so confused as to why as to why his wife would choose to live such a horrible life. When he'd given her everything, he gave her so much love. So much commitment, he created this beautiful family with her. And she left it all to go love men who don't love her and to live just a sad life. so, In the midst of the sorrow of weeping and he was going through all of the emotions, he was sad. He would be angry. He was confused. And in the midst of his anger, the Lord spoke to him. The Lord said to him, he said, you are to go to this woman and love her even though she loves other men and out of his obedient heart and his love for her. He said, okay, so being that she was a prostitute, she couldn't fully support her own needs and so he began sending food and all of her personal hygiene, Oliver things to our doorstep. He she he would deliver it at her doorstep and leave, and she would open the door. She would see her things there. And she would credit that to these men who she was sleeping around with not knowing that it was really from her husband. So after about a week of that, then he went and he knocked on the door and knocked at this house that she was at wasn't hers to this man. And she open the door and he asked, he bought her with a prostitute's wages, but he bought her for quite a while. He gave a lot of money. And so he brought her back and she was obviously really confused. And when they got back to their house, he told her of the love and compassion that he had for her, the grace and forgiveness, he was willing to give her and she then began to weep and she realize everything that she had just done was just a waste of time and that everything she needed was right there with him. He even told her all of your needs that we're being brought to you that you thought were from these worthless men. That was for me, the whole time I was providing for you and and she began to weep more and more And so in the end they end up back together. That's the end of my story. My question to you is, would you want to marry someone like this?

yeah, no, you you you you wouldn't do you think you would have had the strength to pursue someone after they hurt you like that? No. But this, this is what Jesus did for you. And I He sacrificed himself and he loved you through all of your sin. This is what I'm sorry. That's what Jesus did for you. And that's the story that Hosea tells that God tells to Hosea, and I are going to dive in to Hosea.

There's a lot of scripture in here, but the storyline is pretty much what I just told you. So Hosea 12 through 11, it says, when the Lord first spoke through a disclaimer, like Caleb said, there's some words in here that you might be tempted to giggle, or you might be really Disturbed. It's okay. The message is going to go somewhere with it. When the Lord's first book through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, go take, go take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom for the land can come. It's great whoredom by forsaking the Lord. So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Dublin and conceived and bore him, a son. And the Lord said to him cause name jezrael for in just a little while. I'll punish the house of jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I'll put an end to the kingdom of the House of Israel. And on that day, I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. I'll break the book of Israel in the valley of Jezreel. She conceived again, in, for a daughter and the Lord said to call her name. No mercy for. I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel to forgive them at all. But I will have mercy on the house of Judah and I will save them by the Lord, their God. I will not save them by boat or by sword, or by War by horses are by Horseman when she had Wayne. No Mercy, she conceived and bore a son. And the Lord said, call his name. Not my people for you are not my people and I am not your God. Get the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, you are not my people. It shall be said to them, children of the Living God, and the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together and they shall appoint for themselves. One head and I shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel. So you might be wondering, what the heck is going on? I'll tell you, Jose is a prophet of God and the Lord speaks through their tell them to go. Marry this woman named Gomer, who is a prostitute and God compare this prostitute to Israel, because Israel is in the midst of a lot of sin. A lot of idol worship and just a lot of repetitive sin that they're not very remote remorseful for. So this is the story of what God had to say, through say to them through Hosea, when you hear the word ball, that means it's an idle. And when you hear the word Efraim later on, that's just another word for Israel. so,

God Made You and knew you were going to send.

He already had Jesus in mind. So a holy God, if God is Holy, write, something that is Holy cannot be in the presence of Unholy anus because it would make them and Howe Li. So we know the, The Narrative of the Garden of Eden, how Adam and Eve sinned. And when that happen. Had to cast them out of the garden because he can no longer be in their presence. But when he did that, he already knew about Jesus. He already had that plan in mind that he was going to save his people. Redeem them through Jesus. And that is what the last scripture was talking about in verse 11. It says, and the children of Judah and the children of Israel should be gathered together and they shall appoint for themselves. One head, that means Jesus. I mean the Messiah, so they're going to be gathered together and they're going to be redeemed.

So In this passage God Compares Israel to prostitute. That's exactly what it's like when we Chase Idols, they will never satisfy and they will never be with you for long. It says, go take yourself a wife of whoredom in Children of court and have children of whoredom for the land commits. Great Horton by forsaking the Lord.

Hosea 2538 says, for their mother has played the horror. She you can see of them has acted shamefully for. She said, I will go after my lovers who give me my bread in my water. My will my flax, my oil. Am I drink? Therefore, I will head up her way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, so that she cannot find her paths. She shall pursue her lovers, but not overtake them, and she shall seek them, but shall not find them. Then she shall say, I will go and return to my first husband for, was better for me, then then now, and she did not know that. It was, I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, in a lavish on her silver, silver and gold, which they used for ball. So even in your sin, God is still providing for you. He allows you to breathe walk and live with the hopes that you would come back to him. You may think that your Idols are feeding you or giving you what you need, but what you need is being provided by God, every good and perfect. Gift is from him. Not your Idols, God wants you to realize that he is your ultimate provider. No, one else, nothing else.

Hosea to 14 through 20 says therefore behold. I will Allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak tenderly to her. And there, I will give her Vineyards and make the valley of achor, a Door of Hope and there. She shall answer as in the days of for youth as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt. And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me my husband and I no longer. Will you call me my ball? Fro. Remove the names of bout of the Bells from her mouth and they shall be remembered by name. No more. And I will make for them a covenant on that day, with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens and the creeping things of the ground, and I'll balash the, the bow and the sword in the war from the land. And I will make you lie down and safety. And I'll betroth you to me forever, betrothed you to me, in righteousness, and Injustice and steadfast love and a mercy. I will betroth you to me and faithfulness and you shall know the Lord.

Then we jump to towards the end of the book where God again is, describing the same thing. And Jose 11 1 through 9 It says, when Israel was a child, I loved him and out of Egypt, I called my son. The more they were called, the more they went away. They kept sacrificing to the Vols and burning offerings to Idols. Yet it was, I who taught a frame to walk? I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love and I began. I became to them as one who eases the yolk on their jaws and I bent down to them and fed them. They shall not return to the land of Egypt. But is Syria shall be their King because they would have refused to return to me. The sword shall rage against their cities, consume the bars of their Gates and devour them because of their own council's. My people are bent on turning away from me, and do they call out to the most high? He shall not raise them up at all. How can I give you a poem a frame? How can I hand you over? Oh Israel. How can I make you like adma? How can I treat you? Like the boy named my heart recoil is within me. My compassion, grows warm and tender. I will not execute my Burning Anger. I will not again, destroy a frame for, I am God, and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not be coming Wrath.

So God seems to be going between wrath and compassion, right? Because those are just the emotions you feel when someone hurts you. But ultimately God's love wins right? God's compassion wins and he sends Jesus.

So God wants you to be free from your sin by clothing you in, Jesus is righteousness and this is actually available to you right now, right now. Engage in God's kindness and mercy. He provided Jesus to you, he didn't want to be separated from his people. We see this throughout the entire Bible, his heart is to have and to keep you. You don't have to wait until the Messiah comes. He already came. He rose from the dead to declare you blameless. Why wait for a time you think you'll be ready to settle down and live a Godly life? It's missing the point. Jesus wants to free you. Now his love is better than any love. You might think you are receiving from the world.

Isaiah 3 1 through 5. This is the end of The Narrative of Hosea and Gomer says. And the Lord said to me, go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress even as the lord loves the children of Israel. So they turned to other gods and love cakes of raisins. So I bought her for 15 shekels of silver, and a homer, and a lithic of barley, and I said to her, you must dwell as mine for many days, you shall not play the horror or belong to another man. So, I also beat you for the children of Israel shall do all many days. Without king or Prince without sacrifice, or pillar. Without your father, household Gods afterward, the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord, their God, and David, their King, and they shall come and fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days. Then we jump to the end of Hosea, which is a Sim essentially saying the same thing. It's a plea for you to return to God, says return, o Israel to the Lord, your God for you stumbled, because of your iniquity, take with you words and return to the Lord. Say to him, take away all iniquity except what is good and we will pay with Bulls. The vows of Our Lives is Syria, shall not save us. We will not ride on horses, and we will say no more, Our God, to the work of our hands. And you, the orphan finds Mercy. I will heal their apostasy. I will love them freely for my anger has turned from them. I will be like the due to Israel. He shall Blossom like the Lily. He shall take root like the Trees of Lebanon. His shoe shall spread out. His Beauty shall be like the Olive and its fragrance like Leviton. They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow. They shall flourish like the grain. They shall Blossom like the Vine. Their Fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon. What have I to do with Idols? It is I who answer and look after you I am like an evergreen Cypress. For me, comes your fruit. Whoever is wise, let him understand these things. Whoever is Discerning, let him know them for the ways of the Lord are, right, and the upright walking them but transgressors stumble in them.

Jesus Paid the price for your sins to have everlasting relationship with you. What relationship could ever be better than that? literally,

so,

like I said, we can talk about Christian dating all day long and a bunch of people can get up here and blurb to you about how to do that in a Godly way. That matters is your heart and Jesus wants your heart. And Jesus is offering you today to be free from your bondage to be closed in his righteousness to dwell him forever. And if you don't have that, we want that for you and Jesus wants that for you. So that's an invitation here and you can either accept it now or you can deny it and continue to live in Brokenness, but Jesus wants to heal you.

My discussion questions, that's it.

Alright, let me get your attention please, cuz this is much lower than it was.

Or she got. There she is. Thank you. That was awesome. All right, so let me let me pull you in real quick. We're going to we're going to go to the Lord and praise again but Here's what we need to go into this time of singing and praise cuz we're singing about a God who ransomed us, who made us clean, who clothes Us in his righteousness.

As Savannah said, we can't talk about Christian dating without talking about Jesus. And so the point you need to take away tonight. Is that Jesus? As she said?

A relationship with him is better. And more deeper. And ultimately more fulfilling than any relationship you are going to form on this Earth. Whether it's with your parents, whether it's with your friends, or if it's with someone, you start dating or you are dating, I want you all to hear me right now. And hear what Savannah was saying? Jesus is better.

in the book of Hosea, shows us, why So, let's stand.

And we're going to move in your time of pray, Savanna. We come from