BREAK UP THE FALLOW GROUND

HOSEA 10:12

INTRODUCTION:

This church has the opportunity to make an eternal impact on this county and this part of Northwest Georgia. I don’t mean hosting big events (which are fine) and then bragging about how great they were. I am talking about a life changing, sin killing, devil destroying, Holy Ghost movement where lives are changed daily for the glory of God. I am speaking of seeing God move in ways that can’t be explained except to say “God did it.”

God begins by laying out the charges of the sins of the people.

They were not fruitful in righteousness to the glory of God. Israel is an empty vine. We are the branches that hold the fruit produced. The people were like a vine that had no life producing quality in it. Therefore there was no fruit produced.

NOTE: You may not be a degenerate vine but you have become an empty vine. It is a vine that is good for nothing.

If any fruit is produced it is to himself. What good is fruit if that fruit is not directed to the glory of God. The branch takes the praise to himself.

NOTE: In Hebrew in verse one, the indication is that, not fruit was produced but that the conditions for producing fruit was optimal. The soil was good, weeded and fertilized, and other conditions were right. Yet what was produced was for self consumption.

They had divided hearts. In other words, they are not all on the same page. They are not of one mind and one accord. They could not get together on which idols to worship, which kings to have in place. They had no friendships with one another. They also halted between two opinions.

Their words and deeds did not coincide. Their words meant nothing. They said the right things but did not do them. They were deceiful in their covenant relationship with God. Their words made promises that they did not deliver on. “God I promise I will……”

As long as the people of God maintain this lifestlye, they are going to be walking without the hand of God on them.

In verse 12, I think we find the attitude necessary to see God do in us and through us what He desires to do.

Think about our approach to what we do in ministry. We plan events. We are concerned with details of the event. And many times we don’t even have a defined outcome that we are seeking to accomplish.

It seems that we are seeking that which we feel we need and not that which we really do need: the person of Christ.

SOW RIGHTEOUSNESS

We are to be sowing toward righteousness.

SOW: This has to do with preparation and planning. In fact the word “sow” means “to plan, work out a plan, as in sowing seed.”

There has to be preparation and planning. Sowing seed as in a garden does not just happen. It is intentional.

Last we discovered that if you sow you will reap: you will reap what you sow, later than you sow, and more than you sow.

Hosea says you “reap in mercy” Mercy is a word that means goodness or kindness. When God showed us mercy, He showed to us kindness that we did not deserve yet received it anyway. His kindness is seen in not giving us what we derserve: hell.

BREAK UP THE FALLOW GROUND

Break: “to till” and it has to do with tilling soil and preparing to sow.

To till the ground is to turn the soil, remove that which will choke out the fruit, like weeds.

We have to deal with sin and evil passions that stifl the growth of anything that would be considered righteousness.

IT IS TIME TO SEEK THE LORD

When do we start this? NOW

Time to begin this process, laying aside their stiff-necked, perverse ways; expelling from their heart the noxious growth that had overspread it; and by every way and means working earnestly and zealously for a renewal of life and return to the long-neglected work and worship of Jehovah.

Seek: to earnestly work to encounter Deity. It means to “seek with care; to inquire; to make supplication.

How long do we seek? “Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.” Until God in abundance pours down righteousness.

Thus the ground that had long lain fallow must be broken up; its waste, wild state must cease and give place to cultivation; the ploughshare must be driven through it; its wild growths and weeds must be cut down and uprooted. A process of renewal must succeed; the vices of their natural state, the idolatrous and wicked practices that had sprung up, must be abandoned. Renewal and radical reform are imperatively demanded. Matters had remained too long in a miserable and unsatisfactory condition. A long night of sinful slumber had overcome them; it was high time to awake out of that sleep. Too long had they shamefully forgotten and forsaken God; it was more than time to wait upon him. Nor would such waiting, if perserved in, end in disappointment; notwithstanding their great and manifold provocations, he would come and rain righteousness in welcome, refreshing, and plenteous showers upon returning penitents.

We are talking about the difference between what religion can do and what Christ can do.

Religion stands over the cripple and says “You are not walking properly. In fact, you are not walking at all. Here is how you should do it. But he can’t. He simply lies there. Christianity takes hold of his hand and says “in the name of Jesus Christ rise up and walk. As a result, new life surges through his twisted body. It is union with Christ that gives us power to live a godly life.

And that is what is missing: union with Christ where real transformation takes place.