Prophet margins — Hosea's Risky Love (2)

(S1) Summer Series — Prophet Margins — Take us to the Edge

Prophets came to the people, as the voice of God, usually in times of moral failure.

Hosea 4:1 “...There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.”

They had been unfaithful, 3b sacrificing to Baals, and burning incense to images.

Because of there infidelity, they face God’s judgement

Hosea 11:5–7 (NIV)

“Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them? 6 A sword will flash in their cities; it will devour their false prophets and put an end to their plans. 7 My people are determined to turn from me. Even though they call me God Most High, I will by no means exalt them.

Yet, they were not without warning. Hosea’s life became the message they needed to hear. How their unfaithfulness burdened God who loved them.

Bible (love story) — Boy/Girl — Get her back

Hosea’s is a hard book to read. Especially if you have gone through a fractured relationship, grown up in a home scared by infidelity, or if you as a parent have endured the difficulty of having a wayward and rebellious child. It’s filled with dysfunction — A marriage to an unfaithful spouse — children born into a toxic relationship. God knows just how unfaithful Gomer will be...and yet despite the fact that Gomer does nothing to deserve her husband’s love...God knows just how loving Hosea will be in return.

My childhood? “Dysfunctional family” — At center of the messiness, was this unconditional love. As I look back, I began to see more clearly…God’s love in the midst of it all

Hosea is God’s love story for Israel and helping them find their way back to growing in grace.

Five ways to get back to GROWING in God’s GRACE — We are only one turn or step away!

(S2) PRAY

“It was a bright Sunday morning in 28th century London, but Robert Robinson’s mood was anything but sunny. All along the street there were people hurrying to church, but in the midst of the crowd Robinson was a lonely man. The sound of church bells reminded him of years past when his faith in God was strong and the church was an integral part of his life. It had been years since he set foot in a church—years of wandering, disillusionment, and gradual defection from the God he once loved. That love for God—once fiery and passionate—had slowly burned out within him, leaving him dark and cold inside.

Perhaps you have found yourself there — Walking with God — Relationship is good. Somewhere along the way, you take a right turn, get off track. The troubles in this world weigh you down — Feel unfulfilled, lacking of enthusiasm, and distant from the love you once knew.

When I have felt this way — It was never God who abandoned me, but I Him

Here is what I learned — God does everything to restore our relationship and bring us back to him

Hosea’s love for his unfaithful wife — God’s love for an adulterous nation — A Father’s love for his wayward children

Hosea portrays God’s love as that of a faithful parent — Speaking to them as spiritually deficient children —

Just because your grown up, doesn't mean your grown up

1 Corinthians 3:2 “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”

(S3) They had forgotten the love they first knew — Remember how I loved you as a parent loves...

Hosea 11:1 (NIV)

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

Speaking to their birth as a nation — Ephraim (The begining of Israel) — Joseph sons (Jacob) — Blessing Ephraim ahead of Manasseh

Genesis 48:19-20 his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.” 20 He blessed them that day and said, “In your name will Israel pronounce this blessing: ‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’ ” So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.”

Israel, was meant to be a spiritually thriving people, close to God. They had forgotten how he heard their cries, and in his love called them out of the chains of oppression — Freed them to be faithful nation.

The prophets words point to another who would show God’s love, freeing people...

Matthew 2:15 “...stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.””

Robinson had forgotten how he became a child of God...

In his moment of deep despair, trying to understand what had happened. Robinson was reminded of God’s love, through a woman he had never met until that day.

As he heard the clip-clop, clip-clop of a horse-drawn cab approaching behind him. Turning, he lifted his hand to hail the driver. But then he saw that the cab was occupied by a young woman dressed in finery for the Lord’s Day. He waved the driver on, but the woman in the carriage ordered the carriage to be stopped.

“Sir, I’d be happy to share this carriage with you,” she said to Robinson. “Are you going to church?” Robinson was about to decline, then he paused. “Yes,” he said at last. “I am going to church.” He stepped into the carriage and sat down beside the young woman.”

We too can forget — grow distant — It can seem hard to get back to growing in grace! We are only one turn or step away.

(S4) Five ways to get back to GROWING in God’s GRACE

Hosea 11:3 (NIV)

It was I who TAUGHT Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms;

Who remembers their parents teaching them how to walk? I was there from the begining and taught you —

(S5) — We find our way back when we turn to...

I. God’sPATIENT Love

The first time you do anything...takes patience — Kids ride a bike/parallel park

Bob most patient man I ever met

When we first become a christian — Fall down — God is patient with us

Matthew 19:14 “Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.””

James 5:7 “7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.”

How do we get back to growing in God’s grace?

LEARNING from God’s patience with us

(S6)

Hosea 11:3 (NIV)

but they did not realize it was I who healed them.

Don’t forget who healed you! Here we see the caring compassionate heart of God. Wanting to heal us from pain, suffering, brokenness, loneliness,

Exodus 15:25-26

26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.””

(S7) We find our way back when we turn to...

II. God’s HEALTHY Love

What did jesus do the most of? Healing?

Mark 2:17 “17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.””

How do we get back to growing in God’s grace?

RELYING on God’s healthy love

(S8) —

Hosea 11:4 (NIV)

I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love.

Ropes of love (God)…revealed in our human kindness (to others)

(S9) We find our way back when we turn to...

III. God’s GUIDING Love

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

This love is kind…but more than that it’s a correcting love — Not bound but...Drew them as with cords…so one will develop and grow

God’s best for us

Loves you as you are but loves you too much to keep you there

How do we get back to growing in God’s grace?

LEANING INTO God’s guiding love!

(S10)

Hosea 11:4 (NIV)

To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek

Such a beautiful image…

— to lift means to exalt or raise up. We do that by our praise...

(S11) We find our way back when we turn to...

IV. God’s PRAISING Love

If you feel distant — Give thanks and praise! Count your blessings

Psalm 148:1 “1 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above.”

How do we get back to growing in God’s grace?

TURNING to God’s PRAISING love

(S12)

Hosea 11:4 (NIV)

...and I bent down to feed them.

The Israelites in their wondering were always hungry and complaining, yet they always had more than they needed. God provided and they didn’t always appreciate it.

(S13) We find our way back when we turn to...

V. God’s FILLING love

Psalm 34:10 “10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.”

Ever feel empty? Are you hungry but never satisfied? Go to Jesus who said, I am the bread of life...

Matthew 5:6 “6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

How do we get back to growing in God’s grace?

By FILLING our heart with the WORD of God

(S14)

When find our way back when we learn from God’s PATIENT love — Rely on God’s HEALTHY love — Lean into God’s GUIDING love — Turn to God’s PRAISING love — FEED on God’s word — There we will find God’s SAVING grace!

In Jesus we find God’s SAVING grace!

The Israelites who did were saved — found there way home — How? — They turned their hearts and lives back to the God who loved them still.

Hosea 11:9–11 (NIV)

9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man— the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities. 10 They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. 11 They will come from Egypt, trembling like sparrows, from Assyria, fluttering like doves. I will settle them in their homes,” declares the Lord.

God’s grace is nearer than we think — Only a turn away —

As the carriage rolled forward Robert Robinson and the woman exchanged introductions. There was a flash of recognition in her eyes when he stated his name. “That’s an interesting coincidence,” she said, reaching into her purse. She withdrew a small book of inspirational verse, opened it to a ribbon-bookmark, and handed the book to him. “I was just reading a verse by a poet named Robert Robinson. Could it be…?”

He took the book, nodding. “Yes, I wrote these words years ago.” “Oh, how wonderful!” she exclaimed. “Imagine! I’m sharing a carriage with the author of these very lines!”

But Robinson barely heard her. He was absorbed in the words he was reading. They were words that would one day be set to music and become a great hymn of the faith, familiar to generations of Christians:

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace’ Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.

His eyes slipped to the bottom of the page where he read:

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it— Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.

He could barely read the last few lines through the tears that brimmed in his eyes. “I wrote these words—and I’ve lived these words. ‘Prone to wander…prone to leave the God I love.’”

The woman suddenly understood. “You also wrote, ‘Here’s my heart, O take and seal it.’ You can offer your heart again to God, Mr. Robinson. It’s not too late.”

And it wasn’t too late for Robert Robinson. In that moment he turned his heart back to God and walked with him the rest of his days.

Ron Lee Davis, Courage to Begin Again, (Harvest House, Eugene, OR; 1978), pp. 145-147

Perhaps some here have found yourself there — Walking with God — Relationship is good. Somewhere along the way, you take a right turn, get off track. The troubles in this world weigh you down — Feel unfulfilled, lacking of enthusiasm, and distant from the love you once knew.

GRACE IS ONLY A TURN AWAY — We find it when we...learn from God’s PATIENT love — Rely on God’s HEALTHY love — Lean into God’s GUIDING love — Turn to God’s PRAISING love — Feed on God’s filling love...

11:11 I will settle them in their homes,” declares the LORD.

Jesus coming was all about finding our way back to God — Home

We find our way back, when we offer our heart back to Jesus