July 25, 2021

How Great a Salvation!

Preacher:
Passage: Hosea 1:1-9, Hosea 3:1-3
Service Type:
  • A few here that can remember the 70's
    • Popular song: love hurts
    • These words could have been written about Hosea
    • He could have fully identified with the painful experience identified in that song
  • Chapter 1
  • Commanded to marry Gomer - who will not be faithful to him
    • She will bring to Hosea a lot of heartache
    • She conceives a son with Hosea - called Jezreel
      • This name spoke of bloodshed, betrayal and badness
      • He would avenge the blood spilt by Jehu
    • Example of Son's name
  • Gomer conceives again - but not Hosea's child
    • She is called Lo-Ruhamah - that means "means no-mercy"
    • God will no longer have mercy towards Israel as they have been adulterous towards Him and gone after other god
  • Gomer conceives again - but not Hosea's child
    • He is called Lo-Ammni - that means "not My people"
    • God will no longer be there God
  • This is like an episode out of daytime TV - a very bad situation
    • What will God do next?
    • Is He willing to pay the price of love and restore them to Himself
  • Chapter 3
  • Hosea is commanded to love Gomer
    • Gomer has not come in apology to Hosea seeking forgiveness - in fact she is in the arms of another love
    • Hosea does not want her back
      • He is told "go again"
      • He wants to put the situation behind him and move on with his life
  • God does not suggest that Hosea try to salvage this relationship for one last time - God commands
    • How incredibly hard this must have been for Hosea
    • God was not demanding anything of Hosea that He does not demand Himself
  • God loves a sinful people
    • Even though they have worshiped other gods, despised Him, treated Him with contempt
    • 1 John 4:10
    • Example of Baptist Pastor Peter Miller
      • One man showing love for an enemy
  • God loves those who are His determined enemies because He chooses to
    • His love towards us in unconditional
      • Our sins require judgment
    • He chooses to save a people for His name sake and glory
    • To be merciful and show the glory of His grace
  • This love cannot be found outside of God
    • Will you spurn this love by refusing to repent of your sin and refusing to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation
  • Chapter 3
  • Hosea buys Gomer - we don't know the full story
    • Maybe she has been sold as a slave for prostitution
    • Maybe there was a bidding war
    • Maybe people were aghast that Hosea has bid everything to buy back this woman who has ruined his life
  • The command to buy back Gomer has cost Hosea a lot
    • What did it cost God the Father to redeem us from our sin?
    • He paid a price beyond all measure - His only begotten Son died in our place on the cross
      • The penalty of our sin paid by Jesus so that we would know the love of God
      • John 3:16
    • Example of refugee camp
      • We understand the love of a mother towards her child
      • How can we understand the love of God?
  • We are worthless before a mighty God
    • We have sinned and rebelled against Him
    • Yet He paid an incalculable price to set us free from sin
    • God calls on us to repent of our sin and trust in faith upon Him
  • Christianity is not a religion that we must sacrifice or pay to reach God but of a God who sacrificed and paid to reach us
    • Praise Him!
  • Gomer graciously restored
    • She is not a slave
    • He has not done this out of revenge
    • She will be his wife - he will love her as though she had never been unfaithful
    • She will stay with him many days and remain faithful
    • Hosea will stay with her - he commits himself to her
  • God restores all those who receive forgiveness of sin in the Lord Jesus Christ
    • Romans 5:1
    • We are transformed by God - 2 Cor 5:17
    • He commits himself to them
    • Example of artwork in the mansion
      • A disfigured wall turned into a wonderful highland scene
    • God takes ugly/sinful creatures and refashions us into glorious trophies of His grace
      • He restores us to what we ought to be
      • We are all expert at covering our sin - but God sees our sin
      • However, when God looks at us, He sees that we are clothed in Jesus' righteousness
  • He restores us to Himself so that we can have full fellowship with Him
    • We are given everything in Christ
    • Come to Christ today - so that you might be restored and that you would be acceptable to God
  • Closing Remarks
    • Trust in Jesus
    • Praise God!