1 Corinthians 7
Sorry I did not blog about last week's message--Purity in a Perverse World--from 1 Corinthians 5-7. The sermon is online via the link on the side of this blog, or via the church website.
Last week I mentioned in preaching that Paul was responding to information he received about the situation in Corinth. That info came from a variety of sources, one of which was a letter written to him by the Corinthians. That letter apparently had a list of questions.
Beginning in 1 Corinthians 7, Paul methodically answers these questions one by one. Unfortunately, as Paul gives us the answers to the questions, he does not restate the question. I've attached here an attempt to locate those answers and to frame what the original questions were.
One of the things that sometimes gets us in trouble as we read the Bible, especially in sections like this one (which were written to address specific situations), we assume the Bible is answering the questions that we are bringing to the passage, when in fact, our questions may be very different from the ones being addressed in the passage.
How, then, you may ask, can the Bible speak to me. Well it does, but more so by way of application. As we see Paul working with the Corinthians to answer their specific questions, he taps into foundational principles of God's kingdom and applies them to the Corinthian situation. Our task is to hear the principles, see how Paul applies them to his situation, and then by relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, apply those principles to our situations.
For example, Paul's counsel about marriage, and his preference for not getting married, are deeply connected to his understanding that Jesus was returning very soon. We now live nearly 2000 years later and realize this may not be the case. How does this impact the way he applies, and we apply, the principles about marriage?
Well some things never change. We still are admonished to enter into marriage as a life-long commitment. We are still advised to marry only another Christian, etc. However, we may not see the same need for celibacy that Paul did, realizing that a young person my indeed live out a very long life, before Jesus returns or he or she passes on, and thus our counsel may be different.
Also, Paul's counsel responds to the Corinthians' own thinking. As I mention in the sermon, they had this idea that since they have been redeemed in their spirits, their bodies no longer mattered. Thus some were denying their bodily needs while others were indulging in them recklessly. This is not a philosophy that we encounter so much in today's world (though it is present). For example, I have never had a married person come to me and say "I think marriage is distracting from me spiritually and that if I moved out of the house to live alone in the hills somewhere, I could engage with God so much better." However, this was the thinking of some of the Corinthians. I would give this person different advice than the person who comes to me and says "I'm tired of my spouse and want to leave my marriage."
The initial questions make all the difference.
I encourage you dig into the mind of the Corinthians (as I suggest in the sermon) and then read Paul's letter to them with their thinking in mind. As you do, you will begin to see the deeper principles upon which Paul bases his counsel, and those principles will faithfully guide you along life's journey.
Thanks for digging deepr.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
God is Faithful: Stand Firm
Focused On Jesus
1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:1-17
Today we start a preaching series on 1 Corinthians which will run through Lent, ending a few weeks after Easter.
The letter we call 1 Corinthians was written sort of mid way through Paul's relationship with the church in Corinth (which is located in modern day Greece). Paul founded the church in about AD 51, wrote this letter about AD 55, and the one we call 2 Corinthians a few years later. Paul went on to meet his Maker in around AD 66 or 67.
The church in Corinth was, in may ways, successful. By the time of Paul's writing, it had attached a sizable amount of people, who met throughout the city in a network of house churches. No doubt this is something of what lies behind the divisions we read about in the passages under consideration in this sermon. The church had also penetrated various cultural levels, which lies behind some of the struggle outlined in 1 Corinthians 11:17 and following. They were also very well endowed with spiritual gifts, being the most "charismatic" of any of Paul's churches, which led to its own set of problems. For all their success, the people were still immature and were making some very bad choices regarding living out their faith. We will explore these together throughout the series.
For more background on Paul's contacts with the Corinthians, go here.
As I mention in the sermon, this series will be
-- somewhat sequential, but not totally
-- covers the whole book, but not evenly
-- dovetailed with transition and Lent/Easter.
I will be working through the book, chapter by chapter for the most part. However there are a few sections I will treat out of sequence, because of how the fit in with special days (like Easter).
There will be times that I cover large sections in one sermon and others when I cover smaller sections. It is just the nature of the book and how it seems to apply to where we now are as a church. When I cover large sections quickly, this blog will provide some of the missing material.
And finally, I rather choose this study (with thanks to Trish Schelgel who worked on an outline for Lent using 1 Corinthians which I was able to take and expand upon) because of the way it address some of the things we are/will face as the congregation transitions to a new organizational plan during the first quarter of 2013.
You can view a power point presentation of the new organizational plan by clicking here. If you attended one of the congregational information meetings, you have some background already. This ppt presentation gives more background, with historical and theological information.
I invite you to journey with me.
Thanks for digging deeper.
1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:1-17
Today we start a preaching series on 1 Corinthians which will run through Lent, ending a few weeks after Easter.
The letter we call 1 Corinthians was written sort of mid way through Paul's relationship with the church in Corinth (which is located in modern day Greece). Paul founded the church in about AD 51, wrote this letter about AD 55, and the one we call 2 Corinthians a few years later. Paul went on to meet his Maker in around AD 66 or 67.
The church in Corinth was, in may ways, successful. By the time of Paul's writing, it had attached a sizable amount of people, who met throughout the city in a network of house churches. No doubt this is something of what lies behind the divisions we read about in the passages under consideration in this sermon. The church had also penetrated various cultural levels, which lies behind some of the struggle outlined in 1 Corinthians 11:17 and following. They were also very well endowed with spiritual gifts, being the most "charismatic" of any of Paul's churches, which led to its own set of problems. For all their success, the people were still immature and were making some very bad choices regarding living out their faith. We will explore these together throughout the series.
For more background on Paul's contacts with the Corinthians, go here.
As I mention in the sermon, this series will be
-- somewhat sequential, but not totally
-- covers the whole book, but not evenly
-- dovetailed with transition and Lent/Easter.
I will be working through the book, chapter by chapter for the most part. However there are a few sections I will treat out of sequence, because of how the fit in with special days (like Easter).
There will be times that I cover large sections in one sermon and others when I cover smaller sections. It is just the nature of the book and how it seems to apply to where we now are as a church. When I cover large sections quickly, this blog will provide some of the missing material.
And finally, I rather choose this study (with thanks to Trish Schelgel who worked on an outline for Lent using 1 Corinthians which I was able to take and expand upon) because of the way it address some of the things we are/will face as the congregation transitions to a new organizational plan during the first quarter of 2013.
You can view a power point presentation of the new organizational plan by clicking here. If you attended one of the congregational information meetings, you have some background already. This ppt presentation gives more background, with historical and theological information.
I invite you to journey with me.
Thanks for digging deeper.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
The Cosmic Struggle of Christmas--Born of a Woman
Revelation 12, Luke 1:26-38, Galatians 4:4
Today's sermon enters into the mystery of the Incarnation. To "incarnate" means to give God flesh, it means for God to become human. In the birth of Jesus, our confession is that God became man and dwelt among us (John 1:14).
How this happens is one of the mysteries of the Christian faith. We call it the Virgin Birth, and so it was, but describing how such could occur from a biological perspective is beyond us. With God all things are possible (Luke 1:37).
In the sermon I reference the Calcedonian Creed. Bishops and church leaders and pastors met in the city of Caldedon (in what is present day Turkey) from October 8 to November 1, 451 AD, and continued to hammer out their understanding of what the Bible taught about the person of Christ, specifically around the issues of the incarnation. What was the relationship of the human nature and the divine nature that resided in the one body we call Jesus? It is a tough question. After centuries of Bible study, discussion, debate and discernment, the creed of Calcendon emerged, and it has satisfied most of the church. I say most, because to this day the Coptic Church (Coptic means Egyptian), does not endorse the creed but continues to define the union of the human and divine in Jesus in slightly different ways. Wikipedia has a good entry related to this creed and council.
The sermon also deals with the identity of the woman in Revelation 12. At first read it seem easy enough to say that she is Mary, the mother of Jesus. And that is true and is the position of most Catholic scholars. Revelation 12 goes on to mention that the woman flees to the desert for protection and is keep safe for 1260 days. Matthew tells us that the Holy Family went to Egypt to escape the hatred of Herod and that they remained there until they learned of Herod's death, and then returned to Nazareth where Jesus was raised. The Coptic Church tradition says the Holy Family stayed in Egypt for three and one half years (which is 1260 days). Today, numerous churches in Egypt mark the traditional sites associated with this event. Read about it here. Though much of this is speculation and tradition, it is fascinating to consider what Mary and Joesph and Jesus experienced during this time period.
The bottom line is that the Incarnation enraged the Devil. Until then, every human being sinned and because they did, Satan laid claim to their lives. Now, in Jesus, a perfect human being emerges, one who would not sin, and thus Satan had no claim on his life. The Devil's powerful grip on humanity was broken. Things would never be the same again. Consequently, Satan makes every attempt possible to destroy Jesus.
In future weeks we will explore more fully the spiritual war that was and is raging around Jesus and our souls.
Thanks for digging deeper.
Today's sermon enters into the mystery of the Incarnation. To "incarnate" means to give God flesh, it means for God to become human. In the birth of Jesus, our confession is that God became man and dwelt among us (John 1:14).
How this happens is one of the mysteries of the Christian faith. We call it the Virgin Birth, and so it was, but describing how such could occur from a biological perspective is beyond us. With God all things are possible (Luke 1:37).
In the sermon I reference the Calcedonian Creed. Bishops and church leaders and pastors met in the city of Caldedon (in what is present day Turkey) from October 8 to November 1, 451 AD, and continued to hammer out their understanding of what the Bible taught about the person of Christ, specifically around the issues of the incarnation. What was the relationship of the human nature and the divine nature that resided in the one body we call Jesus? It is a tough question. After centuries of Bible study, discussion, debate and discernment, the creed of Calcendon emerged, and it has satisfied most of the church. I say most, because to this day the Coptic Church (Coptic means Egyptian), does not endorse the creed but continues to define the union of the human and divine in Jesus in slightly different ways. Wikipedia has a good entry related to this creed and council.
The sermon also deals with the identity of the woman in Revelation 12. At first read it seem easy enough to say that she is Mary, the mother of Jesus. And that is true and is the position of most Catholic scholars. Revelation 12 goes on to mention that the woman flees to the desert for protection and is keep safe for 1260 days. Matthew tells us that the Holy Family went to Egypt to escape the hatred of Herod and that they remained there until they learned of Herod's death, and then returned to Nazareth where Jesus was raised. The Coptic Church tradition says the Holy Family stayed in Egypt for three and one half years (which is 1260 days). Today, numerous churches in Egypt mark the traditional sites associated with this event. Read about it here. Though much of this is speculation and tradition, it is fascinating to consider what Mary and Joesph and Jesus experienced during this time period.
The bottom line is that the Incarnation enraged the Devil. Until then, every human being sinned and because they did, Satan laid claim to their lives. Now, in Jesus, a perfect human being emerges, one who would not sin, and thus Satan had no claim on his life. The Devil's powerful grip on humanity was broken. Things would never be the same again. Consequently, Satan makes every attempt possible to destroy Jesus.
In future weeks we will explore more fully the spiritual war that was and is raging around Jesus and our souls.
Thanks for digging deeper.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
The Cosmic Struggle of Christmas--The Sign of the Times
Revelation 12:1-17
With this week we begin the Advent Season. Advent is the beginning of the Church Year and marks the four weeks preceding Christmas.
The Bible contains several accounts of the birth of Jesus. We remember the story of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem when they found no room for lodging and thus spent the night of Jesus' birth in a cattle stall. That account is in Luke 2 and forms the backdrop for the warm and cuddly Christmas Eve moments many of us hold dear. It is a great story.
Another account occurs in Matthew 1 and 2 where sometime after the birth of Jesus, while he and his family were still residing in Bethlehem, a caravan of strange men appear, coming out of the eastern lands of Persia. They are some kind of kings or astronomers or astrologists, priests in a pre-form of Zoroastrianism, and they worship Jesus as the new King of the Jews. Herod, the current King of the Jews, becomes paranoid and seeks to kill this newborn child, as he deems Jesus a threat to his throne. Mary and Joseph, after being warned in a dream about Herod's plan, take Jesus to Egypt for safe keeping, returning to Nazareth only after they learn of Herod's death (which occurred, by the way, in 4 BC).
Matthew's account lacks the warm fuzziness of Luke's and rather contains fear, evil, violence and tragedy. While we often feature the coming of the Magi in our Christmas narratives, we rarely talk about the murder of the innocent children by the tyrant King Herod. It does not make for good bedtime stories.
The Bible contains a third account of the birth of Jesus, though this one is not well known and rarely used during Advent. It occurs in Revelation 12 and will be the focus of our Advent celebrations this year. This account is more of a look at the birth of Jesus from the perspective of the spiritual realm. What was happening in cosmic struggle between good and evil on the night of Jesus' birth, and how did his coming change the spiritual landscape of our lives, especially from the perspective of the struggle between righteousness and evil. Follow this blog and my Advent sermons as we explore these questions.
Here are some sources you might enjoy. First of all, here is a rather good article (sermon) that outlines some interpretive principles necessary to understand the Revelation, and gives good background on the meaning of this part of John's vision. As always, there are a few fine points in the article to which I would take exception, but overall it is solid. It is written from a Protestant Reformed perspective and sees the woman as representing the entire nation of Israel and her children representing the Church. There is much truth in this, and it is the primary way this symbolism is understood by Protestants.
And here is a blog also works at understanding Revelation 12. This one is written by a Catholic writer and understands the woman as the Virgin Mary. There is also truth in this interpretation. Check it out, if you want to dig in deeper.
Thanks for digging deeper with me.
With this week we begin the Advent Season. Advent is the beginning of the Church Year and marks the four weeks preceding Christmas.
The Bible contains several accounts of the birth of Jesus. We remember the story of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem when they found no room for lodging and thus spent the night of Jesus' birth in a cattle stall. That account is in Luke 2 and forms the backdrop for the warm and cuddly Christmas Eve moments many of us hold dear. It is a great story.
Another account occurs in Matthew 1 and 2 where sometime after the birth of Jesus, while he and his family were still residing in Bethlehem, a caravan of strange men appear, coming out of the eastern lands of Persia. They are some kind of kings or astronomers or astrologists, priests in a pre-form of Zoroastrianism, and they worship Jesus as the new King of the Jews. Herod, the current King of the Jews, becomes paranoid and seeks to kill this newborn child, as he deems Jesus a threat to his throne. Mary and Joseph, after being warned in a dream about Herod's plan, take Jesus to Egypt for safe keeping, returning to Nazareth only after they learn of Herod's death (which occurred, by the way, in 4 BC).
Matthew's account lacks the warm fuzziness of Luke's and rather contains fear, evil, violence and tragedy. While we often feature the coming of the Magi in our Christmas narratives, we rarely talk about the murder of the innocent children by the tyrant King Herod. It does not make for good bedtime stories.
The Bible contains a third account of the birth of Jesus, though this one is not well known and rarely used during Advent. It occurs in Revelation 12 and will be the focus of our Advent celebrations this year. This account is more of a look at the birth of Jesus from the perspective of the spiritual realm. What was happening in cosmic struggle between good and evil on the night of Jesus' birth, and how did his coming change the spiritual landscape of our lives, especially from the perspective of the struggle between righteousness and evil. Follow this blog and my Advent sermons as we explore these questions.
Here are some sources you might enjoy. First of all, here is a rather good article (sermon) that outlines some interpretive principles necessary to understand the Revelation, and gives good background on the meaning of this part of John's vision. As always, there are a few fine points in the article to which I would take exception, but overall it is solid. It is written from a Protestant Reformed perspective and sees the woman as representing the entire nation of Israel and her children representing the Church. There is much truth in this, and it is the primary way this symbolism is understood by Protestants.
And here is a blog also works at understanding Revelation 12. This one is written by a Catholic writer and understands the woman as the Virgin Mary. There is also truth in this interpretation. Check it out, if you want to dig in deeper.
Thanks for digging deeper with me.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
To Follow In His Steps
1 Peter 2:11-25
Sorry I did not post anything related to last week's sermon: The Goal of the Christian Life: Perfection.
Anyway, this week I was taken in a bit by the word "example" in 1 Peter 2:21. The Greek word lying behind our English one is hupogrammos. It literally means "to write beneath" but more practically was the word used to describe what we would call tracing. I was taken back to my early school years when I learned to print letters by tracing them on paper.
To follow Jesus means to trace his life. It means to draw my life over his; to pattern my living along the lines of his life. I found that to be an interesting way of looking at this call.
In the sermon I explore three things Jesus said would mark us as genuine disciples.
One of them is John 8:31-32 where he asks us to practice the things he taught us. This being World Communion Sunday, I naturally thought of the words of institution in the Gospels where Jesus says, "Do this in remembrance of me." Thus we take up the bread and wine of Holy Communion and celebrate his work on our behalf.
But doing what Jesus asked us to do involves more that a bit of bread. I also thought of John 14:12 where he says that those believe would do greater works than he had done. Wow.
This led me to think about what those works are. Naturally, our mind first of all goes to the actual things Jesus did, especially his miracles. But the word "work" here is ergon not semeion (which is John's word for miracle). Remember context, context, context. In the verses surrounding this and especially preceding it, Jesus is responding to Philip's question about how we can know the Father. Herein is the clue to what Jesus meant. He said he is going back to the Father and because he is, we will be able to do the work that he has been doing, which primarily was revealing the true nature of God the Father through his life, work and, yes, miracles.
Because of the work of Jesus, we can know God, intimately and personally, and the better we know him the more clearly we reveal him, and that is the central, most important work ever.
Of course, this got me thinking about miracles which got me thinking about some lofty theological ideas like the current discussion going on in theological circles around what is often called Open Theism (check it on wiki)...which goes way beyond the scope of this sermon.
Thanks for digging deeper.
Sorry I did not post anything related to last week's sermon: The Goal of the Christian Life: Perfection.
Anyway, this week I was taken in a bit by the word "example" in 1 Peter 2:21. The Greek word lying behind our English one is hupogrammos. It literally means "to write beneath" but more practically was the word used to describe what we would call tracing. I was taken back to my early school years when I learned to print letters by tracing them on paper.
To follow Jesus means to trace his life. It means to draw my life over his; to pattern my living along the lines of his life. I found that to be an interesting way of looking at this call.
In the sermon I explore three things Jesus said would mark us as genuine disciples.
One of them is John 8:31-32 where he asks us to practice the things he taught us. This being World Communion Sunday, I naturally thought of the words of institution in the Gospels where Jesus says, "Do this in remembrance of me." Thus we take up the bread and wine of Holy Communion and celebrate his work on our behalf.
But doing what Jesus asked us to do involves more that a bit of bread. I also thought of John 14:12 where he says that those believe would do greater works than he had done. Wow.
This led me to think about what those works are. Naturally, our mind first of all goes to the actual things Jesus did, especially his miracles. But the word "work" here is ergon not semeion (which is John's word for miracle). Remember context, context, context. In the verses surrounding this and especially preceding it, Jesus is responding to Philip's question about how we can know the Father. Herein is the clue to what Jesus meant. He said he is going back to the Father and because he is, we will be able to do the work that he has been doing, which primarily was revealing the true nature of God the Father through his life, work and, yes, miracles.
Because of the work of Jesus, we can know God, intimately and personally, and the better we know him the more clearly we reveal him, and that is the central, most important work ever.
Of course, this got me thinking about miracles which got me thinking about some lofty theological ideas like the current discussion going on in theological circles around what is often called Open Theism (check it on wiki)...which goes way beyond the scope of this sermon.
Thanks for digging deeper.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Come, Follow Me
John 1:1-18
Our congregation, as you may know, has begun a short study on what it means, from our understanding, to follow Jesus. It is a five-week study that is based in our groups. In this sermon, I explore some ideas around what it means to follow Jesus.
I have been captivated recently with the thought of how humbling, amazing and astounding it is that God would invite us into a relationship with himself, and that is what I think it means to follow Jesus. After all, God already has everything he needs, and lives--has lived eternally--in a satisfying relationship of love and mutuality within the realm of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So why does he need me. Well, he doesn't. He doesn't need me, but rather desires me, and that is amazing.
In this sermon I explore just a bit the nature of the trinity and I play around with the word "perichoresis", which was used by the church fathers in an attempt to capture the nature of the relationship between the persons in the Godhead. I say attempt because all human reasoning about this falls short at some level or another. If you are interested, wikipedia has a good article here and another article here that works at the etymology of the word and its use in theology. What I say in the sermon is a very, very shallow introduction.
The four ways I mention that "follow" is often understood, or practiced, in today's world of Christianity are elaborated further in the book With by Sky Jethani (Thomas Nelson, 2011). You likely will be hearing me talk about these concepts more in the future.
You can view the video we used in worship. You may recognize the video from the opening of Contact staring Jodi Foster, and the voice over was inspired, in part, by a paragraph in With (page 100).
Thanks for digging deeper.
Our congregation, as you may know, has begun a short study on what it means, from our understanding, to follow Jesus. It is a five-week study that is based in our groups. In this sermon, I explore some ideas around what it means to follow Jesus.
I have been captivated recently with the thought of how humbling, amazing and astounding it is that God would invite us into a relationship with himself, and that is what I think it means to follow Jesus. After all, God already has everything he needs, and lives--has lived eternally--in a satisfying relationship of love and mutuality within the realm of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So why does he need me. Well, he doesn't. He doesn't need me, but rather desires me, and that is amazing.
In this sermon I explore just a bit the nature of the trinity and I play around with the word "perichoresis", which was used by the church fathers in an attempt to capture the nature of the relationship between the persons in the Godhead. I say attempt because all human reasoning about this falls short at some level or another. If you are interested, wikipedia has a good article here and another article here that works at the etymology of the word and its use in theology. What I say in the sermon is a very, very shallow introduction.
The four ways I mention that "follow" is often understood, or practiced, in today's world of Christianity are elaborated further in the book With by Sky Jethani (Thomas Nelson, 2011). You likely will be hearing me talk about these concepts more in the future.
You can view the video we used in worship. You may recognize the video from the opening of Contact staring Jodi Foster, and the voice over was inspired, in part, by a paragraph in With (page 100).
Thanks for digging deeper.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Unconditional (Tough) Love
Hosea 1 and 3.
As I was preaching the sermon on Unconditional Love a few weeks ago, I realized that I did not have enough time to elaborate on all the aspects of God's redeeming love for us (not ever, actually). Particularly, I did not have time to talk about God's tough love--how does God love me when I turn my back on him and go astray?
In my previous sermon (which you can link to via the side bar), I mentioned that the story of the Prodigal Son is a great window into how God loves us and waits for us to turn towards him. Likewise, the prophet Hosea is the story of how God loves us when we turn from him, and how God desires to win us back, and how he has paid the price for our redemption. He is ready to buy us back from whatever form of spiritual slavery into which we have sold ourselves. God is amazing.
Well, you need to listen to the sermon to get the detail. What I want to give you hear is some more background stuff. Hosea can be a hard read.
If you are interested in various views concerning how much Hosea knew of Gomer's promiscuity before they married, read this article by a Rabbi.
One of the fascinating things about the Hosea story is the naming of his children. His first son was named Jezreel, as a prophetic word against an atrocity committed years before. God to 2 Kings 9 and 10 (and the latter part of 2 Kings 8) to read about that event. Also, link here to a really good family tree, showing you the relationship of the kings over the northern Kingdom of Israel and their descendants, and that of the southern kingdom of Judah and their descendants. This gives us insight into why Jehu would have killed Ahaziah, king of Judah, in his wild slaughter at Jezreel. (His mother was a daughter of Ahab and sister to Joram [Jehoram on the chart].) The other two children, Lo-Ruhamah and Lo-Ammi, are names that refer to the way in which God would deal with is rebellious people. Listen to the sermon.
Hosea is an amazing story of love and obedience to God, and it is a picture of how God loves us, even when he must discipline us for our sin.
The primary message to the book of that of Redeeming Love, albeit love that takes a really hard edge. It is sometimes difficult for us to see how God's love is seen in the really hard times, but it is there and for a purpose.
Finally, for a rather in-depth review of the kings and prophets with some really helpful charts, link here.
(as is often the case, I do not necessarily agree with or support everything in these links, or other things that might be written by the authors linked to. I think you all understand that.)
Thanks for digging deeper,
Galen
As I was preaching the sermon on Unconditional Love a few weeks ago, I realized that I did not have enough time to elaborate on all the aspects of God's redeeming love for us (not ever, actually). Particularly, I did not have time to talk about God's tough love--how does God love me when I turn my back on him and go astray?
In my previous sermon (which you can link to via the side bar), I mentioned that the story of the Prodigal Son is a great window into how God loves us and waits for us to turn towards him. Likewise, the prophet Hosea is the story of how God loves us when we turn from him, and how God desires to win us back, and how he has paid the price for our redemption. He is ready to buy us back from whatever form of spiritual slavery into which we have sold ourselves. God is amazing.
Well, you need to listen to the sermon to get the detail. What I want to give you hear is some more background stuff. Hosea can be a hard read.
If you are interested in various views concerning how much Hosea knew of Gomer's promiscuity before they married, read this article by a Rabbi.
One of the fascinating things about the Hosea story is the naming of his children. His first son was named Jezreel, as a prophetic word against an atrocity committed years before. God to 2 Kings 9 and 10 (and the latter part of 2 Kings 8) to read about that event. Also, link here to a really good family tree, showing you the relationship of the kings over the northern Kingdom of Israel and their descendants, and that of the southern kingdom of Judah and their descendants. This gives us insight into why Jehu would have killed Ahaziah, king of Judah, in his wild slaughter at Jezreel. (His mother was a daughter of Ahab and sister to Joram [Jehoram on the chart].) The other two children, Lo-Ruhamah and Lo-Ammi, are names that refer to the way in which God would deal with is rebellious people. Listen to the sermon.
Hosea is an amazing story of love and obedience to God, and it is a picture of how God loves us, even when he must discipline us for our sin.
The primary message to the book of that of Redeeming Love, albeit love that takes a really hard edge. It is sometimes difficult for us to see how God's love is seen in the really hard times, but it is there and for a purpose.
Finally, for a rather in-depth review of the kings and prophets with some really helpful charts, link here.
(as is often the case, I do not necessarily agree with or support everything in these links, or other things that might be written by the authors linked to. I think you all understand that.)
Thanks for digging deeper,
Galen
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