FHBC Sermon Notes

Scripture: Hosea 2:14- 3:5 - Click to Listen
Sermon Audio: Click to Listen
Building on last weeks message, here is the good news. God's Mercy is abundant. God will redeem.

"I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, 'You are my people'; and she shall say, 'You are my God.'"  How awesome is this.


From last week:

1. The natural direction of our spiritual affections points us away from God. (2:2-13)
1. Our natural affections lead us to unfaithfulness
2. Our natural affections lead us to errant devotions. 
3. Our natural affections lead us to pursue the things of this world.
4. Our natural affection lead us to an improper motivation for compliance.
5. Our natural affections lead us to ignore the good things of God.

1. God changes the direction of our spiritual affections o that we are now inclined toward him.
1. God takes the initiative to change our affections. v17  I will remove the names... v18 I will make for them a covenant... I will abolish the bow.
1. He pursues us.  - The same word that is used in courtship.  He woos us back. Not with gifts and goodies, candies and chocolates, but with Himself. v14. "He brings her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her."  
2. He blesses us. - Then...  v15. I will give her her vineyards.
3. He offer hope. - v15. "The Valley of Achor" a door of hope. The place where a man
4. He restore us to right relationship.  - v16. "You will call me 'My Husband'."
5. He makes a new covenant with us.  - v19 "I will betroth you to me forever." This is even greater than the image used, marriage.  More than lifelong, this covenant is everlasting. 
• Wow, we really are whores at heart. But our pursuer is everlasting. Our lover is able to make us His own forever. He gives us new affections, a new heart, that does not stray.  How awesome. How joyful.
2. Our new affections:
1. Righteousness and justice
2. Love and mercy.
3. Faithfulness
4. An affection for true union.
2.  The change in our affections comes as a result of our redemption.  v3:1-5
• Gomer is at the bottom, enslaved to her desires, naked on the auction block. 
• Romans 1:17-32 - This is just like us. We are given up to a debased mine.
• Hosea is commanded not to buy her back, but to "love a women who is loved by another man and is an adulteress."  And so Hosea bought her back, not because it was simply the right thing to do, or he was commanded so, but firstly because he loved her so much, and to have her back he couldn't just wait for her to change, but he must buy her back, he must pursue.
• Luke 15:17-24 - We are forgiven, we can experience God. 
• What we must do.. We must turn from our sins, and walk with Him.  v3. " You must dwell as mine... so will i also be to you." PRAISE GOD!