FHBC Sermon Notes

Sermon Audio: Click to Listen
Scripture: Hosea 5:1-15 - Click to Listen
A trouble knowledge and word, we are judged. But we are redeemed in Christ. Great imagery in this sermon. What good news it is.  God waits for us.

1. Announcement of judgement. (5:1-2)
• Our God is a just God, he is a good and fair God, he is completely pure.
• Because of this only from God can judgement actually come. Luke 12
• The priests are in the cross-hairs of judgement. This is the elders today. I Peter 5:1-4 Ezekiel 16
• Psalm 53 - There are none that are good.
• The specific sins are listed in chapter 4
• The judgement belongs to ya'll.  It belongs to all.
• Not because he is just an angry God, but because he is a just God.
• God gives us a knowledge of who we are through His word.
• God lets us know how we are to live to His word.
• God has revealed to us clearly, he is not just the kid with the magnifying glass torturing for no reason.
• If God is just the there must be judgement for sin, for wrong. And Christ bore that judgement.
2. The reason for judgement. (5:3-7)
• Based on his standard of righteousness. If God is truly righteous, then he must judge.
• v3.  God knows all.  There is nothing he is not aware of. This makes him the perfect judge and justifier. Without this how could he judge rightly.
• Why does he judge them.  He will judge them for their deeds. What they have done, and what they have not done. Because of this, they can not return.
• But everyone makes mistakes, right?  Yes, but their deeds, our deeds, proceeds from our heart. "The spirit of whoredom".  We are not sinners because we sin, but we sin because we are sinners. Our spirit is what is corrupt, our heart is defiled, not just our bodies. Jeremiah 17
• A prideful people v. 5 Even if we admit that we are not righteous ("we all make mistakes"), we still in our pride argue that we are justified. ("You just don't understand...")  Satan lied and said, "You will not surely die."  Adam and Eve said by their own pride and standard, "Look it is good for food."
• v.6 The hypocrisy of worship.  Prideful worship is not heard by God. When we work so hard to do worship the way we want it, to make it comfortable for ourselves, what are we saying. Wow, this is a convicting notion.
• They were singing the Psalms, but there was not change in the heart. 
• The only solution here is a heart change. 
3. A description of judgement (5:8-12)
• What a fearful description.
• The response to judgement. 
• The human response. They looked for worldly help.  They did not turn to God, they turned to the king of Assyria.  The king offered a temporary rescue, but ultimately was the tool of their destruction.
• How does God respond. 
•  v. 12 God will use them as pray.  
• v.15 I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face,and in their distress earnestly seek me.
• God's mercy and grace is there before us, he awaits. We must seek his face.  Praise God!