God's disciple and mercy - Hosea 11:1-12

Let's hear God's word to us today.

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

But the more they were called, the more they went away from me.

They sacrificed to the bales, and they burned incense to images.

It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms.

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

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

To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.

Will they not return to Egypt?

And will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent?

A sword will flash in their cities.

It will devour their false prophets and put an end to their plans.

My people are determined to turn from me, even though they call me God Most High.

I will by no means exalt them.

How can I give you up, Ephraim?

How can I hand you over, Israel?

How can I treat you like Adma?

How can I make you like Zeboim?

My heart is changed within me.

All my compassion is aroused.

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.

They will follow the Lord.

He will roar like a lion.

When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.

They will come from Egypt trembling like sparrows,

from Assyria fluttering like doves.

I will settle them in their homes, declares the Lord.

So, Connor, do you want to come up and I'll pray for you and for us?

You need to flicker.

Okay.

Let's pray.

Father, thank you for your word that we have been able to read.

And now we ask that you would give to us your Holy Spirit,

enabling us to listen well and enabling Connor to communicate effectively and clearly.

We pray that the words he speaks would be words from you,

words of God that speak into our hearts,

teaching us and reminding us of who you are and how we should respond to you.

So, Father, help us.

And may not one of us leave this building

without an encounter with you afresh

and being changed by you.

Father, help us all, we ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Thanks, Johnny.

My dad was asking me how long it was going to be,

so I told him I'll keep it under the hour

just to make sure that he doesn't leave.

We all know it's going to go more than that.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Once upon a time, there was a carpenter.

He used to make toys.

He had no wife, but more than anything in the world, he wanted a child.

He knew that he would love this child as best he could

One night after he had finished building a wooden puppet

He found himself wishing upon a star

That the puppet would become a real boy

So that he could have a child

You've probably never heard this story before

Sure enough, that very night a blue fairy came

And gave the puppet the gift of life

He was able to walk and talk

Though he was still made of wood

The fairy also gave him a cricket as a conscience

To guide his path in a tough, troubled world

Well, the next morning when the carpenter awoke from his slumber

He was ecstatic

He finally had a child

And just like he knew he would

He loved that child more than his own life

He got everything the child needed

A bed, clothes, education

And plenty of hugs and kisses

Of course, this is the beginning of Pinocchio

A beloved children's movie

But the story we're looking at in chapter 11 of Hosea

Begins in a very similar way

The only difference is

This is a real life love story

Of a father to his children

If you were listening carefully to Johnny

As he was reading through it

You would have noticed there's almost like a sandwich effect

In this chapter

It starts off talking about God's love

It then moves into maybe something a bit more difficult

Ralph introduced it to us earlier

God's discipline

And then goes back to God's love

And God's mercy

So the sermon this morning

Will hopefully have that same sandwich effect

Verse 1 we read

When Israel was a child

I loved him

The story in Hosea is even more wondrous

Than the story of Pinocchio

Because while the blue fairy gave Pinocchio life

And Geppetto was his father that loved him

In Hosea

God gave life to the Israelites

And was their father that loved them

It wasn't just words either

In verse 3 we learn that it was God

Who taught Ephraim or Israel to walk

He took them by the arms

And healed them

Up to this point in the redemption story

We've seen that God pulled Abraham

Out of idol worship

And promised to make him and his children

Into a chosen nation

That would experience God's love and blessings

The Israelites are these children

They're the chosen nation

And boy have they experienced God's blessings

He gave them land and a place to live

When they had none

He gave them victory over enemies

When they had no right to win the battles

He rescued them from slavery

When they turned back to him

And helped them to plunder their captors

He gave them kings

That allowed them to prosper as a nation

And become the envy of all other nations

Verse 4

I led them with cords of human kindness

With ties of love

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

And I bent down to feed them

What an image of our God

As such a loving father to those Israelites

Who were constantly rebelling against him

And the Lord did indeed bend down

And they were constantly in the midst of them

And they were constantly in the midst of them

And they were constantly in the midst of them

With bread from heaven

When they had no food

What blessed children they were

What blessed children we are

Nobody here is like Pinocchio

When he was just a puppet

That couldn't walk, talk or think

Everybody has the gift of life

Not enough of a blessing

How many of us have spent the night homeless?

How many of us have been so hungry

We had to resort to eating out of bins

Or thievery to survive?

How many of us have had to endure

The horrors of war?

How many of us have had to experience

A mass shooting?

How many of us have been educated?

How many of us have friends or family

That love us and that we love?

We are blessed children

We are the envy of many nations around the world

That don't experience these blessings

But we, like the Israelites

Like Pinocchio

Ignore our blessings

And take advantage of the Father's love

The first day Geppetto trusted Pinocchio

To go to school

To give him a bit of freedom

And an education

He bumped into the wily, honest John

And decided it would be best

To turn away from his father

To disobey his conscience

The Israelites, we see in verse 2

That the more they were called

The more they went away

From me

They sacrificed to the bales

And they burned incense

To images

After all God had done for them

They turned away from him

The more he pursued them

The more they wanted to do their own thing

The more blessings he gave them

The more they replaced him

With other gods

The more God has mercy

On us

The more we feel like

We don't need him

The more blessings we receive

In our lives

The more we think

We accomplished it ourselves

The more grace he bestows

Such as relenting from his wrath

The more we turn away from him

The more he delays his judgment

On this wicked world

To give people a chance

To turn to him

The more we turn

To other gods

Made of wood

Worthless

The gods of sex

Like the Israelites

Went whoring after

In our passage

The gods of money

And security

The gods of family

And friends

The gods of freedom of choice

The gods of self

The gods of conscience

A person's own moral sense

Of what's right and wrong

Name your own God

That you have turned to

In replace of the one

True God

Every single one of these

Gods I've mentioned

Are good

When they're not put in place

Of the Lord God

Sex is a glorious gift

From God

When performed between

One man

And one woman

In the confines

Of marriage

Money and security

Are needed

To survive

Family and friends

Are an amazing blessing

From our father God

Freedom of choice

Is another blessing

When we align

Our choices

With what the Lord

Teaches

The self

Is of great worth

When we view ourselves

As God does

Fall in children

Whose value

Comes through

What Jesus

Has done

On the cross

The conscience

Is a great thing

To guide our path

In a tough

Troubled world

When we make it

Adhere to what's

Stated as morally

Right and wrong

In God's word

However good

These things are

Or can be

None of these gods

Deserve to be

In place

Of our father

Who created us

And loves us

More than anything else

Verse 7 says

My people

Are determined

To turn from me

We find good things

From God

And manipulate them

So that we don't

Have to feel like

We're under authority

So we can feel like

Adults in control

As opposed to

The children

That we really are

We are determined

To be rebellious

We'll take a look

At the consequence

Of this determined

Rebellion

The end of verse 7

Even though

They call me

God most high

I will by no means

Exalt them

This is heartbreaking

This is the same

God speaking

That has just told us

About how he led

Israel by the arm

And taught her

To walk

The same God

Who lifted Israel

To his cheek

And kissed him

Lovingly

Now he is not able

To take pride

In his children

His children

Have disobeyed

Turned away

So badly

By running after

Other gods

Gods that allow

All kinds

Of sexual rituals

And self-harming

We read from

Other parts of the Bible

The more the Lord

Called them

The more

They turned away

So

Now it's time

For his children

To be disciplined

Verses 5 and 6

Will they not

Return to Egypt

And will not

Assyria

Rule over them

Because they refuse

To repent

A sword

Will flash

In their cities

It will devour

Their false prophets

And put an end

To their plans

God has tried

Being merciful

And gentle

He has sent prophets

To tell them

To return

To their God

Including the writer

Of this book

Hosea

He has blessed

Them in the land

That he graciously

Gave to them

When they were

Wanderers

In the wilderness

The only way

They will turn

Back to God

Is through

Hardship

And discipline

By his hand

Flick back

To chapter 5

With me

Just a couple

Of pages

It's God

Speaking

Again

Same as in

Chapter 11

It's just after

He has performed

A judgment

Against Israel

So chapter 5

Back about

Two pages

Maybe

And down to

Verse 15

The last verse

In the chapter

Then I will return

To my lair

Until they have

Born their guilt

And seek

My face

In their misery

They will

Earnestly

Seek me

Everything

God has done

It's so

His children

Will earnestly

Seek him

Well after

Pinocchio

Went with

Honest John

He got caught up

In a traveling show

Where he was

The star

He had no strings

To hold him down

And so

Mr. Stromboli

Recognized a cash cow

When he saw one

All the while

Pinocchio's conscience

Jiminy Cricket

Was trying to

Dissuade him

From the actor's life

And continue

His education

But what does

An actor need

With a conscience

Anyway

Pinocchio ignored

The voice speaking

What was Marley Wright

And got caught up

In the money

And fame

It wasn't long

Before he realized

He should have

Listened to his conscience

And that's when

Things got ugly

Mr. Stromboli

Showed his true colors

And locked Pinocchio

In a birdcage

Telling him

He would perform

Every night

And make him

Lots of money

But thankfully

In his hour of need

Jiminy rocks up

With the blue fairy

In tow

The blue fairy

Asks Pinocchio

A couple of simple questions

As to how he landed himself

In this predicament

And why he wasn't

At school

Like he told his father

Pinocchio's conscience

Advises him

To tell the truth

But again

Pinocchio ignores it

He lies to make himself

Look better

And all of a sudden

The consequence

Of turning away

From his father

The consequence

Of disobeying

His conscience

Becomes as clear

As the nose

On his face

God's word

And God's instructions

To us

Are good

When we turn away

Or disobey

There will

Be consequences

That we won't

Be happy about

When I started college

I went out

With my friends

During freshers week

I got drunk

I started a fight

With some random guy

My friends quickly

Had to bring me

To the hospital

Where I discovered

My jaw was broken

In two places

Turned out

This random guy

Was a boxer

I was on a liquid diet

For two weeks

Because they had to

Have my jaw

Wired shut

I'd like to say

I learned my lesson

And never got drunk again

But just like

The Israelites

It takes a few goes

For God

To get through to me

God tried being merciful

Where I had close calls

With cars

Lightly going over

My ankles

But it wasn't

Getting through to me

Discipline

Was needed

And it was the only way

I would listen

Discipline

Is a loving action

From a loving God

I could have done

Even more serious

Damage to myself

If it wasn't

For God's discipline

Dragging me back

To him

When we're going

Through tough times

The first thing

We should ask ourselves

Is there sin

In my life

There won't

Always be

This life has fallen

And it's very very hard

But the first thing

We should be doing

Is checking

If our hearts

Are right

With God

Just like

The Israelites

Being taken captive

Just like

Pinocchio's nose

And just like

My many drunken injuries

Disobeying the conscience

Of God's word

Has consequences

However

Like Ralph

Informes earlier

The primary consequence

Of our guilt

And disobedience

Has been paid for

By God himself

Only Friday night

I was at a gig

It was three tribute bands

I'd never seen tribute bands

Before

But basically

These bands

Have decided

To

Give up

Any chance

Of a career

For themselves

And they

Only perform

Songs

By one band

As I was listening to it

I was like

These guys must

Really love

This band

If they're willing

To give up that

And every

Single

Rehearsal

Every single gig

They're going to be playing

The one band songs

Over

And over

As I was walking away

It struck me that

Do I take

God's love

For granted

He has proven

His love

Just like the guys

In the tribute band

By giving up

Way more than

A career

He gave up

The heavenly realms

He gave up

Perfection

To be like

Us

These guys

Wanted to be like

Their favourite band

God gave up

Everything

To be like

Us

Even after

All

We've done

After all the

Disobeying

Turning away

And putting other

Things

Before our God

Who loved us

From the beginning

And has done

Everything

For us

Even to the point

Of giving up

The glory of heaven

To come down

As a human

And die the death

That we deserve

Even after all this

He still shows

Mercy

And compassion

For the rebels

For you and me

Verse 8

How

Can I give you up

Ephraim

How

How

Can I hand you

Over Israel

How

Can I treat you

Like Adma

How

Can I make you

Like Zeboiim

My heart

Is changed

Within me

All my

Compassion

Is aroused

In the midst

Of Israel's

Betrayal

The Lord

Has compassion

The Lord

Loves his

Children

And the

Discipline

Must come

For their

Own good

The discipline

Must come

So that his

Children will

Repent

And turn back

To him

The discipline

Had to come

In order for me

To accept my

Responsibility

As a child

Of God

The discipline

Has to come

To all of us

To ensure

That we will

Finish the race

Strong

And receive our

Crown of glory

In the end

This discipline

Does not come

Easy

To God

All his

Compassion

Is aroused

And he only

Does it

For our

Benefit

Verse 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

Israel

Deserves

Destruction

They deserve

To be destroyed

And never

Thought about

Again

But the

Lord

In his

Holiness

Cannot

Allow this

He has

Made a

Promise

To Abraham

That they

Would be

A great

Nation

And that

The world

Would be

Saved

Through them

He is

The holy

One

Among them

He is

There

In their

Midst

And in a

Few hundred

Years

After the

Writing of

Hosea

He will

Physically

Come down

And experience

All the

Pain

And suffering

And anguish

That they

Experienced

And so

Much more

Jesus did

Not receive

Discipline

From God

None of

These struggles

Were because

Of his own

Rebellion

He is the

Only person

To ever

Walk this

Earth

That did

Not need

God's

Discipline

He is also

The person

Who experienced

The most

Suffering

In his

Life

More than

Any other

Person

He could

Have changed

It

He had

The power

To stop

It

Why didn't

He

I'm sure

If you were

Given the

Choice

You would

Get rid

Of all

Your

Suffering

As we're

Going to

Be

Learning

About

From next

Week

Onwards

Jesus

Could have

And didn't

Why

Because

Every time

He looked

Upon the

Face

Of those

He loved

Other people

His compassion

Was aroused

He remembered

His father's

Promise

To Abraham

He remembered

How he led

His people

By the hand

And taught

Them to walk

And heal

Them

This is

The God

We worship

God the

Father

God the

Son

And God

The Holy

Spirit

That still

Resides

With his

People

Today

Have you

Accepted

God's

Compassion

Have you

Understood

What it

Cost God

To give

Up his

Only son

And what

It cost

Jesus

To go

Through

All those

Trials

And the

Ultimate

Trial at

The end

To be

Separated

From his

Father

Who he

Had a

Perfect

Relationship

With

Have you

Asked the

Holy Spirit

To help you

Live a

Life that

Honours

The sacrifice

That Jesus

Made for

You

Have you

Repented

And turned

Back to

Your father

In heaven

Who has

Loved

You

Disciplined

You

And is

Waiting to

Throw his

Life

Saving

Mercy

At you

Like Pinocchio

When he was

Freed from

His cage

All he

Had to

Do to

Receive

His

Mercy

Was

Accept

That he

Was

Wrong

Accept

That there

Was

Nothing

He

Could

Do

To remove

Himself

From his

Predicament

That he

Himself

Had landed

Himself

In

And accept

The free

Gift of

Help

From the

Blue Fairy

Like I

Had to

Come to

The realisation

That I

Was damaging

Myself

Physically

Mentally

But most

Importantly

Spiritually

I had to

Understand that I

Was breaking

My relationship

With my

Loving

Father

Who had

Done

Everything

For my

Good

I had to

Accept the

Free gift

Of forgiveness

That has

Led and

Will lead

To eternal

Life

With my

Loving

Father

My

Father who

Will always

Be there

To work

Things out

For my

Good

Everyone

In this

Room

Needs to

Make a

Choice

Are you

Going to

Continue

In your

Destructive

Rebellious

Patterns

Or will

You accept

The free

Gift of

Life

And forgiveness

That Jesus

Has provided

Will you

Change your

Life

So that you

Can experience

All of

God's

Blessings

As he

Intendeth

It begins

With accepting

The free

Gift of

Forgiveness

Being offered

To you

From your

Loving

Father

Verses

10

And 11

What a

Brilliant way

To finish

What we've

Been looking

At this

Morning

They will

Follow

The Lord

He will

Roar like

A lion

When he

Roars

His children

Will come

Trembling

From the

West

They will

Come from

Egypt

Trembling

Like sparrows

From Assyria

Fluttering

Like doves

I will

Settle them

In their

Homes

Declares

The Lord

It has

Worked

God's

Plan of

Salvation

And rescue

Has worked

His people

Are repenting

And coming

Back to him

They're

Recognizing

Their folly

And that he's

The only

Source

Of true

Life

True

Life

That's

Everlasting

In God

They no

Longer

Have to

Be

Captives

He will

Settle

Them

In their

Homes

Pinocchio

Accepted

The free

Gift

Of

Rescue

From the

Blue

Fairy

And out

Of

Gratitude

Promised

To be

Good

From now

On

If you're

Familiar

With the

Story

You know

It didn't

Quite go

Swimmingly

For him

After that

He met

With many

Temptations

And perils

But through

It all

The blue

Fairy

Was looking

Out for

Him

And brought

Him back

From the

Dead

In the

End

If we

Accept the

Free

Gift

Of rescue

From God

Through

Jesus

Out of

Gratitude

We need

To recognize

The importance

Of giving

Love in

Return

Of

Recognize

The importance

Of living

A good

Life

A life

Pleasing

To our

God

And Savior

This is

Done by

Staying

Close to

God

And his

Commands

Always

Every day

Talking to

Our father

Through prayer

And listening

To him

Through the

Bible

As we

Come into

This

This new

Year

There's no

Better time

To make

Our

Resolutions

The first

Thing we

Need to

Do

Like the

Israelites

Needed to

Do

Is turn

Back

To God

Without

Him

All our

Resolutions

Will come

To naught

And while

Life will not

Go swimmingly

All of the

Time

We can be

Confident

That in

The end

We'll be

Brought back

From the

Dead

And raised

To life

With our

Loving

Father

And he

Will spend

Eternity

We will

Spend

Eternity

Being loved

By God

And showing

Our love

In return

To God

To summarize

God loves

Us and

And always

Has

We take

Him for

Granted

And turn

Away

Constantly

To

The Lord

Then out

Of love

Disciplines

Us

He doesn't

Give us

What we

Deserve

But has

Mercy on

Us

All so

That we

Will turn

Back

To him

Don't

Wait another

Minute

To turn

To God

For the

First time

Or turn

Back to

Him

Don't let

Him down

After all

He has

Done for

You

Through his

Son

Jesus

Give your

Life

Your whole

Life

And wait

And see

What wonders

He'll make

From it

If you

Remember

Nothing else

From this

Morning

Remember how

Pinocchio

Made so

Many mistakes

Yet his

Father and

The Blue

Fairy

Consistently

Loved him

The Blue

Fairy

Allowed the

Consequences

Of Pinocchio's

Rebellion

To happen

So that he

Would turn

Back to

His

Father

Our

Father

God

In

Heaven

Sometimes

Needs

To

Discipline

Us

But it's

Always

Done

So that

We will

Turn

Back

To him

And enjoy

The blessings

Of his

Love

As he

Always

Meant

Us

To

From the

Beginning

Let me

Just close

In

In prayer

And then

Ralph

Will

Come up

To sing

Our

Final

Song

Father God

Thank you

So much

So much

For your

Love

Love

You

Love

You

Love

You

Love

You

Love

You

Love

You

Love

You

Love

You

Love

Us

I pray

That not

One person

In this

Room

Would take

That for

Granted

In the

Week

Ahead

I pray

I pray

That we

Would all

Come to

You

And beg

Forgiveness

For the

Times

We

Haven't

Appreciated

You

As we

Should

Thank you

That Jesus

Took the

Ultimate

Consequence

For our

Sin

We may

Need to

Be disciplined

But we

Will never

Lose

Our

Salvation

We

Can be

Confident

That if

We have

Accepted

Jesus

Sacrifice

For us

On the

Cross

That we

Will be

With you

One day

In heaven

We

Will

Receive

Our

Crown

Of

Glory

No matter

What

We have

To go

Through

In this

Life

In Jesus

Name

Amen

Thanks Ralph