WEBVTT 00:00:01.439 --> 00:00:08.240 Before I read the scripture this morning for the sermon text, I'd like to make an announcement, invitation really. 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:13.759 There's a ministry in our church, a powerful ministry that may not be well known. 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:16.559 It's the intercessory prayer ministry. 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:28.000 In the intercessory prayer ministry, every week there are dozens, if not hundreds, of prayers that are prayed by the 61 people that are currently on that team. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:32.399 I'm inviting you to consider to pray about being on that team. 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:45.759 It's just so encouraging every week when I receive personally and read how we can pray for the hearts of our staff, our elders, our deacons, deaconesses, all the ministry leaders. 00:00:46.159 --> 00:00:48.320 Very heartfelt prayers. 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:54.399 And then the many other things that we can pray about in this church and outside of this church. 00:00:54.640 --> 00:01:03.679 If that's something that God puts on your heart, if God puts intercessory prayer on your heart, would you please follow up with Bailey, our administrator, and let her know that you'd like to be included? 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:06.000 We would love to have you join us. 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:12.719 Hosea chapter 6 is the sermon text this morning in our series from this Old Testament book. 00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:18.239 Hosea was a prophet in the north, Israel. 00:01:19.439 --> 00:01:22.719 His ministry spanned decades. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:30.239 He saw Israel at their height under Jeroboam II, and he saw the decline of Israel. 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:32.319 He witnessed the fall. 00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:36.400 He prophesied about the coming judgment of God. 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:38.480 He witnessed it firsthand. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:41.599 Hear the word of God. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:47.519 Come, let us return to the Lord, for he has torn us that he may heal us. 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:50.879 He has struck us down, and he will bind us up. 00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:53.439 After two days he will revive us. 00:01:53.680 --> 00:01:57.439 On the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:01.040 Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:03.599 His going out is sure as the dawn. 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:09.439 He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth. 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:12.000 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:14.000 What shall I do with you, O Judah? 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:20.000 Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away. 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:28.159 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. 00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:34.960 For I desire steadfast love, not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:40.560 But like Adam they transgressed the covenant, there they dealt faithlessly with me. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:49.840 Gilead is a city of evil doers, tracked with blood, as robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priest band together. 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:51.759 They murder on the way to Shechem. 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:53.520 They commit villainy. 00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:56.639 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. 00:02:56.879 --> 00:02:59.039 Ephraim's whoredom is there. 00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:00.800 Israel is defiled. 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:05.759 For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed. 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:09.120 This is the reading of God's holy and perfect word. 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:11.280 Would you please join me in prayer? 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:14.800 Father, we we thank you in your wisdom. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:24.800 You gave us this book, you gave us this prophet, his marriage, Lord, the state of the country, that we might learn. 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:30.560 Oh Lord, let us not go untaught through this series. 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:35.520 Holy Spirit, would you please make your truth come alive to each of us? 00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:39.120 That we would see, we would hear what you have for us this morning. 00:03:39.360 --> 00:03:41.680 To take deeply into our hearts, we pray. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:43.280 In the name of Jesus. 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:44.240 Amen. 00:03:54.400 --> 00:04:00.960 Last week we ended the service, the text, looking at what God has to do to get our attention. 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:05.439 And we noted the vivid word pictures in the book of Hosea. 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:15.199 Sometimes when we walk away from God and we stray from God, sometimes He sends a moth to get our attention. 00:04:15.840 --> 00:04:16.800 A moth. 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:21.439 Seems like harmless, but they can be distracting. 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:25.759 They can do some damage to our clothes. 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:33.120 They can be flittering around, causing us to, again, lose attention, focus. 00:04:33.600 --> 00:04:35.759 And we can drift spiritually. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:40.800 We can drift from the Lord in ways that we're not even aware of. 00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:45.279 But sometimes, as we saw last week, the moth is not enough to get our attention. 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:49.680 And sometimes he has to send the lion, the roaring lion. 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:57.199 Not really as much to punish his people, but to get his people's attention to bring them back. 00:04:57.759 --> 00:04:59.680 He sends the lion. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:04.399 And things in our life just get mangled, torn up. 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:06.160 We get torn up. 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:08.879 Our life can be like upside down. 00:05:09.839 --> 00:05:12.079 That's what we saw last week. 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:14.639 But I want to come back to the big picture of the story. 00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:19.199 Hosea is a story about the God who pursues his people out of love. 00:05:19.680 --> 00:05:21.839 God trying to get their attention. 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:31.439 Yet, as we saw last week, when in the throes of addiction, idolatry, their gods don't go away easily. 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:36.240 Our gods don't go away easily when we're in the throes of addiction or idolatry. 00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:46.399 When something else has captured our heart other than Jesus, when we're giving the best of ourselves to something or someone other than Jesus, that's idolatry. 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:58.480 As we've been seeing, it could be work, it can be a workaholic spirit, or it could be in other ways, like a fashion that we think about as addictions of this day and age. 00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:04.959 But make no mistake, addicts are not just addicted to substances. 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:15.439 Addicts are addicted to ideas, ideology, performance, perfectionism, is a beast of an idol. 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:21.279 There's all these things that God wants to get his people's attention. 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:23.120 And he does. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:26.000 He knows how to do it. 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:35.439 Jim Boyce, well-known preacher in Philadelphia decades past, told this story about this chapter, and I thought it was worth reading. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:41.759 True story: a convict was released from a Kansas prison after serving seven years for fraud. 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:55.519 Upon his release, he immediately acquired somebody else's credit cards and went on a spending spree that took him across the state in first-class hotels, gourmet restaurants, and private planes. 00:06:55.920 --> 00:06:58.079 He was caught and brought to trial. 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:05.199 In court, the man confessed what he had done, but he asked the judge to pardon him on the ground that he had now learned his lesson. 00:07:05.439 --> 00:07:06.639 It was wrong, he said. 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:11.360 I now know that what I did was wrong, and I will never do anything like that again. 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:13.920 The judge was unimpressed. 00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:19.839 He said, Sir, I have learned that courtroom confessions last only until the criminal gets to the door. 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:23.199 Then he sentenced the man to prison again. 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:24.319 Dr. 00:07:24.480 --> 00:07:29.360 Boyce says that really captures the spirit of what's going on here in Hosea, and I think it does. 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:35.600 How we long for relief from pain. 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:38.319 That's what he is addressing. 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:39.360 J.I. 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:45.519 Packer, the theologian, rephrased the Westminster Shorter Catechism, question one, which some of you know. 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:47.439 What is man's chief end? 00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:51.360 To glorify God and to enjoy him forever. 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:52.000 Dr. 00:07:52.079 --> 00:08:00.639 Packer says, if I just looked at the church today, I would conclude that man's chief end is to avoid pain at any cost. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:06.959 As a pastor myself, I would say that may be true. 00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:09.920 How that can become all-consuming in us. 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:13.040 We're going to unpack that this morning. 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:21.279 Times are tough in Israel at that time when the decline, threatened by Assyria, the emerging new superpower from the north. 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:24.319 They're coming down, they're encroaching against the border of Israel. 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:26.160 Israel's scared. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:30.879 It looks like chaos is about to explode. 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:32.720 And frankly, it did. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:36.320 They're looking to Egypt or Syria. 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:40.159 They have a hard time picking the big brother that's going to protect them. 00:08:40.720 --> 00:08:43.759 Is Egypt going to beat them up or is Syria? 00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:47.360 But God says, well, but why aren't you coming to me? 00:08:47.679 --> 00:08:51.039 You're going everywhere else, but to me. 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:54.720 They're looking for someone to take care of them. 00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:56.960 God says, I will. 00:08:57.440 --> 00:08:59.919 And they say, no thanks. 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:03.519 We can do better on our own. 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:16.799 Like all idolaters, which we all understand about personally, like all idolaters, remember what Jeremiah said to the people of Israel, you have as many gods as you have towns. 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:19.600 Well, that's quite an indictment. 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:24.559 You have as many gods, little gods, little G's in your life as you have towns. 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:35.120 Well, the whole purpose of worship is that the Holy Spirit will dredge them up that we would see those little gods that we can be drawn to so easily. 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:37.759 They say, no, thanks, we can do better. 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:44.720 We want something or someone we can see, touch, comfort us. 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:48.799 So their eyes and their hearts wandered for relief. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:54.320 What they're doing in this chapter is they are demanding relief from their pain. 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:56.480 That's what's going on here. 00:09:56.799 --> 00:09:59.600 Just like so many people today do. 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:12.639 Years ago, I came across a poem written by a counselor as he worked with college-age students, but by no means is this limited to college-age students. 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:17.679 He called it postmodern martyr mentality. 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:25.360 I fill myself with pain, conjured pain, to numb myself to my real pain. 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:29.600 It's sort of like hitting my thumb with a hammer to forget my headache. 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:39.039 Unto the end that I become blind to my real pain as I nurture and fiercely protect my conjured pain. 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:48.799 This way I can still feel alive and experience pain, as I know I should, while staying away from my true destitution. 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:56.159 I will defend my conjured pain so that there will be meaning behind my existence. 00:10:57.759 --> 00:10:59.600 That's pretty profound. 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:02.559 I remember the first time I read that. 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:07.840 I thought, this is, I need to really think carefully and process this. 00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:17.600 I think this fits exactly with what was going on in Hosea's day with the people of Israel. 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:21.279 This is what we see in verses 1 to 3 of the text. 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:24.639 Okay, if you have the text in front of you, just look at it again. 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:28.080 This is what he's talking about. 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:31.679 This is Israel speaking. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:34.480 This is the people of God speaking. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:39.519 Come, let us return to the Lord, for he has torn us that he may heal us. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:42.399 He has struck us down, and he will bind us up. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:44.399 After two days he will revive us. 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:48.080 On the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:51.440 Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:54.159 His going out is sure as the dawn. 00:11:54.720 --> 00:12:00.480 He will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:06.879 What are they doing? 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:08.960 They're bargaining with God. 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:12.159 Let's unpack that. 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:14.080 They're trying to bargain with God. 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:16.480 It reminds me of a play I read about years ago. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:18.960 Your arms are too short to box with God. 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:20.559 Well, that's true. 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.159 For any of us. 00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:25.200 But look at the ways that they're bargaining with God. 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:30.320 Another word, they're trying to negotiate with God. 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:33.279 Let's break that down, the first point. 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:36.159 Negotiators are desperate for control. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:40.720 Under that first point, we're going to break that down further to three subpoints. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:45.200 The blame, the focus, and the formula. 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:46.399 The blame. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:48.080 These are blame shifters. 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:53.840 They're acknowledging their sin to a certain extent. 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:56.639 They're saying, we know we've messed up. 00:12:56.879 --> 00:12:58.080 Okay, we get that. 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:00.080 We know we've messed up. 00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:02.240 But they're still blaming. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:06.159 He, God, has torn us to pieces. 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:07.440 Really? 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:10.000 He has injured us. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:13.120 There's no mention of confessing their sin here. 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:20.559 They are acutely aware of their pain and their fear, essentially saying, we know that we've messed up. 00:13:20.720 --> 00:13:22.159 What do you want from us? 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:25.360 Good question. 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:29.440 They are, in effect, blaming God for their problems. 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:35.679 It might go something like this, and this might sound familiar to hopefully all of us. 00:13:36.320 --> 00:13:42.000 God, do you how do you expect me to do better when I am dealing with fill in the blank? 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:59.919 God, how do you expect me to do better when I'm dealing with family dysfunction, health concerns, poor choices, the way I've been treated? 00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:06.559 Oh, if we only knew how many times we shake our fist at God. 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:14.559 Many Christians never find the words, perhaps, but the Spirit we all understand. 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:18.559 In ways that we don't understand, blaming God. 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:22.320 How can you expect me to be faithful? 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:27.519 How can you expect me to be trusting when I'm dealing with you filling the blank? 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:31.360 You know, God, you could have done something about this. 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:38.240 There's two things that Christians often do that I've learned in counseling, two things that Christians often do. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:41.759 First of all, pretend that things are better than they are. 00:14:42.639 --> 00:14:44.720 Some of us are really good at that, aren't we? 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:46.960 Pretending that things are better than they are. 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:52.480 Don't let yourself feel what's really going on in the deeper recesses of your life. 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:54.000 Just don't. 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:55.759 How do you do that? 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:57.120 How do you avoid that? 00:14:57.279 --> 00:14:58.320 Well, we know. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:14:59.919 Stay busy. 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:02.799 Washingtonians really know that. 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:08.639 Just stay busy with good projects, with good things, with church. 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:28.960 You know, I truly believe it may not be you, but there are some Christians that probably need to quit ministry in the church because they're trying to fill the emptiness inside with a lot of outward behavior. 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:31.279 That may not be you. 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:44.480 It may be you, but the point is, is we can do anything, we can go to all lengths to not have to deal with what's really going on deep inside our heart. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:50.799 And God said to the Israelites, and he says to us, no, that's not going to be helpful. 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:59.120 We can either pretend that things are better than they are, or the second choice is we can live to relieve our pain. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:01.919 Find something that seems to work. 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:10.879 Find something that seems to numb what you're feeling deep down that you'd rather not have to address directly. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:14.559 I heard a preacher say this years ago. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:25.840 What sometimes what we do when we find ourselves in this situation in life is we either hate God or we hate ourselves without ever hating our sin. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:28.159 Isn't that odd? 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:32.159 Where what God's calling us to is to actually hate our sin. 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:34.480 God's not calling us to hate him. 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:37.039 He's not calling us to hate ourselves. 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:40.080 God doesn't want you to hate yourself. 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:48.960 He wants you to see what lengths he went to to pour out his hate for your sin on his own son. 00:16:53.679 --> 00:16:56.159 Idolaters are blame shifters. 00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:58.480 Secondly, look at the focus. 00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:02.080 They're more focused on their woundedness than their sinfulness. 00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:04.319 There's no mention of sin in these three verses. 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:05.759 Isn't that interesting? 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:07.039 No mention of sin. 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:09.039 There's no mention of repentance. 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:14.640 This is a superficial repentance, if you will, but it's not genuine. 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:21.039 God only knows how many times He's heard this prayer of repentance from you, from me. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:25.119 Over the course of history? 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:28.000 How many times has God heard this? 00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:30.240 Superficial repentance. 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:32.799 God, I'm sorry. 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:34.400 I messed up. 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:36.319 I'll do better. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:39.279 It's not repentance. 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:47.440 The patience of God for me. 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:49.920 The patience of God for you. 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:55.119 Repentance is the core of all meaningful change. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:56.799 God speaks in verse 4. 00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:59.359 We finally get God's voice in verse 4. 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:01.440 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:03.920 What shall I do with you, O Judah? 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:10.799 Things are not going to get any different if things don't change at the deepest level of your heart. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:14.960 God speaks powerfully here. 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:22.720 What we learn from this and what we know from the scriptures or what we know from our own lives is hurt people focus on their hurt. 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:26.079 Hurt people focus on their needs. 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:30.319 Yet perfect love continues even in the midst of abuse. 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:35.920 Who's the most abused, hurt, wounded person that ever walked this earth? 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:38.000 Jesus. 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:47.200 And yet, even in the midst of that pain and rejection, he kept his eyes on his father. 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:53.519 He knew that his father, the only one he could turn to. 00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:57.920 This fullest expression came at the cross. 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:05.119 And yet, idolaters like us say, oh, I don't want to trust a God I can't control or see. 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:11.119 We are never more out of control than we are attempting to be in control. 00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:12.799 That's what we're learning in wits. 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:25.119 It's fascinating to me how wits in this series in Hosea, there's about 80 of us that are going through this journey, it's like, wow, this is this is this is true. 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:28.880 I'm starting to see this in new ways. 00:19:30.799 --> 00:19:33.680 You're never more out of control than when you're trying to be in control. 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:38.880 One of the articles we just read in Wits, it was a prayer actually. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:41.839 Are people weary of you? 00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:44.880 Or are people wary of you? 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:49.039 Because your desire to control. 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:54.319 Your desire to control them, your desire to control your own life. 00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:57.119 That's what this prayer expresses. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:19:59.440 It just wears people out. 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:04.880 And it's actually an addiction for some of us. 00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:06.240 It's an idol. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:11.039 And you say somebody might say, well, no, but it's not like, you know, it's not like the technicolor sins. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:14.960 Are you really going to try to argue that point? 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:19.839 Are you going to argue that older brother sins are better than younger brother's sins? 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:21.920 I don't think so. 00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:36.400 The amount of energy we put into trying to control people, the amount of energy we put into trying to control our own lives, is idolatry. 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:38.720 It's an addiction. 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:50.799 God, don't expect too much from me, which perhaps explains why sometimes we seem to sabotage our lives and our relationship with God. 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:52.319 Let me explain that. 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:54.240 I think we've all done it. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:59.680 Ways that we don't realize, we sabotage our relationship with God. 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:23.279 Have you ever had the experience perhaps after a meaningful encounter with God at church, at a retreat, or somewhere, after a particularly meaningful encounter with God, have you noticed sometimes that you're tempted shortly after to look at something on the screen or reach for a substance or seize control in a new way? 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:24.960 Why? 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:28.400 Why would we sinners do something like that? 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:31.440 That's what Hosea is getting at. 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:33.759 I know I'll mess up. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:36.480 This just proves I can't do this. 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:40.160 It's like letting the air out of your own tire. 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:42.480 Makes no sense. 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:44.880 But we do that. 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:51.920 Let the air out of your own tire to prove, so to speak, to God, you can't count on me. 00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:57.839 I'm really nothing more than a product of my shame, a product of my guilt. 00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.599 You understand what we're saying here? 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:03.359 This is everyday life. 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:05.680 God wants us to see through it. 00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:08.160 He wants us to understand it. 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:10.880 He wants us to repent of these idols. 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:13.200 He wants us to return to him. 00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:16.559 And he's offering us everything we need to do that. 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:18.400 That's the good news. 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:20.559 I know I'm going to mess up again. 00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:22.319 This just proves it. 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:24.240 Thirdly, the formula. 00:22:24.319 --> 00:22:26.240 Look at the formula in verse 2. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:29.279 After two days, we know what he's going to do. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:31.599 We'll come to him with our penance. 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:35.599 We'll come to him with our superficial confession. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:38.400 But he'll accept it. 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:41.519 Because he's a forgiving God after all. 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:44.240 We presume on his forgiveness. 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:49.359 After two days, he will revive us after he injured us. 00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:51.519 He will revive us. 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:56.240 He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before him. 00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:58.400 It's a formula. 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:01.599 They think they have found the formula. 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:05.839 Go wander off from God. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:09.759 Find your idol of choice. 00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:13.599 Find your addiction that seems to work best for you. 00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:20.400 And then when you really get in a jam, come back to God and say, God, I know you're there. 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:22.799 Forgiven and forgotten, right? 00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:25.519 He says, No, it doesn't work that way. 00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:28.640 We say, let's make a deal. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:30.559 I'll go back to church. 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:32.480 I'll stop watching porn. 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:34.559 I'll start reading my Bible. 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:37.440 I'll stop doing you fill in the blank. 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:44.160 All so that I can get back on your good side, God, so that you'll get off my back. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:45.519 You know what this is? 00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:47.200 This is negotiating. 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:49.440 This is exactly what they were doing. 00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:50.880 This is negotiating. 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:52.160 It's not repentance. 00:23:52.319 --> 00:23:54.880 And God wants you and me to understand this. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:57.599 This is where deeper repentance takes place. 00:23:57.759 --> 00:23:59.359 This is where lives really change. 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:01.440 This is where change happens. 00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:04.079 Believe that. 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:07.200 There's hope for every one of us. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:18.480 This is where change happens when we allow the Spirit in at that deeper level to show us what's amiss, to show us where we've gotten off course. 00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:30.880 Even while we come to church, even while we listen to sermons, even while we are reading our Bibles, God says, no, I've got something better for you I want to give you. 00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:36.160 Oh, friends, we're here this morning to stop negotiating. 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:38.319 We never could. 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:40.240 We never did it very well. 00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:42.079 We just thought we did. 00:24:42.880 --> 00:24:48.400 All this comes up short when we don't take responsibility for our wandering hearts. 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:52.319 God says, repent and turn to Christ. 00:24:52.640 --> 00:24:55.440 God says, repent from your sin. 00:24:56.799 --> 00:24:57.759 Repent. 00:24:58.400 --> 00:25:04.799 Despair of your righteousness and trust boldly in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:07.519 This is what God is saying. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:10.720 We must take personal responsibility. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:17.599 Negotiators, as we see this first point, negotiators are desperate for control. 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:20.960 Secondly, negotiators concede relationship. 00:25:21.119 --> 00:25:22.480 Look at verse 6. 00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:29.920 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burn offerings. 00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:32.960 What does God want most of all from you? 00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:35.119 You ever asked yourself that? 00:25:35.519 --> 00:25:37.680 What does God want most from you? 00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:40.319 Relationship. 00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:41.920 Not rituals. 00:25:42.640 --> 00:25:44.160 Not outward behavior. 00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:46.960 There's a place for that, but it's not foremost. 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:50.480 He desires mercy. 00:25:51.920 --> 00:26:01.839 Tom, what I really want from you is I want a broken and contrite heart so that you understand my mercy, so that you will extend mercy to other people. 00:26:02.079 --> 00:26:04.160 You'll be patient, you'll be kind with others. 00:26:04.319 --> 00:26:06.079 You won't be short-tempered. 00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:11.200 Tom, I want my heart more and more in your heart. 00:26:11.599 --> 00:26:13.440 He wants that for every one of us. 00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:19.039 I want your heart more than your sacrifices. 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:23.759 What good are all your sacrifices without your heart? 00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:28.000 It's easier to give God a ritual than a relationship, isn't it? 00:26:28.640 --> 00:26:32.960 We can do sacrifice, we cannot do brokenness. 00:26:35.200 --> 00:26:37.599 Only the Holy Spirit can do brokenness. 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:40.480 We can do sacrifice. 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:43.839 We can do our duty outwardly. 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:49.440 And you know you can live your whole Christian life missing this. 00:26:49.839 --> 00:26:51.279 Don't you dare. 00:26:53.119 --> 00:26:55.359 God says, look, I want you. 00:26:56.079 --> 00:26:59.279 I want you to hear my word. 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:05.440 I want you to be broken by your sin so that you see how great our Savior is. 00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:11.119 I want you to see how much He had to go to to get you back. 00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:12.880 God wants you back. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:14.640 He wants us back. 00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:15.839 Return. 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:18.559 But this is the road that it takes. 00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:20.640 This is what it looks like. 00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:26.000 I fear that too many churches today have completely lost this message. 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:28.799 This is a message that we can't afford to lose. 00:27:29.039 --> 00:27:31.519 This is a message that we all need to hear. 00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:36.960 We can do sacrifice, I know that. 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:40.400 But we can't do brokenness. 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:41.920 You know who can? 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:43.759 The Holy Spirit. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:46.240 The Holy Spirit is in this service right now. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:48.480 The Holy Spirit is present right now. 00:27:48.720 --> 00:27:52.799 You invite the Holy Spirit in to show you what you're turning to for comfort. 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:57.119 You invite the Holy Spirit to show you the idols of your heart. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:04.799 He finds a sincere request, irresistible. 00:28:05.680 --> 00:28:06.799 Invite him. 00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:10.799 Search me, O God, and show me what's in my heart. 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:12.720 I want to know. 00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:14.720 Let me ask you this. 00:28:14.880 --> 00:28:16.480 Why would you not want to know? 00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:19.759 Why would you not want to know what's in your heart? 00:28:20.960 --> 00:28:25.200 Would you rather just go on living with the illusion of who you think you are? 00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:30.880 Or do you want the truth that you can handle in Christ so he can make you new? 00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:33.759 He can change me from the inside out. 00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:38.480 Which brings us to the last point. 00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:40.640 We're going to have to fast forward to chapter 14. 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:42.720 I'm just giving a sneak preview. 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:46.559 This is a picture of real repentance. 00:28:46.960 --> 00:28:51.759