WEBVTT 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:12.800 This sermon was recorded at Faith Evangelical Free Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:24.000 And we'll read our passage together this morning. 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:28.239 Matthew chapter 9, just five verses before us. 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:34.000 Matthew chapter 9, we'll begin in verse 9 and read through verse 13. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:49.520 You know, in an ancient times, not so ancient times, a few hundred years ago, especially in Europe, the pulpits would be elevated about the height of where the screen is here. 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:53.920 There would be a staircase going up to that pulpit, and the pulpit would be up there all by itself. 00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:58.159 I kind of feel that way this morning, kind of naked up here with all this. 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:02.960 But the reason that they did that was not so that everybody could say, hey, look at the preacher. 00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:05.680 It was so that the word of God would be central. 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:11.439 That's what we really want to have happen every single Sunday, but especially this morning. 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:25.200 Matthew chapter 9, the word of God says to us that as Jesus passed on from there, that is, from Capernaum, where he was ministering, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth. 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:28.480 And Jesus said to him, Follow me. 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:31.359 And he rose and followed him. 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:41.040 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:53.920 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to the disciples, Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? 00:01:55.359 --> 00:02:08.159 But when he heard it, he said, Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick to go and learn what this means. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:14.479 I desire mercy and not sacrifice. 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:20.479 For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. 00:02:21.199 --> 00:02:21.840 Amen. 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:26.400 I said I'm going to do something a little bit different this morning. 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:34.319 I want to just very briefly lay out some of the basic elements of this passage, but only in summary. 00:02:34.639 --> 00:02:39.919 Then I want you to follow me on a short walk through some passages in the Old Testament. 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:43.840 And then we'll briefly come back to wrap it up in Matthew. 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:47.280 Now, on the one hand, this passage is very simple. 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:53.680 There are three distinct categories of people to whom Jesus ministered. 00:02:54.080 --> 00:03:01.599 And then there's another group, a fourth group, that stands in opposition to everything that Jesus is doing. 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:04.800 So first, there's Matthew. 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:06.719 He represents a category. 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:09.680 He's the outcast tax collector, right? 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:16.719 He's the first-century version of the sleazy guy that everybody wants to avoid. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:22.960 He has quite a few friends who are also outcasts. 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:28.639 And if we put all of those friends together collectively, they're sort of known as sinners. 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:32.560 Another category of people that you would avoid. 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:41.520 And not only does Jesus minister to the tax collectors and the sinners, but there's a third group known as the sick. 00:03:42.960 --> 00:03:47.599 Here in this context, referring to spiritually sick. 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:57.199 And then there's the Pharisees who oppose Jesus in all of those interactions with all three of those first categories of people. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:01.039 That describes these five verses in a nutshell. 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:07.759 Jesus ministering to three groups of outcasts, and then there's a fourth group that opposes all of his ministry. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:16.319 Now the common way of preaching this text is to focus on what Jesus does. 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:20.720 That is his ministry to those three categories of people. 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:35.519 You've probably heard a sermon or two on how Jesus ministers to the poor and the needy, how he ministers to the outcasts of society, how he meets the needs of the sick and he heals them. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:47.839 And when we approach this passage in that way, it can very easily become a sort of a moral bully club of sorts. 00:04:48.079 --> 00:05:00.879 Maybe even Micah 6.8 is pulled out to whack us into action so that we shift more effort and resources into mercy ministries. 00:05:01.759 --> 00:05:08.000 And then what ends up happening is we feel guilty that we don't do enough. 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:11.920 Maybe you've heard this passage preached that way. 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:14.720 Now, hear me clearly, I want to affirm. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:25.360 I want to affirm some of that as appropriate application of this passage to our lives as followers of Christ. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:40.000 But it is inappropriate to use this passage as a bully club to guilt us into action or to motivate a church into mercy ministries. 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:46.240 And I want to say that because the main point of this passage is not about compassion. 00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:57.759 We can take that a step further. 00:06:01.199 --> 00:06:04.160 It's not about the tax collectors. 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:06.319 It's not about the sinners. 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:08.879 And it's not about the sick. 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:14.720 It's about the fulfillment of Scripture. 00:06:16.399 --> 00:06:17.920 It's about Jesus. 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:23.199 Secondly, it's about the Pharisees. 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:25.680 Now go on a walk with me. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:27.600 You're going to need your Bible for this. 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:29.519 There's a lot of passages that we're going to look at. 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:35.439 We won't necessarily highlight all of them, but it will help you if you can see what we're looking at. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:40.720 First is in the Old Testament, the book of 1 Samuel. 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:50.000 If you can find that collection of first and seconds in the early part of the Old Testament, it's the first one, 1st and 2 Samuel. 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:54.560 So we're going to 1 Samuel chapter 15. 00:06:55.120 --> 00:07:11.439 Now what we're going to highlight here in this little jaunt is three primary passages of the Old Testament that give us the key to understanding all of the Old Testament. 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:17.120 That's right, we're going to understand all of the Old Testament just in a little bit of time this morning. 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:21.199 1 Samuel chapter 15. 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:26.480 If you would pay special note to verse 21. 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:42.639 This is King Saul, Israel's first king, speaking. 00:07:43.759 --> 00:08:00.959 And Samuel then said, note this in verse 22 has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Yahweh. 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:09.279 Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:16.720 If you would put that up for me, I would appreciate it. 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:18.480 1 Samuel 15. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:21.600 You might be familiar with this verse. 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:36.320 Does he enjoy offerings and sacrifices that people give to him as much as he enjoys obeying his voice? 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:38.879 The answer is no. 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:47.039 Samuel, the prophet, goes on to tell Saul to obey is better than sacrifice and to listen to God. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:53.440 Implication there is listen and do what he says is better than the fat of Ram. 00:08:53.679 --> 00:08:59.440 See, you have to go back to chapter 15, verse 1 to really know what's going on here. 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:07.200 This is a passage of scripture where God was finally bringing judgment upon the inhabitants of the land. 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:20.960 You'll remember that his whole purpose in bringing Israel to Egypt and then keeping them there 400 years was to be patient with the people of the land of Canaan. 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:24.320 He said, their sin, their iniquity is not yet complete. 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:26.960 I'm going to be even more patient. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:34.879 And then in bringing Israel out of Egypt and into Canaan, he was using them as part of his judgment upon those peoples for not repenting. 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:36.879 And so he says, now's the time. 00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:38.960 Now's the time. 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:39.759 So get rid of them. 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:40.799 Get rid of everything. 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:44.399 All the people, all the animals, get rid of them. 00:09:44.480 --> 00:09:47.039 And in getting rid of them, you're devoting them to destruction. 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:49.440 That's a technical term for worship. 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:57.279 It was saying, all of this that we're bringing on these people as judgment is part of worshiping God. 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:01.919 God said, Keep nothing alive. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:16.240 Now, if you'll look in your Bible, down to verse 14, Samuel comes along and says, What is this bleeding of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of oxen that I hear? 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:21.039 See, what happened is that Saul and the people didn't listen to God. 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:23.279 They didn't do everything that God told them to do. 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:28.399 And they thought, you know what, it's good for us to keep some of the best of the animals back. 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:35.679 We won't kill everything, we'll keep some of the best back so that we can offer some sacrifices to God because God's really gonna appreciate that. 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:44.240 And Samuel comes along and says, Did you not listen? 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:48.960 God said, get rid of all of it. 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:53.519 And so he presents this to the king. 00:10:55.279 --> 00:11:05.679 Do you really think that God wants an offering or a sacrifice more than he wants you to listen to what he says and obey it? 00:11:07.200 --> 00:11:14.320 Then in verse 23 he says, For rebellion is as the sin of divination and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:18.960 Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has rejected you from being king. 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:25.120 Samuel says, Saul, you obeyed partially. 00:11:26.159 --> 00:11:32.639 But what you don't understand is that partial obedience is rebellion and rejection of God. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:44.159 Partial obedience, in essence, means you don't have proper faith in the word of God. 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:48.399 And Saul represented the best of the people. 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:54.639 From a human perspective, he was he was the best of what people had to offer God. 00:11:54.799 --> 00:12:00.480 And so it's a demonstration to say the best we have to offer God is not good enough. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:21.600 So God said to the king, listen, a proper trust in me is is displayed, is evidenced, not in ritual sacrifices, but in trusting my word. 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:29.279 And God's king of all people must trust God's word and live out that trust. 00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:32.879 But what Saul did was not trust. 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:35.440 He failed. 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:49.519 And this is the beginning of sort of a theme that we see running through the Old Testament. 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:57.200 And this verse, verse 22, encapsulates this idea of does God really want sacrifices and offerings more than this? 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:01.759 Or God appreciates this more than sacrifices. 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:05.600 And it's a key to understanding the Old Testament. 00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:11.279 It's not about the ritual, it's not about all those lists of offerings and sacrifices that you find. 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:23.679 It's not about the liturgy, it's not about the rules established by the human rulers, it's about the heart's connection to God that is lived out in a trust-filled and obedient life. 00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:28.879 Let's go from one king to another king. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:36.960 Saul was the first king, chosen by the people's desires. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:44.799 Let's go to Solomon, the wisest man to have ever walked this earth other than the Lord Jesus. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:47.200 Let's look at Proverbs chapter 21. 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:50.159 Proverbs 21. 00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:57.039 Beginning in verse 3, and then we're going to back up from there. 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:04.240 So first is King Saul, then we go to King Solomon and Proverbs chapter 21 and verse 3. 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:11.919 To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to Yahweh than sacrifice. 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:31.519 God says, I would rather have righteousness, rightness in you, and displaying that injustice than I would have you offering animals on an altar. 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:44.320 That comes, by the way, from the man, Solomon, who offered up 22,000 oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep to dedicate the temple. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:46.960 Process those numbers a little bit. 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:51.919 Twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:55.440 The scriptures say that they couldn't keep up. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:56.720 No wonder. 00:14:58.080 --> 00:15:00.559 So Solomon knew something about sacrifices. 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:04.639 Solomon knew something about offering things to God in that kind of a way. 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:10.639 And yet he says to his children, listen, that's not what God really desires. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:16.080 What God really desires is righteousness and justice. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:17.519 Well, what does that mean? 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:22.240 Well, we need to back up to the context a little bit to verse 1. 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:29.120 In verse 1, it says, the king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of Yahweh. 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:33.279 He turns it wherever he wills. 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:40.799 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but Yahweh weighs the heart. 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:49.600 Then he says, to do justice and righteousness is more acceptable to Yahweh than sacrifice. 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:56.960 Notice verse 4: Proud eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, or sin. 00:15:57.840 --> 00:16:04.159 Notice that surrounding verse three are three other verses referring to what? 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:06.480 The heart. 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:13.840 This is not about primarily what actions are seen. 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:23.679 It's not about so much pursuing justice in our world as in having the heart that motivates justice. 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:35.679 Solomon says, more important than offering sacrifices, more important than going through ritual, is having the right kind of heart from which those proper actions come. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:45.519 Remember when Jesus said, out of the heart the mouth speaks. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:50.399 Yeah, you're supposed to say righteous things. 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:52.720 That's what a Christian's language is supposed to be like. 00:16:52.799 --> 00:16:55.200 But Jesus says it starts inside. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:57.519 And that's what Solomon is doing here. 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:04.559 He's saying a right relationship with God that generates a right heart is where you start. 00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:08.720 Then you see that in different ways. 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:16.720 So doing righteousness and justice is more about having a heart that lives out the character of God than anything else. 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:21.599 Think about that for a minute. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:27.119 The wisest king who ever ruled over Israel taught his sons. 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:29.680 That's who this book was written to. 00:17:30.240 --> 00:17:43.680 Solomon taught his sons that having the right heart toward God and lived out in life is more important than the ritual of sacrifice. 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:49.680 So in 1 Samuel 15, God spoke to the king. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:50.880 What was the result? 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:52.480 Failure. 00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:57.119 In Proverbs 21, we have the king speaking to his son. 00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:58.400 What's the result? 00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:01.920 Sadly, failure. 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:17.200 The Old Testament shows us that multiple and continual generations, the best of the best, the kings of Israel, the kings of Judah, could not keep this key essence of God's expectations. 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:24.720 They didn't have the right heart over and over and over again that led to right living, to right obedience. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:28.319 It just happened occasionally, but not on a regular basis. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:32.799 The ones who did were the exception, not the rule. 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:37.440 One more Old Testament passage. 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:41.200 You go to the prophet Hosea. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:44.079 The prophet Hosea. 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:07.519 It's this one. 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:11.680 Hosea chapter six in verse six. 00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:19.680 Where God says, For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:24.720 I desire the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:34.799 This is sort of the culmination of the first two passages where God's saying, Listen, let's put sacrifices in the right place. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:42.799 Simply offering a sacrifice, even an animal that is a blood sacrifice, does not mean you have the right heart. 00:19:43.359 --> 00:19:46.480 You can do that all day long and not have the right heart. 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:53.119 God says, start with a right heart, and then you'll be going in the right direction. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:55.920 And this is the culmination of that. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:58.400 It's the pinnacle of it. 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:07.440 To understand what's going on here in Hosea 6, 6, we need to understand a little bit about its context. 00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:22.160 Chapter 1 of Hosea is perhaps one of the saddest chapters in the entire Bible. 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:35.519 God says to Israel in verse 10, you are not my people. 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:47.680 See, in Hosea's life, as in many prophets, God intended Hosea's life to be an object lesson for his people. 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:55.920 So Hosea was to marry a prostitute, and they had a child, and God said, I want you to name your child No Mercy. 00:20:57.440 --> 00:21:01.200 No mercy, because I'm done having mercy on my people. 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:03.039 I'm done forgiving them. 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:06.319 In fact, from now on, you can call them not my people. 00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:11.359 God says, I've had enough. 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:14.640 I've had enough. 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:24.319 And yet, in in chapter 2, down in verses 20 and 21, 22, 23, God gives some hope. 00:21:24.559 --> 00:21:32.079 He looks forward to a time when in essence he says, I'm going to bring you back and I'm going to remarry my bride. 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:35.599 And this time it's going to be in faithfulness. 00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:40.640 And the one that I didn't have mercy on, I'm now going to have mercy on. 00:21:40.720 --> 00:21:45.119 And the ones whom I said that you are not my people, I'm now going to say you are my people. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:47.359 He says, I'm going to restore everything. 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:54.799 Everything that's bad now, Hosea said, is going to be good later because of what God's going to do, right? 00:21:57.200 --> 00:21:59.599 Chapter three is all about the object lesson. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.359 Itself, Hosea marrying a woman. 00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:07.519 Now in chapter four, it begins with this. 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:15.599 Hear the word of Yahweh, O children of Israel. 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:19.279 So God's now saying, Listen up. 00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:21.920 You need to hear what I have to say. 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:25.440 But what he has to say is not good. 00:22:26.559 --> 00:22:34.960 He says, there's no faithfulness, there's no steadfast love, and there's no knowledge of God in the land. 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:36.079 Oh, well, wait a minute. 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:37.119 Didn't we just hear that? 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:38.799 Hosea 6, 6. 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:43.119 I desire steadfast love and knowledge of God rather than sacrifice. 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:46.000 But in chapter 4, God says, none of that's here. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.440 That doesn't exist. 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:53.599 He says, everywhere that I look amongst the people that should be my people, there's no faithfulness, and there's no steadfast love. 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:55.279 They don't know me. 00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:58.319 It's not there. 00:22:58.880 --> 00:23:00.400 Well, what does that mean? 00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:08.000 It means that there's no faith, there's no genuine trust in God because there are no renewed hearts. 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:13.119 Verse 6 of chapter 4, God says, My people are destroyed. 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:13.920 Why? 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:16.000 For lack of knowledge. 00:23:16.160 --> 00:23:17.119 What kind of knowledge? 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:19.920 Knowledge about God in verse 1. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:24.079 So I reject you from being priest to me. 00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:31.200 Since you've forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children. 00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:32.960 It's just terrible. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:36.079 It's terrible. 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:38.000 Verse 14. 00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:44.160 The very end, a people without understanding shall come to ruin. 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:46.079 God says to his people, You don't know me. 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:49.119 You don't have exactly what I desire. 00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:52.319 And so you're going to come to ruin. 00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:57.440 Now there's an important detail to know here about knowledge. 00:23:57.680 --> 00:24:09.039 When we talk about knowledge, especially from a biblical perspective, it's not simply a matter of taking in information and storing it in the grain matter in your skull. 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:10.480 That's not what we're talking about. 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:15.039 It's not taking in a piece of information and putting it in the file cabinet. 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:17.279 That's part of it. 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:29.359 When we talk about knowledge and instilling knowledge, it's about something that is understood, that is then trusted and followed out of love and devotion to the God who gave it. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:33.200 That's why we proclaim the Word of God. 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:40.319 We seek to give knowledge so that the Holy Spirit can give light to that knowledge so that you can have understanding in it. 00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:57.440 Israel didn't have that. 00:24:57.519 --> 00:25:01.519 That's why chapter 5 begins with this: Hear this, O priests. 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:06.799 God says, My people are not my people. 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:07.839 They have no knowledge. 00:25:08.000 --> 00:25:08.640 They don't know me. 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:09.599 Their hearts aren't right. 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:10.319 Who's to blame? 00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.519 The priests. 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:13.519 The priests. 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:17.839 Chapter 5, verse 4. 00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:21.119 Their deeds do not permit them to return to their God. 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:24.960 They know not Yahweh. 00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:30.240 Chapter 5, verse 15, though, has a change of tune. 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:41.200 I will return again to my place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face and in their distress earnestly seek me. 00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:42.960 Though there's bad and good there, right? 00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:51.839 You know how we sometimes say about somebody that who has walked away from the Lord or who's struggling in their relationship with Christ? 00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:54.400 They haven't hit rock bottom yet. 00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:57.279 That's kind of what God's saying here. 00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:59.920 He's saying, My people are going to hit rock bottom. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:03.359 I'm going to go back and I'm going to return to my place until they hit the bottom. 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:06.400 Because I know when they hit the bottom, then they're going to turn to me. 00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:08.559 Things are going to turn around then. 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:12.000 So there's both bad and good. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:14.079 There's both sadness and hope. 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:19.279 That's why chapter six begins with, Come, let us return to Yahweh. 00:26:19.839 --> 00:26:22.000 Verse 3, let us know. 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:26.720 Ah, now they're beginning to understand what God expects. 00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:28.640 He says, I want you to know me. 00:26:29.359 --> 00:26:32.880 And they say, let us know, let us press on to know. 00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:37.839 And he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains. 00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:40.640 That's what God wants to hear from his people. 00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:42.240 We want to know you. 00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:50.240 God says in verse 4, but what will I do with you? 00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:52.960 What will I do with you? 00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:59.759 Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away. 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:01.440 What's he saying? 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:04.079 You can talk all you want. 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:08.319 You can talk all you want, but your love is just, it's there and gone. 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:10.880 What kind of love is that? 00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:19.680 If you claim that you know me and yet you turn around and do whatever you want the next instance, what does that really communicate? 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:31.119 Therefore, verse 5, I have hewn them. 00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:38.319 By the prophet the prophets, I've slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. 00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:44.000 For my desire is steadfast love and not sacrifice. 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:50.960 I want you to know me before you offer burnt offerings. 00:27:55.920 --> 00:27:59.279 Chapter 7 is a rapid downward spiral. 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:01.440 Things just get worse and worse and worse. 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:03.920 In chapter 7, verse 7. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:09.200 All my people are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. 00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:13.039 All their kings have fallen, and none of them calls upon me. 00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:16.559 You can look at 2 Kings 15 for some reference to that. 00:28:16.640 --> 00:28:23.759 In 2 Kings 15, four of the last kings of Israel were assassinated, killed by their own people. 00:28:25.119 --> 00:28:34.000 Verse 10, yet they do not return to Yahweh their God, nor do they seek him for all of this. 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:38.559 Chapter 8. 00:28:39.680 --> 00:28:42.240 God sort of laying out his evidence. 00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:48.160 Verse 2, to me they cry, my God, we know you. 00:28:48.720 --> 00:28:53.759 Isn't it so wonderful that we've come to church in the midst of COVID? 00:28:54.880 --> 00:28:56.720 That was supposed to be funny. 00:29:01.519 --> 00:29:02.559 Seriously, though. 00:29:02.640 --> 00:29:05.759 And they're saying, look, God, look at what we've done. 00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:07.519 We know you. 00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:12.000 But where's the evidence? 00:29:12.640 --> 00:29:13.599 God says. 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:17.920 Oh, maybe you're sacrificing like Saul did, right? 00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:23.200 But there's no steadfast love, there's no true knowledge. 00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:25.279 At best, it's half-hearted obedience. 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:28.240 There's no one who's truly merciful as God requires. 00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:34.160 And so in verse 12 of chapter 8, we have this, the saddest part, I think, of the book of Hosea. 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:46.319 Were I to write for my people, if I was to take a pen and write out my laws by tens of thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing. 00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:51.599 It's as though you hand a Bible to somebody who has no idea who God is or what God has done. 00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:53.200 And what's this? 00:29:55.759 --> 00:29:58.480 God says, that's the people who are supposed to be my people. 00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:01.839 They say they know me. 00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:07.519 But do they know me when my word is a strange thing to them? 00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:12.240 Thankfully, there are some bits of hope. 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:13.759 Chapter 9. 00:30:15.599 --> 00:30:17.200 Chapter, I'm sorry, chapter 10. 00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:20.000 Let's go skip over to chapter 10 and verse 12. 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:24.319 Sow for yourselves righteousness. 00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:26.640 Where have we heard that before? 00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:29.039 Reap steadfast love. 00:30:29.200 --> 00:30:29.839 There we go. 00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:31.839 Remnants of chapter 6. 00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:34.400 Break up your fallow ground. 00:30:35.359 --> 00:30:36.000 Why? 00:30:36.480 --> 00:30:45.039 Because it is time to seek Yahweh so that he may come and reign righteousness upon you. 00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:52.960 There's hope, there's an anticipation that, okay, things are bad now, but God's going to come, he's going to fix everything, right? 00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:58.400 So chapter 11 is about anticipation, verse 1. 00:30:58.640 --> 00:31:00.960 When Israel was a child, I loved him. 00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:03.759 And out of Egypt I called my son. 00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:06.079 Where have we heard that before? 00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:08.400 Why would that be familiar? 00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:11.759 It's because Matthew quotes it. 00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:17.200 In Matthew chapter 2, verse 15, applying it to Jesus. 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:21.200 One more. 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:22.640 Chapter 14. 00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:26.720 Verse 9. 00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:30.960 The very last verse of the book. 00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:38.400 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things. 00:31:39.039 --> 00:31:43.200 Whoever is discerning, let him know them. 00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:45.839 Remember, 6-6 says, What? 00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:47.599 I want you to know me. 00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:50.720 God's saying, know these things. 00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:51.680 Why? 00:31:51.920 --> 00:31:55.519 Because the ways of the Lord are right, are righteous. 00:31:55.839 --> 00:32:03.359 And those who are upright, those who do right things, walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. 00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:08.559 What are the ways of Yahweh in that verse? 00:32:09.839 --> 00:32:13.759 When he says, the ways of the Lord are right, walk in them. 00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:14.799 What ways are they? 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:16.559 Well, we know what they're not, right? 00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:19.519 They're not sacrifice and they're not offerings. 00:32:20.480 --> 00:32:24.720 Because God does not delight in those things as much as he does in other things. 00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:38.799 Instead, he says, the things in which I delight, the things that I want you to walk in are steadfast love, mercy, justice, all lived out in obedience because of a heart right with God. 00:32:39.039 --> 00:32:40.720 But no one could do it. 00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:44.079 No one could do it. 00:32:44.400 --> 00:32:48.160 No one could fully live out the heart of God's law. 00:32:48.319 --> 00:32:49.440 What's the heart of God's law? 00:32:49.680 --> 00:32:50.240 6-6. 00:32:50.640 --> 00:32:54.079 I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice. 00:32:54.559 --> 00:32:58.240 I desire the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. 00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:02.480 Samuel tried to teach Saul that. 00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:09.759 Solomon tried to teach his sons that. 00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:20.319 And there's failure. 00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:27.119 Not Saul, not even David or Solomon, not even the prophets could fulfill the expectation. 00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:31.119 So here's a question. 00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:49.599 When Hosea says in chapter 10, verse 12, it is time to seek Yahweh so that he may come and reign righteousness upon you, what should the hearers expect? 00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:59.200 When he says it's time to seek God so that he can come and reign righteousness, what should the people expect? 00:33:59.359 --> 00:34:02.319 When God promised the Messiah, understand this. 00:34:02.480 --> 00:34:08.719 When God promised the Messiah, he gave his people exactly what they should look for. 00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:13.360 He gave them exactly what to look for. 00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:15.280 They shouldn't have missed it. 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:18.719 He promised a coming one. 00:34:19.360 --> 00:34:24.880 And he said, the coming one is going to come and he's going to rain down righteousness. 00:34:25.039 --> 00:34:26.559 What is righteousness? 00:34:27.599 --> 00:34:33.360 On the context of Hosea, it's holding fast to steadfast love. 00:34:34.719 --> 00:34:37.760 And justice, it is waiting continually. 00:34:38.320 --> 00:34:43.119 For your God, it is steadfast love and not sacrifice. 00:34:43.280 --> 00:34:48.320 It is knowing God rather than offering burnt offerings. 00:34:50.719 --> 00:34:57.519 You see, when God promised his Messiah, he told his people, everything that I've been giving you, you can't do. 00:34:58.320 --> 00:35:01.679 You've shown over and over and over again, you can't do this, you can't do this. 00:35:01.840 --> 00:35:02.559 You keep failing. 00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:06.880 Oh, you keep saying we know you and we're gonna try harder, and the end you keep failing. 00:35:10.159 --> 00:35:11.760 So what's gonna happen? 00:35:14.159 --> 00:35:17.519 God says, I'm going to come. 00:35:19.599 --> 00:35:22.079 And I'm going to rain down righteousness. 00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:27.599 Now let's go back to Matthew chapter 5. 00:35:33.360 --> 00:35:37.679 This is near the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, you'll remember. 00:35:40.719 --> 00:35:44.320 People were beginning to wonder who's this Jesus guy? 00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:46.480 What's all this stuff that he's saying? 00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:49.199 And sounds like he's contradicting the law. 00:35:49.280 --> 00:35:53.119 It sounds like he's saying about the law of Moses, we need to do away with that. 00:35:53.199 --> 00:35:55.840 It's over, it's done, it's abolished. 00:35:56.079 --> 00:36:00.159 But Jesus says, Do not think that I have come to abolish the law. 00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:02.000 This is chapter 5, verse 17. 00:36:02.159 --> 00:36:03.280 Matthew 5, 17. 00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:06.639 Do not think that I've come to abolish the law or the prophets. 00:36:08.639 --> 00:36:15.599 He says, Instead, I've come to fulfill them. 00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:29.440 Now, if Jesus' purpose is to fulfill God's law and the word of the prophets, what should we see Jesus doing? 00:36:32.880 --> 00:36:43.519 If you're with me, you should see him obeying the word of God fully from the lesson of Saul. 00:36:44.880 --> 00:36:56.000