Ozark Highlands Church
Sunday PM, July 19 2026
  • He Has Made Me Glad
  • he lives
  • He Knows My Name
  • Amazing Grace
  • The Old Rugged Cross

      • Zephaniah 2:1–3CSB

      • Zephaniah 2:2CSB

      • 2 Peter 3:9CSB

      • Jonah 3:4CSB

      • Luke 19:41CSB

      • Hebrews 3:15CSB

      • Exodus 15:11CSB

      • Philippians 3:7–10CSB

      • Psalm 63:1CSB

      • Jeremiah 29:13CSB

      • 2 Corinthians 5:17CSB

      • Luke 19:10CSB

      • Jeremiah 29:13CSB

      • Zephaniah 2:1–3CSB

      • Zephaniah 2:2CSB

      • 2 Peter 3:9CSB

      • Jonah 3:4CSB

      • Luke 19:41CSB

      • Hebrews 3:15CSB

      • Exodus 15:11CSB

      • Philippians 3:7–10CSB

      • Psalm 63:1CSB

      • Exodus 33:1–3CSB

      • Jeremiah 29:13CSB

      • Matthew 7:7CSB

      • Ephesians 2:8–9CSB

      • Ephesians 2:10CSB

      • James 4:6CSB

      • 2 Corinthians 5:17CSB

      • Luke 19:10CSB

      • Jeremiah 29:13CSB

  • The God who Won’t Let Go

    Good evening Church,
    Welcome to the third message in the series, Minor Prophets, Major Message. Tonight, we're leaving the book of Zephaniah, where we've spent the last two weeks, and we're turning our attention to the book of Hosea. Last week, Zephaniah invited us to seek the Lord. This week, Hosea reminds us why we should seek Him. We seek Him because even when we've wandered, He has never stopped loving us.
    As I've said from the very beginning, the goal of this series is to discover the unified message woven throughout all twelve of the Minor Prophets. Different authors. Different audiences. Different circumstances. Yet together they proclaim one consistent truth:
    Twelve prophets...
    One God...
    One message...
    And that message… Return to the Lord.
    Have you ever watched someone you love make not just one bad decision... but a series of bad decisions? Decisions that you knew were going to hurt them. Decisions that you knew, one day, they would regret for the rest of their lives.
    I think that's how God feels every time one of His children begins to drift away from Him.
    Several years ago, I wasn't just watching someone else drift away from God... I was the one drifting away from God.
    It didn't happen overnight. I didn't wake up one morning and decide I didn't want God anymore. That's not usually how it happens.
    It was one small decision after another. One compromise. One distraction. One step at a time. Every decision turned me just a little farther away from the Lord.
    Eventually, I had wandered so far that when I looked back, I couldn't see Him anymore. I couldn't feel His presence anymore.
    (Pause.)
    If you would have googled images of people who claim to be a Christian but are living as far from Christ as possible... my picture would have been on the first page.
    I was living my life... my way... and the frightening part was that I didn't even realize how far I had drifted.
    (Pause.)
    Then one day, I reached the end of myself.
    I finally cried out to God.
    And when I turned back toward Him... I discovered something that completely changed my understanding of who God is.
    I thought I had left Him behind.
    But He had never left me.
    (Pause.)
    He was right there.
    He had been there the entire time.
    It reminded me of a parent standing at the playground. A child runs ahead, convinced they're all alone. They stumble... they fall... and before they can even cry out for help, they're already in their parent's arms.
    The child thought they were by themselves.
    The parent never stopped watching.
    Years later, God gave me the opportunity to understand just a little of what He must have felt.
    As a father, I've watched Xander make decisions that I wish he hadn't made. Not because I wanted to control him. Not because I wanted everything done my way. But because I could see where that road was leading long before he could.
    Maybe you've been there too.
    Maybe it was your son...
    Your daughter...
    Your grandchild...
    Your spouse...
    Or maybe it was a close friend.
    You warned them.
    You pleaded with them.
    You prayed for them.
    You hoped beyond hope that they would listen.
    But they didn't.
    And as you watched them walk away, there was something inside of you that wished you could stop them—not because you were angry... but because you loved them.
    I firmly believe every parent understands that feeling.
    One of the hardest parts of loving someone is realizing you can't make every decision for them. You can teach them. You can encourage them. You can warn them. But eventually, they have to choose which path they'll take.
    Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about because you've lived it.
    Maybe you have a son or daughter who's wandered from the Lord.
    Maybe a grandchild who no longer has any interest in church.
    Maybe a brother or sister whose life has been consumed by addiction.
    Maybe a friend whose marriage has fallen apart because they refused to listen to godly counsel.
    And if you've ever walked through something like that, you've probably asked questions like:
    What else can I do?
    Will they ever come home?
    Have I lost them forever?
    Those are heartbreaking questions.
    But here's an even more remarkable thought.
    Long before those questions ever came from the heart of a parent... they came from the heart of God.
    When most people think about the Minor Prophets, they picture judgment, warnings, and calls to repentance. And while those things are certainly there, in Hosea chapter 11 God pulls back the curtain and allows us to see something extraordinary.
    He lets us see His heart.
    This evening we're going to discover that behind every warning is a Father who loves His children...
    Behind every call to repentance is a God who longs to restore...
    And behind every act of discipline is a love that refuses to let go.
    So, if you're able, would you please stand with me in honor and reverence for the reading of God's Word, Starting in Hosea 11:1-11 ?
    Hosea 11:1–11 CSB
    When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Israel called to the Egyptians even as Israel was leaving them. They kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the hand, but they never knew that I healed them. I led them with human cords, with ropes of love. To them I was like one who eases the yoke from their jaws; I bent down to give them food. Israel will not return to the land of Egypt and Assyria will be his king, because they refused to repent. A sword will whirl through his cities; it will destroy and devour the bars of his gates, because of their schemes. My people are bent on turning from me. Though they call to him on high, he will not exalt them at all. How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart; my compassion is stirred! I will not vent the full fury of my anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man, the Holy One among you; I will not come in rage. They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. They will be roused like birds from Egypt and like doves from the land of Assyria. Then I will settle them in their homes. This is the Lord’s declaration.
    I pray that you hear what I do as I read these verses... Christian… This isn't the voice of a distant Judge. This is the voice of a Father whose children have broken His heart... and yet He still refuses to stop loving them.
    Let us pray.
    Father God, thank You for Your Word. Thank You that You have not only revealed Your truth to us, but You've revealed Your heart to us. Open our eyes this evening to see You more clearly. Help us to understand how deep Your love truly is. Father, remove me from the pulpit so that Your message is what is heard today. And Lord, may every person in this room leave knowing that no matter how far they've wandered, You are still the God who won't let go. We ask all of this in th mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
    Please be seated
    As we walk through Hosea chapter 11 this evening, I want you to notice that this chapter unfolds almost like a conversation from the heart of a loving Father.
    It begins by reminding us of everything God has done for His people...
    Then it shows us the pain of watching those same people walk away from Him...
    And finally, it lets us hear one of the most beautiful expressions of God's love in all of Scripture.
    In other words, this chapter answers three questions:
    First... How has God loved us?
    Second... What happens when we walk away from that love?
    And third... Why doesn't God simply give up on us?
    Those three questions reveal the heartbeat of Hosea 11 and through those 3 questions we are going to discover 3 things...
    First, We are going to discover A love that raised Us.
    God looks back and remembers everything He has done for His children.
    Second, We are going to discover A love that Grieves.
    Not because God is weak, but because love always grieves when someone you love chooses to walk away.
    And finally, We are going to discover A love that Wont Let Go.
    This is a love that asks, 'How can I give you up?'
    A love that keeps pursuing.
    A love that keeps calling….
    A love that refuses to let go
    Point 1) A Love That Raised Us
    Let's begin where God begins.
    As we reread Hosea 11:1-4, I want you to notice how this conversation starts.
    It doesn't begin with God listing Israel's rebellion.
    It doesn't begin with Him talking about their idols.
    It doesn't begin with discipline.
    It begins with His love.
    Listen again to these verses, and as I read them, pay attention to one little word that is repeated over and over again...
    "I."
    Hosea 11:1–4 CSB
    When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Israel called to the Egyptians even as Israel was leaving them. They kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the hand, but they never knew that I healed them. I led them with human cords, with ropes of love. To them I was like one who eases the yoke from their jaws; I bent down to give them food.
    Did you hear it?
    I loved...
    I called...
    I taught...
    I healed...
    I led...
    I fed...
    Church, these aren't just memories.
    These are the actions of a Father raising His child.
    The first thing God wants His people to remember isn't what they did for Him.
    It's what He did for them.
    He takes them all the way back to Egypt.
    Before they had a king...
    Before they had a temple...
    Before they had a homeland...
    They were slaves.
    And God says,
    "I love you."
    Church, God's relationship with His people didn't begin because they deserved it.
    It began because He loves them.
    That's how every relationship with God begins.
    His love always comes before our obedience.
    That's grace.
    But here's what's amazing.
    This verse doesn't just point us back to Israel.
    It also points us forward to Jesus.
    Hundreds of years after Hosea wrote these words, Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt to protect the Christ child from King Herod. After Herod died, God called Jesus back out of Egypt.
    Matthew tells us that happened in Matthew 2:15… "so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: 'Out of Egypt I called My Son.'" (Matthew 2:15)
    Matthew 2:15 CSB
    He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son.
    Now, was Hosea originally talking about Jesus?
    No.
    He was talking about Israel.
    But Matthew shows us that Israel's story was always pointing to Someone greater.
    Israel was called God's son...
    Yet Israel repeatedly failed.
    Israel wandered… They rebelled… They cased after other gods.
    But Jesus became the true and faithful Son.
    Where Israel failed...
    Jesus obeyed.
    Where Israel wandered...
    Jesus remained faithful.
    Where Israel broke the covenant...
    Jesus fulfilled it perfectly.
    Brothers and sisters, Hosea isn't just reminding us about Israel's history.
    He's preparing us for Jesus.
    And because Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father, every person who places their faith in Him is invited into that same relationship.
    Listen to what Paul says in Romans 8:
    "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father!' The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God's children." (Romans 8:15–16)
    Romans 8:15–16 CSB
    For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,
    Do you hear the connection?
    Hosea says,
    "When Israel was a child, I loved him."
    Paul says,
    "You have been adopted as God's children."
    The same Father who loved Israel...
    Is the same Father who has adopted us through Jesus Christ.
    We aren't merely forgiven sinners.
    We are sons and daughters of the One True King.
    That means when God looks at you...
    He doesn't see a stranger trying to earn His love.
    He sees a child who has been welcomed into His family through His Son.
    Then in verse 3, God gives us one of the most beautiful pictures in the entire chapter.
    "It was I who taught Ephraim to walk."
    Can you imagine that picture?
    A father kneeling on the floor...
    Holding out his hands...
    Smiling as his little child takes those first uncertain steps.
    Every parent remembers those moments.
    The first step.
    The first stumble.
    The first smile.
    The excitement when they finally make it across the room.
    God says,
    "That was Me."
    "I was there."
    "I was the One holding your hand."
    "I was the One catching you when you fell."
    Then He says something heartbreaking.
    "...but they never knew that I healed them."
    Isn't that just like us?
    How many times has God protected us, and we never even realized it?
    How many accidents did He prevent?
    How many prayers did He answer in ways we never recognized?
    How many times did He carry us through something that should have destroyed us?
    And we never even knew He was the One doing it.
    Then in verse 4, God says,
    "I led them with human cords, with ropes of love."
    Don't picture chains.
    Picture a father reaching down and taking his little child's hand.
    The child doesn't understand where they're going...
    But the Father does.
    The child can't see the danger ahead...
    But the Father can.
    The Father isn't dragging His child.
    He's lovingly leading him.
    Then we come to what may be my favorite picture in these verses.
    "I bent down to give them food."
    Think about that for a moment.
    The Creator of the universe...
    The King of kings...
    The Almighty God...
    Bent down...
    To feed His children.
    That's what loving parents do.
    They kneel.
    They prepare meals.
    They wipe tears.
    They bandage scraped knees.
    They lose sleep.
    They sacrifice.
    Not because they have to...
    But because they love their children.
    And God says,
    "That's how I've loved you."
    Church, before God was ever Israel's Judge...
    He was Israel's Father.
    Before He talks about their rebellion...
    Before He confronts their failures...
    Before He addresses where they've wandered...
    He reminds them “I LOVE YOU”
    I want you to do something with me for just a moment.
    Close your eyes.
    Think back over this past week.
    What comes to your mind first?
    The things that went wrong?
    The deadlines?
    The disappointments?
    The frustrations?
    Or the countless ways God quietly cared for you?
    Christian, isn't it amazing how quickly we remember what went wrong...
    And how easily we forget everything God has already done for us?
    We remember our disappointments...
    The unanswered prayers...
    The difficult days.
    But how often do we stop and remember...
    Who carried us?
    Who provided for us?
    Who protected us?
    Who forgave us?
    Who never gave up on us?
    God begins Hosea 11 by saying,
    "Before we talk about where you are now... I want you to remember how I've loved you all along."
    Church, when I look back over my own life, I realize there were seasons when I thought I had wandered far away from God.
    But now, looking back with different eyes, I can see His fingerprints everywhere.
    I can see how He was protecting me when I didn't know I needed protection.
    I can see where He was providing when I didn't deserve His provision.
    I can see where He was pursuing me when I wasn't pursuing Him.
    At the time, I couldn't see it.
    But now I can honestly say,
    God has always been far more faithful to me than I have ever been to Him.
    And church, if you're honest...
    I think every one of us could say the exact same thing.
    John couldn't help but marvel at that kind of love. He wrote:
    "See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God's children—and we are!" (1 John 3:1)
    1 John 3:1 CSB
    See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.
    Church, don't miss that.
    John doesn't say,
    "Look how obedient we've been."
    He doesn't say,
    "Look how faithful we've been."
    He says,
    "Look at the Father's love."
    That's exactly what Hosea is doing.
    Before God says one word about Israel's rebellion...
    He reminds them,
    "I love you."
    Church, that's the Gospel.
    God always makes the first move.
    His love is never earned by our obedience.
    Our obedience is always the response to His love.
    But that raises a question.
    What happens...
    when children reject a love like that?
    Because UNTIL you understand how deeply God loves His children... you'll never understand how deeply their rebellion grieves His heart.
    You see, rebellion always hurts the one who loves you the most.
    If a complete stranger ignores my advice, I'll probably never think about it again.
    But if it's my wife...
    If it's my son...
    If it's someone I deeply love...
    That's different.
    Why?
    Because love changes everything.
    The deeper the love...
    The deeper the grief when that love is rejected.
    And no one has ever loved more deeply than God.
    This brings us to Point 2...
    2) A Love that Grieves
    Verse 5 is where Hosea takes a heartbreaking turn.
    The God who taught His children to walk... is now watching them walk away.
    Listen to what God says beginning in verse 5.
    Hosea 11:5–7 CSB
    Israel will not return to the land of Egypt and Assyria will be his king, because they refused to repent. A sword will whirl through his cities; it will destroy and devour the bars of his gates, because of their schemes. My people are bent on turning from me. Though they call to him on high, he will not exalt them at all.
    Did you hear what God said?
    "My people are bent on turning from Me."
    That word "bent" paints an incredible picture.
    It isn't describing someone who occasionally stumbles.
    It's describing someone who has become determined.
    Resolved.
    Set in their ways.
    Some translations say,
    "My people are determined to turn away from Me."
    In other words...
    This wasn't a momentary lapse in judgment.
    This wasn't one bad decision.
    This had become the direction of their lives.
    Church, isn't that exactly how sin works?
    It rarely begins with one giant decision.
    It begins with one small compromise.
    One little justification.
    One decision that doesn't seem like a very big deal.
    Then another.
    Then another.
    Until eventually our hearts become bent in a direction we never intended to go.
    Nobody wakes up one morning and says,
    "Today I'm going to ruin my life."
    We simply keep saying yes to one small compromise after another until one day we realize we've wandered much farther than we ever intended to go.
    I can tell you from personal experience...
    That's exactly what happened to me.
    I didn't wake up one morning and decide I was going to walk away from God.
    I didn't make one massive decision that changed everything overnight.
    It started with one small decision.
    One compromise.
    One distraction.
    One choice that seemed insignificant at the time.
    Then another.
    Then another.
    Before long, those little decisions became a pattern...
    And that pattern became the direction of my life.
    When I finally looked back toward God, I thought I had wandered so far that He couldn't possibly still be there.
    But that's the lie sin tells us.
    It is exactly how every wandering Christian gets to where they are…
    They usually begin with one small compromise that nobody thinks matters.
    And that's true spiritually as well.
    James describes this same progression in James 1:14–15
    James 1:14–15 CSB
    But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.
    "But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death."
    Do you see the progression?
    Desire...
    Sin...
    Death.
    James is saying the very same thing Hosea is showing us.
    Sin grows.
    It starts small.
    It gains momentum.
    And if it is left unchecked, it will always take us farther than we ever intended to go.
    The writer of Hebrews gives us another warning in Hebrews 3:12–13
    Hebrews 3:12–13 CSB
    Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.
    "Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God... Encourage each other daily... so that none of you is hardened by sin's deception."
    Did you catch that phrase?
    “Sins deception."
    That's exactly how the enemy works.
    He never shows you the destination.
    He only convinces you that one more step won't matter.
    One more compromise.
    One more secret.
    One more excuse.
    One more day.
    Until one day you wake up and realize you've wandered farther than you ever dreamed possible.
    Church, sin has been telling the same lie since the Garden of Eden.
    It promises freedom...
    But it always leads to slavery.
    It promises satisfaction...
    But it always leaves us empty.
    It promises life...
    But it always delivers death.
    And that's exactly where Israel found themselves.
    The people God had loved...
    The people God had raised...
    The people God had carried...
    Had become, in God's own words,
    "Bent on turning from Me."
    And if this chapter ended right here...
    It would be one of the saddest chapters in all of Scripture.
    Because if God's love depended on Israel's faithfulness...
    There would be no hope.
    And if God's love depended on our faithfulness...
    Neither would there be any hope for us.
    But thank God… Hosea 11 doesn't end in verse 7.
    Because if it did… This would simply be another story of human failure.
    Just when we expect God's judgment to have the final word...
    His heart speaks.
    And in the next few verses, we're going to hear some of the most breathtaking words ever spoken by God.
    Listen carefully.
    (Read Hosea 11:8–11.)
    Hosea 11:8–11 CSB
    How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart; my compassion is stirred! I will not vent the full fury of my anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man, the Holy One among you; I will not come in rage. They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. They will be roused like birds from Egypt and like doves from the land of Assyria. Then I will settle them in their homes. This is the Lord’s declaration.
    "How can I give you up, Ephraim?
    How can I surrender you, Israel?"
    Church...
    This is the moment everything changes.
    This is the moment we stop hearing merely what God is going to do...
    And we begin hearing what God is feeling.
    For the first time in this chapter, it's almost as though God pulls back the curtain and lets us see His heart.
    And what do we discover?
    A God who refuses to quit loving His people.
    That brings us to our final point.

    Point 3: The Love That Won't Let Go

    Listen to those questions again.
    "How can I give you up?"
    "How can I surrender you?"
    God isn't asking because He doesn't know the answer.
    These are the cries of a Father's heart.
    Think about everything we've seen so far.
    The child He loved...
    Just Walked away.
    The child He taught to walk...
    Rejected Him.
    The child He carried...
    Chased after other gods.
    The child He fed...
    Forgot Him.
    Justice says,
    "They deserve judgment."
    Holiness says,
    "Sin must be dealt with."
    But love asks,
    "How can I give you up?"
    Church, don't misunderstand what God is saying.
    He isn't ignoring their sin.
    He isn't pretending rebellion doesn't matter.
    In fact, discipline is coming.
    Assyria is coming.…
    God isn't making an empty threat. Within a generation, Assyria would conquer the northern kingdom.
    The consequences are real.
    But here's the amazing truth:
    God's discipline is never evidence that He has stopped loving His children.
    It's evidence that He refuses to stop loving and pursuing them.
    That's the difference between punishment and loving discipline.
    Punishment seeks to repay.
    Discipline seeks to restore.
    A loving father doesn't discipline because he has stopped loving his child.
    He disciplines because he loves that child too much to let him keep destroying himself.
    Isn't that exactly what Hebrews 12 tells us?
    "For the Lord disciplines the one He loves and punishes every son whom He receives." (Hebrews 12:6)
    Hebrews 12:6 CSB
    for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives.
    Brothers and sisters, Hosea is showing us the very same truth.
    The discipline of God flows from the love of God.
    Not the absence of it.
    And if you've ever wondered whether God has given up on you...
    Whether you've wandered too far...
    Whether you've made too many mistakes...
    Whether you've exhausted His grace...
    Hear the words of Hosea 11.
    "How can I give you up?"
    Those aren't just words for Israel.
    They reveal the heart of our God.
    Then, just when you think it couldn't get any better, God says in verse 9:
    "For I am God and not man, the Holy One among you, and I will not come in rage." Hosea 11:9
    Hosea 11:9 CSB
    For I am God and not man, the Holy One among you; I will not come in rage.
    I don't know about you, but I'm extremely thankful for these words!
    Because if God loved like we love...
    Most of us would have quit long ago.
    If God forgave like we forgive...
    There would have been a limit.
    If God loved only those who deserved it...
    None of us would have any hope.
    But He says,
    "I am God and not man."
    In other words...
    "My love isn't limited by your human weakness."
    "My mercy isn't exhausted by your human failure."
    "My faithfulness isn't determined by your human performance."
    Church, that's the Gospel.
    When we deserved judgment...
    God sent His Son.
    When we were still sinners...
    Christ died for us.
    Jesus became the true and faithful Son, succeeding where Israel failed.
    And on the cross, justice met mercy.
    The judgment our sin deserved...
    Fell on Him.
    So that the love of the Father could be poured out on us.
    That's why Jesus could say:
    "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand." (John 10:28–29)
    John 10:28–29 CSB
    I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
    Church...
    That's The God Who Won't Let Go.
    He wouldn't let go of Israel.
    He wouldn't let go of Hosea.
    He wouldn't let go of Peter after his denial.
    He wouldn't let go of the prodigal son.
    He won’t let go of me.
    And if you belong to Christ...
    He won't let go of you.
    So maybe today you're here, and you've been running from God.
    Come home.
    Maybe you've grown cold in your walk with Christ.
    Return to the Lord.
    Maybe you're carrying guilt...
    Shame...
    Regret...
    Or the weight of past failures...
    Convinced you've wandered too far.
    Come back.
    Because the Father isn't standing on the porch waiting to condemn you.
    He's standing there ready to welcome you.
    He's not asking,
    "Where have you been?"
    He's saying,
    "I've been waiting for you."
    Church, remember how this chapter began.
    The Father taught His child to walk.
    Then He watched that child walk away.
    But He never stopped loving him.
    And that's the story of the Gospel.
    Listen again to one of the most familiar verses in all of Scripture:
    "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, CSB)
    John 3:16 CSB
    For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
    Do you hear it?
    The Gospel doesn't begin with our love for God.
    It begins with God's love for us.
    The Father loved...
    So the Father gave His one and only Son.
    The Son willingly came...
    And the Son willingly went to the cross.
    Church, Hosea asked,
    "How can I give you up?"
    God's answer wasn't to ignore our sin.
    His answer was the cross.
    At the cross, God's holiness and God's love met perfectly.
    His holiness demanded that sin be judged.
    His love provided the sacrifice Himself.
    Jesus took the judgment that we deserved...
    So that we could receive the mercy we could never deserve.
    Justice was satisfied.
    Mercy was extended.
    Grace was freely offered.
    So that wandering sons and daughters like you and me could finally come home.
    And maybe that's exactly why Jesus told the story of the Prodigal Son.
    The son came home expecting a lecture.
    Instead, he found a father running toward him.
    A father embracing him.
    A father restoring him.
    A father rejoicing over him.
    Church...
    That's the God Hosea wants us to see.
    Not a distant Judge eager to condemn.
    But a holy Father whose love is greater than our rebellion.
    A Father who disciplines because He loves.
    A Father who pursues because He loves.
    A Father who refuses to let go.
    So wherever you are today...
    If you've wandered...
    Come home.
    If your heart has grown cold...
    Return to the Lord.
    If you've been trying to carry the weight of your sin by yourself...
    Come back to the Father.
    If you've been wondering whether God could ever forgive you...
    Run into His grace.
    His arms are still open.
    His mercy is still available.
    His grace is still sufficient.
    And His invitation has never changed.
    So Return to the Lord.
    Because the God who loved you in the beginning...
    Is the God who refuses to let you go.
    Church...
    Until next week...
    Keep seeking the Lord.
    Because even in the Minor Prophets...
    We keep discovering one major message:
    Twelve prophets...
    One God...
    One message...
    Return to the Lord...
    Because His mercy is greater than your rebellion.
    (Pause.)
    Let's pray.

      • Hosea 11:1–11NIV2011

      • Hosea 11:1–4NIV2011

      • Matthew 2:15NIV2011

      • Romans 8:15–16NIV2011

      • 1 John 3:1NIV2011

      • Hosea 11:5–7NIV2011

      • James 1:14–15NIV2011

      • Hebrews 3:12–13NIV2011

      • Hosea 11:8–11NIV2011

      • Hebrews 12:6NIV2011

      • Hosea 11:9NIV2011

      • John 10:28–29NIV2011

      • John 3:16NIV2011

  • The God who Won’t Let Go

    Good evening Church,
    Welcome to the third message in the series, Minor Prophets, Major Message. Tonight, we're leaving the book of Zephaniah, where we've spent the last two weeks, and we're turning our attention to the book of Hosea. Last week, Zephaniah invited us to seek the Lord. This week, Hosea reminds us why we should seek Him. We seek Him because even when we've wandered, He has never stopped loving us.
    As I've said from the very beginning, the goal of this series is to discover the unified message woven throughout all twelve of the Minor Prophets. Different authors. Different audiences. Different circumstances. Yet together they proclaim one consistent truth:
    Twelve prophets...
    One God...
    One message...
    And that message… Return to the Lord.
    Have you ever watched someone you love make not just one bad decision... but a series of bad decisions? Decisions that you knew were going to hurt them. Decisions that you knew, one day, they would regret for the rest of their lives.
    I think that's how God feels every time one of His children begins to drift away from Him.
    Several years ago, I wasn't just watching someone else drift away from God... I was the one drifting away from God.
    It didn't happen overnight. I didn't wake up one morning and decide I didn't want God anymore. That's not usually how it happens.
    It was one small decision after another. One compromise. One distraction. One step at a time. Every decision turned me just a little farther away from the Lord.
    Eventually, I had wandered so far that when I looked back, I couldn't see Him anymore. I couldn't feel His presence anymore.
    (Pause.)
    If you would have googled images of people who claim to be a Christian but are living as far from Christ as possible... my picture would have been on the first page.
    I was living my life... my way... and the frightening part was that I didn't even realize how far I had drifted.
    (Pause.)
    Then one day, I reached the end of myself.
    I finally cried out to God.
    And when I turned back toward Him... I discovered something that completely changed my understanding of who God is.
    I thought I had left Him behind.
    But He had never left me.
    (Pause.)
    He was right there.
    He had been there the entire time.
    It reminded me of a parent standing at the playground. A child runs ahead, convinced they're all alone. They stumble... they fall... and before they can even cry out for help, they're already in their parent's arms.
    The child thought they were by themselves.
    The parent never stopped watching.
    Years later, God gave me the opportunity to understand just a little of what He must have felt.
    As a father, I've watched Xander make decisions that I wish he hadn't made. Not because I wanted to control him. Not because I wanted everything done my way. But because I could see where that road was leading long before he could.
    Maybe you've been there too.
    Maybe it was your son...
    Your daughter...
    Your grandchild...
    Your spouse...
    Or maybe it was a close friend.
    You warned them.
    You pleaded with them.
    You prayed for them.
    You hoped beyond hope that they would listen.
    But they didn't.
    And as you watched them walk away, there was something inside of you that wished you could stop them—not because you were angry... but because you loved them.
    I firmly believe every parent understands that feeling.
    One of the hardest parts of loving someone is realizing you can't make every decision for them. You can teach them. You can encourage them. You can warn them. But eventually, they have to choose which path they'll take.
    Some of you know exactly what I'm talking about because you've lived it.
    Maybe you have a son or daughter who's wandered from the Lord.
    Maybe a grandchild who no longer has any interest in church.
    Maybe a brother or sister whose life has been consumed by addiction.
    Maybe a friend whose marriage has fallen apart because they refused to listen to godly counsel.
    And if you've ever walked through something like that, you've probably asked questions like:
    What else can I do?
    Will they ever come home?
    Have I lost them forever?
    Those are heartbreaking questions.
    But here's an even more remarkable thought.
    Long before those questions ever came from the heart of a parent... they came from the heart of God.
    When most people think about the Minor Prophets, they picture judgment, warnings, and calls to repentance. And while those things are certainly there, in Hosea chapter 11 God pulls back the curtain and allows us to see something extraordinary.
    He lets us see His heart.
    This evening we're going to discover that behind every warning is a Father who loves His children...
    Behind every call to repentance is a God who longs to restore...
    And behind every act of discipline is a love that refuses to let go.
    So, if you're able, would you please stand with me in honor and reverence for the reading of God's Word, Starting in Hosea 11:1-11 ?
    Hosea 11:1–11 CSB
    When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Israel called to the Egyptians even as Israel was leaving them. They kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the hand, but they never knew that I healed them. I led them with human cords, with ropes of love. To them I was like one who eases the yoke from their jaws; I bent down to give them food. Israel will not return to the land of Egypt and Assyria will be his king, because they refused to repent. A sword will whirl through his cities; it will destroy and devour the bars of his gates, because of their schemes. My people are bent on turning from me. Though they call to him on high, he will not exalt them at all. How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart; my compassion is stirred! I will not vent the full fury of my anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man, the Holy One among you; I will not come in rage. They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. They will be roused like birds from Egypt and like doves from the land of Assyria. Then I will settle them in their homes. This is the Lord’s declaration.
    I pray that you hear what I do as I read these verses... Christian… This isn't the voice of a distant Judge. This is the voice of a Father whose children have broken His heart... and yet He still refuses to stop loving them.
    Let us pray.
    Father God, thank You for Your Word. Thank You that You have not only revealed Your truth to us, but You've revealed Your heart to us. Open our eyes this evening to see You more clearly. Help us to understand how deep Your love truly is. Father, remove me from the pulpit so that Your message is what is heard today. And Lord, may every person in this room leave knowing that no matter how far they've wandered, You are still the God who won't let go. We ask all of this in th mighty name of Jesus. Amen.
    Please be seated
    As we walk through Hosea chapter 11 this evening, I want you to notice that this chapter unfolds almost like a conversation from the heart of a loving Father.
    It begins by reminding us of everything God has done for His people...
    Then it shows us the pain of watching those same people walk away from Him...
    And finally, it lets us hear one of the most beautiful expressions of God's love in all of Scripture.
    In other words, this chapter answers three questions:
    First... How has God loved us?
    Second... What happens when we walk away from that love?
    And third... Why doesn't God simply give up on us?
    Those three questions reveal the heartbeat of Hosea 11 and through those 3 questions we are going to discover 3 things...
    First, We are going to discover A love that raised Us.
    God looks back and remembers everything He has done for His children.
    Second, We are going to discover A love that Grieves.
    Not because God is weak, but because love always grieves when someone you love chooses to walk away.
    And finally, We are going to discover A love that Wont Let Go.
    This is a love that asks, 'How can I give you up?'
    A love that keeps pursuing.
    A love that keeps calling….
    A love that refuses to let go
    Point 1) A Love That Raised Us
    Let's begin where God begins.
    As we reread Hosea 11:1-4, I want you to notice how this conversation starts.
    It doesn't begin with God listing Israel's rebellion.
    It doesn't begin with Him talking about their idols.
    It doesn't begin with discipline.
    It begins with His love.
    Listen again to these verses, and as I read them, pay attention to one little word that is repeated over and over again...
    "I."
    Hosea 11:1–4 CSB
    When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Israel called to the Egyptians even as Israel was leaving them. They kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the hand, but they never knew that I healed them. I led them with human cords, with ropes of love. To them I was like one who eases the yoke from their jaws; I bent down to give them food.
    Did you hear it?
    I loved...
    I called...
    I taught...
    I healed...
    I led...
    I fed...
    Church, these aren't just memories.
    These are the actions of a Father raising His child.
    The first thing God wants His people to remember isn't what they did for Him.
    It's what He did for them.
    He takes them all the way back to Egypt.
    Before they had a king...
    Before they had a temple...
    Before they had a homeland...
    They were slaves.
    And God says,
    "I love you."
    Church, God's relationship with His people didn't begin because they deserved it.
    It began because He loves them.
    That's how every relationship with God begins.
    His love always comes before our obedience.
    That's grace.
    But here's what's amazing.
    This verse doesn't just point us back to Israel.
    It also points us forward to Jesus.
    Hundreds of years after Hosea wrote these words, Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt to protect the Christ child from King Herod. After Herod died, God called Jesus back out of Egypt.
    Matthew tells us that happened in Matthew 2:15… "so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: 'Out of Egypt I called My Son.'" (Matthew 2:15)
    Matthew 2:15 CSB
    He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son.
    Now, was Hosea originally talking about Jesus?
    No.
    He was talking about Israel.
    But Matthew shows us that Israel's story was always pointing to Someone greater.
    Israel was called God's son...
    Yet Israel repeatedly failed.
    Israel wandered… They rebelled… They cased after other gods.
    But Jesus became the true and faithful Son.
    Where Israel failed...
    Jesus obeyed.
    Where Israel wandered...
    Jesus remained faithful.
    Where Israel broke the covenant...
    Jesus fulfilled it perfectly.
    Brothers and sisters, Hosea isn't just reminding us about Israel's history.
    He's preparing us for Jesus.
    And because Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father, every person who places their faith in Him is invited into that same relationship.
    Listen to what Paul says in Romans 8:
    "For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father!' The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God's children." (Romans 8:15–16)
    Romans 8:15–16 CSB
    For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,
    Do you hear the connection?
    Hosea says,
    "When Israel was a child, I loved him."
    Paul says,
    "You have been adopted as God's children."
    The same Father who loved Israel...
    Is the same Father who has adopted us through Jesus Christ.
    We aren't merely forgiven sinners.
    We are sons and daughters of the One True King.
    That means when God looks at you...
    He doesn't see a stranger trying to earn His love.
    He sees a child who has been welcomed into His family through His Son.
    Then in verse 3, God gives us one of the most beautiful pictures in the entire chapter.
    "It was I who taught Ephraim to walk."
    Can you imagine that picture?
    A father kneeling on the floor...
    Holding out his hands...
    Smiling as his little child takes those first uncertain steps.
    Every parent remembers those moments.
    The first step.
    The first stumble.
    The first smile.
    The excitement when they finally make it across the room.
    God says,
    "That was Me."
    "I was there."
    "I was the One holding your hand."
    "I was the One catching you when you fell."
    Then He says something heartbreaking.
    "...but they never knew that I healed them."
    Isn't that just like us?
    How many times has God protected us, and we never even realized it?
    How many accidents did He prevent?
    How many prayers did He answer in ways we never recognized?
    How many times did He carry us through something that should have destroyed us?
    And we never even knew He was the One doing it.
    Then in verse 4, God says,
    "I led them with human cords, with ropes of love."
    Don't picture chains.
    Picture a father reaching down and taking his little child's hand.
    The child doesn't understand where they're going...
    But the Father does.
    The child can't see the danger ahead...
    But the Father can.
    The Father isn't dragging His child.
    He's lovingly leading him.
    Then we come to what may be my favorite picture in these verses.
    "I bent down to give them food."
    Think about that for a moment.
    The Creator of the universe...
    The King of kings...
    The Almighty God...
    Bent down...
    To feed His children.
    That's what loving parents do.
    They kneel.
    They prepare meals.
    They wipe tears.
    They bandage scraped knees.
    They lose sleep.
    They sacrifice.
    Not because they have to...
    But because they love their children.
    And God says,
    "That's how I've loved you."
    Church, before God was ever Israel's Judge...
    He was Israel's Father.
    Before He talks about their rebellion...
    Before He confronts their failures...
    Before He addresses where they've wandered...
    He reminds them “I LOVE YOU”
    I want you to do something with me for just a moment.
    Close your eyes.
    Think back over this past week.
    What comes to your mind first?
    The things that went wrong?
    The deadlines?
    The disappointments?
    The frustrations?
    Or the countless ways God quietly cared for you?
    Christian, isn't it amazing how quickly we remember what went wrong...
    And how easily we forget everything God has already done for us?
    We remember our disappointments...
    The unanswered prayers...
    The difficult days.
    But how often do we stop and remember...
    Who carried us?
    Who provided for us?
    Who protected us?
    Who forgave us?
    Who never gave up on us?
    God begins Hosea 11 by saying,
    "Before we talk about where you are now... I want you to remember how I've loved you all along."
    Church, when I look back over my own life, I realize there were seasons when I thought I had wandered far away from God.
    But now, looking back with different eyes, I can see His fingerprints everywhere.
    I can see how He was protecting me when I didn't know I needed protection.
    I can see where He was providing when I didn't deserve His provision.
    I can see where He was pursuing me when I wasn't pursuing Him.
    At the time, I couldn't see it.
    But now I can honestly say,
    God has always been far more faithful to me than I have ever been to Him.
    And church, if you're honest...
    I think every one of us could say the exact same thing.
    John couldn't help but marvel at that kind of love. He wrote:
    "See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God's children—and we are!" (1 John 3:1)
    1 John 3:1 CSB
    See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him.
    Church, don't miss that.
    John doesn't say,
    "Look how obedient we've been."
    He doesn't say,
    "Look how faithful we've been."
    He says,
    "Look at the Father's love."
    That's exactly what Hosea is doing.
    Before God says one word about Israel's rebellion...
    He reminds them,
    "I love you."
    Church, that's the Gospel.
    God always makes the first move.
    His love is never earned by our obedience.
    Our obedience is always the response to His love.
    But that raises a question.
    What happens...
    when children reject a love like that?
    Because UNTIL you understand how deeply God loves His children... you'll never understand how deeply their rebellion grieves His heart.
    You see, rebellion always hurts the one who loves you the most.
    If a complete stranger ignores my advice, I'll probably never think about it again.
    But if it's my wife...
    If it's my son...
    If it's someone I deeply love...
    That's different.
    Why?
    Because love changes everything.
    The deeper the love...
    The deeper the grief when that love is rejected.
    And no one has ever loved more deeply than God.
    This brings us to Point 2...
    2) A Love that Grieves
    Verse 5 is where Hosea takes a heartbreaking turn.
    The God who taught His children to walk... is now watching them walk away.
    Listen to what God says beginning in verse 5.
    Hosea 11:5–7 CSB
    Israel will not return to the land of Egypt and Assyria will be his king, because they refused to repent. A sword will whirl through his cities; it will destroy and devour the bars of his gates, because of their schemes. My people are bent on turning from me. Though they call to him on high, he will not exalt them at all.
    Did you hear what God said?
    "My people are bent on turning from Me."
    That word "bent" paints an incredible picture.
    It isn't describing someone who occasionally stumbles.
    It's describing someone who has become determined.
    Resolved.
    Set in their ways.
    Some translations say,
    "My people are determined to turn away from Me."
    In other words...
    This wasn't a momentary lapse in judgment.
    This wasn't one bad decision.
    This had become the direction of their lives.
    Church, isn't that exactly how sin works?
    It rarely begins with one giant decision.
    It begins with one small compromise.
    One little justification.
    One decision that doesn't seem like a very big deal.
    Then another.
    Then another.
    Until eventually our hearts become bent in a direction we never intended to go.
    Nobody wakes up one morning and says,
    "Today I'm going to ruin my life."
    We simply keep saying yes to one small compromise after another until one day we realize we've wandered much farther than we ever intended to go.
    I can tell you from personal experience...
    That's exactly what happened to me.
    I didn't wake up one morning and decide I was going to walk away from God.
    I didn't make one massive decision that changed everything overnight.
    It started with one small decision.
    One compromise.
    One distraction.
    One choice that seemed insignificant at the time.
    Then another.
    Then another.
    Before long, those little decisions became a pattern...
    And that pattern became the direction of my life.
    When I finally looked back toward God, I thought I had wandered so far that He couldn't possibly still be there.
    But that's the lie sin tells us.
    It is exactly how every wandering Christian gets to where they are…
    They usually begin with one small compromise that nobody thinks matters.
    And that's true spiritually as well.
    James describes this same progression in James 1:14–15
    James 1:14–15 CSB
    But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.
    "But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death."
    Do you see the progression?
    Desire...
    Sin...
    Death.
    James is saying the very same thing Hosea is showing us.
    Sin grows.
    It starts small.
    It gains momentum.
    And if it is left unchecked, it will always take us farther than we ever intended to go.
    The writer of Hebrews gives us another warning in Hebrews 3:12–13
    Hebrews 3:12–13 CSB
    Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.
    "Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God... Encourage each other daily... so that none of you is hardened by sin's deception."
    Did you catch that phrase?
    “Sins deception."
    That's exactly how the enemy works.
    He never shows you the destination.
    He only convinces you that one more step won't matter.
    One more compromise.
    One more secret.
    One more excuse.
    One more day.
    Until one day you wake up and realize you've wandered farther than you ever dreamed possible.
    Church, sin has been telling the same lie since the Garden of Eden.
    It promises freedom...
    But it always leads to slavery.
    It promises satisfaction...
    But it always leaves us empty.
    It promises life...
    But it always delivers death.
    And that's exactly where Israel found themselves.
    The people God had loved...
    The people God had raised...
    The people God had carried...
    Had become, in God's own words,
    "Bent on turning from Me."
    And if this chapter ended right here...
    It would be one of the saddest chapters in all of Scripture.
    Because if God's love depended on Israel's faithfulness...
    There would be no hope.
    And if God's love depended on our faithfulness...
    Neither would there be any hope for us.
    But thank God… Hosea 11 doesn't end in verse 7.
    Because if it did… This would simply be another story of human failure.
    Just when we expect God's judgment to have the final word...
    His heart speaks.
    And in the next few verses, we're going to hear some of the most breathtaking words ever spoken by God.
    Listen carefully.
    (Read Hosea 11:8–11.)
    Hosea 11:8–11 CSB
    How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart; my compassion is stirred! I will not vent the full fury of my anger; I will not turn back to destroy Ephraim. For I am God and not man, the Holy One among you; I will not come in rage. They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. They will be roused like birds from Egypt and like doves from the land of Assyria. Then I will settle them in their homes. This is the Lord’s declaration.
    "How can I give you up, Ephraim?
    How can I surrender you, Israel?"
    Church...
    This is the moment everything changes.
    This is the moment we stop hearing merely what God is going to do...
    And we begin hearing what God is feeling.
    For the first time in this chapter, it's almost as though God pulls back the curtain and lets us see His heart.
    And what do we discover?
    A God who refuses to quit loving His people.
    That brings us to our final point.

    Point 3: The Love That Won't Let Go

    Listen to those questions again.
    "How can I give you up?"
    "How can I surrender you?"
    God isn't asking because He doesn't know the answer.
    These are the cries of a Father's heart.
    Think about everything we've seen so far.
    The child He loved...
    Just Walked away.
    The child He taught to walk...
    Rejected Him.
    The child He carried...
    Chased after other gods.
    The child He fed...
    Forgot Him.
    Justice says,
    "They deserve judgment."
    Holiness says,
    "Sin must be dealt with."
    But love asks,
    "How can I give you up?"
    Church, don't misunderstand what God is saying.
    He isn't ignoring their sin.
    He isn't pretending rebellion doesn't matter.
    In fact, discipline is coming.
    Assyria is coming.…
    God isn't making an empty threat. Within a generation, Assyria would conquer the northern kingdom.
    The consequences are real.
    But here's the amazing truth:
    God's discipline is never evidence that He has stopped loving His children.
    It's evidence that He refuses to stop loving and pursuing them.
    That's the difference between punishment and loving discipline.
    Punishment seeks to repay.
    Discipline seeks to restore.
    A loving father doesn't discipline because he has stopped loving his child.
    He disciplines because he loves that child too much to let him keep destroying himself.
    Isn't that exactly what Hebrews 12 tells us?
    "For the Lord disciplines the one He loves and punishes every son whom He receives." (Hebrews 12:6)
    Hebrews 12:6 CSB
    for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and punishes every son he receives.
    Brothers and sisters, Hosea is showing us the very same truth.
    The discipline of God flows from the love of God.
    Not the absence of it.
    And if you've ever wondered whether God has given up on you...
    Whether you've wandered too far...
    Whether you've made too many mistakes...
    Whether you've exhausted His grace...
    Hear the words of Hosea 11.
    "How can I give you up?"
    Those aren't just words for Israel.
    They reveal the heart of our God.
    Then, just when you think it couldn't get any better, God says in verse 9:
    "For I am God and not man, the Holy One among you, and I will not come in rage." Hosea 11:9
    Hosea 11:9 CSB
    For I am God and not man, the Holy One among you; I will not come in rage.
    I don't know about you, but I'm extremely thankful for these words!
    Because if God loved like we love...
    Most of us would have quit long ago.
    If God forgave like we forgive...
    There would have been a limit.
    If God loved only those who deserved it...
    None of us would have any hope.
    But He says,
    "I am God and not man."
    In other words...
    "My love isn't limited by your human weakness."
    "My mercy isn't exhausted by your human failure."
    "My faithfulness isn't determined by your human performance."
    Church, that's the Gospel.
    When we deserved judgment...
    God sent His Son.
    When we were still sinners...
    Christ died for us.
    Jesus became the true and faithful Son, succeeding where Israel failed.
    And on the cross, justice met mercy.
    The judgment our sin deserved...
    Fell on Him.
    So that the love of the Father could be poured out on us.
    That's why Jesus could say:
    "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand." (John 10:28–29)
    John 10:28–29 CSB
    I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
    Church...
    That's The God Who Won't Let Go.
    He wouldn't let go of Israel.
    He wouldn't let go of Hosea.
    He wouldn't let go of Peter after his denial.
    He wouldn't let go of the prodigal son.
    He won’t let go of me.
    And if you belong to Christ...
    He won't let go of you.
    So maybe today you're here, and you've been running from God.
    Come home.
    Maybe you've grown cold in your walk with Christ.
    Return to the Lord.
    Maybe you're carrying guilt...
    Shame...
    Regret...
    Or the weight of past failures...
    Convinced you've wandered too far.
    Come back.
    Because the Father isn't standing on the porch waiting to condemn you.
    He's standing there ready to welcome you.
    He's not asking,
    "Where have you been?"
    He's saying,
    "I've been waiting for you."
    Church, remember how this chapter began.
    The Father taught His child to walk.
    Then He watched that child walk away.
    But He never stopped loving him.
    And that's the story of the Gospel.
    Listen again to one of the most familiar verses in all of Scripture:
    "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, CSB)
    John 3:16 CSB
    For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
    Do you hear it?
    The Gospel doesn't begin with our love for God.
    It begins with God's love for us.
    The Father loved...
    So the Father gave His one and only Son.
    The Son willingly came...
    And the Son willingly went to the cross.
    Church, Hosea asked,
    "How can I give you up?"
    God's answer wasn't to ignore our sin.
    His answer was the cross.
    At the cross, God's holiness and God's love met perfectly.
    His holiness demanded that sin be judged.
    His love provided the sacrifice Himself.
    Jesus took the judgment that we deserved...
    So that we could receive the mercy we could never deserve.
    Justice was satisfied.
    Mercy was extended.
    Grace was freely offered.
    So that wandering sons and daughters like you and me could finally come home.
    And maybe that's exactly why Jesus told the story of the Prodigal Son.
    The son came home expecting a lecture.
    Instead, he found a father running toward him.
    A father embracing him.
    A father restoring him.
    A father rejoicing over him.
    Church...
    That's the God Hosea wants us to see.
    Not a distant Judge eager to condemn.
    But a holy Father whose love is greater than our rebellion.
    A Father who disciplines because He loves.
    A Father who pursues because He loves.
    A Father who refuses to let go.
    So wherever you are today...
    If you've wandered...
    Come home.
    If your heart has grown cold...
    Return to the Lord.
    If you've been trying to carry the weight of your sin by yourself...
    Come back to the Father.
    If you've been wondering whether God could ever forgive you...
    Run into His grace.
    His arms are still open.
    His mercy is still available.
    His grace is still sufficient.
    And His invitation has never changed.
    So Return to the Lord.
    Because the God who loved you in the beginning...
    Is the God who refuses to let you go.
    Church...
    Until next week...
    Keep seeking the Lord.
    Because even in the Minor Prophets...
    We keep discovering one major message:
    Twelve prophets...
    One God...
    One message...
    Return to the Lord...
    Because His mercy is greater than your rebellion.
    (Pause.)
    Let's pray.

      • Hosea 11:1–11NIV2011

      • Hosea 11:1–4NIV2011

      • Matthew 2:15NIV2011

      • Romans 8:15–16NIV2011

      • 1 John 3:1NIV2011

      • Hosea 11:5–7NIV2011

      • James 1:14–15NIV2011

      • Hebrews 3:12–13NIV2011

      • Hosea 11:8–11NIV2011

      • Hebrews 12:6NIV2011

      • Hosea 11:9NIV2011

      • John 10:28–29NIV2011

      • John 3:16NIV2011

Ozark Highlands Church
ohc65721@gmail.com
(417) 689-2524
https://ohc-d.faithlifesites.com
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