July 11-13, 2015 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Micah 5:2 “IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT!”

MAJORING IN THE MINORS: MICAH

July 11-13, 2015

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Micah 5:2

“IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT!”

1.     God likes to use the little things.

2.     God likes to be served in the little things.

3.     But He accomplishes big things.

Micah 5:2    (NIV 1984) "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

          So, what do you want to be when you grow up? I’ve read quite a few answers on papers in the halls at a school. Many children dream of being something big like an astronaut or an NFL quarterback or the President of the United States. It’s good and fun for us to aspire to do big things, however in his book the prophet Micah reminds us that with God, it’s the little things that count. I don’t know what it was the prophet Micah wanted to be when he grew up but this small town boy from Moresheth was used by God to bring a big message to God’s people. His overall message was much the same as some of the other Minor Prophets we have looked at already. God is not willing to let unrepentant sin hold court in the hearts of His people. Micah lived at a time of prosperity and greed had taken root. Things were valued more than people so that people were oppressed and things treated like gods. There would chastisement. If you have been reading the Meditations book this past week you know that God used these hard things to help his people repent of their sins. Then there would be forgiveness and relief. As Micah wrote at the end of his book, (Micah 7:2) “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” Interspersed in Micah’s call to repentance and promise of forgiveness we find one of those important truths for Christian living. It’s the little things that count. It’s the little things that count because God likes to use the little things.

There’s a neat little game out there that maybe some of you know of or have played. It’s really easy. It’s called Tribond. You get a list of three things that don’t seem to be related  but they have something in common. Let’s try one. Red. White. Blue. That would be colors of the American flag. Let’s try another one. Gideon’s 300 soldiers. 5 barley loaves with 2 small fish. The widow’s mite. Those are a little things that accomplished big things when used by God. God used the 300 to rout the entire Midianite army. He used the five loves and two fish to feed 5000 men not counting the women and children with 12 baskets of leftovers to boot. He used the widow’s mite to teach millions of believers that trust and love is at the heart of Christian giving. One more. Bethlehem. A baby. A cross. Little things that God likes to use. It may have felt like Christmas in July a few minutes ago and that’s because God included this Christmas gem in Micah’s book.  "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

As the Christmas carol says, Bethlehem was a little town. It wasn’t big enough to be listed among the clan cities. It wasn’t a Milwaukee, Madison or Green Bay. It wasn’t a Waukesha oven a Greenfield. It was a Raymond, or Vernon or Neosho. A little town. But that’s what God chose to use as the birthplace of His only Son, our Savior, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ruler of all believers, whose origin is so ancient we can’t fathom because He is eternal. In little Bethlehem a little baby boy was born to a little known couple named Mary and Joseph. Are we starting to see a pattern here? It’s the little things that count because God likes to use the little things. Do you see what that means? God likes to use people like us. The Apostle Paul echoed this truth when he wrote to our brothers and sisters in Corinth. “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”

This is true for us. By human standards not many if any of us are movers and shakers in the Milwaukee area. But don’t let the Devil trick you into thinking you are useless. God likes to use the little things. Children He desires to use you. Those of you whose bodies are failing God wants to use you too and all of us in between. It’s the little things that count and God likes to use the little things.

          He’s also likes to be served in the little things. I’m going to be 48 in a month. I guess somewhere in here I’m supposed to have a mid life crisis, this time when you look at your life and get depressed. What great things have I accomplished? How have I made an impact on the world? It goes back to what do I want to be when I grow up. We aspire to do great things in the eyes of the world. We exchange the glory of God for the value system of the world that hates Him! Oh that we would rather aspire to do great things in the eyes of the Lord. Oh that we could be more excited about kids showing daily kindness than scoring a goal. It’s the little things that count. God through Micah reminded the people of what He looks for when he said in Micah 6  "My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me.4 I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. 6 With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” It’s the little things that count. God reminded the people of all He had done for them. He was hurt that they felt burdened serving Him. He wasn’t asking for anything big, something they couldn’t do like sacrifice their children or give what they didn’t have. He wanted to be served in the little things. Act justly. Obey. Love mercy. Kindness. Walk humbly. Attitude. It’s the little things that count. Children, it’s great if you want to be an astronaut but God wants to see you obeying your parents and talking respectfully and being kind to each other right now. It’s the little things that count. Mid life crisis. What have I accomplished? Have I been a loving faithful spouse? Do I train my children in the way of the Lord? Do my work faithfully. Am I a truth teller daily. Do I pray and worship God the way He wants. It’s the little things that count. So you can’t walk so well anymore. You can pray for others. What did Jesus put in His top ten list? I was hungry and you fed me, naked and you clothed me, sick and you took care of me. The things a mother does over and over again. It’s the little things that count and God likes to served in the little things.

          He accomplishes the big things. A little town, a little baby, an average cross. God used that to provide forgiveness of sins. You and I are going to run through the gates of heaven like someone whose name just got called on The Price is Right not because we served God so well but because Jesus did for us and took away our sins. A little water, words, bread and wine. Little things but God uses them for the work of bringing people to faith and keeping our faith strong. For the sake of 10 little believers God would have spared the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The little prayers of a little believers have changed the course of lives and history. Little children have often been the reason adults who refused to step into a church have changed their mind. Through the small town prophet Micah God gave hope to believers who lived in a country of people who had fallen away and marked for all to see where the Savior could be found. Wise men found him there because of it. 1300 little souls, some weak, some strong and God is providing affordable Christian Education for 250 lambs, weekly worship opportunities, mission support for a Synod that proclaims the Good News of Jesus in our country and 25 more and a high school that teaches almost 800. It’s the little things that count. God does the big things.

          So what do you want to be when you grow up? Well I’m not really sure I want to grow up. It’s now that counts. Since we also serve the God who  pardons sin and forgives transgression and who does not stay angry forever but delights to show mercy let’s be people who on a daily basis act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. It’s the little things that count. Amen.

July 5th, 2015 Pastor Waldschmidt MAJORING IN THE MINORS- Obadiah

OBADIAH

In the name of Jesus who loved us and freed us from the tyranny of  sin and the fear of  death,  dear fellow redeemed children of God.

An article I read this week said that though we celebrate the approval of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress this weekend, the document itself has not always been treated with the care you might expect.  Historians say that the Declaration has been haphazardly transported around the country in carriages and a sailing ship.  At one point it was put in a burlap bag.  Some historians say the Founding Fathers rolled it up all the time, which you're not supposed to do with valuable historical documents.   Along the way It was exposed to light and smoke.  And somewhere along the way, someone slapped a big, dirty handprint on the bottom left-hand corner.  The dark smudge on the nation's famed document has baffled historians for years.  Some have wondered if it was an unwashed founding father, as he leaned over the parchment on that hot summer day in 1776? Or maybe it was the print-shop owner who reframed the document in 1888?

We are not sure whose hand print is on the Declaration of Independence but it is very clear that God’s handprints are all over the history of our nation and the history of all nations.  I guess that is why is called “His” story.  We have a chance to see that again as we hear what God announce Judgment on a nation that was a neighbor to God’s Old Testament people.  Long before July 4^th, 1776 the Lord showed that he is the author of History through His prophet Obadiah.   God makes it clear- “The Kingdom Is The Lord’s.”

As with almost all of the minor prophets we know very little about Obadiah.  There are about ten times in the Old Testament when an Obadiah is mentioned.  One was a servant of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel.  Remember he hid and kept some of the seminary students alive and fed when Ahab and Jezebel were running after their false gods. If he is the author, he certainly would have been familiar with the sinful pride that brings down nations since he worked for Ahab and Jezebel.   Many who are much smarter than I am think that the Obadiah who wrote this book was an Obadiah who lived later in history.  He sent by King Jehoshaphat to revive the worship of the true God by instructing the people in God’s Word.    Because Obadiah doesn’t pull out his prophet’s license at the beginning of his book we know much more about his message than we know about him.  

We do know more about the people that he was writing about.  Obadiah told of God’s judgment against the Edomites.  The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s twin but older brother.  Remember he was the brother who especially lived for the here and now.  He sold the eldest son’s birthright because he was hungry for a bowl of stew.  So the Edomites were not only neighbors of the Israelites, they were relatives.  But they sure did not treat them like family.  When the Children of Israel came of out Egypt and requested safe passage from their cousins through their land.  The Edomites responded by pointing their swords at them and making them travel way around their land.   The Edomites started wars with King Saul and King David.  They rebelled against King Solomon. 

They cheered when the people of Judah and Israel stumbled.  Later Jerusalem was attacked by the Philistines who grabbed much of the royal treasury.   The Edomites didn’t lift a finger to help and cheered while that was happening.  That’s why Obadiah wrote, “You should not look down on your brother in the day of his misfortune…nor boast so much in the day of their trouble.” 

Esau settled his family in the land of Seir, the mountainous area  to the south and east of what we know as Israel.  The Edomites capital city was a place called Sela, sometimes called Petra today.  You might not have ever heard of the land of the Edomites but perhaps you have seen it in the movies.  In one of the Indiana Jones movies, the rock fortress of Petra is featured.  There is a narrow passage way that leads to a fortress carved on the cliffs of  red sandstone.   The passageway to their capital was so narrow that attacking armies could not march through there with more than a few soldiers at a time.  Being up on top of the cliffs they could see enemy  armies coming from a long way off and then throw nasty stuff down on the heads of enemy soldiers to discourage them.    Obadiah talks about their strategic position when he writes, “you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights.”

The Edomite land was sitting just right not only to keep them safe but to make them very wealthy.  The traded in precious metals.  They had a very robust  copper mining industry in their mountains.   Remember the Israelites wanted to travel through Edom to get to Israel because it was the easier way through the mountain gorges.  That same thing was true for all of the other travelers and traders.  So the Edomites made money by charging tolls on an important trade route.  

Sounds like things were going pretty well for the Edomites.  So what was there problem that brought such harsh words from God’s prophet?  In a word it was their arrogance.  Sinful pride brought down God’s judgment on them. 

God says, “The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’  Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down.”  It seems like the Edomites were not recognizing that the Kingdom is the Lord’s.  They were thinking to themselves that their wealth had come from their own ingenuity and their safety came because of their own smarts and good planning. 

There is no place where the handprints of God in history are more evident than in God’s plan for you and me to be living in heaven with him on the day history stops being written for this world. “Deliverers will go up on Mount Zion to govern the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will be the LORD’s.”   The Edomites were arrogant enough to try mess with that.  They hooted and hollered at the defeat of their neighbors.  They danced as the family from whom the Savior of the world would come took their lumps.  The Lord would remind them and us that the Kingdom is the Lord’s.

On this day when we are celebrating our nation’s founding, are there things we Americans can learn from the Edomites?  The Kingdom is the Lord’s.  Are we thinking like the Edomites?  Are we thinking that we are very secure?  That is especially easy  for us to do  because God has been so good to us that most of the harm that has come to our country hasn’t not come from outside our country but rather harm from the silly,  foolish things we have done to ourselves.    

Are we thinking that our wealth has come from our own ingenuity?  Are we thinking we’ve done things right?  Have we deluded ourselves into thinking that we somehow deserve what we have much more than the people in this world who do have a sandwich to eat or who don’t have safe water to drink.  Have we forgotten that our beautiful country has come to us as a blessing from God- that it is yet another  wonderful example of God not treating us as our sins deserve.

Are we living like the Edomites for the here and now?  Are we most interested in what makes us happy right now?  Does the thought that the Lord has given us all of these blessings in our country so that we might be able to help others ever cross our mind?

The Kingdom is the Lord’s.  From the first pages of human history when mankind disobeyed Him, God began planning to send a Savior.  God has been taking all of the nations along the way turning and twisting each nation to fit his plan.  Each nation along the way has somehow someway fit into the tapestry of that plan.   A deliverer has gone up to Zion.  2,000 years ago, God sent his Son to live a perfect life free from arrogance and sinful pride and humbly go to an awful death on a cross so that we might be free.  The Kingdom is the Lord’s!

Let’s let our pride as Americans be from the fact that God has shed his grace on us that our nation might fit in his plan.  That God would turn history that we might serve as a safe haven for us to learn about and spread the good news of Jesus. May our pride come from the fact that the Lord has used us through  the years to bring food and shelter in times of disaster around the world.   While these windows of history are open for us right now let’s stop living in a “please me now” mode and  let’s  rejoice that the Lord would use us to help others.

Yakov Smirnoff, the comedian had it right when he said about America, “What a Country!”  Yes the Lord has shed His grace on us.  Let’s not be like the Edomites- let’s remember that the Kingdom is the Lord’s/  Amen.  

June 20-22, 2015 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Amos 7:10-16a AMOS: HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD!

MAJORING IN THE MINORS: AMOS

June 20-22, 2015

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Amos 7:10-16a

AMOS: HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD!

1.     One vocation.

2.     Of many vocations.

3.     Our vocation!

Amos  7:10-16a  (NIV 1984) “Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: "Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. ¹¹ For this is what Amos is saying: " 'Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.' " ¹² Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. ¹³ Don't prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king's sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom." ¹⁴ Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. ¹⁵ But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' ¹⁶ Now then, hear the word of the LORD.”

           Go away! You hear that sometimes. When a child or an adult is having a hard day and just wants to be alone to collect themselves they might say that. Go away! Sometimes it happens for more serious reasons. If you are known at work as the one who stands up for what is right your co-workers might tell you to go away or more likely when they see you coming their unholy huddle will break apart and they will go away from you. It appears that many of the people of the United States are starting to say that to Bible believing Christians. Just go away! I say that because the current trends are astounding with the numbers of  those identifying themselves as Christians in America dwindling at a rapid pace and the number of those identifying themselves as deliberately non religious growing by leaps and bounds. At a recent conference the speaker brought to the forefront what we kind of already know. In America, every viewpoint and belief system is to be respected and tolerated except for the voice of the Bible believing Christian. “Go away! We don’t want you here. We don’t want to hear what you have to say.” Now while we might want to stamp our feet a little bit and say, “Fine. We will and see how you like it when you have to answer to God,”   there is a better way. We learn it from the prophet Amos.

          He served God a time when things were going pretty good for people in the nation of Israel. The nation had recovered from a recession of sorts that God had sent as a call to repentance. They were making good money. Beer and wine flowed freely. The people felt self sufficient, smug and apathetic to the true God who had blessed them. The morality was crumbling.  Any of this sounding familiar? Still God was faithful. He sent Amos to call the people back to them. Here’s some tidbits of what God had him say. Amos 2:“This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath]. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. 7 They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name. Amos 4: Hear this word, you cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy and say to your husbands, "Bring us some drinks!" Go to Bethel and sin; go to Gilgal and sin yet more. Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three years. 5 Burn leavened bread as a thank offering and brag about your freewill offerings-- boast about them, you Israelites, for this is what you love to do," declares the Sovereign LORD.”  God was not happy.

          But the people didn’t listen. So God had Amos announce some consequences. The king would die. The country invaded and destroyed. That’s where our text picks up. “Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: "Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. ¹¹ For this is what Amos is saying: " 'Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.' " ¹² Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.” Go away! The priest representing the religious establishment. The king was involved. They all wanted Amos to go away. But he didn’t. Why not? Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. ¹⁵ But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.' ¹⁶ Now then, hear the word of the LORD.” Amos could not and would not go away because he was a prophet. That was his vocation. The job the Lord had called him to do. Speak God’s words. Hear the word of the Lord. Kind of like a pastor’s job. God wanted the people of Israel to hear His words. He picked Amos to tell them. That was his vocation.

          But it wasn’t his only vocation. Before being a prophet Amos had been a shepherd. He also was an arborist. Why? Because God wants sheep tended and taken care of. He wants trees taken care and fruit cultivated to feed people. I’m guessing Amos was just as faithful at those jobs as he was as a prophet. Amos had many different ways of serving the Lord. So do you. Have you ever thought about your vocations, your ways of serving the Lord? Everyone has them. Most have several. Being a child is a vocation that serves the Lord by respectfully obeying parents. A student is a vocation that serves the Lord by learning. A teacher teaches. A nurse attends and gives care. Mechanics fix. Police officers protect. Parents raise children. Organists play. There are many vocations.

          But no matter which vocation you are in, our vocation in every vocation is the same. Hear the word of the Lord. It’s why the Lord has us here. You heard what Jesus told us. You are the light of the world. You are the salt of the earth. We are needed. You heard how Paul encouraged Pastor Titus to teach. Everyone in their own vocation, young, old, husbands, wives teach, train. Hear the word of the Lord. You in your vocations. Us together as a congregation. Hear the word of the Lord. We might feel like shutting up and going away. Amos might have too. There are people in our country who need us. Not everyone will listen. But some will. By showing our neighbors our willing and cheerful obedience to God we are saying “Hear the word of the Lord. His ways are right.” When asked about abortion or any kind of sex outside of one man one woman marriage we can say it’s wrong because God says so. Hear the word of the Lord. But like Amos we are not here just to teach morality. We are really here to draw people to Jesus, to find a way to talk about the Savior. He is our only way to heaven and theirs too. Live your faith and you will get your opportunities. Recently I spoke with a young man, went through our school, now serving Jesus and us in the United States Marines. That’s his vocation. He told me of the conversations he gets into. “You really believe that stuff? Yes I do. The Bible is true.” He confessed he’d picked up bad language. “Why do you talk that way if you are a Christian?” You are right he tells them. I need to change but that’s why I need Jesus.” He thanked me for the training we gave him so that he has confidence to say “Hear the word of the Lord.” In every generation training our youth is so important so they carry out our vocation in every vocation.

          Now the sad truth is that the people Amos spoke to didn’t listen and are lost. There was nothing he could do to make the message more appealing or argued better. Rejection was not on him. It was on them. Sadly some of the people you and I witness to will also reject. On the last day they will not be able to call God unfair. He will say, I sent you … But there will be others who will be snatched from the fire because we didn’t go away. We didn’t stay quiet. We weren’t nasty belligerent jerks but by quietly living our faith while in our other vocations we gained opportunities to say in our own way, “Hear the word of the Lord!” The Gospel will work. People will be brought to faith in Jesus. They just need to hear the word of the Lord. Amos teaches us it’s our vocation. Amen.

June 6-8, 2015 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Hosea 5:13-6:6 “HOSEA TEACHES TRUE REPENTANCE!”

MAJORING IN THE MINORS: HOSEA

June 6-8, 2015

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Hosea 5:13-6:6

“HOSEA TEACHES TRUE REPENTANCE!”

1.     Own your sin.

2.     Real remorse.

3.     Run to God!

4.     A change of heart.

Hosea 5:13-6:6 (NIV 1984) "When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his sores, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and sent to the great king for help. But he is not able to cure you, not able to heal your sores. 14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a great lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces and go away; I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them. 15 Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me. "Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. 3 Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." 4 "What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. 5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon you. 6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”

          We are at the time of year when most students have graduated from their respective schools. College grads are hoping for jobs. Can you imagine being the proud parent of this student? He comes home and says, “Mom, Dad, I got a job!” “Wonderful!” you say. “What is it?” “ I’m going to be a prophet.” “What will you do?” “Well, the first thing I’m supposed to do is marry a prostitute. She’ll give me children, you grandchildren, but they won’t be mine. I’m not sure whose they will be because my wife will keep being unfaithful to me. But I’ll stick with her.” Not exactly what a parent hopes for, is it? Yet this is exactly what God asked the prophet Hosea to do. He married a prostitute named Gomer. Now the only other Gomer I know is Gomer Pyle. This woman was a pile, a pile of unfaithfulness. After she and Hosea were married she continued to sleep around. Hosea stuck with her. Who would do such a thing? God would. God did. That was a reason behind this reprehensible relationship. It was on object lesson.  A visual aid. A picture of the relationship between the people of Israel and God. God was staying faithful to His people even though they cheated on Him by trusting in idols, worshipping them because their style of worship was filled with sinful fun. All God wanted was to have them back. So He used Hosea and this awful life as yet another call to repentance. That’s how this Minor Prophet serves us today. Hosea teaches us true repentance.

          Repentance is necessary to have a relationship with God. Believers are repenters and repenters are believers. Our new confirmands who are looking forward to their first communion were taught the importance of repentance before the Lord’s Supper so it is not taken to one’s judgment. Just what does it mean to repent? Hosea teaches us first to own your sin. And the way he teaches us is by the bad example of the people he served. “When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his sores, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and sent to the great king for help. But he is not able to cure you, not able to heal your sores.” The people of Israel did not own their sin. When God sent troubles to them to call them to repentance they did not acknowledge their sin and turn to God.  They looked to the country of Assyria for help. Do you own your sin or do you make excuses and look for other solutions rather than repentance? What language do we use as we post and tweet? “Everyone talks that way!” Own your sin! We take God’s name in vain by saying “Oh my G…” but only seem to care if the pastor’s around. Own your sin. What else will worship of God take second place to in your lives? Own your sin. Only then is there true repentance.

          Real remorse is also a part of true repentance. It looked like the people Hosea spoke to were remorseful. "Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. 2 After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. 3 Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." This sure sounds good. But that’s all it was. Words.  You can tell from God’s response. "What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. 5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon you.” God compares their sorrow over sin to the morning mist that is burned off  by the sun. Real remorse is different. We know that. Every parent has gone through the “Now say you’re sorry,” thing with a child knowing full well that saying sorry isn’t the same as being sorry. Sometimes our sinful natures want us to feel bad that we got caught instead of sad that we offended God yet again. Sometimes in teaching children the seriousness of sin you might use the picture of each sin pounding the nail further into Jesus’ hand or pushing the crown of thorns down harder and harder. The reality is if sin could be paid for that way we all could pay for our own. But it can’t. The suffering that Jesus endured to pay for sin is worse than we can imagine. Real remorse recognizes the damage done and accepts responsibility. Israel didn’t but we still can.

          And we can do what God was looking for. Run to him. He tried to get Israel to do that.  “For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a great lion to Judah. I will tear them to pieces and go away; I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them. 15 Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me.” God used invading armies to push the people to return to Him. That was the goal. Sometimes we need pushes too. Don’t misunderstand me. Every “bad” thing that happens in our life, whether accident or sickness or misfortune, is not God calling us to repentance. On the other hand people loved by God are wise to ask themselves if it is. God chastens those He loves. He does things to keep us close. Far better that we never give Him reasons to tear us to pieces to get us to run back. Far better to run to God every day. When you do what will you find? A merciful God who is faithful  in spite of our unfaithfulness. What will God say when you say “I’m sorry for my sins.” He will say, “I forgive you.” You know it because He promises it and enabled it by giving His Son who has already been punished for every sin.

          That leads us to have a change of mind about sin. That’s also an aspect of repentance. “ For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Things on the outside are easy. You can say you are sorry without being sorry. You can attend worship without worshipping. You can give money without being thankful. God wants the heart. Mercy, better here, faithful love instead of unfaithfulness. Repentance happens on the inside first and then shows on the outside. First comes “I don’t want that sin as a part of my life,” then comes the efforts to make that true. Hosea teaches true repentance.

          I feel bad for the guy. He had a tough ministry position to fill. The fact that he stuck with an unfaithful wife highlighted God’s faithfulness to unfaithful people. He stayed faithful to this people because He had promised a Savior. Sadly Israel still didn’t get it. But we do. Wouldn’t the story have read better if Hosea had gotten to marry a faithful wife? Let’s have that be the picture of our relationship to God. Let’s be faithful to Him. We are when we live a life of repentance like Hosea taught. Own your sin. Have real remorse. Run to God daily for forgiveness and show Him a change of mind. Amen.