https://www.bible.com/events/49166092

Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg

Minor Prophets – Hosea

God is faithful; Even when we are not.

God is faithful; Especially when we are not.

Today we continue our series entitled ‘Minor Prophets’. We are taking a deep dive into 4 of the minor prophets from the Old Testament scriptures.

They are full of redemptive themes that should convict us, equip us, challenge us, and encourage us.

The purpose of this series is our desire to gain a new appreciation for the “minor” prophets but also see that God has important things to say to us in 2023 through them, affirming the relevance of every part of the Bible. We want to have a greater understanding of these four minor prophets and what God wants to teach us through them.

Today we are looking at Hosea.

The story of the nation of Israel had been one ongoing drama of God’s faithfulness to a notoriously un-faithful people. In the 8th century BC, God called the Prophet Hosea to enact this very unfaithfulness through a rather strange marriage.

Hosea 1:2

When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.”

What began as a covenant relationship, a marriage union between God and his people, has become an adulterous affair on the part of Israel. The book of Hosea itself records the many ways God’s people have forsaken their commitment to the Lord.

It only makes sense that God would walk away, completely justified in divorcing his people for good. But he doesn’t.

The Book of Hosea demonstrates for us the radical faithfulness of God. He doesn’t just forgive His adulterous people, He pursues them.

Hosea 11:1-8

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them. “Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent? A sword will flash in their cities; it will devour their false prophets and put an end to their plans. My people are determined to turn from me. Even though they call me God Most High, I will by no means exalt them. “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.

-God begins to tell the story of Israel’s past. How the Lord protected them, provided for them, and taught them how to be his people.

-But the more God moved, the more they turned away from him. They worshipped other god’s, attributing the blessing and provision to them. They gave themselves to other nations for political gain.

-Hosea is warning of the impending consequences of their disobedience. Within a few years of this warning the Assyrian empire, a former political alliance of Israel, would destroy their nation, carrying them away from their homeland into captivity. God’s chosen people received the consequence of their actions.

Hosea has 14 chapters of evidence of the Israelites going too far, getting it wrong, messing up in every conceivable way and it’s been going on for generations. But the heart of God cries out “How can I give up on you? How can I hand you over to be destroyed?”

These people experienced the judgement of God, they had to face the consequences of their actions in being overtaken and exiled by the Assyrian empire. But they also received God’s Mercy. God did not treat them fully as their actions had deserved.

Bottom Line:

God is faithful; Even when we are not.

God is faithful; Especially when we are not.

Updates on the new Waynesboro campus

God is inviting us to step out in faith to plant a Spanish-speaking campus in the Waynesboro community. Join us on the journey!

Check out the link below for more information and for frequent updates throughout the journey.

Waynesboro

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org Thank you for your partnership in building the Kingdom of Christ as you impact others!

Giving

https://www.bible.com/events/49165773

Church of the Nazarene – East Rock

Minor Prophets – Hosea

God is Faithful

Today we continue our series entitled ‘Major Minors’. We are taking a deep dive into 4 of the minor prophets from the Old Testament scriptures.

They are full of redemptive themes that should convict us, equip us, challenge us, and encourage us.

The purpose of this series is our desire to gain a new appreciation for the “minor” prophets but also see that God has important things to say to us in 2023 through these men, affirming the relevance of every part of the Bible. We want to have a greater understanding of these four minor prophets and what God wants to teach us through them.

Today we are looking at: Hosea

The story of the nation of Israel had been one ongoing drama of God’s faithfulness to a notoriously un-faithful people. In the 8th century BC, God called the Prophet Hosea to enact this very unfaithfulness through a rather strange marriage.

Hosea 1:2

When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.”

What began as a covenant relationship, a marriage union between God and his people, has become an adulterous affair on the part of Israel. The book of Hosea itself records the many ways God’s people have forsaken their commitment to the Lord.

It only makes sense that God would walk away, completely justified in divorcing his people for good. But he doesn’t.

The Book of Hosea demonstrates for us the radical faithfulness of God. He doesn’t just forgive His adulterous people, He pursues them.

Hosea teaches us- You cant out-sin the mercy of God. There is no such thing as too far from God

Hosea was a prophet in the northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of king Jeroboam II in about the 8th century BC

Israel was prospering financially, they had been victorious in battle, they were in a time of peace and political stability, but that’s about where the good news ends- this prosperity only served to disguise the moral corruption that marked the people of God.

– They don’t think twice about worshipping other gods, even crediting them with their national success.

– It’s the normal thing to engage in the parties and indulgences of other pagan cults.

– They were making pacts and alliances with foreign nations rather than trusting God to provide.

– Basically, God’s people were cheating on him.

The bulk of the text in Hosea is the evidence of God’s charge of unfaithfulness. This unfaithfulness had been going on for years, generations even, and God says “enough”.

And that leads us to our teaching text today in Chapter 11. Hosea begins with imagery of the unfaithful wife, but as we enter chapter 11 he takes up the story of a wayward or prodigal son. The imagery is different, but the story is the same.

Hosea 11:1-4

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.

God begins to tell the story of Israel’s past. How he protected them, provided for them, and taught them how to be his people.

But the more God moved, the more they turned away from him. They worshipped other god’s, attributing the blessing and provision to them. They gave themselves to other nations for political gain.

God says “You don’t realize, it was ME. It was ME all along who loved you and cared for you and gave you those things.

Hosea 11:5-7

“Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent? A sword will flash in their cities; it will devour their false prophets and put an end to their plans. My people are determined to turn from me. Even though they call me God Most High, I will by no means exalt them.

Within a few years of this warning the Assyrian empire, a former political alliance of Israel, would destroy their nation, carrying them away from their homeland into captivity. God’s chosen people received the consequence of their actions.

Case closed right? They are finally getting what they deserve, they shoulda seen it coming. That’s justice, finally. I mean, who could blame God in up to this point?

Generations, hundreds of years of repeat offenses with no real change- They had done too much, gone too far, and stayed too long.

It’s seems as if it’s over for this prodigal son of a nation.

But the story doesnt end there. The story of Hosea challenges us to see that there is no sin beyond the grace of God.

We cannot sin so bad, run so far, that God’s grace can not bring us back into right relationship with him.

Hosea 11:8

“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.

Hosea has 14 chapters of evidence of the Israelites going too far, getting it wrong, messing up in every conceivable way and it’s been going on for generations. But the heart of God cries out “How can I give up on you? How can I hand you over to be destroyed?”

These people experienced the judgement of God, they had to face the consequences of their actions in being overtaken and exiled by the Assyrian empire. But they also received God’s Mercy. God did not treat them fully as their actions had deserved-

That’s the cry of the father. He is a compassionate God whose ultimate desire toward his people is to win them back to himself.

And to the prodigal today- that’s his desire for you too.

The story of Hosea challenges us to see that there is no sin beyond the grace of God. Not for the Israelites and not for you.

The challenge before us today is simple: Do you believe that?

To be sure, we cannot read the heart wrenching story of Hosea and come away with a lighthearted view on our sin. Sin is like committing adultery on God, and there is judgement ahead unless we repent, unless we turn from our sin and turn to him. God does not wink at sin or shrug it off as if it were no biggie.

But there is no sin that is beyond the grace of God. That means you haven’t gone too far; you haven’t done something so bad that God can restore you.

It’s not over! Will you run to the Father?

Updates on the new Waynesboro campus

God is inviting us to step out in faith to plant a Spanish-speaking campus in the Waynesboro community. Join us on the journey!

Check out the link below for more information and for frequent updates throughout the journey.

Waynesboro

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org Thank you for your partnership in building the Kingdom of Christ as you impact others!

Giving

Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg 

Minor Prophets – Jonah

Jonah was a prophet, but he really never got it…

Today we begin our new series entitled ‘Major Minors’. We are taking a deep dive into 4 of the minor prophets from the Old Testament scriptures.

They are full of redemptive themes that should convict us, equip us, challenge us, and encourage us.

The purpose of this series is our desire to gain a new appreciation for the “minor” prophets but also see that God has important things to say to us in 2023 through these men, affirming the relevance of every part of the Bible. We want to have a greater understanding of these four minor prophets and what God wants to teach us through them.

Today we are looking at: Jonah

Jonah is a story – upside down

The prophet of God runs from God

Evil kings fall on their knees and repent

Swarthy sailors are wise and merciful

Animals are made to take a posture of repentance

A man survives three days in the belly of a great fish

The fish spits him up in exactly the right place

Warren Wiersbe

“The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart…”

Jonah 1:1-3

The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.

Jonah 3:1-5

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Repentance begins with BELIEVING God

Jonah 3:6-9

When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

Jonah 3:10

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

Jonah 4:1-4

But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Jonah 4:9

But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” “It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

Oswald Chambers

“Beware of any belief that makes you self–indulgent or self–gratifying; that belief came from the pit of hell itself, regardless of how beautiful it may sound. Your theology must work itself out, exhibiting itself in your most common everyday relationships.”

We often judge others by their worst actions and justify ourselves by our best intentions.

Jonah 4:10-11

But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

What does Jesus say about our enemies?

Luke 6:27-28, 31

Luke 6:35-36

Romans 5:8-10

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

GOD RESPONDS TO REPENTANCE

Updates on the new Waynesboro campus

God is inviting us to step out in faith to plant a Spanish-speaking campus in the Waynesboro community. Join us on the journey!

Check out the link below for more information and for frequent updates throughout the journey.

Waynesboro

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org Thank you for your partnership in building the Kingdom of Christ as you impact others!

Giving

Minor Prophets – Jonah

Jonah was a prophet, but he really never got it…

Today we begin our new series entitled ‘Major Minors’. We are taking a deep dive into 4 of the minor prophets from the Old Testament scriptures.

They are full of redemptive themes that should convict us, equip us, challenge us, and encourage us.

The purpose of this series is our desire to gain a new appreciation for the “minor” prophets but also see that God has important things to say to us in 2023 through these men, affirming the relevance of every part of the Bible. We want to have a greater understanding of these four minor prophets and what God wants to teach us through them.

Today we are looking at: Jonah

Jonah is a story – upside down

Jonah 1:1-3

The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.

Jonah 3:1-5

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Jonah 3:6-9

When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

Jonah 3:10

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

Jonah 4:1-4

But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Jonah 4:9

But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” “It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”

Jonah 4:10-11

But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org Thank you for your partnership in building the Kingdom of Christ as you impact others!

Giving

Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg

Building Blocks – Giving

Hold all that you have loosely, give all that you have freely.

Today we conclude our series entitled ‘Building Blocks’. We are answering the question, ‘what are the foundations of our faith?’

Our first four weeks focused on Prayer, Sabbath, Worship & Community.

Today we focus on Giving.

Acts 2:44-47

All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Generosity is at the very foundation of the New Testament Church.

But why?

The DNA of God’s Spirit at work was a willingness to give generously, sacrificially, obediently. Why?

Why does the presence of the Spirit of God immediately turn their hearts toward generosity?

Because as people, with a nature bent towards self, we are inherently selfish. We almost always think of me first.

As the Spirit of God truly moves in the hearts of believers, not just in the early church, but today, we break free from selfishness and from the chains of being enslaved to money and to stuff.

And one way we celebrate that freedom is by giving, by having a freedom to not hold so tightly to our stuff.

2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

-Our attitudes as we give matters. Having a reluctant attitude or giving out of duty is not the kind of giving God desires. He desires a cheerful giver.

-God is able to bless you, but not for your gain, so you can get what you want. But He is able to bless you so you will abound in giving to others.

-From God’s perspective, wealth is not a reward. It’s not intended to be accumulated and hoarded and used to gain more. Anything we have been given comes with the expectation that we give.

When we focus on giving, we have all kinds of questions:

-How much do I have to give?

-How much is enough?

-Who should I give to? How often?

-Do I have to give money? Can I just give my time?

But for the early church, the focus isn’t on giving as a requirement or even as an expectation, rather the focus is generosity.

” You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:11

The real question today isn’t, “Does God want my stuff?”

The real question is: “Does God have my heart?”

Matthew 23:23

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

-The Pharisees and teachers of the law were experts at tithing. But Jesus knows that generosity begins in the heart.

-The New Testament church wasn’t just about giving a tithe, it was about giving all.

Hold all that you have loosely, give all that you have freely.

Updates on the new Waynesboro campus

God is inviting us to step out in faith to plant a Spanish-speaking campus in the Waynesboro community. Join us on the journey!

Check out the link below for more information and for frequent updates throughout the journey.

Waynesboro

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org

Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!

Giving