Peter Barnes | Hosea 3:1-5
SERMON NOTES
LOVING THE UNLOVELY
Hosea 3:1-5; Romans 5:1-11
An illustration of Romans 5:8. James Montgomery Boice even calls it ‘the greatest chapter in the Bible’ – an exaggeration.
1. God loves and redeems the unlovely.
– 3:1-2; Lev.20:10; Matt.5:31-32
– for the raisin cakes, see Song of Songs 2:5
– Hosea is to redeem Gomer who must have been sold into slavery; 1 Peter 1:18-19
2. We are redeemed in order to be faithful.
– 3:3; see Titus 2:14; Eph.2:8-10
– such were some of you (1 Cor.6:9-11)
– Calvin: ‘every one who has tasted of God’s goodness, so orders himself as to obey God.’ See Psalm 130:3-4.
3. God afflicts, then greatly blesses.
– 3:4-5; all the props, both good and bad, are removed.
– the Messiah in the latter days (Acts 2:17; 1 John 2:18)
– Jesus is great David’s greater Son.