Pastor Jon Enter

Theme: Compassion Is Action

Text: Hosea 3:1-5

Today’s lessons focused on showing compassion using the picture of shepherd and sheep. This is because we’re studying and celebrating how our amazing Lord loves us and shepherds us by showing us compassion. Today’s sermon text is found in the book of Hosea from the Old Testament. Hosea had an extremely difficult job assignment from the Lord, which you’ll learn about soon. It required him to show unimaginable compassion. Hosea is an earthly example of just how much God loves you, forgives you and shows you unimaginable compassion.

Hosea was one of God’s many prophets in the Old Testament. Hosea’s specific purpose was to be a spokesman for God to the northern kingdom of Israel around the year 750 BC. At the time of Hosea, the northern kingdom of Israel was enjoying a time of peace and prosperity.

However, as great as the political and economical climate was, the spiritual climate was the complete opposite. King Jeroboam, against the command of the Lord, built two cities where people could worship instead of Jerusalem – Bethel and Dan. He built these massive golden calves there and said, “Here are your gods.” Along with these cities, Jeroboam adopted the worship of Baal and Asherah. To worship Baal, people could bring their sacrifices of bulls and other animals. They could even offer human sacrifices to try to appease this false god. The worship of Asherah, the goddess of love and fertility, was different. Her shrines were more like brothels. The people would “worship” through prostitution and afterwards they’d eat raisin cakes for some reason.

In this deplorable spiritual situation, the Lord asked Hosea to do something absolutely ridiculous. “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her.” (Hosea 1:2) God commanded this faithful, God-fearing man to marry a prostitute and then have children with her. So he did. Her name was Gomer. Why? Why would God ask him to do that?

The answer is in the second half of verse 2. “For like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the LORD.” God was using Hosea life and his faithful love to his wife as a visual illustration of the Israelites’ unfaithfulness to God. Yikes! Thanks, God. That’s a rough assignment! But Hosea obeyed.

Imagine what that must have been like for Hosea. To be united with someone who will never love him in the way he loves her. To know the glow and joy of marriage would be short lived. Imagine the lonely nights Hosea faced. Pacing back and forth waiting for her to return home. Imagine the fear and agony as eventually she didn’t return home. And while she is gone, he knew full well she was with another man, and then another, and another. What heartache!

Friends, that’s the pain God was going through with the Israelites whom He loved who fell in love with false gods. God knew Hosea’s pain.

But the heartache continued for Hosea! Living apart from her faithful husband, Hosea, Gomer’s life unraveled. The countless flings with other men and chasing after sinful pleasures left her desperate. She had no hope for the future! No one to care or provide for her. So, she had no other choice but to sell herself into slavery. And it’s right at that moment, God asks Hosea to love the unlovable…again, to show compassion in action by saving his wife…again. “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress… So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.” (Hosea 3:1-3)

Hosea went to the slave market and bought back his wife! And the price paid was literally everything he had. The going rate for a slave was 30 shekels. Hosea only had 15! So, to make up the difference, he used the very grain he needed for food.

Why would God ask so much of Hosea? Why would the compassionate and loving God ask his servant Hosea to deliberately experience such heartache not once, but twice!? What lesson did God have in store for Hosea? God was using Hosea’s entire life as an example of the relationship and love between God and the people of Israel. We are told in our text, “Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” (3:1)

Hosea’s wife, Gomer, represented the Israelites and their spiritual adultery. Although God blessed them with peace and prosperity, they turned their backs on Him. They left the blessings and securities of God in favor of Baal and Asherah worship. They sought the comforts and pleasures of a sinful world more than God’s love and compassion. As the people of Israel watched Gomer break Hosea’s heart – again and again and again – they would hopefully get the message. God was saying, “This is what you’re doing to Me, Israel! I have an everlasting love for you. I have done everything for you! And you are breaking My heart; you are whoring yourself out!”

Unfortunately, the people of Israel didn’t see the picture until it was too late. Chasing after worldly pleasures and worshipping false gods left them empty and hopeless. “She will chase after her lovers but not catch them; she will look for them but not find them.” (Hosea 2:7)

The love and pleasures the people of Israel sought so desperately were nowhere to be found. Like Gomer, the people of Israel were left alone and helpless—slaves to sin, unable to free themselves.

Now, you may hear this story of the Israelites’ lack of love for God and wonder, “Umm, how does this apply to me?” Granted, none of us here are kneeling down to Asherah or sacrificing our children on the altar of Baal. I don’t think anyone is planning on engaging in temple prostitution anytime soon. But there are many similarities between you and me and Gomer. There are similarities between us and the people of Israel. There is a lesson to be learned.

Like the people of Israel, God has blessed us in more ways than we can comprehend. Truly, really, how blessed we are living in this nation with the comforts we all have in our lives! Our God has blessed us with spiritual blessings. We have His Word and sacraments to comfort and sustain us. We have continued reassurance of sins forgiven, new life and salvation! We have the joy and pleasure to sit in these pews with like-minded friends and family who will help us in time of need! We also have material blessings! We have a roof over our head; clothes on our backs; food for our stomachs! We have all those things and more!

Yet, in spite of God’s countless blessings, we are in danger of searching for pleasure and love in other places. Places we know God would not have us go. Satan is constantly trying to seduce us into thinking the sinful pleasures of this world are better than God’s love. And Satan’s pick up lines are good. He says, “Oh, you’re not satisfied with your spouse? Pleasure is only a click away! You don’t have to wait until marriage for the pleasures of marriage. It’s just a one night stand. Everyone’s doing it. Not enough money? No worries, just take some! Feeling depressed and down? Meet my friends Jack Daniels and Jim Beam; they’re a great time! Need a better job? Lie your way to the top.”

How are we holding up against the devil’s flirtation? When have you been love struck with Lucifer’s temptations? Maybe we haven’t fallen completely in love. After all, we go on a date with the Lord on Sunday morning! But how does the rest of the week look? Monday, we cozy up  with complaining. Wednesday, we gobble up the gossip. And Friday? Well, Friday night we dance with the devil! Truth be told, we are not faithful to the Lord or His commands.

Like Gomer, we find ourselves no longer with our loving God, but in bed with the guilty pleasures of sin. Like Gomer, we finally see where the love and pleasures of a sinful world leave us—addicted, helpless and hopelessly shackled by sin in the dungeon of despair; with Satan standing ready to drag us to hell. Who would care for such a creature as you or me? Who would dare to love the unlovable and show compassion in action? We don’t deserve one ounce of kindness for the lives we lead.

Neither did the Israelites in Hosea’s time yet they listened to God’s call towards repentance. “Return, Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall!” (Hosea 14:1) They returned. They repented and said, “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously.” (Hosea 14:2) They repented and God relented. He showed compassion in action. “I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for My anger has turned away from them.” (Hosea 14:4)

Hosea gathered up all he could to buy back Gomer. He scrounged up every last thing he had. God did more. When it came to freeing you and me from the slavery of sin, God withheld nothing! The ransom needed wasn’t found in the precious gems of heaven, the streets of gold or the pearly gates. No, as God searched His heaven for the price to buy us back, He found it in His most precious treasure—His one and only Son. So, in love, in compassion in action, God sent Christ to break into our dungeon of despair and give us the light of hope! In love, God took the shackles of sin off our hands and placed them on his own Son! Jesus, our Savior, pulled us from the threshold of Satan’s hell and pushed us into God’s heaven! The moment we became lost, God found us! The moment we should have died; God made us alive! No matter how many times we fail to show love for Him, God still loves us. That is undeserving love. That is love for the unlovable. That’s compassion in action!

Fellow slaves made free, as you go on your way this week, I would like to give you one encouragement. One main point to draw from this great story of love. My encouragement is simple: Love the Lord. I didn’t say pray to Him. I didn’t say read His Word. I didn’t say bring offerings. I simple said, “Love Him.” Love Him, because He has proven His love to you in the most amazing way. Love Him because He calls you His dearest, in spite of your sins. Love Him because He has sent His own Son behind enemy lines to save you from everything that could harm you. Love Him because He has made you His own and given you the glorious of heaven. Love Him. If you love the Lord, then prayer, worship, offerings and all those things will happen naturally as well. Love the Lord. Love Him because He loves the unlovable. Amen.