MOTHER’S DAY 2021: THE HOLY ONE IN OUR MIDST
Hosea 11:1-12
#MothersDay2021
INTRODUCTION … You Know You are A Mom When (humormatters.com/holidays/mothersday.htm#)
* Your feet stick to the kitchen floor.....and you don't care.
* When the kids are fighting, you threaten to lock them in a room together and not let them out until someone's bleeding.
* Your idea of a good day is making it through without a child leaking bodily fluids on you.
* Your baby's pacifier falls on the floor and you give it back to her, after you suck the dirt off of it because you're too busy to wash it off.
* You're so desperate for adult conversation that you spill your guts to the telemarketer that calls and HE hangs up on YOU!
* Spit is your number one cleaning agent.
* In your bathroom there is toothpaste on the light fixtures, water all over the floor, a dog drinking out of the toilet
* You automatically double-knot everything you tie.
* You can never go to the bathroom alone without someone screaming outside the door.
* You actually start to like the smell of strained carrots mixed with applesauce.
* You weep through the scene in Dumbo when his mom is taken away, not to mention what Bambi does to you.
* You spend a half hour searching for your sunglasses only to have your teenager say, "Mom, why don't you wear the ones you pushed up on your head?"
* You are out for a nice romantic meal with your husband, enjoying some real adult conversation, when suddenly you realize that you've reached over and started to cut up his steak!
Today is of course Mother’s Day and it is a day to honor those women in our lives who have made an eternal difference. Maybe it was the woman who gave birth to you, but it also may be an aunt, a sister, or another dear woman who has changed your life for the better. Perhaps your mom is here with you today, perhaps she has passed away. We can honor our mothers by thinking of them.
Since the time of Eve, the very first mother, it has fallen to mothers (and fathers) to raise their children for the Lord. Our mothers bring us into the world. They nurture us. They provide for us. They raised us up. They teach us. They discipline us. Mothers have a remarkable ability to change the world through their children.
God is most certainly our Father in Heaven and ‘our Father in Heaven’ is the normal way that we frame Who God is for us. God is so transcendent that we need some kind of framework to understand Him. I was listening to a CS Lewis audio book recently, which is not easy by the way, and he said (CS Lewis, ‘The Problem of Pain’): “What would really satisfy us would be a God who said of anything we happened to like doing, 'What does it matter so long as they are contented?' We want, in fact, not so much a Father in Heaven as a Grandfather in Heaven—a senile benevolence who, as they say, 'liked to see young people enjoying themselves' and whose plan for the universe was simply that it might be truly said at the end of each day, 'a good time was had by all'.” (cslewisinstitute.org/God_is_Love)
How we think about God and what we know about Him and what we believe about God Almighty is significant, important, and steers our hearts in our relationship with Him. Most of the time we relate to God as our Heavenly Father and we do so with good reason. Many passages refer to God in this manner to help us relate to Him on some kind of human level. He is so far beyond us that we need help in trying to understand What and Who is God.
Believe it or not there are several passages in the Bible that frame God in terms and words and concepts that we would normally associate with mothers:
Deuteronomy 32:11-12 describes God as a mother eagle guiding and raising Israel like young birds in the nest.
Deuteronomy 32:18 describes God as a Rock that gave birth to Israel.
Isaiah 42:14 describes God wanting to get Israel’s attention in a loud manner like a woman screaming at childbirth.
Isaiah 49:15 God says He will not forget Israel any more than a nursing mother would forget her own child.
Isaiah 66:13 God is described as a comforting mother.
Hosea 13:8 describes God as a mother bear defending Israel.
We also have Hosea chapter 11, the passage we will look at today, which is an entire chapter that focuses on God and His interactions with people… and many of the terms and ways God is described are ways we think about mothers. I hope you do not think I am bringing you some sort of strange or false teaching today, but I do want to present solid Biblical Truth about our Father in Heaven and how He relates to us. The occasion of ‘Mother’s Day’ gives us the opportunity to look at Hosea 11 and meditate on the Holy One in our midst a bit differently.
READ HOSEA 11:1-12 (ESV)
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. 2 The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. 3 Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. 4 I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as One who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them. 5 They shall not return to the land of Egypt, but Assyria shall be their king, because they have refused to return to Me. 6 The sword shall rage against their cities, consume the bars of their gates, and devour them because of their own counsels. 7 My people are bent on turning away from Me, and though they call out to the Most High, He shall not raise them up at all. 8 How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within Me; My compassion grows warm and tender. 9 I will not execute My burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath. 10 They shall go after the LORD; He will roar like a lion; when He roars, His children shall come trembling from the west; 11 they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria, and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD. 12 Ephraim has surrounded Me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit, but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.
TRANSITION
As I read through Hosea 11, I saw that the passage is divided into two sections. First, we see that God is a God of love. Second, we see God is a God of discipline. As a side note, both of these characteristics, love and discipline, I would associate with mothers.
ILLUSTRATION… Love of my mother (p)
When I was in 5th-7th grades, my dad was stationed at Fort Gillem near Jonesboro, Georgia (south of Atlanta). My parents bought their first house while in Jonesboro. I remember my time in Georgia without much fondness. Our neighborhood ended up being pretty rough. Let me give you one example. One day, there was a knock at the door. Two kids about my age… sixth graders and two high school boys that I recall… were at the door. My mom answered the door. They asked if I could come out and fight them. She said that was up to me. I agreed. I recall the fight. I recall getting my head pounded into the concrete. I recall my mom watching out the front window crying. I also remember being on top and finally winning the fight pounding the other kid’s head into the street when the two high school boys pulled me off of their friend. Then I recall my mother stepping in and laying out to the biased bystanders that they were not to intervene in the fight and to let us younger boys fight. At her fury, the older kids backed off.
I called my mom this past week and told her I was including this story in my sermon I asked her if she remembered that. She said and I quote: “I remember it like it happened yesterday. And I want you to put this in there too: The reason why I stood by and let you fight is that this boy had been harassing you for months along with his friends and they had all threated to jump you when you got off the bus. I thought, ‘This is not going to end until you fight this kid.’”
The first Truth about God that we can be encouraged by and need to meditate on is that our God is a God of love.
GOD IS A GOD OF LOVE (VERSES 1-4)
We find in Hosea 11, God framed as love. We find in Hosea 11, God framed for us with phrases we might normally associate with mothers:
“when Israel was a child, I loved him” (verse 1)
“I taught Ephraim to walk” (verse 3)
“I took them up by their arms” (verse 3)
“I healed them” (verse 3)
“I led them with cords of kindness” (verse 4)
“I bent down to them and fed them” (verse 4)
The picture we get of God in these first four verses of Hosea 11 is one that is touching and tender. We see a mother who loves her child. We see God’s love and guidance like a parent who helps their child to walk. In a very motherly and nurturing way, God leads and when we fall, He picks us up and heals our wounds. God ‘kisses it and makes it better.’
In an interesting turn of events, Israel is seen as not paying attention or caring that God relates to them in this way. They did not understand God’s boundless love for them. They did not appreciate God’s boundless love for them. And yet, in the midst of their disobedience, God still loves. In the midst of them turning away, God still graciously loves.
We get another picture in this passage of a kind and loving teacher leading a line of children as they follow along behind… each holding onto a cord. I can imagine a mother doing this if they had several children. If you have ever been in an elementary school, you might have seen such a scene. The teacher or mom leads and all the children follow behind and each is holding onto the string. God is not pulling them along like oxen or some kind of pack animal or dragging them, but is leading in a loving way and showing Israel what way of life is best. His way is best.
I thought of the phrase, “Some of us have faces only a mother could love.” That phrase means that mothers love their children pretty much no matter what and so nothing will get in the way of that. When we think of mothers, we generally think of someone who accepts us and loves us and wants the best for us.
Some of us have “souls only our God can love.” God loves us with a purely unconditional gracious merciful boundless love that takes into account our sins and failures and loves us anyway. It is absolutely True that God loves us in spite of our sins and mistakes. Romans 5:8 (NIV) says clearly, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
CHALLENGE
I would like to challenge us today not to make the same mistake as Israel described in Hosea 11. It is too easy to push God out of our minds and hearts and not have an abiding relationship with Him. When things are good, we put Him on the back burner because life is good and we don’t need Him. When things are bad, we cry out and wonder where are our good life and blessings from Him and we get upset.
Our God loves us even more unconditionally than our mothers, but that unconditional gracious love is not a license to treat Him however we want. In the same way, our mothers who love us should not be treated in any old manner because they ‘have’ to love us. May we demonstrate our love for God.
How can we do that?
Spend time with God in prayer speaking and listening.
Spend time with God reading His Word and working out what it means for our lives.
Spend time in Church worshipping and praising Him.
Spend time in small groups encouraging His other children.
Spend time serving Him. Speaking of serving…
COMMERCIAL
MAY 16, 30 (Sundays): Spiritual Gifts Seminar, 1145am-2pm in the Fellowship Hall
Join us after church (lunch provided) for a workshop where you will discover your spiritual gifts and talk with leadership about where you can jump in and serve. We have many places in need of servants. For new folks to CCC, people who have come for years and need to serve, and those who are already serving. Choose 1, all the same. [This is very important... we have many places to serve open!]
TRANSITION
As I read through Hosea 11, I saw that the passage is divided into two sections. First, we see that God is a God of love. Second, we see God is a God of discipline. As a side note, both of these characteristics, love and discipline, I would associate with mothers.
ILLUSTRATION… Discipline of my mother (p)
I happen to think that my mom and dad have two great kids that never ever needed to be disciplined. However, there was the odd occasion we did not listen and did not obey. My sister and I would argue and would annoy my parents. My dad’s discipline of choice, from what I remember, was his hand on our backside. My mother’s discipline of choice… especially once my sister and I got a little older… was a wooden spoon on our backside.
The sound you never wanted to hear was the sound of the utensil drawer sliding open. That meant she was fishing out our discipline and it was heading for us next. My sister came up with a defense. I clearly remember my sister, who is two years younger than me, yelling out ‘hard buns Troy, hard buns.’ You see, if you flex your gluteus maximus right at the moment of impact from a wooden spoon, it hurts less. True fact. You are welcome.
The second Truth about God that we can be encouraged by and need to meditate on is that our God is a God of discipline.
GOD IS A GOD OF DISCIPLINE (VERSES 5-12)
We find in Hosea 11, God framed as a God of discipline. We find in Hosea 11, God framed for us with phrases we might normally associate with mothers:
“How can I give you up?” (verse 8)
“How can I hand you over?” (verse 8)
“My compassion grows warm and tender” (verse 8)
“His children shall come trembling” (verse 10)
We see in the second half of this chapter that the people of God were being quite disobedient to God. They are ‘refusing’ to turn to God and worship and have a relationship with them (verse 5). They are listening to their own hearts and letting their own hearts be their guide and not God (verse 6). They are quite hypocritical in how they behave (verse 7). Their behavior has warranted the judgement of God.
After verse 7, we see that God is reflecting that He would rather be compassionate and tender with the people of Israel rather than bring the sword and discipline them harshly. God says to Himself that He will gather His divine compassion for the people, but He will discipline them.
Overall, we see justice and mercy co-existing perfectly within God. He is at the same time gracious and merciful and giving and forgiving and also full of rightness and justice and perfect judgment. He is compassionate and yet punishing. He is rejecting and yet promises to restore.
One of the biggest questions we often ask when thinking about God and His discipline of us is: How do I know when God is disciplining me? There are passages that describe God using bad things and events to discipline us. There are also passages that describe God’s love moving us to repentance… but we don’t focus on those. So, how do I know God is disciplining me?
When we face suffering of any kind, we should use the occasion for self-examination and prayer and to double check our hearts. The question we are really asking is: How do I know that God is disciplining me… because I have sinned? It’s that last part we usually leave out, but is at the heart of what we are asking. We wonder if God is correcting us or disciplining us for a sin in our lives.
The answer is: We all sin, so yes, you have sinned and God might be disciplining you.
The answer is: Not all suffering is because of our sin.
The answer is: Read the Bible.
It is only in self-reflection with the Bible that we will understand why something is happening to us. It could be that God is using a situation or a tragedy in our lives to wake us up to a situation in our lives. Yes, He might be trying to get your attention to discipline you. It could also just be that we live in a fallen world and stuff happens because of the sinfulness that is in the fabric of all creation. Bad things happen and they do… just happen… and we have to deal with it.
Don’t base your conclusion about whether you have done something sinful based on how you fell God is treating you.
* Sometimes God gives us grace more than we deserve.
* Sometimes God grabs our attention in tragedy.
* Sometimes God hands us over to our desires.
Again, it is only in self-reflection with the Bible that we will understand why something is happening to us. It might also mean you need to talk with a pastor or elder or good Christian friend who will be honest with you and evaluate things that are going on.
No matter the reason for a tragedy or discipline the eventual result is the same for people of faith. You and I need to run to God and fall at the feet of Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with confidence in faith and the ability to endure. We ask God to walk beside us each step. We ask God to reveal the secret things of our hearts to us that we would confess them and get right with Him.
Our God is a God of discipline and we should be glad for that because it shows His heart for us:
READ Job 5:17 ESV
“Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.”
READ Proverbs 3:11-12 ESV
“My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of His reproof, for the Lord reproves Him whom He loves, as a father the son in whom He delights.”
READ Revelation 3:19 ESV
“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.”
CHALLENGE
I would like to challenge us today again to not make the same mistakes as Israel described in Hosea 11. I see them being disobedient and they really don’t care. You and I as believers need to keep our relationship with God as our top priority and it matters when we are sinful and fall. It is going to happen! What doesn’t need to happen is for us to stay in our failure! We have a God of grace to loves us and calls us and draws us to Himself because He is our God and we are His people.
How do we meet this challenge?
Pray and Confess.
Ask God to show you sinful attitudes and actions that you cannot see.
Cut out something from your life that is an obvious temptation.
Remove yourself from a relationship that causes you to sin.
Ask God for the perseverance to be faithful to Him.
Because Jesus did say in John 5:14 to the paralyzed man He had healed, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”
SUMMARY
Today is of course Mother’s Day and it is a day to honor those women in our lives who have made an eternal difference. Maybe it was the woman who gave birth to you, but it also may be an aunt, a sister, or another dear woman who has changed your life for the better. Perhaps your mom is here with you today, perhaps she has passed away. We can honor our mothers by thinking of them.
Be thankful for the love of a good mother.
Be thankful for the discipline of a good mother.
In the same way…
Be thankful for the love of God.
Be thankful for the discipline of God.
INVITATION
As we close, I want to mention a verse again that I read earlier. Romans 5:8 (NIV) says clearly, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” If you have never received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I want to invite you forward today to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior because He died for us because we are messed up and have sinned. We do not have to get our lives right to come to Jesus, He helps us get our lives right. Romans 5:8 (NIV) says clearly, “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
PRAYER
