Title: You Can Change Your Life!
Contents
Title: You Can Change Your Life!
(Sunday service on February 18, 2007, Hosea continuous expository sermon, main text: Hosea 14:1-9)
Imagine a preacher giving his final sermon at the end of his ministry. If so, he'll probably give a sermon on what he cares about most. Hosea in today's text is such a case. Hosea declared judgment on the Israelites who had turned away from God. And, I am giving my last sermon today.
Then, today's Hosea's last sermon, what did Hosea consider the most important? It is “the God who restores Israel.” The Israelites fell into spiritual adultery like the prostitute Gomer. Not only did they serve God, they served God and Baal together, and while they said they were serving God, they served God instead of a golden calf. I betrayed my faith, my faith was corrupted, and I even gave up on it. In the end, God's dreadful judgment was proclaimed on the people of Israel. But today, God is promising the ‘restoration of Israel’ through Hosea. That's verses 4-8.
Then, what is the content of the restoration that God has promised?
① It is the restoration of identity (verse 4).
There is a story called "The Ugly Duckling" in Andesen's fairy tale. The mother duck laid several eggs. And over time it hatched. The ducklings were getting bigger and bigger. By the way, one of them is completely different in shape from the other ducks. He is treated as an 'ugly duckling'. Then one day, he finds a swan flying high in the sky. ‘Ugly Duckling’ thought that it would be good if I could fly high in the sky like that swan. Many years of suffering have passed. Eventually, the ugly duckling became a young man. But, how did this happen? It turned out that the ugly duckling was not a duck but a swan. The young swan, who did not know who he was, was nothing more than an “ugly duckling.” So I lived a desperate life. However, when he finally realized that he was not a duck but a swan, he became a swan that flew high in the sky.
Today, the people of Israel did not know who they were. So they worshiped idols like the Gentiles who did not know God. They lived in despair as if they were an abandoned people. However, look at verse 4 of today's text. God says that He will heal our rebellion and love us with joy. He promises to make them an object of love, not of wrath.
② It is the restoration of growth (verses 5-7).
In terms of flowers, the restored Israel is like a lily, and in terms of stability, it is like a Lebanese root. And its branches are like the most abundant olive trees, and its fruit is as abundant as grain. Also, the fruit will be the one with the strongest aroma, like Lebanese wine. It will be restored to be beautiful, strong, rich, and influential.
You will remember Dr. Young-Woo Kang, who received his PhD in the United States as a blind person. He became blind while playing soccer in middle school and grew up experiencing all kinds of prejudice and discrimination in society. It is said that when he tried to take a taxi in the morning, he was denied boarding because he was unlucky, and when he got on the bus, the driver pushed him to the floor. He actually lived as an abandoned, useless being. However, Lee Sun-hee, a hospital social worker, Kwon Soon-gwi, a girl scout leader, and his wife, who married him despite his disability. Their love changed their identity, and in the end they have grown to become so beautiful, strong, rich, and influential.
③ It is the restoration of relationships (verse 8).
In verse 8, we see a very beautiful scene. When Ephraim said, 'I am no longer idolatry,' God said, 'I am like a green cypress, so you must bear fruit from me.' It is saying that the relationship between husband and wife and parents and children will be restored beautifully again with God.
Then, through what will the restoration of Israel be accomplished? (Verses 1-3) It will be restored when we return to Jehovah our God. When you acknowledge your sins and humbly bow down to God and ask for mercy by relying on the word of the Lord, God will restore you.