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10.13.24 "The Way of the Cross, True Joy"

작성자 사진: Urban PilgrimsUrban Pilgrims

최종 수정일: 2024년 11월 12일

"Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but He will heal us; He has injured us but He will bind up our wounds. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will restore us, that we may live in His presence. Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth—then my judgments go forth like the sun. For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:1-6)


The prophet Hosea began his ministry towards the end of a period of economic and military prosperity for both Israel and Judah. It is precisely when one is at the top that one must be most cautious. The moment we lower our guard, thinking our faith is strong, the temptations of the world begin to infiltrate our hearts. This is why Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 10:12, "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall." He urges us never to let our guard down in our walk of faith.


The core themes of the Book of Hosea are sin, judgment, and love. What is the role of a prophet? It is to act as a trumpet, delivering God's will to His people. God is holy. Just as light and darkness cannot coexist, God's holiness cannot coexist with sin. Whenever Israel broke its covenant with God and lived in disobedience to His law, judgment was inevitable, given God's holiness. But God is also love. His anger is rooted in His love for His people. Hence, He sent prophets to show the people of Israel their spiritual downfall and to declare that God's judgment was near. But even in His anger, God yearned for the people to return to Him.


In Hosea 6:1-3, the prophet cries, "Come, let us return to the Lord!" We often sing the song "Let Us Return to the Lord," a song filled with grace. However, Hosea's cry carries two different nuances. One is the earnest plea of God's love for Israel, a love that cannot let go of His people. The second nuance is a criticism of Israel's lip-service repentance.


There's a famous line in a movie: "When kindness is extended repeatedly, people start to think it’s their right." If you help someone with their homework once or twice, they soon expect you to always help them. If someone quietly tolerates others' wrongs, they are mistaken for being a pushover. Similarly, when someone cleans up the church or tidies the bathrooms, over time, people begin to think it’s their duty alone.


In Hosea’s eyes, Israel’s repentance was superficial. The people of Israel knew well that God is loving, that God is patient, and that even after judgment, He restores those who repent. Theologically, their understanding wasn’t wrong. But herein lies the trap—they knew so much about God that they were stuck in a routine of sin.


In verses 4-6, God criticizes Israel’s shallow faith and lip-service repentance. "What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth—then my judgments go forth like the sun. For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:4-6)


Hosea compares Israel’s repentance to mist and dew—both of which vanish as soon as the sun rises. This is a reflection of Israel's routine faith. They had begun to treat God's grace as a right rather than a gift. They looked to the world instead of God and created false idols to worship. This means that Israel saw God as just one god among many.


But God is different from the idols made by human hands. Our God is different from the gods worshiped in other religions. Most religions require humans to reach up to their gods through good deeds and religious fervor. But the God we believe in is the only One who came down to us to build a relationship. This is grace. God’s justice and love yearn for a relationship with us, for communication, and for us to walk together with Him. God desires not lip-service repentance, but genuine repentance that restores our relationship with Him.


What is false repentance? It is religious repentance, the kind that seeks to erase a list of sins without true change. This is the shallow, mist-like repentance that Hosea criticized. But what is true repentance?


"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6)


The foundation of true repentance, according to God, is twofold: first, steadfast love, and second, a deeper knowledge of God.

God desires steadfast love, not sacrifice. The Hebrew word used here for steadfast love is "hesed." It refers to unconditional, unchanging love. This word can describe both God's love for humanity and love between people.

"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)


True repentance is not religious lip service but a return to God in full sincerity. It is a change of heart that aligns with the truth of God's Word, a commitment in our hearts, and actions that reflect that commitment in our lives. And it is expressed in loving others as God loves us.


Sometimes, when I am frantically preparing my sermon on a Sunday morning, I find the call "It’s time to eat" somewhat irritating. This is because I have come to treat that kindness as a right. But God doesn’t desire sacrifice; He desires hesed love. Last Sunday during the first service, I had a lot to juggle with the sermon and praise, and technical issues with the sound system delayed everything. I became frustrated and scolded the pastoral staff. But that’s not the kind of worship God desires. God doesn’t seek perfect worship environments; He wants us to act with love and justice.


God desires acknowledgment of Him, more than burnt offerings. The Hebrew word for "acknowledge" is "yada," which, interestingly, is often used to describe the intimate physical relationship between a man and a woman.

"Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Matthew 7:23)


This doesn’t mean that Jesus forgets the sacrifices we have made. It means that even if we have done religious deeds, prophesied, or cast out demons, we won’t enter the kingdom of God if we don’t have a personal relationship with Him.

"God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)


Jesus didn’t merely know about sin; He was sinless and lived in perfect relationship with God. Yet, He bore our sin to enable us to wear the robe of righteousness.


In conclusion, the call for "acknowledging God" is a call to turn away from merely knowing about Him and to move into a deeper, relational knowing. It is not just an intellectual understanding of God but living in personal relationship with Him.


I once had the chance to eat at the same restaurant as soccer star David Beckham. I was with my friend James at a hot pot restaurant, and there Beckham was, just a few tables away. I know about Beckham, but I don’t have a personal relationship with him.


Knowing God is about intimacy. "Intimacy brings personal knowledge." Hosea tells us that more important than the amount of offering we give is the intimacy of our relationship with God. Intimacy involves sharing secrets. Let’s not offer repentance out of fear of judgment, for blessings, or as lip service. God invites us into an intimate relationship, a hesed love, where we live according to His will in our daily lives, and through that, we come to know Him more deeply.


When we live according to God's will in our daily lives, do you know what happens? People notice our actions and become curious. Then we have the opportunity to share the gospel.


"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15)


The knowledge of God comes alive when we lay down our own will, trust His will, and follow Him. The Holy Spirit guides us to live a life where God’s Word becomes alive and active.


Let us love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and strength. Let’s not just know about God, but live daily experiencing the living God, who is at work in us today.

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