Hosea 10 shows us an Israel enjoying its wealth and luxury. The people don't serve God; instead they add more altars in order to further worship idols. In the soon to come future however, they will be put to shame. God will break down their altars and they will bear their guilt for their rejection of him. (10:2).
The "fruit" that comes out of the Israelite community is rotten. Sin is so rooted within them it has produced a community characterized by injustice, lies, deception, and hypocrisy (10:2, 13). They are a people who "trust in their own way" (10:13) instead of seeking to follow God's way.
What then is God's way? Hosea 10:12 lays it out for us. God's way means "planting" righteousness. That is to say, we shape and guide our life according to what God says is good and right. We see God not as someone who gives us good tips about how we can get what we want out of life. Rather we see God as Lord over ALL our life; that every decision, every thought, every action needs to be submitted to him. As a church lives righteously, the "fruit" that comes out of that church will be steadfast love. The church will be a community that is loyal and committed to God and to one another.
None of this is easy. For this to happen we must break up "fallow ground." This means addressing the parts of lives that aren't submitted to God and aren't being sown with righteousness. This will involving seeking the Lord. For when we seek him he will come and bring righteousness into our lives. Thus the key to developing righteous lives and maturing in steadfast love is God. He is the one who brings about our growth in righteousness.
This happens today through Jesus. Apart from Jesus we produce nothing of any lasting eternal value but in Jesus we can bear "much fruit" (John 13:3-5). As we see more of Jesus in our church and in each life in our church, we can know for sure that God's righteousness is indeed raining down on us and that we will produce much good fruit that will bless our church and our city. (cf Gal 5:22-23)
Here's a few questions to consider in light of v.12:
1. What parts of lives tend to be "fallow" ground? That is to say, what areas of our lives do we tend to not seek God or be very passive about placing them under God's righteousness standards? What will it take to break up this ground so that we are living righteously in a more wholistic way?
2. What will it look like, practically speaking, to seek the Lord more? How does the gospel of Jesus Christ play into this?
3 comments:
Thank you, Vermon, for this sermon; through the portion of His word you guided us through, the Lord convicted me much.
When thinking upon which parts of my life are fallow ground, I would have to admit that it has recently been my time alone, where there is no one present (at least no other person) to motivate me to act in a way pleasing to God. I have wasted time reading more about my favorite sports team instead of my precious Savior; I have taken part in easy, entertaining conversations with unbelievers rather than the often difficult, Gospel-encountering sort of discussions; I have made purchases grounded in pleasing my varied apatite for things of the world as opposed to investing my money in strengthening the Kingdom of Christ. And no, I have not done these things accidentally or absent-minded, but I have been fully aware of my sinful choices - there is no power to blame but my own human will. In the wake of my willful disobedience have I learned much about the "fear" of the Lord we discussed as a congregation after the sermon.
When pondering what it will take to break up the fallow ground in my own life, I have recently found much comfort and joy in these passages of scripture in Titus:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
(Titus 2:11-14 ESV)
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
(Titus 3:3-7 ESV)
God has not only granted us eternal salvation, but is training us to renounce these passions and pleasures; He is purifying us for His own possession, a people that are zealous for good works; it is the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit that we need change our hardness of heart.
A question I have is this: I know that this sanctifying work is a process, and that we are not made perfect at the moment of conversion. However, to what degree do we have to practice in hostility toward God and His ways until we should question our very salvation? I think this is something many are not entirely clear on. If part of the answer has to do with "when your lifestyle becomes one of willful disobedience and outright sin," can we make an effort to define the terms "lifestyle" and "willful disobedience?"
I think that how someone reacts when confronted with their sin. Do they get hostile and defensive? And not just once, but repeatedly? Or do you see true sorrow along the lines of Psalm 32 and a desire to get right with God? Someone who truly has the Spirit within them will always want to deal with their sin when they are honestly confronted with it. We can often be blind and ignorant to our sin. But when honestly confronted with our sin (which is what should happen as you read the word and are part of a healthy church), a true believer will no longer willingly and deliberately live in ignorance; they will want to begin the process of casting off such sin and recentering on Christ.
Thanks, Vermon. :)
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