Matt Nelson - January 22, 2023
Marry a Whore
SCANDALOUS GRACE Marry a Whore 1.22.23 Hosea 1:2-3 2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” 3 So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. Hosea 3:1-5 The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” 2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. 3 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.” 4 For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or household gods.5 Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days. Hosea's scandalous, shameless, one-way love for his promiscuous wife is a mere snapshot of God's grace toward us. While we were still whores, Christ eagerly climbed up on the cross to redeem us from the slave market. True grace always meets us where we are and invites us into the way of life only found in Christ. Luke 10:38-42 38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
From Series: "Scandalous Grace"
Throughout scripture, we get numerous stories of God's extravagant grace poured out on the lost, the least, and the undeserving. This grace often illicit responses of awe, worship, and repentance from those receiving this undeserved grace. To those who have built their lives and understanding on morality, the law, or performance, these acts of grace can cause outrage and bitterness. In this series, we look deep into the heart of our Father who lavishly and extravagantly pours out his grace on us and our response to this amazing grace.