Sermon #2011083
Joshua R. Hahn
Series: My Own Little World
Fountaintown Christian Church
Title: The Broken
June 19, 2011
Text: Hosea 2:19-20, 6:6, 12:6
Pattern: Topical
Bottom Line: Remind the broken of what God has spoken.
Multi-sensory Elements: Stage Props, PowerPoint, Listening Guide
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Introduction
It’s great to be here this morning. I missed being here last Sunday. Last week I flew out to Seattle to see
my brother Jeremy. You might remember him. He was here during our Christmas service. Jeremy or
Squirm as we call him turned 30 on Monday. So to celebrate his wife planned an elaborate surprise
birthday party. My brothers Micah and Dustin, my sister Angela and her husband Josh, my parents, and
even Jeremy’s friend Eddie from New York flew out with me to surprise him on Friday night. Jeremy’s
wife Alyssa had taken him to a late dinner but when he came home he arrived to a household full of
family and friends. Eddie and I had arrived first and decorated the house. The rest arrived later. Alyssa
called us from the bathroom of the restaurant to let us know they were on their way so when he came
home he came home to a dark house as usual. However, when he opened the front door he found Eddie
standing there with a birthday pie and candles. Yet, as Eddie began to sing Happy Birthday the rest of us
began to sing along from the other room and slowly walked into the room to let him know who was there.
It was incredible! The look on his face and the surprise to see how his family had made such an
incredible effort to see him was priceless!
While in Seattle, Jeremy took us to Pike Place (where they throw the fish), showed us the Space Needle,
his church, and all of the various places which he had come to love as Seattle had become home to him.
On Monday afternoon everyone but me flew home. So, Tuesday, I headed to a coffee shop (Seattle has
one on every corner) and pulled out my Amazon Kindle (which I love – if you don’t have one what are you
waiting for?) and began reading my Bible. After awhile, I wanted to read something new so I purchased a
book called “Not a Fan” by Kyle Idleman who is the Pastor of Southeastern Christian Church in Louisville,
Kentucky. It’s an incredible book. In the first day I read half of it. It’s a book I want to highly recommend.
It’s also a book which reminds me of our focus here at the Fountain for 2011. In 2011, we want to be fully
surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In this book, Kyle Idleman challenges us to consider
whether or not we are a fan of Jesus Christ or a follower. Do we cheer for Jesus like we might our
favorite sports team or are we an authentic, genuine follower of Him?
In the book, he described something called a DTR conversation. The acronym DTR stands for Define the
Relationship. In any relationship, there is a conversation where the relationship has to be defined.
Maybe you remember yours? It’s the conversation where you sat down over coffee with your future
husband or wife and one of you said to the other, “So… where do you see this going?” Maybe for some,
you ran out the door! Maybe for some, it shocked you or startled you. Yet, it was important. Right?
Anytime you want to enter into a committed, lifelong relationship, you have to have a moment in which
you get real. It’s a conversation where you define the relationship. Such a conversation is important
when you are dating. It defines both the relationship and the commitment level of each person. Yet,
sadly, within our society we are no longer looking for commitment. We are more interested in
convenience than commitment.
Illustration: Two weeks ago I was walking into the Subway in New Palestine when I saw this headline on
the front page of the USA Today newsstand “Fewer Couples Embrace Marriage; More Live Together”. In
the article, they describe how unmarried couples now represent 12% of U.S. couples in 2010. These
couples choose to live together rather than to be married. They want the enjoyment of the relationship
without experiencing any cost that might be associated with it. You see they desire the pleasures and
convenience of such a relationship but are not interested in making a lifetime commitment.
Illustration: Kyle Idleman wrote in his book “Not a Fan” about a magazine called The Door which
suggested the following vows for those who want to cohabitate together: “I, John, take you, Mary, to be
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my cohabitant, to have sex with and to share bills with. I’ll be around while things are good but I probably
won’t be if things get tough. If you should get a cold, I’ll run to the drugstore for some medicine. If you get
sick to the point where you can no longer meet my needs, then I’ll have to move on. Forsaking many
others I will be more or less faithful to you for as long as it feels good to me. If we should break up, it
doesn’t mean this wasn’t special for me. I commit to live with you for as long as this works out.”
Marriage is meant to be a beautiful picture of commitment. When it is defined differently or when two
people divorce, it becomes just the opposite. Rather than being a picture of commitment it becomes a
picture of brokenness. So, this morning I want us to continue in our series this morning entitled My Own
Little World by learning how to step into the lives of the broken. This could be a person who is in a
broken relationship to a spouse or it could also be a person who is in a broken relationship with God.
God wants to be compassionate towards people in broken relationships. To learn how to do so, we are
going to turn to the Old Testament book of Hosea.
As you turn there, I want you to give you an overview of the book of Hosea. The book of Hosea is
basically about three broken marriages. The first two deal with Hosea himself. In Chapter 1, we learn
that Hosea is told by God to go and to marry a prostitute. Not only is Hosea supposed to marry this
prostitute but he is also to have children by her. So, Hosea obeys God and marries a woman named
Gomer. Hosea and Gomer then have three children. However, Gomer later leaves Hosea. So, God tells
Hosea to marry a second woman. This woman, we are told in Chapter 3, is an adulterous woman. She
is a woman whom has cheated on her husband. Now I know what you’re thinking! Why would God call a
prophet to marry and have children through both a prostitute and a woman known for committing
adultery? The reason is because the book of Hosea is not just about the broken marriages of Hosea but
also about the broken marriage of God Himself.
God’s Marriage
Throughout the pages of the Bible, the Scriptures speak of a marriage that God has with His people.
God formed the nation of Israel when He chose Moses to lead the descendants of Abraham, who were
enslaved to the Egyptians, out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. As God led them toward their new
home, He also entered into a covenant with them. It was a marriage covenant. God promised to be
faithful to them as long as they would remain faithful to Him. Over time, though, God’s people turned
from Him. They began to worship other gods. By doing so, they “prostituted themselves” and committed
“spiritual adultery”. Thus, they broke their “marriage vows” to Him. Their sinfulness toward God was so
bad that it reached a point in which God had to have a DTR conversation. He had to once again define
the marriage and express His anger towards their unfaithfulness. Hosea’s two marriages to the prostitute
and adulteress were not random events. They were messages to Israel expressing the truth that they
had turned their backs upon God and the covenant relationship that He had entered into with them.
We see God’s marriage taking place through Hosea’s words. Each can be seen through the three stages
of a Jewish wedding. Just as our marriages have stages, Jewish marriages do too. The first is called
The Kiddushin. This is the engagement process. Do you remember your engagement? Often our
engagements include romantic stories of elaborate wedding proposals meant to express deep love. Yet,
in Hosea’s day, the engagement process was full of legalism. Once engaged, the only way to break off
an engagement was through legal action and a divorce. This step is seen in God’s marriage to His
people Israel in Hosea 2:19-20. Here we read:
“I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In
lovingkindness and in compassion, 20 And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will
know the LORD.
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Here God entered into a legal agreement or relationship with His people. Twice we see Him use the term
here “betroth”. The term “betroth” means to promise “by one’s truth”. In other words, God promises to
remain faithful to His people through this marriage. Within a Jewish wedding, the period of bethrophal
usually took place a year or more before the marriage. It was a legally binding agreement. Thus, this is
the first stage of God’s marriage to Israel.
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The second stage is seen in Hosea 3:1-2. It is here that we read:
Then the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an
adulteress, even as the LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love
raisin cakes.” 2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of
barley.
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The second stage of a Jewish wedding is referred to as The Mohar. It is unique to Judaism and not
something that we practice in our western culture. Within this stage, a Jewish man must pay a price to
the bride’s family in order to receive her. This bride price served as a sort of insurance policy. If the
couple ever divorced, it was very hard for the woman to remarry. So, she likely would return home which
placed a burden upon the family. The bride price would serve as a payment meant to ensure that her
family would be able to provide for her throughout the rest of her life.
We see this stage being alluded to within these two verses. In verse 1, God tells Hosea to “Go again”
and to “love a woman who is loved by her husband”. This is where Hosea marries the adulteress woman.
Then God compares her adultery to that which He has experienced. He says “even as the Lord loves the
sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes”. The odd phrase here of loving
“raisin cakes” refers to the gods of Mesopotamia whom received these as an offering. God is speaking of
the spiritual adultery that has happened within His people. They have left Him for others gods. By
sacrificing to other gods instead of to Him, they have turned from Him. Such actions are so severe that
He compares them to adultery – the ultimate form of betrayal within a marriage. In verse 2, Hosea
purchases her for fifteen shekels and a homer and a half of barley. Scholars debate what the amount
refers to here. Some believe it refers to an amount paid for her freedom. Others believe that it referred to
an amount she owned another - such as a legal debt. Regardless, this is the bride price that would be
paid within any Jewish wedding in order to enable the marriage to take place.
The third stage of a Jewish wedding is referred to as The Huppah. This term literally means “the canopy”
or “the covering” and refers to the actual ceremony. In a Jewish wedding, the couple stands under a
canopy as the ceremony takes place and the canopy represents the home the couple will build together.
God, too, expected to be married and to build a home. He had certain expectations for His people. In
Hosea 6:6 we read:
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For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt
offerings.
Here God describes how He desires for His people to be loyal to Him and to know Him. He desires this
intimate knowledge of Him more than sacrifices and offerings. In Hosea 12:6 we also read:
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Therefore, return to your God, Observe kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually.
God not only wanted His people to know Him but also to demonstrate that they know Him by the way they
live their lives. God desired for His people to “observe kindness and justice” and to be “patient” as they
waited for answers from Him. These were the expectations that God had for their relationship. Yet,
despite these expectations Israel chose to disobey which led to brokenness within the marriage.
So, as we consider God’s marriage the natural question becomes “What do these things mean in your life
and mine?” What does God’s broken marriage mean to you and me? More importantly, how do we use
these truths to step into the lives of people whom are broken?
God’s Meaning
Within these stories of broken marriages between Hosea and Gomer and God and His people are truths
which God wants us to understand. Each one of them relate directly to the three stages of a Jewish
marriage. The first truth is this: We have been pledged. The first stage of the Jewish wedding was the
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Kiddushin where the couple became pledged in marriage. We, too, have been pledged in marriage. Our
pledge was made by our groom. His name is Jesus. Paul describes in the book of Ephesians how the
marriage of a man to a woman represents the spiritual truth that Jesus is married to His Church. Jesus is
the groom. The Church is the bride. Paul says that this is a great mystery known only by revelation. As
a mystery, it cannot be fully understood. In Ephesians 5:32, Paul writes:
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This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.
The marriage of Jesus to the Church symbolizes the spiritual relationship between God and His people.
In the Old Testament, God is seen as being the groom. In the New Testament, Jesus is said to be the
groom. Yet, throughout the Bible the message is clear. God’s people are pledged to Him in marriage.
We have been pledged to Him in marriage through His Son Jesus Christ.
The second truth is this: We have been purchased. The second stage of the Jewish wedding was the
Mohar where the bride price was paid. Hosea paid a price to obtain his wives. However, Jesus paid a
price for His bride the Church as well. This bride price is alluded to within the book of Hosea where in
13:14 God spoke to His people by stating:
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Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from death? O Death,
where are your thorns? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion will be hidden from My sight.
Paul quotes this verse later in the New Testament and uses it to refer to Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 15:55 he
says, “Where O Death is your victory? Where O Death is your sting?” In other words, death has no
power. It has not sting. It has no victory. Why? Jesus died on the cross and rose again. Through His
death, a price was paid. Through His resurrection, a victory is obtained by all whom are His own. His
victory is our victory. We receive Eternal Life because He received it. He has accepted us as His bride.
We have been purchased by His blood and through His death.
Finally, the third truth is this: We have been promised. The third stage of a Jewish wedding is the
Huppah in which both people make promises to remain faithful to one another forever. Just as God
promised to be faithful to His bride Israel, Jesus promised to be faithful to His bride the Church. Jesus
promises to be faithful to you. The question is, “Will you be faithful to Him?” Will you remain committed
to Him and fully surrendered to Him? Throughout the New Testament we see countless examples of our
need to be faithful to the very end of our lives. Jesus taught it. The disciples lived it. The church in Acts
died for it. Paul wrote about it. Jesus then reminds us of it in Revelation 2:10 when He says that we must
be “faithful to the point of death” and then He will give to us the “crown of life.” Each was faithful to the
promises that they made.
Conclusion
Yet, all around us today we see the effects of broken promises. Broken promises lead to broken people.
First, broken promises occur within our relationships to others. When this happens in marriage, the
consequences are significant. Broken promises lead to divorce. I have seen this recently occur both
within my family and friends. Over the past two years, I have seen two divorces within my family and a
third marriage on the brink. Within my friendships, I have seen other marriages fight to stay alive. As a
Pastor, I have been exposed to still more marriages on the brink of disaster. So, what can we do to bring
healing into the life of a broken marriage?
God gives us instructions for how to step into a broken marriage in the book of Revelation chapter 2.
Here Jesus is speaking to a church in Ephesus whom has left their “first love”. Just like a marriage, this
church has turned away from their spouse. What does Jesus instruct them to do? In Revelation 2:5 He
says, “Therefore, remember where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first.” When
marriages are failing, God’s answer is to return to doing the deeds which you did when you first fell in
love. In marriage, this means going back to doing the things you did at first in order to cause the other
person to fall in love with you. When we see a marriage beginning to fail, we need to be willing to step
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into that relationship and challenge them to do the things they did before. When they do they will learn to
once again love the other person and will win back their love and affection.
Second, broken promises also occur within our relationship to God. When this occurs within our
relationship to God, the consequences can be eternal. Just as broken promises in marriage lead to
separation physically, broken promises to God lead to separation spiritually. God becomes angry with
our broken promises. Broken promises to God lead to a broken relationship with Him. When this occurs,
God gets angry and upset.
Illustration: Kyle Idleman describes it this way. Imagine you are dating a person and have a DTR
conversation. After the conversation, you carry your girlfriend’s picture in your wallet. As soon as it’s
opened her picture is the first thing you see. When she opens it, she is the first picture she sees. Yet,
now imagine that behind that picture are pictures of the last three or four girls you have dated. That’s
going to be a problem. Why? Your girlfriend doesn’t want to be the “first” in a long list. She wants to be
your “one and only”.
The same is true with God. God wants to be your one and only. For some of you this morning, God
wants to have a DTR conversation. He wants to have a conversation with you where He defines the
relationship. He wants a relationship defined by His terms and not yours. What are those terms? What
are His terms for restoring the broken? Jesus. God wants you to accept His Son as Lord of your life.
Those are His terms. If you are ready to do so today then come and share your decision with me as the
band comes forward during this next song.
So, let’s summarize what we have talked about this morning in the following way. How do we step into
the lives of the broken? Like Hosea, we must: Remind the broken of what God has spoken.
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