Love Never Fails | Hosea: Part 3 | How to Keep Loving When It Gets Hard
How to Keep Pursuing the Lost When You Feel Like Giving Up | Hosea 3
What do you do when loving someone feels impossible? When the person you’re pursuing — a prodigal child, a wayward friend, a lost family member — just keeps pulling away? In this powerful message from Big Valley Grace Community Church, Pastor Joel walks through Hosea chapter 3 and reveals how God’s relentless pursuit of an unfaithful people is the model for how we love the difficult people in our lives.
Using the image of a marathon runner hitting the wall, this message asks the question we all eventually face: why are we still running? When loving the lost feels costly, when forgiving the wayward feels impossible, when the results seem nowhere in sight — God’s word speaks directly into that place of discouragement and calls us back to the goal.
Discover three anchors that keep you from giving up: the command to love even enemies, the costly example of Christ’s sacrificial love, and the freeing truth that the results belong to God — not you. Whether you’re praying for a prodigal son or daughter, a lost friend, or a wayward loved one, this message will renew your hope and remind you who you’re running for.
Jesus is the why. Don’t give up.
#NeverGiveUp #PrayingForTheProdigal #BigValleyGrace #HopeInJesus #PursuingTheLost
Life Group Questions
PASSAGES: Hosea 3
LOVE NEVER FAILS: Holding Onto Hope
Feb 28/Mar 1, 2026
As a church family, we are studying through the prophetic book of Hosea in the months of February and March. The prophet Hosea was tasked with a bold assignment to communicate on behalf of God to Israel regarding their unfaithfulness and idolatry. There are multiple layers to the book of Hosea including, personal, family, national, and global.
The best thing that parents can do for their children is model a devotion to God and each other. Devotion and faithfulness can be tough, but God not only models it himself, but gives us a living example through one of His prophets. Hosea and his family are a picture of God and Israel.
In life we are often disappointed when we experience failure in love and relationships. In Hosea we witness a love that never fails. The love of God is depicted as an unwavering love that extends mercy, offers new beginnings, and pursues the wayward. God invites us to walk in faithfulness, experience His love, and share it generously with others.
How do we not give up pursuing the lost or wayward person?
Read Hosea 3 out loud together as a group.
1—The command is to love. Hosea 3:1
2—Love is costly. Hosea 3:2
3—The results belong to God. Hosea 3:3-5
- Why did God choose Israel?
- What does God’s choice of Israel teach you about God and your relationship with Him?
- Can you think of a modern parallel to Hosea’s purchase of his wayward wife from slavery?
- How is Hosea’s purchase of Gomer like and unlike God’s purchase of us?
- What are some ways you can express love to someone who is turning away from God, as Hosea loved Gomer and God loves Israel?
- In what ways does God’s jealousy for our faithfulness help us avoid sin and walk closely with him?
- Make a list of activities or items people make into more of a priority than God and faithfulness to Him. Which of those are temptations for you?
- What are some ways a redeemed life is better than an unredeemed life?
- What encourages you to not give up pursuing the lost and wayward? 10. Pray for someone who is lost and wayward in your life.
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47 ESV
The early church was DEVOTED in at least four ways: 1. Devoted to the apostle’s teaching of God’s Word. v.42 2. Devoted to the fellowship of believers. v.42
- Devoted to the breaking of bread to remember Jesus. v.42 4. Devoted to the prayers unto God. v.42
The early church was DAY BY DAY in at least four ways: 1. Day By Day in the uncommon and the common. v.43-45 2. Day By Day in the temple and the home. v.46
- Day By Day in gladness and generosity. v.46
- Day By Day in praise and favor. v.47
DEVOTED DAY BY DAY IN 2030
2030 NEW BAPTISMS
We actively share our faith in Jesus Christ
with unbelievers to make new disciples.
We walk alongside new disciples
to baptize and teach them to obey Jesus.
203 NEW GROUPS
We have a leadership culture that allows
for every disciple to be known and grown.
We have a group that meets in every
neighborhood surrounding our campuses.
Make it a matter of prayer.
1 Person in 1 Year: Salvation, Baptism & Group.
Key Scriptures
Hosea 3:1–5 — Core Passage
Full chapter read at the top of the message.
“And the Lord said to me, ‘Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.’ So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. And I said to her, ‘You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you.’ For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.”
Deuteronomy 7:8 (referenced)
“It is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand.”
Hebrews 13:1–2 (referenced, morning verse card)
“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
Matthew 5:43–44 — Core Passage
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
1 John 4:11 (referenced)
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
Romans 5:8 (referenced)
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
1 Peter 1:18–19 (referenced)
“You were ransomed… with the precious blood of Christ.”
Luke 23:32–34 — Core Passage
“Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him… And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’”
Matthew 6:15 (referenced)
“If you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive you.”
Hebrews 12:6 (referenced)
“The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
Philippians 1:6 (referenced)
“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 1:11 (referenced)
“God works all things according to the counsel of his will.”
John 17:20–21 (referenced)
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one… so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
2 Peter 3:9 (referenced)
“The Lord is not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Hebrews 12:1–2 — Core Passage
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
View Transcript
Welcome to Big Valley Grace Community Church. If you’re brand new, we’re really glad that you’re here. My name is Joel. I’d love to meet you — after the gathering, I’ll be standing right down here and would love to personally welcome you.
On behalf of all of us, a warm welcome to everyone who is new. We’re glad you’re here.
Today we are going to close our time in the book of Acts. We’ve been in and out of Acts for about the last year, and today we’ll be in Acts chapter 18. Before we get into that, I want to make a note about the new series we’re heading into in Hosea. One of the great things about Big Valley Grace is that we are a church of multiple generations, and it’s encouraging to see families attending together. For parents who have children attending the service with you, I want to challenge you to read Hosea chapter 1 before next week. It has biblically mature themes, and it would help you preview that ahead of time so you can decide whether you’d like your child in the worship gathering with you or in our kids ministry during this series. Parents, great job bringing your families to church. We want to come alongside you and help you be successful as we head into something new.
Today we’re going to close our time in Acts. We’ll be in Acts chapter 18, verse 1.
My wife and I had a conversation over the last couple of weeks about fears we have. We were reminded of times in our lives where we experienced fear in a significant way. We moved the conversation toward what our current, present fears are. My wife shared something really impactful — and she’s given me permission to share it with you.
My wife said: “I fear what will happen to Gia, our 8-year-old daughter with special needs. I fear — though I try not to, I still do. I fear her future, her needing us. What if we cannot take care of her? What does life look like for her as a teen and an adult? I give Gia to God over and over because I am still wrestling.”
We all have a unique experience with fear. All of our fears are specific to our own lives, and we can all relate to times when we’re afraid — what it feels like, what it does to us. As we look at this passage today, we’re going to see that God knows we’re afraid. He knows exactly what our fears are. And he comes to us in the place of fear. Even though we’re afraid, he does a work to transform our lives. I’m excited to look at this passage together.
Father, we come to you and we need to hear from you. We need your word spoken to us right where we are, with exactly what’s going on in our lives right here, right now. God, you see us. You know us. You know what’s going on. Help us to believe that and help us to receive your word specifically to us in our current circumstance. Help us to listen as you speak. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Acts chapter 18, verse 1: “After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.” If you’d like some context for what “after this” refers to, I’d encourage you to go back and watch last week’s message — Pastor Scott Stubbert taught on the previous passage and did a great job.
Paul is on a missionary journey, and in the text we’re looking at today, he’s bringing his second missionary journey to a close. He’s going from town to town. He was in Athens, and now he’s in Corinth. He finds a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome — the Caesar had expelled the entire Jewish community. Two of them, this couple, find their way to Corinth.
When Paul arrives on his missionary journey, he meets them. He went to see them because he was of the same trade — he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers. That was Paul’s livelihood. How he earned income. He comes into this new town, meets a couple who may have already established a business there, and works alongside them.
And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. Beyond earning a living, he would show up to the synagogue — this was his practice. He would enter a town, go to the synagogue, knowing that there he’d find people having discussions around the scriptures and worshiping God. I had a conversation with some friends over the last couple of weeks about where Paul would go if he showed up in our community right now. Where would he find a group of people gathered around the scriptures and worshiping the Lord? When he went from town to town, he knew he could start at the synagogue.
He tried to persuade Jews and Greeks — meaning he was trying to change their thinking. Not just conversation for its own sake. He wanted them to think correctly about the Old Testament scriptures, about the Messiah, and about how Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, fulfilled all of those scriptures. He was correcting inaccurate thinking about who Jesus Christ is.
Verse 5: “When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus.” What this verse helps us understand — subtly — is that prior to Silas and Timothy arriving, Paul was working a job and sharing the gospel in his time beyond that. But when these two came, they brought a gift that supplied his needs, and he was able to fully occupy himself with the ministry of the word — bringing testimony about the Old Testament scriptures and the Messiah fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.
Verse 6: “And when they opposed and reviled him…” Those are two very strong words. Opposed and reviled. It’s uncomfortable to be in a situation where you are opposed and reviled. We’re talking about not just another team, but another team that wants to destroy you, dismantle you, tear you apart, discredit you, humiliate you, tear down everything you’ve built.
When they opposed and reviled him, he did something kind of wild. He shook out his garments and said, “Your blood be on your own heads. I am innocent. From now on, I will go to the Gentiles.”
This is a wild demonstration. By shaking out his clothes, he’s saying: “I’ve had a responsibility. My responsibility was to take the Jewish scriptures, show you how they point to the Messiah, and explain how Jesus Christ of Nazareth fulfilled those scriptures. He is the Son of God. But you have rejected what I have shared.” And because they rejected it, he shakes out his garments — a sign — and says, “Your blood be on your own heads. I am innocent. I have done what I was called to do.”
This display reminds me of some wild things God had the prophets do in the Old Testament. One prophet ate a scroll to get the people’s attention. One was naked in town. One put up a plumb line as an illustration. God had the prophets do some wild things. And here, Paul shakes out his garments and says, “You’re not listening. I’m going to find someone who will.”
This reminds me of when Jesus was heading to the cross. There were women weeping for him, and he looked at them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me. Weep for yourselves and weep for your children.” He was saying: don’t pity me. Be very concerned for yourselves and your children, because your town has rejected me. It is a very serious thing to reject Jesus Christ.
Verse 7: “He left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue.” He’s at the synagogue. He gets rejected at the synagogue. He goes next door. Maybe someone will listen here.
One of the common experiences we all share when we start talking to people about Jesus is that we experience rejection. But a huge mistake we make when that happens — we forget to go next door. Maybe someone will listen here. He goes next door, and he finds someone who is open.
Verse 8: “Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.” Not only does he find the man next door open — the ruler of the synagogue ends up believing, with his whole household. And then many in the city hear Paul, believe, and are baptized.
Just because we experience rejection doesn’t mean it’s the end of the story. Go next door and see who’s open. If we stop at rejection, we miss those who will accept.
Now the Lord shows up in Paul’s life to encourage him. Verse 9: “And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid.’”
Something we can be confident about is that every time in the Bible God shows up and says “do not be afraid,” it’s because the person is terrified. God doesn’t waste his words. He knows Paul is afraid. And he speaks directly into his circumstance.
Psalm 94:11 says the Lord knows the thoughts of man. God knew what was in Paul’s heart and mind. He knows what’s in ours, too. He knows exactly what we’re thinking about. He knows exactly what we’re afraid of. And he shows up even in the middle of our fear.
It reminds me of a moment where I had an opportunity to serve the Lord and was afraid. In 2019, I had the opportunity, along with our church family, to launch a campus in a new town. That meant picking up the phone and calling people I didn’t know. Knocking on doors of people I didn’t know. Meeting with people I didn’t know. I can remember moments where I was afraid to pick up the phone and call, afraid to knock on that next door.
Maybe you can relate to having an opportunity to serve the Lord but experiencing fear as an obstacle preventing you from moving forward.
Paul was afraid. And sometimes our fears are directly connected to the people around us. We don’t know specifically what Paul was afraid of, but we know a little about the people surrounding him and what type of people may have caused that fear.
We’re blessed to have more than just Acts 18 — we also have the letters Paul wrote back to the people of Corinth. Those letters are 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. They give us a lot of information about what Paul’s experience was like when he was there.
Reading those letters, we can identify at least four types of people that may have caused Paul to experience fear. As we go through them, pay attention to how this might resonate in your own life.
First: people full of pride. In 1 Corinthians 4:19, Paul writes, “I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power.” Part of the reason Paul was afraid may have been that he was dealing with people who were full of pride.
Second: people pursuing evil activity. In 1 Corinthians 5:1, he writes, “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not even tolerated among pagans. For a man has his father’s wife.” Part of the reason Paul was afraid may have been that he was dealing with people actively pursuing evil.
Third: people worshiping false gods. In 1 Corinthians 10:14, he writes, “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” He goes on to describe how many so-called gods and so-called lords filled the environment. Flee from idols as fast as you can. It may be that part of his fear came from dealing with rampant idolatry.
Fourth: people inflicting pain on the innocent. In 2 Corinthians 1:5, Paul writes, “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” It may be that part of Paul’s fear came from dealing with people causing harm to others.
People full of pride. People pursuing evil activity. People worshiping false gods. People inflicting pain on the innocent.
What does that stir up in your own life? What type of people have been a source of fear for you? When you’re afraid, how do you respond? Do you fight? Do you run? Do you freeze? Do you act like a possum, lay down in the middle of the road, and pretend you’re dead?
Paul was afraid. God knew he was afraid. And God showed up in Paul’s life.
The Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent.” We can find ourselves in situations where we have work to do for the Lord and we need God to encourage us. Don’t be afraid, but go on.
I can remember a moment where I was full of fear. It was March of 2020. There was a lot happening at the same time — the threat of imminent illness and death with something called COVID-19. Never heard of it before. The government shut everything down — didn’t know they were able to do that. You couldn’t even get toilet paper. Shelves were empty. People were losing jobs. People were in financial crisis. I can remember being at my house, getting down on my hands and knees, and crying out: God, I don’t have a clue what any of this is, but I know I need your help, because I don’t know what to do.
Maybe you can relate to reaching a place of such desperation that you just need God to show up in your life right now.
So how can we go on serving God even when we are afraid? The text gives us three answers.
Number one: we can go on serving God with his presence. “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you.”
This phrase — “I am with you” — echoes all the way through scripture. God told Isaac “I am with you” — when Isaac was out in the middle of nowhere, digging wells that kept getting taken from him, filled with rocks, stolen again and again. God showed up. God told Jacob “I am with you” — when Jacob was sleeping in the wilderness with a rock for a pillow, having a dream of a ladder to heaven, God told him his family would be like dust covering the earth. God told Isaiah “I am with you” — when the threat of war surrounded his nation and he had a responsibility to speak to the leaders, God said the army threatening war would be blown away like wind.
God told Jeremiah “I am with you” — when Jeremiah felt too young, too small, and said, “I can’t serve God, I’m only a youth.” God said, “Don’t say you’re only a youth — I choose you.” God told Haggai “I am with you” — when the temple was in ruins and no one even cared. God said, “We’re going to rebuild.” Jesus told the eleven disciples “I am with you” before he went to the Father, assuring them it would be okay. And after the resurrection, Jesus showed up to all the disciples and said “I am with you” — a group of people who only knew Galilee — and sent them out to the whole world. And they went. All the way to right here, right now.
If you are a follower of Jesus, he is still telling you: I am with you.
How can we go on serving God even when we’re afraid? We can go on with his presence.
Number two: we can go on serving God with his plan.
“Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.”
What was God saying? You can’t stop talking about me. Every time you talk about me, someone is going to come to Jesus. You can’t be silent. You have to speak up because when you keep talking to people about Jesus, they’re going to come to know Jesus. I have many in this city who are my people — and I need you to not stop talking.
One of the oldest strategies of the enemy is to make you think you’re the only one. That you’re isolated. That no one knows what’s going on in your life. No one can relate. You’re alone. That is such an old strategy. And God speaks directly to it: “I have many.” You are not alone. Don’t shut up. Keep talking. When you talk, people are going to find out about Jesus.
We may not know all the people God wants to reach. We’re just a small speck in the big story of what he is doing. But we’re still a speck in the story. It’s a privilege to be part of something bigger than our own lives.
This is how I see each day. I wake up and think: yes, I made it. Okay, God — what are we doing? Who am I going to talk to? Who am I going to meet? What’s the adventure today? There is not a single wasted day. Every day is an opportunity to go on an adventure with God. We can go on serving God with his plan and discover what he has in store for us today.
Number three: we can go on serving God with his power.
“And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.” He was so encouraged by God showing up in his life that he stayed there for a year and a half and taught the word of God. Paul didn’t have to create his own content. God provided all the content — which is the word of God. And there is power in the word of God.
When Paul wrote back to the people of Corinth, this is what he said about it, in 1 Corinthians 2:1: “And when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
What we need in our faith is to experience the power of God. My words do not have power. If I don’t have God’s word, I have nothing to share with you except some really bad dad jokes — and the problem with my humor is I’m not funny. But if we have God’s word and the Holy Spirit of God, we have everything we need and we can keep going.
So: how can we go on serving God even when we’re afraid? We can go on with his presence. We can go on with his plan. And we can go on with his power.
I don’t know what you are facing right now that has you afraid. But I know this: whatever it is, it is very real for you. It is real from your perspective. And maybe you’re trying to serve the Lord, trying to follow God, and you’re struggling with fear. Maybe you need God to show up in your life today. Maybe you need to hear the exact same phrase he gave Paul: do not be afraid, but go on.
If Paul was able to say, “When I was with you, I knew nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified,” then what that tells us is this: no matter what we face, Jesus Christ is enough. The cross of Jesus Christ is sufficient for anything we’re afraid of. The power of God is enough.
Do not be afraid, but go on serving God.
We also have the opportunity as a community to encourage one another. When someone begins to fumble, we can lift them up. When someone begins to struggle, we can build them up. You don’t have to live this life alone. You don’t have to be in isolation. You can be part of the family of God, part of the encouragement in one another’s lives — saying these words to each other: do not be afraid. But go on.
Father, thank you for your word. We trust that your word is powerfully working right now. I pray for hearts and minds that your word is penetrating deeply. Would there be incredible transformation because of your power and no other power? God, we acknowledge that you know us. You know exactly what’s going on in our lives. Show up in our lives. You have a message for us: do not be afraid, but go on. Help us to serve you. Help us to obey you. Help us to listen as you speak. In Jesus’ name. And all God’s people said, amen. If you need prayer, our team will be ready. If you’re new, I’d love to meet you. Church family, we love you and we’ll see you again real soon.
You said: Next one
0:022 secondsGood morning. 0:044 secondsWelcome to Big Valley Grace Community Church. If it’s your first time here, we’re really glad you’re here. On behalf of all of us, welcome to you. My name is 0:1212 secondsJoel. I’d love to meet you right after the gathering. I’ll be standing right here. If yo
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Claude responded: Here’s everything for this message from Pastor Joel on Hosea 3:
Here’s everything for this message from Pastor Joel on Hosea 3:
1. SEO-Optimized YouTube Description
How to Keep Pursuing the Lost When You Feel Like Giving Up | Hosea 3
What do you do when loving someone feels impossible? When the person you’re pursuing — a prodigal child, a wayward friend, a lost family member — just keeps pulling away? In this powerful message from Big Valley Grace Community Church, Pastor Joel walks through Hosea chapter 3 and reveals how God’s relentless pursuit of an unfaithful people is the model for how we love the difficult people in our lives.
Using the image of a marathon runner hitting the wall, this message asks the question we all eventually face: why are we still running? When loving the lost feels costly, when forgiving the wayward feels impossible, when the results seem nowhere in sight — God’s word speaks directly into that place of discouragement and calls us back to the goal.
Discover three anchors that keep you from giving up: the command to love even enemies, the costly example of Christ’s sacrificial love, and the freeing truth that the results belong to God — not you. Whether you’re praying for a prodigal son or daughter, a lost friend, or a wayward loved one, this message will renew your hope and remind you who you’re running for.
Jesus is the why. Don’t give up.
#NeverGiveUp #PrayingForTheProdigal #BigValleyGrace #HopeInJesus #PursuingTheLost
2. Key Verses
Hosea 3:1–5 — Core Passage
Full chapter read at the top of the message.
“And the Lord said to me, ‘Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.’ So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. And I said to her, ‘You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you.’ For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.”
Deuteronomy 7:8 (referenced)
“It is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand.”
Hebrews 13:1–2 (referenced, morning verse card)
“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
Matthew 5:43–44 — Core Passage
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
1 John 4:11 (referenced)
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
Romans 5:8 (referenced)
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
1 Peter 1:18–19 (referenced)
“You were ransomed… with the precious blood of Christ.”
Luke 23:32–34 — Core Passage
“Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him… And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’”
Matthew 6:15 (referenced)
“If you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive you.”
Hebrews 12:6 (referenced)
“The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
Philippians 1:6 (referenced)
“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 1:11 (referenced)
“God works all things according to the counsel of his will.”
John 17:20–21 (referenced)
“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one… so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
2 Peter 3:9 (referenced)
“The Lord is not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
Hebrews 12:1–2 — Core Passage
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
3. Clean Transcript
Good morning. Welcome to Big Valley Grace Community Church. If it’s your first time here, we’re really glad you’re here. On behalf of all of us, welcome. My name is Joel. I’d love to meet you right after the gathering — I’ll be standing right here. Come up, I’d love to put a name and a face together and personally welcome you. We hope today is a great encouragement to you.
Last week I had the opportunity to participate in a community fun run. I find it fun to participate in events like that for a few reasons. One is that I tend to exercise more when a bunch of other people are exercising too — we can all discover together how out of shape we are, and that’s really great. I like the community aspect, seeing people, and that’s fun for me. It was a beautiful run through the community, and I had a lot of fun.
But it reminded me of a run I was part of that was not so great. In 2003, I participated in the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon. To run a marathon means you’re a little mentally off — so that tells you something about me.
There are three basic aspects to training for a marathon. The first is the physical ability to finish 26.2 miles — there’s training that needs to take place to get the body ready to endure that distance. The second is pain tolerance. How much pain can my body handle, or am I willing to accept, during a few given hours of my life? The third aspect, beyond hydration and nutrition, is mental preparation — training the belief that I can actually finish a marathon.
Part of the marathon experience is something called the wall. It’s not a physical wall — that would be awful to run into — but a non-physical one. The wall can happen in a few ways. First, dehydration. You actually have to drink water for months leading up to a marathon to be properly hydrated. During a marathon, if you get thirsty, you’re done — there’s no way to solve that problem. It’s too late. Second is malnutrition — how you eat before and even during a marathon. Fuel is critical. Third is a mental block, where a runner gets to the point where they say, “I literally do not believe I can take one more step to finish this race.”
For me, I hit the wall about 18, 19, 20 miles in. At the start of the race, I’m standing up straight, big smile on my face, laughing and joking with the people I trained with — we’re having a great time. When I hit the wall, I’m slouched over, all grumpy. The guy I trained with didn’t hit the wall — he kept running. That made me even more upset. I’m just having a totally bad experience.
Then someone comes up from behind, sees the condition I’m in, and simply says, “Remember why you’re running.”
Why I was running was because I was part of a team raising money to help children experiencing cancer. Our team had been formed around an elementary school girl named Kelsey. Kelsey’s photo was on the back of every one of our jerseys. As the person came up behind me and saw Kelsey’s photo on my back, they simply said, “Remember why you’re running.”
In the marathon of our lives — in the race of life — we’re all in different stages. And it is very possible for all of us to forget why we’re running. Why are we in this marathon anyway? Why are we in the race?
God’s word today is going to remind us of the goal. It’s going to remind us what we’re running toward, what we’re running for, who we’re running to. If you have a Bible, turn to Hosea chapter 3. It’s just five verses. I’m going to read them and then pray for us.
Hosea 3, verse 1: “And the Lord said to me, ‘Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins.’ So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. And I said to her, ‘You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you.’ For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods. Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.”
Let me pray. Father, thank you that you know exactly where each one of us are right now. Lord, you know if any of us are hitting the wall. God, I pray you would use your word to speak directly to us. Whatever the difficulty is, would we see it in this passage? And when we do, would we see how you come to us in that difficulty to remind us why we’re running. In Jesus’ name. And all God’s family said amen.
This is a passage about difficulty. It describes how God gives instruction to Hosea to pursue someone who is difficult to pursue. And it’s a picture of how God pursues Israel when they are difficult to pursue.
We all have moments where it is so hard to keep going. So difficult to love the person who is being difficult. To love the lost person. To love the wayward person. To love the loved one who is being difficult. So how do we not give up? How do we not give up pursuing the lost or the wayward person?
From a biblical standpoint, the term “lost” simply means someone who does not have a relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The term “wayward” means someone who has a relationship with Jesus but has moved away — distanced themselves from the Lord. In our culture we might say prodigal. A prodigal son, daughter, brother, sister, parent, friend.
In verse one, the Lord says to Hosea, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods.”
This is a picture of God giving Hosea a job. In chapter one, we learn that Hosea’s job is to speak on behalf of God to the people of Israel. And God gave him an unusual assignment: take for yourself a wife who will be unfaithful, have children, and name those children names that reflect unfaithfulness. In chapter two, we see the tension that runs all through the book — love and grace and mercy and forgiveness on one side, and threatening and judgment and consequence and discipline on the other.
Now in chapter three, it continues to be difficult. Difficult relationship, difficult job. He’s in a difficult marriage. When mom and dad aren’t doing well, it makes it difficult for the kids. The individuals in the nation of Israel are having a difficult time. The nation as a whole is in a difficult relationship with God.
This is a picture of God telling Hosea: go again. Love. In other words, repeatedly love the difficult person. Repeatedly love the lost person, the wayward person. And it’s even as the Lord loves — showing that God himself is going to go again in love. The Lord repeatedly loves the difficult person. The Lord repeatedly loves the lost person. The Lord repeatedly loves the wayward person.
Now, the book of Hosea highlights the unfaithfulness of Hosea’s wife as a picture of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. But I want to clear something up. In adultery, it takes two participants. Both participants are sinning. Though the book does not elevate the focus to the unfaithfulness of men, it is not excusing it either. In the same way, everyone in Israel who was pursuing sin — their sin was not excused. This is simply a picture of God repeatedly loving people who are moving away from him.
Israel’s sin was idolatry. They were worshiping false gods and idols. The reference to “cakes of raisins” doesn’t communicate much to us today — but here’s what it’s describing. God gave many good, pure, holy, righteous ways for the people of Israel to worship him. But the scheme of the enemy — and this is a very old scheme — is to take very good things God gives and twist and manipulate them until they become bad. Israel had taken the practices of worship to the true and living God, twisted them, and were now worshiping pagan false gods, idols, gods that are not even gods.
So how do we not give up when it’s difficult? How do we not give up pursuing the lost or the wayward person?
Number one: when it gets difficult, remember the command is to love.
Why does God love the nation of Israel? In Deuteronomy 7:8, it’s not because they were the biggest nation, the strongest, the smartest, or the best. None of those reasons. The reason God loves the nation of Israel is because God chose to love them. He made a decision, put an oath behind it, and he is going to keep his word. He’s going to continue to love them because he made a commitment.
In the morning I have a morning routine. Part of it is making a cup of coffee — coffee helps my brain work better. As the coffee is being made, I take a verse out of a box of verse cards and I set it on a stand on the kitchen window sill. The verse this morning was Hebrews 13:1–2: “Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
Every verse in that box has the word love in it. I started doing this because I wanted my family to see a different verse about love every day as they came through the kitchen. But what I found was that as I read that verse in the morning, God started bringing people to my mind. People I was having a hard time loving. And I found myself praying that verse over the very person God brought to mind.
God loves unworthy people. He has set an example of loving unworthy people and has called us to follow his example.
Matthew 5:43–44, Jesus says: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
That is difficult and extreme. If there are two categories of the most difficult people to love, they would be enemies and those who persecute. That is a really hard category. And it shows me that the worst kind of people still need to be loved and prayed for in Jesus Christ.
This leads to a problem you and I have. We need help. We need help from God to love and pray for the worst kind of people in our lives — in our families, in our neighborhoods, in our workplaces. We need help.
1 John 4:11 says: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” If God loved me — an unworthy person — then God is going to help me be able to love an unworthy person.
How would you fill in this blank? God, help me to love _______ and pray for them. Whose name would you put there? This is difficult.
Number two: when it gets difficult, remember love is costly.
Verse two: “So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.”
Why would Hosea need to go buy his wife? From the context, we know she had been unfaithful and was apparently involved in something like prostitution. She had gotten herself into trouble, indebted herself, and was now enslaved because of the choices she made. Hosea comes to some kind of moment — an auction or purchase — where he is going to buy his wife out of enslavement, out of the penalty for her unfaithfulness.
The amount described — fifteen shekels of silver, a homer and a lethech of barley — is not a large sum. This is not saying, “Look what a great guy, he spent all this money.” That is not the point. The cost being described is not monetary. The real cost is relational. How difficult it is to sacrifice and pay a price for someone who got themselves into their situation through their own choices. That is a really hard relational sacrifice.
God sacrifices for the lost and the wayward person. And Hosea is showing us a picture of what God is going to do — something very costly, very sacrificial — to show that God is a God who sacrifices for people who don’t deserve it.
The purpose of this purchase is to free his wife from enslavement to her sin. And God is using this to show how he will purchase Israel out of their enslavement — their indebtedness because of their decisions, their unfaithfulness, their sin.
Romans 5:8 says: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Christ dying on the cross is a sacrificial action that shows how costly it was for God to love us.
In the morning, after I get my coffee and set the verse card on the window sill, I take out my prayer journal and Bible and sit at the kitchen table. Nothing fancy — just blank pages. But I’ve filled up many journals just like it. Often as I’m praying and writing, people’s names end up in that journal. People I’m having a hard time with. And often God leads me, in the process of praying and journaling, to see that I need to forgive the person who offended me. I need to forgive the person who sinned against me. And often I find myself being led by God to forgive someone who is not even asking for forgiveness.
1 Peter 1:18–19: “You were ransomed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.” When I was not asking for forgiveness, I was ransomed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. When you were not asking for forgiveness, you were ransomed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
Jesus sets an example for us in Luke 23:32–34. Two criminals were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified him — and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
While he is being murdered, Christ prays to God the Father and asks the Father to forgive his murderers — while they’re murdering him. If the blood of Jesus Christ is good enough to forgive the murderers of Jesus while they are murdering him, then it is good enough and sufficient for any person and any sin.
This leads to another problem you and I have. We need help. We need God’s help to forgive someone and pray for them. Maybe someone has taken an action against you and it has followed you for a long time. Their sin against you has followed you and you need help to forgive and pray for them.
Matthew 6:15 — Jesus said, “If you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive you.” We all want to be forgiven by God. And he’s saying: if you’re not going to forgive other people, you won’t receive forgiveness. So we need to forgive.
How would you fill in this blank? God, help me to forgive _______ and pray for them. Whose name would you put there?
Number three: when it gets difficult, remember the results belong to God.
Verse three: “And I said to her, ‘You must dwell as mine for many days. You shall not play the whore, or belong to another man; so will I also be to you.’”
He’s saying: because I purchased you out of your indebtedness, you are in timeout. You cannot go sin anymore. I have purchased you out of your enslavement and for a period of days you are in timeout — you cannot pursue your sin any longer because I bought you out of it.
And that’s a picture of what God was communicating he would do with the nation of Israel. Verse four: “For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods.” God is saying: I am going to purchase the nation of Israel and put them in timeout — which in our Bibles we recognize as the exile they experienced.
While in timeout, in a time of discipline, they will not be able to pursue their sin. No king or prince — no leader over their nation. No sacrifice or pillar — no temple worship, and also no false temple worship. No pagan worship. No ephod or household gods — the ephod had originally been set up as a good thing but had been turned into an idol, used to seek false gods. God says, “You won’t be able to do that. You’re going in timeout. A time of discipline. An exile.”
Then in verse five, we discover why. Why does God do this? We find that the purpose of the discipline, the timeout, the exile, is to bring them to the realization: we need the Lord. We need to seek the Lord.
Verse five: “Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.”
After the timeout, after the discipline, after the exile — afterward the children of Israel, all of them, not just the northern ten tribes, but all of Israel, shall return. The discipline will point them back to the Lord. They shall return and seek the Lord their God.
Now, this is not specifically talking about King David, because he had already died. It’s talking about the promise God made to King David — that he would have a son forever to sit on the throne. That was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. All the way back here in Hosea chapter 3, it is pointing to Jesus Christ as the king who is always going to sit on the throne. The children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God and seek Jesus Christ, who is the king. And they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness — meaning they will revere God. They will be in awe of his holiness and how amazing he is.
This passage points to a time even beyond where we are right now. In the latter days, there is a fulfillment coming where Israel is going to seek the Lord, seek Jesus, revere God, and see how good he is — and God is going to do something amazing to save many people.
What this passage shows is that God remains in control. Even when the household is in total dysfunction, even when the nation is in total dysfunction, God remains in control.
Hebrews 12:6: “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is good to be disciplined by the Lord. God uses discipline in our lives to put us in timeout — to get us to think about what’s happening in our lives — so that we will seek him and return to him.
Philippians 1:6: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Whatever God stirs up in you, he is going to get the job done. He is going to complete it.
One of the things I find as I’m praying and journaling, as people’s names come up and I write them down, is a recurring theme: I have to give up control. I don’t actually have control over other people, but there can be a perceived version of control. And I’ve got to give up control over what other people think about me, what they say about me, how they treat me. I’ve got to entrust them to God. I’m not in control of what other people think, feel, say, or do — but I am in control of how I respond. And the Bible calls that self-control. It is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is my responsibility to be led by the Spirit of God so that I might experience self-control when other people are out of control.
Ephesians 1:11: “God works all things according to the counsel of his will.” God is working out a plan. He has things he wants to accomplish. He’s going to get the job done.
In John 17:20–21 — what’s known as the High Priestly Prayer — Jesus prays: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
Jesus is praying for people who have not yet come to know him as Lord and Savior. My question to you is this: do you think God the Father will answer the prayer of Jesus when he prays for people to come to believe in him who have not yet come to believe? I think he will. I think God the Father is going to answer that prayer.
And this leads you and I to a problem we need help with: releasing control — or perceived control — of someone in our lives so we can pray for them.
2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” The lost person in your life — God actually wants them to come to know him more than you want that for them. The wayward person in your life — God wants them to come back to him more than you want them to. Your loved one — God wants them to come to know him as Lord and Savior more than you do.
So whose name would you put in this blank? God, help me to entrust _______ to you and pray for them.
When it gets difficult, remember the results belong to God.
Now I want to speak directly to you in the situation you’re in right now. Things may be very hard. Maybe in the marathon of life it has just gotten really difficult. Maybe you’ve hit the wall. You’re dehydrated. You’re malnourished. You have a mental block that says you can’t keep moving forward. Maybe the marathon of life has become too discouraging. Hitting the wall has put you in a place of despair.
I want to challenge you: if you’re hitting the wall, don’t build a wall between you and God. If you’re hitting the wall, don’t build a wall between you and the person God is calling you to love.
Hebrews 12:1–2: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Jesus understands that it’s difficult. He understands when it’s hard. He understands discouragement and despair. He understands what we experience. And we need to encourage one another when we hit the wall, when we’re too discouraged, when we’re in despair.
Remember why. Jesus is the why. Jesus is why we are in the marathon. Jesus is why we are in the race of life. Jesus is the goal we are going toward. Looking to Jesus — Jesus is our why.
How do we not give up pursuing the lost or the wayward person? We do not give up holding on to hope in Jesus to save.
Each week we’ve been challenging you to do something with the cards we’re having people put up on the prayer wall in the lobby. This week here is my challenge: write down the first name of the lost person in your life who you are going after. Write down the first name of the wayward person you are going after. Write down the first name of your loved one whom you are going after. Then take that card and pin it up on the wall in the lobby. Tonight we are going to pray for every name. We are going to pray for the lost person in your life. The wayward person. Your loved one. We are going to hold on to hope that Jesus will save them.
Tonight is going to be a great night of prayer.
Father, thank you for what you’re doing in our church. God, thank you for how you’re working in our lives. We are in desperate need of you. Help us not to give up. Help us to hold on to hope that Jesus Christ will save. In the name of Jesus. And all God’s family said amen.
If you need prayer, our team is ready to pray with you. If you’re new, I’d love to meet you. Church family, we love you and we’ll see you again real soon.
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