Sermon Outline from Sunday’s Message (May 1, 2011)

I think at some point after we become followers of Christ we become Christianized in a way that insulates us and makes us forget just how “crazy” the claims of Christianity are. This month I want us to revisit some of the stories the in Scripture that before we came to know Jesus would make us declare, THAT’S JUST CRAZY. I hope that we will refocus a little on the people we are trying to share this “insanity” with in our family and community.

“That’s Just Crazy!”

The Craziest Lover Ever!

Hosea 3:1-3 (HCSB)
¹ Then the Lord said to me, “Go again; show love to a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, just as the Lord loves the Israelites though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”
² So I bought her for 15 shekels of silver and five bushels of barley.
³ I said to her, “You must live with me many days. Don’t be promiscuous or belong to any man, and I will act the same way toward you.”

Hosea 14:1-4 (HCSB)
¹ Israel, return to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your sin. ² Take words [of repentance] with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him: “Forgive all [our] sin and accept what is good, so that we may repay You with praise from our lips. ³ Assyria will not save us, we will not ride on horses, and we will no longer proclaim: Our gods! to the work of our hands. For the fatherless receives compassion in You.” ⁴ I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for My anger will have turned from him.

THE DEPTH OF GOD’S CRAZY LOVE (1)

· God Does Not Need Us –

o What do we have to offer him?

o What do we have that he needs from us?

o Our Very Best cannot measure up.

· God Wants us…He Desires Us…He Loves Us!

· And His Love is Steadfast and Faithful Even when we Are not

THE COST OF GOD’S CRAZY LOVE (2)

A. The cost to Hosea

1. The Exorbitant Price of a Slave

2. Imagine the things running through Gomer’s mind with Hosea’s bid (revenge, subjection)

B. The cost to Christ was the cross at Calvary

1. When he should have been ruling from a throne he was bleeding on a cross

2. When he could have been judging he was weeping “Father forgive”

3. When he could have demanded allegiance he merely asked for a relationship.

THE EFFECTS OF GOD’S CRAZY LOVE (3)

· What Difference Does this Crazy Love Make in My Life?

· For Hosea and Gomer:

“You must live with me many days. Don’t be promiscuous or belong to any man, and I will act the same way toward you.”

· Gomer’s Commitment (live with me many days)

· Gomer’s Purity (don’t be promiscuous – leave that old way of life)

· Gomer’s Relationship (I will be faithful toward you)

· What Would Gomer’s Response Be?

THE HOPE OF GOD’S CRAZY LOVE (14.2-4 and following)

A. In spite of our disobedience – God Loves

B. In spite of our unfaithfulness – God loves

C. In spite of our disrespect and irreverence – God loves

His Love Brings:

Healing, Refreshing, Renewal, Revival, Provision, Guidance, Protection, and Forgiveness

THE INVITATION OF GOD’S CRAZY LOVE (14.1)

Israel, RETURN to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your sin

è Forest Gump – He Never Stops Loving Jenny

The Invitation to All of Us…

è In spite of Failure – Return

è In spite of Unfaithfulness – Return

è In spite of Filthiness – Return

è In spite of Wandering – Return

àIllustration of the runaway in Sao Palo Brazil (No matter what you have done…come home)

 

Coutnry Song: HURRRY HOME – Jason Michael Carroll

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWEI8Y91dQ0&feature=fvwrel

He’s been sitting by the phone since she left
But it’s time for work and he just can’t be late
So he grabs his old guitar and he plays a couple bars on the machine
And then he softly sings
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done I still love you
It doesn’t matter where you’ve been you can still come home
And honey if it’s you we’ve got a lot of making up to do
And I can’t hug you on the phone, so hurry home
Well, the message light was blinking when he got back
It was an old friend calling ’cause he just heard the news
He said man, I hope you find her
If I see her I’ll remind her that her dad is worried and want her to know
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done I still love you
It doesn’t matter where you’ve been you can still come home
And honey if it’s you we’ve got a lot of making up to do
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/j/jason-michael-carroll-lyrics/hurry-home-lyrics.html ]
And I can’t hug you on the phone so hurry home
Well, the days dragged by without a word from her
And it looked like she might not be coming back
People said man, don’t you think it’s time to take that old message off
He said no, you never know when she might call
She was just outside a bar in New York City
Her so-called friends had left her all alone
She was scared he wouldn’t want her
But she dialed up that old number and let it ring
And then she heard him sing
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done I still love you
It doesn’t matter where you’ve been you can still come home
And honey if it’s you we’ve got a lot of making up to do
And I can’t hug you on the phone so hurry home
He walked in just in time to hear her say
Dad, I’m on my way