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Pastor Richard "Buddy" Wimberly "The Unfaithful Bride" Hosea 1:1-3:5


She says that she loves him but she often goes out with others instead of spending time with him. He loves her more than I have ever known a man to love a woman. When they first married, he forsook a very highly respected position in order to spend as much time with her as possible. At that time she also vowed to forsake all others and to keep herself unto him alone. But since that day she has often been seen with former lovers as they would immerse themselves in their passions. There are way too many days when he waits at home for her to come and share her love with him as she had at one time but it seems as though she has lost her desire for him.
Truthfully she is now back to: drinking alcohol, taking illegal drugs, having sex outside of marriage,… She is lying to him, herself and to others, she is filled with hatred, envy, strife and anger toward her husband and those that love him. In short, she is unfaithful to him in almost everyway possible and yet still he loves her and wants her to come home to him.
The man is Jesus our Savior and the woman is the Churchmember. The average churchmember today has forsaken his vows and has returned unto the lusts from which he claimed he was delivered. His attendance is weak and sporadic, his giving is optional and begrudged, his Bible and prayer time are almost no existent and his passion is for another not for his Lord.

When we came to Christ, we promised Him everything!!
God commanded Hosea to take a wife from the harlots, Hosea's wife was living a godly life and keeping the vows of marriage, but she started going back to her lifestyle.
Hosea's love is an example of God's love for the church. The churchmembers are the Harlot. We, the churchmembers, have put everything else ahead of our Lord.
Love covers a multiple of sin.
Similar to what Hosea did for Gomer, Christ does for us.
God pulled us out of sin. We're not worthy that anyone should want us, but God loved us enough to forgive us and love us, despite everything we've done.