Sermon Tone Analysis

Faith Hope & Love - Faith that Orients

What is Faith?

Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John.

He was a bishop in the early church, a very prominent leader.

He was eventually caught and brought to Roman Colosseum to be brought before the Pro-Consul to be tried for being an Atheist (believing in only 1 God).

when he was brought forward the Pro-Consul asked him if he were Polycarp, and when he admitted it he tried to persuade him to deny, saying: “Respect your age,” and so forth, as they are accustomed to say: “Swear by the genius of Caesar, repent, say: ‘Away with the Atheists’ ”; but Polycarp, with a stern countenance looked on all the crowd of lawless heathen in the arena, and waving his hand at them, he groaned and looked up to heaven and said: “Away with the Atheists.”

3 But when the Pro-Consul pressed him and said: “Take the oath and I let you go, revile Christ,” Polycarp said; “For eighty and six years have I been his servant, and he has done me no wrong, and how can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”1

What makes a watch, a dog, a friend, a spouse faithful?

How are they similar/different?

1 Pope Clement I et al., The Apostolic Fathers, ed.

Kirsopp Lake, vol.

2, The Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge MA; London: Harvard University Press, 1912–1913), 325.

Polycarp was then threatened to be attacked by wild animals, but when Polycarp showed no fear, he was condemned to be burned.

It is storied that when Polycarp was about to be nailed to stake where he was about t obe burned, he asked ““ Leave me thus, for He who gives me power to endure the fire, will grant me to remain in the flames unmoved even without the security you will give by the nails.”1

i.e. what makes a watch, a dog, a friend, a spouse faithful?

How are they similar/different?

1 Pope Clement I et al., The Apostolic Fathers, ed.

Kirsopp Lake, vol.

2, The Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge MA; London: Harvard University Press, 1912–1913), 331.

so instead he was bound and burned.

Hypothetical Situation - What makes me a faithful husband.

Let’s say, I told my wife, you know Wendy, I really love you.

My heart is completely and wholy yours.

And then, the next day, I cheated on her.

Could I go back to her and say, Dear Wendy, I have to tell you that I cheated on you.

But, I want you to know that my heart is still wholly yours.

I know it looks bad, but what I did reflects nothing of my heart!

I am a faithful husband and my heart is wholly yours.

Could I say that I am faithful?

No, Why not?

Because faithfulness is not just intention, but it is intention manifesting itself in action.

False Promises - Changing Ezra’s Diaper

Here is another situation.

Let’s say, and this is a more realistic situation.

Maybe I just got home, and I am helping my wife take care of our son Ezra, and he jut pooped.

My wife says, hey dear, would you please change Ezra’s Diaper.

Then I say, of course my love!

It would be my honor to do so.

But, 10 minutes later my wife asks again, Dear, did you change Ezzie’s diaper?

And I say, I am just about to.

An hour later, when Wendy is about to give Ezra a bath, she finds out that Ezra still has a poopy diaper!

She, giving me the benefit of the doubt as a loving wife says, Dear, did you change Ezzie’s diaper?

I think he may have pooped again.

I am remorseful and say, Wendy, I am so sorry!

I totally heard what you said but I just didn’t do it!

Was I a a faithful husband then?

No, because even if I intended to follow through, I did not.

Faithfulness is keeping one’s word through action.

See, for me to be a faithful husband, it means orienting my life toward and around my wife.

It is to uphold the promises I made to her when we got married.

To say that Wendy, that from the day we got married, for better or for worse, for richer for power, in sickness and in health, I promise to love and to cherish you, until death do us part.

This is my vow.

So for me to be faithful to Wendy, I must hold true to this.

My actions my reflect that I love and cherish her, through all circumstances, I can’t just say that I do.

What is faithfulness?

Faithfulness is keeping one’s word through action.

Third Scenario

The Story of Hosea & Gomer - A Faithful God

The story of Hosea & Gomer (ch 1-3)

Hosea Ch 1

God tells Hosea to go marry Gomer

They then have three children - Jezreel, Lo Ruhamah (not loved), Lo Ammi, (not my people).

Gomer is unfaithful to Hosea and leaves him.

We don’t get a lot of details as to what happens, but it is clear that she has left Hosea for another lover.

It is in this situation that the Lord tell Hosea this.

Why is Gomer called a woman, not, “her wife?”

- She has lost the status of wife due to her adultery

Why does Hosea have to go “buy her”

It is likely that she was sold into slavery, possibly by her other lover

how often does this happen?

We pursue something so desperately, but when we actually get it, we realize that we have been left in somewhere far worse than we thought.

A few years ago I got a job as a salesman that was 100% commissions based.

I was excited because if I was successful I would have the opportunity to have my own mini business and hire college students that I was ministering to.

It also would provide me with a flexible schedule to serve at UCSC.

I had this idea that if I was successful with this opportunity.

Week after week, I prepared, made calls, arranged meetings, met with business owners and gave them my pitch.

Day after day, week after week, month after month, I found myself having no success.

I would often come home dejected and feeling like a failure.

This was the job I was suppose to succeed in, but I am failing!

I would go from I can’t do this to giving myself a pep talk and trying a new strategy only to fail again.

Much like Hosea, my hope was in something that would not and could not treat me well.

I was subject to the whims of the business owners that I met with and I failed repeatedly.

After deciding this wasn’t for me, I realized that I had been rejected over 100 times in person appointments (not including on the phone).

But, through it, God not only redeemed me but significantly humbled prideful me.

So I don’t know what your idol may be, maybe its a relationship, a job, pleasing your parents or peers, a social identity, travelling, shopping, school, etc., but if it is significantly affecting you and how you see yourself & the world around you, then it likely is an idol.

So I

What does this mean?

Hosea bought her back

Now that Hosea has displayed His faithfulness, she needs to display hers to reattain her status as wife.

While Hosea paid for Gomer’s freedom, there was a new law or covenant to be made

Consequences for rebellion, but there is hope for future restoration

you shall not play the whore (be an idolator)

I know what some of you, even myself want to think.

I want to be the noble person, Hosea.

But, in this story, before God, we are all Gomer.

We are idolators who live lives that chase after promises of this world - money etc etc etc., instead of living a life that is fully and completely committed to God.

And, like Gomer, we often find ourselves stuck in slavery, stuck in a situation that we didn’t think we would be in because our idols, dreams and goals have failed us.

You shall not belong to another man (worship God)

And what this is foreshadowing is God, sacrificing his only begotten son Jesus Christ to die on the Cross for us, so that we may no longer play the whore, or belong to another man.

It means that He keep’s his word through his actions.