To flourish means to grow or develop in a healthy manner. If a garden is flourishing, the plants are receiving the right amount of sun and water. The soil is providing the nutrients they need, and as a result, the garden grows and produces fruit.

We can take this idea further. If a child is flourishing, she is growing physically, emotionally, and spiritually. She is receiving what she needs not merely to survive but to thrive. As she grows, she begins to share with the world her unique ideas, athletic abilities, care, and compassion.

The Bible uses this kind of language to describe the life God intends for His people. Biblical flourishing is not merely about having a comfortable or successful life. It is about living as God intended. He aims for His children to be whole, fruitful, and rightly ordered in their relationship with God, with one another, and with the world He has made.

This Sunday we come to the final chapter in our study of Hosea. Throughout this prophecy, we have seen the many ways Israel's sin has led them away from flourishing and toward death. Yet Hosea ends with a beautiful vision of restoration. The people of God will return to the Lord, and the Lord Himself will restore them and cause them to flourish. But we will also see how different this flourishing life is from the life Israel had been pursuing. They will not find life by continuing down the paths of rebellion and idolatry. They must return to the Lord. And when they do, God promises to heal their faithlessness, love them freely, and make them flourish like a tree planted by living water.

The same is true for us. If we want a life of true flourishing, we must turn from our rebellion and return to the Lord. But the good news of Hosea 14 is that the God to whom we return is a God who delights to restore His people. He is the one who gives life, heals our faithlessness, and causes us to flourish. To prepare your hearts for the sermon, take some time this week to read and meditate on Hosea 14:1-9, Deuteronomy 8:7-10, Psalm 1, Micah 4:1-5, Matthew 4:17, John 10:10, Acts 3:19-20, and this article on Repentance.

This week we will celebrate that sacrament of the Lord’s Supper during our worship service. As we receive the elements of the bread and the cup, we look in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ. For as we physically receive the signs of the Lord’s body and blood, spiritually we feed upon Him and all His benefits. Our hymns for this week include “Before Jehovah’s Awesome Throne”, “Man of Sorrows! What a Name”, and “Psalm 117.”

Sermon Information

Text: Hosea 14:1-9

Title: A Flourishing Life

Outline:

1. You Must Return to the Lord (vv. 1-3)
2. You Must Grow in the Lord (vv. 4-8)
3. You Must Walk with the Lord (v. 9)

Sunday Bulletin

Bulletin Insert

There is something dangerous about deception. A lie may seem small when it is first told. Perhaps it is an attempt to avoid an uncomfortable conversation, protect our reputation, or gain something we want. But lies rarely remain isolated. One lie requires another, and then another, until the person who began the deception finds himself caught in the very web he has woven.

Sir Walter Scott captured this truth in his famous line from Marmion: “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!” In the poem, Lord Marmion's deception sets in motion a chain of events that ultimately leads to his ruin and death. What seemed at first to be a way of securing what he wanted became a web from which he could not escape.

This is the picture Hosea gives us in our passage for this Sunday. Israel had become a people marked by deceit. They lied, cheated, pursued their own wealth, and turned to false gods. Their deception was not merely a moral failure; it was destroying the foundations of justice, abundance, and life itself. This Sunday we will consider what happens when we build our lives on lies, and why God's people must learn to live by the truth. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Hosea 11:12-13:3, Isaiah 59:15, Jeremiah 7:28, Psalm 119:160, Proverbs 12:19, John 14:6, and this article on Truth

As we gather to worship our loving Father this Lord’s Day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” the Acclamation of Praise “And Can It Be That I Should Gain?” and the Hymn of Response “How Great Thou Art.” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information

Text: Hosea 11:12-13:3

Title: Live Not by Lies

Outline:

1. To Have Justice, You Must Speak Truthfully (11:12-12:6)
2. To Have Abundance, You Must Deal Truthfully (12:7- 14)
3. To Have Life, You Must Worship Truthfully (13:1-3)

Sunday Bulletin

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There is something complicated about the relationship between a father and his child. A father deeply loves his child. He wants what is best for him and desires that he grow into a mature, godly, responsible man. But loving a child does not mean giving him everything he wants. In fact, sometimes a father's love puts him in conflict with his child.

It would be easier to give in to every whim—to let him eat whatever he wants, do whatever he wants, and follow every desire of his flesh. But that would not be loving. A faithful father disciplines and corrects because he loves his child.

This is the picture Hosea gives us in chapter 11. God speaks of Israel as his son: “When Israel was a child, I loved him.” He taught them to walk, held them in his arms, and cared for them. Yet Israel responded by running farther and farther away from him. So God disciplines his rebellious son. His judgment is real because his holiness is real. But then we hear something remarkable:

“How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, O Israel?
My heart recoils within me;
my compassion grows warm and tender.” (Hosea 11:8 ESV)

God's love does not ignore Israel's sin. Neither does his mercy pretend that rebellion does not matter. Instead, his fatherly love pursues his wayward children.

And what we will see this Sunday is that if we are going to turn from our sin and return to our heavenly Father, we must learn to trust His love, His mercy, and His mission for us as His children. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Hosea 11:1-11, Luke 15:11-32, Romans 3:23-26; 8:14-17, 1 John 4:10 and this article on God’s Loving Discipline.

As we gather to worship our loving Father this Lord’s Day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Rejoice the Lord is King.” the Acclamation of Praise “He Will Hold Me Fast” and the Hymn of Response “How Deep the Father’s Love For Us.” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information

Text: Hosea 11:1-11

Title: A Change of Heart

Outline:

1. You Must Trust the Father’s Love (vv.1-4)
2. You Must Trust the Father’s Mercy (vv. 5-9)
3. You Must Trust the Father’s Mission (vv. 10-11)

Sunday's Bulletin

Bulletin Insert

Gardening Basics 101: Whatever seeds you plant will eventually determine the fruit you harvest.

If you want corn, it does you no good to plant peas. You can plant those peas in the best soil, give them the perfect fertilizer, and follow the ideal watering schedule, but you're still going to get peas. Corn doesn't come from peas. Apples don't grow on fig trees. You reap what you sow.

And what is true in the garden is also true in our spiritual lives. We will spiritually reap what we spiritually sow.

This is exactly what the prophet Hosea is exposing in Israel. They have continually sown the things of this world, love of money, autonomy, and idolatry, and now they are reaping the bitter harvest those seeds inevitably produce. As Paul would later say,

"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap" (Gal. 6:7).

But Hosea's message is not merely a warning; it is also an invitation. God calls his people to "sow for yourselves righteousness" and to "seek the LORD" (Hos. 10:12). There is hope for those who turn from their sin and seek the Lord.

And that is what we will see this Sunday: If we want to bear good fruit, we must sow good seed. Not because we can earn God's favor through our good works, but because those who belong to Christ have been given new life and are called to bear fruit for God's glory. As we trust Christ and walk by his Spirit, God produces in us the fruit that we could never produce on our own. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Hosea 10, Psalm 80:8-18, John 15, Galatians 6:6-10, Ephesians 1:3-4, and this article on Bearing Spiritual Fruit.

As we gather to worship our loving Father this Lord’s Day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Tell Out, My Soul, the Greatness of the Lord.” the Acclamation of Praise “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” and the Hymn of Response “How Firm A Foundation” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information

Text: Hosea 10:1-15

Title: To Bear Good Fruit

Outline:

1. Every Christian Must Accept the Principle
2. Every Christian Must Heed the Warning
3. Every Christian Must Obey the Command

Sunday's Bulletin

Bulletin Insert

It is a Thanksgiving tradition in our family that after the meal and before dessert, we all take turns sharing what we are thankful for. It usually lasts close to an hour, and everyone is expected to participate. As you can imagine, it is one of the sweetest moments of the holiday. The little ones thank God for Mom and Dad. The teenagers mention friends and family. The adults often speak of children, the church, and even the blessings God has brought through hardship. It is a meaningful tradition that we look forward to every year.

Now imagine that in the middle of this special family moment, an uncle suddenly stood up and said, “Everyone stop! There is nothing to be thankful for! This was the worst year ever! I lost my job, I got sick, and the turkey was dry!”

It would be shocking, to say the least. The joyful atmosphere would come to a screeching halt.

That is something like what happens in our passage this Sunday.

The people of Israel are celebrating the Feast of Booths, the happiest festival on their calendar. Held each autumn after the harvest, it was an eight-day celebration of God's covenant faithfulness. They rejoiced over His abundant provision, remembered how He brought them out of Egypt, and lived in temporary booths to recall His care for them during their forty years in the wilderness before bringing them safely into the Promised Land.

Then, at the height of the celebration, Hosea delivers a stunning command:

"Rejoice not, O Israel!" (Hosea 9:1)

Why? Because everything the Feast of Booths celebrated was about to be taken away. They would lose the harvest. They would lose the land. They would lose the privilege of worship in God's presence. Having broken God's covenant, they were about to experience its curses instead of its blessings.

It is one of the most sobering chapters in Hosea, but it also asks a question every one of us must answer: Am I trusting God or myself for blessing? It is all too easy to forget the Lord when life is good and to begin trusting in our own strength, wisdom, or success. Yet every good gift comes from God alone, and apart from His gracious hand we have no true reason to rejoice.

To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Hosea 9, Leviticus 23:42-43, Numbers 20:1-13, Deuteronomy 8, John 7:37, and this article on the Feast of Booths.

As we gather to worship our loving Father this Lord’s Day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “All Praise to God, Who Reigns Above.” the Acclamation of Praise “He Will Hold Me Fast” and the Hymn of Response “Arise, My Soul, Arise” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information

Text: Hosea 9:1-17

Title: No Cause For Celebration

Outline:

1. Don’t Rejoice — You Are Not Home (vv. 1-4)
2. Don’t Rejoice — You Are Not Holy (vv. 5-9)
3. Don’t Rejoice — You Are Not His (vv. 10-17)

Sunday's Bulletin

Bulletin Insert

In a world driven by image, it is easy to believe that we can create a new reality simply by putting on the right outward appearance. Want to become a runner? Buy a pair of Nike Alphafly 3s, some running shorts, a moisture-wicking shirt, and an Apple Watch. Then post a picture on Instagram (#gettingfit). Of course, none of those things actually make you healthier. They may be useful tools, but they are no substitute for discipline and transformation. Yet we are constantly tempted to believe that appearances create reality. Want to lose weight? Buy this shake. Want to be part of a championship team? Buy the jersey. Want to become an outdoorsman? Head to REI and stock up on hiking and camping gear. We often assume that looking the part is the same as being the part.

Israel fell into the very same trap. They believed that if they maintained the outward forms of religion, they would enjoy the Lord's favor. They claimed to know God while their hearts were far from Him. They continued to offer sacrifices while bowing before idols. They expected His blessing while rejecting His covenant. What remained was an empty religion built around dead idols instead of the living God.

Hosea describes their lives with a memorable image: "They sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind." They were busy planting, but what they planted had no substance. Their lives were full of religious activity but empty of genuine faith, and the harvest would be devastating.

As people living in a culture captivated by image, Hosea's warning speaks directly to us. God is not impressed by appearances or empty religious activity. He calls us to know Him truly and to worship Him sincerely. That kind of life is found not through better performance or more convincing appearances, but through Jesus Christ, who transforms us from the inside out.

To prepare for the sermon, spend time this week reading and meditating on Hosea 8:1-14, Exodus 32:1-10, 1 Kings 12:25-33, Isaiah 44:9-20, Hosea 4:12, Matthew 7:21-23, John 17:3, and this article on Idolatry.

This week, we will celebrate the Lord’s Supper during our worship service. As we partake of the bread and wine, trust in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we receive these signs of His body and blood physically, spiritually we feed on Him and His blessings. Our hymns this week include “Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah, O My Soul,” “He Will Hold Me Fast,” and “And Can It Be That I Should Gain.”

Sermon Information:

Text: Hosea 8:1-14

Title: Sowing the Wind

Outline:

1. Empty Knowledge (vv. 1-4a)
2. Empty Worship (vv. 4b-6, 11-13)
3. Empty Work (vv. 7-10, 14)

Sunday Bulletin

Bulletin Insert

I could tell by the look on her face that she had been here before. I had met her brother in downtown Athens, Georgia, during an outreach event to the homeless. He asked if I could give him a ride to his sister's house the next day. I agreed, and we drove about thirty minutes out of town to a well-kept two-bedroom home along the highway in rural Georgia. He went inside to get a meal, a shower, and a change of clothes.

While he was in the shower, I asked his sister if there was any way he could stay with her and get off the streets. That was when I saw the look on her face. She said he was more than welcome to live with her while he got back on his feet. She had only one condition: he had to stop doing drugs. They had tried this several times before. He would make big promises. I'll never touch the stuff again. I'll get a job and start helping out. And for a while he would keep his word. But eventually he would get some extra money, return to drinking and drugs, and end up back on the streets. His sister was not angry with her brother; she was exhausted. She didn't want to give up on him. She just didn't know what to do.

In the opening verse of our passage for this Sunday, I imagine the Lord expressing the same frustration. He had shown mercy to Israel time and again. They would return for a season, enjoy prosperity, forget the Lord's blessings, and return to their sin. So in verse 4 He asks, "What shall I do with you?"

What follows is a series of vivid images that reveal Israel's deeper descent into hypocrisy. They make promises they do not keep. They proclaim loyalty they do not live out. They speak of faithfulness only to betray the Lord in the end. Like an addict who continually returns to his drug, Israel is addicted to its sin. They promise, This time will be different, but their words are empty.

And so the Lord asks, "What shall I do with you?" This Sunday we will see that the only answer to Israel's hypocrisy—and to our own—is the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone was faithful to the end. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Hosea 6:4-7:16, Psalm 86:11, Proverbs 25:28, Matthew 9:13; 23:1-36, James 1:8, Revelation 3:15-18, and this article: What is Hypocrisy.

As we gather to worship our loving Father this Lord’s Day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “O Worship the King,” the Acclamation of Praise “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and the Hymn of Response “Blessed Assurance” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information

Text: Hosea 6:4-7:16

Title: A Portrait of Hypocrisy 

Outline: 

1. A Morning Mist (6:4)
2. An Unattended Oven (7:4)
3. A Half-Baked Cake (7:8)
4. An Aging Hipster (7:9)
5. A Silly Bird (7:11)
6. A Treacherous Bow (7:16)

One of the great blessings of singing older hymns is that they teach us rich biblical truth through beautiful poetry. At times, however, some of the language can feel unfamiliar. Here are a few expressions from this Sunday's hymn, O Worship the King, that may help you appreciate its meaning as we sing together.

Verse 1

• "Ancient of Days" (Daniel 7:9, 13, 22) – A biblical title for God that emphasizes His eternal nature and everlasting reign.
• "Pavilioned in splendor" – A picture of God dwelling in a magnificent royal pavilion, surrounded by His glory and majesty.
• "Girded with praise" – An image of God being clothed with the praise of all His creatures.

Verse 3

• "Round it has cast, like a mantle, the sea" – God has wrapped the earth with the seas as though covering it with a mantle, a loose cloak or cape.

Verse 6

• "Ineffable" – Too wonderful or glorious to be fully expressed in words.
• "Though feeble their lays... lisp to Your praise" – Compared with the perfect songs of the angels, our praises may seem weak and childlike. Yet God delights in the sincere worship of His people as they offer Him heartfelt adoration.

Bulletin

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In the 1840s, a Hungarian physician named Ignaz Semmelweis uncovered a tragic cause behind the deaths of countless mothers during childbirth. Doctors were moving directly from performing autopsies to delivering babies. In doing so, they were unknowingly carrying a deadly infection on their hands. When Semmelweis required them to wash with a disinfecting solution, the death rate dropped dramatically. Yet many of his fellow physicians rejected his findings and were unwilling to be washed. Why? Because accepting his conclusion meant admitting that they themselves were the source of the problem. The very people entrusted with bringing life were unknowingly spreading death.

This Sunday, we'll see that Hosea confronts us with a similar truth. We often assume our greatest spiritual problems come from outside ourselves. But God exposes the truth: the infection is within each of us. We cannot find God because our own sin blinds us, nor can we heal ourselves because the disease has reached every part of our being. And what we will see in our passage is that hope is not found in trying harder, but rather in the sovereign mercy of the God who comes to us in Christ, bringing life where there was once only death.

To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Hosea 5:1-6:3, Jeremiah 6:13-14, John 12:24, Romans 3:9-18, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 2:1-10, and this article on the doctrine of Total Depravity.

As we gather to worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit this Lord’s day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “The God of Abraham Praise,” the Acclamation of Praise, “Jesus!  What a Friend for Sinners!,” and the Hymn of Response “My Worth Is Not in What I Own.” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information

Text: Hosea 5:1-6:3

Title: Trusting God’s Way

Outline:

1. Stop Seeking God Your Way (vv. 5:1-7)
2. Stop Trying to Heal Your Way (vv. 5:8-15)
3. Start Trusting God’s Way to Health and Wholeness (vv. 6:1-3)

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                                                                         Hosea

What is it like to hear God’s Word? The Bible offers an array of word pictures to describe such an experience. The voice of the Lord is like “thunder” (Ps 29:3), a “gentle whisper”(1 Ki 19:12), “burning fire” (Jer 23:29), a “shattering hammer” (Jer 23:29), a “piercing sword” (Heb 4:12), and “sweet honey” (Ps 119:103). Hosea 4 gives us an image that is, perhaps, a bit unexpected. The Word of the Lord came to Israel in the form of a lawsuit. The specific language of the text reads a “controversy” or a “contention.” The first three chapters of Hosea’s prophecy envelop the reader in a story of love, betrayal, and pursuit. Now, the scene shifts to a court of law. God has a case against His wayward people. Their covenant relationship with God, like ours, had both legal and relational dimensions. Both had been violated. With the aim of restoring this covenant relationship, God takes the stand and makes His case. As we prepare to hear God’s case from Hosea 4:1-19 this Lord’s Day, may we respond in repentance from sin and faith in Christ.

Join us this week as we continue our study through the book of Hosea. Our Campus Outreach Director, Cam Colquitt, will be preaching, and Ruling Elder Chris Smith will be leading us in worship. To come prepared for the sermon, take time this week to read and to meditate upon Hosea 4.

Please continue to pray for Pastor Shane Whelan as he enjoys a time of sabbatical and renewal, Pastor Brett Eubank as he serves on a mission trip in El Salvador, and Pastor David Weber as he is away on vacation this week.

As we gather to worship the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit this Lord’s day, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Wondrous King, All-Glorious,” the Acclamation of Praise, “Tis O Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” and the Hymn of Response “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken.” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear God’s Word, to receive it in faith, to love and treasure it in our hearts, and to practice it in our lives that we may continue to glorify and enjoy Him!

Sermon Information

Text: Hosea 4:1-19

Title: God Has a Case

Outline:

1. God Has a Case with His People. (vv. 1-3)

2. God Has a Case with Their Leaders. (vv. 4-11)

Sunday's Bulletin

Bulletin Insert

Hosea

Many of us have been or will be traveling this summer. Inevitably, you will need to make a lunch stop along the way. You’ll look for the blue highway signs that list the restaurants in the area. You'll see one you want and turn off the highway. Now, right before you get to the intersection, there are more signs indicating which way the restaurant is and most importantly how far the restaurant is. To me, the distance to a restaurant is critical. It will determine whether I keep going to the restaurant or keep driving down the highway. My question to you is how far will you venture off the highway for lunch? One mile? Two miles? Three miles? How far will you drive for a McDonalds or Wendy’s? How far will you drive for a Chick-fil-A or McAllister’s Deli?

More importantly and to the point, what length is God willing to go to love his people and for his people to love him in return? In the middle of verse 1, God declares his love for the children of Israel, even though they turn to other gods. How far will he go to love a people who belong to him but don’t love him? How much will he give? How much will he endure? Thankfully, we don’t have to wonder, because God answers that question for us through our passage this Sunday, which is Hosea 3:1-5. In that passage, God will show us the lengths he will go to love us, his people, by pursuing us in our sin, by purchase us out of our sin and by purifying us from our sin. To come prepared for the sermon take time this week to read and to meditate upon Hosea 3:1-5, Exodus 20:1-3, John 8:34-36, Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:4-5, Hebrews 12:10-11 and 1 Peter 1:18-19.

As we gather to celebrate and give thanks for the redeeming work of Christ Jesus, we will join our hearts in song, singing the Hymn of Praise “Lord, with Glowing Heart I'd Praise Thee.” the Acclamation of Praise “There is a Redeemer” and the Communion Hymn/Hymn of Response “By Faith.” Let us come to worship this Sunday prepared to hear, receive and be transformed by God's Word and the means of His grace!

Sermon Information

Text: Hosea 3:1-5

Title: The Lengths God Will Go

1. God Pursues Us In Our Sin. (v. 1)
2. God Purchases Us Out of Our Sin. (v. 2)
3. God Purifies Us From Our Sin. (vv. 3-5)

Sunday's Bulletin
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