Faith

Descriptions of a Healthy Church

Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
“go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

Matthew 18:20 (NIV)
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Acts 2:38-41 (NIV)
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”

Descriptions of a healthy church

1.      Devotion to the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.

Acts 2:14 (ESV)
“Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them”

Acts 2:42 (ESV)
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching”

2.      Devotion to one another.

Romans 12:10 (ESV)
“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

Galatians 5:13 (NIV)
"serve one another humbly in love.”

James 4:11 (NIV)
“do not slander one another.”

1 Peter 5:5 (NIV)
“clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’”

3.      Devotion to God’s flow of leadership. 

1 Peter 5:2-4 (NIV)
“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

Peter

Three Noteworthy Characteristics 

1.     Peter Spoke his mind, even when no one else would. 

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 16:13-19

2.    Peter was zealous.

Zeal = emotionally reacting without thinking about the consequences

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.
Mark 8:31-33

3.    Peter was H.O.T.

Humble, Open, and Teachable

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
1 Peter 5:5

Humility = Deep awareness of one’s own “littleness”

For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service].
Romans 12:3 (AMP)

Humbition = Humble, God-oriented ambition

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Question to ponder: 

Where in your thinking, speaking, and acting do you need to humbly invite the Holy Spirit to teach you, returning to a simple and genuine child-like faith?

Thankfulness in Difficulty // Abundant Gratitude in Lack

Three Fruits of Thankfulness

1.      Protected from Impurity

But among you, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
[Ephesians 5:3-4]

a)     Gratitude and Greed cannot coexist 

b)     “Gratitude looks to the past, and love to the present; fear, greed, lust, and ambition look ahead.” - C.S. Lewis

2.      An Uplifted Heart

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him," lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because he has dealt bountifully with me. 

Psalm 13:1-6

3.      A more Enjoyable Person to be Around  

Pastor: 

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. 

Genesis 1:31

ALL: 

Lord God, our hearts overflow with gratitude! Thank you for life, it is such a beautiful gift! Father, it's clear to us that when we choose to go our own way, we end up in darkness and despair. Mature us, Lord! Teach us to stay close to you.

Pastor:

God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your Word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. 

You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your Word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. 

True to your Word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. 

You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life. 

Psalms 23:1-6 (MSG)

ALL: 

Yes, Lord, we agree with your Word. You are our good shepherd, leading us and having everything we need each day. 

Pastor:

In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 

John 1:1-5

ALL:

You, God, were not content to leave us in our sin and filth, so You came and made your home with us! You are the one who was and is and is to come. Your light shines brightly in the darkness and the darkness will never overcome it, Let your light shine in and through us!

Pastor:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 

Philippians 4:6

ALL:

The Lord is our strength and shield; our hearts trust in him, and we are helped. Our hearts leap for joy and we will give thanks to him in song. (Psalm 28:7)

We will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness, and we will sing praises to the name of the Lord Most High. (Psalm 17:7)

Pastor: 

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 

Colossians 3:15

And whatever you do, whether in Word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

Colossians 3:17

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18

ALL:

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name, not forgetting to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices, God is pleased. 
(Hebrews 13:15-16)

Pastor: 

Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

1 Corinthians 15:57

ALL: 

Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"
(Revelation 7:12b)

Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
(1 Corinthians 15:57)

Pastor: 

Thank you, God, for your everlasting kindness toward us. Jesus, thank you for the gift of your life on the cross. You opened the way back into a relationship with you. Holy Spirit, teach us to walk humbly and to love the things you love, modeling the father's heart to everyone we meet and declaring your gospel everywhere in everything we do and say. 

ALL: 

Amen! 

The Finished Work of the Cross

John 19:17-30 (NLT) 

“Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it. Then the leading priests objected and said to Pilate, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate replied, “No, what I have written, I have written.” When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided his clothes among the four of them. They also took his robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they said, “Rather than tearing it apart, let’s throw dice for it.” This fulfilled the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among themselves and threw dice for my clothing.” So that is what they did. Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home. Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, 

“It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” 

What did Jesus finish on the cross? 

1. The curse of sin. 

Isaiah 53:4-6 (NKJV) 

Surely He has borne our griefs 

And carried our sorrows; 

Yet we esteemed Him stricken, 

Smitten by God, and afflicted. 

But He was wounded for our transgressions, 

He was bruised for our iniquities; 

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, 

And by His stripes we are healed. 

We all like sheep have gone astray; 

We have turned, everyone, to his own way; 

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 

Galatians 3:13 (ESV) 

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us
—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 

Isaiah 43:25 (NIV) 

"I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” 

1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) 

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live to righteousness;” 

2. Mankind's separation from God. 

Matthew 27:51 (NIV) 

“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” 

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) 

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 

3. Our shame. 

Hebrews 10:1-10 (NLT) 

“The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’” First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” 

Ephesians 1:7, 9-10 (ESV) 

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace…making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”

You Matter To God

Mark 5:24-34 (ESV)

“a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your disease.”

Malachi 4:1-2 (ESV)
"the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.”

Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)

“But he was pierced for our transgressions,

    he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him,

    and by his wounds we are healed.”

Psalm 103:1-6 (ESV)

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.”

Being Right with God

Matthew 5:1 (ESV)

“Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.”

Matthew 5:17 (ESV)
 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

Matthew 5:18-20 (ESV)
“For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 23:25 (NIV)

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”

Matthew 23:26 (NIV)

“Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”

Matthew 23:27-28 (NIV)

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”

Matthew 5:21-22 (ESV)

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

Matthew 5:27-28 (NIV)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

John 1:12-13 (NLT)

“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.”

2 Corinthian 5:21 (NIV)

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Philippians 3:9 (NIV)

“[I am] found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

The virgin birth, does it really matter?

Isaiah 7:14 (NIV)

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” [which means “God with us”].

Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV)

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” [which means “God with us”].

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”

Genesis 3:15 (NIV)

“I will put enmity
    between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
    and you will strike his heel.”

Galatians 4: 4-5 (ESV)

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

Genesis 2:15-17 (ESV)

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Salvation Is Here

Matthew 1:1-17

Verse 1

“This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah”

Jesus is…

1.      The one sent to save us from our sins. 

Matthew 1:20-21 (NLT)

“Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

2.      The one who came for the morally outcast.  

John 3:16

”God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

3.        The one who came to bless the world. 

Verse 1

"This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham”

Genesis 12:2b-3b (NIV)

“I will make your name great and you will be a blessing… and all the peoples on the earth will be blessed through you”

Galatians 3:16 (NIV)

“The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.”

Colossians 1:16 (NIV)

“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

The book of Jonah

Matthew 12:40 (ESV)
“For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Jonah 1:1-2 (ESV)
“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah… saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”

Jonah 1:3 (ESV)

“But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.”

Jonah 1:4 (ESV)

“the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea”

Jonah 1:5 (NIV)
“Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.”

Jonah 1:9-10 (ESV)
“I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.”

Jonah 1:11-12 (ESV) 
“What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.”

Jonah 1:15 (ESV)
“So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.”

Jonah 1:17a (ESV)
“the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah.” 

Jonah 1:17b (ESV)
“And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”

Jonah 2:6 (ESV)
“you brought up my life from the pit,
    O Lord my God.”

Jonah 2:7-9 (ESV)

“When my life was fainting away,
    I remembered the Lord,
and my prayer came to you…what I have vowed I will pay.
    Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

Jonah 2:10 (ESV)
“the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land”

Jonah 3:1-3 (ESV)
“Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh”

Jonah 3:4 (ESV)

“Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 

Jonah 3:8 (ESV)
“Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands”

Jonah 3:10 (ESV)
“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.”

Acts 3:19-20 (ESV)
“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”

1 John 1:9 (NIV)
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Jonah 4:2-4 (ESV)
“O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”

Jonah 4:8 (ESV)
“It is better for me to die than to live.”

Jonah 4:10 (NLT) 
“Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

The Book of Hosea:

The holiness and heart of God.

Hosea 1:1 (ESV)

“The word of the Lord that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.”

Hosea 4:1a (ESV)

“Hear the word of the Lord, O children of Israel,
    for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land.”

Hosea 4:1b-3a (ESV)

“There is no faithfulness or steadfast love,
    and no knowledge of God in the land;

there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery;
they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

Therefore the land mourns…”

Hosea 4:11 (ESV)

“whoredom, wine, and new wine,
    which take away the understanding.”

Hosea 4:12 (ESV)

“My people inquire of a piece of wood,
    and their walking staff gives them oracles.
For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray,
    and they have left their God to play the whore.”

Hosea 4:17 (ESV)

“Ephraim is joined to idols;
    leave him alone.”

Hosea 4:18 (ESV)

“When their drink is gone, they give themselves to whoring;
    their rulers dearly love shame.”

Hosea 13:2 (ESV)

"they sin more and more,
    and make for themselves metal images”

Hosea 1:2-3 (ESV)
“the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” So he went and took Gomer…and she conceived and bore him a son.”

Hosea 3:1-2 (ESV)
“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.” 2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech [3 bushel] of barley.”

Hosea 3:4 (ESV)
“For the children of Israel shall dwell many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or household gods."

Hosea 3:5 (ESV)
“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.”

Hosea 2:14-17 (ESV)

“I will allure her,
    and bring her into the wilderness,
    and speak tenderly to her.

And there I will give her her vineyards
    and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.
And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth,
    as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.

“And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more.”

Hosea 6:1-2 (ESV)

"Come, let us return to the Lord;
    for he has torn us, that he may heal us;
    he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. 

After two days he will revive us;
    on the third day he will raise us up,
    that we may live before him.”

1 Corinthians 15:4 (ESV)
“he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures”

Ephesians 5:25 (ESV)
“Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”

2 Corinthians 11:2 (NIV)
“I promised you to one husband, to Christ”

1 Corinthians 6:20 (NIV)
“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price”

1 Peter 1:18-19 (ESV)
"you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”