"Scandalous Love" Discussion Guide

INTRODUCTION

God has an incredible love for us. He illustrated this love in scandalous fashion when he had the prophet Hosea marry a prostitute, a woman he knew would be unfaithful to him. As Gomer continues her adultrey God instructs Hosea to take her back time and again, which he does. THis tears his heart apart. Why did God tell Hosea to take this risky behavior? It serves as a metaphor on how God takes us back even when we have committd adultrey against him.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Read Hosea 1:2-3. Why does God view our realtionship this way? What actions do we take that God would consider adultrey?

2. Read Hosea 2:2-5. How do these verese describe God's pain when we sin?

3. Read Hosea 2:18-20. Notice the "covenant" language in this text. It uses marriage as a context to understand a covenant relationship. How do you define a covenant relationship? How do you think our culture defines it? How does God define it?

4. Read Hosea 3:1-3. Hosea disciplined Gomer so that she could learn to be a faithful wife. How could God discipline us so owe can learn to be faithful to him?

5. Read Hosea 14:1-4. Why is God eager for us to return to him after our betrayal? What could be the "Assyrias" we chase after in our culture (Where do we take security in our culture instead of God)?

6. Read Hosea 14:5. These are images of refreshment. What images of refreshment exist in our culture that would describe God's refeshment in our life.

THINK ABOUT IT

How does your realtionship with God reflect Hosea's realtionship with Gomer? How do you respond to a love that respects you enough to let you go your own way but is compassionate enought o take you back every time?

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

How will you return to God? What guardrails could you put up in your life to keep you from committing adultrey against God?

CHANGING YOUR MIND
"Who is wise? he will realize these things. Who is discernng? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous will walk in them, but the rebellious ill stumble in them." Hosea 14:9 (NIV)