Pastor's Pen

 Beloved, all the Hebrew prophets prophesied the coming of the Messiah, and, of course, Christians believe the Messiah they prophesied was born at Christmas. The Hebrew prophet Hosea tells us about the Messiah who is to come by telling us the account of his own messed-up marriage.
 
Now, there’s a pastor who was the minister at Tenth Presbyterian Church in downtown Philadelphia for many years, James Boice, and he once published a series of sermons on Hosea in a book. In the book, if you go to the sermon on Hosea 3, the title of the sermon is “The Greatest Chapter in the Bible.” When we’re done, you may not think it’s the greatest chapter in the Bible, but I think you’ll see why some people do think that.
 
So, as we began our Advent series there are three things Hosea Chapter 3 teaches us. First, our relationship with God is like a marriage. Second, our relationship with God is like a bad marriage. Third, how God healed his marriage and what it cost him.
 
But allow me to explain Advent. Advent, (from Latin adventus, “coming”), in the Christian church calendar is the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ.
 
Blessings,
Pastor Joe