A Harlot, a Fish, and the Mercy and Judgment of God Memorial Presbyterian Church Sunday School – Winter 2017

Three Overarching Questions How does God view his relationship with us and the world? What are some metaphors that Scripture uses to describe God’s relationship with us? How does God act in that relationship? What is our role in that relationship and what actions are required of us?

Discussion Questions On your own: What does it look like to love someone? In pairs: What does our culture tell us loving someone looks like? What does the church tell us that loving someone looks like?

Discussion Questions How do our answers to the question “what does it look like to love someone?” change when the one we love has rejected and betrayed us?

The Big Question What does it look like for God to love when his love is rejected?

1. God Indicts (vv. 2-4) God calls for witnesses (v. 2a) The charge (v. 2b) Reminder of the consequences of unrepentance (vv. 3-4)

2. God Intervenes (vv. 5-13) Charge: Israel has been desperately looking for security (v. 4-5) outside of her relationship with God. Charge: Israel has rejected the evidence of God’s love (v. 8). Charge: Israel has forgotten YHWH and pursued Baal (v. 13b) When are we guilty of the same?

2. God Intervenes (vv. 5-13) Application Where does our security come from (v. 5)? When we feel the discipline of God, do we return out of love or so that the consequences will be removed (v. 9)? To whom do we give credit for the good things in our lives (v. 10)? To whom are we devoted in the pursuits of our lives (v. 13)?

2. God Intervenes (vv. 5-13) Charge: Israel has been desperately looking for security (v. 4-5) outside of her relationship with God. God’s Response: God will intervene to frustrate the path of sin (v. 6-7) Charge: Israel has rejected the evidence of God’s love (v. 8). God’s Response: God will intervene to remove the blessings (v. 9-13) Charge: Israel has forgotten YHWH and pursued Baal God’s Response: God will pursue his Beloved.

3. God pursues (vv. 14-15) God pursues through judgment. God pursues through bringing His Beloved back to the beginning.

4. God Restores (vv. 16-18) God will restore Israel’s relationship with Him (v. 16). God will restore Israel’s dependency on Him (v. 15b, 17). God will restore Israel’s security (v. 18).

5. God Renews (vv. 19-23) Renewing is the expansion of what has been restored… God renews his covenant with the people after the completion of the judgment. Renewal of God’s character towards Israel and hers in response (v. 19) Renewal of relational intimacy (v. 20) Renewal of covenant blessings of fruitfulness (v. 21-22) Renewal of covenant relationship (v. 23)

5. God Renews (vv. 19-23) How does Peter’s usage of v. 23 in 1 Peter 2:9-12 help us apply this passage to ourselves? 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

6. God Does not rush the process (3:1-5) God’s love is persistent (3:1) God’s love will settle for nothing less than a complete heart change (3:2-4) God’s love will achieve its desired end (3:5)