Hosea 9:1-10:15 from No Rival sermon series at Tabernacle Baptist Church, Ithaca, NY

1. “A Wicked Batch of Weeds” Hosea 9-10

2. Is TaB a healthy, growing church? How should we evaluate spiritual health?

3. Internal vs. External Some church growth indicators: People Facilities Finances EXTERNALS

4. Internal vs. External Israel’s growth indicators: Altars Pillars Sacrifices Festivals EXTERNALS

5. “The one thing missing was the very heart of true religion, the loyal love that alone could make God’s covenant-partner a true wife to Him.” Kidner, p. 84

6. The way we develop, implement, and practice the EXTERNALS may be good indicators of our true INTERNAL worship life The connection between internal and external is in the “Abundance of the Heart” principle Internal vs. External

7. Flourishing weeds are tell-tale signs of a neglected or abandoned fellowship with God.

8. Nettles and thorns (9:6) WEEDS that STEAL YOUR BLESSINGS A warning against apathy and complacency A warning against arrogance

9. Poisonous Weeds (10:4) WEEDS that POISON YOUR HARVEST A warning against impiety, hypocrisy, paganism A warning against having a heart of bad soil A warning against indifference or being indiscriminate

10. Thorns and Thistles (10:8) WEEDS that SPREAD UNCHECKED A warning against surrender or quitting A warning against abandoning truth

11. Action Plan Sow with a view to RIGHTEOUSNESS Reap STEADFAST love Break up your FALLOW ground Seek the LORD that He may come to rain RIGHTEOUSNESS on you

12. Are you a healthy, growing disciple? How would you rate your spiritual health? Are you WEEDY?

13. Flourishing weeds are tell-tale signs of a neglected or abandoned fellowship with God.