Theme: The call. The book of Hosea is one long plea for the people to turn their hearts to God. The Genesis 12 text and the Second Lesson present the call of Abraham. The Gospel lifts up the call of Matthew, a tax collector regarded as a notorious sinner. When criticized for dining with sinners, Jesus responds: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

COMMENTARY

Lesson 1: Genesis 12:1-9 (C)
God calls Abraham to leave his homeland and go to the country that God had promised him. God pledged Abraham that he would be the father of a great nation. Abraham obeys God by setting out with his aged, barren wife and his nephew, Lot.

Lesson 1: Hosea 6:3-6 (RC); Hosea 5:15--6:6 (E, L)
Hosea prophesied in the early part of the eighth century B.C., a contemporary of Isaiah. Underneath the p…