Calls His People to Live Out Their Faith

Amos 2:4 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Judah, And for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; Because they have despised the law of the Lord, And have not kept his commandments, And their lies caused them to err, After the which their fathers have walked: 5 But I will send a fire upon Judah, And it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem. 6 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, And for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; Because they sold the righteous for silver, And the poor for a pair of shoes; 7 That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, And turn aside the way of the meek: And a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, To profane my holy name: 8 And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, And they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god. 9 Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, Whose height was like the height of the cedars, And he was strong as the oaks; Yet I destroyed his fruit from above, And his roots from beneath. 10 Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, And led you forty years through the wilderness, To possess the land of the Amorite. 11 And I raised up of your sons for prophets, And of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord. 12 But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; And commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not. 13 Behold, I am pressed under you, As a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.

14 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, And the strong shall not strengthen his force, Neither shall the mighty deliver himself: 15 Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; And he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: Neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself. 16 And he that is courageous among the mighty Shall flee away naked in that day, saith the Lord. 3:1 Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, Against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, 2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. 3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? 4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? 5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? Shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? 6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it? 7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, But he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. 8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy? 9 Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, And in the palaces in the land of Egypt, And say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, And behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, And the oppressed in the midst thereof. 10 For they know not to do right, saith the Lord, Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces. 11 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; And he shall bring down thy strength from thee, And thy palaces shall be spoiled. 12 Thus saith the Lord; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; So shall the children of Israel be taken out That dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch. 13 Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, Saith the Lord God, the God of hosts, 14 That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Beth-el: And the horns of the altar shall be cut off, And fall to the ground. 15 And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; And the houses of ivory shall perish, And the great houses shall have an end, saith the Lord.

1. God turns His judgment from the pagan nations to His own people

2. Somehow, we want to think that God will judge the lost and wicked people around us but that we are free from His judgment

3. They were certainly happy to hear God bringing His wrath on these other nations

4. It had to be difficult to think that God would be angry with the actions of even His chosen people

5. But God’s people had the message, the truth and still turned from it Amos 2:4 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Judah, And for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; Because they have despised the law of the Lord, And have not kept his commandments, And their lies caused them to err, After the which their fathers have walked:

6. God’s people had His Word

7. They showed no respect for the Word of God

8. They didn't do what they knew He wanted them to do

9. They changed the truth for a lie

10. The lies caused them to fall into the trap of sin and dishonoring God

11. When God’s people know what to do and don't do it, then they have the greater sin

12. Their prosperity made them think that they were ok but God’s man will thunder out the truth that they are not ok

13. God’s people had fallen into great sin

14. Their law system had become corrupt Amos 2:6 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, And for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; Because they sold the righteous for silver, And the poor for a pair of shoes;

15. Their court system was for sale

16. Instead of protecting the weak and the innocent, they were abusing them

17. The poor had no recourse but to suffer the abuse of those that had the money and the power

18. God had taught His people to take care of the helpless and the poor

19. They had become as corrupt as the nations around them

20. Sexual depravity was becoming the norm Amos 2:7 That pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, And turn aside the way of the meek: And a man and his father will go in unto the same maid, To profane my holy name:

21. Fathers were not teaching their children purity but instead participating in their depravity

22. This may have been part of idol worship

23. Either way, they were disobeying God and abusing these young ladies

24. How much are we allowing our sin to teach our children the same, porn, no respect for our marriage, not honoring God in our relationship with the opposite sex?

25. Today like never before, our family needs a good example and witness

26. God’s people were worshipping false gods Amos 2:8 And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, And they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.

27. Do we allow our prosperity to become a god to us?

28. Do we worship our money and material goods?

29. Do we forsake our God and His truth because we love this world too much?

30. Do we really think that we can escape the consequences of our sins because we are God’s people?

31. We have the truth so let’s not turn to a lie

32. Let’s live out who we are

33. Let’s realize our sin will have a drastic effect on our families, those that we love the most

34. God reminds His people of who He is and all He has done for them Amos 2:9 Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, Whose height was like the height of the cedars, And he was strong as the oaks; Yet I destroyed his fruit from above, And his roots from beneath. 10 Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, And led you forty years through the wilderness, To possess the land of the Amorite. 11 And I raised up of your sons for prophets, And of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord.

35. This is not about the individual election but about a national election

36. God chose Israel and Judah to carry His Word and to be His servants to get the message to the entire world

37. Notice what God had done

38. He had defeated their enemies

39. He had brought them out of slavery

40. He had given them mento preach His Word

41. No other nation had enjoyed the blessing of being God’s chosen vessel, His servants, having His blessing to do His will Amos 3:1 Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, Against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, 2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

42. No one else had experienced such blessings

43. No one else had been chosen by God to be so blessed and used

44. He will now punish them because instead of using His blessings to accomplish His purposes, they were using them for their selfish lifestyles

45. Today we as the church have this same relationship

46. This is not talking of a personal election but of a corporate one

47. It is speaking of us being God’s people to take His Word to the world

48. He had blessed us so that we can accomplish His purposes

49. We best not use His blessings to be selfish and take care of ourselves

50. We are blessed to be a blessing

51. Instead of doing right, they had chosen to do the opposite

52. God asks His people if what He was saying wasn't the truth Amos 2:11 And I raised up of your sons for prophets, And of your young men for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the Lord.

53. They knew that God had been good to them

54. They knew why God had been good to them

55. They had simply started enjoying the blessings instead of serving God and the world as they were called to do

56. They stopped God’s men from doing God’s will Amos 2:12 But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; And commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

57. They tried to be sure. The men of God got more comfortable in this world than thinking of God and His kingdom

58. They commanded God’s men to stop doing what they were doing

59. They wanted the ministry to be put on hold so they could enjoy their lives

60. Do we recognize all that God has done in our lives?

61. He saved us by His grace

62. He has blessed us beyond measure

63. As sons of God, will we try to turn from the truth and live in rebellion or give our lives to live out what He has done in and for us?

64. God has had enough

65. God has put up with their rebellion long enough, the last straw Amos 2:13 Behold, I am pressed under you, As a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves.

66. He has been gracious and kind

67. He has done everything for Him

68. They have flagrantly disobeyed Him

69. They will not get away with their sin Amos 2:14 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, And the strong shall not strengthen his force, Neither shall the mighty deliver himself: 15 Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; And he that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: Neither shall he that rideth the horse deliver himself. 16 And he that is courageous among the mighty Shall flee away naked in that day, saith the Lord.

70. They are not strong enough or fast enough to sin and get away with it

71. They will not escape the consequences of their sin

72. We are naked and vulnerable before God

73. Grace is never a license to sin but the liberty to serve

74. Somehow, God’s people want to take advantage of His mercy and kindness

75. We want to think that since we are saved, we can sin frivolously

76. We want to think that sin has no consequences

77. Being God’s people and enjoying His grace, doesn't mean that we live for ourselves but for Him

78. The abundant life He has promised us, isn't about enjoying this world so much that we are not interested in Him or His kingdom

79. Amos can’t help but prophesy and preach

80. Amos was just a shepherd farmer but was preaching the Word of God with such authority Amos 1:1 The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

81. Amos wasn't looking to do anything when God spoke to him

82. God had given the word that he would preach

83. Amos now basically says that it should be obvious that it was God speaking and not the herdman Amos 7:14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: 15 And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

84. I was just minding my own business when God called me out to do this ministry

85. I am not to hear of my own volition

86. I am doing the will of God

87. It would seem logical that for a man like Amos to have the message or the passion that he had. God must have done something

88. Things don't just happen without a reason any more than two people walking somewhere together Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

89. Everyone knows that the lion roars when he is hunting his food Amos 3:4 Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? Will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

90. Don't we all understand how we trap birds? Amos 3:5 Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? Shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?

91. Do alarms sound and people not get nervous Amos 3:6 Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?

92. Do you not know that God shows His prophets the truth about what He is doing? Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, But he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

93. So what do you expect me to do but preach when He has given me the message and the command Amos 3:8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

94. The fact that a herdman had such a message should awaken them

95. God even told Amos where to go with His message Amos 3:9 Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, And in the palaces in the land of Egypt, And say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, And behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, And the oppressed in the midst thereof. 10 For they know not to do right, saith the Lord, Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.

96. God sends Amos to preach even to the heathen

97. World evangelism taking place because they do not know to do right

98. God’s people were also becoming ignorant of God’s will because they were shutting up God’s men Amos 2:12 But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; And commanded the prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

99. It is only logical that we would do God’s will in our lives, it is our reasonable service

100. We are not our own, we were saved for a purpose

101. We should live to and for Him, that gave Himself for us

102. God is going to punish the sins of His people, the nation of Israel

103. They should listen because God is speaking Amos 3:13 Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, Saith the Lord God, the God of hosts,

104. Their sins would bring horrible consequences Amos 3:14 That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Beth-el: And the horns of the altar shall be cut off, And fall to the ground.

105. Their prosperity would come to an end Amos 3:15 And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; And the houses of ivory shall perish, And the great houses shall have an end, saith the Lord.

106. Do we really think that our sin and rebellion will not have consequences in our lives and that of our families?

107. Do we really want to know so much truth and not respond to it?

108. Are we really going to live like our salvation and our Savior mean nothing to us?