Amos - 9 Series

Dakota Community Church

June 20, 2010

Amos 9

1. God’s warning – locusts, fire, a plumb line & ripe fruit

2. Mercy triumphs over judgment

3. Human opposition to God as judge and to His messengers of judgment

Amos 7:10-17

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: "Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. 11 For this is what Amos is saying:

“‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.’ "

12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom."

14 Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ’Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16 Now then, hear the word of the LORD. You say, " ’Do not prophesy against Israel, and stop preaching against the house of Isaac.’

17 "Therefore this is what the LORD says:

“‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city, and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a pagan [a] country. And Israel will certainly go into exile, away from their native land.’ "

A.) God is not primarily concerned with the comfort of hearers.

Matthew 15:29-32

29Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 30Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. 31The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

32Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."

Just imagine the feedback card comments after this three day mountainside camp meeting.

Not seeker sensitive!

Acts 20:7-12

7On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus (U-Tik-Us), who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don’t be alarmed," he said. "He’s alive!" 11Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

He talked so long that someone died, then rather than taking the hint he continues until dawn.

Do you think Paul thought the message was of primary importance or the listeners?

B.) Truth is worth fighting for.

I think it is somehow appropriate that we talk about these things on this Father’s Day.

In many ways we have neutered the faith by being overly cautious when it comes to sensitivity toward those far from God.

I am not saying we should be rude and purposefully disagreeable; however, we must stand up for truth and refuse to compromise on issues of doctrine.

It is not wrong to take a bold stance on important issues.

We are not winning anyone if those who join our ranks are only doing so because they think it is a nice club which helps them be better citizens.

Our goal is New Birth, not nicer townsfolk!

Titus 1:7-11

7Since an overseer[b] is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

10For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. 11They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain.