Amos: Preaching A Message No One Wants To Hear Series

Major News from Minor Prophets

Amos: Preaching a message no one wants to hear

Amos came from the Southern Kingdom of Judah. But his words were aimed at all of Israel, both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.

Some Old Testament prophets spent their entire adult lives in ministry. But Amos did not intend to be a preacher. God called him from a life of shepherding and pruning trees.

While Hosea emphasized God’s love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness, Amos was called to declare God’s Judgment.

Amos was commanded to preach a message no one wanted to hear.

1. Oracles against the nations (Amos 1:1-5:17)

Judgment on Israel’s neighbors: 1:3-2:3

Damascus

Philistia

Phoenicia

Edom

Ammon

Moab

Judgment on Judah and Israel: 2:6-5:17

Rejection of what God’s laws

Oppressive

Contempt for God

Unrepentant

Unjust

Amos 2:13-16 The consequences of sin

God is loaded down and broken hearted over the sad effect sin has had upon his creation. Notice what sin has done to His marvelous creation:

Sin has Blighted His creation, Genesis 3:17

Sin has Blackened His creation, Romans 3:9-19

Sin has Blinded His creation, Amos 5:21-24, I John 2:11

Sin has Banished His creation, Isaiah 59:2

Amos 5:6-15 Seek the Lord and Live!

OUR SINS ARE GREAT

The people thought everything was going great. God’s truth was different verse 12a. God knew. We might wonder why these people did not listen. Why did they not repent? Like Israel and Judah, we often look around and wonder about everyone else and why they still continue in their sinful, disobedient living.

But like Israel and Judah, we have no excuse.

"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away"(ISAIAH 64:6).

Who wants to take the blame for something bad? Who wants to admit, “I am wrong”?

"If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives"(1 JOHN 1:10).

We may try to deny sin as if it never existed, especially in our own lives. We can try to reject sin, dismiss it or explain sin away. Sin is still with us as long as we are alive.

"For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander" (MATTHEW 15:19).

The soul who sins is the one who dies. None escape death because all are sinners.

“SEEK THE LORD AND LIVE”. Our sins are very great. No matter how great our sins, GOD’S MERCY IS GREATER

God’s divine mercy is displayed through his forgiveness. He blots out our sins. Our evil thoughts, wicked words, and disobedient actions are removed forever. How? Through the blood of Jesus Christ.

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed"(1 PETER 2:24).

Praise God that his mercy is greater than our sin and disobedience.

2. Announcements of exile (Amos 5:18-6:14)

Perverted religion 5:21-24

Complacency and pride

A description of COMPLACENCY: 6:4-6.

Their homes, furnishings, and clothes were the best.

They ate the best of food, and as much as they desired.

Their attention was primarily on things of entertainment and pleasure.

They drank intoxicants by the bowl full.

THE CAUSE OF COMPLACENCY.

The people of Israel had enjoyed a time of great prosperity; they could have one of two reactions:

They could react as most were doing; showing pride and boastfulness. They were living extravagantly, and took all the credit for their prosperity themselves.

They made the pursuit of prosperity their primary objective.

They were not grieved or concerned at all about the condition of their nation.

The causes of complacency in the church are very well described here. We have been raised and live in the most affluent nation in the world. We are accustomed to a lifestyle that would be viewed as extravagant by most of the rest of the world. Do we grieve for the lost?

THE CURSE OF COMPLACENCY:

Complacency led to the death of the nation vs 7-14

Complacency caused the people to reject, and fail to carry out, their divine mission.

Complacency denied them their destiny as a great nation.

THE CURE FOR COMPLACENCY.

The first step is to understand the LOVE and MERCY of God.

(1). He loved us enough to send Christ to die for us.

(2). He delights to show mercy to the repentant.

(3). His love and mercy are eternal.

We must then contemplate the issues and values of eternity.

(1). We must realize that the soul lives forever.

(2). We must think about where we will spend eternity.

(3). We must begin to live for eternity rather than for now.