SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). THE SUBJECT.
(2). THE TIME.
(3). THE MAN.
(4). THE LOCATION.
(5). THE THEMES.
Theme #1: The Eight Prophecies (1:3-2:16).
Theme #2: Three Sermons (3:1-6:14)
Theme #3: The Five Visions (7:1-9:10).
Theme #4: The Five Promises (9:11-15)
SERMON BODY
Ill:
Lion Trivia
• (1). Lions can live up to 14 years in the wild, and up to 20 in captivity.
• (2). Lions are the tallest of all big cats.
• The males can be up to 4ft in shoulder height, whereas the females only 3ft 3 in.
• (3). Lions are generally inactive for 20 hours a day.
• They tend to spend 2 hours walking and 50 minutes eating.
• (4). A group of lions is known as a pride, and consists of around six related females, multiple cubs of both genders and up to two males.
• (5). Male lions have manes.
• Male lions are often excluded from the pride when they reach maturity.
• (6). Females are the hunters of the pride as they are smaller,
• Swifter, more agile and do not have heavy warm manes.
• (7). Prey is often killed by strangulation, and not their sharp teeth.
• (8). Lions have the loudest roar of all big cats and can be heard up to 8km away.
• (5 miles away).
• TRANSITION: The title for my talk is: ‘The Lion Has Roared’:
• And Amos uses that expression and lion imagery in his book:
• i.e. chapter 3 verse 4:
• “Does a lion roar in the thicket when it has no prey?”
• i.e. chapter 3 verse 8:
• “The lion has roared – who will not fear?”
• i.e. chapter 3 verse 12:
• “Does a lion roar in the thicket when it has no prey?”
• i.e. chapter 3 verse 13:
• “As a shepherd rescues from the lion’s mouth…”
• i.e. chapter 5 verse 19:
• “It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear,”
• So the title for my talk on the book of Amos is ‘The Lion Has Roared’:
• And again and again you will see that lion imagery in this book.
(1). THE SUBJECT.
• The main subject of the book of Amos is:
• ‘God’s judgment will fall on prosperous Israel for its social and religious sins’
Ill:
• Charles Dickens starts his classic novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities' with the memorable line:
• "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
TRANSITION: That line would also be a good description for this book:
• ‘It was the best of times’:
• For Israel business is booming and boundaries are bulging;
• And peoples optimism is soaring, life is good!
• ‘It was the worst of times’:
• Below the surface of Israel’s wealth, was:
• Greed, injustice, hypocrisy, oppression, and arrogance.
• And hypocritical religious motions have replaced true worship.
Amos was sent by God to prophesy against the northern kingdom;
• Amos was an older contemporary of Hosea and Isaiah
• His major themes in this short book;
• Are of social justice, God's omnipotence, and divine judgment
(2). THE TIME.
• This small book was written 2700 years ago,
• We are going back in time to approximately 760 B.C.
Ill:
• We are able to date this book with accuracy;
• Because of the information he gave us in chapter 1 verse 1.
“The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa – the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel.”
• Jeroboam II reigned over Israel from 793-753 B.C.
• And Uzziah reigned over Judah from 790-740 B.C.
• And Amos also gives us some other helpful information:
• He mentions an earthquake in verse 1,
• And archaeologists have calculated that took place about 760 B.C.
• These dates make the Book of Amos;
• The first biblical prophetic book to be written.
(3). THE MAN.
• All we know about Amos the prophet;
• Is what we have written in this little book of the Bible,
• We have no additional information.
• And in these nine chapters of his book;
• We are only told four things about the prophet himself.
FIRST: HE WAS FROM TEKOA.
• Chapter 1 verse 1 tells us where he lived in Tekoa.
• Tekoa, was just a few miles from Bethlehem where Jesus was born.
• About 11 miles south of Jerusalem and the same distance west of the Dead Sea;
SECOND: HE WAS A SHEPHERD.
Ill:
• There is a story told about a group of tourists;
• Who were sightseeing in the Holy Land.
• The guide was explaining the difference;
• Between an eastern shepherd and an English one.
• The English shepherd walks behind his sheep and drives them.
• But an eastern shepherd walks in front of his sheep and leads them,
• And they follow him.
• As the guide finished this explanation the group laughed;
• Because just over the hill came a man walking behind a flock of sheep;
• And driving them along with a stick.
• Someone commented to the guide,
• “I thought you said the shepherds here always lead the sheep.
• Why is that man walking behind and driving them forward?”
• The guide answered,
• “Because he isn’t the shepherd, he’s the butcher.”
• TRANSITION: Amos was a shepherd.
• Who kept his flocks around the fields of Tekoa,
• He did not keep them for their meat but for their wool.
Note:
• A rather unusual word is used in the text for 'shepherd' in this verse,
• No-one is really sure why the more common word for shepherd isn’t used.
• There are two suggestions as to what it means:
• FIRST: Some scholars suggest he did not just keep sheep he bred them;
• That Amos was a sheep breeder rather than just a small shepherd.
• SECOND: Some scholars suggest it may refer to him;
• Being the breeder of a certain type of small sheep,
• That was specially prized for their wool.
• So sheep breeder or sheep specialist or maybe it means something else!
• You can take your pick, as to if he was poor or wealthy.
Ill:
• One thing is for sure;
• Amos knew what it was to be with the sheep outside on the hills.
• (i.e. like David the psalmist, who also was a shepherd boy);
• He knew what it was like to hear the roar of a lion or the growl of a bear,
• And to have these come and attack his sheep,
• And as we have mentioned already, he uses this for illustrations in his book.
• He also knew what it was to be out under the stars at night;
• And to think of the great God who made heaven and earth.
• (i.e. Chapter 5 verse 8).
• “He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns midnight into dawn and darkens day into night”
• Having had such an awareness of a mighty God;
• Amos was aware that before God,
• Men and nations are very small indeed.
THIRD: HE WAS A FRUIT-FARMER
• We are told in chapter 7 verse 14 of his book;
• That he “took care of sycamore trees”.
• Most shepherds in Palestine had a few fruit trees,
• And would eat their fruit,
• Or sell their fruit to increase the little income that they had from their sheep.
Ill:
• The sycamore tree had a fruit like a small fig, not very highly thought of,
• But used especially by the poor,
• So these information would suggest that Amos was a poor shepherd.
• This fruit from the sycamore tree did not naturally have a very good taste,
• But to help it ripen and to make it softer and sweeter,
• People would make a hole in the end or bruise the fruit.
• This is what Amos would have done as a 'dresser of sycamore trees'.
FOURTH: HE WAS A MAN WHOM GOD CALLED
• Amos was a shepherd and a fruit farmer,
• And neither occupation would have made him rich or important.
• But God is never impressed with wealth and prestige.
• What was of supreme importance was that God called Amos to be a prophet.
• We do not know how the call came to him;
• We just know it did.
• For him it was the greatest thing in his life.
• He could not turn back from that call of God, even when life got difficult.
• Amos knew he must be God's messenger, and he must speak God’s word.
Ill:
• When the shepherd heard the roar of the lion;
• He cannot act and feel as if he had not heard it;
• Likewise when a man hears the call of God;
• He cannot feel and act as if he has not heard it.
• That is what Amos says in chapter 3 verse 8:
“The lion has roared –
who will not fear?
The Sovereign Lord has spoken –
who can but prophesy?”
• When people tell him, “Do not prophesy - do not preach”;
• Amos had a simple response chapter 7 verse 15-16:
“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 descendants of Isaac.””
• Amos simple response was:
• “The Lord said to me, "Go, prophesy to my people Israel."'
Pause for an application:
• God in the past spoke to the people through his prophets;
• But let us remember that God still speaks to people today;
• The message he was to communicate is the gospel;
• Any you and I (as followers of Jesus) are the messengers he wants to use.
Ill:
• Luigi Tarisio was found dead one morning;
• His home contained 246 exquisite violins,
• Which he had been collecting all his life.
• They were crammed into an attic,
• The best of his collection in the bottom drawer of an old rickety bureau.
• The greatest of his collection, a Stradivarius,
• It had not been played for 147 speechless years.
• In his very devotion to the violin,
• He had robbed the world of all that music all the time he treasured them;
• TRANSITION: Sadly too many Christian's are like old Tarisio;
• We love the gospel of Jesus Christ,
• But so often keep it hidden from the world who desperately need to hear it.
(4). THE LOCATION.
• Amos was a southerner from Judea,
• But God sent him ‘up North’ to preach!
• So when he arrived in Bethel, stood on the temple steps to preach;
• His accent betrayed him as a southerner,
• Which almost guaranteed him a hostile reaction as soon as he opened his mouth.
Remember at this point in history that the nation is split:
• There is a northern kingdom called ‘Israel’.
• And a southern kingdom called ‘Judea’.
• Amos like Hosea, is specifically called by God;
• To prophesies against the Northern Kingdom.
• During this time, the nation of Israel (the northern kingdom);
• Was marked by total apostasy, idolatry and immorality.
• Amos prophesies against them ahead of their 722 B.C. destruction;
• At the hands of the Assyrians.
(5). THE STRUCTURE.
FIRST: THE DIVISION:
• Chapters 1 to 6 use the oracle or “word-based” prophecy format,
• Chapters 7 to 9 are conveyed through visions.
SECOND: THE THEMES:
• The prophecy of Amos is a collection of sermons;
• There appears to be no clear structure.
• Therefore it is difficult to analyse the book as a whole.
Ill:
• It was King James I, I believe,
• Who became annoyed with the irrelevant ramblings of his court preacher,
• Who had no structure to what he was saying.
• So he shouted up to the pulpit: "Either make sense or come down out of that pulpit!"
• The preacher replied, "I will do neither."
Ill:
• Some preachers are like the circus knife throwing act:
• One person stands against a wall and the other throws knives at him.
• They'd hit above his head, close by his ear, under his armpit, and between his fingers.
• They could throw within a hair's breadth and never strike.
TRANSITION: While I believe it is important for preachers to hit the target!
• To be as clear as they can and to try to make sense,
• It is obvious that parts of scripture are not clear,
• They are not logical in their structure;
• But we can also be sure they are not ‘irrelevant ramblings’,
• I like what David Pawson has said:
“…it is difficult to analyse the book of Amos as a whole. It is as if the book plants time bombs in people’s hearts, ready to go off at an appropriate time in the future”
The clearest outline I came across was this one:
• The book of Amos has three major sections plus an epilogue.
• They are:
• Chapters one and two:
• Look at the nations surrounding Israel;
• And then Israel itself through an ethical lens.
• Chapters three to six:
• Look more specifically at Israel's transgressions.
• Chapters seven to nine:
• Include visions that God gave Amos as well as Amaziah's rebuke of the prophet.
• Although the structure of the book of Amos is not always clear,
• You can as you read it spot a variety of themes.
Theme #1: The eight prophecies (1:3-2:16).
• Amos begins with a series of forecasts of judgment;
• This judgement is against Israel's neighbouring nations, including Judah,
• And later also directs his prophecies against Israel (1:3-2:16).
Ill:
• This was a smart move by Amos;
• A sure way to win friends is to slate their enemies!
• Amos did what some politicians do;
• Some politicians rabble-rouse,
• They are negative about other cultures and other countries.
• i.e. Well we are not like the French, we all know…
• i.e. And we are not like the Germans we all know how they…
• i.e. And we are not as disorganised as the Italians
• i.e. And we all know how cocky they are!
• And all our nationalistic pride rises with in us.
• Note: When Amos does speak against the other nations it is not nationalistic pride;
• He rightly points out their sins as God directs him too.
• All these nations will be punished;
• For specific offenses that they have committed against Israel or some other nation.
• (1st). Prophecy concerning Damascus (1:3-5).
• (2nd). Prophecy concerning Gaza (1:6-8)
• (3rd). Prophecy concerning Tyrus 1:9, 10
• (4th). Prophecy concerning Edom (1:11, 12)
• (5th). Prophecy concerning Ammon (1:13-15)
• (6th). Prophecy concerning Moab (2:1-3)
• Now having pointed the finger at the surrounding nations;
• He now turns to his own people.
• (7th). Prophecy concerning Judah (2:4- 5)
• (8th). Prophecy concerning Israel (2:6-16).
• All these nations will be punished;
• For specific offenses that they have committed against Israel or some other nation.
• Israel and Judah, however,
• Will be punished for having broken their covenant with GOD.
Theme #2: Three Sermons (3:1-6:14)
In these chapters, Amos delivers three sermons:
• Each sermon begins with the phrase “Hear this word”
• (chapter 3 verse 1; chapter 4 verse 1; chapter 5 verse 1).
• And in each sermon we read the word “therefore”
• As Amos declares to the nation of Israel the consequences of their sins.
The First Sermon (3:1-15):
• The first sermon is a general declaration of judgment,
• The ruling is because of Israel’s immoral behavior.
The Second Sermon: (4:1-13):
• The second sermon exposes the crimes of the people.
• It also and describes the ways God has chastened them;
• In order to draw them back to Himself.
• Five times He says, “Yet you have not returned to Me” (4:6, 8–11).
The Third Sermon (5:1-6:14):
• The third sermon lists the sins of the house of Israel and calls the people to repent.
• But they hate integrity, justice, and compassion,
• Also their refusal to turn back to God will lead to their exile.
• Although at this moment they arrogantly wallow in luxury,
• Their time of prosperity will suddenly come to an end
• And it will be a foreign nation that will enact his judgment.
(5c). Theme #3: The Five Visions (7:1-9:10).
• (1st). Vision of the Grasshoppers (chapter 7 verses 1-3)
• (2nd). Vision of the Fire (chapter 7 verses 4-6)
• (3rd). Vision of the Plumbline (chapter 7 verses 7-9)
• (4th). Vision of the Summer Fruit (chapter 8 verses 1-14)
• (5th). Vision of doorposts/columns collapsing (chapter 9 verses 1-10)
Amos predicts five visions of coming judgment upon the northern kingdom.
• The first two judgments of locusts and fire do not come to pass;
• Because of Amos’ intercession.
• Application: A persons prayers can make a difference!
• The third vision of the plumbline;
• Is followed by the only narrative section in the book (7:10–17).
• Amaziah the priest of Beth-el wants Amos to go back to Judah.
• Application: Expect opposition when we are doing God’s will.
• The fourth vision pictures Israel as a basket of rotten fruit, overripe for judgment.
• The fifth vision is a relentless portrayal of Israel’s unavoidable judgment.
• Application: Sounds to me a lot like the world in which we live!
Theme #4: Three SURPRISES (9:11-15)
THREE PROMISES:
• (1). The rebuilding of David’s house.
• (2). The return of the people.
• (3). The fertility of the land.
Using prophecies, sermons, and visions;
• Amos has hammered home the message of divine retribution.
• But notice that he ends his book on a note of comfort, not condemnation.
• God promises to reinstate the Davidic line,
• He promises to renew the land, and to restore the people.
In conclusion:
(a).
• Injustice permeates our world,
• And as Christians we should not turn a blind eye to the suffering of others.
• The book of Amos reminds us that religious activity;
• i.e. praying, preaching, and teaching are important,
• But that those activities ring hollow;
• If we don’t practically love and serve others in our own lives.
• God has called Christians not only to be in relationship with Him;
• But also to be in relationships with others.
• The book of Amos pulls us back toward the centre,
• And reminds us that in God’s scheme of justice;
• Both the physical and the spiritual needs of people matter
(b).
• Sometimes we think we are a "just-a"!
• We are just-a factory worker, just a shop worker or just a housewife.
• Amos would be considered a "just-a."
• He wasn't a prophet or priest or the son of either.
• He was just a shepherd, a small businessman in Judah.
• Who would listen to him?
• But instead of making excuses,
• Amos obeyed and became God's powerful voice for change.
• God has used "just-a's" such as shepherds, carpenters, and fishermen,
• All through the Bible.
• Whatever you are in this life, God can use you.
• Amos wasn't much. He was a "just-a."
• "Just-a" servant for God.
• It is good to be God's "just-a."
Additional story (Amos 4 verse 11).
• ‘Branch in the fire’ was a popular gospel text preached by the likes of:
• John Calvin, Martin Luther, John Wesley, George Whitfield, John Bunjan
• The hymn writer Thomas Olivers ('The God of Abraham Praise')
• Writes this in his testimony:
• "I was generally reckoned to be the worst boy in Montgomershire,
• For the last 20 or 30 years I was so reckoned.
• I went on one Sabbath day to St Chads Church in Shrowsbury,
• And in the company of a very wicked man we climbed together into the organ loft, unseen.
• And while the preacher was speaking we swore and cursed after every sentence."
• Well he was thrown out as you can imagine!
• "One night after this I met a multitude of people and asked them where they had been,
• she said to hear Mr Whitfield preach.
• I too went along and when the service began I did little but look about me.
• His text was, "Is this not a brand plucked out of the fire?"
• When the sermon began I was a dreadful enemy to God;
• And all that is good and one of the most profligate abandoned young men alive.
• But by the time it ended I was a new creature.
• I was filed with utter abhorrence of my evil ways,
• I was much ashamed that I had ever walked in them.
• I broke off all my evil practices and forsook all my wicked and foolish companions;
• Without delay and gave myself up to God for service with my whole heart.
• what reason have I to say am I not a brand plucked out of the fire.
• And when I returned to my lodgings,
• The people saw that something remarkable had befallen me,
• and as they knew not where I had been, they could not imagine what it was,
• I frankly told them the whole matter;
• And thou the best of them was only half-hearted in religion,
• Yet they all rejoiced in the mighty change they saw in me.
Amos 4 verse 11.
You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire,
yet you have not returned to me,’
declares the Lord.
And you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says the Lord.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=veuQNIn3XghrTiE5sLxMDcy6XaCGcyBn
