Amos 7:7-17 The Worst Year can be the best Year by “Going all in”
1. Many believe that the worst Year were 1347, 536, and 722
• Some claimed the worst year was 1347 The Black Death, also known as the Great Plague or the Plague, it was one of the most devastating time in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people in in Europe from 1347 to 1351.
• Some say the worst Year ever was 536 when temperatures plunged causing drought, crop failures, snow in summer, and wide spread famine millions die as a result
• Amos says 722 BC is Israel’s worst year this time period is after the Davidic Kingdom or divided Kingdom North was the area of Samaria Southern Kingdom Judah
• Amos said there was some unholy things going on dishonest merchants, abuse of the poor, court decisions being bought and sold, corruption in the priesthood, and, idolatry.
2. In the worst of times or Years God sends a “SEER”
• The Seer was told to Travel God called Amos, a herdsman from the southern kingdom, to travel to Bethel in the northern kingdom to confront the people there about their sins.
• The Seer Talked : Amos talked about God holding a plumb line in the midst of Israel and the people being far “out of plumb” spiritually — that is, far from where God wanted them
• The Seer warned: Amos warned unless the people repented, they would suffer God’s wrath.
3. Note what generally happens when we have worst year The Seer is rejected or God is rejected
• The Seer is rejected told by the priest to back home and tell Judah about their sins and leave us alone.
• The Seer is rejected because he announced 3 sorrows Israel’s King Jeroboam II would die by the sword, the nation would be destroyed, and the people of Israel will go into exile
• The Seer is rejected because of personal woes, “that the coming year of exile for Israel would also be the worst time to be alive for Amaziah personally. his wife would become a prostitute in the city, his sons and daughters would fall by the sword, his land would be parceled out to others and Amaziah himself would die in exile. That’s harsh. Not good.
4. During the worst of times how can we make this the best of times? “Go All IN”
• The Seer might tell us “Remember it’s not about you” It’s about God.
• The Seer tells us Focus on what you do have and not what you don’t have, Health, Home, Family, Church and focus on others this will get you through the worst year ever
5. During the worst times how can we make it the best of time change what is treasured
• The Seer desires us to treasure God more than money remember the rich young man who asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him, “Sell what you have and give it to the poor.” That young man “went away sorrowful” — Jesus offered and never ending life but it was turned down.
• During the worst of times how can we make this the best of times by remembering giving to others There’s an old saying: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
• IN the Worst of times its about Living for Christ Paul the Seer wrote “For me, to live is Christ
• Is it possible that very few of us understand what “living is Christ” is all about? We’ve never signed on for that sort of commitment. We have never really put it all on the line.
• The Seer Speaks “Go All IN” live for Jesus “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory to God.
• The Seer Speaks Go all in “Love your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
• I have encountered people who had tragedy’s but came through by “Going all in for Jesus”
• I have seen people committed to projects who went all in man did they shine
• Have you ever met an unhappy, unfulfilled and restless person who at some point went “all in”Paul, in spite of shipwrecks, floggings and disease; he never thought it was his worst years
• Here’s the secret to avoiding the worst of years and experiencing the best of years: Go all in
