I. Trinity shirt: Dare to DREAM
A. Joke: man dreamed of winning a pun contest - no pun in ten
did
B. Ice-cream diet
C. Bill Lee-Warner, told of a “back-woodsy” sort of guy in the
Bible who dared to dream, and was blessed by God
D. Wondered where that passage was for long time
1. Phrase not in Bible
2. Must just be a story in the Bible about a guy with
some guts
II. Amos, the man who dared to dream
A. Prophet, just not the prophet-type (describe the prophet
type)
B. Sheep herder and fig farmer
C. “I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I was a
Shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But
the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me,
‘Go, prophesy to my people Isreal.’ Now, then, hear the
word of the Lord” (7:14,15)
1. I’m sure he was a great Shepherd
2. But, he was an anointed prophet
III. God seems to have a habit of taking us from where we’re
comfortable and sticking us where we don’t feel comfortable - but
annointing us anyway!
A. Asked to lead worship at Trinity - said no!
B. Not the talkative or pastoral type (who is?) But am one.
C. God may have laid something on your heart or someone
has asked you to try something new - be careful that you
don’t say no to hastily (Sunday School, starting a ministry)
D. Multiple Scriptural examples of unqualified people, who
thought, “well just maybe God can use me.” They dared to
dream
1. Jeremiah 1:4-10
2. I Samuel 16:11-13
3. I Tim. 4:12, “Don’t let anyone look down on you
because you are young, but set an example for the
believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in
purity.” (What?! A young person setting the
example?! How many heard that?!)
4. Tell funny illustration of man in LA who tied weather
balloons to his lawn chair
E. We resist, because we don’t realize the awesome things
that he has in store for those who step out.
1. I Cor. 2:9, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no
mind has conceived what God has prepared for those
who love him.”
2. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,”
declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to
harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
F. If there was ever a group of people that could dare to
dream, it would be a young person who has committed his
way to the Lord
IV. Amos dared to dream a little, believe that God could use him, and
so spoke out what God laid on his heart
There’s two ways to learn form Amos
1. His life
2. His message
A. The prophecy he gave is quite applicable to the American
society
B. The average Isrealite would have cheered Amos on as he
began his prophecy
1. Pronounced Judgement on Damascus
2. Gaza
3. Tyre
4. Edom
5. Ammon
6. Moab
7. Judah (getting close to home!)
8. Isreal
a. Prophesied against his own home, but the
people did not recieve (It was fine to pronounce
judgement on Russia, etc.)
b. Read 2:6-12
c. (V. 12) we’re leading our young people into
immorality; coaxing them into things they
should not be involved in (nazarites) and
gagging our preachers (prophets)
(1) illegal in Canada to speak out against
things that are called sin in the Bible.
d. Amos’ prophecy turned out true. We have
modern day prophets predicting the judgement
of America - Much of the Christian community
is rejecting it as well.
V. Amos continues his prophecy in Chpt. 3
A. It’s getting hard to believe that everything thats taking place
in our nation is just a coincedence: Y2K, worst tornadoes,
floods, fires, hurricanes, school violence, AIDS . . .
1. Amos didn’t believe in coincedences either
a. Physics: every action has a reaction
b. Every effect has a cause
2. Read 3:2-6
3. do you ever stop and consider that maybe we’re
fighting against God and what he wants?
B. Read 3:7,8
1. Yellowstone, loudspeaker with bear growls
2. Who can’t tell that God is trying to say something?
3. Who can’t but communicate that message to others?
4. Young person, before our time, men were drafted into
war.
5. The spiritual battle is getting more intense. He’s
looking for those who will not dodge his draft, but will
dare to dream
VI. There’s a day coming in your time when the Word will be ripped
from society
A. (too ofensive for TV or radio - as it is in Canada) and the
Word of God will have to reside in you!
B. Read 8:11,12
VII. Remember, you are the generation of deliverers
A. Possiblility: God desires to use you (potential)
1. Kids are like sticks of dynamite - who’s going to light
that fuse, HS or a demon
2. Collumbine student is starting a new ministry called
“revival generation”
B. Responsability: YOU bear the light
1. Think of the resp. that was upon Moses
VIII. Despite all that is happening around you - you still live in a day of
mercy
A. Amos reminded the people of that fact in 4:6-12
1. But those days of mercy are about to end!
B. It’s like he was saying
1. I tried to warn
2. mother nature try and warn
3. Now its Dad’s turn to get your attention, “just wait
until your dad gets home.”
4. We live at the threshhold in America of where God is
saying, they haven’t listened to my merciful ways,
maybe I need to talk to them in a way they’ll
understand.”
IX. I challenge you to dream a dream, because this is not the hour to
just sit back and enjoy the ride. (Don’t just go to college, and just
get a job, but say, “God, give me a dream, and then show me
what college or what job will enable me to fulfill that dream)
A. Amos 6:1, “Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to
you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you natable men of
the foremost nation”
1. God has never advocated the “whatever will be, will
be mentality.”
a. Mathew 11:12, “From the days of John the
Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has
been forcefully advancing, and forcful men lay
hold of it.”
2. We are not to just accept status quo
3. Don’t let “we’ve always done it this way” be your only
reason for the things you do and the ministries you
pursue
a. I’ve always been a shepherd and a fig-farmer
and I’ll always be a shepherd and a fig-farmer.
4. God may want to do a new thing
a. He his placing ideas for brand new ministries in
some of your hearts
b. He is creating an interest in some of your
hearts for things you’ve never dreamed of
doing before!
X. Amos didn’t get to see Israel repent, just a promise that God
would eventually make all things new (read 9:13-15)
A. Young people will most likely not see society as a whole
undergo complete revival (pockets of revival, yes) but, God
will make all things new. (Read II Peter 3:10-13)
B. But there is still room for God-inspired dreams of inpacting
our society
1. Tornado’s destroy houses, but leaves some things
inside completely untouched. In destruction, we can
find beauty
XI. Ways to respond
A. Lord, give me a dream
B. You’ve given me a dream, I’m ready to do it
C. Lord, I don’t like the dream you’ve given me (I’m scared!)
Help me overcome my lack of faith.
