Who Will Not Fear

WHO WILL NOT FEAR

AMOS 3:1 - AMOS 4:13

Introduction: A study of words can be a most facinating study at times.

The proper word "Charge" by a commander can lead thousands of men into battle.

The same commander can pull them back with a single word "retreat".

The way that a parent calls a child will tell the child if it is in trouble or not.

The same is true for husbands and wives.

A study of words can lead us through a variety of emotions.

The use of words can leave us in: a) amazement

j) joy

c) anger

d) sorrow

e) at peace

f) in shock

Our use of words can lead us to a variety of outcomes:

a) words of a wedding--lead to committment

b) words of anger --leads to fights and tension

c) the psalms-- lead to peace.

An interesting study of words are those that young people use.

They have a different meaning than we are used to.

a) Something cool means that it’s Okay or popular.

b) A drag is doing something unpopular.

c) A dweeb is an unpopular person.

I cn use words within the confines of these church walls that will create a variety of emotions within you:

Think of these:

a) death-- may make you feel sad or resigned.

b) marriage--may make you excited or encouraged.

c) pregnancy-- may make you feel excited and happy.

d) divorce-- sadness, depression

e) Salvation--gladness, a feeling of being worthwhile

f) luck\lucky--will lead to anger, frustration.

Just the use of words can bring about a variety of reactions to different people both within and without the church.

We can use words to bring about positive or negative responses.

They can leave people comfortably in the pews, or chase them out, sometimes because of miscommunication or misunderstanding.

We sometimes have to deal with hard-line conservatives who may say something like this from the pulpit.

"We should not try to convert people who are members of denomination X and are going to church. They wouldn’t listen to you. To say they are wrong is like calling their mother a whore.

Although the word is used in the Bible, the inclusion of it in a statement from the pulpit is both surprising, and if we’re honest may leave us shocked.

The strange thing is that if I read a passage with that word in it you probably wouldn’t even blink an eye.

But to hear it from the pulpit is shocking.

What is wrong with this picture?

We might find an answer for this question later.

In the church we hear many words that catch our immediate attention.

a) Conviction--leads to excitement, anticipation

b) Salvation---leads to joy, excitement, satisfaction

c) Judgement---leads to fear, sadness

d) Heaven------leads to peace and comfort

e) Resurrection--leads to excitement and hope

But there is one word that brings more emothion and attention in the church, arguably than any other.

If I were to use this word now, I would have your undivided attention.

If I were to wait ten minutes and say it I would have you on the edge of your seats in anticipation.

Just by not saying it, I have some of you scratching your heads and wondering what the word is.

This is a word that is used widely in the church.

It is on the lips of each Christian present here.

It is a word that we pray for

hope for

even yearn for.

It is also a word that we don’t really understand.

We think we have the idea of it, a basic understanding if you will, but our actions have proved us wrong.

We have special meetings and use this word as their title, but they have little if anything to do with the title.

We use it but we don’t understand it.

We pray for it but we haven’t seen it yet.

We hope for it and are often disappointed.

What is the word I am talking about?

Revival.

The sad fact is that we share the same position as did the Israelites at Amos’ time.

Why do I say this?

Because we know how to get revival, we have chosen not to count the cost and be vulnerable.

We have a basic misunderstanding on the concept of revival.

We set aside a week in the spring or fall, have a special speaker come in, and we use the week of special meetings as a quick fix for the saints until the next set of meetings.

Then after the meetings everything goes back to normal.

We have these special meetings , get people out to them, we may even see people walk an aisle and make a decision for Christ.

This is not revival, it may be evangelistic, but it is not revival.

We can say however that the two terms are related.