God is not Fooled

June 14, 2015 Background Scripture: Amos 5 Lesson Passage: Amos 5:14, 15, 18 – 27 We say that God is omniscient and then we go about living our lives as though God is clueless about what we are up to. We often act as though God does not see or hear us. Who’s fooling who? God denounced Israel for attempting to substitute religious activity for true piety and righteousness. God made it clear that He was not desirous of pious acts that did not come from the hearts of His people. God used very strong words to rebuke Israel for thinking that empty worship would satisfy Him. He said He hated their religious holidays and would not savor the prayers they offered during their worship assemblies. In fact, God declared that He would ignore their prayers, supplications, singing, and music. What does worship accomplish if God ignores all of these things that we consider essential to a spiritual worship service? Why did God have such an attitude towards His people? God was displeased because Israel was not reflecting His image and likeness. Israel was abusing the poor among them and being unjust towards those who were in right standing with God. God was saying loud and clear “Stop pretending to worship Me and start living a just and righteous life that is befitting of those who are called by My name.” For people of God, the bar of righteous living is raised to a higher standard than for others. This lesson teaches us that unrighteous living and unjust acts towards the poor are not tolerated by God. God demanded an overwhelming amount of social justice to be sent forth by Israel as though it were a flood moving through the land. If there is an acme or crescendo in Amos’ prophecy, then it occurs towards the end of the fifth chapter. God did not want words; He wanted righteous living demonstrated through action. God did not want formality; He wanted justice. Amos can be described as the prophet of justice and righteousness. This is the heart of his preaching. What happens in the synagogues should show up in the streets. Lessons such as this bring into focus how the Bible is like a mirror to the soul. If we replace Israel of old with the church today, Amos’ prophecy would speak directly the heart of the problems and challenges faced by Christians today. Christianity was never meant to be a once-a-week talent and fashion show. Christianity is a religion of transformation of the individual and subsequently the local congregation. The local congregation is not meant to stay local but rather to become a transforming agent of the entire world population. Today, we are challenged to transform even the city block where the sanctuary stands. Too often we have become so internally focused that the very idea of missions is becoming a strange doctrine. Yet the topic of today still rings true “God is not Fooled.” So now that we have been called out, what are we going to do? Or put another way, if God is not fooled by our empty rituals, then what’s the point? Are we satisfied in deceiving others or are we deceiving ourselves? Who’s fooling who? Robert C. Hudson June 1, 2015

God Passes Judgment

June 7, 2015 Background Scripture: Amos 2:4 – 16 Lesson Passage: Amos 2:4 – 8 Amos is unique among the prophets of Israel in that he lived in the Southern Kingdom of Judah but he was called by God to prophesy against the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In the middle of Amos’ discourse, he declared that he was not a prophet or a prophet’s son. In other words, Amos had no natural reason to prophesy against God’s people except that he was under God’s mandate to do so. He had no reputation to live out nor did he have to live up to his father’s reputation. Amos was a rancher living a fairly simple and basic life prior to being called of God. In carrying out his calling, Amos became a staunch defender of justice and righteousness. In our lesson today, Amos works his way up to the prophecies against Israel. His message starts by denouncing the enemies of God’s people and God’s judgment against them. This no doubt made Israel even more confident in spite of their wayward living. Next, Amos denounces the actions of Judah which are the same as those of their fathers who were rebuked by God in years pass. Finally, Amos’ message turns towards the intended audience of Israel. Here he provided much more details about the transgressions of Israel. They had taken advantage of the poor for the sake of worldly wealth. People who were in right standing with God were sold into slavery. Israel had continued to decline morally and their actions had not gone unnoticed by God. God was preparing to bring judgment against them. God reminded Israel through Amos that her enemies were mightier than her but yet God destroyed them. Israel was also reminded that God had blessed her above all nations in delivering her from slavery and nurturing her for forty years in a desert place where she was not able to fend for herself. In spite of God’s work among her ancestors, Israel continued to walk contrary to the will of God. God told Israel that her sins had become a burden to Him and he would not allow them to continue to go unpunished. Today’s lesson reminds us that God will not allow sin to go unpunished forever. God will not sit by idly and allow the righteous and the poor to become the prey of the rich and mighty. When God raised up prophets among Israel, they refused to allow the prophets to do God’s bidding. Hence, Amos was sent as an outsider of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They refused to allow their sons with a prophetic calling to exercise their gift among them but God would not be silenced by the actions of man. God raised up Amos from outside of their families to prophesy against their actions. Judgment Day had come and there would be a reckoning on God’s own terms. Amos is a reminder that God’s righteousness will prevail in spite of man’s actions or plans. God sets high standards for his people and He holds us accountable for meeting those standards. People of God always have a choice to follow after God or to go their own way. Following God brings blessings but turning away from God brings judgment. Robert C. Hudson June 1, 2015