Sermon-Message From Amos

"FOUR PROPHETS SPEAK TO OUR DAY:
A Message From Amos"

Dr. James L. Mayfield
Tarrytown United Methodist Church

November 7, 1999

Text: Amos 8:4-6, 10a, 9:8a

Today I am going to talk about some of what the prophet Amos had to say to the people who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel more than 700 years before Christ and about what Amos might be saying to us who live in Austin, Texas.

Amos lived in a time when the northern kingdom of Israel was experiencing peace and prosperity. Threats from outside the country were minimal, and the people of Israel were focused on making money. The people were outwardly religious. They were observing all the Sabbath celebrations. The people were confident—if not smug—that the peace and prosperity of the times were a sign that God was pleased with them. It was a time of both a religious and financial boom. And in this, it was not unlike what we are experiencing with people making more money and more people going to church.

Into that situation came Amos. He was not a citizen of Israel; he had come from the southern kingdom of Judah. Steven Sweet said it was sort of like someone from the Confederacy going into the North and preaching a series of sermons. At first Amos said something like: "Oh, the English are terribly sinful, and God is really going to punish them." And the people of Israel said: "Amen. Preach on brother." Then Amos said: "And the French, well, you know about the French. It won’t be long until the wrath of God falls on them." And the people of Israel said: "Amen. Preach on brother." Amos went on, naming the sins of other countries and even declaring that the South from whence he had come was about to receive the judgment of God because the people were so sinful. None of this got Amos in trouble; I suspect this part of his preaching brought him lots of applause and praise.

But then Amos went on to say, "Now, you people of Israel, your sins are as bad or worse than the rest—so bad God is going to destroy you." At that point, Amos was no longer popular, and the people were telling him to mind his own business and to go back where he came from.

Amos was aware that God is the God of all nations and that God is a just God. No nation and no one is exempt from God’s justice. Amos was aware that prosperity is not a sign that the way we are living is pleasing God. The issue has never been wealth. The issue was and is the way we live. What have we been doing to make ourselves prosperous, and what are we doing with the prosperity that is ours?

Amos told the people of Israel they had sold their relationship with God for silver and that they had sold out the poor for designer clothes. In their efforts to get ahead, they pushed people with problems and needs out of the way, and they used people for personal pleasure. All the while they were pretending to be religious (2:6-7).

Amos reminded them they knew better. They knew they ought to hate evil, love what is good and establish justice where they lived. This is what is pleasing to God (5:14-15).

In the passage that was read today, Amos was saying: "Hey, you who are walking all over the poor and are busy checking your watches to see how soon you can get out of worship in order to get back to your unethical, money-grubbing, pleasure-seeking ways, your day is coming—the day when God holds you accountable. You who have been outwardly religious on the Sabbath, but during the rest of the week have been self-centeredly focused on getting all you can for yourself while neglecting the needs of those around you, your day of terrible grief and painful regret is coming." (8:4-10)

The hypocrisy of pretending to be more religious than we really are is a major block to our relationship with God. Phoniness prevents us from living in harmony with God. However, the problem Amos was talking about is even worse than phoniness or hypocrisy. It is the hypocrisy of pretending to be pious while being involved in doing what is wrong and hurtful, and failing to do what is good and just.

It is to pray on Sunday, and then be unethical in business on Monday. It is to sing hymns, but to fail to do what we are able to do to help those who are in need. It is to say all the right words, but to fail to do anything to correct what is wrong. It is to righteously complain about the failures of ethics and morality in our society, but to be too busy making money and pursuing personal pleasures to have any remaining time or energy to work to change society for the better. It is to be so focused on what we want, so focused on what we are trying to achieve that we do not see the needs of persons near us, nor do we hear the subtle cries for help that are all around each of us, each day.

Societies do not fall apart because evil people are doing evil deeds. Societies rot away because good people are so focused on themselves and what they want that the good that needs to be done fails to get done. And the results are injustices such as the people with the least abilities, the least money, and the least power are taken advantage of. This happens not merely because there are evil people who intentionally take advantage of them, but because good people who could have done something to make things better were so focused on their own desires and goals they failed to do what God wanted them to do. This week an article in the Austin American Statesmen called attention to the fact that the schools children from affluent families attend are able to have opportunities and advantages unavailable in schools where children in poverty attend. Now as I see it, the problem is not that we affluent parents are concerned about our neighborhood schools and help provide the best resources, but rather that we are insensitive to the needs of schools in poverty neighborhoods. Because of our insensitivity, we fail to do what obviously needs to be done; we fail to fulfill the biblical requirements for both justice and mercy.

I know this kind of insensitivity is true of me. As often as not, I am not only insensitive to what God wants me to say and do, I unconsciously and even consciously avoid learning about needs and problems lest my conscience bother me too much and perhaps push me into action that is inconvenient or costly or both. It was in response to behavior such as this that Amos delivered his harsh sermons in the midst of the peace and prosperity of Israel.

And in all that Amos had to say, what is the message to us in the midst of our peace and prosperity? It is this: "Look at what I have written, and if the shoe fits, wear it."

"Seek the Lord and live …," Amos pled (5:6). "Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you.…"

Today we are once again going to be offered the sacrament of Holy Communion. Near the beginning of this service these words were read: Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another.

Let’s look at this invitation. The word "love" in the scriptures and in the liturgy has to do with the commitment to give of ourselves for the good of others whether we feel like doing so or not. Thus, to say, "Christ … invites to his table all who love him" is to say, "All who are striving to serve Christ are invited to his table." And according to what Jesus said, it is in serving the least important who have needs that we are truly serving him (Matt. 25:40).

Christ invites those who earnestly repent of their sins. We need to remember that the word "repent" does not simply mean "apologize." When John the Baptist, Jesus and Paul told us to repent of our sin, they were asking us to do a whole lot more than merely say: "I’m sorry." To repent is to turn around; it is to decide to make a change in our living. The invitation to this sacrament calls us to be earnest and sincere in our commitment to change what needs changing in our lives.

Christ invites to his table all who "seek to live in peace with one another." The word "peace" in the scriptures is rooted in the Hebrew word "shalom", which has to do with much more than not fussing and fighting. It has to do with true wholeness, and, of course, for us to have this kind of peace with our neighbors involves both being merciful and just.

Amos had a harsh word for the people of Israel, and that same message is addressed to us.

But also addressed to us are these words of invitation: Christ, our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another.

God, thank you for the gift of grace that makes change possible. Help us. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer:

God, as we participate in this service of Holy Communion, we remember those persons dear to us who have died this past year. We thank you for their lives and for all the good memories we enjoy and for all that they said and did that inspires us to live better lives. And thank you for the wisdom and strength that comes to us through the painful memories. God, for all the ways your grace was at work through them, we give you thanks. Thank you for each of these persons who have been part of this church family:

(After each name is read, the congregation responds: "For [name] thanks be to God.")

God, there are others who have died whose lives have touched us deeply. Hear our prayers of gratitude for these persons we now silently name in our hearts.

(Pause.)

For the gift of their lives and for all the ways your grace continues to come to us through them, we are grateful.

As we gather in Holy Communion with Christ, may we also be aware our communion with these and all those who have died in the faith. This we pray in Jesus name. Amen.

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