Well I'm pretty much finished up with my Amos presentation. I am excited to talk. I'm excited to share what I've learned. Last year when I spoke, I was a little worried that I would be nervous. I dont get nervous singing or playing my guitar, but I always thought I would wig-out when it came to talking. One thing I do as a musician, is to start pumpng myself up with excitement before the gig. I will say things to myself like..oh I cant wait...I'm so excited.....It'll be so cool...etc. I fill myself with postive eager anticipation....oh ya and I pray a bunch. Usually, when the gig comes, I'm like a race horse at the gate. I was hoping that I could trick myself this way about talking. Well it worked last year, and I've already begun getting excited about next Sunday.
We had some technical difficulties this week. Robin Cowan had a small presentation on Youth for Christ that couldnt squeeze into todays service and was in power point which crashed the PC. Jessica Thorpes presentation was on Power Point and crashed the PC. I had to tell a joke and pass a bit of time before we abandoned the presentation. Funny thing is I brought my power point presentation to test before Sunday, and it crashed the PC. I think Eric the WonderGeek (term of endearment...trust me) will reinstall powerpoint. In the meantime, we all were given instructions on how to convert the presentations into a jpg slideshow.....haha technology can be a hoot!
At any rate, I guess Jake will be back and have to sort the whole mess out cause thas what pastors do so well. He'll figure how we can squeeze 2 hours into and hour and a half, how to make a powerpoint work on a media shout, how to be in three places at once, how to turn a dollar into five and rid the world of all known disease....well maybe not all diseases. Pastors count on flus and cold for some time off...oops
Hey take a moment and read this passage....tell me what you think
We'll try to make some sense of it on Sunday..................
Amo 1:6 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they deported an entire population To deliver it up to Edom.
Amo 1:7 "So I will send fire upon the wall of Gaza And it will consume her citadels.
Amo 1:8 "I will also cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod, And him who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon; I will even unleash My power upon Ekron, And the remnant of the Philistines will perish," Says the Lord GOD.
Amo 1:9 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Tyre and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they delivered up an entire population to Edom And did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
Amo 1:10 "So I will send fire upon the wall of Tyre And it will consume her citadels."
Amo 1:11 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because he pursued his brother with the sword, While he stifled his compassion; His anger also tore continually, And he maintained his fury forever.
Amo 1:12 "So I will send fire upon Teman And it will consume the citadels of Bozrah."
Amo 1:13 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of the sons of Ammon and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead In order to enlarge their borders.
Amo 1:14 "So I will kindle a fire on the wall of Rabbah And it will consume her citadels Amid war cries on the day of battle, And a storm on the day of tempest.
Amo 1:15 "Their king will go into exile, He and his princes together," says the LORD.
Amo 2:1 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Moab and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because he burned the bones of the king of Edom to lime.
Amo 2:2 "So I will send fire upon Moab And it will consume the citadels of Kerioth; And Moab will die amid tumult, With war cries and the sound of a trumpet.
Amo 2:3 "I will also cut off the judge from her midst And slay all her princes with him," says the LORD.
Amo 2:4 Thus says the LORD, "For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not revoke its punishment, Because they rejected the law of the LORD And have not kept His statutes; Their lies also have led them astray, Those after which their fathers walked. Amo 2:5 "So I will send fire upon Judah And it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem."
Amos is a very profound book. I'm interested in what it taught you and a little disappointed no one has yet shared what Amos is telling them. I know you can't copy the whole chapter into your blog, but I was also wondering if there was another reason why you left out two people groups, Damascus (Syria) and Israel given what's happening there now?
ReplyDeleteAs a premillennialist (believing that the millennial kingdom is a future event) I believe that much of prophecy in the bible has a dual significance. That much of it foretold of 2 events, one relatively near to the time of the prophecy that we can look back on and see and one intended for the people living near the return of Christ because of very significant things that were foretold that did not actually take place like those of Amos 9.
ReplyDeleteIn believing this way while reading the book of Amos, it is important to understand who the people groups are that Amos mentions.
Amos mentions 8 distinct people groups and they are, with their modern geopolitical names in brackets...Damascus (Syria), Gaza (same..Palestine), Tyre (Lebanon), Edom (of Jordan), Ammon (also of Jordan), Moab (also of Jordan), Judah (modern day Israel) and Israel (separated from modern day Israel in the dispersion but who went on to become great nations unaware of her origin). And to understand what's happening to these people groups today you just have to tune into CNN.
It is important to know that while all Jews are Israelites, not all Israelites are Jews. The same can be said that while all Ontarians are Canadian, not all Canadians are Ontarians. Too often Christian leaders use the title of Jews and Israel as synonymous and interchange them in their understanding and teaching losing a very valuable truth. The bible very clearly makes this distinction in describing the "House of Judah" and the "House of Israel". Remember, Isaac had 12 sons plus adopted Joseph's son's Ephraim & Mannaseh.
The mystery here is...who is Israel today?
Sorry...Isaac had 2 sons, Esau & Jacob (Israel). Jacob (Israel) had 12 sons plus adopted Joseph's sons Ephraim & Mannaseh.
ReplyDeleteHey...keen eye about the people groups. Yes definately there were 8 people groups. This particular sermon is part of a much greater look at the book. The introduction went to Damascus. The next sermon will deal with the Israel judgement in light of what has been learned so far.
ReplyDeleteI struggled with not including those two people groups, as one of the things we stress is that we must underdstand the context. The congregation was asked during my sermon to take the passages we discussed ( 6 people groups) and re read them in a greater context.This is to prepare them for the next sermon, which will deal with all 8 groups in summary.
I attempted to show how we would take a passage and disect it using some biblical interpretation techniques. These verses lent themselves well.
The lesson learned in this "out of context" passage is that there was clearly wrath,judgement and punishment for sin and transgression. Furthermore Gods chosen people were not exempt from judgement. Looking at people group 2,3,4,5,6 we see that the sins or transgressions were sins against humanity while people group 7 (Judah) was guilty of a crime against God. Both sin types led to judgement and there was no favourtism.
The intent of my sermon was to demonstrate some interpretive techniques and to hopefully instill some passion to dig deeper. In fact, I dismissed the "application" in the interest of allowing the congregation to reread and ponder what they felt God was saying to them in the greater context.
I also found that studying these 8 people groups could be a life long pursuit. The historical depth and the present day parallels are astounding.
We look forward to greater study of this book....not your typical bedtime story but one that must be studyed as we strive for greater Christ likeness.
I dont see myself as a scholarly driven person. In fact it is a great weakness for me. I am a relational person with passion and concern. My motivation is to help people to see where they can find truth. I like to walk beside people, gently nudging them toward God. Though I really should have specific in-depth knowledge of scripture, I take greater joy in pointing people and inviting people to read and understand it for themselves. I accept the fact that people may not have the same understanding as me.
I govern myself, and my passion, based on a Christology. I beleive the Holy Bible employs a progressive revelation that directs and leads us to a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I choose to accept this as gospel truth and have no passion to go back and "work through it" because it has already been worked out for me. This makes me a boring debate or sparing partner. And, may even prove to make me a bad pastor.
Since I am a feelings kinda guy heres how I feel about Amos. I feel that I and we are guilty of a great many sins before God. My feelings of sorrow and remorsefulness are tempered with my feeling that I want to please God and be forgiven. So a passage like this makes me feel repentant and sorry. On the other hand, my joy and love for God increases as I begin to understand the depth of His love and faithfulness. I also dont expect God to with hold punishment from me,yet beleive with my heart that if I cry out to Him, then He will forgive me.
I've often wondered but only now thought to ask, having applied various analytic methods to the message, what conclusions were drawn from the study of Amos? Since Amos contains national messages, is there a message meant for the nations embroiled in events unfolding today or is it simply a message intended for people long since dead and buried?
ReplyDelete