Amos 3:12-4:5 Homily
*the first portion of this homily was cut from the audio due to technical difficulties*
The summer before I came to seminary, I
went on a trip to the South Rwenzori Diocese in western Uganda. When
I got back, I had already moved all of my belongings out of my old
apartment, so I had to stay at a friends place. I took a shower and
then unpacked all of my clothes from the trip and threw them into the
washer. The washer finished running and I opened the lid, and from
it, I removed a drenched, washed-out, shriveled-up United States
passport which I had only bought a few weeks earlier for that trip.
It had been left in my pants pocket and now it was ruined.
This is probably a less gruesome image
than what the Lord had spoken through Amos.
*the following portion of the homily is presented in the audio*
“As the shepherd
rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so
shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the
corner of a couch and part of a bed.”
These images of couches and beds, and
summer houses and winter houses, are images of wealth. Specifically,
these are images of Israel's wealth which they keep for themselves in
the land. They “oppress the poor, [and] crush the needy.”
God
does not delight in prosperity, but in our giving out of what we
have. In Luke, Jesus teaches that “everyone
to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to
whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” And maybe you
weren't given financial wealth. Since we're at a seminary, I'm going
assume that's a majority of you. But, we still have the
responsibility of caring for others from what we do have. For some it
may be, as Bishop Neil mentioned yesterday, our time. For others,
perhaps it's a talent or skill that helps another in need, or your
car for a person who needs a ride. We all have something to give and
it's very tempting for us to want to keep it to ourselves. It's my
blessing so I'll make use of it however I
want.
And
it's not just only ourselves, but also only our friends; only the
people we like to be around. This is a problem of identity; that we
see our identity on a human level and not a spiritual level. God
created all people in his image, not just some. And his desire is
that they would come to worship him together. That they know him, as
Jeremiah tells us, that he is “the LORD
who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the
earth.” These are the things in which he delights.
But,
Israel wanted to believe that Israel's God is only for Israel. The
judgment on Israel isn't just for their sin, but for their worship.
This goes for our worship too. How can we worship the God who
delights in steadfast love, justice, and righteousness, but not learn
to show delight in these things ourselves?
Through
Amos, the Lord points out the hypocrisy of Israel. He declares to
them, “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply
transgression; bring your sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is
leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you
love to do, O people of Israel!” They put on the show of
righteousness in the temple, but the rest of their lives are brushed
with the shades of sin. It doesn't matter how much we write on our
tithe check, or how much we clap our hands along to the songs, the
Lord knows our hearts and where our real treasure is.
I
don't say this as a condemnation. But to encourage us to consider
those around us. Not just those next to us in the pews or those who
sit with us at dinner. Consider those poor and needy. Those who have
been crushed and oppressed. Consider those who stand in darkness and
don't see the light of Christ. And consider what we have to give
them. “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be
required.”
The
greatest treasure has been given to us. We are called to share that
treasure with the rest of the world. The Gospel screams from our
hearts with joy that cannot be contained. Christ has come in the
flesh,very God of very God. And although “no one has ever seen God;
the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.”
He is our God, and our God is for the whole earth and all creation.
Hear
the warning of God through Amos this morning. Those who worship at
the altar but oppress the poor and crush the needy aren't worshiping
God, but idols of their own making. Those who go to the temple and
give their tithes but do not pay attention to those in need around
them don't pay offerings to God, but only to their own conscience. We
can't fall into the same trap as Israel by growing content with a
passive and contained worship life.
It's
good to tithe, and it's good to worship the Lord in song. It's good,
but not all. The Lord delights in steadfast love, justice, and
righteousness. Our worship should come out of our delight in these
things because to do so is to delight also in the things of the Lord.
And our delight in these things is rooted in the Lord's practice of
them on our behalf. In his steadfast love, he sent his only Son.
Because of his justice, he died for the sins of the world. And
because of his righteousness, he rose again from the grave to bring
us into his new life as new creations in him. Out of this truth, we
worship him and take delight. Our worship reminds us of who he is and
what he has done and is doing in, through, and with us. And how good
this news is; so good that it should be shared throughout all the
world.
Let
us give out of what we have and not count our blessings as only our
own. The Lord loves the needy and grieves over the wicked. In our
worship, let us learn to have hearts like his, to truly worship him
in his fullness of being; his steadfast love, his justice, and his
righteousness. Let us delight in these things which he has given for
the whole world.The summer before I came to seminary, I
went on a trip to the South Rwenzori Diocese in western Uganda. When
I got back, I had already moved all of my belongings out of my old
apartment, so I had to stay at a friends place. I took a shower and
then unpacked all of my clothes from the trip and threw them into the
washer. The washer finished running and I opened the lid, and from
it, I removed a drenched, washed-out, shriveled-up United States
passport which I had only bought a few weeks earlier for that trip.
It had been left in my pants pocket and now it was ruined.
This is probably a less gruesome image
than what the Lord had spoken through Amos. “As the shepherd
rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so
shall the people of Israel who dwell in Samaria be rescued, with the
corner of a couch and part of a bed.”
These images of couches and beds, and
summer houses and winter houses, are images of wealth. Specifically,
these are images of Israel's wealth which they keep for themselves in
the land. They “oppress the poor, [and] crush the needy.”
God
does not delight in prosperity, but in our giving out of what we
have. In Luke, Jesus teaches that “everyone
to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to
whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” And maybe you
weren't given financial wealth. Since we're at a seminary, I'm going
assume that's a majority of you. But, we still have the
responsibility of caring for others from what we do have. For some it
may be, as Bishop Neil mentioned yesterday, our time. For others,
perhaps it's a talent or skill that helps another in need, or your
car for a person who needs a ride. We all have something to give and
it's very tempting for us to want to keep it to ourselves. It's my
blessing so I'll make use of it however I
want.
And
it's not just only ourselves, but also only our friends; only the
people we like to be around. This is a problem of identity; that we
see our identity on a human level and not a spiritual level. God
created all people in his image, not just some. And his desire is
that they would come to worship him together. That they know him, as
Jeremiah tells us, that he is “the LORD
who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the
earth.” These are the things in which he delights.
But,
Israel wanted to believe that Israel's God is only for Israel. The
judgment on Israel isn't just for their sin, but for their worship.
This goes for our worship too. How can we worship the God who
delights in steadfast love, justice, and righteousness, but not learn
to show delight in these things ourselves?
Through
Amos, the Lord points out the hypocrisy of Israel. He declares to
them, “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply
transgression; bring your sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is
leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you
love to do, O people of Israel!” They put on the show of
righteousness in the temple, but the rest of their lives are brushed
with the shades of sin. It doesn't matter how much we write on our
tithe check, or how much we clap our hands along to the songs, the
Lord knows our hearts and where our real treasure is.
I
don't say this as a condemnation. But to encourage us to consider
those around us. Not just those next to us in the pews or those who
sit with us at dinner. Consider those poor and needy. Those who have
been crushed and oppressed. Consider those who stand in darkness and
don't see the light of Christ. And consider what we have to give
them. “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be
required.”
The
greatest treasure has been given to us. We are called to share that
treasure with the rest of the world. The Gospel screams from our
hearts with joy that cannot be contained. Christ has come in the
flesh,very God of very God. And although “no one has ever seen God;
the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.”
He is our God, and our God is for the whole earth and all creation.
Hear
the warning of God through Amos this morning. Those who worship at
the altar but oppress the poor and crush the needy aren't worshiping
God, but idols of their own making. Those who go to the temple and
give their tithes but do not pay attention to those in need around
them don't pay offerings to God, but only to their own conscience. We
can't fall into the same trap as Israel by growing content with a
passive and contained worship life.
It's
good to tithe, and it's good to worship the Lord in song. It's good,
but not all. The Lord delights in steadfast love, justice, and
righteousness. Our worship should come out of our delight in these
things because to do so is to delight also in the things of the Lord.
And our delight in these things is rooted in the Lord's practice of
them on our behalf. In his steadfast love, he sent his only Son.
Because of his justice, he died for the sins of the world. And
because of his righteousness, he rose again from the grave to bring
us into his new life as new creations in him. Out of this truth, we
worship him and take delight. Our worship reminds us of who he is and
what he has done and is doing in, through, and with us. And how good
this news is; so good that it should be shared throughout all the
world.
Let
us give out of what we have and not count our blessings as only our
own. The Lord loves the needy and grieves over the wicked. In our
worship, let us learn to have hearts like his, to truly worship him
in his fullness of being; his steadfast love, his justice, and his
righteousness. Let us delight in these things which he has given for
the whole world.
