Society's Groaning

The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the church are for all people. Every soul is equally lost, without purpose, and equally condemned to an eternally empty and suffering state. The Gospel — the good news about what God did for you through His Son, Jesus Christ, is for all people.

Romans 5:8 NASB

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Galatians 1:4 NASB

who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

Joel 2:32 NASB

“And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the Lord has said, Even among the survivors whom the Lord calls.

Is the Lord calling you to call on His name?

Acts 2:21 NASB

‘And it shall be, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

This salvation for for anyone and for all who believe in what Jesus did for them on the cross, He took on Himself and became our sin and our shame and paid an eternal penalty in our place, so God could offer an eternal pardon to all who accept it. It is for all people.

Romans 10:8–13 NASB

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved;for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him;for “Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”

It is clear that the Gospel — the good news of God’s salvation through His Son on the cross is for all people. Not matter who you are or what you have done, the Word is near you — in your mouth and in your heart. If you haven’t already in your life and you do believe that Christ died for you, right here, right now, will you call on the name of the Lord, confess to God what you believe He is offering you and accept it today?

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for all people. As the whole world groans in natural disasters, national conquests, and evil acts of humanity, the Gospel gives hope to the hopeless. In the midst of the groaning, God gives peace through Jesus Christ.

Not only is the gospel for all people, but so is the church. Notice toward the end of those verses...

“…for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all...” (Rom. 10:13)

God’s riches through Christ are for all, for He is the same Lord for the executive as well as the addict, He is the same Lord for the contractor as He is for the alcoholic. One Lord for all.

1 Corinthians 12:12–13 NASB

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

The church has tragically turned into, but was never meant to be a holding place for the pious, for all those who have “it” all pulled together spiritually. It was never ment to be a secret society of God “knowers” huddling together, nervously and quietly singing songs of praise while listening to the winds of the raging storm of sin outside its walls.

The church was intended to be a place that shines and reflects the character of God light a blazing spotlight through the darkness of that raging storm. It was meant to be a light that those trapped in the storm could see and follow to a place of safety from the storm. It was meant to be a place where all could stay in safe shelter the storm is calmed.

Remember Joel 3:16. When speaking about the LORD and what He is for His rebellious and sinful people Israel, as the storm of His wrath is being unleashed against the storm of sin in the nations of the world, Joel gives us a glimpse into the character of God. There it says...

Joel 3:16 NASB

And the Lord roars from Zion And utters His voice from Jerusalem, And the heavens and the earth tremble. But the Lord is a refuge for His people And a stronghold to the sons of Israel.

The church, as it is to reflect the light of the Lord, is to be a place of refuge for all people. The place of safety they can all run to.

Addictions

Depression

Fears

Heartache

Wealthy

Poor

Young

Old

Desperate

Lonely

Hurting

Striving to hold onto beauty

Those who think they have never had beauty

Educated

Skilled

Unemployed

The church is for you — you come to that place of safety from the storm of this world. The church is not just a place where you can get out of the storm, it is also a place where you ca stay safe from all storms. Notice the last part of that verse, “…a stronghold” it says, to God’s people. Have you called on the name of the Lord? If so, then the church is for you. It is and was always meant to be a place to find hope for the hopeless, as Society groans in the storm of sin.

For all who will choose to come and for all who are here, the church is meant to be a place to rest and grow as we prepare and welcome others who come.

Romans 12:9–13 NASB

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

For those who would choose to come, is this what you are looking for? Then come. For those who are already saved, who have already called on the name of the Lord, do these verses describe you? Then come. The church is not a building, but it is a place where all who have called on the name of the Lord are to gather. Don’t just receive the feeding of the church in the comfort of your own homes, don’t fear the raging storm of sin outside your walls, come — and as the last verse says, “...contribute to the needs of the saints...” as they contribute to yours.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the church are for all people.

This is what the book of Amos is all about. Oh, not the church specifically, it is indeed written to the nation of Israel who, as God’s chosen people, also need to call on the name of the Lord…but they are not. Like the church, the nation of Israel was to be a light to the nations, but it was not. The nation of Israel was to find refuge in the Lord and a place to stay safe with Him, but they were not. Instead, they had left that safety and walked into — even embraced willingly — the raging storm of sin found in the practices of the surrounding nations.

Does that describe you — alone, experimenting, looking for fulfillment from the world rather than from God? Then the little book of Amos is for you, while the storm rages on, the book of Amos brings a message of hope for the hopeless, that find themselves either by choice or by circumstances, smack dab in the middle of society’s groaning from the storm of sin.

“Main Message: Today’s reader of the Book of Amos should note the prophet’s insistence on the consequences of sin; his emphasis on the responsibility that always accompanies privilege; his presentation of God’s faithfulness; and his message of hope, expressed in part today through the church.”

Thomas E. McComiskey, “Amos, Book Of,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 80.

Three thematic parts to Amos; condemning false piety and social injustice (Amos 1-2), pending judgment (Amos 3-6), and future restoration (Amos 7-9)

Five Visions picturing judgments for Israel (Amos 7:1-3 locusts; Amos 7:4-6 fire; Amos 7:7-9 leaf wall/lead; Amos 8:1-3 basket of summer fruit; Amos 9:1-6 Destruction of Bethel’s altar)

3 Oracles (Amos 8:4–14; Amos 9:7–10; Amos 9:11–15)

3 Doxologies (Amos 4:13; Amos 5:8–9; Amos 9:5–6)

2 “Woe” speeches (5:18–27 and 6:1–14, consequences for Israel’s offenses)

False piety and social injustice have no part in God’s Israel or His church and will be removed from both, so in hope, He will restore them to the place of peace and safety they were meant to be.

False piety and social injustice have no part in God’s Israel or His church (Amos 1-2)

False piety and social injustice have no part in God’s Israel or His church (Amos 1-2)

++The Lord Roars against Social Injustice (Ch. 1)

++The Lord Opposes False Piety (Religion, Ch. 2)

False piety and social injustice will be removed from God’s Israel and His Church (Amos 3-6)

False piety and social injustice will be removed from God’s Israel and His Church (Amos 3-6)

++Seek God that you may live (Amos 5:4-6)

++Seek good that you may live (Amos 5:14-15)

++God will remove the raging storm of sin for His name’s sake (Amos 6:8-14)

God’s Israel and His Church are to be and will be places of peace and safety they were meant to be (Amos 7-9)

God’s Israel and His Church are to be and will be places of peace and safety they were meant to be (Amos 7-9)

++The time will come (Amos 7:8; 8:2, 11)

++None will escape (Amos 9:1, 10)

++God will restore (Amos 9:11-15)

If you feel hopeless, come to church. God is in the process of making it a place of peace and safety for all who call on His name. The church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for you.

If you are alone, come to church. The church and the gospel was never meant to be only for some, but for all. It is a place where those who have called on the name of the Lord work together — devoting to prayer and contributing to the needs of the saints…all who come through our doors. (Rom. 12:13)

If you are fearful, come to church. The church is the only “place” where God is creating safety from the storm of sin in today’s society. The world is upside down and inside out…come to a place that isn’t. Oh, it will be different than you are used to, or at least it should be, but — isn’t that the point?

It is a place, like Israel, where...

False piety and social injustice have no part and will be removed, so in hope, God will restore it to the place of peace and safety it was meant to be.