Week 4 - Warnings

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

*CHURCH UPDATES: Digital and paper connect Card

DECLARATION:

Ephesians 2:20–22 (ESV)

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

SVCC is built by God, upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone.

We are joined together by union with Christ, we are growing, and we are a dwelling place of God by his Spirit.

Prayer for...

INTRODUCTION:

Review:

WHY?…

TODAY: We must be alert for the warnings from God!

Israel’s Udder Wealthy

Amos 4:1-3 “1 “Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to your husbands, ‘Bring, that we may drink!’ 2 The Lord God has sworn by his holiness that, behold, the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks. 3 And you shall go out through the breaches, each one straight ahead; and you shall be cast out into Harmon,” declares the Lord.”

Israel’s Unacceptable Worship

Amos 4:4-5 “4 “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days; 5 offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!” declares the Lord God.”

Israel’s Unheard Warnings

Amos 4:6-10 “6 “I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. 7 “I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither; 8 so two or three cities would wander to another city to drink water, and would not be satisfied; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. 9 “I struck you with blight and mildew; your many gardens and your vineyards, your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. 10 “I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword, and carried away your horses, and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord.”

Amos 4:11-12 “11 “I overthrew some of you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. 12 “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!””

Israel’s Unseen God

Amos 4:13 “13 For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!”

Conclusion/Reflection:

God desires is for humanity to repent and be restored to Him...today we must see Him through Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Man!

We are alert to the warnings from God by being familiar with all of God’s attributes.

We cannot be familiar with just a few attributes of God or we will miss who He is and thus miss the warnings.

We’re familiar with His attributes through His Word and by His Spirit.

John 1:14 ESV

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Full of Grace & Truth!

The Gospel according to John D. The Word Incarnate (1:9–14)

Not only is God the God of grace. He is that, but he is also the God who demands of his people “truth in the inner parts” (Ps. 51:6). They must “do” the truth (3:21).105

Psalm 51:6 “6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.”

Talk It Over

Discuss

What should our attitude be when severe trouble comes upon us? (See Job 1:21; Hab. 3:17–19; Phil. 4:10–13.)

At what point should we no longer forgive those who have harmed us? (Matt. 18:21–22; 2 Peter 3:9; Rom. 2:4.)

How can we use the events happening around us to call people to repentance? (Notice the heart-cry of Jesus over Jerusalem in Matt. 23:37–39.)

Further Study

Read Deuteronomy 28. How many warnings of famine are given here? Read Leviticus 26:13–18. What are the disasters that the Lord promised to bring upon his people if they failed to listen to him and carry out his commands?

Read Ecclesiastes 3:17; Matthew 5:21–22; 25:31–33; Hebrews 10:26–27; 1 Peter 4:17. What do these verses teach us about the judgement to come?

Look up Psalm 65:3; 135:7; Daniel 2:28; Micah 1:3. What do these verses show us about God’s majesty and greatness?