Sermon Tone Analysis

Announcements

## Announcements

- **Prayer Meeting:** Tuesday night at 6:30.

- **Grace Youth Ministries (GYM):** Jr. High and High School students are welcome to join Matt Balocca for a time of games, teaching, and discussion.

Prayer Meeting: Tuesday night at 6:30.

- **Luke Sermon Series:** We will finish Amos in our Afternoon Worship Service in a few weeks.

Then we will transition to the Gospel of hope you can join us at 4pm.

Grace Youth Ministries (GYM): Jr. High and High School students are welcome to join Matt Balocca for a time of games, teaching, and discussion.

- **Men’s Study:** Some of the men will be gathering here at the church on Saturday mornings at 10am to discuss the Heidelberg Catechism.

You can talk to Daniel Anrig if you are interested in more details.

Luke Sermon Series: Join us at 4pm tonight as we near the close of the book of Amos at our afternoon worship service.

In two weeks we will transition to the Gospel of Luke.

Men’s Study: We’ve got a good group of men gathering here at the church on Saturday mornings at 10am to discuss the Heidelberg Catechism.

You can talk to Daniel Anrig if you would like more details.

## Opening Prayer

- Based on the Call to Worship.

Afternoon Prayer

Financial Stability: We were thrilled to experience several months of covering 100% of our expenses through internal giving in the first two quarters of the year.

Those months of plenty provided us a storehouse to make it through what looks to be some lean months ahead.

New Members: Let’s ask the Lord to provide five new families in 2017.

Radius International: Some recent graduates are in their last few days or weeks before they head to the field.

The formal Radius training lasts only 10 months... the task of making Christ known where His message has never been preached takes years.

The faint of heart don’t show up here as students.

They truly are an incredible bunch to teach!

Financial Stability: We were thrilled to experience several months of covering 100% of our expenses through internal giving in the first two quarters of the year.

Those months of plenty provided us a storehouse to make it through what looks to be some lean months ahead.New Music Leader: We continue to pray that the Lord would provide someone who would be a good fit for our church longterm.New Members: Let’s ask the Lord to provide five new families in 2017.The Winslow's: Derek's mom, Dorothy, is recovering from stint surgery.Sue Yu: Sue's son, Chris, is currently out of work.

He is in the entertainment industry which does not provide a stable income.

Please pray that he might find a new direction that he enjoys but is also more consistent.

Financial Stability: We were thrilled to experience several months of covering 100% of our expenses through internal giving in the first two quarters of the year.

Those months of plenty provided us a storehouse to make it through what looks to be some lean months ahead.New Music Leader: We continue to pray that the Lord would provide someone who would be a good fit for our church longterm.New Members: Let’s ask the Lord to provide five new families in 2017.The Winslow's: Derek's mom, Dorothy, is recovering from stint surgery.Sue Yu: Sue's son, Chris, is currently out of work.

He is in the entertainment industry which does not provide a stable income.

Please pray that he might find a new direction that he enjoys but is also more consistent.

Joe Salas: Brother-in-law Nick is recovering from a stroke.

The cause is unknown.

New Members: Let’s ask the Lord to provide five new families in 2017.

The Winslow's: Derek's mom, Dorothy, is recovering from stint surgery.

Sue Yu: Sue's son, Chris, is currently out of work.

He is in the entertainment industry which does not provide a stable income.

Please pray that he might find a new direction that he enjoys but is also more consistent.

Scripture Reading

Luke 4:1-

Affirmation of Faith

Luke 3:39-52

Affirmation of Faith

WSC Q.82-85

Offering

, “Will man rob God?

Yet you are robbing me.

But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’

In your tithes and contributions.

--

You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.

--

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.

And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

Introduction

Before we begin, let me acknowledge Dr. Vern Poythress for his help in my preparation to preach this passage.

I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to pick his brain over lunch this week.

Although I won’t quote him directly, many of the pointers to Christ came directly from him.

So, thank you Dr. Poythress.

I pray there is a lasting evidence of the fruit of your ministry to me.

Amos is wrapping up his final words of judgment upon a people who have turned away from the Lord entirely.

From the watching world, it might look as if they were faithfully practicing their religion.

But the Lord knew their hearts.

He knew they were only worshipping him for the gifts he might give them.

Amos is wrapping up his final words of judgment upon a people who have turned away from the Lord entirely.

From the watching world, it might look as if they were faithfully practicing their religion.

But the Lord knew their hearts.

He knew they were only worshipping him for the gifts he might give them.

Amos declared words of judgment in the first six chapters followed by visions of judgment in chapters seven through nine.

Words of relief have been sparse and subtle.

But here, we get a hint of what the concluding paragraph will make absolutely clear.

**Read

As a prophet, Amos has served a role that is fairly typical.

He comes on the scene as a covenant lawyer on God’s behalf.

He declares the testimony of God to the people, accusing them of being covenant breakers.

Amos declared words of judgment in the first six chapters followed by visions of judgment in chapters seven through nine.

Words of relief have been sparse and subtle.

As a prophet, Amos has served a role that is fairly typical.

He comes on the scene as a covenant lawyer on God’s behalf.

He declares the testimony of God to the people, accusing them of being covenant breakers.

Amos was possibly the first writing prophet.

He warned Israel of the coming exile (within a few decades), when Assyria would ruthlessly conquer them and scatter them among the nations.

About 130 years later, Judah would fall to Babylon.

Although Amos did not have all of the details, he knew God’s judgment was coming soon, he knew God’s patience was wearing thin.

God’s people cannot go on ignoring his Word and expect his favor forever.

So Amos, warns the people one last time,

He is hoping to prick the hearts of those who claim to follow God, but follow after their sin instead.

What Had Become of God’s People?

(7)

2. What Would Become of God’s People?

(8-10)

What Would Become of God’s People?

(8-10)

What Had Become of God’s People?

(7)

God is not just sovereign over Israel, but all nations.

Clearly, he orchestrated the migration of Israel out of Egypt.

But he was just as in charge of the migration of the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir. Truly, the Lord can be credited with overseeing the migration of every nation in history.

However, I think Amos is suggesting something beyond that even.

The Israelites had become like the Cushites to God.

There was no longer any distinction between them and the nations.

They were not set apart in worship or lifestyle.

Though God had brought them safely out of the land of Egypt, out of captivity and slave labor, you wouldn’t know them from Cush, or Philistia, or Syria.

Israel thinks they’re immune to judgment because of their past Exodus out of Egypt.

But, that fact alone doesn’t make them special.