The Restoration Project

Amos 9:11–15 NIV

“In that day “I will restore David’s fallen shelter— I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins— and will rebuild it as it used to be, so that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations that bear my name,” declares the Lord, who will do these things. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the reaper will be overtaken by the plowman and the planter by the one treading grapes. New wine will drip from the mountains and flow from all the hills, and I will bring my people Israel back from exile. “They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.

Introduction: Children’s Message

Introduction: Children’s Message

Seeing Injustice Can Make us Hopeless.

We see injustice everywhere.

We see injustice everywhere.

Young Folks may see it in their schools in the form of bullying.

Those in the workforce see it in unjust pay - Executives with crazy pay and stock options with the rest of the workforce being paid a fraction.

We want it to end, but there seems to be no end in racial tensions.

We recognize the horrors of human trafficking are all the more rampant.

Just read the newspaper, injustice is everywhere

And often the Just are called unjust, and the unjust are praised.

It can be easy to be overwhelmed by all of this

Now imagine how Israel felt when they heard that God was going to hold them account - They denied it, they refused to listen. It is a difficult truth to hear, especially because they thought they were priviliged and God would not do this to his chosen people.

It becomes overwhelming then to think that God could hold our nation accountable for injustice.

1. Going through the book of Amos can feel discouraging when we think of all the ways we (and the wider church) have fallen short and ignored and mistreated the people around us, just like Israel. We can take comfort that there’s always hope. The conviction we feel is only the beginning, and it’s never too late to change.

And Amos gives his readers and us that Hope.

Where Does our Hope Come From?

1. While God does pronounce judgment on Israel, it’s not the final word. He’s not giving up on them. He hasn’t changed his mind and is not going back on the promise he made to Abraham that Israel would be his chosen people. God will never back out of a promise.

The Promise to Abraham -

The Promise to David -

So when we read through Amos and we hear of God Judgment because of their injustice a logical question is, “Has God given up on his promises?” and the answer is an emphatic “NO.”

Back to the Children’s Message - Our Mother’s may punish us for doing something dangerous or doing something wrong, but this does not mean her promise to love us is gone. In fact your mother loves you so much that she guides you in to the best path. Her Love never fades, and it is her love and mercy that restores us.

Story of punishment from my mother.

God is doing the same here. - Vs. 8-10

God Promises to Restore

God Promises to Restore

God Promises to Restore

God’s punishment is meant to clean the injustice, the evil from their midst.

Reminds one of Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares.

But God promises that in the end he will make due on all of his promises.

The Promise to David Vs. 11

This is fulfilled in Jesus

The promise to Abraham - Vs. 12

That All Nations will be a part of this Kingdom.

Again points to Jesus - Pentecost - Great Commission

The early Church saw these words fulfilled in Jesus and in their midst.

Context of Allowing the Gentiles into the Church -

Acts 15:16–17 NIV

“ ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’—

So for most Jews they may not see this as anything but the return of Israel and the establishment of the state of Israel, but Jesus’ disciple’s see this promise of restoration being fulfilled in Christ’s Kingdom and the gathering of people from all nations into the church.

That means that we are a part of the fulfillment of this Hope implanted in Amos.

It means that the promise of - The ultimate defeat of Evil in our world.

Genesis 3:14–15 NIV

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

What this ultimately means is that while injustice seems/appears to win in our world, ultimately God will hold it account and strip it away from His people. God will restore his reign of justice and goodness and peace through His King, Jesus Christ.

This is Hope for those who Trust in Jesus, because it means the injustice in this world will not prevail, and the injustice that is in us will not prevail if we humble ourselves, submit to Jesus’ Judgement of us and allow him to strip it away.

Conclusion:

“If God’s Judgment Comes to our Nation, or to Us because of injustice, are you one who will humble yourself. Will you listen to God’s message, turn to your King Jesus and allow him to strip all injustice from your life?”

Reference the Reformed Confessions: The Reformed Confessions are statements of faith written to clarify the Gospel at times when the Church was in crisis. Heidelberg Chatechism: Q&A 11, 54, 58, 123 Belgic Confession: Articles 14, 17, 19-20, 37 Canonos of Dort: Head I, Article 6-18; Head II, Article 2, 5, 8-9