“What Is Amos Without Andy?”
Summer said, I was singing to the Lord, a new song singing to the Lord. All the Earth scenes in the Lord and bless his name. Show forth, his salvation from day-to-day declare, his glory among the Heathen. His wonders among all people for the Lord is great and greatly to be praised. Shelby said that you were saying you're him, freights.
Frozen times.
What's gracious? God, we give thanks to you. That we can come together in your name. May our hearts are buying to be opened unto. You may, we filled your present with us and go forth to tell the good news that you are with us. So here, so God is now we pray in the fashion that Jesus taught his followers are saying Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our debts. As we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation but Deliver Us from Evil. That is the kingdom and the power and the glory Forever on the it.
Well communis beautiful Lord today we've had some spring rains I guess, but anyway, I hope everything is going great in your world is you can say we don't have any announcements there except Carson's having a birthday.
Does anyone else have anything to report? You're not sweet.
Decided we would meet during the summer which we usually don't do if we need to we'll call a meeting. If we have some things we need to discuss. Okay? Thank you.
Today's scripture reading, which is friend on the back of your bulletin taken from the fifth chapter of the Book of Amos. Neighbor said, listen, you people. I hate all your show and pretense that apocracy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offering. I won't even notice all your choice. Peace offering. Away with your hamster. Praise their only noise to my ears. I will not listen to your music, no matter how lovely it is. Instead I want to see a mighty flood of Justice, a river of righteous living that will never run dry. was it to me, you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness Israel know, you're really interested in your Pagan, God, the images you yourselves May so I will send you into exile to the land east of Damascus. That says the Lord in whose name is God almighty. May the Lord that his richest blessing to this reading of his words together, that's affirm our faith. In he who truly is the Lord of all life. I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the Living, God shall we pray?
How much loving father. as we contemplate upon the words that God has Amos speak so many years ago. We humbly pray for our nation is well. Reach day. It seems as though we become more and more like that ancient nation of Israel. That you allowed to be destroyed by a pay condition. but only after you had given the people warning after warning, Through which they failed to listen. Father, we need leaders who accept their position as voices of the people and not control their selfish desires for more power.
we all need to be re committed to being as our founding father said, One nation under your leadership, which allows for liberty and justice for all of its citizens. So we pray that you would touch the hearts of us, all. Josh closer into you that once again. We might become a nation setting on the hill whose Light Of Hope by shine upon all mankind. These things we ask in the most holy and precious name of your son. Our savior.
I sure do know, he's Lord. Today we are invited to come about his table to remember Christ in a very special way.
it was on the last night, if it's Earthly life that he gathered his closest followers together, And after reenacting, an ancient old ceremony in which they remember the sacrifice of their forefathers years and years and years ago. Jesus said to them from now on. every time you eat this unleavened bread, I wanted to serve to remind you. Of my body. Which is about to be broken for your sake. And every time you drank the cup of wine, Let it serve as a, reminder, to you of my blood. Which shall be shed for the sins of mankind.
I'm sure they thought he'd had too much wine. It was only after the crucifixion and resurrection that it dawned on them what he was talkin about. And so it became part of their daily routine as they gather together two or three in the place that they would remember him in this way and they said it was just so he was their present with them. So it is our custom each Lord's day, to invite all who claim you as Lord and Savior to remember him in this special way.
as we coming to your house this morning, Lord, we are thankful for the many blessings that you have given us this week. Lord. And be with those this morning that are ill or sick and body just touch them, and let them know that you're with him. Lord, and is we protect of these emblems. Let us not forget the suffering that our savior made for our sins and that we are not worthy, Lord, but we are thankful. We appreciate the unleavened bread as your broken body and the blood that was shed for us. We asked you to be with everyone as we go out into the world to show your love to others. We ask these things in your most precious name. Amen.
Our heavenly father, we come before you this morning grateful grateful for the opportunity of being in your house. We have to learn that you be with us, guide us with our congregation. Our minister is he brings your word to it. With a floor that you bless the gift and The Giver. We pray these things in Jesus most, holy and precious name.
Over Again by asking you a question that?
Might be a function of your age.
How many of you remember the radio program Amos and Andy?
Okay. Amos. And Andy.
Only ran on the radio from 1928 to 1960. I've ever back in the free TV days, we didn't have TV channel. 19.
54, I guess it was.
Yeah.
But anyway back then we have certain favor to radio program that we like to listen to it or kaisley. He wouldn't own all the time cuz I'm not used to much electricity, I guess so we listen to certain programs and one of those was Amos and Andy That program featured a couple of guys that Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll. and it was, it was Based on a story of black people, in Harlem of Amos and Andy and some of their friends. After a while, they tried a TV show course. All of those on the radio were white, guys. And when they were going to do a TV, they had to get some black actors. But that TV show only lasted two or three years.
But it was a long-running radio program.
The question is what was Amos without Andy? You know, they were both important to the program. just like Lou and Abbott and Costello, or
Fairburn. Ali. Still there were lots of radio programs. That wouldn't have been the same if they hadn't had the duo.
I tell you all of this to lead up to another Amos, a famous biblical character. who became a very important person in God's perspective, Even if it was for just a very short. Of time, The biblical Amos was a shepherd. Who also Bible says, Hebrews are Growler of figs. But he was just an ordinary run-of-the-mill person. Nothing really special about him. I like us. So we're just we're just common people. So why would God have chosen Amos? Bible, never tells us. Unlike Isaiah Bible tells us about Isaiah tells us about the time that he met God and His volunteering to serve for God. But we don't know much about him says he was from a little village called Toccoa. Which is about 8 miles Southeast of Jerusalem. He was certainly not any kind of of a rabbi, or any kind of trained Theologian, anything like that. He was just a common person, like most of the other 3236 people who are named in the Bible.
We might ask you a similar question about the biblical Amos what was Amos without. He would have remained unnamed Chardonnay Anonymous Chuck person. But we can also expand the question and asked, what would we be? Without God.
We all have certain characteristics that God can use. But most of us are not. Call to do anything more than just be a good person and witness to our neighbors. We don't exist. Said we don't know a whole lot about Amos, we Know that the he appeared telling you the vision he had, as he said two years before the earthquake.
Back then I guess you knew about the earthquake. It may have been the same one that Zachariah mentioned, several centuries later. But Zechariah went on to say it was wild Uzziah was king of Judah. Which happens to fit the time. That Amos lived. modern a modern back in the 50s. I believe it was some geologist and archaeologist found evidence that an earthquake had happened back in that. They, they dated it is 760 BC which would hit slap dab in the middle of where they misled. And they said it even had a magnitude of 8.2.
On the Richter scale and it happened in that area. So maybe maybe Amos knew what he was talking about. Name is lived in the southern Kingdom of Judah.
And God sent him on a mission. Kind of like a beaver. God picked out over Jonah. Johnny was minding his business one day and God kind of tapped him on the shoulder and said, I've got something I want you to do. And Jonah said, well okay, hot is it? He said, I want you to go over to Nineveh. And tell those people either shape up, or I'm going to ship them out. Jonah didn't like the people of Nineveh, he wanted them to be shipped out here on them to be destroyed and he said I'm sorry God I can't do that and Well, we know the story he ended up swallowing with why you and it.
Well, it made him sick and he said, okay, I'll go. And he did. I don't know why. God, take Jonah. I don't know why God picked Amos.
But he said I've got something for you to do and he said, okay. Now, his mission didn't last but about five years and then we don't know what happened, he just kind of disappeared from the scene. Vodka. Jewelry called last week. I told you about Elijah. Yo of, that, Northern Kingdom of Israel, and God sent him to the king at that time. But you made it was a man by the name of Ahab.
Elijah delivered. God's message to a hat. Twice. He gave him a time. He said, God wants you to shape up or ship out. And quit doing all that you're doing. And he's not going to let it rain on you. Until you do. You have 3 months.
After years. I'm sorry. At the end of three years. I've been no rain. So God said, why they hadn't changed so go back and tell him. Is time's up. So, he did and they had this contest. Well. About two hundred years later. Thanks in change for a little bit. They can they got rid of Ahab and Jezebel things got a little better. People remembered what Elijah had said and things got better. But then they declined, you know, we have a dude. A way of doing that, we can have a period of Revival and gets people's attention and and we change for a while. And then we kind of go back the other way.
So God said, Well. I'm going to send the Southerner. And see if he can get their attention. So you sent all the famous And he had the same mission.
That one fairly contemporary writer. Broke this way. He said it was a time much like I hours today? Which society was changing radically. Both of the Kingdom's, North and South. We're moving from that Agricultural Society to more of a commercial one. Ball experiencing the benefits and problems which come with change.
Basically, the problems they were having your specially in the north, but in the south is, well, just not to the same degree. Where are problems dealing with idolatry.
Extravagant Indulgence. In styles of living, widespread in Morality. Oppression of the poor. A time of correct. Corrupt judges, as well as kings. That's like politicians today.
And it was time for action. God sent a missive to spokesman. 2 King Zechariah of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and its people. I read to you while ago, one apart of what God Said through Amos to Zachariah. He's basically said I hate, I hate all of your showing pretense. I hate your false worship. I'm not going to accept your offering to of any sort for the day drain or money or whatever. And then he ended it by saying, I'm going to send you into exile.
To a place east of Damascus.
Fortunately, Amos went on to say, you're not the only ones who are guilty of these things. And then he added seven more Nations including his on the nation of Judah. And he said the same things going to happen to all. if we do not change their ways, Now, we can't say that the Israelites were not warned.
And we couldn't say what really happened. If they continued their Pagan ways ways which were much like those of their ancient ancestors, bigger, the time that God has led them out of Egypt. Using Moses and they came to this what they call the sacred mountain. Now car having And Moses said y'all stay here. I'm going to go up on top of the mountain, and talk to God.
Well, it did.
But after a while, they got impatient of what we don't know whether Moses is still alive or not. God may have killed him.
What are we going to do?
They fashioned their own God River. I gathered up all the gold they had and they threw it in the fire and they said this is what happened a Golden Bull.
You must be God's will. This must be what God looks like.
Well. God wasn't too happy nor was Moses.
So, about 2.
About 30 years after. Amos head. John and appeal to Zacharia and I told them what was going to happen. After they had time to take the message to Heart.
They still hadn't changed. So God sent the Pagan armies. From the nation of Assyria. Which was a nation east of of Damascus. To destroy that Kingdom to never rise again.
Not only did they physically destroy? What was there? They carried off the leading citizens of the nation. And they brought we don't know exactly how many let's just say hundreds of people from different countries that they had overcome. And people who spoke different languages. Their intent was to do that in every country that they, they are conquered. They intermixed the people. So that there was no, cohesion forces between them or they were all separated and we all have our own prejudices and so forth. So, it kind of kept the people depended upon in this case as Syria, I kind of destroyed everything that they wanted.
While I was reading this. About this. Everybody did me of a Time. In our own history.
When God used. Benjamin Franklin. to deliver a similar message to Our forefathers after the After the Revolutionary War and America had won her independence. She was still composed of 13 independent colonies.
And that's the way they liked it.
There were those who were trying to.
Do what they thought God wanted us to do and form a nation. No. Words combined. These colonies into one nation instead of 13 separate Nations or colonies. well, every little one had their own prejudices and their own desires and they had trouble.
Agreeing on certain things this time like Congress today, if you, if you watch any kind of of of Congressional hearings house, watching party, won yesterday. I had no idea what they were talking about. I'm not sure they did, but there were those who were for it and those who were against it and they, I don't know how they ever got resolved. If it did, but that was kind of like there was going on back in this constitutional convention in 1787.
And finally God told Ben Franklin to get up get up and say your piece get up and tell them but I'll take. well, he, he told them quite a bit but basically, it was this he said in the beginning of the contest with Britain, if you remember, we held daily prayers In This Very Room. For divine protection.
Our prayers were graciously answered.
In other words, we won the war.
Have we now forgotten God? Do we not need him anymore?
Is it possible that we just don't need God? I don't think so.
Well, that kind of got their attention. And before the day was over the individual colonies work, at least talking to one another. And before long, there was a vote that to the majority of the colonies, voted to ratify, what we called the Constitution, Constitution was approved. Individual colonies became willing to be United. And our nation was formed.
Human Nature has a way of
forgetting that we're not God's people that are all together to send profits like Amos. Or statesmanlike Ben Franklin, to capture our attention to change. The hearts of all Americans today. We do live in a tumultuous. Not only those here inside the Beltway. I periodically, remind people that rent, where the person goes to Washington, they have to check their their brains, at the Beltway
But not only them, but we had the same problems and we need to get over it.
Prior to 1985 in Texas and I don't know about the other sites I should have checked. Remember the blue laws?
Blue laws said that. Starting to save could not be sold on Sundays.
Schools could not have any activities after 4 on Wednesdays and never own Sundays. There were, there were certain things that were prohibited. The words time is given for churches to meet. Well, that was overthrown.
I'm not saying we need to return to blue laws, but we certainly need to return to a time. And we seized seek and accept the leadership of God at all levels of our modern society.
Often wondered what's going to happen if we don't change our ways. Have you noticed recently, all of the turmoil going on in other parts of the world? Pearl. Israel is being bombarded daily.
Which didn't happen for several years. Other things are happening.
I had a thought, I remembered.
I need about 20 years ago now.
20 bat, 20 years ago. A day that we recalled as 911. Yeah, they were only 20 guys. I think it was 20.
Who caused other? Interruption of everything that went on in America. Only 20 papers all it took.
It totally changed everything for a good. Of time.
Did we learn anything? Well. I understand that churches in that area. Had a headache. Influx of people who came for several Sundays. And then it fell back to the ordinary lack of attendance.
Are we going to have to do that again? Is that what's going to be necessary to get our attention?
God has done similar things in the past. And God never changes. He's the same yesterday today and tomorrow.
Is that what it's going to take? Is God. Now preparing another a nation like Assyria. To take over our nation.
I don't know. God hasn't told me. But there certainly are many Unholy Nations that could be used by God, just like he used as Syria. Prayerfully. We will allow God to change us all before. We have to go through a period like that.
Is that said, in the beginning, what are we? Without God. The spray. All that is gracious, God. Help us o God to learn from history. Help us to learn that. Humans are still human like they were back then that we can still be led astray that we can still find ourselves in corruption. That we still can find ourselves being led by pagans. But we all can can also turn off hearts into you. So, father, we pray for our nation that once again, we we wake up. And allow ourselves to be truly a nation. As a light shining on the hill, that will be not a Haven for freeloaders. But a Haven for people who want genuine, the opportunity and freedom. And help us do father to open our arms into you. That we too, can be your people. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen. are closing, him is number 370, shall we stand as we sing the first verse number 370,
How to make the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be very gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace now and forever for on him.