By What Measure are we Judged?

Opening & Intro

Careful it’s hot! Anyone every hear that from a server at a restaraunt?

What do we do?

Wet paint… Anyone...

That smells terrible...

That was terrifying....

Why do we do this to ourselves? We like to see how close we can get before the consquences are real.

We have to know how wet is too wet. How hot is hot?

Amos has been just that. God saying be careful, beware, turn away.

Our nature is to see how close we can get… Or not buy it at all.

God tells us time and time again throughout scripture that the way we judge others and the way we live will be reflected in His response to us.

If we believe in God like we should then why do we push it?

Main Point

We need to build our lives on a solid foundation.

Why Does it Matter

If it is weak then when things get hard we will crumble.

Scripture

Locusts and fire two of the greatest enemies of farmers of that time.

God set the plumb line and tested Israel against plumb. Justifying the verdict of Judgement.

Amos believed that God would relent in his punishment if Israel would repent or if Amos would intercede on their behalf as has happened in the past.

It worked until the plumb line. They no longer looked like God’s people.

God’s Judgement is an act of love. If he didn’t care he wouldn’t.

7:10-17

There is no serving of God without opposition. To be called of God involved testing and suffering. Elijah was a “trouble maker”.

Amos was accused of being bought to speak these words.

He was implying that the opposing king had put him up to this and that he had no place to speak in that area.

When Amos says he is not a prophet he was implying that he was not on either king’s payroll rather he was called out of the field by God to speak this message. Sound familiar? (David)

The word of God is known as the divider it is either accepted or rejected. The world HATES the word of God’s truth - even Jesus himself.

8:1-14

God cannot bestow mercy on those who show not mercy - Unmerciful servant.

WHY?

It was the covenant that they agreed to. They agreed to be measured by this standard.

The concequence = Destruction.

Evil desires lead to evil behaviour and evil actions lead to death.

We have two paths to choose:

The way of the Godly

The way of the wicked

When we are measured if we have repented and given to Jesus what is His then we are back on square and we will not be blown over.

Application

The last chapter talks about how they are being tested and they are going to fail the test. They are not “Structurally sound.”

The life they build is not on the solid foundation that God gave them

They chose to walk off plumb.

Maybe that is us now. I don’t know I can only speak for myself. But I can say this. If I am reaping the payment that I have sown it is not permanent until I have died.

I always have hope. We can always square up. This is the whole purpose of this book. God spoke through Amos.

He said y’all are in some serious hot water. There is time for you to repent but I know you are not going to so I hope those who come after you see what you did and do better.

Sure we can say that God is mean or not loving but He is a God og justice. debts need to be paid.

We can ask Jesus to pay that debt for us so that when our foundations are tested we will stand strong.

Closing

So, If over the last three week God has been speaking to you about something. Don’t ignore it. Repent and start down the path to obedience and restoration. God doesn’t take pleasure in watchign this happen.

How will we respond?