Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Sermon -- Chapel at Hope Christian Academy (September 23, 2025)

This chapel devotion was delivered at Hope Christian Academy in Westland, Michigan.

AMOS 6:1-7

WE GRIEVE OVER OUR WORST AND LOOK FORWARD TO GOD’S BEST.

In the name + of Jesus.

    It was the best of times.  It was the worst of times.  But this time, it is not “A Tale of Two Cities”; it is the story of one nation.  For some people, it was a time of decadence and self-indulgence.  For many others—most others—it was a time of oppression, poverty, and injustice.  Those who were in authority reveled in their privileges.  Those who were under that authority suffered in their hardships.

     Listen again to how Amos described the life of the rich in the northern tribes of Israel: They “lie on ivory beds, sprawling upon their couches, eating lambs from the flock and calves straight from the stall, improvising tunes on the lyre, composing music for themselves on musical instruments like David, drinking large bowls of wine—they slather themselves with the most expensive perfumed oils” (Amos 6:4-6).  Ivory beds are very luxurious.  Someone dropped some serious cash to get those.  Most people only ate meat a few times a year, so, it was extravagance to eat lamb or veal every day.  They rocked to their music and drank large quantities of wine.  I suppose to many people, that’s the good life, the best of times, and something to strive for.

     Amos declared, “They do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph” (Amos 6:6).  They were like the brothers of Joseph.  Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery.  They watched the Ishmaelites put bonds and chains on him to drag him away.  Despite Joseph’s cries for mercy, his brothers sat down to eat, and drink, and count their money.  In the same way, the rich turned a deaf ear to the cries of those they were supposed to care for.  They sat down to eat, drink, and bask in their wealth.

     Economically, it was the best of times.  Spiritually, it was the worst of times.  Amos told them, you “do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph” (Amos 6:6).  Joseph had two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.  They were the largest two tribes in the north.  But Joseph had gone to ruin.  The northern tribes had corrupted worship.  Even though the Lord was very specific about how he was to be worshiped, the people decided, “We will worship God the way we like.”  This corrupted worship encouraged corrupted lives.  If they did not care to honor and love God, why would they honor or love their fellowman?  Amos called them to repent.  If not, those who were the first in society “will go into exile as the first of the exiles” (Amos 6:7).  The Lord warned, “You want to be first?  You will be—the first to be banished!”

     The leaders and the wealthy in Israelite society had a pecking order in their hearts.  They put themselves first.  They placed their fellowman down the list.  Last on the list was the Lord.  Since God’s face was not directly in front of them, he could be ignored.  Since God’s threats were only words at this point, he was dismissed.

     This is the way it is for every sinful heart.  Our hearts are devoted to ourselves—our pleasures, our reputations, our glory, and getting our own way.  Down the list is our fellowman.  You might disagree, thinking, “I would do anything for my friends!  They love me and I love them.”  But what if your friend stops returning your texts?  What if your friend starts hanging out with someone else?  Does he or she remain your friend?  If you withdraw your friendship because you are no longer getting something from them, your love is not as pure as you think.  And that’s for friends!  To say nothing of strangers. 

     Finally, God comes at the end of the list.  Some argue that God is selfish because he demands that we fear, love, and trust in him above all things.  Do you know how much God changes if we reject him or refuse to obey him?  Not at all.  God is the giver of every good and perfect gift.  God is not envious of your possessions; he gave them to you.  God is not jealous of your wealth; he is the one who supplies it.  Everything you have comes from God’s hand.  Your very body, soul, and life come from the Lord.  He is not kind to you to get something out of you as if he needs anything.  But he does want you to recognize that he is good and loving.  And if God is good and loving, then his word is good and obeying it is good.  And he will not let anything else receive the honor that he, and only he, deserves. 

     But if we put ourselves first, we will be the first to be banished.  To put God below anything is to despise him.  To put anything above God is to choose those blessings over God’s.  Then we forfeit the goodness and mercy and salvation he brings.  Jesus warned repeatedly, “many who are first will be last, and the last will be first” (Mark 10:31).  To exalt yourself is to lose it all.

     The prophet Amos issued a warning to the northern tribes, and they did not listen.  Amos did not have much good news for these Israelites.  When God’s judgment finally came, those who were not slaughtered by the Assyrian army were taken into captivity, never to return.  We, too, have a judgment coming.  But here is the good news for you: The Lord Jesus Christ has come to deliver you from your sin and from the coming judgment.  Jesus Christ, by whom all things were made, made himself one with us.  Jesus, to whom belong all honor and glory and majesty, emptied himself of everything to save us.  Jesus, who is God over all, took the lowest place—the place of a cursed, rebellious slave.  He who is first made himself last.  Jesus’ selfless death has atoned for all our selfishness.  He did not do this to get anything out of us, but to give to us all things that matter, all things that have eternal value. 

     You and I rightly humble ourselves; we grieve over our sins.  But those who humble themselves will be exalted.  Jesus exalts us, making us to be children of the Most High God.  Our goal is not to make this world the best of times.  This world and all its wealth is passing away.  Therefore, we can dedicate our wealth for the good of others.  You won’t keep it, so use it here so that it will do some good for someone.  That is what God gave it to you for. 

     But the best of times are coming.  We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.  We long for the new heavens and the new earth where all God’s people will dwell in peace and security forever.  There we will feast with the saints and angels.  There we will sing and make music before the Lord.  There we will be anointed with the oil of gladness.  There, all evils will be put away.  Our Lord will delight in us, and we will delight in him above all things.  It will never get any better than that.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

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