Amos 5:21-23 Surprising words for God to speak?

V24 What happens on Monday to Saturday is more important than what you do on Sunday

V25 In the desert – the time when the pillar of cloud was with them every day – where the Lord came down on Mount Sinai – where Moses spoke with the Lord in the tent of meeting

The Lord was right with them and yet this was not a time of sacrifices and offerings – he was with them because they were his people not because they had brought him close through sacrifices and offerings – they were called to obedience and not sacrifice

Here in Amos the same is important – no amount of burnt offerings will substitute for obedience – justice and righteousness

Is church bad? Are big meetings of Christians bad?

No! But we need to know that there is a huge difference between doing things and relationship

It is clear from the language here in Amos that the relationship was in trouble – yet to an outside observer they seemed to be a very godly people – plenty of religious feasts and burnt offerings

Have you ever been surprised by a relationship breakup? “They seemed like a perfect couple”, “He always appeared to be a model husband – I can’t believe he just left”, “They always seemed so comfortable together” etc etc

What we see on the outside does not always reveal what is going on inside!

Amos did not bring an easy message – he challenged people who thought they were OK – he challenged them to realise that there was a problem and to turn to God for help

Will you hear the words of Amos today? Are you ready to face the challenge of the Word of God?

Can you complete the quote? (Heb 4:12-13)

For the word of God is living and active...

And you thought the sword was for swinging at other people or fighting the devil!

Eph 6:17 fits better with this interpretation, but here in Hebrews the sword is clearly intended to do its cutting in the people of faith – you and me!

Today’s message in one line:

No amount of doing will substitute for right being

Children like being given things – deepest need though is time and attention

Parents often try and substitute things or activity for time and communication

Children then leave home and maybe in time become happier to send a present rather than come and visit!

Doing things if often the easy option rather than dealing with what really matters

Amos 5:4-5 Seek me and live

Spoken to Israel as a warning of impending judgment – important picture here – contrast between seeking the Lord and three places of pilgrimage

Bethel , Gilgal, Beersheba - all three were significant places for God’s people the Israelites – all three were places of religious pilgrimage – all three had become to some extent places of idolatrous worship

Bethel – the house of God – the place where Jacob built an altar – the place where Samuel worshipped the Lord

Gilgal – the place in the Promised Land where Joshua and the people arrived after crossing the Jordan – where they set up 12 stones as a permanent memorial, celebrated the Passover and circumcised all who had not been circumcised during the previous 40 years

Beersheba – a place where Abraham spent a fair amount of time – the place where Abraham and Isaac dug wells

All three had become substitutes for seeking God – what do they represent to us?

Bethel – the house of God – church

The Church is God’s idea – the bride of Christ – we need to love it as he does

But! Let us not substitute the traditions, the things we do, for living relationship with the Christ whose church it is

There are many people in churches today who are not in relationship with the Lord!

Gilgal – the place of remembrance – the place of recalling the former works

The works of God are worth remembering – they are good and praiseworthy

But! The remembrance of former works is no substitute for today’s relationship

We are told in 1 Cor. 10 that a whole generation passed through the Red Sea and escaped Egypt but then died in the desert – being around when miracles are happening is not enough – seeing the power of God firsthand is not enough

What is the state of your heart today?

Beersheba – the place where the fathers met God and dug wells

God met with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in amazing ways – ways that are recorded for us in the Bible for all time

But! These encounters did nothing for their descendants until they had their own encounter and dug their own well

You cannot have a meaningful relationship with the Lord through another person – others can point you in the right direction but the relationship must be your own – you need to dig your own well!

Preaching and teaching is not a well – it is showing you a good place to dig!

Where do you go in times of trouble? To a person, or to the Lord?

Amos 4:4 Seek me

There is nothing more important than your relationship with the Lord – not even your serving the Lord!

Everything else needs to flow out of your being with him – your doing will not be done well until you learn to be with him

Some here still think that what you need to do is serve the Lord more consistently and faithfully – maybe you do – but his word to you today is “Stop!” “Stop trying to impress me”

We sometimes sing “Lord I give you my heart” we sometimes talk about “giving your heart to Jesus” – this is not a biblical phrase!

The biblical answer to our separation from God is that he gives us a new heart – we don’t give to him – he gives to us!

When we turn to the Lord in repentance he gives us a new heart:

Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

Jer. 24:7 I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

Eze. 11:19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.

Eze. 36:25-27 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

We don’t need to give “Jesus our hearts” or “make a commitment” – we need to repent and be born again!

We need to recognise that we are separated from God and that we need him to do a new thing in us – give us a new heart

Many people commit themselves to do good, commit themselves to church, commit themselves to the teachings of Jesus – and yet remain frustrated by their failure to live out what they have committed themselves to do!

You are not meant to live with a feeling of continual failure!

The Christian life is supposed to be just that – life!

Sadhu Sundar Singh was an Indian Sikh mystic who became a great Christian missionary in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

He was once asked met a Professor of Comparative Religion from Cambridge University.

“Tell me,” said the professor, “what have you found in Christianity that you did not find in your old religion?”

The Sadhu replied, “Professor, I have found the dear Lord Jesus”

“Oh yes, I quite understand, but what particular principle or doctrine? Tell me what new philosophy have you found in Christianity that you did not find in your old religion?”

Again the Sadhu replied, “Professor, I found the dear Lord Jesus.”

Not a new philosophy or teaching – not a commitment – a new heart!

Have you received a new heart?

Are you looking elsewhere or looking to the Lord?

Time to face reality – no more hiding behind activity – leave the place of Bethel, the history of Gilgal, the personalities of Beersheba – seek the Living Lord – the One who can give you a new heart