FORGETTING THE WAY
(AMOS 3:9-12)
1. Imagine a sporting event where some people are given the best seats in the house.
2. A spectacular event is about to occur and some people have been given a special invitation.
3.
In Amos 3:9 the prophet said, “Call together the
leaders of
4.
These leaders are pictured as being brought to the
mountains of
5.
Amos 3 says that God was going to do something very
special to the nation of
6. God’s people were going to be punished.
7.
According to the end of verse 9
8.
The leaders in
9.
10. It was about 3 miles from the Mediterranean coast.
11. Those
in
12. God said that these enemies were going to get to see a show.
THE
REASON FOR THIS SHOW IS FOUND IN VERSE 10 - READ.
1. The people of God did not know what was right.
2. That is, they forget the right way. They abandoned the ways of God.
3. Because these people left what was right they had to be punished.
4.
God said to
5.
The prophet’s message to
THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST USED TO BE KNOWN AS A GROUP THAT BELIEVED IN THE BIBLE, RESPECTED THE BIBLE, TAUGHT THE BIBLE, AND WAS SOLELY GOVERNED AND GUIDED BY THE BIBLE.
A. In some parts of the world this is no longer true or it is changing.
B. Some of God’s people are taking the same path as the Israelites described in Amos 3.
C. There are Christians throughout the world who are forgetting the right way.
D. There is a generation of people arising that does not know what is right.
E. I am going to give three different illustrations to demonstrate that this is true.
F. One
comes from the state of
G. The
example from
H. Since we do not have this store in our area I am going to refer to it as Krogers.
I. Imagine the following sign posted in the Goshen Kroges store:
J. “Thank you for shopping at Kroger’s today.
K. A
member of the youth group from the
L. Our
young people are bagging groceries as a fundraiser for a summer mission trip to
M. In
N. If you would like to help them accomplish this goal please give a donation to the grocery sacker.
O. Or, since Krogers is helping sponsor them, you may give a donation to the store.
P. There is also a collection jug at the end of the counter.
Q. This
is not fiction. This has actually
happened in the state of
R. I called the congregation to insure that they really did do this.
S. They were not too forthcoming with details but they did generally acknowledge this was done.
T. What has happened and is happening in the Lord’s church?
2. We have some people in the church who have forgotten the right way.
3. We have some brethren who have abandoned the teachings of New Testament Christianity.
A. 3 Jn. 7 says, “taking nothing of the Gentiles.”
B. Those in the first century did not solicit money from non-Christians.
C. They didn’t want money from those outside the church.
D. 1 Cor. 16:1-2 says our funds for operation are to come from church members.
E. When there were substantial needs in the church Acts 4 says Christians sold their possessions.
F. Some sold houses; others sold land.
G. The first century church did not go to the local market place and sack groceries for donations.
H. They didn’t have a camel or donkey washes.
I. They didn’t have a church carnival, raffle, or bake sale.
4. When live in a time when many are turning from the pattern that is found in God’s word.
5. WE
HAVE SEEN ONE EXAMPLE IN ALABAMA; WHAT ABOUT OKLAHOMA?
A. In previous years there has not been fellowship between the Churches of Christ & the Baptist church.
B. The Baptists have not wanted anything to do with us.
C. We teach that Acts 2:38 means what it says – baptism is for the remission of sins.
D. We teach that Jesus told the truth in Mk. 16:16 – those who believe and are baptized w/be saved.
E. We teach what James said in Jas. 2:24 – faith alone cannot save.
F. These passages are all inconsistent with Baptist doctrine.
G. Baptist members have written books that condemn us.
H. A congregation in Quail Springs, OK has found common ground with the Baptist church.
I. This congregation and the Quail Springs Baptist church have had 2 fellowships together.
J. For the second year in a row they have shared in a “Fireworks, Food, & Fellowship meeting.”
K. There are congregations that are saying, “We will agree to disagree. Let’s work together.”
L. “We do not need to agree on doctrine to be members of Christ’s body.”
M. Wait a minute. Where is this idea taught in the Bible?
N. Is this what Jesus and the apostles taught?
O. Did the Lord say to the Pharisees, “We disagree but we can work together?”
P. Did He say to the Sadducees, “We have different ideas but let’s accept each other?”
Q. Did Jesus and the apostles every affirm that doctrine didn’t matter?
R. Listen to what the Lord said in Mt. 23:16a, 17a, 19, 24, 26.
S. The Lord believed that there was truth and there was error.
T. He had the truth and He didn’t fellowship those who were involved with religious error.
U. The same was true of the apostles.
V. The prophet Amos said to God’s people, “You no longer know the right way.
W. You have abandoned the ways of God for what is wrong.”
X. This is exactly what is taking place in some congregations of the Lord’s church.
Y. There is a declining interest in being a separate people.
Z. Members of the church want to have religious fellowship with denominational groups.
AA. More and more the thinking is, “We will agree to disagree.”
BB. “Harmony of doctrine is no longer essential.”
CC. Folks, the Bible is very clear on this matter.
DD. We cannot agree with, support, endorse, approve of, or have fellowship with religious error.
6. I said that the sin described in Amos 3 is found in the church throughout the world.
A. Where can we find an example of people outside the United States leaving the right way?
B. One example is in England.
C. Members of the church in Northampton have a new strategy for evangelism.
D. They are using podiatry treatments (foot treatments).
E. Treatment for hand problems is also being offered.
F. Two members serve as the receptionists and make follow up appointments for the patients.
G. The clincher in this scheme is that those running it charge a “minimal fee.”
H. To help offset the costs of the treatments patients are charged $3.00 per person.
I. I think I once read something that said, “freely ye received freely ye give.”
J. Jesus never charged for the help He gave to others.
K. I am very sure the Lord could have made millions of dollars.
L. Imagine if Jesus had set up a healing clinic in Jerusalem.
M. If He had charged just a small sum He would be been wealthier that Ross Perot.
N. People would have eagerly paid a small or large fee to see Jesus and be healed.
O. The Lord never charged a dime to help people.
P. The apostles didn’t charge to heal.
Q. Remember Acts 3:6? Peter said, “silver and gold have I none.”
R. Peter was not accustomed to charging for the miraculous cures.
S. Neither were the first century Christians into gimmickry.
T. These people had a message that was true and they sought to teach it each day.
U. Christians believed that non-Christians were lost so they taught people about God.
V. Christians believed that those in religious error were unsaved.
W. There was a clear line between the church and the world.
X. There was a well-established divide between the church and other religions.
7. Israel lost its way and some congregations of the church are headed down this same road.
8. For the congregations who lose their way they will be punished.
9. Notice the imagery from Amos 3:12.
A. Under the Old Testament if a sheep was captured by a lion the shepherd had to find it.
B. He couldn’t say to the sheep’s owner, “A lion ate one of the sheep.”
C. Shepherds needed to bring back proof that an animal had devoured the sheep.
D. The proof that was available was usually pretty limited.
E. The shepherd might find an ear or a leg. Very little was left.
F. God used this imagery to describe Israel.
G. Because the nation stopped following the ways of God they would be like the remains of a sheep.
H. There would not be much left.
10. Similar warnings exist for the modern church.
A. In the book of Revelation Jesus threatened to spew His people from His mouth.
B. He said that He would remove a congregation’s candlestick.
C. When God’s people leave the ways that are right they leave God.
11. Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:2 that we are saved “if we hold fast the word.”
12. If we fail to do this tragedy is guaranteed.
A. On Nov. 18th, 1978 918 people in Jonestown, Guyana died.
B. 294 of these people were under the age of 18.
C. A high percentage of the 918 people committed suicide.
D. Film footage showed the bodies of hundreds of people.
E. People had their arms wrapped around each other. Some of the dead were holding dead children.
F. How could people kill themselves and their loved ones?
G. An army Major who directed the removal of the bodies made an interesting observation.
H. He said there were no Bibles in Jonestown.
13. Not having a Bible or failing to follow the Bible to the letter leads to destruction.
14. We as a people must seek to do exactly what God has said—nothing more and nothing less.
15. If we take any other course than the one specified by God we will be lost.
16. Are we committed to staying with the type of Christianity found in the New Testament?