WE MUST SPEAK (AMOS
1. About 2 weeks ago the fire department in Millersburg was trying to collect some money.
2. Firemen stood in the main section of town seeking donations from people who walked or drove by.
3. These men sought donations in the place where people are.
4. What the firemen did helps explain Amos 5:10.
5. The prophet spoke of the gate.
6. The gate was where the area where people transacted business.
7. This was the place where people came to seek justice.
8. This
was the place where religious teachers sometimes taught (Jer.
9. People gathered at the city gates.
10. When Amos was at the gate he had a message for those who were there.
11. Unfortunately this message was not one that people wanted to hear.
12. Amos said that when he was at the gate he reproved people (verse 10).
13. Amos spoke about righteousness when he was around others (10b).
14. I’m sure the firemen in Millersburg found some people who didn’t want to give any money.
15. The people at the gate didn’t want to hear any of Amos’ sermons.
16. When Amos reproved others he was hated (10a).
A. The word hate described an emotional attitude.
B. The word meant that people did to want to be associated with someone.
C. The term meant that people could not find an “amiable reconciliation” (CBL, HED, 7983).
D. These people wanted to avoid Amos.
E. The law prohibited people from hating a fellow Hebrew.
F. This was specifically prohibited in Lev. 19:17.
G. Nevertheless, Amos was hated.
17. When Amos spoke about living in the right way he was abhorred. (10b).
18. Amos was not liked but he continued to teach.
19. As he taught he said that his listeners “trampled on the poor” (verse 11).
A. The word translated “trample” is only used here in the Old Testament.
B. We do not know a lot about the term.
C. Yet, the translation trample is very graphic.
D. It is like the people pushed others on the ground and then walked on them.
E. This is the idea expressed at the end of the 11th verse.
F. Those in power took the people’s produce for tax money.
G. The rich and the powerful taxed and cheated those who were poor.
H. The profits made by the rich didn’t go to building better roads and schools.
I. The funds did not go into a city improvement fund.
J. The people used the ill gotten gain to build themselves fancy houses and create nice vineyards.
K. Most lived in homes made of mud brick.
L. Those who were powrful abused the poor so badly they could afford homes made of hewn stone.
M. Take a moment to let the information in this chapter sink in.
N. Amos had access to the people who were rich and powerful.
O. He knew these people were corrupt and wicked.
P. He went to these people and said, “You are guilty of sin.
Q. “You cheat the poor. You have fancy houses because of ill-gotten gain.
R. “Your wealth is the result of fraud and dishonest business practices.”
20. It is not hard to understand why the people at the gate (the rich and powerful) hated Amos.
21. These people didn’t like having their sins exposed.
22. They didn’t want to be threatened with punishment.
23. Yet, Amos said that punishment was coming.
24. God was unhappy about the oppression.
25. Heaven was so angry the people would lose their fancy houses.
26. The people would not get to enjoy their vineyards.
27. Even though this preaching must have made some of the people furious, Amos was right.
28. In
722 B.C. the Assyrians invaded
29. This foreign nation took away the Israelites who were wealthy and powerful.
30. God punished the people because they were saturated with sin and they would not repent.
31. The word manifold is used in verse 12.
32. Amos even used the word mighty to describe the people’s wickedness.
33. Things were so bad that if you wanted justice you had to buy it (verse 12).
34. Justice was something people had to pay for.
35. Amos knew this was wrong and he condemned it.
36. The people who were “needy in the gate” were turned aside (12b).
37. People needing help came for assistance and they were turned away.
38. I cannot say for sure but the text seems to suggest that Amos saw some people turned away.
A. We know that Amos spent some time at the city gate.
B. It is said that people who came to the gate seeking help were turned away.
C. These people were not professional beggars and con-men.
D. These people who were destitute were Hebrews.
E. The needy who came begging for help were fellow church members.
F. These people all belonged to the same religious group.
G. It is very possible that Amos saw people turned away.
H. This year I saw people at a gate pleading for help.
I. I have had people at a gate beg me for assistance. These people were not Christians.
J. Seeing destitute people beg is a life changing experience.
K. Imagine a person (or a group of people) who can help those who are destitute.
L. Those who are desperate come by and they beg. They plead for assistance.
M. Those who are capable of offering help say, “Get lost.”
N. “We don’t have time for you because we are busy with other things.”
O. “We don’t want to give you any money because we are selfish.”
P. That would be bad.
Q. This is not what Amos pictured.
R. Suppose
that a member at
S. This Christian comes forward tonight and says, “Brethren, I need help. I have nothing.”
T. “I need any help you can provide.”
U. After the Christian comes forward the people who are here disband.
V. Some go down to Bob Evans. Others head over to Hacienda. A few go to Dairy Queen.
W. The rest of the group goes to the Pancake House.
X. We leave behind the person who asked for help. We turn our back on him or her.
Y. We say, “We don’t have the time or desire to help you.”
39. That should be absolutely unfathomable to us.
40. This is the type of thing that happened in the days of Amos.
41. The prophet had to speak up. He could not stay quiet.
42. I suspect the same would be true for most of us.
43. We could not tolerate such an action within our midst.
44. Things were so bad that Amos drew a conclusion.
45. This conclusion is in verse 13.
A. The end of this verse says that it was an “evil time.”
B. The prophet was right.
C. There have been many periods in history when things were “evil.”
D. This period, however, had a unique quality about it.
E. Notice the word silent.
46. Even though this period of time was filled with wickedness people wouldn’t say anything.
47. People knew about the corruption but they kept quiet.
48. Why would people keep quiet if things were as shocking as I described?
49. The answer is found in the word prudent.
50. People knew that if they spoke out against the rich that could get them into trouble.
51. If they agreed with Amos that those in power were wicked that might make some waves.
52. Thus some said “We are not going to say anything.”
53. “We are going to be prudent (wise). We will stay silent about the things we see.”
54. “Not saying anything will keep us out of trouble.”
55. “We will pretend the sins do not exist.”
A. Ladies and Gentlemen, the information in Amos 5:13 is a summary of modern society.
B. This is an exact description of how many in our world now think.
56. People see something that they know is wrong but they do not want to say anything.
57. People fear to condemn anyone or anything because it may get them into trouble.
58. This is a growing problem in our country.
A. Homosexuality is continuing to grow in popularity.
B. Last Friday I received a disturbing e-mail.
C. A
preacher’s son is attending a university in
D. This son is being schooled by teachers who are openly gay and lesbian.
E. To say anything about the sexual sin to these people will create serious problems.
F. For this reason some are staying quiet.
G. People do not want to say anything against perversity and sin.
H. This is allowing this sin to rapidly gain acceptance.
I. At
the present time teachers in
J. Christianity
is a disease that has infected
K. To raise a hand and offer an opposing viewpoint is not prudent.
L. Many understand this and they are keeping silent.
59. While
in
60. She has a good job but she said she has many concerns about her job.
61. This Christian said, “I must watch what I say.”
62. “I am the only Christian where I work and many of my co-workers hate Christianity.”
A. The world hates Christ and Christianity.
B. The New Testament makes unsaved people very uncomfortable.
63. As the years continue to pass passages like Amos 5 seem to become more and more relevant.
64. We are finding more and more people who are adamantly opposed to Christianity.
65. When people in leading universities call Christianity a disease things are bad.
66. As Amos was hated so those who are loyal to the Lord will be hated.
67. There will be times when we are tempted to be “prudent” in the sense of Amos 5.
A. There are going to be times when speaking out will cost us something.
B. I am not proposing that we senselessly and recklessly say things.
C. We could potentially go to a KKK rally and say all races are equal.
D. No race is superior to another.
E. That would be the truth but that would not be the best forum to use to teach this true.
F. Solomon taught that there are times and places for things.
G. There are times when we need to seek the right place and opportunity.
68. We must also avoid being silenced.
69. The world excuses sexual sin.
70. Adultery is not too significant in the minds of some.
71. Homosexuality is growing in popularity.
72. Other sins are casually dismissed.
73. Amos 5 says that God’s people cannot remain silent about wrongdoing.
74. We must be a voice for God even if people hate us.
75. Is this a commitment we have made?