Sermon - 2013-05-29 - God's Messenger

Hosea 4:1-9

Hear the word of the Lord, O people of Israel; for the Lord has an indictment against the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness or loyalty, and no knowledge of God in the land. 2Swearing, lying, and murder, and stealing and adultery break out; bloodshed follows bloodshed. 3Therefore the land mourns, and all who live in it languish; together with the wild animals and the birds of the air, even the fish of the sea are perishing. 4Yet let no one contend, and let none accuse, for with you is my contention, O priest. 5You shall stumble by day; the prophet also shall stumble with you by night, and I will destroy your mother. 6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. 7The more they increased, the more they sinned against me; they changed their glory into shame. 8They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for their iniquity. 9And it shall be like people, like priest; I will punish them for their ways, and repay them for their deeds.

Amos 5:21-25

21I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals I will not look upon. 23Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. o24But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream. 25Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

Amos 9:1-3

I saw the Lord standing beside the altar, and he said: Strike the capitals until the thresholds shake, and shatter them on the heads of all the people; and those who are left I will kill with the sword; not one of them shall flee away, not one of them shall escape. 2Though they dig into Sheol, from there shall my hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down. 3Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, from there I will search out and take them; and though they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the sea-serpent, and it shall bite them.

Hosea and Amos were the two prophets that followed after Elisha. The message that they had to deliver to the people of Israel and Judah was not easy. No one wanted to hear the truth that they are worshiping false gods and leading a life that is actually destructive for themselves, around them and the future. The people had split themselves into separate nations and the kings had put in place the priests that taught about foreign gods. The people followed the statutes of what all the other people were doing around them.  They were no longer obeying the Commandments or even honoring God and what God had done for the people.  

Let me be perfectly clear, the people within Judah and Israel were very religious.  However, they followed a religion that looked nothing like their ancestors and nothing that honored God in any way. The kings brought forth priests and gods of foreign nations and the people followed because that was what everyone was doing around them.  Just because that is what others are doing around does not mean that you should do it as well.   The people would often have large festivals that would honor golden calfs, cut themselves to offer their own blood as a sacrifice and would sometimes offer children as well.  They would bring forth many animals, crops by the bushel and deliver them unto this false god.

The people had forgotten their past, who they were and what they stood for as a people who were separated out to be God’s People.  They were a beacon of light into the world to share the love and blessing of God unto the whole world.

Within our modern Lutheran Church, we strive to have decisions come from the people.  Priests are not forced upon a congregation, but the people chose the priests.  We encourage and invite the people into Lutheran understanding of things so that they will find a leader who supports and encourages them down the path that they are going down.  To travel down the path that God is calling them down.  We strive to be a people of God’s Word and to be that body of Christ together.  To not forget the past, but continue to share the Gospel message among the people in the community so that it is alive within your life and all who gather. So that you may be that beacon of light in the world, to share the love and blessing of god into the community around you.

Even as I was going through Seminary, I was learning more and more what it was about to be a Lutheran because it makes me a better Christian and how to share that with others.  Growing up I may have heard that message a hundred times, but finally I was in a place where I understood that message for the first time.  Pouring through the pages of church history, hearing the lessons on Old Testament and New Testament, I began to see the complexity of the people that make up the body of Christ.  We have those who will challenge us, those who will go along with the crowd, those who shall bind us together, those who love us for who we are, those who sit with us when we cry, and those who will point out our faults and love us even more because of them.

While studying the prophets who pointed out the faults of the people and declared the Word of God upon them, I began to discern what would be the core that I would return to.  I would be a Shepherd of a flock of God within the world.  So I have returned back to the same tools and gifts that we all share; The Bible, The Small Catechism and Luther himself.  I try to keep up to date with many of the books, songs and devotions of popular theologians of the day.  Ultimately for me, and if you are friends with me on facebook or read my blog, I do not value them as highly because I do not want to be whisked away by the latest fad. Instead I embrace the core values of who we are and what we stand for as God’s people.  

For we are a people who worship and honor God who is able to reach to the very ends of the Earth and beyond into the depths of Sheol, the place of the dead.  Amos reminds us that God is the source and creator of all things within this world and all that we shall experience after.  Amos speaks of the harsh destruction and devastation that God has the power to pour out upon us.   Yet here I am also reminded of the words of Paul, that whether I am living or I am dying, I am the Lord’s.  I long to serve God in any way that God calls me to serve within this world, for nothing can separate me from the love of God that binds me to Him and all of God’s people. If I shall receive God’s punishment, I know that it will be because I deserve it for I heard the Truth and turned away.  However, God is willing to go to those same depths to save you and draw YOU back to him and pour out that love that you also deserve.

Throughout this week, I was reminded that this vote does not mean that I am one of those false prophets that Hosea was speaking of but rather that it is time for a new priest and shepherd to come and deliver a new message with the people.   I know that God will be with you, leading and guiding all of you just as He always has been.  In the coming months, I know that God will lead you and guide you and You as God’s people shall follow.  I know that you shall select a priest and shepherd that will lead you all to support, encourage and love you just as I have. May you continually receive God’s love like an everflowing stream. Amen.