Sermon - 2018-07-15
What is the most valuable, precious aspect of your life? What is it? Is it a person? An object? Have you had that in your life for a long time so you treasure it because of the message and people it connects you to? Whatever you have in high regard in this world, can be taken away from you. The only thing that is certain is the Word of God.
Today within our Scriptures, we are pointed to this understanding not just in one moment but over and over again. Within the Old Testament reading, Amos is speaking with God. God declares to go and prophesy to the people in Israel. At this time, Judah in the south and Israel in the north are two separate kingdoms. Amos leaves his home in Judah and travels to let the people know, that God is not pleased with what they are doing. The wealthy have been not caring for the poor, the people are using sacrifices but not changing their behavior, they are taking the gift that God gave them of being His People for granted. They are expecting God’s blessings but not realizing that they are hurting themselves and others by not following God’s Word.
Now imagine for a moment, the people in the church today, being more focused on what it is they are getting out of the church that they have built. Imagine the church today, complaining that they working for others to know the Word of God but they themselves do not feel they are “getting enough” in return. Imagine the church today, declaring, unless you are like me and tell me how great I AM, you shall not be welcome here.
For some of us, we do not have to imagine that feeling because we have experienced it. We do not have to wonder what it would be like to be judged because we have felt that separation from being accepted by God’s Chosen People even when it is they who are not following God’s Word. Amos in his prophecy to the people of Israel is also speaking to the church of TODAY.
We need to take the time in our own lives to focus on what it is we are doing. We need to reflect on God’s Word and how we are using it. We need to understand that relationship with God and what it means for us. Now we do this every single week. Open up your bulletins to the first section entitled, “Confession and Forgiveness”. It is here as one of the areas that Amos highlights that God’s People are not actually taking the time to realize.
“God of all mercy and consolation, come to the aid of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone.” In the very first sentence, we call upon God to help us turn away from the sin that we are living in and instead turn to God. The source of life. “Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that, attentive to your Word, we may confess our sins, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” This second sentence is a mouth full. We ask that we would have the wisdom and understanding of the Holy Spirit in our life, that we would be able to see the Will of God, pay attention to the Word of God, and that we would be able to actually confess those sins and give them over to God. Not only that but that we would be able to receive that forgiveness. Not that we would only share what it is we are doing wrong but that we would change our ways, and be able to move past the shame, anger, and judgment to now go forth to do what God is calling us to do as God’s People. Now as we are being reminded and receiving that forgiveness, may we also go back and recall what Jesus Christ, God’s own Son and what he has done for us on the cross for that forgiveness.
Now we have not even confessed our sins yet, this was all to prepare us to do that. Now when we confess, we go deeper but also repeat so that it sticks in our minds.
Gracious God, have mercy on us. In your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone. Yes, the things we know we did wrong and things that we thought we were doing our best but was truly hurting yourself and others around us including God, himself. The things we did do and the things, we know we should have done but didn’t.
Uphold us by your Spirit so that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Here we are getting out of our own life and coming back to God’s Calling and new life found in Jesus Christ.
So church, as we live, may you continue to come back to the cross and the gift that Christ offers. But may you, in your daily life, be the church that God is calling us to be in the world. Amen.
Today within our Scriptures, we are pointed to this understanding not just in one moment but over and over again. Within the Old Testament reading, Amos is speaking with God. God declares to go and prophesy to the people in Israel. At this time, Judah in the south and Israel in the north are two separate kingdoms. Amos leaves his home in Judah and travels to let the people know, that God is not pleased with what they are doing. The wealthy have been not caring for the poor, the people are using sacrifices but not changing their behavior, they are taking the gift that God gave them of being His People for granted. They are expecting God’s blessings but not realizing that they are hurting themselves and others by not following God’s Word.
Now imagine for a moment, the people in the church today, being more focused on what it is they are getting out of the church that they have built. Imagine the church today, complaining that they working for others to know the Word of God but they themselves do not feel they are “getting enough” in return. Imagine the church today, declaring, unless you are like me and tell me how great I AM, you shall not be welcome here.
For some of us, we do not have to imagine that feeling because we have experienced it. We do not have to wonder what it would be like to be judged because we have felt that separation from being accepted by God’s Chosen People even when it is they who are not following God’s Word. Amos in his prophecy to the people of Israel is also speaking to the church of TODAY.
We need to take the time in our own lives to focus on what it is we are doing. We need to reflect on God’s Word and how we are using it. We need to understand that relationship with God and what it means for us. Now we do this every single week. Open up your bulletins to the first section entitled, “Confession and Forgiveness”. It is here as one of the areas that Amos highlights that God’s People are not actually taking the time to realize.
“God of all mercy and consolation, come to the aid of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone.” In the very first sentence, we call upon God to help us turn away from the sin that we are living in and instead turn to God. The source of life. “Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that, attentive to your Word, we may confess our sins, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” This second sentence is a mouth full. We ask that we would have the wisdom and understanding of the Holy Spirit in our life, that we would be able to see the Will of God, pay attention to the Word of God, and that we would be able to actually confess those sins and give them over to God. Not only that but that we would be able to receive that forgiveness. Not that we would only share what it is we are doing wrong but that we would change our ways, and be able to move past the shame, anger, and judgment to now go forth to do what God is calling us to do as God’s People. Now as we are being reminded and receiving that forgiveness, may we also go back and recall what Jesus Christ, God’s own Son and what he has done for us on the cross for that forgiveness.
Now we have not even confessed our sins yet, this was all to prepare us to do that. Now when we confess, we go deeper but also repeat so that it sticks in our minds.
Gracious God, have mercy on us. In your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone. Yes, the things we know we did wrong and things that we thought we were doing our best but was truly hurting yourself and others around us including God, himself. The things we did do and the things, we know we should have done but didn’t.
Uphold us by your Spirit so that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your holy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Here we are getting out of our own life and coming back to God’s Calling and new life found in Jesus Christ.
So church, as we live, may you continue to come back to the cross and the gift that Christ offers. But may you, in your daily life, be the church that God is calling us to be in the world. Amen.
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