The Great Shift
Live Justly And Show Compassion To Those Who Need It Most
Sunday September 26, 2021 - Pastor Wungreiso Valui
Amos
THE MESSAGE
When you live justly and show compassion to those who need it most, God releases His blessing on you.
THE DESIRED OUTCOME
People will show empathy by being present in the suffering of others and show compassion by being concerned about the well-being of others.
THE CONTEXT
"Therefore thus says the Lord: 'Your wife shall be a harlot in the city; your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword; your land shall be divided by survey line; you shall die in a defiled land; and Israel shall surely be led away captive from his own land.'" -Amos 7:17
Amos saw the seismic change in the history of Israel. The Israelites were divided into two kingdoms: The northern kingdom consisting of ten tribes and the southern kingdom consisting of two tribes.
THE CHALLENGE
"Go back to where you come from," Amaziah, a northern priest, in one famous confrontation told Amos (Amos 7:10-17).
Amos hailed from the south and he was treated as an outsider. The authorities in the northern kingdom did not respond to his ministry kindly.
THE PIVOT: HOW TO PIVOT WHEN IT'S TIME TO PIVOT
"Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, 'I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheep breeder and a tender of sycamore fruit.'" -Amos 7:14
1. KEEP YOUR FEET FIRMLY ON THE TRUTH
"Then the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said to me..." -Amos 7:15
- To pivot you will hear the CALL
- Amos was a sheep breeder, a tender of sycamore fruit
- The call comes with CLARITY
- God tapped Amos on his shoulder to pivot and he did
- Respond to the call with COURAGE
- Amos kept his feet firmly on God's call. "A lion has roared, who can but fear? "My Lord God has spoken, who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:8)
When you pivot, keep one of your feet firmly on the truth (conviction).
CHALLENGE QUESTIONS
- A. What is holding you back from embracing the new path and discovering who you are meant to be?
- B. What is keeping you from making an impact?
2. KEEP YOUR FEET FIRMLY ON EMPOWERMENT
"...because they sell the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals. They pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor, and pervert the way of the humble." -Amos 2:6b-7a
- Pivot with basic human DECENCY
- When people flagrantly flout the most basic standard of human decency, there are consequences.
- Pivot to lift the VOICES of people locally, nationally, and globally
- When the powerful oppress the powerless, there can be a radical expression of divine anger and divine justice.
- Pivot with COMPASSION
- Amos pointed out that God has abounding compassion for those who need it most.
CHALLENGE QUESTIONS
- A. You got here despite many uncertainties. What are you grateful for?
- B. How can you work together with others to create a collective impact?
3. KEEP YOUR FEET FIRMLY ON JUSTICE
"I hate, I despise your feast days, and I do not savor your sacred assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream." -Amos 5:21-24
- Pivot with JUSTICE, not as a one-time experiment
- Worship without justice is not an offering, worship paired with injustice is offensive to God.
- Fasting and prayer without justice is not an incense, not a sweet aroma; it is just thin air.
- Service without justice is not "love;" it profits you nothing.
Injustice corrupts every act of compassion.
CHALLENGE QUESTIONS
- A. Do you think you can appease God with offerings of "flesh and grain" while the impoverished go hungry?
- B. Do you think that your worship songs can drown out the cries of those who you oppress?
WHAT DOES GOD'S BLESSING LOOK LIKE?
"On that day I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and repair its damages; I will raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old..." -Amos 9:11
-God will repair, raise up, and rebuild your ruins.
"'...that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,' says the Lord who does this thing." -Amos 9:12
-God will keep His promise and command a blessing to you.
"'Behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed. The mountains shall drip with sweet wine and all the hills shall flow with it...'" -Amos 9:13
-The fruit of your labor will be abundant and eager.
-The fruit will come from unexpected places.
-The fruit will come with great quality.
"I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them. They shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them; they shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them. I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them,' says the Lord your God." -Amos 9:14-15
-Even when we don't see God working, His works deserve our energy and effort.
-Even in an unfruitful season, keep plowing and sowing.
-The result is God's business. Our responsibility is with the act, not with the result.
When you live justly and show compassion to those who need it most, God releases His blessing on you.