On Sunday, we started a new eight-week sermon series through the book of Amos. In a time of outward prosperity and religious activity, Israel felt secure - but beneath the surface was injustice, oppression, idolatry, and complacency. Through a shepherd from the south, God declares that He will not spare His people from judgement simply because they are His people. In fact, Israel’s covenant relationship makes their disobedience more serious. Yet even in the fire of judgment, a glimmer of hope remains for a faithful remnant and for the nations. As we listen to God’s word spoken by the prophet Amos, we will confront the uncomfortable reality that God sees beyond our religious forms and calls us to return to Him in sincere repentance. Through the lens of the gospel, we will see how Amos ultimately points us to Jesus the Judge and Savior, in whom justice and mercy meet.
