Chillin's Sermon - 12/28/03

[ChrisChillin]

I preached my sixth sermon in a service at my home church this Sunday. This was my first time to use the method of a fully written script. So I thought I'd share it and see what everyone thinks. Please note that you won't be able to get the full impact of it as there are some things that are specific to my church. I have removed the full name of my church, referring to it as "S Baptist Church" or simply "S". Also, I made some emendations (who doesn't?) while in the pulpit, but nothing really major.
Thanks for reading!

What God Values
Amos 5:18-24

*****

We are told several times over in the Bible that God is not one who shows favoritism. All of us are equally loved and equally judged without manmade distinctions such as family background or wealth. Yet I cannot help but think that God demonstrates a certain special affinity with shepherds. We have just celebrated the arrival of the Son into the world at Christmas, and in Luke’s telling of the story we learn that God, through his angels, selected humble shepherds to be the first worshipers of the baby Lord. This is also the God who appeared to Moses in a burning bush while he was tending his father-in-law’s flocks, and who picked a young shepherd boy named David to become Israel’s greatest king. In the gospels, Jesus describes God as kindly shepherd who will leave the ninety and nine to find and rescue a single lost sheep.

If we take this pattern into account, we should not be surprised when we hear the story of one obscure country bumpkin named Amos. The beginning of the book that bears his name states that Amos was one of the shepherds of Tekoa. The seventh chapter, verse 14, records Amos as saying he was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but a shepherd and tender of sycamore-fig trees. He was not, therefore, a professional or lifetime prophet, but another in a long line of simple men called by God to serve in extraordinary circumstances. There should be a certain attraction to this figure, for we all love a good story about the common man rising to do uncommon things – it is the stuff many of our movies are made of, and specifically I am reminded of James Stewart in Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Just like Mr. Smith, Amos journeys to the capital of a prosperous country and passionately argues against the corruption that he finds.

Amos was, in fact, the first prophet of the era known to scholars as the Classical Period of Hebrew prophecy. Spanning over two centuries, this was the time that gave us Isaiah and Jeremiah, and all the other prophets found at the end of your Old Testament. While others usually get more attention than Amos, this country shepherd had the distinction of being the first of these men who would call the Hebrews to repentance before, during, and right after their exile to Babylon. Though today we may group him in a category called “the minor prophets”, there was nothing minor about his place or his purpose.

Why was this shepherd of Judah called to cross the border into Israel and preach there? For one approach, I might say that Israel at this time had some things in common with us today in America. Under King Jeroboam II, Israel expanded its territory and economy, bringing relative security from outside attack and prosperity of wealth that would never be seen again. But if pride does go before the fall, then the Israelites were about to prove it. Their newfound riches fell into the hands of the elite, while the poor remained destitute. Greed, arrogance, and injustice were on the rise. In times like these, people who used religion as a safety net had forgotten the true and humble worship of God that was the very foundation of Israel’s existence. Amos’ words, therefore, must be heeded by us today. We are the wealthiest, most powerful country the world has ever seen, and if we are not careful we too will pay only lip service to the worship of God while all the while trusting in our own accomplishments.

But now we will turn to the reading of Amos 5:18-24 to see what he has to say to the complacent:

Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD? That day will be darkness, not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear, as though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall only to have a snake bite him. Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, not light – pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness? I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

I also want to share how the King James Version beautifully translates that last verse. “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream!”

Let’s also our understanding of this passage by quoting other parts of Amos that state specifically many of the wrongs committed in Israel at the time. In chapter 2, verses 6-8, Amos records: “This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name. They lie down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge. In the house of their god they drink wine taken as fines.” And then hear his words in chapter 5, verses 12-14: “For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Therefore the prudent man keeps quiet in such times, for the times are evil. Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the LORD God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is."

What does God value? The Israelites thought they had a corner on what God wanted, and so they believed that the “Day of the Lord” would be a time when God would acknowledge their greatness and defeat all their enemies. But despite their attempt to tame the Lord of Hosts with their offerings, Amos speaks of a God who “roars from Zion” and who promises that because of their sin, the Day of the Lord is reason to tremble. Speaking through Amos, God anticipates the question that the people of Israel would bring to his prophecy: “Where did we go wrong?” they would say. “Surely we have continued to practice the Law! We haven’t stopped bringing our offerings and singing our music before the Lord!” But the reply is very clear and it shocks to the core of their religious thought, and often to our own as well: I do not desire your sacrifices, the Lord says, I do not want you to sing to me, it is all worthless and detestable until you make justice roll down like a river, and righteousness like a mighty stream!

We theologians have a certain disorder that afflicts us: we like to create long or strange words for any and every topic or idea in the Bible. And so it is with the problem here in Amos. I am sure that most of you here tonight know what the word “orthodox” means. Orthodoxy is the correct or accepted set of beliefs that we say we must hold to be considered truly Christian. An orthodox person believes Jesus Christ really was God in the flesh, an unorthodox person doesn’t. Our tests to determine whether a person is a Christian or not tend to be tests of orthodoxy. However, orthodoxy does not cover the whole picture. Our faith in God is, after all, not a just a set of beliefs but a way of life as well. The word to describe the right way of living is known as orthopraxy. Orthodoxy – right beliefs. Orthopraxy – right living or right actions.

The problem then, Amos indicates, is this: that the Israelites kept one aspect of their faith while neglecting the other. They held on to some kind of orthodoxy by maintaining the Temple practices and presenting the correct offerings before God. Yet they failed miserably to hold on to orthopraxy, and instead profaned God’s name through oppression, injustice, and greed. Yet they DARED to believe that the Holy One would pat them on the shoulder and continue raining down the blessings! Is he not our God, they would say. But no, Amos replies, God will not be constrained or held back from his sovereignty because of some ritual ceremony. No burnt offering, no religious feast - no Sunday service or Wednesday night prayer meeting – can satisfy God when his people fail to practice justice and righteousness.

There is a great danger for us today if we too neglect this dynamic aspect of our faith by only emphasizing what to believe, and never what to do. Perhaps it will be helpful for us to remember that Jesus’ own tests for identifying his followers were not a laundry list of correct ideas to check off. He said, by their fruits you shall know them! They will know you are mine because you love one another! If you love me, you will obey my commandments.

Yet I see this unfortunate division between orthodoxy and orthopraxy all the time. Sometimes one group emphasizes right actions but not right beliefs, and we get liberalism. Another group emphasizes correct doctrine and theology, but enforces it with an unloving militancy, and we get fundamentalism. Another way to word this issue is to refer to it as the age-old question about faith vs. works. But just think about that phrase for a minute: faith vs. works? It should never be the case that we put the two in opposition. As a group we in this church tonight are Protestants, the part of the Christian church descended from Martin Luther who, nearly five centuries ago, defended the firm conviction that we are saved by grace through faith alone. Sometimes, we are so caught up in defending this understanding of God’s grace that we may, unfortunately, end up with a faith that is alone. That’s why I’m thankful for the book of James, and the book of Amos. Faith without works is dead. Offerings without justice and righteousness are unacceptable. If all you’re concerned about is what to believe, and not how to live and how to give, then you may have to question what kind of religion you have.

Let me direct this call of Amos specifically to S. [Baptist Church]: How may we need to be careful to live out justice and righteousness in our own church family? Today, both Patrick and I brought up the tough issue of church music, and I congratulate him on his fine sermon urging us to be relevant to our culture. As you may well know, the church is experiencing the ever-growing trend of contemporary worship music. Organs out, guitars in. Now, the tension between those who desire new music that arouses their interest, and those who value the traditional music they’ve known for years, has led to what many call the “worship wars” in which opposing sides have divided churches, often accusing each other of being unspiritual, inconsiderate, or even hindering true worship. S. has largely avoided the wars by not addressing the question. However, as I have already pointed out, the younger generation does not generally think of worship music the same way as the older generations do. And I think if we ask the question, “Which way is right,” then we’re going about it the wrong way. For both traditionalism and contemporary methods both have their pros and cons, and I speak as one who enjoys both when they are at their best. If we are to approach this issue in a way that ensures justice and righteousness in our church, then the worship question should not be about one group imposing its view upon the rest as THE answer. Instead, those who hold differing viewpoints should dialogue together in a spirit of love, expressing their concerns while seeking to understand the concerns of others. If traditionalists continue to maintain that the church should only sing older hymns on piano and organ, then they tyrannically impose their belief on the increasing numbers who feel differently. On the other hand, if the “contemporizers”, as I will call them, do nothing but revolt and propose their way and their own way alone as best, then they will engage in their own unholy divisiveness. Does God value more that we sing hymns or that we sing modern praise choruses, or does God value more that we work together in a spirit of love, unity, and righteousness to build a common future for S. Baptist Church? I do not think that we can create such a New Testament church that our bulletin speaks of unless we keep in mind the cautionary warnings of an Old Testament prophet. To those tonight who tend to favor the old musical approaches, I say this: do not equate tradition with the word of God. To those who tend to favor the new music that has appeared, I say this: do not make music the be-all end-all of healthy, vibrant church life. To all people of all opinions, I say this: Knowing what God has said through Amos, I have no doubt that we will best live that life of righteousness and justice that He has called us to if we share together as one body than if we divide ourselves into two sides that battle each other until one has defeated the other.

Powerful are these words that we’ve read from a simple shepherd of Tekoa who lived 2700 years ago. His message has inspired many who through the centuries have discovered its treasure. Martin Luther King, Jr. used Amos 5:24 as a rallying cry in the nonviolent civil rights movement, and even quoted it in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. He said, “We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and the Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no we are not satisfied and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” The words of Amos have also been taken to heart by promoters of liberation theology, who have sought national renewal from oppressive governments and economic policies that have deprived the poor. This approach by Amos to religion is proclaimed again to followers of Jesus Christ in the book of James. Faith without works is dead. Religion that God our Father accepts involves looking after orphans and widows in their distress. Justice and righteousness. Faith and works. Orthodoxy and orthopraxy. What does God value? A wholeness to our way of being the church that will deny none of those ideas. Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream, and let it be because we follow the example of a just and loving Savior. This, my brothers and sisters, is what God values.

[tracdann02]

Good sermon, Chris. You have given me a lot to thing about. Orthodoxy and orthopraxy, eh? Perhaps people at a certain Baptist Liberal Arts college should have good look at this.. I know it did me a world of good. Thanks for the great post. God bless - SS

[ChrisChillin]

*BUMP*

Toot toot! (Chillin's horn)

Haha, actually...since today's MLK Day, I wanted to reiterate this sermon, because it's about a text foundational to King's efforts in the civil rights movement. Christianity should never divorce gospel preaching or personal salvation from community involvement and social action.