Sermon Outlines for
the book of Amos

 Rev. David P. Horrocks, Th.M., Pastor
Christ Community Church

Amos (5/7/00)
Amos 1:1-2:16 (5/14/00)
Amos 3:1-15 (5/28/00)
Amos 4:1-13 (6/04/00)
Amos 5:1-17 (6/11/00)
Amos 5:18-27 (6/18/00)
Amos 6:1-14 (6/25/00)
Amos 7:1-17 (7/2/00)
Amos 8:1-14 (7/23/00)
Amos 9:1-10 (7/30/00)
Amos 9:11-15 (8/13/00)

 

 Amos

Introduction: "What Christians should know"

The prophet Amos

A man of the land from Judah
A layman in ministry on foreign soil

The times of Amos in Israel

Middle of the 8th century BC
Economic prosperity
National expansion

The sins of Israel

The poor were denied justice in the courts
The rich got richer on the backs of the poor
Worship had become empty ritual

The presentation of the message

Eight nations are charged guilty (1:1-2:16)
Three sermons of judgment against Israel (3:1-6:14)
Five visions of judgment against Israel (7:1-9:10)
One message of future hope (9:11-15)

The messages of Amoss

His presence was a witness to God's presence
"Next comes fire"

 

MESSAGE:

"READ THE WORD OF GOD; IT CONVICTS YOU OF SIN.
READ THE WORD OF GOD; IT WARNS YOU OF JUDGMENT.
READ THE WORD OF GOD; IT GIVES HOPE IN DARKNESS."

 

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Amos 1:1-2:16

Introduction: "Imitation crab?"

 Pattern of the eight indictments 1:3-2:5

Announcement
Sin described
Punishment
It is settled

The basis of the indictments

Six nations sinned against their conscience
Two nations sinned against God's covenant

The indictment against Israel 2:6-16

Israel transgressed the Mosaic Covenant (6-8)
The Lord kept the Mosaic Covenant (9-11)
Israel's response to God (12)

Mocked holiness
Silenced correction

The Lord's response to Israel (13-16)

Israel is a burden to the Lord
The nations will turn on Israel
Israel will go it alone

MESSAGE:

"WHEN GOD'S GRACE HAS BEEN REJECTED,
GOD'S WRATH CAN BE EXPECTED."

 

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Amos 3:1-15

Introduction: "Quality Care?"

 Israel met God's grace with disgrace

God showed grace
Israel showed disgrace

God met Israel's disgrace with judgment 3:1-15

Judgment is coming (1-2)

For privileges abused
For warnings ignored

Judgment is certainly coming (3-8)

Judgment is from God
The prophets speak for God
God has spoken, and people should listen

Judgment is justly coming (9-11)

Israel's great guilt is exposed
Israel's great judgment is described

Judgment is completely coming (12-15)

There will be no remnants
You will have no hope
You will have no future

MESSAGE:

"WHEN WE DISGRACE THE GRACE OF GOD,
HE TURNS FROM BLESSING US TO JUDGING US."

 

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Amos 4:1-13

 

Introduction: "How do you spell…?"

 Israel transgressed her covenant with the Lord (4:1,4,5)

They were seekers of pleasure, rather than seekers of God
They were oppressors of the poor and indulgent drunks
Their religion was social, and ritual, and completely external

Israel was impenitent to God's correcting judgments (4:6-11)

Covenant curses were sent
Israel refused to repent

God's retribution was Israel's captivity and exile (4:2,3,12,13)

God's character requires the judgment of sin
God's nature makes Him able to judge sin
God's judgment is as strong as our sin is deep
God uses the ungodly to judge the sinner

 

MESSAGE:

"WHEN WE TRANSGRESS THE WAY OF CHRIST
AND REFUSE TO REPENT, WE ARE MADE
THE PRISONERS AND SLAVES OF SIN."

 

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Amos 5:1-17

Introduction: "Did you get the message?"

 The structure of Amos' fourth sermon

The major chiastic structure (-17)
The minor chiastic structure (10-13)

The message of Amos' fourth sermon

God is to be feared for His power and His justice
God's judgment is coming for your sins

The applications of Amos' fourth sermon

Seek the Lord now and accept no substitute
Seek what is good for others
Learn to hate evil
Save yourselves and others with you

MESSAGE:

"FEAR GOD, TURN FROM THE SELFISH AND HURTFUL WAY,
AND SEEK THE LORD THAT YOU MIGHT BE SAVED
FROM THIS PRESENT EVIL AGE."

 

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Amos 5:18-27

Introduction: "Five tests of a bad deal religion"

 It leaves you exposed to the final judgment (18-20)

Prophecy without profit
Hope with security

It never arrives at fellowship with the Lord (21-23)

Useless worship
Worship for tradition's sake

It never conforms you to Christ (21-24)

To walk as the children of God
To live as the servants of men

It never settles the issue of lordship (25-26)

Divided hearts are hereditary
Divided hearts are chronic

It leaves you empty of the Lord's blessings (27)

Israel lost her spiritual distinction
Israel lost her land
Israel was lost among the nations

MESSAGE:

"MAKE SURE YOUR FAITH PASSES THE TESTS OF
FORGIVENESS, FELLOWSHIP, HOLINESS,
LORDSHIP, AND BLESSINGS."

 

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Amos 6:1-14

Introduction: "Forgetting the Lord"

Israel's leaders forgot the Lord (1,2,4-6b)

They forgot the Lord because of what they had become
They forgot the Lord because of how they were living

Because they forgot the Lord they sinned

They sinned against their calling (6c)
They sinned against their covenant (12)

They violated the greatest commandment
They violated the second greatest commandment

They sinned through selfish pride (13)
They sinned against God's plans for eternity (3)

All will be judged by the Lord
As sin increases judgment draws near

The Lord judged Israel for her sin

He gave Israel a warning (1a)
He said that He was now Israel's enemy (8b,c)
He vowed to judge Israel for her sins (8a,d)
He described the judgment for Israel's sins (7,9,10,11)
He executes the judgment for Israel's sins (14)

MESSAGE:

"WHEN WE FORGET THE LORD, WE WILL SIN;
AND THE LORD WILL HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE
FOR THAT SIN."

 

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Amos 7:1-17

 

Introduction: "Does it really matter who rules?"

 The "church" and the state of Israel in 760 BC

The Lord raised up Amos the prophet

By His vision and Amos' responses

Locust swarm and prayer for forgiveness (1-3)
Fire storm and prayer for mercy (4-6)
Plumb line and personal ministry (7-9)

To serve the Lord

The King raised up Amaziah the priest (I Kings 12:26-31)

By political power
To serve the state

The state (Amaziah) verses the "church" (Amos) (10-17)

Amaziah's case (10-13)

Amaziah saw politics as being above religion
Amaziah treated Amos as a misplaced state worker

Amos' case (14-17)

Amos saw the Lord above the King
Amos declared that Amaziah's mistake was fatal

MESSAGE:

"GOD IS THE LORD WE SHOULD TRUST AND OBEY."

 

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Amos 8:1-14

Introduction: "The judgment of silence"

 

Context: Outline of Amos

Introduction 1:1-2
Six sermons of judgment 1:3-6:14
Five visions of judgment 7:1-9:10
One sermon of future hope 9:11-15

Content: A vision of summer fruit 8:1-14

The meaning: Israel is ripe for judgment (1-3)
The cause of judgment is greed (4-6)

Unjust markets
Unconverted merchants

The characteristics of judgment are physical and spiritual (7-14)

There will be physical destruction (7-10)
There will be spiritual abandonment (11-14)

MESSAGE:

"THE JUDGMENT OF THE LORD IS CERTAIN AND JUST -
ALLING UPON LAND AND PEOPLE
AND UPON BODY AND SOUL."

 

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Amos 9:1-10

Introduction: "An incredible and tragic sight"

Context: Outline of Amos

Introduction 1:1-2
Six sermons of judgment 1:3-6:14
Five visions of judgment 7:1-9:10
One sermon of future hope 9:11-15

Content: The fifth vision of God's judgment 9:1-10

The judgment (1-4)

In her worship and in her warfare Israel's judgment is certain
No sinner will escape the eyes and the sword of the Lord

The Judge (5-6)

The All-knowing One (2-4)
The All-powerful One (5)
The All-present One (6)

Those who are being judged (7-10)

They are redeemed in body but not in soul (7a)
They were a witness for God's righteousness (7b)
They were reduced, refined, and removed from the land (8-9)
They would not repent (10)

 

MESSAGE:

"THE LORD OF THE EARTH WILL JUDGE THOSE
ON THE EARTH WHO ARE CALLED TO DO RIGHT
BUT WHO CHOOSE TO DO WRONG."

 

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Amos 9:11-15

Introduction: "September 13th and November 7th"

 The wrath of the Lord is seen in Israel's judgment 1:1-9:10

The near coming of the wrath of the Lord

Six sermons of God's wrath 1:1-6:14
Five visions of Israel's judgment 7:1-9:10

The future final coming of the wrath of the Lord

The mercy of the Lord will be seen in Israel's salvation 9:11-15

Jesus will return to rescue Israel
Israel will be converted in a day
There will be a new government in Israel (11)
Israel will become a righteous influence on all the nations (12)
Creation will be healed (13)
Israel will be regathered (14)
The world order will be God's order (15)

 

MESSAGE:

"THROUGH THE WRATH AND MERCY OF THE LORD
THE WORLD IS ON A PATH TO BLESS
THE RIGHTEOUS FOREVER."

 

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