A Famine Not of Bread

"Amos" by James Tissot Click here to listen to this sermon. “Seek the Lord and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, with none to quench it for Bethel, O you who turn justice to wormwood and cast down righteousness to the earth!... “They hate him who reproves in the gate, and they abhor him who speaks the truth. Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate. Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time” (Amos 5:6–7, 10-15). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! A few weeks ago, we focused on the importance of holding your tongue and wat...

"The Beheading of John the Baptist" by Rembrandt Click here to listen to this sermon. Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel’” (Amos 7:14-15). Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! The phrase “speaking truth to power” means to confront those who hold important positions, whether in government, business, or religious institutions. Speaking truth to power means to demand a moral response to a problem, rather than an expedient, easy, or selfish response. The phrase speaking truth to power carries a connotation of bravery, of risking either the status quo, one’s reputation, livelihood, or the wrath of the person one is confronting. Martin Luther and the reformers were speaking truth to power as they challenged the abuses that had crept into the C...