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Called By God: Dare To Be . . . Amos? (Sermon Audio)

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This is the audio from the June 18, 2023 sermon, “Called By God: Dare To Be . . . Amos?”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Amos 1:1, 7:14-15

Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.  But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’”
Amos 7:14-15 (NIV)

Today I began a sermon series which will be based from the Old Testament book of Amos.  If you’re wondering how applicable the message from this book of the Bible can be today, consider the following description of the world in the days of Amos.  See if this sounds familiar at all to the world we currently live in.

“A spirit of self-sufficiency and smug complacency thrived on material prosperity.  The rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer.  Idolatry, hypocrisy, moral corruption, and social injustices were everywhere.  The nation was truly on the brink of disaster.”  (Irving Jensen)

This introductory message deals with the appropriate response when God calls us as His children and as His servants.  God has a tendency to use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things and Amos is an excellent example for us to see how that works.  In fact, when we consider some of the characteristics present in the life of Amos, we would do well to put those principles into action and dare to be . . . .

  • Available:  —

    • Amos makes it clear that the work he was called by God to do was not according to his custom, practice, or way of life.  In fact, God called him away from what he was accustomed to doing in order to use him as a messenger of truth.  When we live as those called by God we must live as those who are available to God for His purposes and will.

  • Motivated: —

    • Delivering a message of truth is often met with opposition and that was certainly the case for Amos.  When those with authority and power tried to send him away and discredit his message, Amos stayed true to delivering what God was giving him to say.  When we live as those called by God we must live as those who are motivated by the truth of God’s Word in all we say and do.

  • Obedient: —

    • It is one thing to be available and motivated when the task at hand is something we want to do.  It is an entirely different thing when we’re facing a task that is in conflict with our own comfort and security.  Amos took God’s message to the people of Israel not because it was easy or comfortable, but because God called him to it and he obeyed.  When we live as those called by God we must live as those who are obedient to God no matter what.

  • Serving:  —

    • When Amos put his availability, motivation, and obedience into action he was in the perfect position to serve God and serve people.  He did what he did and said what not because it was beneficial to him or self-serving in any way, but because he chose to live as a servant of God.  When we live as those called by God we must live as those who serve Him and serve one another in love.

Today, will you dare to be AMOS?  What will that look like in your life?