~

This is the audio from the June 25, 2023 sermon, “Called By God: SIN Is Always Over-Priced”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: Amos 1 – 4, Romans 6:23

Today I continued a sermon series which is 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)

Sin. It’s a topic we don’t like to talk about and when we do it is generally focused on the bad things others do rather than on an examination of how our own life stacks up according to God’s standard. God’s message to mankind has always been that it doesn’t matter if the sin is acceptable or unacceptable by our standards, it is always over-priced and must be rejected by God’s children.

• Selfishness Is Always Over-Priced:  —  Amos 2:6-8, James 4:1-3

  • While at first glance selfishness may appear to get us what we want, it never accomplishes what is promised.  God’s message to Israel through the prophet Amos was in part a message that they would soon pay for their selfish behavior and it would be a cost far greater than they imagined.  God tells us through James that our selfishness can cost us the response from God that we truly need and desire.  When we consider the sin of selfishness, we would do well to remember that selfishness is always over-priced.

• Idolatry Is Always Over-Priced: —  Amos 4:4-5, 1 Corinthians 10:12-14

  • Idolatry is the practice of putting anything in place of God or above God.  While we often think of idols being physical things or even people, the nation of Israel had made their religious practices into idols which they worshiped and honored more than God.  Paul wrote to the Corinthians, and to us, about the need to resist temptation and look to God for deliverance from it.  It is within this context that he says to flee from idolatry.  When we choose to worship anything but God, we have diminished our connection with the One who can help us overcome.  When we consider the sin of idolatry, we would do well to remember that idolatry is always over-priced.

• Neglect Is Always Over-Priced: —  Amos 3:1-8, Luke 11:42-44

  • I suspect that we all have things that we mean to do but we just don’t get around to it.  While that may be a natural part of the human life, when we begin to neglect our relationship with God and the building up of our self and others that He want to accomplish, we pay a price far greater than we imagine.  While the people of Israel claimed to be God’s people, God delivers a message that points out their neglect in maintaining that relationship which God had called them to.  They were not much different from the religious leaders Jesus addressed about how they focused on doing religious activity while neglecting the greater tasks of justice and love.  When we consider the sin of neglect, we would do well to remember that neglect is always over-priced.

Today, will you seek God’s help to overcome SIN which is always over-priced?