Bailey Methodist Church
7/13/2025

      • Exodus 19:6NIV2011

      • Leviticus 11:44–45NIV2011

      • Leviticus 19:2NIV2011

      • Deuteronomy 7:6NIV2011

      • Deuteronomy 14:2NIV2011

      • Matthew 5:43–48NIV2011

      • 1 John 3NIV2011

      • 1 John 2–3NIV2011

      • 1 John 5:3NIV2011

  • Christmas in July
  • Joy to the World
  • Away In A Manger (Mueller)
  • Even So Come
  • Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow!
  • Colossians 1:1–14 ESV
    1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
    Luke 10:25–37 ESV
    25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
    Amos 7:7–17 ESV
    7 This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said, “Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass by them; 9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.” 10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said, “ ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel must go into exile away from his land.’ ” 12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.” 14 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. 15 But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 16 Now therefore hear the word of the Lord. “You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not preach against the house of Isaac.’ 17 Therefore thus says the Lord: “ ‘Your wife shall be a prostitute in the city, and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword, and your land shall be divided up with a measuring line; you yourself shall die in an unclean land, and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.’ ”
    Introduction
    This morning, we begin a sermon series on the Minor Prophets, who are termed "minor" not because of their importance, but due to the brevity of their books. Our first prophet is Amos, a shepherd from Tekoa, whose ministry took place during the reigns of Jeroboam II of Israel and Uzziah of Judah.
    Under Jeroboam II, Israel experienced prosperity, wealth, and extensive building projects, but this material success masked significant moral decay. The northern kingdom's worship practices were offensive to God, as they honored Him outside of Jerusalem, believing their riches were divinely ordained, while ignoring the plight of the poor.
    Amos was called to confront the societal corruption and urge repentance, warning that failure to heed God's message would lead to destruction and exile. This prophecy came to fruition in 722 BC when the Assyrians conquered Israel.
    In today's text, Amos 7:7-17, God shows him a vision of a plumb line to measure Israel's spiritual integrity, revealing a devastating reality.
    Let’s dive into the passage.

    1. God Sets the Standard (vv. 7–9)

    Amos sees the Lord standing next to a wall with a plumb line in His hand. The wall, built with care to be straight and true, is now being measured by God to see if it still stands upright. The wall represents Israel, and the plumb line symbolizes God's perfect standard.
    God declares, “I will set a plumb line amid my people Israel; I will never again pass by them.” Essentially, He is saying, “I’ve been patient. I’ve warned. I’ve pleaded. But now I’m measuring.”
    God is not using Israel's opinions or traditions as the measuring stick. Instead, He employs His own righteousness. The outcome is sobering: the high places of idolatry will be made desolate, and the king’s house will fall. Judgment is coming.
    Application:
    God’s plumb line still hangs among us today. The standard has not changed. We often attempt to bend God's truth to fit our own comfort, but God doesn’t grade on a curve. He calls us to align our lives with His Word.
    Are our lives straight in the eyes of God?
    Is our worship pure?
    Is our walk consistent?
    God’s standard is not our standard. There is a false narrative within the church and society suggesting that each individual can derive their own moral standards. However, this is not the case. God possesses that right because He created us for a specific purpose. We do not have the authority to determine the proper standard. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul states that he is praying for them to be filled with the full knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding “to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
    How do we walk in a manner that pleases God? By living out our fleshly desires because God created us that way? By following our hearts and listening to our inner voice? Interestingly, the answer is no. When Moses delivers his final sermon to Israel before they enter the Promised Land, he tells them in Deuteronomy 30:9–10: “For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as He took delight in your fathers, when you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”
    Israel was following its fleshly desires, living in opulence while rejecting God’s moral and ceremonial laws. They worshiped the false gods of the Canaanites alongside Yahweh. They did not live under the covenant, and because of their rejection, God's judgment was upon them. This is the consequence of sin.
    Before we move forward, let us pause and ask ourselves: If God dropped the plumb line next to my life, would I stand straight?

    2. God’s Word Must Be Spoken (vv. 10–15)

    Amaziah, the religious leader, is offended by Amos’ message and sends word to the king, accusing Amos of conspiracy. He tells Amos, “Go, you seer, flee away to Judah… but never again prophesy at Bethel.” In modern terms, Amaziah is essentially saying, “We don’t want that kind of preaching here.” Amos is disrupting the national peace, the religious order, and the personal comfort of those in power. In reality, Amaziah had no divine authority. He was appointed as the high priest at Bethel by Jeroboam and led the corrupt worship practiced at the high places in Israel. His directive to stop preaching was not from God but stemmed from fear. Amaziah recognized that Amos was a prophet of Yahweh and had authority over him, yet his corruption and alignment with Jeroboam prevented him from listening.
    In response, Amos speaks with clarity and courage: “I was not a prophet… but the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’” Amos is not there because it’s his job; he didn’t choose this path, nor is he in ministry for popularity. He is there because God called him. Amos was not sent by Uzziah to stir trouble within Israel; he was sent by God. He had no choice but to speak the truth about Israel and its corrupt practices. God wanted Israel to return to Him, asking them to tear down the high places and follow His commandments. However, they refused because their self-serving behavior outweighed their desire to truly follow God.
    Theological Insight:
    God’s messengers do not always come from seminaries or religious institutions; sometimes, they emerge from sheep fields and fig orchards. What qualifies a prophet is not their background but God’s calling and their faithfulness in speaking His Word.
    Application:
    We need to ask ourselves: Are we listening to God's Word—even when it’s hard to hear? Are we willing to speak God's truth—even when it’s not welcomed?
    In an age when truth is often silenced or diluted, the people of God must not remain silent. You may not be a prophet like Amos, but you are called to bear witness. God’s Word must be spoken in pulpits, classrooms, kitchen tables, and coffee shops. In his epistles, Peter addresses churches facing persecution for their faith. Yet, he urges them to be ready to speak about Christ and defend their faith, regardless of the circumstances. He instructs in 1 Peter 3:15–16, “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”
    Will we speak truth with love, or will we shrink back in fear?

    3. God Will Not Be Mocked (vv. 16–17)

    Amos is not intimidated by Amaziah. He hears the word from the world and the word from Yahweh; he is clear about whom he will follow. Amaziah does not want Amos to preach against Israel and tries to silence him, but Amos ignores his attempts. He delivers a final word of judgment—not just against the nation, but against Amaziah himself. Amos prophesies that Amaziah's wife will become a prostitute, his children will die, and he will perish in exile. He warns that Israel will surely go into captivity. Both he and Jeroboam have mocked God by refusing to follow His commandments. As Paul states in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.”
    Israel sowed evil and reaped evil. They rejected God, and as a result, God rejected them. Their worship and actions became a mockery of the one true God. They refused to heed the Lord’s words. In Leviticus 18:27–28, it is written: “(for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.” Their worship mirrored that of the Canaanites, leading to devastating consequences.
    Why was the judgment so severe? Because Israel had rejected God’s standard and His Word, it ultimately faced the consequences of rejecting God Himself. Amaziah, as high priest, should have served the Lord under His authority. Amos’ prophecy serves as a reminder that God is ultimately in charge. Israel was the Lord’s people, descendants of Jacob—God loved them.
    Theological Insight:
    God is slow to anger, rich in mercy, and abounding in steadfast love, but He will not be mocked. His warnings are not empty threats. There comes a time when divine patience gives way to divine judgment. This principle applies to the church as well; we are all accountable directly to God and to one another.
    Israel believed that their religious rituals and political stability could protect them, but the plumb line revealed the truth. Ultimately, our good deeds and religious actions cannot save us or make us holy. Only Jesus can make us holy. It is through His sacrifice on the cross and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we are made righteous.
    Application:
    We must take God seriously. We should not presume on His grace, nor mistake His patience for approval. Today is the day of salvation; today is the day to return to the Lord. We cannot wait for a more convenient time when we feel we have accomplished everything we want. Now is the time to commit our hearts to the Lord, to love Him with all that we are, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We must walk in holiness and righteousness. Today is the day to stop mocking God and to surrender to Him completely.
    Conclusion:
    The vision of the plumb line is not just an ancient warning—it is a present reality. God still stands among His people, still holds the plumb line, still speaks through His Word, and still calls for repentance.
    Let me leave you with three questions:
    Are you aligned with God’s standard—or just your own?
    Are you willing to speak God’s truth—even when it’s costly?
    Are you ignoring God's voice—assuming there will always be more time?
    The good news is that the plumb line is not just a tool of judgment; it’s also a call to mercy. It’s not too late to realign your life with the righteousness of Christ. For those who repent and believe, the crooked places can be made straight again.
    "Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." (Amos 5:24)
    Amen.

      • Amos 7:7–17NIV2011

      • Colossians 1:10NIV2011

      • 1 Peter 3:15–16NIV2011

      • Galatians 6:7NIV2011

  • Go Tell It On The Mountain
Bailey Methodist Church
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