Pastor Marshall Ochs | June 8, 2025
In this message, Pastor Marshall teaches from Amos 8-9. These chapters end the book of Amos with a sobering call to repentance and a warning: Israel, having rejected God’s repeated invitations, is now ripe for judgment. God condemns Israel for their exploitation of the poor and obsession with profit over worship, showing that His lordship encompasses every aspect of life. Yet, even in judgment, Amos offers hope — a vision of restoration through Christ, inviting all nations to join God’s people.
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After Amos called Israel to repentance, they rejected God’s message. The Lord’s message is that He is going to judge them. He passed by them with an invitation to turn back to Him. Since they refused, God says He will not pass by them again. Has there been a time in your life that God called you to repentance or a turning away from sin and you refused? What were the consequences of that disobedience?
Has the Lord called you to do something, and you ignored Him? Have you said, “I’ll do it tomorrow…next week…next month, etc.” What if tomorrow never comes? What are you doing with today?
If we do not answer His call, He will “pass us by” and ask someone else to do the very thing He asked us to do. Have you ever seen this happen in your life?
The Israelites cared more about the things the world offered them than the things of God. (Examples – money, success, possessions, etc.) Have you found yourself consumed by the same desires more than God?
The Lord is the LORD over EVERY SECOND of your life! It is arrogant of us to think otherwise! This kind of thinking will turn our world upside down. Have you felt that your life has been turned upside down because you did not listen to the Lord when He spoke to you?
The Lord tells us that if we reject His word, then there will be chaos and evil. The lack of His word causes a void that NOTHING can fill. We will be starving for Him and yet there is famine. Darkness fills the void where God does not dwell. Have you been experiencing famine or darkness in your life? If so – why?
If we continue to reject Him, judgement/consequences will come. We will become imprisoned by our choices. Do you feel imprisoned by any choice or choices you have made?
Amos ends with the good news of Hope. Our Hope rests in Jesus! One day we will experience a new Heaven and a new Earth! No sorrow, no sin and no lack of anything! Only peace. Are you prepared? Are you ready? There is no future in the things of this world! Only a future in Christ Jesus! If you do not know Him as your Savior – make today the day that you surrender to Him. If you have turned away from Him – make today the day you return to Him. God has a plan for your life! Be willing to embrace it!