Text: Amos 6:1-8, Title: Napping on Ivory Beds, Date/Place: NRBC, 12/30/12, AM
A Opening illustration: watching the ice dancing show at Dollywood yesterday, over analyzing, and wondering
if the people singing actually believe the Christmas carols they are singing. Dollywood has always been
overtly Christian, but I still wondered, because they were using a ice dancing company from NYC. But then I
saw one of the singers who was obviously worshipping.
B Background to passage: Amos prophesied in the northern kingdom of Israel in the 740-50s BC. The people
of Israel, especially the leaders, well-to-do, and the religious elite, were enjoying a second “golden age.”
The whole country was rolling in the wealth of the crossroads of major world powers at the time. So Amos
prophesied that what they “saw as the beginning of a new “Golden Age” was really the last flush of a terminal
illness...Not only was Israel not going to become ruler of the world, within just a few years they would not
exist as a nation at all, and would continue to exist as a people only by the unmerited grace of God. “The day
of the LORD,” far from being a day of light, was going to be a day of darkness.” The reason that the date is
important is that the fall of Samaria was in 721.
C Main thought: We must guard against the mindset of ease and complacency that Satan lays before us.
Untouchable Superiority (v. 1-3)
1 Amos picked out three city-states that encompassed the breadth of the “fertile crescent,” each of which
had suffered invasion/destruction/disaster. He asked Israel if they thought they were better or bigger than
these others. They interpreted their material wealth as an affirmation of God’s favor and blessing. And
they felt entitled to blessing and protection because of their status as part of God’s chosen people. Amos’
point was to say that they too are liable for their own sin, and not entitled to special protection when they
have disregarded all of God’s laws, and abandoned Him as their exclusive God, adopting some of the
foreign Gods and Israelite rulers in His place; especially the image set up by Jeroboam I. In fact, some
of these leaders longed for the “day of the Lord” because they just knew that God would raise the up, and
put down all their enemies. Amos implies that a much more terrible outcome would be if the “day of the
Lord” came.
2 Pro 16:18, Luke 3:8, John 8:39
3 Illustration: Ted Haggard, pastor of New Life Church in CO Springs, founder of the Assn of Life Giving
Churches, president of National Association of Evangelicals, friend of James Dobson was publically
accused of drug use and an illicit homosexual affair. His $140K annual salary, book royalties, $600K
home, marriage, ministry, etc were in jeopardy. After much denial, the accusations proved true, and he
stepped aside. Tarnished all evangelicals, again. He thought he was untouchable…Since then, the church
has laid off 44 employees due to a decrease in attendance and finances. Untold damage.
4 Being a world “superpower” for a century now, Americans have a similar sense of superiority to the rest
of the world. In fact, especially among evangelical circles, our nation is viewed as a divinely ordained
city on a hill to light up the world. Some of the puritans felt that way as they escaped persecution in
Europe and came to a new land to start afresh. Much of the language and arguments within political
evangelicalism talks about the founding of our country on the Judeo-Christian principles (which it was),
then they jump to the conclusion that God would bless his people, his nation, if his people called by his
name...
• But let’s make this a little closer to home. Sometimes we as individuals or New River as a church feels
like it is untouchable. None of us are beyond a major fall. That life will just continue on as normal. That
growth, jobs, workers, money, etc will just continue without any adjustments on our behalf. Some of
you have experienced major struggles this year, and these are good reminders that we are not entitled to
more than others among us that are not good, moral, church going people. We are not untouchable. Our
lives, nor our church is beyond suffering loss or ceasing to exist. Sat with JB in Macon yesterday. He
talked about going on to his heavenly home. Thought about the commitment and investment he made to
NR over the years. The THRIVE team is prepared, not only help cast a fresh vision for our church, but to
show our plateaued status. We live in a different world, and we must reach them; but in order to do so, we
must seek God’s face, and beg Him to draw us close. Our complacency in ministry is an indication of our
complacency in our own spiritual lives, as well as of our need of revival.
A
B
Deceived Sufficiency (v. 4-6a)
1 Amos speaks of the luxury, laxity, and laziness that their wealth has brought to them. He speaks of beds
of ivory, lying on couches, and eating the choicest of foods. This is not rocket science. If you have all the
money that you could ever need or want, the typical course of action is to buy all that you need, and most
of what you want. Obviously exceptions to the rule, but Amos is dealing with the actual responses of the
“cows of Bashan.” He speaks of their love of music and wine. They drank out of bowls instead of cups.
They had all the most expensive perfumes and ointments, which were rare and very costly. This only adds
to the picture of gluttony and laziness of the wealthy of his day.
2 Argumentation
3 Illustration: “nothing too good for the idle rich.” “The indictment in all the accusations of indulgence is
that Israel’s leading citizens went on in their revelry as if all was well (cf. 4:1). Joseph (Israel) was about
to break up as a nation, yet the leading citizens were not sick over it as they should have been. They were
“totally self-centered, totally preoccupied with the pleasures of life but blinded to the threatening reality
all around them.” Life, so they thought, could not be better. According to Amos, it could not have been
worse.”
• This principle for application is this: ample material blessings, usually make us pretty self-sufficient
people. Self-sufficiency tends to put us at ease. Our dependency upon God lessens when we have the
things that we need. Sometimes blessings are not really blessings. For this new year, New River has
been blessed with a new building. The space that many of us have longed to have for years now is a
reality. Is it an asset, most definitely! But it definitely has the danger within it to cause us to be satisfied,
to be at ease in Zion, to become complacent. To have a great victory and accomplishment, can lead us
to rest on the mountain, when down in the valley still lie thousands in our backyards who don’t know
peace; thousands who look upon another church that heaps up resources for itself. But not only the new
building, but all our existing facilities, our human resources, other material blessings, they are better than
other churches. We have been blessed. But they can cause us to be satisfied. And in this there is great
danger. We could stop thinking about necessities and and other priorities, and operate on agendas of
personal gain, unnecessary wants, inflated spending. Look at the US government, right? The dangers
also include a focus on the visible, rather than the spiritual realms. The danger also includes a neglect of
our personal walks with God. We grow from being around other spiritual believers, but we can also pick
up negative perspectives and mindsets from the spiritually complacent. This is why Paul instructs us to
always consider ourselves when we are attempting to rescue those who are straying. Avoid sharing in
their negativity when trying to minister to them.
C
Divine Reality (v. 6b-8)
1 The reality that Amos presents is should be, and what will be. They should be grieved over what was
going on in Israel. The oppression, injustice, and spiritual lethargy was breaking the heart of God,
and should have felt that same heart. The world that Amos uses is “grieved” which means to be sick,
weakened, or in pain from some heartache. Amos also tells them that judgment is coming. This was not
a popular message in Israel, especially among the leaders, and among those who consider themselves
spiritually committed. Even the prophets themselves struggled with messages like this, even though
they were obedient to preach them. The 10 tribes of the north would be scattered, never to be reformed
as a kingdom. But Judah’s judgment would be only be 70 years. The judgment upon both would be to
discipline them back to obedient, faithful pursuit of their relationship to God.
2 Argumentation
3 Illustration:“One of these days lightning is going to fill the sky from the rising of the sun to its setting, and
we will see him clearly. And whether from terror or sheer excitement, we will tremble and we will wonder
how, how we ever lived so long with such a domesticated, harmless Christ” -Piper
4 Since believers are following Christ and being conformed into his image, we should be loving the things
that God loves, and despising the things that He despises. We should be broken over the spiritual loss
in our country, and also in our church. Our hearts should ache for the spiritual apathy and minimal
commitment that we see. Do you ache for us, long for Him? We should long for God to visit us. Years
of passion, and growth, and yet we have failed to make disciples enough to sustain the vibrancy of NR.
And maybe this is totally a personal assessment. I feel like I have been in need of true personal revival
for a long time, and have been begging the Lord for it, for some time now. How about you? Do you feel
like there were seasons in your walk with Christ that have been closer? Maybe not? If not, know that
there is danger for those times to come, and pray that the Lord show mercy to you regarding that danger.
The prophets called us to be unified in our weeping and crying out to God for revival, and we have an
opportunity for it, but how many will reach out?
5 We are not the Israel of old. I am not saying that God has told me that judgment for NR is inevitable. But
the principle is clear: when God’s people fall into spiritual apathy and complacency, judgment is coming.
Most believe that our nation is already experiencing such judgment. The church is not exempt. If we don’t
turn back to him the spiritual consequences will come. In our personal lives, judgment will come. The
judgment upon us would actually be a tool of discipline upon our lives, but it wouldn't be fun. But God’s
loving kindness and mercy endures forever, and we still have an opportunity to repent and be renewed.
The January REFRESH meetings will be an opportunity. The THRIVE vision and strategy plan will be
another. But a prerequisite is personal revival. Will you seek Him?
Closing illustration: short review of the churches in the cities of the seven in the first 3 chapters of
Revelation
B
Recap
C Invitation to commitment
A
Additional Notes
Is Christ Exalted, Magnified, Honored, and Glorified?
