Chill Out, Amos

 

Amos 6:4-7    Luke 19:19-31

 

     A missionary goes up to a mountain woman at the door of  a very modest home and asks, "Do you know that Jesus died for your sins?"

     She says, "Well, you know, I live so far back up the holler that I don't hardly ever get any news, and I hadn't even heard that he was sick."

      The missionary says, "I see you are living in darkness."

      She says, "Yes, I've been trying to get John to cut me a window on the south side of the house to get more light."

      He tries another tack, "Who's John?"

      "Why, he's my husband."

      "Where is he?"

      "Off hunting."

      "What, off hunting on the Sabbath, when the Judgment Day is coming?

      "When is it?"

      "Why, it might be next month or it might be next week."

      "Well, when you find out, let me know.  John will want to go on both days."

        

       This joke is appealing because the tables are turned.  The woman who is perceived to be ignorant is making a fool of the one who feels superior.  There is also some table turning going on in our Scripture readings for today.

 

      It has been said that one of the goals of preaching is to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.  I don't know if Amos was able to comfort the afflicted but he sure could afflict the comfortable.  He did such a good job of afflicting the comfortable that they ran him out of the country.   They were in no mood to hear predictions of a day of disaster that was coming. 

 

      He chastised them for sleeping on comfortable beds.  He got on them about listening to music while they were sipping on their wine. 

 

      As he goes on his tirade you can hear the people respond, "Chill Out, Amos."  We are God's chosen people.  We are being rewarded.  We deserve to lie in comfortable beds and listen to rock music and enjoy fine wine. 

 

      But Amos couldn't leave it alone.  He told them that if they didn't change their ways when it was time to be taken into exile, they would be the first to go.  It won't be long until your merriment turns into wailing and gnashing of teeth.    

 

      Today we can also dismiss Amos.  He is part of the Old Testament history.  He spoke before Jesus came.  Unfortunately the word of Jesus is similar to the word of Amos.

 

      Jesus had some good news to go along with the bad new.  The good news is for those who were wondering if there is life after death.  The answer to that is a resounding YES.  When Lazarus died he was carried by angels to the bosom of Abraham.  While the good news is that there is life after death, the bad news is that not everyone is going to be carried off to the bosom of Abraham. 

 

       The people that seem to be in trouble in the eyes of Amos and Jesus are the ones who are living high on the hog but have no empathy for those who suffer.   Amos and Jesus picture an upper class that is so self-centered and intent on its own pleasure that they are unable to hear a word from God about being in danger of losing everything that they have.

 

       In talking about possessions we often laugh and say you can't take them with you.  Amos and Jesus are saying that our future depends on what we do with what we have.  Yes, we can party hearty and look the other way when we see people in need and make believe the words of Amos and Jesus do not apply to us.  But then there is the picture of the rich man, in torment, in Hades crying out, Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am in anguish in this flame."

 

       The parable is addressed to those who love wealth more than faithfulness.  Their equation is wealth equals blessed by God equals obedience to God's commandments.  And the condition of the poor man is a result of God's punishment and we should not interfere with God's punishment.

 

       Both Amos and Jesus are saying that is a misunderstanding of who God is and what God desires.  The haves have a responsibility to look out for the have-nots.  And that is nothing new.  The law of Moses in Leviticus required that the harvest be shared with the poor.  And in Deuteronomy we find the words, "You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy, and to the poor, in the land."

 

       The question that both Amos and Jesus raise is do we love wealth more than faithfulness.  There is no question about where God stands on this issue.  We are the five brothers of the rich man in the parable.  We have Moses and the prophets, we know about the resurrection.  Are we going to lie on our beds of ivory and give no thought to the poor or are we going to try to make a difference in the lives of people like Lazarus?

 

        The question we are left to ponder is "Do we love wealth more than faithfulness?"  If so, are we going to do anything about it.