Self Condemned
Sermon 8 in Series
Amos 6:1-14
[1] “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion,
and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria,
the notable men of the first of the nations,
to whom the house of Israel comes!
[2] Pass over to Calneh, and see,
and from there go to Hamath the great;
then go down to Gath of the Philistines.
Are you better than these kingdoms?
Or is their territory greater than your territory,
[3] O you who put far away the day of disaster
and bring near the seat of violence?
[4] “Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory
and stretch themselves out on their couches,
and eat lambs from the flock
and calves from the midst of the stall,
[5] who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp
and like David invent for themselves instruments of music,
[6] who drink wine in bowls
and anoint themselves with the finest oils,
but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
[7] Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile,
and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away.”
[8] The Lord GOD has sworn by himself, declares the LORD, the God of hosts:
“I abhor the pride of Jacob
and hate his strongholds,
and I will deliver up the city and all that is in it.”
[9] And if ten men remain in one house, they shall die. [10] And when one’s relative, the one who anoints him for burial, shall take him up to bring the bones out of the house, and shall say to him who is in the innermost parts of the house, “Is there still anyone with you?” he shall say, “No”; and he shall say, “Silence! We must not mention the name of the LORD.”
[11] For behold, the LORD commands,
and the great house shall be struck down into fragments,
and the little house into bits.
[12] Do horses run on rocks?
Does one plow there with oxen?
But you have turned justice into poison
and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood—
[13] you who rejoice in Lo-debar,
who say, “Have we not by our own strength
captured Karnaim for ourselves?”
[14] “For behold, I will raise up against you a nation,
O house of Israel,” declares the LORD, the God of hosts;
“and they shall oppress you from Lebo-hamath
to the Brook of the Arabah.”
1. Have you ever considered how much of Scripture speaks to the self-minimizing aspect of the Christian life? What are some other areas of Scripture which call for this way of living?
2. How do we observe Israel’s self-confidence and how does Amos address it?
3. How does this misplaced confidence lead Israel to plunge deeper into sin? Have you ever noticed this pattern in your own life?
4. What pursuits characterize the self-indulgence of Israel? Have you ever noticed self-indulgence in your life take focus away from more God-honoring pursuits?
5. What does it indicate to be unbothered by sin? Taking inventory of your own heart, what is your reaction to sin in your life?
6. How are self-confidence and self-indulgence condemned in vv.8-14? How does Amos describe that these will prove fatal?
7. Discuss how the gospel frees us from self-focus. How does it free us from the burden of being self-made, from the prison of our appetites, and to give up ourselves?
References: John 3:30; Philippians 2:3-4; 2 Kings 14:28; Luke 12:13-21; 1 Corinthians 10:12; Romans 1:18; Galatians 3:24