NE7ER 3 // A Never-Failing Stream

Amos 5:21-24 (NLT) | 21 I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. 22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. 23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. 24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Hypocrisy

  • People were playing at faith while lacking justice and righteousness in their relationships.
  • God does not want our trinkets, because He has everything.

Justice

  • Should flow like a river to a larger body of water
  • Constant movement from us to others to God

Righteousness

  • Doing what’s right in God’s eyes towards others into the world
  • True from governments to individuals

Playing church while ignoring others causes justice to dry up like an old creek bed.

How to flow with righteousness and justice…

  1. Don’t just go through the motions
    – Proverbs 21:3 (MSG) | Clean living before God and justice with our neighbors mean far more to God than religious performance.
  2. Don’t play at church
    – Matthew 6:1-18 summarized | When your faith life is a performance, your audience is your reward – even in prayer, fasting, and giving
  3. God wants your whole heart
    – Matthew 9:13 (ESV) | Jesus said, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Closing Questions

  1. How are you guilty of hypocrisy?
  2. How does God’s view of righteousness and justice challenge you?
  3. How is God calling your sinner’s heart?