 May 19, 2003
___ Continued from page 15
___Sometimes the institutions we trust become corrupt and far removed from God; even what we think is true worship is only shoddy mishandling of the holiness of God. Amos calls for a higher standard and for individuals to rise up righteously and release the floodgates of justice and righteousness throughout the land.
___Questions for discussion
___ Describe a time when an institution you trusted became corrupt and untrustworthy. How did you feel; what changes did you make in your giving and attendance to that system?
___ When is it a "sin" to go to church? What are the sinful characteristics of religious leaders that Amos is addressing? What are the warning signs that indicate when religious leaders have lost the prophetic edge Amos brought to the ministry of preaching in his day?
___ Letting justice and righteousness roll requires a complete reversal of the social systems that caused the problems in the first place. How can individuals be used to address corrupt mishandling of resources, poor worship, immoral problems, bribery in the judicial system and mistreatment of the poor through society?
___ Amos implies religious leaders and political leaders should not mix, a common theme in Baptist circles today. Why would Amos be a strong advocate for separation of church and state? What circumstances in Amos' day contributed to the downfall of the priests and the monarchy? How can both church and state live more righteously today?
___ Some people have stated that many churches fight "worship wars," characterized by disagreement over styles of music played during a service. These debates would have largely been unheard of in Amos' day. The war over worship in his book regarded the effects worship had on its hearers. Amos wanted their worship to produce ethical people who cared about justice for the poor. What kind of people does your worship service produce? Do people leave more focused on the needs of those less fortunate?
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