THE PLUMBLINE OF GOD Amos 7 7 8

THE PLUMB-LINE OF GOD Amos 7: 7 -8

The Plumb-Line of God 2 Amos 7: 7 -8 7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. 8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

The Plumb-Line of God 3 Introduction • A plumb line is a simple tool use since the early ages • So declared in our text by Amos • A plumb line is used when erecting a structure • It will measure the straightness of the structure • The plumb-line here is God’s Law How do we measure up?

The Plumb-Line of God 4 The Spiritual State of Israel • The days of Amos were “evil times” - 5: 13 • Amos reminded Israel of their lawlessness and the judgment to come - 4: 13 • Amos warned “prepare to meet thy God, O Israel” - 4: 12; 8: 12 • Israel became as the heathen to the Lord - 9: 7, 8; 5: 12 • The had no regard for the poor - 2: 6 -7; 4: 1 • Had an insatiable desire for riches - 3: 12, 15; 6: 1 -3 • Were ungrateful and disrespectful to God - 2: 9 -12 • Rejected Divine revelation - 3: 1 -2, 10 • Guilty of idolatry - 3: 14 • Deluded in thinking God was with them - 5: 14, 15, 18; 9: 10 • Filled with pride - 6: 8 • The people were cheaters and swindlers - 8: 5 -6

The Plumb-Line of God 5 Amos 7: 1 -9 Amos was shown 3 visions of God’s judgment • Vision # 1 - Locust consuming all vegetation - vss. 1 -3 • Amos appeals to God in prayer - the Lord repents • Vision # 2 - Deep destruction by fire - vss. 4 -6 • Amos again petitions God in prayer - the Lord repents • Vision # 3 - The plumb-line and a wall - vss. 7 -9 • Wall made straight using a plumb-line • The plumb-line represents God’s laws • Those who do not measure up will be judged • Amos does not appeal to God after this vision • The Lord determines they are far from God’s law

The Plumb-Line of God 6 How do we measure up to the Law of God?

The Plumb-Line of God 7 Our Attitudes are visible to others - Good or Bad Does our attitude promote unity and growth? • Are we meek, lowly, longsuffering, forbearing? • Ephesians 4: 2 • Do you need an attitude adjustment? • Matthew 15: 8, 9, 13 -20 • What kind of heart do we have? • Proverbs 23: 7 Is your heart straight with the plumb-line?

The Plumb-Line of God Our Attendance • God’s word demands we put the Kingdom first • Matthew 6: 33 • Early Christians continued daily in obedience to the apostles teaching • Acts 2: 41 -47, especially vs. 46 • The NT Church Assembled for Worship: • To pray - Acts 12: 5, 12 • To sing - Colossians 3: 16 • For preaching - Acts 20: 7 • For the communion - Acts 20: 7 • To lay by in store - 1 Corinthians 16: 2 • Commanded to not forsake the assembling • Hebrews 10: 25 How do you measure with the plumb-line? 8

The Plumb-Line of God 9 Our Moral Purity The plumb-line says… • The pure in heart are blessed - Matthew 5: 8 • To guard your paths - Psalms 119: 105 • A lamp, is light, the way of life - Proverbs 6: 23 • Statutes are right, commandments pure - Psalms 19: 8 • “be an example…in purity” - 1 Timothy 4: 12 • “flee youthful lusts” - 2 Timothy 2: 22 • To have pure thoughts - Philippians 4: 8 Is your moral purity plumb?

The Plumb-Line of God 10 Our Regard for Others God’s plumb-line teaches us to… • Treat others as we want to be treated - Matthew 7: 12 • Consider the things of others - Philippians 2: 4 • Love others as ourselves - Matthew 22: 39 Is your heart straight with the plumb-line?

The Plumb-Line of God 11 Our Study of the Scriptures The Plumb-line of God says… • Study the scriptures - 2 Timothy 2: 15 • Regard God’s word over man’s word - 1 Corinthians 4: 6 • Speak as the oracles of God - 1 Peter 4: 11 • Search the scriptures - John 5: 39; Acts 17: 11 • To reason from the scriptures - Acts 17: 2 • The scriptures give us hope - Romans 15: 4 Is your study according to the plumb-line?

The Plumb-Line of God 12 Our Words Our words justify or condemn us - Matthew 12: 37 • Death or life in the tongue - Proverbs 18: 21 • Some common ungodly uses of the tongue - James 3 • Gossip & talebearing - Proverbs 26: 20 -22 • Blasphemy, lying - Colossians 3: 8, 9 • Foolish talking - Ephesians 5: 3 -5; • Godly uses of the tongue • Preaching the gospel - Acts 2: 40, 41; 8: 4 • Confessing Christ - Acts 8: 37 • Edifying - Ephesians 4: 29 How does your tongue line-up?

The Plumb-Line of God Our Giving Are you robbing God? - Malachi 3: 8 The plumb-line commands us to give… • Ourselves - Romans 12: 1 -2; 2 Corinthians 8: 5 • On the “first day of the week” - 1 Corinthians 16: 1 -2 • Sacrificially - 2 Corinthians 8: 1 -3 • With purpose & cheerfully - 2 Corinthians 9: 6 -7 • We are given the how, when, who & how much How does your giving line-up? 13

The Plumb-Line of God 14 Family Relationships Marriage is honorable - Hebrews 13: 4 • Not all marriages are honorable… • 1 Corinthians 7: 1 -2; Mark 6: 16, 17; Matthew 19: 3 -9; Acts 24: 24 -25 How do we line-up as… • Husbands & wives - Ephesians 5: 24 -33; 1 Peter 3: 1 -7 • Father & mothers - Proverbs 22: 6; Ephesians 6: 4 • Titus 2: 1 -8 • Children - Ephesians 6: 1 -3 Are changes needed to line-up?

The Plumb-Line of God 15 The Church Are you a member of the Lord’s church? • Matthew 16: 18; Acts 20: 28; Ephesians 1: 22, 23; 5: 23; Colossians 1: 18 To be the Lord’s church it must have the right… • Origin - Isaiah 2: 2, 3; Acts 2; Ephesians 3: 10, 11 • Name - Romans 16: 16; Acts 11: 26 • Organization - Ephesians 1: 22 -23; Philippians 1: 1 • Work - Ephesians 4: 12 • Worship - Acts 2: 42; Ephesians 5: 19; Col. 3: 16, 17 • Doctrine - 2 John 9 -11; 1 Timothy 1: 3 • Acts 20: 20, 27 How does the church you attend line-up?

The Plumb-Line of God 16 Conclusion • Measure all you do with God’s plumb-line! • Make the changes that are necessary! • May we all have the desire to apply the Divine plumb-line! “For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth” - Psalms 33: 4

The Plumb-Line of God 17 Psalms 19: 7 -10 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.