Slideshow image

For this Sunday we hear about what happened to John the Baptist and the story of Amos, who was sent to prophesy to the Northern Kingdom of Israel.  Notice how I said what I did. What happened TO John the Baptist, and I said that Amos was sent to prophesy- I didn't call him the "Prophet Amos."

Read the lessons (you can find them on the website) and think about it. (Go ahead, I'll wait.)

Notice that Amos was not a prophet, not in the professional sense? That was Amaziah, and notice how he treated Amos. Why? Who was Amaziah "answering to"?  Who was he trying to keep happy?  Read all of Amos if you would.)

John "stuck his neck out," in a sense, but not where it cost him his head. He spoke truth to power to Herod, but Herod still respected him. It wasn't until Herod, trying to please others, made a promise that he shouldn't have.

Jesus, in last Sunday's Gospel, went home and had his neighbors get offended at him. They were all like, "Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son?"  He quoted this scripture to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house."

It seems that prophets are without honor to those who want to maintain the status quo, those who want to protect their position or comfort, and those who the prophet has been sent to talk to!

Amos was threatened. John was beheaded. Elijah was chased and threatened with death. Jesus was crucified. Why? All they said were words! But they are words from God to YOU. How will you respond? Ignore? Chase off those who say them? Persecute them? Belittle them? Kill them?

When you read things like: Micah 6:6-8, Isaiah 1:17, Zechariah 7:10, Jeremiah 22: 13-17, Ezekiel 16:49, Isaiah 61:1-2 (what Jesus read in the synagogue), and countless others throughout the scripture about how we treat one another (Matthew 25: 31-46 as a example in a parable)- how do you react? Would you ignore, or chase away- perhaps threaten the ones who dare to challenge you, or simply call them names to belittle their concerns and to make light of what they are saying? Or might you listen, and go beyond listening to responding as the Word calls us to? Perhaps even be willing to stick your own neck out, to take up your own cross, and advocate for those the prophet declares the Lord's care for?