ANCIENT WORDS, MODERN WORLD WEEK 3: WHEN RELIGION MISSES THE POINT (AMOS)

The Church has long had to battle the accusation and stigma of hypocrisy when it comes to the way the world views it. We have been accused of saying one thing or acting a certain way inside the four walls of the church building, but then talking and acting a very different way once we are outside those walls. Unfortunately, way too often those accusations have been very true. We probably all know someone (or possibly even ourselves) who has made bold statements or promises, acted a certain way during a church service or even publicly proclaimed our faith, but then didn’t back up their words with actions or behaviors.

Now, it is one thing if the world sees our “religion” as hypocritical, but what if God is not impressed or pleased with our worship? What if God sees it as insincere…or worse, as phony or fake? Too often, we assume that if we are showing up, singing loudly, clapping, or raising our hands at the right time, giving anything, serving and doing good that God must be pleased. Our “religion” sounds and looks good to everyone in the room, but it is not impressing God.

This is exactly what Amos is addressing in his writing to the Jewish people. They had become successful and affluent. They had all that they needed, and in the process, they had drifted away from true worship of God. Does this sound a little too familiar? Does it hit just a little too close to home? The problem becomes this: the more comfortable we become in life, we tend to allow our loyalties and worship to drift away from the one who actually has provided for us.

You see, worship is more than just words in a song or actions in a service. True worship of God changes the way we act on a daily basis. It means that we treat others fairly; we protect the vulnerable and we live righteously in our everyday lives.

Worship that doesn’t transform your life is not worship at all.  It is easy to see the “sin” around us, but more difficult to see the sin right here in us. God is calling us to covenant faithfulness, to live our lives directed by and aligned with his Word. Justice and true worship flows from a heart that is in tune with and aligned with God’s. God is looking for faithfulness, and his true religion changes both you and the world around you.