Date: 06-28-2020

Title: Playing Church

(S) cripture:
    Amos 5:21-24 (NASB) “I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 “Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. 23 “Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. 24 “But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

(O) bservation:
    Amos is calling for repentance. He is describing the “Day of the Lord.” In this he speaks God’s words and blasts them for their hypocrisy in worship. They were doing the things of worship but were ignoring living a faithful life. They were just playing at their relationship with God. God calls for justice and righteousness to be part and parcel of our existence. These two are to be descriptive of our lives and here they were not and God was not pleased.

(A) pplication:
    At times I wonder if we are just playing church. This passage seems to describe what happens in our churches. We are good people doing good things but our lives are not being transformed and we seem content in our current condition. We think we are doing God some kind of favor by showing up on Sunday and throwing a quarter in the plate. Here the Lord requires much more. It is justice and righteousness that God requires from His people. We can no longer be satisfied with the pseudo practices of our faith. This can be so easy in this time of Covid-19, especially as we gather online for worship. Our worship must now be real and come from the heart. Our worship practices must be genuine and revealed in a life of faith lived out in the power of the Holy Spirit. Today I will examine my life and worship to make sure it is real. I do not want a hint of hypocrisy. I want my worship to be real and honoring to the Lord. I do not want to play church I want to experience real church and worship.

(P) rayer:
    Lord remove those things that are not real from my life. Rid me of hypocrisy so that my life with you will be real and true. Let me experience the power of the Holy Spirit in my life and worship today. Amen