Session 2 Amos 4:1-13

WORSHIP (AMOS 4:4-5)

the accusations made about the worship practices in Israel.

4 Come to Bethel and rebel;
rebel even more at Gilgal!
Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tenths every three days.
5 Offer leavened bread as a thanksgiving sacrifice,
and loudly proclaim your freewill offerings,
for that is what you Israelites love to do!
This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

HIGHLIGHT:

Offerings, sacrifices, and tithes were good things,
but the boastfulness of the worshipers in doing those things was the issue.
The outward motions of worship were not enough to please God. (p. 25)

consider outwardly positive religious actions done with the wrong attitude or motive.
The ritual was not at fault as much as the motives.

DISCUSS:

• How can the self-indulgent practices of people like those mentioned in verses 1-3, also affect the way that they worship in verses 4-5?
• How can a person’s worship practices be a cover-up for their sins? (p. 23)

TRANSITION:

Amos recounted numerous different ways God sought to get the Israelites’ attention
so they would return to Him. But they refused.