Sermon 254

SERMON 254 — THE NATURE OF THE REFORMATION NEEDED

Text: Amos 8:11–14 (Read 1–14)
Date: October 30, 1949
Preacher: G. S. Kok

INTRODUCTION

Tomorrow we celebrate Reformation Day, recalling the great revival of biblical truth in the 16th century under Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli.This Scripture confronts us with a solemn warning — a famine is coming.Not a famine of food or water, but a famine of hearing the Word of the Lord.This famine fell on Israel when she forsook God’s Word.It threatened Europe before the Reformation.It threatens America today.

SUBJECT: THE NATURE OF THE REFORMATION NEEDED

I. THE NATURE OF THE REFORMATION NEEDED

A. Israel had forsaken the Word of God
1.They abandoned Jerusalem as the center of worship.
2.They worshiped at Dan and Bethel according to their own ideas.
3.They rejected the Word of God and the prophets.
4.Their views of God and salvation were corrupted.
5.False prophets flourished.
6.They trusted in ceremonies and sacrifices rather than repentance.
7.Their religion was outward, man-made, and spiritually empty.The forsaking of God’s Word was the root of all their religious and social evils.

B. Before the 16th-century Reformation
1.Scripture was a closed book.
2.Human traditions replaced biblical authority.
3.The teachings of salvation were corrupted:
  a.Works replaced grace.
  b.Human merit replaced Christ’s merit.
  c.Indulgences replaced repentance.
4.The Bible needed to be restored as the final rule of faith and life.The Reformers cried: “Back to the Word of God!”Unlike Israel, the people of Europe heeded the call.

C. Today — the same departure occurs
1.Churches again forsake Scripture.
2.Many base salvation on:
  a.personal goodness,
  b.vague ideas of God’s kindness apart from Christ,
  c.financial contributions rather than repentance and faith.
3.God’s Word is excluded from daily life, education, morality, and public life.
4.God calls again: Return to the Word.

II. THE FAMINE TO BE AVOIDED

A. A famine of hearing God’s Word
1.Not a famine of bread or water.
2.A famine of hearing the Word of the Lord.
3.God withdrawing His voice — the most dreadful judgment.
4.Like wartime radio blackouts — the radio is on, but no message comes.
5.People listen, but cannot hear God’s Word.
Why is this terrible?
  a.Man shall not live by bread alone.
  b.Without the Word of God, spiritual life dies.
  c.Saul experienced this famine when God no longer answered him.
  d.Where God’s Word is withdrawn, the people perish.

B. The consequences
1.People search desperately for a word from God, but too late.
2.Youth faint from spiritual starvation because their fathers rejected God’s Word.
3.They collapse at the feet of dumb idols of their own making.
4.There they perish.

C. Its present threat
1.God’s Word is despised today.
2.Unless America returns to Scripture, it will spiritually perish.
3.Unless the church faithfully preaches Scripture, it also will perish.

CONCLUSION

The Reformation saved Europe from famine because people returned to Scripture.Imagine the darkness if they had not listened.Imagine the darkness if we do not.When God’s Word is removed: darkness deepens, morality collapses, youth perish, hope dies, confusion reigns.Reformation or famine — this is still the choice before us.