Sermon 261

SERMON 261 — REFORMATION OR FAMINE

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

INTRODUCTION

Tomorrow is Reformation Day, when we commemorate the great 16th-century Reformation under Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli.To understand the significance of that Reformation—and the necessity of continual reform in every age—we turn to the warning spoken through Amos: a famine is coming.Not a famine of food, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.This passage shows why reformation is always needed, and what happens when the Word of God is forsaken.

SUBJECT: REFORMATION OR FAMINE

I. THE NATURE OF THE REFORMATION NEEDED

A. Israel had forsaken the Word of God
1.The ten tribes separated themselves from Jerusalem.
2.They worshiped at Dan and Bethel in ways God had not commanded.
3.They rejected God’s Word and replaced it with religion of their own design.
4.Their views of God and salvation no longer matched His revealed truth.
5.The root of all their religious and social evils was departure from Scripture.“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

B. The Roman Catholic Church before the Reformation committed the same errors
1.The Bible was a closed, hidden book.
2.It was no longer the rule of faith and conduct.
3.Salvation was corrupted by human teachings:
 a.works righteousness,
 b.indulgences for money,
 c.traditions replacing Scripture.
4.The truth of justification by faith was buried under man-made doctrines.
5.The church needed a return to the Word of God.The Reformers cried, “Back to the Scriptures! Back to the Gospel!”

C. The same danger exists today
1.Churches again depart from the Word.
2.Many base salvation on personal goodness, vague ideas of God’s love, or financial support of the church.
3.Many treat membership as a matter of dues rather than faith.
4.Society solves problems without reference to Scripture.
5.God’s law is mocked, ignored, or rejected.
6.Once again, the call must be: Back to the Word of God!

II. THE FAMINE TO BE AVOIDED

Reformation is not optional.It is the alternative to judgment.

A. A famine of hearing the Word of the LORD
1.Not a famine of bread or water.
2.A famine of God’s truth.
3.People will listen, but hear no Word from God—only silence.
4.Like a radio blackout: the receiver is on, but nothing comes through.

B. The most terrible of all judgments
1.“Man shall not live by bread alone…”
2.Without God’s Word, a nation spiritually starves.
3.Like King Saul, who longed for a message from God but heard nothing.
4.When God withdraws His Word:
 people wander from sea to sea,
 they stagger north and east,
 but they cannot find the truth.

C. The tragedy upon the next generation
1.“The fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.”
2.Young people starve spiritually because their parents rejected the Word.
3.When Scripture is forsaken, youth perish with no foundation.
4.They fall before idols—empty substitutes created by a faithless society.

D. Israel experienced this famine
1.God withdrew His Word.
2.The prophets were silenced.
3.The people sought a message too late.
4.They perished for lack of divine truth.
5.Judgment fell exactly as God warned.

III. THE PRESENT THREAT

A. The Word of God is again neglected
1.In the nation, Scripture is removed from public life.
2.Schools no longer teach God’s truth.
3.Many churches preach moral uplift instead of the Gospel.

B. Unless America reforms, she will face the same famine
1.Without the Word, a nation collapses spiritually and morally.
2.Civilization cannot survive when the light of truth is extinguished.
3.Darkness deepens when God’s Word is removed.

C. Unless the church returns to Scripture, she will perish
1.The church lives only by the Word of God.
2.Without it, she becomes hollow, worldly, and dead.
3.Her lampstand is removed when she rejects the truth.

CONCLUSION

During the Reformation, God used His servants to call the world back to His Word — and the famine was prevented.What if the Reformers had remained silent?Europe would have been lost in darkness.What if we remain silent today?Unless there is a new Reformation — a turning back to Scripture — a famine is coming.The light will go out.The youth will faint.Civilization will decay.And the judgment of God will fall.Let us return to the Word of God while it is still day.