Amos 3:3

 

We are in a series we are calling “Getting It Together.”  I have isolated 13 “together” statements in the Bible we are considering.  Today our key verse comes from the Old Testament book of Amos 3:3.  “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”  Let’s get into the idea of “Walking Together in Agreement.”

 

Let’s take a few moments to check out the neighborhood where this statement lives.  The prophet Amos was among the minor prophets (so called because of the size of their prophesy), but their prophesies were anything but minor!  It was Amos who predicted a coming famine (8:11), not of bread or a water shortage, but “of hearing the words of the Lord.”  Indeed, after God spoke through the minor prophets, He was silent for 400 years, until the silence was broken by John the Baptist.

 

Now look at Amos 3.

· v. 1.  God was speaking a word “against” them.  I remember in Romans 11:2 that it says Elijah made “intercession to God against Israel.” 

· v. 2a.  They were a privileged people.

· v. 2b.  They were soon to be a punished people.

 

Following verse 3 there are a series of questions the Lord possesses that can only be answered “no.”

· v. 4.    A lion does not roar without a cause.

· v. 5.    A trap is not set unless there is a desire to catch the bird.

· v. 6a.  A trumpet is blown only to warn of impending danger.

· v. 6b.  A calamity in a city is God’s doing.

 

vs. 7-8  The Lord carries out His judgment only after He had warned His people.  The lion has roared and the Lord has spoken, and Amos can do nothing but lay it on the line and give this prophesy to his people.

 

Amos 3:3.  “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

 

Let’s be honest—relationships for humans are difficult!  Why is sincere agreement in our relationships so hard to attain?

(1) We are all so different….DNA

(2) We all have such different values.

(3) We all have such different life-experiences.

(4) We all have such strong person opinions.

(5) We all have a common enemy, the devil, who would like to eliminate us all from being effective for Christ.

(6) Some of us are just weird, and almost impossible to get along with (part from the grace of Almighty God).

 

Change is hard for all of us.

                - Teens don’t like to change into responsible adults.

                - Single adults don’t like to change into married adults.

                - Married adults don’t like to change into parents.

                - Parents don’t like to let go.

                - Older parents don’t like to let their kids make decisions for them.

 

Amos 3:3.  “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”

 

1. WALKING TOGETHER IN AGREEMENT WITH GOD.

 

When it comes to walking in agreement with God, guess who needs to make all the adjustments, God or us?  That’s right, us.

 

The great thing is God wants to walk with us, more than we want to walk with Him.

· Walking before God...fearful considering who God is.

· Walking after God...trying to keep God in view.

· Walking with God...living in His presence, never alone.

 

I thought about the time Peter was disagreeing with Jesus in Matthew 16.  It was right after he had made the greatest confession of his life in declaring of Jesus, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Immediately after that, Jesus began to tell His disciples that he was headed to Jerusalem to “suffer, be killed...and raised the third day.”  Mark’s gospel (9:32) says the disciples “understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask Him.”  There were in such total shock that their minds refused to process what Jesus had just told them.  Then, the silence was broken and Peter, true to his impulsiveness, blurts out, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee.”  Peter disagreed with Jesus.  And who adjusts?  Jesus did say, “Peter, thank you for your insights.  I must have been mistaken.  You are such a brilliant man.”  Hardly! Jesus laid into Peter and said, “Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offense unto Me: for thou savorest not the things which be of God, but those that be of men,” 16:23. 

 

Folks, if we are going to walk with God, we are going to have to get in agreement with Him.  We must agree with God ...

 

About sin.  “Confession” = “saying the same thing” as God.  1 John 1:9.  One of the first lessons children need to learn is about sin and to be in agreement with God about sin.  The world want to negotiate and define what God has already had the final word on.  Amen?  When God says something is sin...no matter what the congress says, or the courts, or the culture...when God says it is sin it is….sin! 

 

About His Son, our Savior.

 

 

About the need for Separation.  

2 Corinthians 6:14-16  “Unequally yoked together with unbelievers….for what agreement hath the temple of God with idols.”

1 John 2:15-17; James 1:27; 4:4; Romans 12:2

· Personal survival.

· Personal testimony.

 

Deuteronomy 22:10  “Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.”

Think about it: An ox and a donkey move at different speeds; they walk with different gaits.  If they were in the same yoke they would only chafe one another.

 

2. WALKING TOGETHER IN AGREEMENT IN MARRIAGE.

 

How many are married? How many have had disagreements in your marriage?  Nice to see some honest people in the building.  A person who will say that they never argue...will lie about other things, too! 

 

The person who says, “My wife/husband and I agree on everything.”  Here the translation on that: one of you has agreed to keep your mouth shut to keep the peace.

 

The truth is, even after nearly 44 years of marriage, Susan and I continue to have struggles.  We have learned some life lessons and rejoice.  Other lessons we are in “continuing education.”  Hay, I’m a slow-learned and a fast-forgetter!

 

Susan and I never disagree over anything major because we are in 100% agreement on the things that really count.  Here are some essential elements where there must be agreement in marriage.

 

Agree NOT to leave.  Divorce is not God’s plan.  Jesus said, “In the beginning it was not so.”  

· Matthew 19:6  “What God hath joined together…”

· Malachi 2:16 “He hateth the putting away…” God doesn’t hate divorced people, He hates divorce.  And the reason God hates divorce is because of what it does to people emotionally, physically, financially, and spiritually.

· 1 Cor. 7:14  One saved person sanctified a marriage.

 

Agree to forgive.  Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath.  In marriage, it is always one sinner forgiving another sinner...and that is what keeps your marriage going for the distance.  We need to receive forgiveness.  We need to grant forgiveness.  Don’t be hard-headed.  Don’t  become bitter.  Forgive.  The only way to resolve something in marriage is to forgive...and move on.

 

Agree to love.  William Bennett, former Secretary of Education, a few years back attended a contemporary wedding where the bride and the groom pledged in their wedding vows to remain together “as long as love shall last.”  Bennett said, “I sent paper plates as my wedding gift.” 

 

Agree to stay intimate, 1 Cor. 7:5.  “Come together again.”   The marriage bed is no place to settle unresolved issues.

 

 

3. WALKING TOGETHER IN AGREEMENT IN THE CHURCH.

 

· A survey 20 years ago of Protestant churches revealed that 30,000 congregations were caught up in discord and conflict.  At that time, that was one in twelve congregations. 

· Ten years ago in Christian News, a conservative Lutheran paper, said 50% of Protestant preachers reported they had trouble with some church member every week!  That’s not just occasionally, but every week!

· In Southern Baptist churches hundreds of pastors are dismissed every year.

 

Disposition.   Disagree without being disagreeable.  That doesn’t maker everything right, but at least we do not end up destroying one another.

 

Agree with Christ’s place in the church...Founder and Head.

 

Agree with God’s appointed leader….Acts 20:28; 1 Thess 5:12-13.

 

The pastor is a shepherd, but a cowboy!  He is to led (the willing), not drag (the unwilling). 

 

Agree with the Doctrine and Practice of the church...A lot of problems exposed, discussed and challenged in the New Testament were doctrinal problems.  The letter to the Corinthians, Galatians, Hebrews, Thessalonians, Colossians were fighting for their spiritual lives.  “It does make a difference what you believe.”

 

Matt 18:19

 

 

1.   Learn to walk in obedience to Christ, Matthew 11:28, 29.

 

2. Level with others, up front, about your relationship with Christ.

 

Friendships that do not allow for Christ to be your priority are friendships that you cannot afford.

 

Acts 5:9  “agreed together” to lie to the Holy Spirit

 

 

3. Leave any relationship (except marriage) that causes you to compromise your walk.

 

1 Cor 7  One saved person sanctified a marriage.

 

During a hike, a troop of Boy Scouts came across an abandoned sectin of railroad tack.  Each, in turn, tried to walk the rails; but eventually balance was lost, and the scouts tumbled off.  After a while, two of the boys announced they were prepared to walk the entire length of the tracks without falling off.  Challenged to make good their boast, the two fellowships jumped on the opposite rails, extended their arms to each other and joined hands to balance each other, and walked the full distance without any real difficulty.

 

That says it all!  We can do more and do it longer with others than we can on our on.