God reveals that Israel will be judged due to their unique relationship with Him and their pursuit of comfort at a cost to others, as well as their phony faith. We end the sermon with a time of lament as a church. Amos Chs 3-4

In chapters 1 and 2, Amos delivers eight prophecies against Israel and her neighbors, promising judgment for their sin. God cares about justice and righteousness. A relationship with God does not provide immunity, but increases responsibility.

In 2 Thessalonians 3 Paul instructs us that while we wait for the Lord's return we should pray for the spread of the gospel, not be idle, and not grow weary in doing good.

Paul corrects the Thessalonians fear that Jesus had returned. He reminds them the rebellion and the revealing of the man of lawlessness must happen first, which happen after the restrainer is removed. He then challenges them to stand firm in their faith. 2 Thessalonians 2

Life is full of trials and suffering of various kinds. 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 was written to encourage followers of Jesus to endure in suffering and to keep growing by understanding that Jesus will return to make it all right.

Lamentations is a Memorial that provides valuable lessons about how to pray and voice our sorrow while living between the consequences of sin in a fallen world and the hope of our future restoration. Lamentations 5:1-22

Laments help us express our sorrows, but they also help us remember lessons learned in pain. For those in Jerusalem, the destruction of the city exposed some of the idols they trusted in rather than God. What idols do we worship in our culture today? Lamentations 4

In Lamentations 2-3 we see the continuing consequences of the destruction of Jerusalem. But in the center of this devastation, the writer expresses trust in the Lord. How can we trust God in the midst of trials? We will learn four principles to remember.

The world of the Jews has been turned upside down. Jerusalem has been destroyed, the temple burned, the people taken into exile. It is judgment for their sin, but for how long? How do we talk to God in the midst of our pain? Lamentations 1

They had thought Jesus was the Messiah, but now he was dead. This isn't the way it was supposed to be. Jesus' death and resurrection were a declaration by God that, indeed, this isn't the way it is supposed to be, but that He was doing something about it. John 20:1-31