Sharper Iron — The Day Is Surely Drawing Near: Salvation by Grace, not by Bloodline

Rev. Brian Flamme, pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Roswell, NM, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Amos 3:1-2.

After his eight oracles against both foreign nations and God’s people, Judah and Israel, Amos continues to preach against the people of Israel. The LORD is angry with His people, and with good reason. They have engaged in idolatrous worship and shown forth their lack of love according to the Ten Commandments. This was true despite the fact that the LORD had known Israel of all the families of the earth. He had given His promise to Abraham that the Savior would come through his family. He had rescued Israel from slavery in Egpyt and given them the sacrifices that preached Christ crucified. He had given them His Word to hear and believe for the forgiveness of their sins. Israel, however, had not found their identity in the Word that God had given, but in their abstract status as Israel. Rather than receiving the LORD’s gifts by faith and responding in faith, Israel rejected His gifts and believed and lived according to their own idolatrous standards. For this reason, Israel particularly would be punished by the LORD. Yet even in that punishment, the LORD did not withdraw His promise of the Seed. The preaching of Amos intended to crush the people’s stony sinful hearts so that they would cling to this promise of the coming Savior as their only true comfort. Still today, the temptation exists for us to identify ourselves as Christians apart from God’s Word. For that reason, preachers still call us away from such idolatry so that we would find our true comfort in Christ alone.

“The Day Is Surely Drawing Near” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that digs into the book of Amos. This Old Testament prophet speaks the LORD’s roaring Word in order to call us first to repentance over our idolatry and injustice and second to faith in the Messiah in the line of David, Jesus Christ. Only through faith in Him will we stand forgiven and redeemed on the coming Day of the LORD.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Amos 3:1-2

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

3 Hear this word that the Lord has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:

²“You only have I known
of all the families of the earth;
therefore I will punish you
for all your iniquities.

English Standard Version (ESV)

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).