Amos 9:7 (NIV) – “Are not you Israelites the same to me as the Cushites?” declares the LORD. “Did I not bring Israel up from Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir?
Israelites were a special people group. Out of all nations, God chose them to bless them and demonstrate His love. God’s desire was to use Israel to attract other nations to Him. Evangelism by attraction. Evangelism by attracting the targeted people. That made Israel special.
Exodus 19:4-6 (NIV) – 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations YOU WILL BE MY TREASURED POSSESSION. ALTHOUGH THE WHOLE EARTH IS MINE, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
God sent Moses to tell Israelites that they are special. They are special because they will serve God as kingdom of priests and as a holy nation. They were special. They were special on condition that they served God as a kingdom of priests. They were special if they remained to be a holy nation. They were special on condition of fulfilling those expectations of priesthood and holiness.
Israel was special, but they were not the only people of God. Moses told them clearly that the whole earth belongs to God. Even your worst enemies belong to God. Do not be so obsessed with being special until you forget that the whole earth is special to God.
John 3:16 (NIV) – For God so LOVED THE WORLD that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
God loved the world, not just Israel. Israel is special, but the rest of the world is equally special. Jesus did not just die for the special Israelites, but for the rest of the world that He really loved.
Amos 9:7 (Message Bible) – “Do you Israelites think you’re any better than the far-off Cushites?” God’s Decree. “Am I not involved with all nations? Didn’t I bring Israel up from Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor, the Arameans from Qir?
In our focus today, God tells Israelites through Prophet Amos that other people are also special. You are not the only special people. The way I saved you from Egypt, I also saved other nations from other places. I saved Philistines your arch-enemies from Caphtor. I saved your other enemies the Arameans from Qir. You Israelites are special, but your enemies are equally special to me. As I saved you I saved them!
Do not be too proud, feeling that you are more important than others. God is your Savior and the Savior of your enemies. You are special and others are special too. Be humble. Your blessings are from God, and the blessings your enemies are enjoying are from the same God. You are special but you are not the only special person. Other special people exist other than you!
1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV) – 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, THAT YOU MAY declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
God’s has made Christians special for a purpose. That they may evangelize. When we cease to evangelize, our specialness ceases. We are special because of the God given role. We are not superior to others, we only have a superior role. If we abandon our role, we get relegated to ordinary. We therefore must take our evangelistic assignment seriously.
A Christian church that doesn’t evangelize is no better than a mosque, a Synagogue, a Buddhism shrine, etc. What makes Christianity superior special is the evangelistic role. Without the evangelistic role, before God you are as ordinarily same as any heathen religious people.
As we deal and interact with people of other faiths, we should be humble and treat them as special people. We are as special as they are special to God. The God who blesses us every day, blesses them every day. The God who answers our prayers also answers their prayers. They too are special to God. What makes us stand out is the evangelistic role that gave us.
Our Christian institutions are no better than others unless they are evangelistic. They remain ordinary schools, ordinary hospitals, etc., until when they are evangelistic. It is not enough to be called by God’s name, others claim the same God and rightly so. They should be evangelistic if they are to be superior special.
Matthew 5:45 (NIV) – that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
God sends the rain and sun on the righteous and the wicked. He is the God of everyone. He provides food for everyone. He provides life for everyone. He blesses everyone. You are special but others are special too!
Romans 11:26 (NIV) – and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
Romans 11:29 (NIV) – for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
God made a special promise to Israel. God has kept that promise even when Israelites have been unfaithful. It is God’s grace that has kept the Israelite nation seem special and superior. They are no better than other nations, but God has been gracious to them. God who calls them and calls us doesn’t change His mind. He doesn’t revoke the gift and call He gave Israelites and gave us. However, if we do not remain evangelistic according to that call, we will perish after enjoy grace and mercy.
We are special, but others are equally special. We are special because of our assignment from God. If we remain evangelistic according to our call, we remain humble and special. May God keep us faithful and humble. May we remember that He is the God of everyone and as special as we are, others are special too. In Jesus name, Amen!
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now I know what makes me special and my prayer is God help me to declare and proclaim how good and fair He has been to me.
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