Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Message Title: Let Justice Flow

Texts: Amos 5:21–24; James 2:14–17

Good morning, church.

Today I want to talk about love, but not the kind of love that stays in our head or in our feelings. Our theme is simple: love looks like mercy, humility, and justice. If love is real, people can see it. It becomes a pattern. A habit. A way of life.

And our Scriptures today are very direct.

Amos speaks for God with words that almost sound harsh. God says, “I hate your festivals. I do not want your offerings. I do not want the noise of your songs.” That is strong. But let’s be clear: God is not against worship. God is against worship that becomes a mask, worship that makes us feel religious while we stay unchanged.

God is basically saying, “Do not sing to me and then ignore the people I love.”

Then Amos gives one clear picture: “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Justice is like water. Water moves. Water reaches dry places. Water gives life.

So Amos is saying: if worship is real, it should flow out of the sanctuary and into the street. Into Monday. Into our relationships. Into what we do when nobody is watching.

Then James comes in and makes it even simpler. James says, “If someone is hungry or cold, and you say, ‘Go in peace, be warm, be filled,’ but you do not help, what good is that?” James is not rejecting prayer. He is not rejecting kind words. He is saying something honest: faith that never becomes action is not alive.

So Amos confronts worship without justice. James confronts faith without works.

And now we have to ask: what is God doing here? Is God just scolding us? Is this just moral pressure?

Here is the gospel. The good news.

God is not exposing empty worship to shame us. God is exposing it to bring us home.

God is like a loving parent who says, “I know your words. I want your heart. And I want your life to heal.”

Because the truth is, we all know what it is like to use words to cover something. We say, “I’m fine,” when we are not. We say, “I’ll pray,” when we are avoiding real help. We sing, but we stay distant. We say we believe, but we keep our hands in our pockets.

The Bible does not say this to crush us. The Bible says it because God loves the world, and God loves us, and God wants a church that actually looks like Jesus.

So here’s the center of the gospel today: Jesus does not just tell us what love is. Jesus shows us.

Jesus is mercy with skin on. He notices the overlooked. He touches the untouchable. He sits with the outcast. He feeds the hungry. He welcomes children. He heals people who are tired and ashamed.

Jesus is humility with skin on. He does not climb over people to gain power. He takes the lowest place. He washes feet. He listens. He serves.

Jesus is justice with skin on. He tells the truth. He confronts what harms people. He refuses to let the vulnerable be forgotten. He breaks the rules that keep people locked out of dignity.

And then Jesus goes to the cross.

Church, the cross is not only a symbol of forgiveness. The cross is also the shape of God’s love in the world.

The world says, “Power wins by crushing.”

Jesus says, “Love wins by giving.”

The world says, “Protect yourself.”

Jesus says, “I will stand with the weak.”

The world says, “Get even.”

Jesus says, “I will absorb the hatred and still offer peace.”

On the cross, Christ carries not only our personal sins, but also our indifference, our excuses, our refusal to see people. Christ bears the weight of a world that says, “Some lives matter less.” And then in the resurrection, God says, “No. I am making all things new.”

So gospel is not: “Try harder and be nicer.”

Gospel is: “You are loved. You are forgiven. You are given a new life. Now come, follow me in a new way.”

That is theology. The order matters.

We do not act so that God will love us.

We act because God already loves us.

We do not practice justice to earn salvation.

We practice justice because salvation is already moving through us.

This is why Wesley talked about holiness as something social, not just private. Real holiness becomes mercy. It becomes visiting. Feeding. Welcoming. Repairing. Love becomes a habit.

Now, let me bring in the philosophy underneath this, but I’ll say it in plain language.

Most of us think change happens by information, like, “If I hear the right sermon, then I will change.” But honestly, most change happens by repetition, by habit.

We become patient by practicing patience.

We become generous by practicing generosity.

We become merciful by practicing mercy.

That is basically the wisdom of virtue ethics, the habit philosophy: you become a certain kind of person by doing certain kinds of actions again and again.

And that is why this sermon cannot end with just an idea. It has to end with a practice.

So here is our simple, very doable invitation for this week: choose one small justice practice.

Not a big promise. Not a dramatic pledge. One small action you can do in 15 to 30 minutes. Something you can repeat.

Because Amos says justice should flow like water. That means it should keep moving, little by little. And James says faith should show up. That means it should become real help.

So what might a small justice practice look like?

It might be mercy. You call someone who has been alone and you actually listen. Not rushing. Just being present.

It might be practical help. Someone is struggling. You bring a meal. You drop off groceries. You give a ride. You help with a small bill. You do something concrete.

It might be dignity. You refuse gossip. You stop a cruel joke. You protect someone’s name.

It might be courage. You speak up when someone is treated unfairly. Calmly, respectfully, but clearly: “That’s not right.”

It might be humility at home. You apologize. You ask, “Help me understand.” You take the first step toward repair.

And let me say this too. This is not about saving the whole world this week. This is about letting love become visible in your part of the world.

A river starts as small streams.

Now I want to land this message with one question, not to make you feel guilty, just to help us be honest.

If someone watched your week, not just your Sunday, would they see love?

Would they see mercy that moves toward people?

Would they see humility that listens and learns?

Would they see justice that refuses to ignore harm?

Or would they mostly hear good words?

Church, God is not asking for perfect people. God is forming a faithful people.

So let’s take ten seconds right now. Quietly.

Name one person, or one situation, where love needs to show up this week.

Now choose one small action you can do. If you want, write it down on your phone.

And when you do it, pray this simple prayer: “Lord, let justice flow through my hands today.”

Because that is what true worship looks like.

That is what living faith looks like.

That is what the gospel produces: a people who love with mercy, humility, and justice.

In the name of the Creator, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.