Sermon Tone Analysis

Meaning

I want to share a few simple thoughts about the word “Amen”.

I wonder what importance we place on this little word.

Are we aware of its significance in the Scriptures?

We will all, I imagine, know the basic meaning of this ancient Hebrew word - something akin to “so let it be” or “yes indeed, it is so”.

In the Scriptures, the root word conveys ideas of truth, reliability and support.

The Amen was used on many occasions where the biblical authors bless the Father and the Son (e.g.

Rom 1.25; Rom 9. 5; Rom 16.27).

This teaches us something of the reverence that should be associated with the Amen.

Amen is the language of faith and worship - it expresses our belief in and reverence for God and for his promises to us.

And Paul teaches us that Amen is spoken for the glory of God (2 Cor 1.20).

Do we have an awareness of that when we say our Amen?

Do we sense that we have spoken for the glory of God?

Under the Old Covenant

The use of the Amen seems to have a special place in the life of God’s covenant people.

In response to God’s word

We could go on reading down to verse 26 and we’d see that the Amen followed the pronouncement of each curse!

Imagine the noise, as the law of the Lord was read, as the curse was put before the people and as all the people (600,000 men besides women and children) said “Amen” (Dt 27.11-26).

This is the correct response of hearts and lips to the word of God; it indicates belief in and acceptance of his will and purpose.

The people were in complete support of what was said.

We have a similar thing recorded of the remnant people in the days of Ezra, as the people gathered to hear the word through the teaching of Ezra the priest.

In reverence and deep gratitude, the people collectively uttered a double Amen (Neh 8.1-6), adding emphasis to the support for God’s word that even a single Amen would have indicated, and conveying the intensity of their feeling.

Notice that it is specifically recorded that the assembly comprised men and women and that ALL the people gave the Amen.

In praise and worship

Then we have the use of the Amen in connection with the service of song that David introduced to the house of God.

In setting up the house of God in the city of Jerusalem, David ordained songs of praise, which were led by Asaph and his associates.

Once again, we find that all the people added their Amen, this time to the song of praise (see 1 Chron 16.7, 36).

And this became customary on many other occasions; the Amen became a feature of collective praise and worship.

The song book of the old testament, the Psalms, is divided into five books.

And at the close of the first, second and third books of the Psalms, we find a double Amen (Ps.

41:13; 72:19; 89:52).

And at the end of the fourth book, the Amen is again required of God’s people (Ps 106.48).

Let all the people say, “Amen!”

Under the New Covenant

From 1 Corinthians 14 we learn that it was the customary practice of the early churches of God to say a collective Amen after thanksgivings when the church met for worship.

Paul says that in the church, when praying or giving thanks, brothers must engage both spirit and mind.

Brothers, we must give thanks well - for the edification of God’s people - so that everyone can intelligently say the Amen, i.e. they can say Amen with understanding (1 Cor 14.15-16).

The response of appreciative hearts should be heard in an audible Amen.

When a brother prays or give thanks in the church, he is expressing his belief in God and in the promises of God’s word.

Since the brother acts on behalf of the church, the church should support him by saying the Amen.

It is the duty and privilege of all present to say the Amen.

It is a corporate act.

Sisters, you are included in this; you take part in this corporate Amen.

And I encourage you to give a hearty, audible Amen in unison with your brothers.

Importance of the corporate Amen

It is the collective Amen which identifies the church with what has been said by the brother, who is speaking for all.

The church joins in that prayer or thanksgiving by giving the Amen.

“Let all the people say Amen” was the instruction repeated under the old covenant.

The collective Amen displays the unity of God’s people in their service towards God in thanksgiving and worship and towards man as we intercede in prayer.

If we say Amen to God (believing, supporting his word), he will say Amen to us (supporting and establishing us) (Is 7.9; 2 Cor 1.20-21).

Recently, there have been occasions when our corporate Amen has sounded a little feeble!

Considering the practice of the early church and the importance of the Amen throughout the Scriptures, surely none of us will sit silently at the giving of thanks or offering of prayer?

Doesn’t it stir and encourage us to hear the brother or sister next to us give a heartfelt Amen?

So, brothers, we must pray with feeling and with clarity of mind, so as to be understood.

And the church must listen carefully, so as to be able to give an intelligent and sincere Amen (before God, who judges the heart).

Remember, we say Amen to his glory!

The Name of God

Why is his glory connected to the Amen?

Because God has bound his name to this word, Amen!

Speaking of the millennial display of God’s glory, Isaiah talks of the God of Amen (or God of truth) (Is 65.16).

So, the Amen takes on further significance, since it is now linked to the very nature and character of God.

In that millennial day, the God of Amen/truth will be known, the steadfast and faithful God whose word ever comes to pass.

The Lord Jesus speaks of himself as the Amen (Rev 3.14).

What is conveyed by this title of the Son of God?

Firstly, that he lived a unique life since it was a life which wholly answered Amen to the will and word of God.

Not just a word uttered by his lips but his whole life spoke Amen to the glory of his God and Father.

Not my will, but yours be done.

No wonder the Father was well pleased with him.

The name also presents the absolute truthfulness of the Lord Jesus and his words.

“Truly, I say to you...” is a phrase commonly ascribed to the Lord in the gospels.

Truly is the word Amen.

Jesus started his sentences with Amen! Why?

Because his word will always come to pass.

Truly, truly (or very truly, NIV) is a double Amen found 25 times in the sayings of the Lord Jesus, in John’s gospel account.

The emphasis of infallible certainty shines through as we hear these words from the lips of the Son of God.

Whereas the prophets often said, “This is what the Lord says,” Jesus says, “Amen, Amen, I say to you.”

This is an implicit claim to deity.

Perhaps the Lord’s use of the double Amen expresses the fact that he did not testify alone, but bore witness to all that the Father had revealed to him.

“For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them” (Jn 17:8).

It also discloses the double security of the truth of his word, found in expressions like John 10.28-30: “no one will snatch them out of my hand... no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

Amen and Amen!

How many promises has God made?!

And they all find their Yes in Christ.

He is the Amen to all the promises of God, because in him all the promises of God find their fulfilment (2 Cor 1.20).

He is also the one who presents our Amen to God, adding his own support to our support for God’s word.

Our Amen comes to God “through” him (2 Cor 1.20).

Into the Future

No wonder, then, that this sacred word will be a part of our worship in eternity.

This word, used on earth by so many, will also be part of the language of heaven.

How much greater will our understanding of this word be then, as we see him - the Amen - on the throne?

Heaven will echo with the Amen of the living creatures and of thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand angels (Rev 5.11-14; Rev 7.9-12).

The angels’ praise begins and ends with an Amen.

Our well-loved hymn takes us there in thought.

We’re going to be part of that eternal anthem of Amen! Doesn’t that move us to speak the Amen to his glory now - from our lips and from our lives?

Amen, one lasting, long Amen,

Blest anthem of eternal days,

The fulness of the rapturous song

To Christ the Saviour’s endless praise.

Amen, one lasting, long Amen,

Heaven’s blissful cadence, deep and loud,

While every heart before the Throne