Revision as of 16:27, 5 July 2023

Theological Proposition/Focus: God is to be revered!

Homiletical Proposition/Application: We must humbly aknowledge that God alone is worthy of our complete respect and devotion

Introduction:

Image: Running is a lot of fun, except when it is not.

I enjoy running. In fact, in June I averaged 3 miles a day. Some days I ran more than three miles, and some days I took a day off, but my average was three miles. However, there were some days that I ran, not because I wanted to, but because I knew that I needed to keep up my conditioning. On these days running was a chore, it was hard to find the motivation.

Sometimes in our Christian walk it can be hard. We know what we are supposed to do, we know that God is good, but we just don't feel it. In times like this we need to make sure we revere God. Yes, the walk is hard, but still God is worthy of our reverence and paying our complete respect to God is worthwhile.

Need: We must humbly acknowledge that God alone is worthy of our complete respect and devotion

Preview: Today we will look at our struggle, a solution, and how we should view the future.

Text: Malachi 3:13-18

Setting the Stage:

In 539 BC Cyrus gave the decree allowing the Jews to return to Judah and begin rebuilding the temple.

In 520 BC Haggai entered the scene and called upon the Jews to resume building the temple after 16 years of stagnation.

The work on the temple was completed in 515 BC.

Life was not easy, Persia dominated the political scene, hearts were indifferent, even resentful to God, and the people's hope in God had waned.

Sometime between 45 BC and 430 BC a prophet, Malachi appeared on the scene.

Last week we learned of God's justice.

This week we will focus on our need to revere God.

We skipped Malachi 3:7-12 because we covered that just over a year ago in our Together We Grow series on tithing.

However, it is important to notice that in 3:12 God had promised that all nations would take note of the blessings God bestowed on Israel. Verse 13 comes right on the tails of that statement.

Body

The Struggle: At times, serving God may feel futile (13-15).

Reality: We are fallen creatures (13).

In verse 13 we see that the Jews spoke arrogant, harsh, or strong words against God.

The word for arrogant or strong is חזק and here really carries the tone of combative words.

The people were really accusing God of injustice and doing so in a pretty aggressive, combative way.

Despite the reality of who God is, the people were boldly speaking against God.

The reality we all face is that we are sinners and as sinners we are inclined toward sin!

Image: One Seminary professors's attempt to live perfect.

Erickson describes one seminary professors attempts at overcoming the reality are all face.

One seminary professor described his personal attempt. He listed thirty characteristics of the Christian life. Then he assigned each one to a different day of the month. On the first day, he worked very hard on the first attribute. With a great deal of concentration, he managed to live up to his goal the entire day. On the second day of the month, he shifted to the second area, and mastered it. Then he moved on to the other areas, successively mastering each in turn, until on the final day he perfectly realized the characteristic assigned to it. But just as he was reveling in the sense of victory, he looked back at the first day’s goal to see how he was doing. To his chagrin, he discovered that he had completely lost sight of the goal of the first day—and of the second, third, and fourth days. While he had been concentrating on other areas, his former failures and shortcomings had simply crept back in. His experience is an empirical study of what the Bible teaches us: “there is no one who does good, not even one (Pss. 14:3b; 53:3b; Rom. 3:12). The Bible also gives the reason for this: “everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt [depraved]” (Pss. 14:3a; 53:3a). We are totally unable to do genuinely meritorious works sufficient to qualify for God’s favor. ^[1]

Our fallenness is not an excuse for sin, but it is a good explanation for our sin.

Let us never excuse our sin, but also, in not excusing our sin, let us also acknowledge that we sin because we are fallen.

Reality: There are times when serving God is hard (14).

Let's be honest

Sometimes serving God requires more of us than we want to give.

Sometimes we are asked to give up things for God which might bring us pleasure.

Sometimes God's rules seem to work against our nature.

Let's be more honest

If you are following God's written requirements in hope of immediate personal gain, you will be disappointed.

If you mourn for sin because you got caught instead of because it is wrong you will quickly fall back into sin.

1 Cor. 15:19 "If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."

The truth is we are aiming for a future reward.

1 Cor. 9:25 "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."

2 Cor. 4:17 "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."

Reality: Sometimes evil people prosper (15).

Israel, at the time of Malachi was focussed on what others were getting!

We have what I would call a finite joy culture.

We tend to think that there is only so much joy and happiness in the world, if someone else is getting it then I am getting less.

We serve the God of the infinite.

Stop focussing on what others are getting and instead focus on your God!

MTR: Confess your falleness and struggles to God.

The Solution: Corporate reminders of what God has done (16).

Reality: You are not in this alone.

Reality: Written records are incredibly helpful.

Reality: God's is present.

Image: Thanksgiving basket with slips of paper

MTR: Record a memory from Together We Grow.

The Future: God will bless those who serve Him (17-18).

Reality: If you are a Christ follower then you are a treasured possession of the God of the universe!

Reality: If you are a Christ follower then you are a child of God!

Reality: If you are a Christ follower then you await a future dwelling with God!

MTR: Take some time to praise God for His gift of Salvation.

1. ↑ Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 574–575.