Malachi 2:1-16 Be Faithful to God
From 2Timothy2.org
Theological Proposition/Focus: God’s standard for faithfulness is very high.
Homiletical Proposition/Application: We need to take seriously our responsibility to pass faithfulness onto future generations.
Contents
- 1 Introduction:
- 1.1 Image:
- 1.2 Setting the Stage:
- 1.2.1 The historical setting
- 1.2.1.1 In 539 BC Cyrus gave the decree allowing the Jews to return to Judah and begin rebuilding the temple.
- 1.2.1.2 In 520 BC Haggai entered the scene and called upon the Jews to resume building the temple after 16 years of stagnation.
- 1.2.1.3 The work on the temple was completed in 515 BC.
- 1.2.1.4 Last week we learned of our need to honor God with our best.
- 1.2.1.5 This week we will dig into our responsibility to be faithful.
- 1.2.1 The historical setting
- 1.3 Need: we need more disciple makers who pass-on faithfulness.
- 1.4 Preview: As Christians we have a great responsibility and so we are held to great expectations, must remain incredibly faithful, and can look forward to having a lasting impact both now and into the future.
- 1.5 Text: Malachi 2:1-16
- 2 Body
- 3 ==
- 3.1 What we know from chapter 1 was that the priests were failing to properly handle sacrifices.
- 3.2 The priests in Malachi knew better, failed, and were suffering punishment (7-9).
- 3.3 Image:
- 3.4 MTR: Consider your responsibilities to preserve knowledge of God and ask if you are meeting expectations.
- 3.5 Greater responsibility, greater faithfulness (10-12)
- 3.6 Greater responsibility, greater impact (13-16)
- 4 Conclusion:
Introduction:
Image:
Setting the Stage:
The historical setting
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 our need to honor God with our best.
This week we will dig into our responsibility to be faithful.
Need: we need more disciple makers who pass-on faithfulness.
Preview: As Christians we have a great responsibility and so we are held to great expectations, must remain incredibly faithful, and can look forward to having a lasting impact both now and into the future.
Text: Malachi 2:1-16
Body
Greater responsibility, greater expectations (1-9)
God may punish those who don’t honor His name. (1-2)
The priests were warned to listen.
Those who have the Word of God cannot afford to ignore the Word of God.
The priests were warned to resolve to honor God's name.
The phrase the NIV translates as "resolve to honor my name" is actually the Hebrew phrase "place it on your hearty to give glory to my name."
The heart was the center of one's being, the place where knowledge was collected and store, the place where decisions were made, and the place where plans were constructed. god's call here is really a call to put God on the forefront of the mind. The priest of God was a representative and intermediary between God an man. As such the priest was expected to have God front and center!
