The Road to Velocity
Notes
Transcript
The Road to Velocity, Malachi 1:1
Speed vs Velocity
Husein Bolt 2009 in Berlin broke record for 200 meter in a time of 19.1 seconds. How fast was he moving? depends on whether you want speed or velocity. Speed considers the entire distance ran =200 meters. Velocity considers the distance between starting and ending position= 115 meters.
Running 400 meters around a track would result in 0 Velocity.
Velocity is speed and direction. It requires a change of position.
Stepping back and forth can be done with lots of speed.
It has zero velocity.
Is your Christian life going somewhere? Are you growing in your faith?
1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
verse 1 in reverse order
4 Mechanisms for Velocity
4 Mechanisms for Velocity
1. Influence
1. Influence
Malachi was an obedient servant. He was the influencer.
lit "by the hand of Malachi"
Malachi= My Messenger
Know very little.
Prophet= speaks for God. Usually concerning judgement.
Served while Nehemiah left to return to Babylon on business for several years.
We learn a lot about how difficult these people were to lead by reading Nehemiah.
Malachi was willing to influence the people around him.
We are called to be influencers.
28% of Gen Z claim to be social media influencers.
3% of US are making money being an influencer. = Almost 10 million people.
2. Change
2. Change
"to Israel"
They had to realize they were stuck before they could move forward.
The times
They had returned to the Promised Land after being removed by Babylonians in 605 BC.
It was judgment from God.
This was when Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego where taken to serve King Nebuchadnezzar
536 BC First group of Jews return to Jerusalem under Zerubbabel's leadership.
516 BC the Temple is completed-- not nearly as spectacular as the first and tiny compared to what Herod builds them under Roman rule.
458 BC 2nd group of Jews return under Ezra's leadership
444 BC Nehemiah led in finishing the walls in Jerusalem.
425 Malachi gives this prophecy from God
Their Religion
Had Temple but easily gets caught up in religious activity. Foundation of their faith will live with for next 400 years.
Awaited the promise of the coming Messiah.
Freedom to worship yet their worship becomes about rituals and not faith.
Legalistic in some ways and yet failed to live up to some of the basic requirements God had given them.
These are same people that Nehemiah found taking care of their own houses but not the temple or the city walls.
Their faith was not impacting the way that they lived and the decisions they were making.
Our Religion and Our Times
As I read Malachi I see a picture of the American church. In fact, many will be offended by the truths that are found in this book.
Statistics of the American Church
Church Attendance:
2012= 40$
2019= 34%
2023= 31%
only 25% actually show up 3 out of 8 weeks.
Before Pandemic- 94% of churches were losing ground in the communities where they serve.
Divorce:
Surveys show "active conservative protestants" who attend church regularly are actually 35% less likely to divorce than those who have no religious preferences.
"Nominal" Christians, however, those who simply call themselves Christians but so not actively engage with the faith, are actually 20% more likely than the general population to get divorced.
Tithing:
Only 3-5% of Americans who give to their local church do so through regular tithing. (17% claim to)
37% of church attenders do not give any money to the local church.
Of Those who give 77% give more than 10%.
17% of church givers are giving less than they have in the past.
8% of those making $20,000 or less gave at least 10% of their income to churches, while 1% of those making $75,000-$99,999 gave a similar amount.
APP- above and beyond to get our debt paid off.
3. Truth
3. Truth
Word of the Lord
Word of the Lord was rare in these days. This is the last time God speaks through a prophet for 400 years.
(think back 400 years-- 1620 The mayflower lands on Plymouth Rock. Took 3 months to sale across the Atlantic.)
They were called to live according to what God had given their ancestors.
It had been 1000 years since Moses received the 10 Commandments
500 years from building of the first temple
Why does God find it necessary to speak at this point in time?
God still had a plan for His people despite their constant rejection of Him.
They needed to stay on path in order for the foundation to be in place for the coming of the Messiah.
We must stay the course as we await the 2nd coming of the Messiah!
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
4. Hearing
4. Hearing
A Pronouncement.
Oracles were usually given as a warning to other nations.
God gives this warning to Israel.
Warning-- consequence to sin.
God doesn't want our religious activity, he wants our heart and with heart comes obedience.
The goal is a changed life.
Are you going to be offended by God's truth or will you allow the truth to make you better.
Will you confess your past and present sins and receive forgiveness or will you try to justify them.
If we are going to have a Christian life that is moving forward we must listen to God's warnings.
Contact with God should transform us into His image (the direction of our life should be in becoming more and more like God)
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
CONCLUSION
NASCAR verses The Cannonball Run
NASCAR is the most famous racing in America. Usually a 500 mile race around a 1.5 to 2.5 mile track. They can travel up to 230 mph. They do not go anywhere but use a lot of gas and tires . Lots of left turns. Easy for there to be spectators.
Cannonball Run- created in 1970's by Brok Yates. It is a race from New York to LA.
2021- Cannonball Run challenge (NY to LA)-- 25 hours 39 minutes. 110 mph average speed. by Arne Toman and Doug Tabbutt.
For many people their faith is like a NASCAR race. There is a lot of motion but no Velocity. It's easy for people to see you (spectators) try hard but you are not growing in your Christian faith. When we live the Christian life the way God has called us it is dangerous and in many countries illegal.
13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.
14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
What is the destination of your life journey?
What is keeping you from having Velocity in your faith?
What is keeping you from having Velocity in your faith?