Return

Malachi 3:6–12 (CSB)

6 “Because I, the Lord, have not changed, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.

7 “Since the days of your ancestors, you have turned from my statutes; you have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Armies. Yet you ask, “How can we return?”

8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me!” “How do we rob you?” you ask. “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions.

9 You are suffering under a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing me.

10 Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.

11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not ruin the produce of your land and your vine in your field will not fail to produce fruit,” says the Lord of Armies.

12 “Then all the nations will consider you fortunate, for you will be a delightful land,” says the Lord of Armies.

1. God is the promise and covenant keeper

Sub Point 1.1. God’s unchanging nature

Malachi 3:6 “6 “Because I, the Lord, have not changed, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed.”

Hebrews 13:8 “8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Sub Point 1.2. God keeps His promises and covenants

Numbers 18:8 “8 Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, “Look, I have put you in charge of the contributions brought to me. As for all the holy offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons as a portion and a permanent statute.”

Numbers 18:19–21 19“I give to you and to your sons and daughters all the holy contributions that the Israelites present to the Lord as a permanent statute. It is a permanent covenant of salt before the Lord for you as well as your offspring.” 20The Lord told Aaron, “You will not have an inheritance in their land; there will be no portion among them for you. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites. 21“Look, I have given the Levites every tenth in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the work of the tent of meeting.

Sub Point 1.3. God is gracious and merciful

Psalm 124:2–5 “2 if the Lord had not been on our side when men attacked us, 3 when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive; 4 the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, 5 the raging waters would have swept us away.”

Psalm 124:8 “8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

2. Return to God to redirect your destiny

Sub Point 2.1. Recognize that you are distancing yourself from God

Malachi 3:9 “9 You are suffering under a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing me.”

Share the story of driving to California and a detour was taking me to a different destination

Sub Point 2.2. Don’t follow distractions

Galatians 5:7–8 “7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.”

Sub Point 2.3. Return to God

Deuteronomy 30:2–3 “2 and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.”

3. Obedience is better but sacrifice is needed

Sub Point 3.1. The Challenge: bring the whole tithe

1 Samuel 15:22–23 “22Then Samuel said: Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look: to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.

23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

Sub Point 3.2. We don’t know obedience until we have disagreement

Malachi 2:3–7 “3 Look, I am going to rebuke your descendants, and I will spread animal waste over your faces, the waste from your festival sacrifices, and you will be taken away with it.

4Then you will know that I sent you this decree, so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the Lord of Armies.

5“My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave these to him; it called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.

6True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and integrity and turned many from iniquity.

7For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should desire instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Armies.”

4. Return to God in Tithe and Offerings

The Challenge: bring the whole tithe

The Commitment: God will bring rain, a blessing, continue pouring out blessing without measure, pest protection, crop production

The Consequence (Result): The prosperity will be the envy of all nations

Sub Point 4.1. A fat priest equals a blessed Israel

Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the Lord of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.”

Sub Point 4.2. A healthy pastor equals a blessed church

1 Timothy 5:18 “18 For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.””

1 Corinthians 9:9 “9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned?”

1 Corinthians 9:9–11 “9For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox while it treads out grain. Is God really concerned about oxen?

10Isn’t he really saying it for our sake? Yes, this is written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing the crop.

11If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you?”

1 Corinthians 9:14 “14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.”

Galatians 6:6–10 “6Let the one who is taught the word share all his good things with the teacher.

7Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap,

8because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

9Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.

10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us work for the good of all, especially for those who belong to the household of faith.