Velocity Requires God’s Design

Velocity Requires God’s Design

Malachi 3:13-18

SOLOMON - freedom life church

Review of Velocity vs. Speed

ILL-- Cannonball Run-- 2013 Record (not most current)

The Vehicle-couldn’t find what they wanted- made it what he needed:

chose a Mercedes CL55 AMG with 115,000 miles for the journey. The Benz's gas tank was only 23 gallons, so he added two 22-gallon tanks in the trunk, upping his range to about 800 miles. The spare tire had to go in the backseat with his spotter, Dan Huang, a student at Georgia Tech, Bolian's alma mater.

To foil the police, he installed a switch to kill the rear lights and bought two laser jammers and three radar detectors. There was a police scanner, two GPS units and various chargers for smartphones and tablets -- not to mention snacks, iced coffee and a bedpan.

By the time he tricked out the Benz, which included a $9,000 tuneup, "it was a real space station of a thing," he said, describing the lights and screens strewn through the car's cockpit.

Velocity- You have to make the commitment to do things the hard way, God's way.

Velocity requires a submission of ownership. Allowing God to mold you into his image.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We have to allow God to mold us.

Malachi 3:13–18 ESV

13 “Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’ ” 16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. 17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

5 Concepts That Encourage Our Surrender

1. Justice (14)

Malachi 3:14 ESV

14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts?

God's holiness drives God's justice.

They are saying, “Is god fair?”

To question God's justice is to question his holiness.

What is fair is our eternal damnation.

The cross was not fair.

Justice is not the balance of scales to see if good or bad wins. (scales of justice)

Either guilty or not guilty. One truth.

Our limited knowledge causes our justice system to balance.

God knows the truth and judges according to that truth.

One sin makes us unholy and unable to stand to God's justice.

2. Sacrifice (14-15)

Malachi 3:14–15 ESV

14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’ ”

Religion is man trying to manipulate a god.

Sacrifice does not mean earthly profit.

You may never see the reward on this side of heaven.

Rejection does not mean earthly loss.

There are evil people who seem to have it all.

The Cross is greatest example of sacrifice- All gain was for us. He gave up his life for us.

3. Fear (16)

Malachi 3:16 ESV

16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.

Fear

Shock and Awe-- To send so much fear the enemy surrenders immediately.

Strategy behind ending World War II

Iraq War- 3000 bombs dropped in a few hours.

Fear or Intimacy?

Fear of Dad and yet an intimate relationship.

A remnant who recognized each other.

"spoke with one another"= recognized and fellowshiped

They had one important thing in common. Awe of God.

Two or more are gathered= He is with us.

Matthew 18:18–20 ESV

18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

The Book

Exodus 32:32 ESV

32 But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.”

Revelation 20:11–15 ESV

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

4. Mercy (17)

Malachi 3:17 ESV

17 “They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.

Mercy is why we do not experience God's judgment. We do not get what we deserve.

"They will be mine"

"Treasured Possession"=

Deuteronomy 7:6 ESV

6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Condition to this promise-- it will just be a remnant.

Romans 9:4–6 ESV

4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel,

he then describes that God has chosen for salvation to come through Jesus and not the law.

We do not automatically become "treasured possessions" because of our birth and heritage.

"I will spare him"

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How can a holy God not punish sin? Allowing sin would make him unholy.

He paid the price.

Mercy is given through Jesus.

5. Separation (18)

Malachi 3:18 ESV

18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

Righteous vs the wicked.

Psalm 14:3 ESV

3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

Romans 3:10 ESV

10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

Romans 3:22–25 ESV

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Propitiation= satisfy the righteous wrath of a holy God against the unholy.

Separation is between the forgiven and unforgiven

Accept gift of Jesus.

Justification- Made just as if you have never sinned.

Romans 5:18–19 ESV

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

However, we are saved to do good works. We are saved to live righteous lives.

We can be righteous because of Jesus and if we’ve been changed we are righteous.

CONCLUSION

My 1998 Mustang Cobra

Started out ugly and loud.

Ended up beautiful and loud.

God takes the ugly and makes it beautiful.

Surrender to him and let him change your life.

Will you give God complete control?

He owns us.