A Love That Calls Us Back

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Imagine a married couple who have shared years of ups and downs together, like many others. But over time, one spouse became distant, eventually leading to an affair. The betrayal was devastating. Friends and family urged the faithful spouse to walk away, reminding them that 'Biblically, there ared grounds for divorce.'

But the faithful spouse wasn’t ready to give up. Despite the heartbreak and humiliation, they chose to pursue reconciliation, reaching out with forgiveness and a desire to rebuild. This wasn’t about ignoring the betrayal, but about choosing a love that sought healing and restoration, aiming to bring back the family that once was.

Over time, through consistent love, forgiveness, and repentance, the unfaithful spouse began to grasp the depth of their partner's love—a love unshaken by betrayal. This unwavering commitment led to reconciliation, restoring their marriage to a strength greater than before.

Just as this couple sought reconciliation despite deep betrayal, God continually reaches out to His people, longing for them to return to Him. This theme of reconciliation is foundational in the book of Malachi.

This is the story of Scripture—repeated over and over again. At every point, we see a God who loves His people, even as they reject Him. Yet, God continues to choose reconciliation, showing a love that leads them to recognize their unfaithfulness and repent. This theme runs throughout the entire Bible.

This morning, we’re starting a new series on Malachi. I’ll admit, I haven’t often heard an entire series on this book—just a few scattered sermons. But as I recently studied Malachi, I wondered why it isn’t taught more often. We need to explore more of the Old Testament prophets, and we will in the years to come. While I can’t cover everything today, we’ll walk through it step by step as the Lord leads." For now, let’s start with an

Introduction to Malachi:

Let’s turn to Malachi 1, the last book of the Old Testament. As we dive into Malachi, we’ll see how God, like the faithful spouse, desires reconciliation with a wondering Israel. This book reveals His unending love and the call for repentance.

Before we start reading, it's important to understand the context. Malachi addresses a time when Israel had become spiritually complacent, even though they were back in the Promised Land and the temple had been restored.

So, how did Israel reach a point of spiritual complacency? In 587 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar—yes, the same one from the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—went from worshiping the God who rescued them from the fire to destroying Jerusalem and the temple. This happened because the King of Israel refused to pay tribute, prompting Nebuchadnezzar to level Solomon's temple and take about 20,000 Israelites back to Babylon."

But that wasn’t the end. In 538 BC, King Cyrus of Persia allowed the Israelites to return to Jerusalem, and they were ecstatic! You know that kind of excitement—they were on fire for God. They rebuilt the temple, finishing in 516, and you can read in Ezra how they went wild: worshiping, reading Scripture, and repenting. It was an amazing time, with musicians everywhere and a renewed dedication to the Lord. They expected the Messiah to arrive any moment to rule the nations, but that didn’t happen. As years passed—one, then ten, then a hundred—they began to lose hope. You can see this in Ezra and Nehemiah. Their focus faded, and about 100 years later, they had become a corrupt generation, no longer worshiping the Lord.

How did they get there, you wonder? I’m glad you asked! To understand how Israel fell into spiritual complacency, we must first grasp the historical context of their return from exile and the generations that followed. What we have here is known as the Three Generation Slide into Apostasy—apostasy meaning to abandon your faith. Consider the many public figures who have 'deconstructed' their faith; they are apostate. They know the truth but choose to abandon it. Theologian D.A. Carson developed this concept of the three-generation slide, and here’s how it works.

Three Generation Slide:

Generation 1:

This generation is characterized by prayer and a personal encounter with God. They experience God's goodness in their daily lives and have a strong commitment to the Gospel. For Generation 1, church is essential.

Generation 2:

For this generation, faith and church take on a different meaning. This generation inherits their faith from their parents, so it's not something they consciously chose. Some aspects may seem strange to them—like discussions about God’s power—leading them to ignore those elements. This generation tends to become more self-focused; their faith becomes about them. They may enjoy church, but only if it seems fun or relevant. While they maintain some Christian principles, they lack the power behind them. Common messages in a Generation 2 church might include “Five Steps to a Better Marriage” or “Seven Ways to Succeed in Your Career.” While Scripture addresses these topics, the focus shifts from God's Word to personal fulfillment. For Generation 2, church is optional

Actually, Paul writes about this to Timothy in

2 Timothy 3:1–5 (ESV)

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

We read this and can’t help but think, wow, this describes our culture today—ungodliness all around, with good labeled as evil and evil as good. Paul might as well be writing to us. He’s telling Timothy what the church will look like: having a form of godliness while denying its power.

We must avoid such people and churches—those who pretend that child sacrifice is just healthcare or that mutilating a children or adults because you think God actually made a mistake when you were made is acceptable. They may have a façade of godliness, but they deny the transformative power of the Cross. Generation 2 embodies a self-centered faith: God exists for me and what He can do for me.

Generation 3:

This generation has ultimately abandoned God because they witnessed no power in the Cross. They feel that the church didn’t meet their needs—the sermons didn't address their real-life struggles or answer their pressing questions. When the church fails to provide answers, they turn to the world for solutions. This cycle of apostasy continually impacts both the church and society. As a result, this generation has abandonded their faith and sees church as unimportant.

This pattern mirrors what we see today. As each generation shifts in their understanding of faith, we must ask ourselves—how are we passing down our beliefs and practices?

Now, bear with me as I connect what’s happening with the Israelites to our current situation as a nation. There’s an interesting pattern in church history that mirrors the struggles we see in Scripture and beyond. Recently, Beth and I visited the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College—it took us four years to get there, but we finally made it!

One observation from the museum is that throughout history, during periods of rising ungodliness, God often raises up prophets, as seen in Scripture, or evangelists in our history. Figures like Billy Graham, Billy Sunday, George Whitefield, and D.L. Moody exemplify this trend. Our nation has seen cycles of people coming to and drifting away from their faith in God.

Consider the Great Awakenings early in our nation's history. Large-scale revivals erupted, especially on the East Coast, then in the Midwest, tens of thousands came to Christ. This is a significant reason we’ve been recognized as a Judeo-Christian nation with strong moral values. This trend continued into the 1900s on the West Coast and across the country, as we collectively turned away from sin and toward faith.

Now here we are…So, in 2022 a man by the name of Aaron Renn wrote an article on the

Three Worlds of Evangelicalism

You see, just as Israel faced challenges with each generation, we face a cultural landscape that reflects these shifts—particularly evident in the way we engage with the world around us.

According to Renn’s concept of the Three Worlds of Evangelicalism, the Positive World is everything until 1994. During this time, Evangelical Christians were viewed positively; being a good churchgoer was seen as a mark of an upstanding citizen. Public Christianity enhanced one’s status, and societal norms reflected Christian values. Media content was largely shaped by what Christians would or would not accept, and violating those views often led to negative repercussions. This environment contributed to the emergence of the 'Seeker Sensitive Church.'

Next is the Neutral World, which spans from 1994 to 2014. During this period, society adopts a neutral stance toward Christianity. While Christians are no longer afforded privileged status, they aren't outright disliked either. Being a Christian becomes a valid option within a pluralistic society, but it doesn't carry any social advantages or disadvantages. Although Christian moral norms still exert some influence, this is where the church, particularly the American church, begins to blow it. If only Paul could have written us a letter during this time to help steer us back on track!

Here’s why I say we blow it… We often shy away from addressing major cultural issues that the Bible clearly speaks about, scared that we might turn someone away from church. We worry that if we mention these topics from the pulpit, individuals struggling with those sins will be discouraged from coming back. As a result, we choose to address these issues privately instead of boldly proclaiming the truth from the pulpit. The church has stopped actively discipling and teaching congregations, only sharing Scriptural truths when specifically asked. Consequently, many churches have drifted away from a Biblical worldview, downplaying critical social issues like sexual immorality, child sacrifice, and even racial tensions.

During this time, the church's cultural engagement strategy often involved mimicking the surrounding culture. In an effort to appear relevant, some churches resorted to gimmicks—dressing in leather jackets or adopting a celebrity pastor personas. They focused on looking cool rather than embodying the true essence of the church. Surprisingly, some churches would even have staff members who fully embrace full on leftist ideologies, including support for full-term abortion and transgenderism, without realizing that their church's doctrinal views stand firmly against those beliefs. This is because the church leadership was afraid to confront sin.

Sadly, this is where Generation Z has primarily been formed and discipled. As a result, approximately 22% of Gen Z identifies as Christian, but only about 2% possess a biblical worldview. This means that of the 22% who claim Christianity, around 20% do not allow Scripture to shape their perspective on various social or moral issues. Consequently, about 20% of Gen Z identifies as part of the LGBTQ community. So, where do we stand now? We are currently in what is termed the Negative World, which spans from 2014 to the present.

In this Negative World, society has developed a negative perception of Christianity. Any attempt by Christians to engage in cultural dialogue is often met with disdain. Being identified as a Christian now carries a social stigma; you may be labeled as a bigot or considered uneducated. In educational settings, the Christian worldview is frequently mocked and ridiculed. Politically, Christian beliefs are viewed as threats to the public good and the moral order. Holding to biblical moral standards can result in severe backlash, as seen earlier this year when several Christians were sentenced to multiple years in prison for peacefully praying outside local abortion clinics. These individuals, many in their upper 60s, were simply expressing their beliefs and compassion for pre-born lives, yet they now face significant legal consequences.

Holding to Scriptural truth will inevitably lead to negative consequences. Even within the church, people often wince at biblical truths, expressing sentiments like, 'Ouch… I know that's what the Bible says, but I’m not sure I believe that.' That’s because Facebook is your teacher, shaping your beliefs more than the Word of God.

As a result, the cost of following Jesus has increased. It may cost you your job, friendships, or even family relationships. While the church as an institution is lagging behind cultural shifts, many congregations continue to operate as if we’re still in that Positive World of the 1990s or the Neutral World that followed. Meanwhile, we find ourselves firmly in this Negative World. The church as an institution may be aware of the cultural shift, but as individuals—us as Christians—we often mirror the world more than we reflect Christ. This brings us to the state of Israel as depicted in Malachi, where we see a similar disconnect between their practices and God’s standards.

Their relationship with God is questionable. I want to set this up this morning so we can truly understand what’s going on. It’s important for us as a church to recognize how Malachi relates to the times we are living in. We find ourselves in a culture that is pressing against our faith, yet we have a God who loves us more than anything. Recognizing these shifts is not just academic; it equips us as the body of Christ to navigate our current cultural challenges with wisdom and conviction.

As a matter of fact, let's take a look at

God’s Declaration of Love:

Let’s go ahead and read God’s declaration here…really it’s more of a conversation here. Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God’s declaration of love remains unwavering. Let’s read how He begins this conversation with His people.

Malachi 1:1–5 (ESV)

The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’ ” Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

Now, let’s take a look at this conversation. God says to Israel, “I love you.” To which Israel responds, “Yeah, right. How…how have you loved us?”

Their skepticism is palpable. They’ve been waiting for a Messiah, longing for hope, yet it seems that God is silent. They wonder, How have you loved us? They feel abandoned, questioning God’s love because their expectations haven’t been met. “I don’t ‘feel’ your love right now, so therefore you clearly don’t love me.”

Isn’t it interesting how easily we can decide that we don’t “feel” God’s love and then question the truths we know from Scripture? Maybe we once felt God's love and our prayer life was thriving, but after a month of sermons we didn't connect with or worship songs that didn’t resonate, we suddenly doubt His love because He said no to our prayer request.

Let me ask you, how many parents have experienced this? You’re in the store, and that’s when the kids choose to throw a tantrum, crying out, “You don’t love me!” If only you had given them the candy they wanted, they would feel loved. But because you care enough to say no, they think you must hate them now.

We are just like the Israelites, thinking we get to define what love is. But we didn’t invent love—God did. He alone determines what love is and isn’t, and that’s precisely what He communicates to the Israelites.

When God speaks to Israel, He isn’t referring to a general love for humanity; He is specifically telling them that He loves them. God called Israel into existence and ruled over her for over 1,000 years based solely on His covenant. Israel is the object of His love, and God is the Creator and definer of love.

However, the Israelites don’t believe God. By questioning His claim, they reveal a deep distrust in Him—much like the church today in this negative world. We often hear, “Ouch… I know that’s biblical, but I’m not sure I believe it.” This reflects a lack of faith in God's Word. Israel’s failure to trust His words led to a failure to love Him and bred hostility toward God.

The Lord’s claim is demonstrated in two ways. First, God’s love is expressed through His free choice in electing Jacob and his descendants, including the unfaithful ones, to inherit the promise. This was not typical; normally, the eldest child would be chosen. Esau, named Edom and the father of the Edomites, was the firstborn of the twins. Yet, even before their birth, God freely elected Jacob, later named Israel, as the heir to the promise.

Now, the Hebrew words for "loved" and "hated" do not express God's emotions but rather indicate His choice of one for a covenant relationship over the other.

To the Israelites, there is the Holy Land, while for the Edomites, there is the Wicked Land. Israel’s borders represent blessings, chosen by God for covenant favor. In contrast, Edom, not chosen, faces destruction by His wrath. By observing God's sovereign dealings with Edom, Israel gains a clearer understanding of His love and greatness over all the earth.

This is how God defines love. By illustrating what He loves and what He hates, every Israelite should have responded with excitement and gratitude, declaring, "Great is the Lord—even beyond the borders of Israel!" Yet, was that their response? We’ll need to return next week to see how they truly reacted.

For now I want to take a look at a little bit of an

Our Response to that Declaration:

Before we continue, church, stay with me for a moment, because there’s something important here. I want to remind you about Esau’s theological and ideological framework—essentially, how Esau viewed God and the world around him. Esau had a “me first” ideology. Esau allowed his ideology to shape his theology. This is the spirit of Esau in the church today.

See that’s the issue that many Christians have shifted from allowing their theology to shape their ideology. Instead, their ideology now shapes their theology. In other words, faith used to influence our politics, but now, politics often dictate our faith.

We’ve really seen this shift in the last 20 years, especially in the past 10 years. Many say the church should stay out of politics, but the issue isn’t that the church is becoming too political; it’s that the government is becoming too religious.

Fifteen years ago, we had national debates about redefining marriage, which is a strictly religious institution established by God for His glory. By redefining marriage, the state is encroaching upon the church’s territory. Simply by the church saying something about this intrusion is often interpreted as a political statement, but in reality, it’s a matter of biblical authority.

Malachi was stepping into a cultural context similar to ours today. Throughout Scripture, we encounter stories that reveal the same types of unholy spirits still present in our world. This spiritual warfare has existed for thousands of years, including during biblical times…including in this story of Jacob and Esau.

Esau's decision to sell his birthright reflects a broader issue: the spirit of Esau within the church today. Just as Esau traded his birthright for immediate satisfaction, many Christians today are willing to forfeit God’s promises and blessings for fleeting pleasures. We often seek instant gratification, choosing temporary satisfaction over faithfulness to God’s commands. This was the conversation of the Israelites in Malachi’s time, which is why they needed a reminder of God’s enduring love for them.

Ultimately, God is conveying a powerful message to the Israelites: "I love you so much that I will not allow evil to prevail." While it may seem at times like evil is thriving, God assures them of His sovereignty. By stating, "I loved Jacob, but Esau I hated," He emphasizes that He will dismantle the work of evil and uplift His people.

This focus on Jacob reflects God's enduring love for us today. It's not exhaustive, but I want you to remember this: God is faithful! When He says, "I loved Jacob," He is reminding His people of the promise made to Abraham in Genesis 22: “Through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed because you have obeyed me.” Write this down, text it to yourself, or share it on social media. God is Faithful!

Today, you and I are among those nations blessed through our faith in Jesus. As God speaks to Israel, I encourage you to reflect on your own calling and the things God has brought you out of. He didn’t have to do this; He chose to do it for you.

A few weeks ago, I was talking to Beth, and I found myself weeping over the terrible things from my past. Yet here I am, standing before you to share how amazing and faithful God is. God engages with humanity through Jesus. He went to the cross to take our sins upon Himself—being nailed there, buried in the tomb, and then resurrecting himself, demonstrating that we too can live a resurrected life. Through Him, we find forgiveness and are liberated from the identities the world tries to impose on us.

This morning, we gather to remember what God has done for each of us. If you’re here and haven’t yet experienced the transformative power of God’s grace and forgiveness—if you’re unsure what it means to repent of your sins and receive His grace, which replaces shame with joy—please reach out to someone today.

For everyone else, break the cycle of decline and cultivate a vibrant faith that can be passed on to future generations. Be faithful in our current culture; even in this negative world, God’s love is the foundation for persevering through challenges. Finally, don’t leave here this morning without recognizing how deeply God loves you!

Let’s pray:

We come before You with grateful hearts, thanking You for Your Word and the reminder of Your unfailing love. We acknowledge our shortcomings and the times we have strayed from Your ways. Help us to reflect on the message we’ve heard today and to apply it to our lives.

We ask for Your forgiveness for any bitterness or unfaithfulness in our relationships, and we pray for the strength to pursue reconciliation, just as You have shown us in Your love. Empower us by Your Holy Spirit to live out our faith boldly and to seek unity within our church family.

As we leave this place, may we go as Your ambassadors, shining Your light in our communities and sharing the hope of the Gospel with those around us. We cling to Your promises and trust in Your presence as we face the challenges of this world.

In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.