Worship Worthy, Malachi 1:6-14

Light 1 Advent Candle

Welcome and Announcements:

(IF VISITORS)

If you are joining us for the first time today, we would like to thank you for joining us. We know you have options, and we are honored that you would choose to be with us today.

We open our Sundays with prayer time at 9 a.m. in the Bryant Center across the street. At 9:30 a.m. we have Sunday school classes, children included. We also typically have a prayer group that meets at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon to pray for the needs shared on Sunday mornings as well as other requests provided. If you have a special prayer need, I would like to encourage you to put a note in the offering plate and we will include it in our prayer time.

Our current Advent series is from the book of Malachi which is the last book in the Old Testament. It was also the last written book before Jesus was born. We get an idea of where they failed, and we inventory our lives today to prevent doing likewise.

If you enjoy listening to your phone, I highly recommend the ap, “Through the Word.” You can do a one chapter a day Bible study in less than 20 minutes. It is a great way to be in your Bible each day, as it helps us to understand how people came into existence and what our ultimate purpose is and our eventual destination.

Before we jump into today’s worship, allow me to share some quick announcements.

• Christmas Food Boxes Donations and Distributions, Dec 15 @ 1:30 p.m. @ St. Mary’s

• Christmas Eve Service @ 4 p.m.

Check your mailboxes

Advent Reading - Pastor Lauri

The advent scriptures had several tough names today, so instead of putting someone else on the spot, I decided I would take a turn at the Advent table.

Our Advent devotions from “Changed in the Waiting,” talked a lot this week about the tension between Hope and Lament. We see some of this tension in today’s advent reading. The title of this reading is...

THE FEAR OF HOME

Malachi 3:1-4

Malachi 3:1–4 NIV

1 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.

Luke 3:1-6

Luke 3:1–6 NIV

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— 2 during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. 5 Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. 6 And all people will see God’s salvation.’ ”

For many of us, the call to head home is one of joy and of hope. We can’t wait to reconnect with family, with history and tradition, with a wonderful time of freedom and loving support. We can’t wait to go home.

However, there are those who fear going home. There are times when going home brings back memories that are not so good, not so healing. We are reminded of when we didn’t fit in. Times when we felt we didn’t measure up, or when we weren’t loved like we needed to be loved. Home can be a difficult place for some.

The prophet Malachi tells us that even when we are in the hottest of fires, there is a presence who can make us better by refining and purifying us. John the Baptist tells us that the road home is always under construction. There are mountains that need leveled, and valleys to be filled in, to make smooth the path that leads us to our true destination where we can live in peace and unity with all.

Last week’s candle of hope shines brightly, and now we light the candle of peace, (Light candle) as a sign of our assurance that though the road is hard, we believe it is worth the journey. It is time to go home.

Pray

Worship Set

Prayer

Worship Through the Word:

Worship Worthy

There is a long standing tradition in our nation of referring to a judge as “Your honor.” This tradition is not unique to our nation alone. In fact, in many cultures, judges are addressed as “Your Honor” or with similar phrases, such as “Onorata Instanta” (Romania), “Vasha Chest” (Russia), “Your Lordship” or “My Lord” (UK and some Commonwealth countries), and there are several others I cannot begin to pronounce, so I will leave it here. :-)

The term “Your Honor” is a title of respect. Its origins come from the 17th century, when it was used to address individuals of royal or noble lineage. Over time, the term fell out of use for most individuals, but it remained in use for judges as a sign of respect for their position, authority, and expertise.

However, these are all just men and women who have studied to learn, teach, and uphold the law of the land. We respect their position, but honor is only bestowed upon them for as long as they serve the law justly. If they break the law, they lose the respect and honor that we bestow on them. You see, they have no real reason to be respected beyond their time and efforts to uphold justice. Otherwise, they are just people like us.

There are other people we may respect and honor them for various reasons, however, no one is truly 100% worthy of all honor. You see, if we looked into the dark recesses of everyone’s memory, somewhere we would find something they have done that does not deserve respect. A truly humble person is able to say, “Yeah, I have done something I am not proud of.”

However, God is another story. He does deserve our respect.

A couple or so years ago, I remarked in Sunday school, “If someone demanded we respect them, we would give them a smirk and think, ‘who are you that I should respect you?’” We would have negative feelings about that person wondering what makes them better than we are. Then I asked, “So why is it okay for God to demand our respect?” Without skipping a beat, Macy spoke up. “Because He is God, duh!” She was absolutely correct. God is the only one 100% deserving of all our respect and honor. He created everything! He created you and me! He has never failed and will never fail. He is perfect love, perfect grace, perfectly authentic, and He is perfectly just. He also made the biggest sacrifice of all so that we could be saved.

Honoring God, is the subject of today’s sermon. Please stand as we read Malachi 1:6-14.

Malachi 1:6–14 NIV

6 “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ 7 “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. 8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty. 9 “Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the Lord Almighty. 10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food is contemptible.’ 13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the Lord Almighty. “When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord. 14 “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.

The Word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God!

Father, please bless this Word which you have provided and which we now receive. Amen!

I. Learn to Honor God, Malachi 1:6-14

Last week, we spoke of God’s love. He chose Israel to demonstrate this love, not because they were worthy, but because He is gracious. And it wasn’t for Israel alone that they were chosen, but as an avenue to reach the whole world.

Today, we will set the scene for what this entire book is about. Israel has failed. They have failed God in every way, yet God has never failed them. He sometimes has withheld His blessings, but it was for the same reason that we do not reward a disobedient child. The bad behavior needs to stop so that good things can come to them. If a parent rewards a child in their disobedience, the bad behavior will continue and even grow, until it eventually costs them serious consequences.

Today we will get a peak at what sets the Old Testament and the New Testament apart. We will see that the Old Testament reveals how on our own, we will always fail. Why is this important during this season of Advent? It is because God loves us despite our propensity to fail and so that is why He sent His Son to be born as one of us. He would come and be the example that Israel failed to be and then He would make the ultimate sacrifice so that we could succeed in what counts the very most.

A. Old Testament Failure and New Testament Fix

God made a covenant (agreement/contract) with Israel in the Old Testament. The Old Testament is literally a testimony of this covenant with Israel. However, Israel failed to keep the covenant. God could have given up and began a new one with someone else. But He didn’t. God gave them every opportunity. God never disciplined them without giving warnings first and often multiple times. Did God fail in choosing Israel? No! God did not fail. No matter who God chose, it would have been the same story. I know this because when I read their history, I see my current life.

God knew what would transpire. So, why did God allow it to play out, you may ask? Because He wanted us to see it for the very reason I just stated. We read their story and we blanch when we recognize ourselves in it, that is, when we are honest with ourselves. Why did God offer to cast them aside and start a new with Moses? Because God wants us to understand that it is frustrating for Him. God has feelings! We were created in His image and emotions are part of the package. God wants us to know Him and so He allows His emotions to show.

God created us and we rightfully belong to Him. He is our purpose and that is why religion and spirituality are such a big thing in this world. Until we discover Him, we are lost without a true purpose. We may fill that space with other things but they never fully complete it. So people keep searching and trying various things to fill that void in their life. When we come to know God and accept our role as His children, we find peace, joy, contentment, and so much more because our purpose is fulfilled. Worship is our number one purpose. We honor God with our true and authentic worship.

However, since sin entered the world, we lost touch with how to worship. In Adam and Eve’s days of walking with God in the garden, it came naturally. Now it is not natural to us.

In the Old Testament, God mandated how worship should be conducted, yet it was dependent on men overseeing it. Even in this, men failed even though their eternal souls depended on it. You see, their worship also had to include a means to cleanse their sin. A holy God cannot be associated with sin.

In Malachi 1:6-14, God reveals their failures against Him and His instructions for worship, which were set up to protect people as well as connect the people with God. It never took long before they failed on every level. In today’s text, God gives a list of these worship practices and how Israel failed, but we will also look at the New Testament and see how God provided a means to overcome our inability to succeed on our own.

1. The Priesthood

a. Israel’s Failure: Failed Priesthood, Malachi 1:6

Malachi 1:6 NIV

6 “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’

Have you ever noticed how the attitude of someone in authority trickles down to others under their authority? When I was in middle school, our school hired a new coach for the boys. This man had lots of disdain and disrespect for girls and women. People soon began to notice that the boys were less and less coming to the girls games. It was expected that they come and support the girl’s sports the same way the girls came and supported the boy’s sports. Rumors began to spread that this new coach was bad mouthing the girl’s sports while he was in the locker rooms with the boys. Then one night, at a football game where the weather was extremely cold, the boy’s team was not doing so well. This coach was stomping around cussing and when the cheerleaders cheered their encouragement to the boys on the field, this coach turned and kicked a bucket of water all over them and told them to shut-up. Well, the parents had already been concerned about the rumors going around and that was the last straw. The coach was summarily dismissed the next day.

The priests were the spiritual leaders. They were to teach, encourage, and promote good worship practices, but we quickly find in the following verses, they were not doing that. They had a bad attitude, and it was trickling down to all Israel. God had blessed them by giving them that position as we have just recently seen in Numbers, but once again, they are taking advantage of their position for wrong reasons and failing to serve God and the people as they were called to do.

b. Jesus Became Our Priest. Hebrews 2:17

Hebrews 2:17 NIV

17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

Jesus as God has perfect love for us. He has also lived as we have and identifies with us. He know stands before God making perfect intercession before God the Father on our behalf. Jesus stands before God as the high priest but there is more.

c. All God’s Faithful Are Priests. 1 Peter 2:9

1 Peter 2:9 NIV

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

As priests of God, we live in the honor and privilege of serving God and serving others, which we will talk more about shortly.

The next failure occurred because...

2. The Sacrifice System

a. Israel Failure: The Sacrificial System Was Abused, vv 6b-9

Malachi 1:6–9 NIV

6 “A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ 7 “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. 8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty. 9 “Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the Lord Almighty.

God had been very specific in what animals were to be offered on the sacrifice altar. They were to be perfect with no blemish whatsoever. We are talking, they even inspected the under lid of the animals eye, as it was to be completely perfect. If it was not so, it was to be rejected. The priests had the right to reject any imperfect sacrifice, however, they apparently were so bored with their positions, they just accepted anything anyone brought to them. Without question, they laid these deficient animals on God’s altar.

Remember these animals were a representation of the sacrifice to come, God’s Son. In accepting these sick and imperfect animals, they marred the image of the Messiah to come.

This reminds me of the event we just spoke of in Numbers when Moses hit the rock twice and was punished by being prohibited from entering Canaan. It is easy to justify Moses actions, after all, Moses had been so faithful for so long. Disobedience is always serious, but even more offensive is to impugn the image of God’s Son. This is never tolerated. Moses did so by hitting the rock representation of Christ, and so did the people and priests of Israel by presenting and accepting less than perfect sacrifices to God, not to mention the disgrace to offer such to God.

The third failure we find is that...

b. Jesus Became Our Perfect Sacrifice, 1 Peter 1:19

1 Peter 1:19 NIV

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

Just as the lambs presented to the priests were to be looked and search for any blemish, Jesus stood before men on trial and not one fault could be found. He was the only true perfect sacrifice that could be made that satisfied for all time the penalty of sin. The animals, no matter how perfect would always fall short. They had to be sacrificed again and again, but Jesus was once for all for all time.

When we become saved,

c. We are now all living sacrifices, 1 Peter 2:5

1 Peter 2:5 NIV

5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Because of Jesus, the sacrifice of our lives is not death but life. We now live according to God’s instruction and direction. We are not perfect, but we are made perfect through the blood of Jesus and we are empowered to live right by the Spirit of Jesus alive within us.

3. The Temple

a. Israel’s Failure: The Temple Was Neglected, vv 10

Malachi 1:10 NIV

10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.

I am not talking about the kind of neglect where the tent and fixtures became worn and were not maintained, though that may have been happening for all I know. But I am talking about the kind of neglect when the priests did not refuse offerings that were not adequate. God is calling for someone, anyone to be passionate enough toward Him and His dwelling to not allow such distasteful conduct to enter His presence. However, obviously, no one was passionate enough for God to speak up or take action against this abuse of the sacrificial system.

b. Jesus Became the Temple, John 2:19-21

John 2:19–21 NIV

19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body.

The temple was the means by which God dwelt among His people. It was a building and God was in the midst but separated enclosed in the Holy of Holies. However, Jesus was God incarnate. He literally dwelt among the people. Walking with them, talking to them, eating with them. When they destroyed His body, they just gave Him an even better means to dwell among us as now...

c. We become God’s temple, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NIV

19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

God no longer resides beside us but within us. His Spirit is united with our spirit.

This is something we need to take to heart because unlike the temple doors that could be closed, God dwells with us 24/7/365. That means, anything we are exposed to, God is exposed to. What we watch, what we hear, what we speak, what we eat or drink is exposing God to the same.

Next, we find that...

4. The Tithe

a. Israel’s Failure: Their Tithing Was Insincere, vv 11-12

Malachi 1:11–12 NIV

11 My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord Almighty. 12 “But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food is contemptible.’

What was the food on the Lord’s table? The tithe. Remember, they were to tithe a tenth of their first fruits. The first and best of their crops and stock and herds, was to come to God. We already saw the sacrifices offered were lame and blind and not according to God’s instruction. It was the same with the tithes presented. They did not bring their best, in fact, when we read further, we find that even stolen items were tithed. Instead of giving from their stores, they gave from someone else’s stores.

Have you ever gone to a Christmas party and the fun was a white elephant gift exchange? The point is to give something you want to get rid of and it is usually a joke on whoever inadvertently receives it. Well this is basically how they were treating God and it was not in fun, but in disrespect.

You may think this kind of thing does not happen today but I am sad to say it does. I experienced it once. Early on in my life as a pastor, I was given a food pounding. My son and I had just moved and the church was delayed in paying me my first salary. Our cupboards were bare and my car was out of gas. The pastor called me to go somewhere and I confessed my car was riding on fumes. So, he called for a food pounding. When I opened the box and began sorting through it, my heart plummeted. There were boxes so old the sides and corners were frayed and they contained odd things I didn’t even know what they were. The can goods were outdated and rusty. They were also odd things like sardines and such. Great meal I got out of that. I was so disappointed and concerned for the message it sent my son.

When we give only what we feel we must and never offer anything extra, we do the same. When we tithe off of our net instead of our gross, we have done God a disservice and it shows that we do not trust God to provide for us.

Our tithes and offerings are to be gifts freely and generously given from the outflow of our heart of love and gratitude toward God. Not something we miserly and resentfully present. It is better not to give at all then to give in this manner.

Next, we find that their attitude is sorely lacking as we see...

b. Jesus Became the Best Tithe, 1 Corinthians 15:23

Tithing was a giving of first fruits to God. It was in the form of those essentials to life. Income, harvested crops, livestock, etc… Likewise, Jesus was a first fruit essential to life. Jesus was the first fruit of the resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:23 NIV

23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

I am thankful that Jesus, unlike us so many times, was faithful in giving this tithe. Because of Jesus’ willingness to die, we now have the ability to be resurrected from death.

c. We will be the first fruits of the rapture, Proverbs 3:9; 1 Corinthians 15:23

If we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ and our following Him as His faithful followers, we are assured that we will be the first fruits of the resurrection. As faithful followers, we give the first fruits of our livelihood, what we call tithe in faithfulness to God. We do so cheerfully because we love and worship God.

Proverbs 3:9 NIV

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;

Next, we find that...

5. The Ministry

a. Israel’s Failure: Ministry Was Rejected, v 13a

Malachi 1:13 NIV

13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the Lord Almighty. “When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord.

Ministry has to do with serving God and serving others. Israel became disgusted with the ministry required to worship God. They began to think of their worship as a job or a chore. They lost site of the honor that belonged to God and they failed to appreciate all that God had done and was doing for them. Ministry and worship go hand-in-hand. However, when the worship part is lost, it just becomes a daily routine with tasks to be checked off a list. Instead of appreciating God’s call, they had allowed things to become mundane routines.

b. Jesus Accepted His Ministry to Us. Matthew 20:28

Matthew 20:28 NIV

28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Unlike the priests of Israel who lost interest in their ministry, Jesus never looses sight of His. He came willingly. He never grumbled or complained against what God had Him do. He was a king, but He willingly laid down his royal garments to take up the life of humanity, and even was willing to be born into an impoverished lifestyle that started in a barn with His bed a manger that fed the animals. He then lived and served the people. No matter how tired he was, he took time to listen to people and to heal their sick.

c. We are now all ministers. Romans 7:6

We are to follow His example.

Romans 7:6 NIV

6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Pastor Mark Driscoll wrote,

“God does something for you through the life, the death, the burial, the resurrection, the ascension, the triumphant eternal cosmic victory of Jesus. He does something for you, and then he puts the spirit in you, and he does something in you. He changes your desires. He changes your nature. He changes your identity. He changes your power source. He changes your destiny. And then the ministry that was done for you is something that God does in you...by the power of the Holy Spirit...That is the cycle of ministry. I receive and I give, I'm forgiven and I forgive. I'm loved and I love, I'm served, and I serve. And this is the rhythm of the soul that is filled with the spirit and relationship with Jesus.” (Rev Mark Driscoll, Malachi #2, Learn to Honor).

6. Worship

a. Israel’s Failure: Worship Was Play-Acted, VV 13b-14

Malachi 1:13–14 NIV

13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the Lord Almighty. “When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the Lord. 14 “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.

When I was in college, I discovered a Christian music group I enjoyed. They were named, “The Imperials.” One of my favorite songs says, “God inhabits our praise.” When we worship God, the call on our lives is a joy. However, when we allow our worship to become dry and routine, we soon lose sight of the true purpose of what we are about. The priests were no longer worshiping as they served God. They were putting on a mask as they did what they considered their chores.

When we look over these failures on their part, we find we are in danger of the same. However, we have something they did not have. Jesus has come and with Him came the Spirit to live and empower each of us. However, we still need to be careful to keep an eye on our attitude and our worship, because it is so easy to fall into complacency.

Israel did not have the power they needed to be overcomers but we do. Look with me at the...

b. Jesus Worshiped God, Luke 4:8

Luke 4:8 NIV

8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

Jesus is the perfect example for us in all things, especially this. He was God, yet He worshiped God the Father. He worshiped the Father through respect, obedience, and giving honor to God in all things. Jesus never did anything without seeking God’s will and we need to do the same.

Now, because of what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross for our sins...

c. We worship Jesus and God in Spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24; Romans 12:1

John 4:23–24 NIV

23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Romans 12:1 NIV

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Because of the Spirit living within us, we can worship both Spirit and in truth. Worship is not something mandated to us but something we desire to do because of the Spirit within us. There is power and connection through our worship that Israel in the days of the Old Testament had not yet experienced. I am so glad that we have that Spirit of God within us, because when we stay connected with God through is indwelling Spirit, worship is genuine, not a facade put on to appeal to a god. It is personal and genuine, not some chore to be completed.

Conclusion

They events of the Old Testament allow us to peek into our very hearts. We all grow tired and weak at times. We can become blind to what God has done and is doing in our life. However, when we are diligent in staying in close contact with God, we have the power of God’s Spirit within us to help keep us consistent in a way that Israel was unable to do.

We need to be thankful for this and not allow apathy to overtake us. Seasons like Advent and Lent are great opportunities to do an attitude check. Regular personal or family spiritual retreats are another means. I have done this throughout my life but not as regularly as I should. I am beginning to appreciate the value of regularly making room in my schedule to do so.

I know this was a long sermon but I want us to take a moment to appreciate all that Jesus has done for us by receiving Communion today. It reminds us of all He suffered so we could have a true personal relationship with God.

Communion

Prayer

Worship Set

Benediction