Is God disgusted with your life?

Malachi 1:6-14

Introduction and background

Have you ever encountered anything that was absolutely disgusting? For example: * Have you ever smelled the stench of a skunk or a dead animal? * Have you ever seen a dead animal splattered across the highway?

-i think the worst thing for me is when we purchased our goldendoodle puppy. She got ahold of some bad eggs or something, and for 24 hours straight, you can imagine what was coming out. And while cleaning it up, you take a step back, and you feel the warm mush go between your toes. YUCK

When we look at this portion of Malachi, we find that God is disgusted. He is fed up at the attitudes of His people, especially the priests. In disgust, He tells them to shut the doors of the Temple and keep their offerings to themselves. The Lord is fed up with their attitudes toward Him. What in the world did they do to get to this point? What were they doing to cause the Lord to be so disgusted with them? This is the issue that we will address in this section and we will address the question, “Is the Lord disgusted with you?” We will examine the offenses of the people in Malachi’s time and apply the principles to our day. Let’s begin.

****Read Text****

Now before you think, I certainly don’t live in the Old Testament, or of the tribe of Levi, and I’m not a priest. Those rules don’t apply to me… 

Let me take you to the New Testament, to 1 Peter 2:5, 9

If you are a christian tonight, then you are a priest. In other Words, God’s message is just as applicable to you today then it was in Malachi. 

Why am I interested in preaching on this topic tonight? Im well aware this is Wednesday Night crowd. But I’m also aware that I’m much weaker than I think I am. This is a rough book, Where God is rebuking His church and its uncomfortable and I’m not here to just rip and discourage you but I want you to be blessed. Psalm 1:1 promises blessings to the righteous. To those who Honor the LORD. 

Let’s look at our text and notice some specific problems God had that will help us 

God issues the Question , WHERE ISMY HONOR?

1. The Inquiry- Vs 6

-They’re calling God their “Father", yet giving no honor.

-they call Him master, but don’t fear Him. – 2Tim 3:5

-They have degraded God to a low level of mediocrity

God showed His disgust with their behavior by speaking about the role of the father in the home or a servant toward his master.

The father and the master received honor and respect from their sons and servants, but God did not get any respect from His own people, especially the priests.

He was their Heavenly Father but they did not act like it. * Exodus 4:22b.… Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

* Hosea 11:1—When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

* Isaiah 64:8—But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Their attitude and service were travesties. As believers, our relationship with God is as sons and servants too. We are to be giving to the Lord, the honor or glory that He is worthy to receive. This is what it means to “fear the Lord.”

Im afraid that the fear of the Lord amongst many Christians today is a lost art.

What are the signs that we no longer fear the Lord?

A. Stage one: Covering up sin

In the first stage, we recognize our wrongdoing, and in our shame we try to hide it. Adam and Eve provide the classic example. After their fall in the garden, they tried to cover themselves with fig leaves.

* Genesis 3:7—And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Concealing sin from the Lord is useless because nothing can be hidden from Him.

Psalm 94:9–11 “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He that formed the eye, shall he not see? He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? He that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, That they are vanity.”

In this early stage of disobedience, we fool ourselves into thinking that somehow, He won’t know what we’ve done as long as we don’t admit it to anyone.

B. Stage two: Blame shifting responsibility

When we realize we can’t hide our sin from God, the next step is to insist that what we’re doing wrong isn’t really our fault. Once again, we note the pattern in the Garden of Eden. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. They both were denying their responsibility for their actions.

The more excuses we offer for our disobedience, the further away we drift from the Lord.

C. Stage three: Delayed repentance

Once we realize we cannot shift the blame, our next strategy is to put off the day of repentance. Augustine, in his autobiography, The Confessions, recounted his promiscuous youth. He remembered praying this prayer: “Lord, give me self-control, but not yet!” He was one at that time who was procrastinating over repentance. Christians who are actively disobeying God forget His warning: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Ps 95:7–8). They wait until tomorrow to repent, but tomorrow never comes. Their hearts harden like lumps of clay left in the hot sun, becoming useless because they can no longer be shaped according to God’s will.

D. Stage four: Sin is Justified

If we put off repentance long enough, our consciences becomes seared. Paul spoke of the numbing or hardening effect of sin.

* 1 Timothy 4:2—Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; At this stage, we stop trying to hide our sin. We stop making excuses, and cease to delay our reckoning with our wrongs. Instead, we begin to convince ourselves that it isn’t really sin after all.

Common statements that are made are to rationalize wrong behavior are.…

* That was in the Old Testament.

*We can do it now because we are under grace.

*The Bible doesn’t actually say this is a sin

* That is YOUR interpretation of the Bible, but not mine.

* Many Christians do this today. It can’t be wrong.

In time, as we continue to justify our sin, we may grow brazen in our wrongdoing, openly defying God or others who condemn our behavior.

For example, King Saul was a master rationalizer.

When the prophet Samuel rebuked him for disobeying God’s command to destroy everything in the enemy city of Amalek, Saul tried to justify his behavior by claiming that he had saved the best of the spoils to sacrifice to the Lord.

Samuel pointed out that the king had nevertheless disobeyed God’s clear instructions.

Yet, Saul adamantly insisted that he had done no wrong.

When we justify our sinfulness, we get spiritually hard-hearted.

The hardened believer thus embraces sin and refuses correction. All fear of God is gone. “This is the way of an adulteress,” says a Biblical proverb. “She eats and wipes her mouth and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong’ ” (Prov 30:20).

When we fail to honor the Lord with our lives, He is disgusted with us. If it bothered Him in Malachi’s day, it bothers Him now. Our pride, selfishness, quest for self-glory, and indifference toward God is repugnant to Him. Our ho-hum attitude or apathy about church, giving to God, witnessing, Bible study, prayer, concern for others, missionaries, godly living, purity, faithfulness, and living for Christ is offensive to the Lord.

The fact that a Christian is unconcerned about glorifying Christ with his life reveals serious heart problems and spiritual needs. Yet, this is the condition of many Christians today. So let me ask, “Is the Lord disgusted with you?” Don’t let your life be ruined by apathy.

POEM: - Apathy I looked upon a farm one day, that once I used to own; the barn had fallen to the ground, the fields were overgrown. The house in which my children grew, where we had lived for years … I turned to see it broken down, and brushed aside the tears. I looked upon my soul one day to find it too had grown, with thorns and nettles everywhere, the seeds neglect had sown. The years had passed while I had cared for things of lesser worth. The things of heaven I let go while minding things of earth. To Christ I turned with bitter tears and cried, “O Lord, forgive.” I have not much time left for Thee, not many years to live. The wasted years forever gone, the days I can’t recall. If I could live those days again, I’d make Him Lord of all. *Author Unknown*

Is Christ the Lord of your life or have you lost your first love for Him and become apathetic?

LETS REVIEW- POINT #1 They despised God’s Name- in that we seen there was no fear of God anymore.

2. The indignation from God’s people (or the response)

A huge problem in Israel was stemming from the attitude of the leadership in Israel. The priests were part of the problem, not a solution to what was happening in the nation. God charged these men with “despising” His name.

This word “despise” is from the Hebrew word bazah {baw-zaw’} which not only means “to despise, but to hold in contempt.”

They were like the blind leading the blind. Instead of acknowledging their guilt, they got defensive. They asked a question in which they knew the answer. Wherein hast thou loved us? How have we despised or shown contempt for God’s name?

Their contempt for God made the Lord disgusted with them.

They were like little children! A parent tells a 4 year old, timmy you hit your little sister for snitching on you about taking that cookie and im very dissapointed in you. “NO I DIDN’T’

We better start getting use to Honoring the LORD.

Philippians 2:9–11.… Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; [11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

3. Insights on how they disgusted God

And this is where the main meat of our message is going to come from. were going to look at how they dishonored God.

God is disgusted when we despise His name- Vs 6

-They’re calling God their “Father", yet giving no honor.

-they call Him master, but don’t fear Him. – 2Tim 3:5

-They have degraded God to a low level of mediocrity

Look at verse 13:

The priests were weary with the offerings they made to the Lord.

This word “weariness” is from the Hebrew word telah. This word is a strong word. It not only means to be weary, it indicates toil, distress, tribulation, and great hardship.

In fact this same word was used to describe the hardship that Israel encountered in their wilderness wanderings (Numbers 20:14). These men were bitter and considered the service to the Lord a burden. Do you find yourself with these same attitudes?

Unfortunately, there are many preachers today that are miserable in the ministry. They have lost their joy. Folks who are not preachers have also lost their joy and passion for Christ. Church is a burden instead of a blessing. That’s a tragedy.

The resentment of the priests is further seen in the fact that they “snuffed” at the offerings and service to the Lord.

What does “snuff” mean? It comes from the Hebrew word naphach {naw-fakh’}. This word also means “to seethe, to blow, set ablaze or enrage.”

The word is a metaphor taken from cattle which do not like their fodder. They blow strongly through their nose upon it and after this neither they nor any other cattle will eat it.

The worship of God was of little value and despicable to them. Obviously, their priorities were all out of wack. Wait a minute, do you find yourself facing the same dilemma?

Do you have a “Take it or Leave it” attitude toward serving the Lord Jesus Christ and living for Him?

If you are involved in the ministry, have you become bored and burdened in it?

Did you use to teach a class? Did you use to run a bus? Did you use to be passionate about serving God? DID you use to have a burden for the lost? but now its a burden.

HEY THIS IS NOT WHO YOU HAVE TO CONITNINUE TO BE!

You can come back to Jesus today! you can receive forgiveness. you can have a clear conscience again.

“the softest pillow is a clear conscience”

You can run that bus again! you can love God passionatly again!

But Your going to have to here the inquiry from the Lord, and acknowledge, Hes right.

As a Christian, if you leave the Holy Spirit out of your life and are not dependent upon Him, you will get to this point in your life. Paul faced many traumatic events in his life, but did not burn out because of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in his life.

D.L. Moody said, “I become weary IN well doing, but not weary OF well doing.” The Holy Spirit makes the difference.

* 2 Corinthians 4:16–17.… For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. [17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

2. God is disgusted when we forget His blessings and benefits

* Romans 1:21a—Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; …

Have you ever done something for someone or given them a gift, but they failed to remember what you did or to say “Thank you?” It probably did not thrill your little heart.

How many times does the Lord bless us and we fail to thank Him for what He has done for us? Most people suffer from amnesia of the Almighty and what He has done for them.

When we do this, we dishonor the Lord. His blessings are evidently not important and worth remembering. God’s people struggled with this all throughout the Old Testament.

* Jeremiah 2:32—Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

* Ezekiel 23:35—Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.

We are urged by Scripture to not forget about the Lord and His benefits.

* Psalm 103:2—Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

* Deuteronomy 8:11—Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

If you struggle to remember God’s blessings, then write them down in a journal or diary. No matter what circumstances we face in our life, we can still be thankful for what God has done for us.

3. We disgust God when we defile His alter- vs 7

Around Thanksgiving a few years ago, radio commentator Paul Harvey shared a true story of a woman and her frozen Thanksgiving turkey. The Butterball Turkey Company set up a telephone hotline to answer consumer questions about preparing holiday turkeys. One woman called to inquire about cooking a turkey that had been in the bottom of her freezer for 23 years. That’s right.… 23 years. The Butterball representative told her the turkey would probably be safe to eat if the freezer had been kept below zero for the entire 23 years. But the Butterball representative warned her that even if the turkey was safe to eat, the flavor would probably have deteriorated to such a degree that she would not recommend eating it. The caller replied, “That’s what I thought. We’ll give the turkey to our church.”

The attitude this lady had was the same attitude that God’s people had in Malachi’s day. God was disgusted with His people because of their attitude in giving to Him. They did not give God their best.

* Malachi 1:7–8 … Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. [8] And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.

* Malachi 1:12–13b … But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. [13].… and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord.

Why was the Lord upset with them? They were giving God the leftovers, the garbage of their lives, not their best.

They were being cheap with Him. These folks did not consider the Lord worthy of their best. They considered the offerings to the Lord as contemptible or of no importance at all.

They offered to the Lord “polluted bread.”

Polluted bread is a reference to the defective animals that were offered on the brazen altar, not the shewbread that was in the Tabernacle.

The animals were sick, diseased, and defective. Such offerings were forbidden and disgusting to the Lord, yet, they did not think that there was anything wrong in doing this.

In a stinging rebuke, the Lord said, “Offer your diseased animals to your governor and see if he will be pleased. Do you think they will be acceptable with him?” The answer of course, is “No.”

Ive seen this so often even in very recent days. Hey, we’re through with this, its used, in our way, and we want the church to have it.

Or the church is in need of a vacuum cleaner and we have that nice shark we love, but that old dusty one in the basement, we can give that one to Gods Work.

* Leviticus 22:20—But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.

* Deuteronomy 15:21—And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God.

The meat was also polluted because the priests were unclean when they offered it.

Certain procedures for cleanliness were to be followed when they offered the sacrifice to the Lord and they were ignoring these procedures.

All of these offerings were to be a picture of Christ who would one day die for the sins of the world.

If they were imperfect, how could they picture the perfect sacrifice, the Son of God?

These offerings were an indication of what was going on in the hearts of the people. It reflected their priorities and the attitude that they had toward the Lord in their hearts.

* Matthew 6:21—For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Their treasure was not offered to God because their hearts did not belong to Him. Beloved, more than anything else, God wants our heart.

* Psalm 51:16–17.… For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. [17] The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

* Micah 6:6–8.… Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? [7] Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? [8] He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

It is God’s desire that we be holy and clean. What God’s people were doing here was not worship at all.

True worship of the Lord gives “worth” or importance to the Lord. He is worthy of our best effort and attitude.

As Christians, we should look our best, act our best, give our best, and work our best at whatever we do.

We are His ambassadors and are to live godly lives.

Don’t go through life giving God your garbage. He doesn’t want it. The New Testament says that our lives should be living sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1).

If we give God only our leftover time, money, and energy, we repeat the same sin as these worshipers who didn’t want to bring anything valuable to God. What we sacrifice and give to God reflects our true attitude toward Him.

Let me ask, “Have you given your heart to the Lord? This was the challenge and the example of the Macedonian Christians. * 2 Corinthians 8:5—And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

Have you given your life to the Lord Jesus Christ or are you going through life living in such a way where your life is disgusting to God?

“ God doesn’t measure your giving by its value but by its cost to you”

Lets review

God is disgusted when we despise His name

God is disgusted when we forget his benefits

God is disgusted when we defile His alter

watch the consequences for not settling this

Malachi 2:2

I dont want your blessings to be cursed.

and then in chapter 3- we see God says

TRY ME- See if i dont open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing

So i ask again, Is God disgusted with your life? Is your life honoring to God?

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Since your going to give your life away to something (Career, money, fame, family, baseball)

Heres the only safe place to park it

Jesus is the only one that wont let you down and fail you

and when we give Him our life, the other things line up.

At the very beginning of Malachi, It says I HAVE LOVED YOU

Let me say it like this- ____________I have loved you.

And because of His love for us, it should motivate us to get some things right with Him

I wouldnt wait another day to turn and give your life to God.

Make things right today.

that bus outside has dust on it. What about today you dust it off

that Bible on the shelf is replaced by a phone on the nightstand. what about you trade that out today,.

Some people are oging to have to take some real action steps. maybe its deleting your social media acocunts

maybe its getting right with your wife or husband. Maybe you havnt been leading your home as a Godly Leader should.

Maybe youve defiled His alter, or forgot his blessings.

He loves you. He wants you. Come now