Return to the Lord Malachi 3:6-12

Gracious giving is a step of faith that God honors.

When you go to a doctor for your annual check-up, he or she will often begin to poke, prod, and press various places, all the while asking, "Does this hurt? How about this?" If you cry out in pain, one of two things has happened. Either the doctor has pushed too hard, without the right sensitivity. Or, more likely, there's something wrong, and the doctor will say, "We'd better do some more tests. It's not supposed to hurt there!" So it is when pastors preach on financial responsibility, and certain members cry out in discomfort, criticizing the message and the messenger. Either the pastor has pushed too hard. Or perhaps there's something wrong. In that case, I say, "My friend, we're in need of the Great Physician because it's not supposed to hurt there."

I. God’s Invitation: Repent and Return vv. 6-7a

In our passage this morning, Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets speaks years after the ministry of Haggai

He speaks for God to the people in the middle of continued unfaithfulness and issues an invitation to them: return to Me!

The picture in the preceding passage is pretty ominous: a day of judgment is coming, yet there is Good News:

The Lord does not change

His unchanging character means that we are not consumed:

There may be genuine discipline and suffering that God’s people experience as a result of their unfaithfulness

However, the end is never intended to be destructive

Unfortunately, we have a very serious spiritual problem:

We all turn away from God’s statutes and commands

The Lord has given us a good and wise pathway to walk, yet we consistently refuse!

However, God has a solution to this problem:

We must return to Him!

This may sound terribly simple, but we can’t miss its power

We are invited to stop going our own way, we call this repentance

God’s promise here is consistent with His enduring character: He returns to His people

Luke 15:17–24

[17] “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! [18] I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. [19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ [20] And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. [21] And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ [22] But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. [23] And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. [24] For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate. (ESV)

II. God’s Expectation: Faithful Generosity vv. 7b-9

Next, we get to the meat of the issue: What does it look like to return?

Now, God offers a stunning critique:

His people have robbed Him!

In what sense have they robbed God?

Malachi makes clear that the primary issue is related to their financial contributions to the Lord’s work:

They do not give their tithes: the commanded tenth of their income

Nor do they give their offerings: interestingly, these are intended to be gifts of love, commitment, or service and they are not being fulfilled

I don’t want us to miss this: finances are a spiritual issue!

Our finances reveal the priorities of our heart

Our finances reveal the trajectory of our commitments (Matthew 6:21) “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

Our finances reveal what we believe about God and His provision

You will never see God’s great provision until you faithfully engage in God’s mission!

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

“R.G. LeTourneau understood God’s purpose for blessing him financially. An inventor of earthmoving machines, LeTourneau reached the point of giving 90 percent of his income to the Lord. As he put it, “I shovel out the money, and God shovels it back—but God has a bigger shovel.”

R.G. LeTourneau as recounted by Randy Alcorn in Money, Possessions, and Eternity (Wheaton: Tyndale, 2003) 214.

III. God’s Guarantee: Test and See vv. 10-12

In closing out the passage, the Lord issues a challenge to His people:

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse

This is important because His people’s faithful giving is the way that He intends to supply His work

God invites this as a test:

When we live in this way, we are placing the responsibility on God

We give in the trust that He will provide for us

This does not mean that faithful giving comes without a cost

This also does not mean that it will be easy

This is not a pursuit of prosperity, but it will be a front row seat to God’s provision on display

What is God’s promise here?

He will “rebuke the devourer”. Things will just last longer and you will avoid some of the ongoing calamity of life

He will insure fruitfulness. He will make sure that our works are productive

He will give us honor instead of shame.

There is always that fear: what if I take a step of faith and I get left holding the bag?

We do not have to live in fear of that, because we can trust Him

This is never more apparent than when we look to the New Testament:

He sent His Spirit

Ephesians 1:13–14

[13] In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, [14] who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (ESV)

He gave His Son

Romans 8:31–32

[31] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (ESV)

So what next?

-Are you ready to trust Jesus as your Savior?

-Are you ready to be a part of His work?

-Are you trusting His provision?