Do You Really Want God to Show Up?

217 I-35 where is the Lord? What's your words? How have you worried him? You asked by saying all who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord is with them or where is the God of Justice? See, 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 images are will come says the Lord Almighty. What can I do with this coming or finer 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 and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord as in days gone by as in former years. So I will come near to you for judgement. I will be quick to testify against the sorcerers adulterers and Frozen Burgers against those who have frog labors of the wages who oppress the widows and the fatherless and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me says the Lord Almighty.

Thank you, Mickey.

I brought some laundry soap, but I didn't bring any refiners fire. I guess we have a little tiny fire right down there two of them. Oh we tend to. domesticate God don't we

when we look at this key verse We see that there are three primary characters. And also we see that it's God talking and this passage was about someone crying out God. Where are you? We see good things happening to bad people. We see bad things happening to good people. It doesn't seem to matter at all about having faith. This is just what's

And where are you? Where's the God of Justice is the question and then this verse comes. God speaking so many times I believe this is simply saying that in this we see when we feel like God is nowhere around. He's actually right in front of us talking.

And so we answers this question. I if you look in Malachi, you see lots of eyes, it's it's all first person coming through God's right there with them even though they didn't Since have that sense and I feel that something that is good for me to remember. As well when I feel where in the world are you God when I'm in those kinds of moments that God is really right there. Well, these are different kinds of soaps and there's different kinds of people talked about in this purse.

You know, I don't know yet if you buy under this in your house or not. These are all under the kitchen sink out here in the end. They got the church. And this one I am well acquainted Alright good. Yes, well. Are there and there's different kinds of characters refer to one is my messenger. And there are certain kinds of cleaners that aren't the real deal, but they are like pre cleaners and so every once in a while, I'll hear Levon say, oh I'll take care of that. You know, if she sees me wearing something that she doesn't feel this quite up to Snuff take that off and let me let me out pre-treated with something that's kind of like this messenger that's being talked about here. And I don't know if you know the character that this messenger is pointing to particularly or not. But this is another verse in scripture. It's in it could be in more than one gospel. I'm sure but this is from the Luke chapter 7 verse 27 where Jesus talks about

talks to the crowd and says What did you go out to the desert to see a reed? a man dressed in fine clothes What did you go out to see a profit? I tell you more than a Prophet. This is the one about Whom It is written. I will send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way before you I tell you among these those born a woman. There is no one greater than John yet. The one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he So look quotes. disburse referring it tying it to John the Baptist this character and the other past characters in this verse the Lord and this messenger of the Covenant both refer to the main cleaner. The main the night is Jesus. So God is giving this message to his people. But I have the question. Why do we talk about John the Baptist now? Why do we bring up this strange unattractive man during this beautiful season of Advent, right? I've been getting some Christmas cards, but I haven't got one yet with John the Baptist. Anywhere on it, you know, you know that might be Shepherds there might be at the star the wise men show up. Probably the stable is on a Christmas card. What else am I leaving out? Okay Angels Jesus. Thank you. What where what? Why isn't John the Baptist ever on a Christmas card? Is it because of the clothes he wore? You know that whole camel hair outfit leather belt in a living in the wilderness sort of thing, you know, and or maybe it's the things that he said, you know, when you open up the card will you wouldn't want to get you know you brood of vipers?

But many times when you want to know the essence of something you look at how it got started. You look at the launch you look at the first thing if you want to understand the essence of us people come here from all over the world to to to learn about what makes Americans tick and they come to the historic triangle. They come to where it all started. They go to Jamestown and if you read the history of me know how Jamestown got started again to understand. Okay, what's you know, what makes us tick As Americans so we study history because we know that the first things tell us a lot about what the essence of something really is.

Well, John, the Baptist was the first thing kind of guy. He was at the beginning. All the gospels. Let us know about John the Baptist. Nobody leaves him out. He was right there from the start.

and so

understand this is why I believe we include John the Baptist and Advent is that he gets that something that's very very important for this season and where and understand what the King of Kings is all about. And what is kingdom is all about Was John the Baptist the Bible says many times came preaching a baptism of repentance for the Forgiveness of sins.

So one of the takeaways I believe in this from this passage is for us to get how to understand the core At what? It means to follow Jesus?

And that is that we know how to repent. I don't know about you, but in order for me to move forward with Jesus. I also have two to make. a number of you turns along the way

if you can relate to that. I hope you can relate to that. Because if you never had to make a U-turn in your life.

Then you are Jesus right now. So living as a kingdom follower and that's who that's who we are. Where were the people of God called by his name?

Repenting is something that we just don't do once and say Lord. I love you. I will accept you as my Lord and Savior and I turn away from my son. And then I'm on my Merry and happy way with Jesus forever. And we we have to repent the things that we the behaviors that week. Find ourselves doing that. We that the Holy Spirit tells us. That we need to change. So repentance has nothing to do with saying I'm sorry all those saying I'm sorry is very important to do from time to time a very important words in our lives when it comes to repenting repenting means

Repenting is a change of behavior.

So praise God if he is helping you make those u-turns in your life that are necessary and I've heard many of you stories and I'm very encouraged in that.

but moving forward with Jesus requires the occasional u-turn in our lives

And another take away from this passage. I believe is that judgment begins with the house of God These people were complaining God. Where were you things weren't going very well. This was written in the year 500 BC give or take a couple decades. Well, what's going on in the world 500 BC?

The X-Files

The Jewish people were making their way back to their Homeland and getting reestablished again. They made it back to Israel. Once again after their time in Exile in Babylon the king in charge said hey, you guys can go back. Yay. We can go back and this is in response to prophecies like this one from Ezekiel chapter 37. I will make them one nation in the in the land on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two Nations or divided into two kingdoms. They will be my people. I will be their God. My servant David will be king over them and they will all have one Shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep keep my decrees. Well, if you read Malachi like page through the earlier chapters of this book, you see that this is not really what was going on the The Glorious whenever this guy David's name is mentioned. My servant David will be king over them. what they're thinking is In their minds is that time of in their history when and they were on top of the pile, right? Well in this situation that they're living in in 500 BC. Their neighbors are are not welcoming them back. Things aren't going well. David's nowhere to be around. There is no King. The temple worship is the temple itself is just not what they were really expecting. So there was a general malaise that they were in the grip of during this time versus 14 and 15 of the same chapter. They're saying things like it's futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out all those requirements and going about like and going about like mourners before the Lord our Mighty. But now we call the Aragon blessed certainly the evildoers prosper and even those who challenge God Escape. so

this is Glory former glory that was promised by Ezekiel wasn't anywhere to be found.

And when God does show up God, where are you? And he says I'm right here. I will send my messenger. The Lord will appear. God doesn't talk about judgment on their neighbors or their enemies God's Focus the judgment on them themselves.

So even though God is answering them here in there. Maybe this low moment and their spiritual history. It's not the kind of answer the expected. And it's not really the kind of answer. I expect either and Jesus was putting his finger on it when he said things like take the log out of your own eye before you take out of this take the speck out of your neighbor's eye.

We are wired to notice what's wrong with everybody else? And Overlook what's wrong with us?

So when God comes to his people here, he says I'm going to come. the clean you and refined you and you say oh

I was hoping you would clean I refine. My neighbor's you know, those ammonites those Samaritan's those moabites who are giving us trouble. That's who you're supposed to be cleaning and refining. What do you mean you're going to be cleaning refining? us

a judgement starts with the house of God even mentions the Levites. I'm going to start with the Levites those who are leading. Who who your leaders?

Well, I believe we aren't far. Sometimes from asking the same question. Where are you God? Why do you tolerate so much evil in our world today?

but do we really want God to show up because from this passage what God does when he shows up is

He comes as the Bible says.

Like a laundry soap or refiners fire.

Jesus isn't interested in us having a Merry Little Christmas.

Yes, we can celebrate. And let's hang the Reeds and put up the stables and send the cards and rejoice in the good news of great. Joy that indeed the season is all about but

enjoying Christ's presence in this way.

Doesn't mean that he leaves us unchanged.

We are being refined to become like Christ.

And the good news is in all of this.

Even though it may not be easy.

Is that a verse 3 says he will sit?

And I didn't think of this before but when you sit down that means whatever you're doing is going to take awhile. Right so you can do some things. So when you get yourself comfortable and settle in so another words rear when we were fine by Jesus. It's not something that happens quickly. Are salvation, I think. Is now it happens. It's a done deal. But are we finding the Lord sits with us? Okay, he will sit as a refiner. And so it's it's it's something we're in the middle of and it's a process, but I loved it also in verse 2.

He will be like a Refiner's Fire or a laundry soap.

when Jesus does something

I'm it. It's not just done part way. I'm going to tell a story on Michelle. She made this curtain out here in the fellowship hall and Michelle's not here this morning. Oh, okay. Fellowship meal afterwards. Okay. Yes. She said I couldn't get those things out. so I'm not telling you to look for stains in the curtain out there, but in the material she use there must have been some spots in it and

that's not a that's no.

That's not how this works.

When Jesus is done with us.

no spots no spots

That's why Joe could say this.

I have been tested. And I've come out as Gould. That is such good news. The refining is not fun. Whatever. I don't know what it's like to live in a washing machine, but it looks terrible to have to be inside one of those tossed and turned around soap in your eyes, whatever no one is ever probably live through a washing machine cycle the things we put our clothes through a terrible and in the old days early work on those things, you know, the laundry soap was serious. Yeah. It's it's it's hard on our clothes. It's hard on us God. You're hot on us when you refinance. But he's not doing to listen to destroy us. He's not doing this. to punish us He's doing this to prepare Fest.

For the day he does come back.

So take this verse to go with you. But he knows the way that I take.

There's no secrets. There's no sneakerheads. God knows all about us. He knows the way that I take.

When he has tested me.

I will come forth as gold.

We have a very good refiner. Is going about his work in our lives. Amen.

So just close with his verse yet in Chapter 3 of Malachi verse 17. They will be mine says the Lord Almighty in the day when I make up my treasured possession.

Let's pray.

You're making us.

your treasured possession

Father I pray for the four patients. I pray for grace for those of us in our number for those of us who we love who are going through. tough times of being refined

Who who?

are dealing with

issues that are difficult in their lives

But we praise you God. That with you.

With you you are making us into your treasured possession.

your jewels

continue your work and Ice Lord.

We thank you. We we love you. Thank you for not giving up on us.

Thank you for not giving up when your people back in 500 BC. And thank you that you would not give up your people in. The year 2000 2050 or however long you Terry Lord Jesus.