Sermon Tone Analysis

Context: “Where is the God of Justice?”

Malachi 3:1-6

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me.

And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.

3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment.

I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

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December 9

Advent 1

Celebrant

Fr.

Geoff or Bob+

Sermon

Paul

Responsive Psalm

Luke ()

OT Reading

Sharon ()

NT Reading

Sharon ()

Gospel

Paul ()

Malachi 3:1-6

Deacon

Paul

Crucifer/Offering/Server 2

Matthew

Prayers of the People

Cathy

Music Leader

Ben

Greeters

Ray and George

Fuller’s soap:

“the second simile is more troublesome.

The NRSV reads “like fullers’ soap,” while the NIV reads “like a launderer’s soap.”

Both are technically correct, but they lack the powerful imagery that the preacher is after here.

He wants a kind of soap made with lye, alkali, and potash, a soap popular on the North American frontier.

It was known for its power but not its subtlety; it was not a gentle soap.

One should think about this as a redemption but not a gentle redemption.”

Reid, S. B. (2001).

Second Sunday of Advent, Year C. In The lectionary commentary: theological exegesis for Sunday’s texts, volume one (p.

511).

Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Israel asks, ‘Where is the God of Justice’

and God answers.

The Lord whom you seek is coming.

BUT, who can endure the day of his coming, who can stand?

No one.

Everyone needs purifying.

Everyone needs refining.

BEHOLD

BEHOLD

The Lord will ‘suddenly’ come TO his temple

Who is the ‘messenger of the covenant’?

v. 1-4 is about JUDGMENT(?) — PURIFICATION

v. 5 is about IN/JUSTICE

JUSTICE & JUDGMENT

Advent is not a time for impatient murmuring at the ways of God

See

Impatient people once again heard murmuring at the ways of God

Malachi’s audience asks, “Where is the God of justice?”

The God of justice replies, “I will come near to you for judgement.”

Disparity between divine and human justice.

The verse is no longer talking about purifying people so that they will worship in righteousness, but condemning people for their sins.

Here those to be judged are said not to fear the LORD, meaning that they are not believers

The sending is not without a purpose, and its description is set forth in the second element of verse 1 (“in order to open a path before me”).

God will purify the priests

Once purification happens, offerings will be pleasing to the LORD

The Priests, who are supposed to ensure purity (but cannot) will themselves be purified