06AM September 17 Malachi 1 6a 3 6_10
September 17, 2006—Morning Worship
Are You God’s Delight or God’s Disappointment?
Expressions of God that Evaluate Our Lives
Malachi 1:6a; 3:6-10
Intro: According to God’s word, it’s better to obey the word of God than to seek forgiveness for disobedience. IOW it’s better to do what God says do, than to disobey & then have to come to God in confession of your sin. Now, don’t get me wrong, God does forgive sin & He delights in all those who come to Him in repentance, but He has a greater delight in those who walk according to His word.
In Malachi chapter 1 verse 6, God is speaking to the nation of Israel through His prophet Malachi. He is warning Israel of their sins & encouraging them to repent & return to God. These events took place shortly after the completion of the 2nd temple constructed under the leadership of Zerubbabel. The priests & the people had become increasing complacent in their worship, & God was not being honored.
So, God says in (READ) Malachi 1:6a. At that time in Israel’s history, hardly anyone was truly worshiping God! They did not honor Him or reverence Him in the manner of which He is worthy. So God sent Malachi to preach to Israel & to proclaim & plead that they return to God.
Some of you will hear this message & think, “Well, all he wants is my money!” But this message is about so much more than that! It’s true, we are to give in accordance to the way God has blessed us, but that truth is not limited to our finances! We ought to give to God our time, our love, our abilities, our loyalty, our talents, & our money!
Now, I'm sure we're all guilty of holding back some of our money when we times are tight. However, that is the very time that we should trust God all the more & give as He commands—b/c if we don’t, that’s defrauding God. It’s keeping for ourselves, what really belongs to God & that is a sin—whether it’s time, talent or treasure that we keep.
Israel was guilty of this sin &, at least to some extent, so are we! So from Malachi 3:6-10, we’re going to find 3 expressions of God that we can use to evaluate our lives as we determine from the Scriptures whether we are God’s delight or God’s disappointment.
READ Malachi 3:6-10
In these verses we find…
1. The Consistency of the Lord's Character (vv. 6-7)
In the 1st part of v.6 God tells you that…
A. You can Count on Him (v. 6a) "For I am the Lord….”
1. As the Lord He is the Owner, Ruler & Master of everyone & everything
2. God looks to no one for help or assistance or for wisdom or anything else
3. He is the owner of all things
4. He is the ruler of every aspect of all Creation
5. If it were not for Him, nothing would exist or could exist
6. He is the master of everything
7. His word is law & He abides by it & so should we!
8. His promises are true & His mercies are new every morning
9. God’s grace is sufficient for your every need & He has an unending supply
10. You can count on Him b/c He never changes!
& that means that…
B. He is Controlling His plan (v. 6b) “…I do not change"
1. I’m so glad we don’t serve a fickle God!
2. I’m so glad that you can count on Him
3. I’m so glad that the Scriptures teach us that God is Sovereign in all things!
4. He does not change—He is forever the same
5. What He set in motion before the foundation of the world, He will bring to pass
6. God is not shocked or surprised by anything that we or Satan throw at Him
7. God is the master planner & He is controlling His plan & working His plan
8. The Bible tells us that all things work together for good to those who love God
9. God is weaving the pattern of His plan into the fabric of every person’s life
10. & everything that happens, God uses, God allows, God builds & God knew about long before it ever took place!
11. God is in control! He can never be shaken or surprised or removed from power by any means or by any method or by any man or spirit He has made!
God is unchanging in both His character & in His plans for His people & we also see…
C. He is Compassionate toward sinners (READ vv. 6c-7)
1. God’s compassion is longsuffering! God is merciful & doesn’t punish instantly
2. We all are sinners; we all deserve hell; we all deserve punishment! But God!!!
3. God’s compassion means that He is not willing that any should perish
4. He brings sinners to the point of repentance through the circumstances of life
5. Generations of Israel has disobeyed & yet He still was pleading for repentance
6. “Return to Me & I will return to you!”
7. He gave His invitation to repent then & He still gives it today!
8. If you hear His call to repent & you turn to Him, God will forgive & restore you!
9. Even though we may be stubborn & resist for many years, by God’s grace, we see God as He is & we finally see ourselves as God sees us, we can respond to His call!
10. If you sense God calling you to repentance today, will you respond in faith?
God’s word is not only showing us the consistency of the Lord’s character, but also…
2. The Simplicity of the Lord's Complaint (v. 8)
His complaint was personal, plain & powerful!
Notice that…
A. It was Personal (v. 8a) "Yet you have robbed Me!"
1. “Will a man rob God?” the Lord asks. Is it possible that mere men would dare w/hold from God what is His?
2. Can the creature defy His Creator?
3. Who would ever think that moral man would scheme to defraud Almighty God
4. You see the Lord is asking how it’s possible for His people to defraud Him
5. You have not cheated your brother or neighbor or even your king, but God!
6. & we do the same thing today when we w/hold anything from God
7. We are living in open defiance of Almighty God when we decide not to give our time to the work of the Lord or our talents in service to the Lord or our money in support of the Lord’s mission.
8. All that is, is a personal affront to God; a personal insult to Him; a personal extortion of God Himself!
9. & God asks these mere men, “Just who do you think you are & w/whom do you think you’re dealing?”
10. Well I can repay God later but the car payment wont wait.
11. Oh no! The way you handle your money & your time & your talents really proves where your heart lies!
It’s personal w/God & not only that, but His complaint--…
B. It was Plain (READ v. 8b)
1. It’s bad when we can’t even see how we’ve sinned!
2. God is trying to get through to His people & they are blinded to the truth!
3. Israel was guilty of w/holding the full tithe (Leviticus 27:3032).
4. They were to give of everything in the way God had prospered them
5. & if they wanted to “redeem” anything they were to give 5% more or 15%
6. You see, God has given us everything we have—we didn’t earn anything!
7. He gave us work, homes, families, cars, cash, looks, talents, brains, eternal life—everything!
8. It all belongs to Him! He allows us to benefit from it & to use it—but it’s His!
9. So giving back some % is the least we can do!
10. But God has been so generous w/us – we should be generous w/Him!
God’s complaint was personal & plain, but also…
C. It was Powerful (READ v. 8c)
1. You have robbed Me in tithes—10% of everything was to be given to God
2. & if you study carefully the OT laws in actuality, the Jews gave 23-28% yearly
3. The problem was that they either didn’t give or they gave inferior items to God
4. God required the best of herds & flocks; the 1st fruits of all produce.
5. But Israel had become lacks in their worship; unwilling to respond to God as He required.
6. Not only had they not given the tithes, they had not given their offerings
7. An offering was that which was given above the tithe; it was a heart gift to God
8. This would be like our time & talents & abilities offered for God’s use
9. We don’t look to be “repaid” for those things; we do them b/c we love God!
10. & so Israel, by their inaction, was really telling God, “We don’t love You, we’re not even sure we like You.”
But God gets His message across in v. 10, where we see…
3. The Expectancy in the Lord's Challenge (v. 10)
This is was the Lord expects from anyone who responds to His challenge, it…
A. Was to Participate in it (READ v. 10a)
1. God reasons w/His people; persuading them to obey His commands
2. He issues a challenge; participate; come & bring your tithes & offerings
3. The store house of the Lord, the temple, was to be full
4. He has filled us w/His word; He has provided for us in all things
5. Surely we can respond by bringing the tithe as an acknowledgement of what God has done for us
6. Surely we can honor God who is the Lord of all the hosts of heaven!
7. & here’s a good lesson for all of us today; when you are unsure of what you should do, just follow the commands from God’s word, & God will bless
8. If we were to live out all the truth we already knew, God would bless us beyond our comprehension!
& so He says, do it! Participate in the Lord’s challenge & find what He expects, it…
B. Was to Prove it (READ v. 10b)
1. God challenged Israel w/a test of faith during a time of need.
2. His promise to them, should they obey Him, was incredible & abundant blessing.
3. Now I’m not one of those name it & claim it kind of preachers!
4. But I am a firm believer that God keeps His promises!
5. If He said it, He will do it! We’ve already said you can count on Him!
6. & He will prove Himself faithful in every aspect of life as we obey & rely on Him
7. This illustration of opening up the windows of heaven & pouring out a blessing so abundant that there would not be room on earth to receive it blows out minds!
8. How is this possible? By the power of God!
9. You do what God requires of you & He will do what He requires of Himself & you will be totally & completely, utterly astounded at the power God exhibits on your behalf!
Conclusion: Let us accept His invitation to repent. Let's give God what He deserves; our complete surrender & obedience. & surely He will bless us far beyond what we deserve.
Invitation: Have you robbed God? Will you repent? Will you follow His commands? Are you lost w/o Him? Would you come to Him? Will you by faith repent & seek Jesus as your Lord? Are you God’s delight or God’s disappointment?
Hymn 275 I Surrender All