Doubting God's Faithful Love — Part 2

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Introduction

Good morning, church. Are you ready for a good word from our Father? I sure hope so, because God has an incredibly challenging and comforting word for us this morning.

We’ve started a new series in Malachi, the last book of the OT, which was written about 460 years before Jesus was born. It’s in the biblical genre or style of writing called the Minor Prophets (called “minor” because they’re smaller prophetic books than the larger ones like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.) There are twelve minor prophet, and Malachi is the last, so open your Bible to Matthew (the first book in the NT) and flip back usually two pages and you’ll be there.

Familial behaviors are a funny thing, aren’t they?

Every family affects future generations in how they handle life.

We’ve received some traits (good or bad) from our great-grandparents > grandmas & grandpas > some beliefs and behaviors to our parents whom we learned from. Some are good and some are bad.

And to make matters worse we’ll pass some things down to our kids and they’ll be rolling their eyes one day as they talk about some of our beliefs and behaviors (not realizing that, much to their dismay, they’re actually hanging on to some of them). And they’ll hit an age and say, “Oh man…I’m turning into my dad/my mom!” And they’ll be aghast.

Connect to Malachi

As we saw last Sunday in Psalm 137, several decades before Malachi prophesies, Judah (which is who Malachi’s writing to) went through some really rough stuff (deported from their land and forced to live in indentured servitude).

And, quite honestly, the small group of Israel (Judah) is still living in some tough times. They probably inherited some of the response to pain their grandparents had and passed down, which their parents chose to hang on to.

They’re back in their homeland of Judea, but they’re not an independent nation, they’re living under Persian rule. Now thankfully, the Persians have a much better political perspective on religion, and they’ve even had the temple rebuilt but it’s just not the same as being their own nation. They’re still experiencing economic hardship and, of course, when money’s tight we tend to focus on how bad everything is.

Which becomes really clear in how we see that God’s chosen people aren’t living like very grateful people to the Lord—they’re living like some cranky, angry, entitled children whose worship can barely—if at all— be considered Christian worship. And it’s here that we see the beauty and the unbelievable kindness of God.

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Main Point

Savor God's glory and love every day, so you can give yourself to Him wholeheartedly in grateful worship.

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We must embrace God’s rightful pursuit of his own glory and look to see how He’s demonstrated His patient, electing love to sinners who deserve hell. This is the motivation needed to begin the healing in our hearts and renew intimate, obedient worship flowing hearts filled with thankfulness.

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We’re All Tempted to Doubt Our Heavenly Father’s Love (1:1-2a)

Just think about it in everyday relationships. When someone—that we know cares about us—does something that offends us, is confusing to us, or we just simply don’t get your way, how quickly do we start telling ourselves, “They don’t love me.” Or “I wish they’d love me more—better—differently.”

And we’re so quick to do this with our Heavenly Father—with God. Why? Well, we’re so accustomed to earthly relationships (which all involve failure of some sort) that we find it hard to believe that everything God does in our lives is ultimately for God’s glory and our good.

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As we saw last week, when (not if—when) we’re tempted to doubt God's love, our confidence must come from how God has proven his love, which we see in the Bible, and which echoes truthfully in our souls, rather than what we feel.

When we live according to our feelings, rather than truth, we become indifferent to God’s love or vacillate between

And I love how God communicates this through Malachi.

Malachi 1:1-2a | 1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

Have you ever had something that weighs heavy on your heart to talk with someone about? It is so weighty you can feel your heart beating strongly.

This partially describes the oracle (lit. burden the Lord has for his people to really hear his message.

And Malachi’s not just part of the pony express delivering a letter. Malachi shares—feels— God’s good burden b/c God’s giving him some of his perspective.

It’s like a parent who gives a growing child charge over some other kids who argue a lot to show them what it’s like.

Moses about went crazy trying to lead God’s people out of Egypt and through the wilderness. Num. 20 tells the story of the Israelites complaining…I mean, really griping.

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Numbers 20:3–5 ESV

3 And the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! 4 Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? 5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink.”

(This is after God brought them through the Red Sea, mind you.)

So God tells Moses to bring the people together and tell the rock—speak to the rock—in front of the people, to yield its water.

Well, remember Moses has about had it trying to lead them. Moses struck the rock instead and water came out of the rock. But as he strikes the rock he gives ‘em a “what for”—a quick lecture.

Notice a couple things:

All that sin—the people griping, Moses leading in a prideful way—and God still provides water because God is full of grace for his chosen people.

But God still disciplines Moses. The reason? Unbelief.

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Numbers 20:12–13 (ESV)

12 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” 13 These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the Lord, and through them he showed himself holy.

We doubt God’s love, or grow indifferent toward God’s love, when we focus on our circumstances rather than on God’s glory and God’s purpose in our lives.

And this pattern continues over and over with God’s people. And we have the mistaken understanding that God is supposed to kowtow (prostrate himself before us in worship) to us, and if we feel like he’s given us a good enough circumstance then we’ll get passionate about religion.

And that’s exactly what it becomes then. Bartering. Negotiating with God.

“God, I’ll do this if you’ll do that. And if I’m happy with your choice we’ll keep this arrangement going.”

The problem us, that’s not biblical faith. Anyone can do that. In fact, that’s what every other religion does in one form or another.

And God says, “I don’t think so.” “How ‘bout this?” (which is not really a question). “I’m going to show the nations my glory through your life. And if you’ll trust me—if you’ll believe that I’m holy and my holiness is really good—then you’ll be amazed. Your circumstances may be better at times that at others. And they’ll be really bad at times. But if you’ll believe me, you’ll be amazed.”

“But when you focus on the fact that you deserve hell, and I’ve chosen you for glory, when you keep your eyes on the prize—intimate relationship with me for eternity—it’ll change how you see everything.”

“I have loved you,” God says. And that is enough. Focus on that.

How about you? How do you find yourself doubting God’s love? What are you fixated on? When you’re not trying to think about anything specific, but something’s always jamming up your thought process—what is that situation? That person? That hurt? That health issue? That perceived (whether real or not) in justice?

The people of Judah are focused on their situation. See it there in v.2

Malachi 1:2 | “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?”

Now this question, “How?” permeates Malachi’s message. Let’s look very quickly.

1:2: “‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord. But you say, ‘How have You loved us?’”

1:6: “‘… O priests who despise My name.’ But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’”

1:7: “‘You are presenting defiled food upon My altar.’ But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’”

2:13–14: “… the LORD no longer regards [your] offering. Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t he like our offering/worship?’”

2:17: You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied Him?’”

3:7: “‘Return to Me, and I will return to you,’ says the Lord of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’” (maybe the best question asked)

3:8: “‘Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me!’ But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’”

3:13: “‘Your words have been arrogant against Me,’ says the Lord. Yet you say, ‘What have we said against You?’”

Are you focused on God’s glory and purpose in your life, or are you focused on your circumstances so that your circumstances are eclipsing your view of God so that you only see the outline of God’s love but not the whole?

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The solution to our doubting God’s faithful love is to marvel at the wonder of God’s sovereign election (2:2b-5)

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Malachi 1:2–4 (ESV)

2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob 3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’ ”

God is God and I am not.

Psalm 115:3 ESV

3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Deuteronomy 4:35–37 ESV

35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord is God; there is no other besides him. 36 Out of heaven he let you hear his voice, that he might discipline you. And on earth he let you see his great fire, and you heard his words out of the midst of the fire. 37 And because he loved your fathers and chose their offspring after them and brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power,

Deuteronomy 7:6–8 ESV

6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

I often hear people say that it’s not fair of God to pick some and not pick others.

Friends, it’s not fair that God would pick anyone! But he has, and that’s where the wonder of grace comes in.

God is the Potter. We are the clay.

Jacob wasn’t any better than Esau. In fact, as you read the Bible one could make an argument that he was worse. He lived with his own best interest in mind.

When Esau sold his birthright to him for soup, Jacob seized on the opportunity rather than sharing his meal with his older brother.

When Isaac, their dad, was dying (Gen 27) he sent Esau out into the field to hunt and prepare a meal for him and “my soul will bless you.” When Rebekah hears this, she conjures up a plan for her momma’s boy, Jacob, and she makes a delicious mean, and they cover Jacob in fur (b/c Esau was hairy).

Jacob gets close to his dad and they trick him into giving his blessing! And the moment the deed is done, Esau comes home and gets this sick feeling in his stomach that something’s just gone down.

It’s preposterous.

But here’s the point: before the foundation of the world, God chose Noah, Abram, Isaac, Jacob (now Israel) and none of them were chosen because they were wonderful.

God, in his sovereign election works through the circumstances of man to bring forth His plan.

In Romans 9, where the Holy Spirit expands on and further interprets this text in Malachi, it is clear that Paul is talking about individuals and about eternal salvation (James White, The Potter’s Freedom [Calvary Press], pp. 203–227). God not only chose Israel as a nation to serve Him; He also chose individuals to save as a display of His sovereign grace and love (Eph. 1:4–6).

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Ephesians 1:4–6 ESV

4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility.

Paul knows the objections and answers them on Rom. 9.

So then the natural question is: well then, if God’s going to pick who he will then there’s nothing we can do about it.

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Romans 9:14–18 ESV

14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

And Paul answers that objection in a similar way to Job about Job’s plight.

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Romans 9:19–24 ESV

19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?

This is humbling and there should never be an ounce of pride.

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God’s purpose and ours is to spread His glory to all the earth (1:5).

Malachi 1:5 | Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

Did God choose Israel as a nation? Yes. And as individuals.

Did God choose Gentiles? Yes. Many of them.

God will use Israel in his plan for the end of all things. But God will also use many other people in his plan to show his glory to the whole world.

These are not at odds with one another.

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When we savor God's glory and love every day — God loving us as God chooses to love us (don’t get focused on the wrong aspect)

Only then can you can give yourself to Him wholeheartedly in grateful worship.

This is God’s answer, not Matt’s.

It’s like going on a road trip:

— Plan the journey before it ever happens

— Plan sights to see along the way

— Load up your kids and head out (“Are we there yet?”) - 5 sec. later… “are we there yet?”

— Pick up 5 more kids along the way

We forgot our purpose and a couple kids start to say, “Do we have to pick them up? They’re annoying!”

God say, “I know, but you can be too and I love you, don’t I?” Yeah.

“And aren’t you glad I picked you up?” Yeah.

“Shouldn’t we bring others along for the fun?” Yeah.

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“Did you know your brother didn’t want us to pick you up either?” “What?!?”

But aren’t you glad I did?” “Yeah.”

“You know why?” “Why?”

“I Love you” “K”

“Okay, then, we’re gonna pick him/her up.” “Okay”

When we read this you know what our focus should be? The reality that God has loved you, and has demonstrated his love for you by choosing a bunch of people and through that people bringing Jesus.

When God says, “This is how I have loved you,” we say, “Thank you. I love you too.”

That is the essence of worship.

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