Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Malachi 3:13-4:6 – Is He Worthy to Follow?
Malachi’s closing words, the closing words of the Old Covenant
Read text
Prayer
These are hard words, ending with destruction and a curse.
But not the last words.
1. Wallowing in Complaint, 3:13-16
Have you notice the repeated question “How?” in opposition to the Lord?
There is a scoffing tone in each of these that reveals that they are willingly clueless as to their rejection of God’s ways.
1:2
“I have loved you.”
“How have you loved us?”
He chose them for his people.
1:6
“You priests have despised my name.”
“How have we despised your name?”
They offered polluted sacrifices.
1:7
“You offered polluted food on my altar.”
“How have we polluted you?”
They gave the worst of their flocks when God requires the best.
2:17
“You have wearied the Lord with your words.”
“How have we wearied him?”
They questioned God’s justice, called wrong things right.
3:7
“Return to me, and I will return to you.”
“How shall we return?”
By not robbing God.
3:8
“You have robbed me.”
“How have we robbed you?”
By not bringing their tithes and offerings.
All to question God’s worthiness of Honor, Faithfulness, Trust.
And now we come to the 7th accusation, and the 7th incredulous objection.
The question is, Is He Worthy to Follow?
In the face of seeming injustice and futility, their words are hard against God.
v. 13-16
They have spoken against God.
This is perhaps the summary of all the other complaints.
It is vain to serve God.
Why were they questioning his love, offering cheap sacrifices, forsaking their spouses in divorce, not bringing their tithes, and refusing to return?
Because they felt he was not worthy to follow wholeheartedly.
14 – What is the profit of our keeping his charge?
Profit – based on the word “cut”
What is my “cut” in following Christ?
What’s in it for me?
There’s no apparent temporal benefit.
14 – What is the profit in walking as in mourning before the Lord?
Mourning for sin is a part of true worship.
(No specific sin mentioned here)
Luther, #1 of 95 Thesis: When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, “Repent” (Mt.
4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.
When they asked, “How shall we return?”
(3:7), they were displaying that they saw no point to mourning for sin.
15 – We call the arrogant blessed.
Evildoers prosper, are not caught in their sins.
The prosperity of the wicked (ungodly) is a common theme in the OT
Psalm 73
Begins with the recognition that God is truly good to his people
Almost stumbles
Envious of the arrogant, always at ease, they increase in riches
I went to the sanctuary (posture of worship) – discerned their end
Nevertheless, I am continually with you – whom have I in heaven but you?
The difference between the Psalmist and these complainers is one of posture/worship.
If we’re honest, we all face this question, is he worthy to follow?
Likely that some of you are contemplating whether to even continue in the faith.
Mars Hill – stories of abuse, hurt, pain, even no longer identifying as Christian
Many other prominent Christian personalities have abandoned the faith
Philosophical questions
Hypocrisy of believers
Abuse of power
Personal hurt
How do we deal with the difference between what we observe and what ought to be?
Deconstructing faith
Healthy to ask honest questions
Healthy to have doubts and unanswered tension
Healthy to walk away from those elements that are not essential to true Christianity
Reconstructing faith (from Jeffery Curtis Poor, blog writer, who deconstructed and reconstructed)
Do read the Bible
Don’t withdraw from community
Do pray honest prayers
Don’t let fear stop you
Do grieve
Psalmist – Whom have I in heaven but you?
Jesus’ disciples – To whom would we go?
Am I feeling the force of this question – is he worthy to follow?
2. Standing in Community, 3:16-18
Those who feared the Lord – 7 times “fearing the Lord” is addressed in Malachi
The essence of true religion in the OT, distinguishes the people of God from the people who have no regard for him; reverential awe and adoration combined with the healthy reaction to a consciousness of his displeasure.
Perfect love casts out fear of wrath, but there is still a fear of the Lord in the Christian’s life.
Thomas Watson – There is a difference between fearing God, and being afraid of God.
The godly fear God as a child does his father; the wicked are afraid of God as the prisoner is of the judge.
These are the ones who stand against the complainers.
When the majority mock God, these are faithful to their standing.
Spoke with one another
In the face of the ungodly majority who say following God is vain, the faithful few must stand together.
They spoke to one another – what did they say?
The verse gives a clue – the Lord paid attention and heard them – not only the result, but the reminder they give one another.
Hear – give regard to, respond to; “God will hear and respond.”
Book of remembrance – a covenant renewal document – Neh 9-10
“Because of all this we make a firm covenant in writing; on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests” (Neh.
9:38)
Should we sign a document?
In a sense we do through our membership and accountability to one another – our Book of Remembrance is our commitment to the local church, and the community relationships we form.
Heb.
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