Family drop ins to church...sermon post...Malachi 1.1-5

 

We just love it when family drops in on a Sunday to worship with us!  My younger brother Tom (which is pretty obvious) and his wife Tamara swung into Weymouth Community Church to catch the intro sermon to the book of Malachi.  I am humbled to have family members listen to one of their kin speak about the words of our God.  

This is the first sermon in the book of Malachi.  Intro sermons are always longer because part of the preparation is to set the historical context.  Where do these words of God fit into the whole plan of God?  Malachi will give us 7 "burden" statements of God against His own people, those who have returned to Jerusalem from the exile to Babylon.  The smaller temple and city wall have been completed but departing from God's instruction is still happening.  Malachi addresses the disobediences of the day and we will see some similarities in our day.

• God makes a statement:  "I have loved you."
• Malachi responds with the rhetorical statement of the people:  "But you will say, 'How have You loved us?'"
• God will give His answer:  "Is not Esau Jacob's brother?"

This is the literary formula that Malachi uses throughout his book.  God's answers might be short or long and they definitely make you think about the question you asked.  I have found this true in life.  My first question needs to be followed by a second.  My first question is usually selfish, "How have you loved me?"  Hopefully my second question starts to look upward and outward and following the 2 greatest commandments of loving God and loving others.  The question should be "How have I not been loving God?"

Look at the first question you ask about the situation.  Is it selfish?  Don't act upon that question.  Step back and get a bigger picture of what is going on.  We are children of God and therefore we are also servants of God.  Simply said, "Servants serve."  Your second question should drastically change to reflect one who is looking upward and outward.  I'm assuming every rhetorical question from the people in the book of Malachi will lean toward being a selfish response.  

I finished the sermon with what to do if you are doubting that God loves you as one of His own children of the line of Jacob.

1.  Remember your family ties with God, salvation provided by God.

2.  Recall the whole plan of God for the children of God, eternal life in Paradise.

3.  Rest in all the words of God, provided by Him of blessings and curses, promises and warnings.

Many times we respond like those of the line of Esau who put more stock in the words of man than the words of God.  Sadly some of this has crept into the church.  

I am really looking forward to the re-study of this book.

Adam