The Church at Twilight...sermon post...Malachi 3.6-12

 


Here is the church that I currently serve at twilight.  The photo was taken at the close of the day but the church, God's family, is not in its twilight.  It may look like it at times with the culture ever changing around us but God's family, the true church, has no twilight because it follows the One who rose from the grave and brought in a new day which continues onto eternity!  The sun can set on whole world regimes such as with the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Persians, Greeks, and Romans but Jesus proclaims a church that He builds and holds in the palm of His hand.  

Here is a picture of my dad in front of his Old Glory which he puts out at the start of each new day and brings in at the close of the day.  At 91, he has a joy within him to sing to his helpers throughout the week of songs from days gone by.  A little man from Sterling, Michigan who sailed around the globe and hiked the great Mount Fuji, a squid and a jarhead.  He came home to marry our mother, Marion Mae, and raise 4 children on 40 acres of land.  He has cared for others over the years and now I am thankful that he is graciously and gratefully accepting care from others for him.  

We ventured into Burden or Oracle #5 last Sunday, Malachi 3.6-12.  God gives a big for instance to the Israelites which is both material and measurable.  It seems very logical that God would pick this one because much of our surrender is an inside action.  Our giving to the glory of God ventures from the unseen inside commitment to the visible outside action.  

For review, the Israelites were...

Burden #1 - dissing God - because they said God wasn't love.

Burden #2 - trumping God - because they thought they knew better than God.

Burden #3 - replacing God - because they wanted other gods with God.

Burden #4 - accusing God - because they said God wasn't just.

Burden #5 - gypping God - because they were cutting corners for self.

The giving of the Israelites from the provisions of God was to 1) support the spiritual leadership; 2) support the proclamation of God; and 3) support the poor.  We see these 3 today in the New Testament as obligations of the people of God of the New Covenant.  

Our gypping of God only gyps ourselves.  Our holding back gyps us of seeing God opening the windows of heaven and all the needs being met.  Many times we have taken a back seat and allowed the government to step into our opportunity as the people of God.  I give because I want to see God do His thing!

Adam




A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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