How To Screw Up God's Love

Malachi 1:1-2:9

How To Screw Up God’s Love

Introduction

A. Do you remember what happen 9-11? I am sure you do, it is a day that we will never forget

B. Do you remember how many times God was mentioned after that event?

C. How many prayer meetings there were, the president even asked us to pray

D. In Crisis like that God is always brought to the forefront

E. In our own lives when we experience a crisis, God is brought to the forefront

F. But most of us do not live a state of constant crisis

G. During those “Normal” times we tend to put God to the side, and we become preoccupied by ourselves rather then God.

H. Our worship turns from passionate to ritualistic

I. Our prayers turn from passionate pleas and thanksgiving to a Christmas Wish list

J. That is why Malachi is here

K. Malachi creates a crisis at a time when we are unaware of crisis

L. He wakes us up to the crisis of God during the times when the only thing we are concerned with is us

M. Even though this book was written in about 430 bc, 2430 years ago, the message it contains is very applicable for us today

N. Now we have to understand how Malachi is written, it is very straight forward and honest

O. What Malachi does is basically makes a statement that the people of the land would make and then gives God’s rebuttal

P. Folks this is real stuff

Q. The real stuff might create a crisis in your life, don’t blame me it is in the Bible.

R. This morning we are going to look at three real pictures of God

a. Real Love

b. Real Worship

c. Real Problems

I. Real Love (1:1-5)

A. Explanation

1. The people back in the time that Malachi was writing were questioning God

2. They felt that God did not love them

3. Why did they feel that way? Well maybe their loved ones unfairly died

4. Maybe they were not getting the job promotion that they deserved

5. Their crops were not as good as they would like.

6. Now would be a good time to review Jacob and Esau

a) They were twins, Esau was the older one

b) However, Jacob was able to steel the birth rite and trick his father in to giving him the blessing rather then Esau

c) The Descendants of Jacob went on to live with the blessing of God, having plenty of food shelter money and so forth

d) The descendants of Esau have had a tough time ever since, In fact they are known as “The people whom the Lord is forever angry”

7. God, through Malachi proves his love for Israel

B. Application

1. So what, who care, what does that have to do with us?

2. Malachi was written 2400 years ago, yet it deals with the exact things we deal with today

3. They were feeling like God did not love them anymore

4. They were feeling like God abandoned them, did not care

5. We often feel the same way

6. We often feel like God does not care for us

7. Who hear has not eaten in a week?

8. Who hear does not have a roof over your head?

9. Who hear when you think about can honestly say God does not love them?

10. Folks, God love you. Everything might not go the way you would like it to, but that does not mean that God does not love you.

C. Illustration

1. Growing up, parents do and say some strange things, especially when you’re in trouble. One of my favorites is the whole spanking thing. Now I will admit I will probably use the same lines, but that is not the point. The whole I am only spanking you because I love you. Come on, to show love, you hit me? Or the all famous this is going to hurt me more then it is going to hurt you. I don’t think so. You are using a paddle on my butt, it is not going to hurt you it is going to hurt me a lot more

2. But I know now, and I knew then that yes it is for my own good, yes I am better off having that discipline

3. Did I like it? NO. Did I want it? NO! Does that mean my parents do not love me? NO

4. Folks God love you, yes there will be times you don’t understand what is going on, there will be times that just don’t seem fair

5. But God has never and will never stop loving you!

6. That is Real Love

II. Real Worship (1:6-14)