God’s Unrequited Love
(Malachi 1:1-14)
1. We divide the OT prophets into two categories: the Pre-exhilic and the post-exhilic. The line of demarcation is 606 BC, when the Babylonian captivity began. In 586 BC, the temple was destroyed. The prophets who were active during this time or earlier are called the "pre-exhilic prophets."
2. In 536 BC, some Jews returned to the land and began rebuilding the Temple. The prophets in this era are called the "Post-exhilic prophets."
3. Who were the prophets? God’s spokespersons! 2 Kings 17:13, "The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: ’Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.’"
4. In contemporary American culture, we view a prophet as a fortune-teller. But this is not the the Biblical use of the term. The prophets were often confronters, comforters, and instructors. They were inspired by God and frequently demanded change in the attitudes or actions of people by referring to God’s distant past workings, near past, near future, and distant future workings. So there was a predictive element to the prophets, but that was not their main thrust.
5. Malachi is the last of the prophets; the next prophet mentioned in Scripture would be over 400 years later, when Anna the prophetess blessed the baby Jesus.
6. Today’s sermon is titled, "Unrequited love."
"Unrequited love is love that is not reciprocated, even though reciprocation is usually deeply desired. The beloved may not even be aware of this person’s deep feelings for them. This can lead to feelings such as depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, and rapid mood swings between depression and euphoria. Being such a universal feeling, it has naturally been a frequent subject in popular culture." [Wikipedia]
7. We write love songs and love stories about rejection, secret love, and heart ache. And, as human beings, some of us have memories of the same. We might think of our first crush, or someone who had a crush on us -- but we had no interest in her or him.
8. Although our relationship with God is not romantic, God has a love for us that is stronger than romantic love. Yet that love goes larger unrequited.
9. Such was the case with the nation of Israel at the time. The people were indifferent toward God. They felt He was irrelevant to their daily lives and routines. Their enthusiasm had gotten old: Israel had been back in the land for nearly 100 years.
10. It was a time of spiritual decline. The Jewish people were intermarrying with gentiles who did not know the true God. The poor were oppressed and the religious leaders were unorganized and unenthused.
11. Like a stale marriage in which one partner wants to rekindle the flame, God exposes Israel’s complacent attitudes and pleads with them to rekindle a heart aflame.
Main idea: When we become passive, smug, or listless in our relationship to God, He does not take it lightly; God doesn’t just want what we DO, He wants US, heart and soul.
I. God’s Love for ISRAEL and Israel’s JADED Response
jad·ed adj, "no longer interested in something, often because of having been overexposed to it…"
A. God’s SPECIAL Love (1-2a)
B. God’s PREFERENTIAL Love (2b-5)
God chose Israel to be His special nation, from all the nations of the earth.
Figure in Hebrew: loved and hated = loved more and loved less; by showing preference to one above the other, the one you prioritize frist is the one you love, the one in second or third place is the one you hate; when Jesus said we had to hate our families to love Him, what He meant was that He demands we make Him top priority.
C. Israel’s Lack of HONORING God (6-9)
Illustration: Ed Wood shared the following story:
On a rainy Sunday afternoon, a little brother and sister were playing “Noah and the Ark.” An old shoe box was the ark; the bathtub was their flood. After the flood was over they decided to make an offering to God.
Noah (the boy) said to Mrs. Noah (the girl), “Here, take one of your toy animals as a sacrifice.” “No,” she replied, “Let’s use one of your animals instead!” When they could not agree, she ran to the attic.
In a moment she was back with a toy lamb. It was dirty, it’s head smashed, and it’s tail missing. “Here,” she cried, “let’s give this as a sacrifice. We will never want it again.”
Her brother agreed, and they made their sacrifice. The little broken lamb they did not want was given to God.
NOW THE SCENE SHIFTS. God was looking down at his earth. He saw the people in all of their wickedness and their weakness. They had no hope. All was dark. Something had to be sacrificed if they were to be saved from their sin. God had many angels he might have sent to help. He did not even consider them. Another was chosen instead: the best God had. The Scriptures tell us why: “God so loved the world . . . .” (John 3:16)."
[source: Sermon Central]
1. Israel had to learn the lesson the hard way in the past: Leviticus 10:1-3
"Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Moses then said to Aaron, ’This is what the LORD spoke of when he said: "Among those who approach me I will show myself holy;in the sight of all the people
I will be honored.’" Aaron remained silent."
2. But not every generation learns from past mistakes; when we do not learn from the past, we are destined to repeat it….
D. God’s DISENCHANTMENT (10)
We sometimes fail to realize that God is not a machine or computer; He is an emotional being, as well as an intellectual being and a volitional being. He feels. He gets aggravated. Here He gives the impression of being exasperated: "Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors!"
Isn’t it amazing to think that we puny human beings can aggravate God? Have you ever done this, do you think? I think I have.
E. God does not NEED Israel, but Israel Needs God (11-14)
God will be exalted; He has predestined it to be so. If the children of Israel continue to hold God in contempt, it will not alter His eventual exaltation.
Main idea: When we become passive, smug, or listless in our relationship to God, He does not take it lightly; God doesn’t just want what we DO, He wants US, heart and soul.
II. This Principle Applies to OUR Relationships
A. Our relationship to GOD
1. In human relationships, conflicts escalate with lack respect
2. So it is on the divine level; respect is the key concept
3. This could be why God has determined that we can only be justified by faith; faith is the ultimate respect, unbelief the ultimate insult.
4. We can become jaded by over-familiarity and time; I struggle with this…do you?
5. A lackluster heart is a constant temptation
Leviticus 6:6 commands: “…a fire must always burn on the altar, it may not go out”.
• The preceding verse states, with reference to the altar of sacrifice: “And the priest shall burn wood on it each morning”.
• The Temple, as you recall, is a picture of the NT believer…
• There is a difference between adrenaline and zeal, between expending energy and being energized…
• Jeremiah 23:29, “Are not My Words like fire?”
• The main way to "fuel up" is for the Spirit of God to empower us through the Word of God…
B. Our relationship to OTHERS
"Lack of showing respect and honoring others is a major symptom of poor relational skill; people enjoy someone who recognizes they are special, but people dislike those who treat them contempt -- even if that contempt is portrayed as humor." Pastor Ed
Put down humor, motivation by sarcastic or negative remarks, or by the wielding of authority or rank will never outstrip motivation by respect and realistically possible, positive expectations…
Example: finding volunteers. Guilt, pressure, manipulation, shame, or punishment.
How to find volunteers for a ministry:
WHAT NOT TO DO:
1. Do not generally stand in front of your congregation and make a plea for help.
2. Never beg people to join your ministry.
3. Never invite someone to join your ministry team unless you’re confident in their abilities to fulfill the roles you assign.
WHAT TO DO:
1. .Ask your church staff and other trusted leaders for referrals of people they think would be a great fit for your ministry.
2. Talk with other people who know your potential recruit.
3. If everything checks out, approach the recruit and cast the vision for your ministry.
4. Invite the recruit to become a part of the ministry as a fly on the wall
5. If they agree to join the ministry, clearly set the expectations and responsibilities for that individual.
6. Set your standards high and keep ‘em there!
[source: http://timschmoyer.com/2007/03/05/how-to-recruit-ministry-volunteers, adapted]
C. The importance of relational MAINTENANCE and REINVIGORATION
The ideal Christian life would be a straight line at a steep grade heading ever upward. Instead, it is like a heart beat with its up and downs, but headed either upward or downward.
1. Sometimes maintaining is the best we can hope for; there are many situations when maintaining is good news (like stocks during a downturn); in Philippians 3:16 we read, "however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained."
2. It takes great effort sometimes to maintain because we are fighting spiritual entropy…
3. Reinvigoration comes from adding to our spiritual depth and spending time with God…
