Scripture Introduction:
Please turn to Malachi 1:7-14. Have you ever participated in corrupt worship? In this passage God is condemning corrupt or profane (showing disrespect/contempt [disgrace]) worship. FCF: People offer corrupt worship to a holy God. What is the nature of corrupt worship? Malachi 1:7-14
Introduction:
The world is in a crisis of confusion concerning the character and the nature of God. Just as paganism and polytheism tainted the ancient Near Eastern world, our society is influenced by corrupted views of God. The names have changed, but the false gods they represented have not. Instead of Baal, we have new age philosophy; instead of the Sun god Ra, we have Eastern Mysticism, with its worship of Creation; instead of Asherah, we have the worship of supermodels and the sexuality they represent. Instead of idols made of silver, gold and wood, we have consumerism, materialism, humanism, yoga, meditation, and a host of other philosophies that draw from the same cesspool of idolatry represented by the gods of the Canaanites.”
“Like Elijah on Mount Carmel, pastors are called to challenge people to worship the God of the Bible and not the gods of the culture”
Source: Glenn C. Daman, Leading the Small Church: How to Develop a Transformational Ministry, pp. 105, 106.
The Main Point: Because Christ is the sovereign Lord; you ought to worship Him in a manner that pleases Him.
Worship was costly; it became wearisome; and it became lifeless.
The priests had to examine the offering, lay hands on it; cut its throat; sprinkle blood; burn the sacrifice, etc. Offerings such as the sin and guilt offerings, burnt offering, grain and drink, peace offerings…
They are living out of character as God’s people.
Why did God give us this passage?
He is disgusted with His people’s profane (showing disrespect/disgrace) worship (10, 11, 14).
What is God doing in this passage?
He is warning His people to stop their profane worship (10, 14).
Why is this important to me?
If I choose to practice corrupt worship it will:
1) displease God (10);
2) be rejected by God (10);
3) and bring a curse from God (14).
What is the nature of corrupt worship?
I. It is a cheap offering! v. 7-11
A. It violated the law (Lev. 17-25).
1. It was maimed (8).
2. It needed to be perfect.
Mark Minnick listed three reasons why God requires worship that is perfect:
1) Because of the nature of the person of worship: HOLY
THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE
A man was walking through an art gallery when he came upon a picture of the Lord Jesus dying upon the cross. He stopped and looked at the beautiful portrait of Calvary's love. As he stared into the face of Christ, so full of agony the gallery guard tapped him on the shoulder. "Lower," the guard said. "The artist painted this picture to be appreciated from a lower position."
So the man bent down. And from this lower position he observed new beauties in the picture not previously shown. "Lower," said the guard. "Lower still." The man knelt down on one knee and looked up into the face of Christ. The new vantage point yielded new beauties to behold and appreciate.
But motioning with his torch toward the ground, the guard said, "Lower. You've got to go lower." The man now dropped down to two knees and looked up. Only then as he looked up at the painting from such a low posture could he realize the artist's intended perspective. Only then could he see the full beauty of the cross.
Is the same not true in worship? Only as we position ourselves lower and lower in humble submission can we behold more fully the glories of our wonderful Lord.
2) Because of the nature of the relationship He wants to have with His people; NOT BLEMISHED
Fellowship offering (Lev. 3:1-17; 7:11-34) thankfulness/free will
A burnt offering represented a person’s dedication to God. The lamb would represent the man being totally consumed (dedicated) to the Lord. Blemished animal blemished dedication.
3) Because it was a symbol of (pointing to) the coming Christ:
1Pe 1:19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
B. It wasn’t costly (8-9).
1. Their government would not accept it (8).
2. Their Lord will not accept it (9-10)
C. It was to be stopped (10-11).
1. He is not pleased (10)
2. He is to be exalted (11).
ILLUSTRATION
God never measures a man by the intrinsic worth of what He brings… God primarily measures a man by what is left after he brings it.
Dr. Mark Minnick
Application:
So what? Does your worship of God cost you anything?
Why? Costly worship is the only worship God accepts!
Now what? What kind of sacrifices does God accept in worship?
1) Sacrifices that exalt the name of Christ
Php 1:20 …. with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
2) Sacrifices sourced in holy character and righteous living (Prv. 21:3).
Pro 21:3 To do righteousness and justice Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice.
3) Sacrifices that require self-denial (Luke 21:1-4)
Luk 9:23 … "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
Php 2:17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
4) Sacrifices that require the total person (as "living sacrifices”)
Rom 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
5) Sacrifices motivated by love and repentance (humility)
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
Eph 5:2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
6) Sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving (Heb. 13:15)
Heb 13:15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
7) Sacrifices of kind deeds (He. 13:16)
Heb 13:16 And do not neglect doing good (well doing) and sharing (partnership/participation), for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
8) Sacrifices of material nature that meets peoples’ needs (Phil 4:18)
Php 4:16-18 for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs… 18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
How? GRACE!
What is the nature of corrupt worship?
Transitional Statement: First, it is cheap; secondly, it is heartless.
II. It is heartless offering! v. 12-14
Worship is to ascribe to something its worth.
ILLUSTRATION
“Worship is all that we are responding to all that He is.” – John MacArthur
A. The primary blame was on the spiritual leaders (12).
1. Their words reflected their hearts (7, 13).
2. Their words revealed their hearts (13).
B. The failure was not giving God their best (14).
1Ti 3:15 … I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.
1. They failed to worship with sincerity.
2. They failed to lead others in acceptable worship.
ILLUSTRATION
True biblical worship so satisfies our total personality that we don’t have to shop around for man-made substitutes. William Temple, “For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose—and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin.” Warren W. Wiersbe, The Integrity Crisis, p. 119.
Worship is to:
quicken the conscious by the holiness of God;
Feed the mind with the truth of God;
Purge the imagination with the beauty of God;
Open the heart to the love of God;
To devote the will to the purpose of God;
Conclusion:
The Gospel is “GOOD NEWS”. It frees the sinner from a self-worship to a worship that honors and shows respect to the holy triune God!
“In most churches we have the preacher performing, with God as the prompter, and the people as the audience. In truth, worship should be the people performing, with the preacher as the prompter, and God as the audience.” Ben Merold
Let’s transition from being the audience and become the performers in our worship of God regardless of where we are and what we are doing.
Why is this important to me?
If I choose to practice corrupt worship it will:
1) displease God (10);
2) be rejected by God (10);
3) and bring a curse from God (14).
