SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). The uniqueness of the book of Malachi
• (a). Malachi the man is a Mystery.
• (b). Malachi dialogued with people.
• (c). Malachi is written in prose and not poetry.
• (d). Malachi is full of God words!
• (e). Malachi is God’s last Old Testament word.
(2). The Background to the book of Malachi
(3). The problem in the book of Malachi
(4). The importance of the book of Malachi today.
SERMON BODY
Reading: Selected verses from the book of Malachi.
Ill:
• Fed up with people telling him he was going deaf;
• A man went to get his hearing tested,
• After examining the man;
• The audiologist place a clock on a desk and asked the man if he could hear it ticking;
• The man replied; “Yes I can”.
• The audiologist then placed the clock at the far end of the room;
• And again asked the man if he could hear it ticking;
• Once again the man replied; “Yes I can”.
• The audiologist then opened the door and walked out of the office;
• Placing the clock in a corridor and asked the man if he could hear it ticking;
• For a third time the man replied; “Yes I can”.
• The audiologist then told the man;
• “There is nothing wrong with your hearing, you just don’t listen to people!”
• TRANSITION:
• The title of our talk this morning is, ‘God is Speaking Are We Listening’
• As Christians we believe God is God who speaks to us:
• Primarily through his word the Bible, but also in other ways as well.
• And the key to hearing God speak,
• Is an attitude of obedience,
• He speaks clearest and most often to those people who are willing to obey him!
(1). The uniqueness of the book of Malachi
(a). Malachi the man is a Mystery.
• Now most people think that Malachi is the name of the author,
• But Malachi is not actually a name at all.
• The word ‘Malachi’ is the Hebrew word for ‘messenger’.
• And Malachi is never used as a name for a person anywhere in the Old Testament.
• Whenever the word is used it means ‘messenger’.
• So Malachi is a man of mystery;
• We have no idea who Malachi was or any details to do with him;
• i.e. we don’t know his town or his family etc.
Ill:
• Malachi is another one of God’s unknowns;
• I love the fact God uses nobodies to reach somebodies!
• It has been my observation from reading the Bible,
• That for the most part it is not the high and mighty who are greatly used of God,
• But rather it is an altogether different kind of people.
• Seems to me God doesn’t often use people who would be listed in "Who's Who".
• In fact, often his book of choice would be "Who's Not".
Ill:
• I doubt very much whether you have heard of Frank Wimproy,
• He was one of God’s “nobodies.”
• Another unknown that God chose to do something special.
• Frank Wimproy was one of the workers at the Radnor Street Mission, Shoreditch, London.
• One Sunday in 1912,
• Wimproy felt led to speak to a thirteen-year-old boy in the Sunday School,
• Frank Wimproy asked him,
• “Would you like to be a Christian? Have you given your heart to Christ?”
• Will the thirteen-year-old boy replied “No,”
• Frank Wimproy then asked him, “Do you want to?”
• The boy replied; “Yes, I think I do,”
• So there and then he led him to Christ.
• Years later the boy would write this about his conversion:.
• "I spluttered out my little prayer, it had one merit. I meant it."
• Will’s full name was William Edwin Sangster,
• Better known in Church history as Dr. W. E. Sangster;
• He was minister for 15 years, at Westminster Central Hall,
• There he preached to packed congregations of 3,000 every Sunday,
• Many of whom had queued for up to an hour to get into the auditorium.
• W E Sangster, commonly acclaimed as the ‘greatest Methodist since Wesley’
• He was used of God to reach many thousands of people with the Gospel of Christ;
• TRANSITION: There are so many stories like that in history;
• Where God uses nobodies to reach somebodies!
• The Bible is also full of stories about nobodies.
• Individuals who came from nowhere in particular,
• Who had no reputation, they were unremarkable people,
• Descended from ordinary family lines who had no claim to fame or wealth or power.
• TRANSITION: All of them though had a singular thing in common;
• They were loved by God and used by God,
• God is the lover of nobodies.
(b). Malachi dialogued with people.
• As far as I am aware he is the one prophet who had dialogues with people.
• Well that is the polite way to put it;
• The truth is he was heckled and he reports the heckling in his book;
• And he was happy to then debate with his hecklers.
• (e.g. Malachi chapter 1 verses 2–5).
Ill:
• J.Smith (for 25yrs) & Team in Hyde Park.
• Watch many of their debates on YouTube.
• Every Sunday afternoon dialoguing with Moslem’s.
Note:
• Quote: Malachi has been called:
• “The most argumentative of all Old Testament prophecies”
• Quote: Malachi has also been called,
• ‘The Hebrew Socrates’.
• The reason being Socrates was said to be wise;
• Not because he knew all the answers, but he knew how to ask the right questions.
• Malachi knew how to ask a good question.
• And so the style of Malachi is quite unique:
• He presents God’s message in a question and answer format.
• It is based around what many commentators say are six dialogues,
• Which breaks down to eight statements from God;
• And eight responses from the people.
The book contains eight statements from God and eight questions from the people:
(1st).
• Chapter 1 verse 2:
• “‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord’”
• Peoples response:
• “How have you loved us?”
(2nd).
• Chapter 1 verse 6:
• “Where is the respect due to me?’ says the Lord Almighty.
• ‘It is you priests who show contempt for my name.
• Peoples response:
• “How have we shown contempt for your name?”
(3rd).
• Chapter 1 verse 7:
• “‘You are offering defiled food on my altar.’”
• Peoples response:
• “How have we defiled you?”
(4th).
• Chapter 2 verse 13-14:
• “You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favour on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.”
• Peoples response:
• “You ask, ‘Why?’”
(5th).
• Chapter 2 verse 17:
• “You have wearied the Lord with your words.”
• Peoples response:
• “‘How have we wearied him?’”
(6th).
• Chapter 3 verse 7:
• ‘Return to me, and I will return to you,’
• Peoples response:
• “How are we to return?”
(7th).
• Chapter 3 verse 8:
• N.I.V.: “‘Will a mere mortal rob God?’”
• N.A.S.: “You are robbing me”
• Peoples response:
• “How are we robbing you?”
(8th).
• Chapter 3 verse 13:
• “ ‘You have spoken arrogantly against me,’”
• Peoples response:
• “What have we said against you?”
• TRANSITION: The book of Malachi;
• It is based around what many commentators say are six dialogues,
• Which breaks down to eight statements from God;
• And eight responses from the people.
(c). Malachi is written in prose and not poetry.
• I hope you have a Bible that distinguishes,
• Poetry from prose (most modern versions do).
• ill: Prose is when it looks like a newspaper,
• Straight columns.
• ill: Poetry is when it is written in a lot more space,
• It is very spread out, with much shorter lines.
• The different styles of writing conveys to us important truths:
• In prose: God is communicating his thoughts (mind).
• In poetry: God is communicating his feelings (heart).
ill:
When you write to a loved one:
• A letter,
• Paragraph upon paragraph – you are expressing your thoughts.
• Send a valentine card (inside of any card),
• Rhyme or a verse – you are expressing your feelings.
• TRANSITION: This is prose, not poetry, because God’s feelings have dried up.
• We might say, “God is fed up with this people!”
• Chapter 2 verse 17 tells us that God is ‘weary’ by these people.
• And in a minute as we examine the content of this letter we will see why.
(d). Malachi is full of God words!
• There is more of God’s speech in Malachi than in any other of the prophetic books.
• Of the 55 verses, 47 are the direct word of God.
• That is 85% of the book.
Ill:
• I was in a Church building recently;
• Next to me was a book case of Bibles,
• Several of those Bibles were red letter editions,
• That is all the words of Jesus are in red;
• Distinguishing them from the rest of the text.
• TRANSITION: If Malachi was a red letter edition the 85% of the book would be in red;
• As 47 out of the 55 verses are the direct word of God.
• It is ironic really that this book contains mainly God speaking;
• Because the next bit of trivia is that after this book God is silent!
(e). Malachi is God’s last Old Testament word.
• Malachi is the last Old Testament book in the Christian order of the Bible,
• (The Hebrew order finishes with Chronicles).
Ill:
• Jesus knew the Jewish order of Old Testament books;
• In fact he quotes from it in Matthew chapter 23 verse 35.
"Upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed upon earth, from righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berakiah."
• Most of us would say; who in the world is Zechariah son of Berakiah.
• But he is the last righteous man mentioned in 2nd Chronicles.
• Jesus is simply saying from the first book/scroll to the last!
But the Chronological order of the Old Testament finishes with Malachi;
• So our ordering is not that wrong!
• And so this will be God’s last word to his people for 400 years!.
• If you have a blank page in your Bibles between Malachi and Matthew’s gospel’;
• Remember that page represents 400 years of silence!
• And not only will there be a 400 years of heavenly dumbness;
• 400 years of heavenly hush.
Notice the very last verse in the book is so negative;
• The book ends with a curse (chapter 4 verse 6b):
• “…I will come and strike the land with total destruction.’”
Ill:
• If you were to visit a Jewish synagogue and hear this chapter being read;
• The ending would be slightly different.
• To this day, whenever the Jews read Malachi in the synagogue;
• They do not finish on the last verse 6:
• “…I will come and strike the land with total destruction.’”
• Instead they read verse 5 twice;
• So that they don’t have to finish the book with a curse.
Ill:
• Sadly there are some Christians like that;
• They read the Bible with a pair of scissors (not literally);
• Ignoring or cutting out the bits they don’t like or want to obey!
(2). The background to the book of Malachi
(a).
• Malachi preached and ministered in Jerusalem & Judea,
• (Malachi chapter 1 verse 1; chapter 2 verse 11),
• (Down South).
• That is made clear by his numerous references;
• To various practices that were current in that city and throughout Judah.
(b).
• It is what we call a post-exilic book,
• Meaning it was written after the return from captivity in Babylon
• (Modern-day Iraq),
Ill:
• The historical setting becomes clearer in chapter 1 verse 8.
• In this verse the prophet used the Persian word for governor,
• This indicates a time period between 538–333 BC,
• When the Persian Empire ruled the Promised Land.
(c). We know that…
• The Temple has been rebuilt and the worship of God has been re-established.
• But things are not easy.
• While outwardly everything seems OK,
• On the inside a cancer of complacency is eating away at their commitment.
• As God’s final spokesman at the end of the Old Testament,
• Malachi comes on the scene to challenge them (and us) to give God our best.
ill:
• There is a story of the two boys:
• Who were going on and on about their deep friendship to each other.
• The first little boy said to the other one,
• ‘Hey, Bobby, if you ‘ad a million pounds, would you give me ‘half?’
• “Course I would,’ he said, “you’re my bestist friend”
• ‘What about if you ‘ad a fousand pounds?’
• ‘I’d give you ‘alf just the same.’
• ‘What about if you ‘ad a fousand marbles?’
• ‘I’d give you ‘alf of ‘em,’ he replied.
• ‘What about if you ‘ad two marbles?’ he said.
• (Pause.)
• ‘That’s jolly well not fair. You know I’ve got two marbles.’ He replied.
• TRANSITION: Words can be good and right but also empty!
• God wants his people to give him their best and not just their best intentions.
(3). The problem in the book of Malachi.
• Malachi's style is quite different from that of any other writing prophet.
• Instead of delivering messages to his audience,
• He charges them with various sins - six times in all.
• As you read this short book;
• You will notice that he uses a very confrontational style of address.
• After each charge, he proceeded to back it up with evidence.
• Malachi's rhetorical argumentative speeches form contains four components:
• Assertion, questioning, response, and implication.
Ill:
• The style of Malachi is quite unique,
• Presenting God’s message in a question and answer format.
• One example of this question and answer format;
• Is found in chapter 3 verses 13-15:
‘You have spoken arrogantly against me,’ says the Lord.
‘Yet you ask, “What have we said against you?”
14 ‘You have said, “It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? 15 But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.”’
• This style of question and answer format;
• Can be found throughout the book;
Malachi points out to the priests and the people their sins:
• Priests were guilty of (chapter 1 verse 6 to chapter 3:15):
• Cheap sacrifices (i.e. blind & crippled animals)
• Popular sermons (i.e. tickling the ears’ they were men pleasers and not God fearers)
• People (chapter 2 verse 10 to chapter 3 verse 15):
• Mixed marriages (i.e. married outside of the faith)
• Heartless divorces (i.e. trading their wives for a younger model)
• Doubtful questions (i.e. arguing back with God when he points out their sin)
• Unpaid tithes (i.e. not giving to God his due, therefore stealing from him!)
• Slanderous talk (i.e. they were basically saying God did not know what he was doing!)
Quote: I like this simple outline of this book:
• (1). God’s Love Confirmed.
• Chapter 1 verses 1-5:
• (2). Unfaithfulness Rebuked.
• Chapter 1 verses 6-14 to chapter 3 verse 15.
• (3). God's Promised Return Announced.
• Chapter 3 verse 16 to chapter 4 verse 6.
Note:
• Malachi was the last prophet of the Old Testament;
• And he bridges the 400 year gap between himself and Christ .
• (a). He does this with prophecies of the Messiah (Jesus);
• (b). And the Messiah’s forerunner (John the Baptist).
• (Chapter 4 verses 5-6).
Ill:
• (a). Remember the name ‘Malachi’ means ‘my messenger.’
• The book is God’s last message to his people for 400 years.
• And the book finishes with a prediction of another messenger (John the Baptist).
• And so chapter 3 verse 1 can read:
• "Behold, I send my Malachi to prepare the way before me..."
• (b). Malachi also speaks of Christ’s second coming;
• (Chapter 4 verses 1-3).
“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. 3 Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,’ says the Lord Almighty”
Question: Did Malachi’s message make any difference?
Answer: Yes, but sadly only to a few.
• Some discussed the message and repented;
• They owned up to their responsibilities an d put things right.
• God even wrote down their names in a book;
• (Chapter 3 verses 16-17).
“Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honoured his name.”
(4). The importance of the book of Malachi today.
• Well Malachi is quoted 15 times in the New Testament;
• So there are15 reasons why it is important,
• Now you are probably relieved that we do not have time to look at them
• So your homework is to get a commentary or Bible dictionary and look them up.
• Or you can email me for them - (I have listed them at end of this sermon)
Question: Why is Malachi so important?
Answer: Because what happened to those people can so easily happen to us!
• This nation had been specially chosen by God,
• They were the descendants of Abraham,
• And inheritors of rich Jewish traditions.
• They had the Word of God and messengers from God.
• Yet, the book of Malachi teaches us that they still strayed from the Lord.
• They got over familiar with the things of God;
Ill:
• My camera went wrong recently,
• For some reason the pictures were becoming over exposed.
• And when that happens the image is lost,
• IT becomes blurred.
• TRANSITION: The people of God became over familiar with the things of God;
• They took him for granted,
• They pushed him into the back seat while they drove.
• And then they started to compromise and dilute the things of God.
• And carried on as everything else was fine.
• Punchline: may we give God his proper place in our lives,
• If we don’t then don’t be surprised if we stop hearing his voice.
• God is speaking,
• Let’s make sure we are listening!
Quote: Prayer by Ray Steadman:
“Our Heavenly Father, thank you for this reminder of the evil of being perfunctory about faith, of being shoddy and hypocritical and bored with our faith. Lord, help us to know that your heart of love is never content until it obtains a response of love from us; may we love the Lord our God. May we love him in purity; may we love in joy and in sincerity, and remember that your name is our adequate resource in every situation. We ask in Christ's name. Amen.”
Use of the book of Malachi in the New Testament (NRSV)
(1).
"Yet I have loved Jacob but I have hated Esau" (1:2–3)
"'I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.'" (Romans 9:13)
(2).
"And if I am a master, where is the respect due me?" (1:6)
"Why do you call me "Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you?" (Luke 6:46)
(3).
"the table of Jehovah" (1:7,12)
"the table of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 10:21)
(4).
"For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations," (1:11)
"so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you" (2 Thessalonians 1:12)
"Lord, who will not fear and glorify your name?" (Revelation 15:4)
(5).
"For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts," (2:7–8)
"therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach" (Matthew 23:3)
(6).
"Have we not all one father?" (2:10)
"yet for us there is one God, the Father," (1 Corinthians 8:6)
(7).
"See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me," (3:1)
"See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;" (Mark 1:2)
"See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you" (Matthew 11:10†, Luke 7:27)
(8).
"But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?" (3:2)
"for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:17)
(9).
"and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver," (3:3)
"so that the genuineness of your faith . . . being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire . . ." (1 Peter 1:7)
(10).
"against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages," (3:5)
"Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud," (James 5:4)
(11).
"For I, Jehovah, change not;" (3:6)
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)
(12).
"Return to me, and I will return to you," (3:7)
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" (James 4:8)
(13).
"But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise," (4:2)
"By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us," (Luke 1:78)
(14).
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come." (4:5)
"he is Elijah who is to come." (Matthew 11:14)
"Elijah has already come," (Matthew 17:12)
"Elijah has come," (Mark 9:13)
(15).
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers; lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (4:5–6)
"With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous," (Luke 1:17)
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=NIAc4PLtQGm8hcBNekGWaqLogX1rGgWc
