There are two reasons that I am excited about being here today and that is to see you all and to also share a Word from the good book that has the ability to be life-changing. Life-changing in a sense that each person is properly equipped with what they need to make right decisions. There is no other time more important than now to make right decisions. The amount of information that is coming at us today is more frequent, more diverse, more radical, more graphic, than any other time. Right Decisions are paramount.
On average, people make 35000 decisions a day. But unfortunately, not all of them are right decisions. No matter how pious you may be, not all your decisions are right decisions. Therefore, in making right decisions, God gives discernment.
For the christian, that discernment, that right decision making is the decision making process in which a person makes a discovery, a realization that can lead to positive future action. And the Holy Spirit guides us in arriving at that right decision.
Paul says in I Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
When we are operating from the natural man, the carnal man, the worldly view, we do not understand the Spiritual. It is foreign. It is displaced. It doesn’t mix well. It is contrary to what we normally think for the natural man.
Within our text of study, the book of Malachi presents for us a great revelation, we see a conversation with a broken nation (the natural man) and an all loving God and it brings us to an all important question in Malachi 3:8 which states, “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
But These are broad categories that God through Malachi explains in great detail for our learning.
So now here is our setting:
We find an Israel that is publicly confident. Proud of their Jewish heritage. Comfortable in their routines. Comfortable in their possessions. Satisfied with the status quo.
Nevertheless, Israel’s view of themselves did not align with the reality that they had in fact committed spiritual robbery against God.
And if Israel had been willing to listen and think about the question (“Will a man rob God?”) objectively, their response would have been different.
But when you are stubborn to your own spirituality, unaware of your current situation, you do more harm than good.
No matter the signs, the warnings, the writing on the wall (if you will), Israel was literally telling God to “talk to hand.” They were justified in their own eyes. They were okay.
There is a phrase that my wife and I talk about all the time. Yall surprised me and my wife talk. We talk. But that phrase comes from a book “The Story I Tell Myself: How Self Narratives Define Our Identity, Hold Us Back and How We Can Change Them” by Peter Ash.
The story that Israel told themselves, that narrative that they shared about themselves was the reason for their blindness. They told themselves they were safe. They told themselves that they had time. They told themselves that they would be okay.
So If I don’t know I am doing you wrong, I will do it again. But If I know I am doing you wrong, I have a chance to correct it and make it right.
The question is “What if the person you think you are is actually holding you back from who you could truly be and preventing you from achieving your best potential?”
How was this denial holding them back, they thought they were okay. They thought their relationship was in a good place.
There are people that call themselves christians today that think they are okay but have told themselves that “Once saved, Always saved.”
That’s not right.
For you have to work hard for it:
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
For you have to fight for it:
Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly fight for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
For you can lose it and it can be taken away:
Jude 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
There are people that have told themselves that all you need to be right with God is to believe and that baptism is not essential.
That’s not right.
You must be willing to change, die to sin, and be raised to a new life that does not stop today:
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Follow the teaching of the Apostles and continue to meet and pray one for another:
Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Be one with the fellowship of believers locally:
Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
? Be careful of the story that we tell ourselves.
? Be careful that you do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together.
? Be careful to study on a regular basis.
? Be careful to pray one for another.
? Because we can take God for granted in His time and blessing that He has granted us.
That Story we tell ourselves, that self narrative becomes our identity and that identity can put us at a guilty distance from God.
The question that is on the floor is how men and women today rob God.
But when you think of robbery, we picture the local nightly news, and robbery is violent, it is shocking, it makes the blood pressure rise, it causes discomfort, fear, and you say things like someone was in my house, or my car, or my place of business and you feel violated.
How do men and women rob God? We violate Him and the Sacrifice of His Son, our Messiah, Our Mediator, Our Hope, Our Savior.
Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
He feels that over and over again.
Step 1. We must recognize the relationship, recognize the divine love of God and understand what that relationship cost.
Let us notice the text:
Malachi 1: 1-2 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
2 I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob,
God loved Israel. God described them as His special treasure. God loved them in spite of their behavior. God demonstrated divine love which is far from how we love. God said, you understand how Esau was treated. I have treated you differently. We need to understand the difference.
Loved us enough to call us Sons of God I John 3:1
Demonstrates Everlasting Love Jer 31:3
And Israel did not show gratitude because robbery demonstrates ingratitude (What you have offered doesn’t impress)
1 Corinthians 13.
We see the kind of divine love that God is demonstrating. This is what we must recognize and understand and display.
1. “Charity suffers long” (v. 4)—loves difficult people without being difficult in return.
2. “Love is kind” (v. 4)—reflects a merciful and good heart.
3. “Love envieth not” (v. 4)—does not resent others based on their position or possessions.
4. “Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up” (v. 4)—builds others up rather than self-promotes.
5. “Love does not behave rudely” (v. 5)—is considerate of others.
6. “Love does not seek its own” (v. 5)—puts the interests of others ahead of self-interest.
7. “Love is not provoked” (v. 5)—is not easily irritated.
8. “Love thinks no evil” (v. 5)—does not hold grudges but practices forgiveness.
9. “Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth” (v. 6)—acts with honesty and integrity.
10. “Love bears all things” (v. 7)—demonstrates patience and understanding with the faults of others.
11. “Love believes all things” (v. 7)—gives others the benefit of the doubt.
12. “Love hopes all things”(v. 7)—desires the best for others.
13. “Love endures all things”(v. 7)—does not give up on anyone.
The failure for Israel is that they did not recognize God’s divine love for them. The story that Israel told themselves is housed in verse 2, “Where in have you loved us?” You haven’t loved us, God.
We must recognize God’s love for us in that God sent His only begotten Son to die for the sins of the world. We must recognize that His sacrifice of His life is what saves our lives today. We must recognize that He gave His life, it was not taken. We must recognize that He loved us enough to provide a path back to the Father through His Son Jesus Christ.
We better recognize or in failing to do so, we commit spiritual robbery against God while taking from Him.
Step 2. We must honor God. This means that we must honor God by the value that we individually place on God in our lives. We must realize that if we do not honor God, that honor is going somewhere else. God is a jealous God. And in failing to do so, we commit spiritual robbery against God while taking from Him.
Notice the text:
Mal 1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
Israel was intermingling the worship of the Baals with the worship of God presenting God as equal to that of these created gods by men thereby despising the name of God. Dishonor.
But the story that Israel was telling themselves, that self-narrative was that they were doing no such thing. And they believed that. What will it hurt? We need all the god’s help.
Commercial break: When we place God on a level playing field with worldly devices, we too commit spiritual robbery against God. We take Him for granted. We think that God should just bail us out just like Israel thought.
Israel believed that they were still the chosen people at this point but Hosea told us in chapter two that God said Israel was no longer His wife. They believed that the new covenant will be for them because they were of the posterity of Abraham. But the new covenant would not be comprised of the old Israel but the new covenant will be with the Spiritual Israel, the church of Christ, the bride of Christ, the body of Christ, Christ’s bride his church.
Step 3. Malachi shares that Israel was presenting blemished offerings. They did not give their best.
Notice the text:
Malachi 1:7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.
8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.
13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord.
14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.
God wants us to give our best. Nothing less. Our study could be better. Our devotion could be better. Our prayer life could be better. We offer more to our jobs. We go in early. We stay late. We work overtime. Etc etc.
God wants our best. God gave us the best.
Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Step 4. The leaders were spiritual stumbling blocks for they have departed out of the “Way”
Notice the text:
Malachi 2:1-8 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.
3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.
4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
8 But ye are departed out of the WAY, ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
Malachi says that the priest should keep knowledge vs 7 and they should seek the law
This was not the conduct of the priest, WHY >>> he had departed out of the “Way”
The leaders’ actions were leading in the opposite way that they should have been leading. They were operating against previous instruction. They exhibited corruption and refused dedication to God.
What we must realize is that the priests were not living up to their calling. Practically, we all have a calling that we must live up too and when we do not live up to our calling, we thereby are taking from God. We are breaking the covenant with God.
This calling is not a vocation, it’s not a job, you can’t resist it, you can’t deny it. It doesn’t feel like work. It is your calling.
When we don’t listen to God’s calling on our lives, we have spiritual deafness.
And in our spiritual deafness:
? We become a rebellious house Eze 12:2
? Our ears are stopped Zec 7:11
? We ears are heavy Is 6:10
The priests decided not to follow the house of Levi.
Step 5. We must not again take honor from God and give it to sinners but to wholly give all honor to God.
Notice the text:
Malachi 2:17 Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Everyone that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
Your actions say something totally different than what your mouths are saying. Giving God lip service is a sin.
Malachi 3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
Those that are wicked are held in high esteem.
Step 6. Selfishly withholding tithes
Notice the text:
Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Will a man take from God? God says yes. God says we can in how we live. How we give of ourselves. How we give of our possessions.
Is 43:24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.
Will a man take from God? In not giving to the poor. Not helping those in need. Not having compassion outside of your own home.
Matt 26:7-8 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. 8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
Jesus did not view this as waste but a good thing.
Step 7 Justifying Impiety
Notice the text:
Malachi 3:14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?
This is when we do not see the value in trusting God, acknowledging God, walking with God. Christians today should focus on the long-game. Making heaven their home.
But if we are willing to change, there is a Great Day ahead
Malachi 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
For the new covenant will be written on the hearts of men
A Great Day Ahead
Ep 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise form the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
For in Christ Jesus was life; and the life was the light of men John 1:4
No more theft. No more misery. No more darkness. Come to Jesus today.
I John 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
Hear the Gospel Ro 10:17
Believe the Gospel Jn 8:24
Repent Lu 13:3
Confess Matt 10:32
Be Baptized Mark 16:16
Live Faithful Rev 2:10
