✎ Proverbs offer wisdom; however wisdom is often gained through experience, and experience takes time. Have you ever wondered how some common proverbs might be thought of by children?
> Children should be seen and. . . not spanked or grounded.
> Better safe than. . . punch a fifth grader.
> A penny saved is. . . not much money.
> Strike while the. . . bug is close.
> Don¡¯t bite the hand that. . . is dirty.
A child’s answer will make perfect sense to him or her. Furthermore a child may have a hard time understanding the lesson taught within many proverbs. Wisdom is more often caught than taught; experience and not explanation is the real teacher of life’s lessons.
How often is our great wisdom like a child’s compared to the wisdom of God? We think we have life figured out; it all makes sense to us. That’s when the unexpected happens and our neat and tidy world is turned upside down.
God has a better idea and wants to work His purpose out in our lives. We struggle to understand, but we just can’t see the answer. We put periods and question marks where God puts a comma. We want to keep moving, but God says stop. Sounds like a child doesn’t it. Our best ideas don’t measure up to God’s timeless wisdom.
Malachi "the Final Prophet" offers us Godly insight for today. Although his message is nearly 2,500 years old, it still applies to our lives today. The times have changed since Malachi’s day, but our questions are still the same, and God’s answers have not changed either.
+ Malachi 3:1-4 1See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the Lord Almighty. 2But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. 3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years. (NIV)
GOD WANTS TO TRANSFORM OUR LIVES.
God has a solution for our confusion¨Ctransformation and renewal. God wants us to grow up spiritually.
In our childish wisdom we ask God to change our circumstances, while God wants to use our problems to change us. We won’t find real happiness and joy in people, places or possessions; lasting peace is not just the absence of problems.
You could wake up tomorrow morning and God could change it all. Your family could be perfect; you could be living in the house you always wanted, you could have a new job. Everything is just the way you wanted it to be, but you would still be miserable because you haven’t changed.
+ 1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. (NIV)
God could do something about the people, places and possessions in our life; He could even fix all our problems, but we still wouldn’t have wisdom. God doesn’t just want to fix the external; He wants to transform us from the inside out.
+ Romans 12:2 . . . let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. (NLT)
It’s time for us to grow up¨Cto move beyond the superficial into the supernatural. God wants to bring about a spiritual transformation within our lives; He wants to renew us.
How does the transformation of our lives happen? Malachi shows us 5 steps to being changed. 5 steps to letting God help us to grow up spiritually and put childish things behind us, to be transformed into a new person by changing the way [we] think.
1. TRANSFORMATION IS A WORK OF GOD’S GRACE.
+ Malachi 3:1 See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the Lord Almighty.
You may be wondering, "How is Malachi showing us God’s grace? I don¡¯t even find the word ’grace’ in that verse!"
In Malachi 2:17 the people ask, "Where is the God of justice?" Although they didn’t expect an answer, God responds by telling His people "I’M COMING!"
We saw last week that justice comes from the same root word in Hebrew as judgment. When the people ask at the end of chapter 2, "Where is the God of justice," God answers five verses later, "I will come near to your for judgement." The God of justice is the God of judgment; however, before God comes with judgement He will come with grace!
God says He will send His messenger to prepare the way for His coming. Malachi prophetically announces the coming of John the Baptist who was "A voice of one calling in the desert, ’Prepare the way for the Lord’." (Matthew 3:3 NIV)
John the Baptist made the way ready for the coming of Jesus. Malachi also foretold Jesus coming as "the messenger of the covenant." Before Jesus died a criminal’s death upon the cross, He shared the Passover with the disciples. As Jesus passed the cup to them He said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you" (Luke 22:20 NIV).
+ Hebrews 12:24 You’ve come to Jesus, who presents us with a new covenant. . . He is the Mediator of this covenant. The murder of Jesus, unlike Able’s homicide that called out for vengeance -- became a proclamation of grace. (MsgB)
The blood of Able shouted for vengeance, but Jesus’ blood announces grace. Jesus established a new agreement between God and man; a covenant not based upon the Law, but on grace!
Malachi also pictures God’s grace in another way saying, "the Lord you are seeking will come to His temple." In the Old Testament the temple was a place for the people to worship God. However, in the New Testament a change takes place. Through grace the temple is not just a place; the temple becomes a people in whom God dwells by His Spirit.
+ 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. (NIV)
By God’s grace and through faith in Christ, we are cleansed of our sin and made into a temple a sacred dwelling place in which God lives by His Spirit.
God wanted more than just a place for His people to worship Him. God did not want us to be limited in time and place to worship, so by grace He transforms His people to be the temple in which He dwells. Now we can be in His presence 24/7 to worship Him in all we do and say.
Jesus fulfilled God’s eternal plan to establish a covenant of grace. God looked forward to the a new covenant of grace making us into a people in whom He would live by His Spirit.
+ Jeremiah 31:31-34 31"The day will come," says the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife," says the Lord. 33"But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day," says the Lord. "I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34. . .And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins." (NLT)
Transformation is a work of God’s grace in our lives; however, God will not force His grace upon us. We must see our need for His grace and choose to receive it.
2. TRANSFORMATION REQUIRES BROKENNESS AND HUMILITY.
+ Malachi 3:2 But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? (NIV)
In the end those who believe they can make it on their own and have no need for God will one day discover they can’t stand before God. God will let you try to go it alone; the Bible says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6 NIV).
Spiritual transformation is only possible when we humble ourselves. When we come to the end of our childish wisdom wanting it done one way and submit to God’s plan, then by God’s grace our hearts will be changed.
+ Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (NIV)
+ You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. (MsgB)
The people in Malachi’s day did not see their need for God. With prideful hearts they would bring their offerings to God fulfilling their religious duty, but they didn’t want God to change them. Instead they wrongly accused God of not loving them¨Cof not being fair or just.
Many people today are likewise just "going through the motions" fulfilling their religious duty in they eyes of man. It’s not good enough to just believe in God; it’s not even enough to try to be religious. The Bible warns us about "superficial Christians."
+ 2 Timothy 3:5 They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that. (NLT)
Malachi confronted the proud religious people of his day with their need to be transformed by the power of God. How will you endure the day of His coming? How will you stand in His presence? The people had made the mistake of believing their sacrifices and offerings satisfied God.
We too make the mistake of thinking we can earn the right to be in God’s presence. The Bible teaches us something totally different. Listen to David’s prayer:
+ Psalm 51:16-17 16You would not be pleased with sacrifices, or I would bring them. If I brought you a burnt offering, you would not accept it. 17The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise. (NLT)
Offerings don’t make the worshiper acceptable to God; the worshiper makes the offering acceptable through humility and brokenness. We need the power of God to transform our lives!
3. TRANSFORMATION ACCEPTS GOD’S PURPOSE.
+ Malachi 3:2 . . . For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. (NIV)
God’s grace accepts us just as we are. We can’t try to dress ourselves up or cover over our sin; we must humble ourselves then God’s grace will take us in. GOD TAKES US THE WAY WE ARE, BUT HE WON’T LEAVE US THAT WAY.
+ Psalm 66:10 For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. (NIV)
✎ Silver doesn’t come out of the ground all shiny and clean. Silver ore has as little as 1% silver with 99% of other minerals, metals and just plain dirt. In order to remove the impurities, the ore is crushed, sifted, and heated in the fire.
You and I resist being crushed, and sifted; we want to run from the fire. Remember, in our childish wisdom we ask God to change our circumstances, "God it hurts; the fire burns take it away!" In God’s wisdom adversity and painful circumstances fulfil His divine purpose in our lives.
Most of us just throw away anything that is broken, but God treasures a broken life. God can’t do anything in our lives until we are broken. Brokenness and humility enable God to remove the impurity of sin from our lives.
✎ Did you know silver is used to make mirrors? Mirrors have one purpose: to provide us with an accurate reflection; we want to be able to see ourselves as we really are.
God refines us like silver so the world can see the image of Jesus in us. God’s purpose is to cleanse our lives of sin; to purify our hearts so His holiness and glory can be seen through our lives. God’s goal is to make us like Jesus.
Humility opens the door for God’s grace to forgive us of our sin. Humility further enables us to accept God’s purpose in our lives to reflect Him to the world.
4. TRANSFORMATION COMES AS WE CONTINUALLY HOPE IN GOD.
+ Malachi 3:3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. (NIV)
This is the hard part. When we look at God in verse 3 He¡¯s just sitting. God doesn’t appear to be doing anything; sure He will purify us. . .when He get around to it.
Transformation is a PROCESS; it takes time. So God sits and waits for the refining to be completed in our lives.
✎ A silversmith will leave the silver over the fire and just watch it. He doesn’t stir it; he doesn’t move it away from the fire. He watches the silver until the moment he sees his image reflected on its surface, then he removes it from the flame.
God won’t leave the work undone in your life. He will complete His purpose, but it takes time, so God sits and watches us over the flame.
+ Philippians 1:6 And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again. (NLT)
When it seems that God isn’t working, or has forgotten about us, that is the time when we must trust in His unfailing love. Malachi began His message with a reminder of the eternal love of God, a love that is sovereign, strong, steadfast and seeking.
+ Psalm 42:11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (NIV)
We need to learn to continually hope in God. With an unwavering faith trusting wholeheartedly in God we can give Him a sacrifice of praise. We praise God, not for our circumstances, but we praise Him for who He is.
5. TRANSFORMATION REFLECTS THE GLORY AND GRACE OF GOD
+ Malachi 3:3-4 . . .Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, 4and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years. (NIV)
God has achieved His purpose when we reflect His image. The beauty of Jesus is seen in all we do and say. Occasionally reflecting the image of Jesus is not enough; God wants to purify our lives so we reflect Him in everything.
+ 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (NIV)
We are being made to be like Jesus, to reflect His glory and holiness with greater clarity and distinction. In everything we do, from the big issues of life to the mundane everyday routine, we reflect Jesus.
> Being in a hurry gives way to patience.
> Procrastination becomes perseverance.
> Harsh words have the edges cut off and are gentle.
> Bitterness and resentment turn into forgiveness.
> Envy and covetousness becomes contentment.
> Boastfulness and conceit learn humility.
> The clenched hand of stingy selfishness opens with generosity.
> An angry short fuse is replaced with self-control.
> Deception and half-truths melt away and are replaced with honesty and integrity.
> Doubt and fear are transformed into faith and confidence.
Little by little we reflect Jesus more and more; with an ever increasing glory we are transformed into His likeness.
