Adventure Christian Church
of North Natomas
Malachi 2 - 3:1 (p. 665)
Series: Before Christ (B.C.)
Title: “I Am Not Leaving You”
“The memory of any stretch of years eventually resolves to a list of names, and one of the useful ways of recalling the past two millenniums is by listing the people who acquired great power. Muhammad, Catherine the Great, Marx, Gandhi, Hitler, Roosevelt, Stalin and Mao come quickly to mind. There’s no question that each of those figures changed the lives of millions and evoked responses from worship through hatred. It would require much exotic calculation, however; to deny that the single most powerful figure—not merely in these two millenniums but in all human history—has been Jesus of Nazareth. Not only is the prevalent system of denoting the years based on an erroneous 6th century calculation of the date of his birth, but a serious argument can be made that no one else’s life has proved remotely as powerful and enduring as that of Jesus"
Source: "Man of the Millenium." Time Magazine, Dec. 6, 1999.
When it looks like things might be falling apart,
the LORD Almighty says…remember (Lam. 3:20)
“I have loved you!”! (Ch. 1)
“I am not leaving you!” (Ch. 2).
A group of friends went deer hunting and paired off in twos for the day. That night one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under an eight-point buck. "Where’s Harry?" he was asked. "Harry had a stroke of some kind. He’s a couple of miles back up the trail." "You left Harry laying there, and carried the deer back?" "Well," said the hunter, "I figured no one was going to steal Harry."
Contributed by: TJ Tipton
Read: Malachi Chapter 2:4-6, 10-3:1(665)
Covenant Background-
A promise to Jacob is a promise
to Israel (Genesis 32:28).
A promise to Israel is a promise to the church
(Galatians 3:26-29).
There are promises to Israel and promises to the
church for which we are waiting (Romans 11:25-27).
The LORD is not giving up on His servants (vv. 4-6).
“My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him” (v. 5)
The Levites were the selected tribe among the Israelites designated for service to the Lord. The sons of Aaron distinguished themselves by their willingness to stand up against their brothers when it came to “right and wrong” (Exodus 32:28-29). The N.T. view on leadership is much broader. All believers or church leaders are primarily called- servants (1 Peter 2:4-6). It’s the primary terminology for leadership in the N.T.. However, there are still believers that wish to dedicate themselves to serving full-time.
Christianity has no group primarily dedicated to religious services. We are all servants. So, what was applicable to the Levitical priests, is now relevant to servants of Christ. That is, Christians. Now there is such a group as a clergy who dedicate his or her life to service.
The LORD keeps his vow to His servant leaders…
By giving us life and peace (v. 5).
life- “to be refreshed, quickened, or sustained” (Jn. 10:10).
peace- “contentment and tranquility”
With the expectation of our reverence and awe (v. 5).
reverence- “fear or reverence”
awe- “shattered or dismayed”
Warning: Servants who dishonor His name can
expect humiliation (v. 9).
Personally, what words listed above best describe my relationship with the Lord. (Circle One)
Love and Infatuation: I heard a definition of the contrast between infatuation & love. It says, "Infatuation is when you think your husband is as handsome as Tom Cruise, as amusing as Rodney Daingerfield, as intellectual as Albert Einstein, as devout as Billy Graham, & as athletic as Hulk Hogan." That is infatuation. "Love is realizing that your husband is as handsome as Albert Einstein, as intellectual as Hulk Hogan, as devout as Tom Cruse, as athletic as Rodney Daingerfield, & as amusing as Billy Graham. But you love him anyway." You see, there’s a big difference between infatuation & love.
God not only loves me…He likes me. And He is not leaving me.
Contributed by: MELVIN NEWLAND
The LORD is not leaving me (vv. 10-17).
“Judah has broken faith”`(v. 11).
I am unfaithful in the intimacy of my worship (v. 11)
I break faith with my significant relationships (v. 14).
guard yourself- “watch or take heed” (Prov. 2-3).
[Divorce- I love my mom. I was mostly raised by my mom. I talk to my mom weekly. She is about 4’ 11. She was is the sweetest women I have ever known. Always a bright smile, always positive. But there was a season. A difficult time when she chose to leave my dad. It left all of us in a constant spin. Going from house to house. Wondering if
there was any chance for reconciliation. I remember calling my dad and asking if it were possible things might work out. He didn’t seem very optimistic. Mom remarried.
One would think at this point that it was just over. But it wasn’t. My dad became a Christian. This is an absolute miracle. Then my mom and her new husband became Christians. My brother and sisters and I started hearing phrases from our parents like this- “I’m sorry. Would you please forgive us.” Our parents met Christ and His transforming love. It changed them. It changed our whole family.
This Thanksgiving, our family will have dinner together down in San Juan Capistrano…our whole family-mom, dad, step-dad, brother, sisters, & grandparents. It can be a little uncomfortable. But not really…because Christ will be there.
Our mom and dad asked for our forgiveness…we said, “Yes.”]
I weary Him with my thoughtless tolerance (v. 17).
Warning: If I neglect guarding myself, I could be compromising the security of my loved ones (v. 5).
Personally, what area listed above is in need of my guarding?
(Circle One)
Helen of Troy- must have really been something. Two kingdoms went to war over her, thousands of men gave up their lives to that one might have her. Hers was “the face that launched a thousand ships”. Helen was the wife of Menelaus, King of Greece, in the ninth Century, B.C. Their home was a peaceful Mediterranean kingdom until the arrival of Paris, Prince of Troy. Paris fell in love with Helen and, depending on the version of the story you’ve heard, she with him. Under cover of night, Paris stole away with Helen and took her back to Troy. It was the beginning of the Trojan War. Menelaus and his brother Agamemnon amassed a mighty Greek army and set off in one thousand ships to lay siege on Troy, all to win Helen back.
People want to be pursued. We want to be faught-for.
The LORD is coming to fight for me (v. 1).
“the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple” (v. 1).
Warning: This will come at a very high cost.
Jesus, at the Temple, eight days old, being dedicated to the LORD~ to Mary, Simeon says, “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:25-35).
- We are His temple.
- He will come visit us (Acts 3:19).
OUTLINE FOR THE BULLETIN
Adventure Christian Church
of North Natomas
Malachi 2 - 3:1 (p. 665)
Series: Before Christ (B.C.)
Title: “I Am Not Leaving You”
When it looks like things might be falling apart,
the LORD Almighty says…remember (Lam. 3:20)
“I have _______ you!”! (Ch. 1)
“I am not _________ you!” (Ch. 2).
The LORD is not giving up on His __________ (vv. 4-6).
“My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him” (v. 5)
The LORD keeps his vow to His servant leaders…
By giving us _____ and ___________ (v. 5)
With the expectation of our ____________ and ____ (v. 5).
Warning: Servants who dishonor His name can
expect ________________ (v. 9).
Personally, what words listed above best describe my relationship with the Lord. (Circle One)
The LORD is not leaving ___ (vv. 10-17).
“Judah has broken faith”`(v. 11).
The LORD Almighty is faithful to me when…
I am unfaithful in the ___________ of my worship (v. 11)
I break faith with my _____________ relationships (v. 14).
I weary Him with my _____________ tolerance (v. 17).
Warning: If I neglect guarding myself, I could be compromising the security of my ________ ones (v. 15).
Personally, what area listed above is in need of my guarding?
(Circle One)
The LORD is coming to _______ for me (v. 1).
“the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple” (v. 1).
Warning: This will come at a very high cost (Luke 2:28-35).
