Sermon Cloud

Introduction to Today’s Message:  1) Relevance to our Daily Lives: Recognizing the influence of role models and leaders; and Experiencing the purpose, joy, peace & security found in living for the honor and glory of God’s name (His reputation) in this world.  2) Review from Last Week: --> Malachi’s Message: a call to renewal for God’s people in their covenant with Him (covenant is a promised based relationship between two parties).  Israel was suffering economically, politically, and spiritually due to their sins (half-hearted worship, ungodly leadership, divorce/adultery, & neglect of social justice).  God’s promise of their glorious restoration as a kingdom had not been realized, yet the unbelieving peoples around them (including their enemies) appeared better off than they were.  --> God as “the LORD of hosts”: The name “God” (the mighty one) is used only seven times in Malachi.  God’s personal name “the LORD” (“Yahweh” which means “He is”) is used 46 times, and use of this name implies a personal relationship with God (see Exodus 3).  With that, over 43% of the verses in Malachi contain some form of the phrase “the LORD of hosts” which implies that Israel’s personal God (the LORD) reigns over all the armies (hosts) in heaven and on earth.  The prophet’s constant use of this name would reassure Israel of the LORD’s love & power to protect them.  --> Six Disputations: Malachi raises six disputes that the LORD has with His people, using the reoccurring phrase “but you say…” followed by the people’s corresponding complaint against the LORD (“but you say” in Dispute #1 is found in Malachi 1:2; for #2 see 1:6,7,13; for #3 see 2:14; for #4 see 2:17; for #5 see 3:7,8; and for #6 see 3:13).  In the 1st Disputation, God rebuked His people for questioning His love for them, and said they would see and declare His greatness after He judged their enemies.  3) Disputation #2: God rebukes Israel’s begrudging offerings, confronting the priests for their ungodly leadership which was allowing and promoting this (in Disputation #5, Malachi confronts the people themselves).  Priests: in the Old Testament, God chose the Levites (the tribe of Levi, one of Jacob’s 12 sons) to lead God’s people in worship, as representatives of the firstborn from every Israelite family.  Within the Levites, God consecrated Aaron and his descendants to be priests (ones who mediated between the LORD and His people, and instructed Israel in godly living).

Half-Hearted/Polluted Worship. 1) The LORD Confronts the Priests: --> Honor God in Worship (Mal 1:6-10); --> Glorify God in this World  (Mal 1:11-14).  2) The LORD Rebukes the Priests: --> Take to Heart God’s Honor  (Mal 2:13); --> Walk in Covenant with God (Mal 2:4-9).  Whole-Hearted/Holy Worship. 1) Embracing Christ-Centered Leadership: --> What does this look like?; --> How is this lived out? 2) Glorifying God’s Name in this World: --> as “the Priesthood of all Believers”; --> with the Joy and Peace of Jesus Christ.