Rev. David Holwick O Communion
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
May 7, 2000
Malachi 1:6-11
HOW TO HONOR GOD
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I. "I love you" computer virus.
A. Spread over world overnight.
1) Overwhelmed computers in Sweden and England.
2) Some got hundreds of the messages.
Ted Canova in Minneapolis: "I stepped away from my desk for
30 minutes, and when I came back, there were 177 people
who were in love with me.
This is in addition to the 200 I had when I signed on
today."
B. How many did I receive?
1) ZIP! [Americanese for "not a single one"]
2) Nobody cares enough to infect me.
a) Sometimes God feels the same way... 1:2
b) He loves Israel, but they do not love him back.
II. God loves us.
A. A statement of his love.
1) Structure of Malachi - six statements which are disputed.
2) God's love was doubted by oppressed Jews.
a) Things had been tough for them.
b) For many people today God's love can seem just as trite.
B. God's defense: Jacob and Esau.
1) In distant past, these were not just brothers, but twins.
a) One became founder of Israel, other of Edom.
b) The nations were long-time enemies.
1> When Israel was down-and-out, Edom jumped on them.
2> Now Edom got theirs. God saw to it.
2) God's justice works behind the scenes, but it works.
C. Does God hate people?
1) Statement could reflect Israel's feelings.
a) Genesis says God loved Jacob, but doesn't say he
hated Esau.
b) The Jews may have added the second part themselves.
2) The terms may be relative.
a) "Love" and "hate" could mean "choose" and "not choose."
b) In same way, Jesus says we should love him and hate
our parents.
3) It could also reflect God's predestination.
a) Exodus 33:19 says God can love whomever he wants.
"I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I
will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."
1> God is not arbitrary.
2> The history of Jacob and Esau shows Esau chose
to abandon his rights to the spiritual promise.
3> If God hated him, Esau (and his nation) asked
for it.
b) Romans 9:13 quotes Malachi in this way.
1> God's predestination always is validated by our
actions.
2> If you decide to love God, he will love you.
A> Israel chose not to see his love.
III. Do we love God?
A. Lip-service is popular.
1) Even the cynical Jews said the correct religious stuff:
"Implore God to be gracious to us," blah, blah, blah.
a) Their real attitude - "What a burden!" 1:13
2) Millions today believe in God with no inward or outward
change.
a) Others don't even let on they believe in God.
B. God deserves better.
1) He wants our actions to back up our words.
2) Otherwise, we should shut the whole thing down! 1:10
C. How can we love God?
1) Honor him like we would our human father, or boss. 1:6
2) Give him our best.
IV. God deserves our best.
A. Jews tried to cut corners.
1) Diseased, lame critters.
a) People gave them.
b) Priests accepted them.
2) Perform the obligation at the lowest level of pain.
a) Much cynicism about their religion.
B. We do the same.
1) Discussion on church expansion - we cannot afford it.
a) When have we ever?
1> Original church far outstripped congregation's
means. They were poor folk.
2> They went on faith, and it [church] happened.
b) A little perspective helps.
1> Add up value of our homes.
2> Add up our annual incomes.
2) Compare your commitment to God versus other areas of life.
a) Malachi challenged them - would their [Persian] 1:8
governor accept this garbage. No way!
b) Assess your own attitude about giving to God,
compared to spending on yourself.
A humorous assessment:
======================
Funny how a $20.00 bill looks so big when you take it to church,
but so small when you take it to Walmart.
Funny how big an hour serving God looks, and how small 60 minutes are
when spent playing golf, fishing or playing bridge.
Funny how long a couple of hours spent at church, but how short
they are when watching a movie.
Funny how we get thrilled when a football game goes into overtime,
but we complain when a sermon is longer than the regular time.
Funny how laborious it is to read a chapter in the Bible and how easy
it is to read 200-300 pages of a best selling novel.
Funny how we can't think of anything to say when we pray, and don't
have any difficulty thinking of things to talk about to a friend.
Funny how people are so consumed with what others think about them
rather than what God thinks about them.
#4553
3) Genuine commitment costs.
a) Expanded buildings are not the issue.
b) Do we really value God and his work?
V. How to honor God with our best.
A. For all their faults, medieval Christians honored God with
their money, time and talent.
1) Cathedrals and artworks inspire to this day.
2) It is never a waste if it is done for God's glory.
B. Areas where we can give our best.
1) Devote time to discipling someone.
2) Get involved in a new ministry.
a) Sunday School.
b) Visitation.
c) Volunteer at the Senior Citizens' center.
3) Increase your giving, or focus on a new need.
a) Increase your giving by 2% of your income.
b) Sponsor a child in Haiti.
c) Adopt a missionary and write to them once a month.
VI. God is G-R-E-A-T!!
A. He is not limited to our little corner of the world. 1:11
1) Incense and pure offerings - doesn't mean all religion
ends up honoring God.
a) Could be irony - pagan worship is better than yours!
1> Their misguided sincerity shames our cynicism.
b) Better, faith in God will spread everywhere.
2) The massive growth of the Christian church in this century.
B. God is an important person.
In his sermon "God Is an Important Person," John Piper says:
"I've been to church-growth seminars where God is not
once mentioned.
I've been to lectures and talks on pastoral issues where
he is not so much as alluded to.
I have read strategies for every kind of recovery under
the sun where God is not there.
I have talked to students in seminaries who tell me of
manifold courses where God is peripheral at best.
I have recently read mission statements of major evangelical
organizations where God is not even mentioned.
"I admit freely that I'm on a crusade, and I have one message:
God is an important person,
and he does not like being taken for granted."
#3090
C. Each person can acknowledge the greatness of God.
1) Express it with your lips.
2) Prove it by your actions.
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
#3087 "The Art of Positive and Negative Preaching," Craig Brian Larson,
Leadership Journal, Winter 1995, page 77. [Not quoted here but
an inspiration for development of sermon]
#3090 Ibid., page 78.
#4553 "Funny How," email submitted by Rev. Wayne Cowhick, May 12, 1999.
These and 5,500 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://illust.holwick.com
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DRAFT NOTES
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I. Predestination, God's choice. 1:2
A. National more than personal.
1) Quoted by Paul.
B. You cannot thwart God. 1:4
1) They made plans to rebuild but it will come to nothing.
2) Sin was their undoing.
C. God is universal.
1) He is not just the God of the Jews, or Christians.
2) He is great everywhere.
II. Where is the honor due God?
A. Honor is seen in human relationships. 1:6
1) God doesn't see honor for himself in Israel.
2) Priests show contempt, though they are unaware.
B. How contempt is shown.
1) Blind, crippled animals for sacrifice.
2) Humans wouldn't accept it.
C. Contemptible offerings are rejected. 1:10
1) Might as well shut down the church/temple.
2) God will not accept contemptible offerings.
III. God's name will be great.
A. He will be honored among the nations. 1:11
B. Is our religious obligation a burden? 1:13
C. Cheat God, end up cursed.
D. God is great.
[for documentation of illustrations, download Holwick's Sermon Illustration
database at http://illust.holwick.com]
First Baptist Church; Ledgewood, New Jersey
This document last modified July 26, 2000