Dishonoring God In Worship

Bible's Malachi chapter 1 is were going to be. And though we don't read verse six through 14 we preached on the first four verses for first five verses a couple weeks ago. The membrane did a great job preaching for me last week and the negative part two of chapter 1 will be working through the book of Malachi throughout the summer and I trust this will be a blessing to you as it is been to me already, so the Bible says in Malachi chapter 1 verse six, a son honors his father and a servant his master. If then I be a father, where is my honor and if I be a master, where is my fear saith the Lord of hosts under you. A priest that despise my name and you say, wherein have we despise thy name the offer polluted bread upon mine altering you say, wherein have we polluted the and that you say the table of the Lord is contemptible. If you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil. And if you offer the lame and the sick, is it not evil offering. Now, into thy governor, will he be pleased with the order except by person say the Lord of hosts. Now I pray you beseech God that you will be gracious unto us.

This has been by your means will he regard to persons saith the Lord of hosts was there. Even among you that would shut the doors for not, neither do you. Kindle fire on mine altar for not I have no pleasure in you say the Lord of hosts. Neither will accept an offering at your hand from the rising of the sun, even unto the going down of the same. My name shall be great among the Gentiles in every place incense shall be offered unto my name and if you're offering for my name shall be great among the heathen, safe Lord of hosts we have profaned it in that you say the table of the Lord is polluted and the fruit thereof. Even his meat is contemptible. You said. Also, behold what a weariness it is.

Is it you have snuffed it safe Lord of hosts, and you brought that which was torn in the lame and the sick. Does he have brought an offering.

Should I accept this of your hand. Safe Lord person be the deceiver which has in his flock of mail and valve and sacrifice under the Lord a corrupt thing for I am a great king safe the Lord of hosts in my name is dreadful. Among the heathen father. We do praise you tonight for your word.

We think for its truths. We ask that you would open our hearts and minds and ears up to what you have for us tonight at pray that you would bless all the classes and the studies are going on tonight and operated the word of God would just come alive to our hearts, Lord, may we worship you in sincerity and in truth.

We ask all this in Jesus name. And God's people said then you may be seated tonight. By way of contacts that book of Malachi was written around 430 BC by the prophets bearing the name Malachi efforts of the will call him a lot. She whatever you would want to for to him as I guess is the last Old Testament prophet of God after Malachi, there would be a 400 years of silence and in that time is that if you've heard of the Apocrypha, the book of Maccabees, and in some of those were written in between that. Those 400 silent years of the Apocrypha is not scripture, it was never quoted in the New Testament. One time the book it's quoted in the book of James is not from the pot Apocrypha. Some people misguided try to think, that is, there is a book that was mentioned there, but that the the it it contains history, but it's not infallible Scriptures ended in the Old Testament it Malachi and they picked back up again with a the next prophet of God, which is who.

Isaiah 40 proclaimed in Isaiah 40 said there would be one crying in the wilderness, prepare you to waive the Lord and we know that to be John the Baptist, and he came the spirit and power of Elijah which we find Malachi 4 will come to later on this summer, and what that means but Malachi was written about 100 years after they had returned from the Babylonian captivity. If you remember three young teenagers Ananias Ray Michelle were taken captive. Later names were changed to the Babylonian names shattering the shack in a Bendigo in and that happened around the hundred and 70 years before this because of the sins of the nation, God gave them over to Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar in and so this was about 100 years after they had returned from that Babylonian captivity about 80 years after the temple had been rebuilt in about 10 years after Nehemiah had finished building the wall around the city.

If you remember that great accomplishment 50 days they had built that city walls but what was the purpose of Malachi.

God had sent Malachi to be a prophet to the nation to call them to repentance because they had religion but they didn't have a relationship with God. They even in that time the Old Testament had externalized religion. They had they had become a people who are going through the motions. It was an empty faith. There was a was a dead faith.

It was it was external but again the internal reality of that's why the words of Christ were so rich because he invades the heart in Matthew chapter 5 with the words Blessed are the words. He begins to work inwardly instead of outwardly they had fulfilled the words of Christ in Matthew 15 eight when he says this people draws nigh to me with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and that's a dangerous thing that can happen to people in the faith that what you find in Malachi's got calling out not with anger and bitterness and rage but but God reaching forth in love I I would direct you back to verse one, and to notice how God presents this plea to them in verse one. He says the burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. I have loved you, saith the Lord. So God comes to them with a plea of love. He begins by declaring love for a rebellious nation anybody. You don't have to raise your hand and I as ever, had raised a rebellious child and hope you're like, listen, I love you a lot about you you you you come to them and you want to warn them you want to bring them to a place of sober mindedness, clarity, humility, or being right with God in you and in doing what's right and and and and then that's really what's going on here it what it is a wrong and fully send to to do what they do in verse number two. If you notice after God says I have loved you. Save the Lord.

Yet you say where in hast thou loved us. They immediately question the love of God that God you say you love us, but where have you loved us, and here's a nation that was nothing. They were the weakest and smallest nation, God brought them out of bondage in captivity of 400 years and in Egypt that they would've been destroyed under God delivers them brings them into the promised land, gives them the kingdom and prosperity.

They have rebelled against them over, never sent them to captivity for 70 years, then deliver them out of that captivity brought them back into the land like what you ever going to shows you love us and I'm sure we've all probably said that to our parents at some point in our life.

And then we rose into the place of being a parent.

At one point in our life and realize how foolish we were. But he says in verse number two big the question Darren and I think it's a foolish first ever question God's love because God didn't just declare his love, he proved his life and we know in Romans five chapter 8 verse 78 it says for scarcely for a righteous man, one would direct her adventure for good men.

Some would even dare to die. But God proved her commences love toward us that while we were sinners, Christ died for something he didn't die for us when we were good.

He died for us when we were bad and so that's that's the evidence of his love. God uses Malachi Vincent called this nation to repent and turn to God and God would then return it throughout his blessings upon the nation once again. So the main theme of Malachi is God's love for rebellious nation in the nation that just is hardened in their rebellion against God, and it just grieves you to read these things, but what I find myself doing as I watch them nation raging against God, and by the way I'm going to preach on abortion this Sunday.

I don't know if I hit on it enough. This last Sunday, but I think it's that there's a lot of things to discuss with bad and so I want to just really lay down some truths from God's word so try to limit myself from getting into that sermon this evening, but but I think it in that it needs to be addressed at such a national issue at this point, but then I don't want to look at a message that's is entitled dishonoring God in worship and in really the question to ask yourself what kind of offering.

Have I brought to the ward.

What kind of offering. If I brought to God after God declares his love for the nation. The question that an in and in the and then God continues to reason with them. He continues to dialogue with them.

If you would, in such a gracious way just so so amazing that God would stoop in such humility to seek to persuade such a rebellious people to come to himself and so let's look at first first thing that we find here is in verse six through eight is God's charge against the priests notice to God brings this accusation against in verse number six. He says there's a son honors his father and a servant his master. If I then, be a father, where is my honor and if I be a master, where is my fear save the Lord of host under you priests that despise my name and you say where. And if we despise thy name so what I find interesting. Here is is God first brings this accusation against verse six tells us he's talking to the priests and who were the priest will they were the ones who performed the religious duties of God in the temple. They were the religious leaders of the people and why does God first address the priest of the people because they were the ones in charge. They were the ones that God was holding specifically accountable for the bad influence upon the nation that so go to the priest.

So go the people that they were so that that they were really the influence like we wouldn't think of like a preachers and substance today to be a great great influence of a nation, but in and in and in and it religious nation like Israel that the religious leaders were the influence, and so I think it's important to point out the leadership will always face the first examination from God. You need to know that if God came to lighthouse unit who is going to first address going to talk you know why sometimes say I'm not so concerned. What you think about how I preach. I just want to get her. I forgot. I mean that like I really do and and and I never want to be offensive for the sake of ever being offensive. I don't want to come across read by saying those things you just need to know where my heart is because I think his parents we should say that as well listen son or daughter might my goal is not to just simply be a friend to you. My goal is to be a godly father or mother to your right that I want to get parenting right with God.

First of all's I think parents would come to that same conclusion but but you see in James chapter 3 verse one it says my brother be not many masters.

Knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation when he saying there is there going, you're going to face this the most strict judgment from God. And that's important understand. I think our president and government leaders have no idea they had. I know they don't. They have no idea there there likely the people of acts to member when when Peter says you.

You killed the Prince of life you you you you did not understand they didn't get it in, and in the things that are going on among the leadership of our country. They just don't understand what they're saying and and at least I pray they don't but I know that there are going to face judgment for the how their leading things. I know that for sure, but what was what was the problem with the leadership there in the nation of Israel. They were giving lip service to God, but not life service to God. They were good at professions.

There were good at declaring the right things but bad in practice wasn't that the case in Jesus's day what he said to his disciples he says do what they say, but not as they do right. Follow the words of another life. It's a whole lot easier to preach a good message. The litigant message anybody find that to be true. Unit you need to be patient with each other and then you go out to the store drive down 35 if you live on the same place I do on your confession is probably good for the so I probably should say this but I will in a preachers human. So I had a guy get up on the tail the other day almost hit me and and and and and can fly around me so hot that it will I get Scotty's just be aware you might go like that and is this guy gives me the number one thing are you knowing. So I donned it first, second, I thought your pastor's site. All my goodness, the all flesh is still there. David can't go after that guy get your story out a passive ring will go the details as to when he was driving on the road he saw one of his church members drew sort sold his church members drive down the highway, so he sped up to get by me is the way I tune the guy's been a professor's like I can wait for me. So is that a professor he said they were fine. I we finally got up next to the guy he's waving at Amy's honking name. The guy will look at.

It was like you are a member of my church, the government, you know what you doing and he said they got a look at it. He just pulled up his finger at and right when he did that he looked over his preacher. The Sunday morning, you are God Harry's delivery dog you young.

The young man knew the guys you drive around town you be aware that a lot of you got up only but you know God. God calls us to not just preach a good message, but to live the right message that that right and so God gives to analogies to help understand to give them an idea of what their sin is to understand it in in in the first analogy gives here in verse number six is the image of a father and a child how they were treated by their children was a big deal and that they if you if you understand that near Eastern culture and and and how they dealt with their children with fathers honors a big deal. It's something that's people kill people for in that part of the world and being dishonored but PCE brings that up. He says if if if it is a son honors his father. If I be a father, where is my honor, the pulpit commentary adds an interesting notice. This disobedience begets dislike and submission strengthens love but there was so good.

In other words, parents who allow disobedience to parent with passivity will produce a child. It nearly always resents them if you if you if you parent with passivity kids will typically resent you. But those who lovingly discipline their kids will produce children who love their parents that will be be submissive. Loving discipline allows and produces greater love for the parent because loving discipline requires greater love from the parent takes more love to lovingly discipline your child and to let them go in and just free right range do whatever they want and so many gives a second illustration. It's in verse six as well. He says if I be a and in a servant in his mastery gives a master servant relationship and in and in the New Testament word for her master's is the Greek word choreographer, we have the word Lord often translated and it's the idea that that God is the one who was the ruler of our life. He is the master of our life, we are we are bought with a price. The Bible says we are owned by God and apparently the priesthood called God master, but their offerings and lives did not reflect a reference in fear for God, they again gave God lipservice, but not life service. They really reflected the words of Christ in Luke 646.

When Jesus says what you call me Lord, Lord, but you do not the things that I say because no servant would do that that they would obey their master and Jesus is calling us to be obedient.

Jesus made clear.

Not everyone who calls him Lord is entering into the kingdom of heaven and you need to see how he aligns that in Matthew 721. Not everyone that safe in the me Lord, Lord, shall entering the kingdom of heaven, and what he saying is not everybody who gives me lipservice is going to heaven. That's why so you can pray a prayer and go to heaven.

You can pray prayer and go to hell right so he says not everyone who calls me Lord's good haven't notice what he says he that do with ETH is the idea of a present tense verb you continue to do it that doing the will of my father which is in heaven and and and and what he saying there is not that works save you, but that works are the evidence of a save life true living faith always produces true living work, Augustine Wright wisely wrote that the acts of the offspring indicates similar similarity with the father and so it was 400 years later that Jesus declared who the true father of the Jewish leaders were in math in John chapter 8, 41, he told the Jewish leaders.

You do the deeds of your father. Then they said to him, we be born not we we be not born of fornication. We have one father, even God. Jesus said that if God were your father you would love me for I proceeded important or thing came from God neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do you not understand my speech even, because you cannot hear my work and he says your of your father the devil, and in and he begins to really put the hammer down upon them, and so before we were saved. We were all children of the devil on the net. Sounds pretty strong but that's the truth when when when did we become children of God will John 111 says he came into his own his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them which were born out of the blood nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. We are born of God.

The reason you have eternal life is because you have a father that he that does. God doesn't have eternal life. God is eternal life. God is the living one. So life comes from God. And so if you want to be eternally alive. You must be born again. First John 31 says behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. And so we are we are children of God. We are he is our master, you know, the Old Testament, only about 13 times as God referred to is father.

In that sense, but in the New Testament.

It's like 160+ times that the the that just in the Gospels that Jesus refers to the father refers to God as the father and groom row.

He told his disciples to pray. Pray this, our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Paul said in Romans 815 that we don't have to live in fear.

We we cry out Abba father. The word, but is Aramaic for daddy or dad that sits such an intimate term urine when she's in the garden and he was sweating great drops of blood. He said Abba father.

If it be possible, let this cup pass from his letter like daddy, daddy, such as you'll recall, your your your dad your father data me was extremely intimate sermon and that's the way we approach God, it's such a intimate relationship. And so God seeks to reason with them to show their lack of true genuine worship that they sing your dishonoring me like a son is dishonoring their father. Your dishonoring me and not fearing me and referencing me like a servant should his master. So God concludes in Malachi 1 verse six he says, a son honors his father, a servant his master. Five. Your father was mine honoring by the master where's my fear say the Lord of hosts, and you owe priests that despise my name.

How do they respond to the clear statement from God about their sin.

Notice how they respond in verse number six and G say, wherein have we despise thy name. So what you find. This happens through all of the book of Malachi that happens. Eight different times God brings a charge against them. Charge of sin against them, but they respond not with repentance, not with God I have done wrong and not confessing their sins, but rather they question God, God questions, then why are you singing and they say God how dare you say that I'm a sinner, is the idea. Instead of accepting God's rebuke of their sin. Instead of accepting his description of their sin. They turn around and question God that what he's saying is not valid. They disagree with God's assessment of them. They counter the rebuke that they do this in Malachi 12 God says I love you and they say where and how Stella verse six.

How have we despise thy name, verse seven. How have we defiled the verse 14 of chapter 2 goes on all the way through chapter 217 3783 13 we say this to put? At the end of God's statement is an act of extreme pride we see that going on across his nation, you know, the Southern Baptists president last year.

Believe it was said God doesn't send homosexuals that hell nieces.

I know that because heterosexuality doesn't make you go to heaven. He's the president of the Southern Baptist convention, not a Southern Baptist Church is but I'm just not thinking how could you be president. Such a large group and you don't even know first Corinthians 6 know you not know unrighteous person will enter into the kingdom of heaven, neither fornicators, nor effeminate, it's literally the word that most translation using translators. The word homosexual no one who continues and known no one who continues and known fornication known adultery continues as a liar continues as a in any sin including homosexuality is not going to heaven just for your efforts on this so many times it. But in Galatians chapter 5 that's what he says in verse 19 through 21 he says be not deceived. I told you before, and I tell you again, they will not go into the kingdom of heaven is like I told you before I tell you get it is like how you get up in St. you know what has happened is is people think that they're loving, by affirming people. Love is not affirming people love is telling people the truth. If if if I would if I were a doctor that is the most unkind thing the doctor can do is if I have cancer's them to say you know what I don't want to make them feel bad about their cancer so you know what you're in good health. Eat drink and be merry. Enjoy your life and he's in the back was my thing. He's got six months to live. I want to know what my condition is medically so I can do something about if I don't know. There's a disease I can't get the remedy. What we've done is we don't want to call it sin anymore. We don't want to point out the infection. The disease, the cancer that's killing us. Rather, we just want to affirm people. I can tell you such things open the broad path to hell for people you know what people on one day at the great white throne judgment going to say I did need your affirmation I needed his truth so I would say go back to the message to put a? At the end of God's statement