Sermon Tone Analysis

*“Decided Destiny”*

*Malachi 3.16-4.6*

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            This morning we conclude our study in the Old Testament book of Malachi.

I trust that you have been challenged as I have.

As the last word from God before the birth of Jesus Christ, we saw how this ancient book is just as relevant to us today as it was to the nation of Israel.

It is important for the church to spend time in the Old Testament.

For me, it serves as a reminder of the holiness of God.

Now many in these times attempt to dismiss the God of the Old Testament because they say he is characterized by nothing but rules and wrath.

And this is erroneous on a number of levels.

God is the same yesterday, today and forever.

The God of the Old Testament is the same as in the New Testament.

He has always demonstrated his mercy and grace to his people.

And yet he is infinitely holy and must punish sin.

His view toward sin in the New Testament has not changed.

But we see his provision for this sin and the tremendous love he demonstrated by sending his Son to die in our place.

This book of Malachi is a reminder of his holiness and his expectations of us to worship him properly.

You may have already noticed that in your Swordsmanship, the questions remain focused on Malachi.

Before we move on and “close the book,” I would encourage us to consider the overall message from God through Malachi, answer the questions and apply this to our lives.

In our day I believe we have a propensity to try to formulize successes and failures in life.

This takes different forms.

When life goes well, we try to assess what we have done to get us to these places.

And when things go awry, we try to align things in our favor once again.

As Christians, some also try to discern God’s will in a similar fashion.

We like to think that when things are going smoothly in any given pursuit, God has opened doors for circumstances to occur.

Or conversely, if we meet any resistance in our paths, we determine that God must have closed the door on this pursuit.

But I am not convinced of this perspective and perhaps a bit skeptical as well.

I might challenge such thinking by suggesting that sometimes following selfish desires or even distractions from the best things can come quite easily – and be interpreted as God’s “door opening.”

And at other times, couldn’t God want to teach us about perseverance and commitment through a seemingly “closed” door?

And then we are confused when we see those who detest God prosper and Christians in some locations being killed and persecuted and living with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

All these things leave us baffled and wonder where God is through all of this.

The television preachers say that the Christian life is all about financial and health blessings and that we should walk around happy all the time.

Is there any constant that can serve as our anchor to help us interpret these things?

How do we make sense of all this?

I think that our text this morning will help us out a bit in this area.

Please turn in your Bibles to Malachi 3.16.

We will pick up the text there and finish the book at Malachi 4.6.

*READ.

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            The sermon title is somewhat of a paradox, *“Decided Destiny.”

*And this is intentional.

Through this text (and Scripture) you repeatedly see God’s actions and people’s responsibilities.

All things are headed to an appointed end.

And Malachi reminds his readers and us that one day God will set all things right.

Let’s begin by looking at our first point, *Faithfulness and Folly.

*Verse 16 tells us that there were those who feared the Lord who began to speak with one another.

In the midst of rampant rebellion and unfaithfulness, there were those who remained faithful to their God.

Perhaps these were those spoken of in 1 Kings 19.18 1 “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

And alluded to in Romans 11, “*4* But what is God’s reply to him?

“I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” *5* So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.”

The Bible often speaks of those who are faithful to God as those who “fear” him.

This may conjure up different ideas.

Many rightly note that it involves having a “healthy respect” for God.

And yet others would suggest that there should be no fear of God – as in “being afraid.”

I would not quickly dismiss this, however.

I would suggest that respect should be coupled with a “healthy fear.”

Slight variation.

Let me try to relate how I came to more fully comprehend a fear of the Lord.

The other night I was really wrestling in prayer over tough issues.

I suppose this isn’t all that uncommon when you have to prepare a sermon dealing with the eternal punishment of the wicked.

And I’m not sure if you have ever done this, but I also was praying that God would reveal the sin in my heart.

That’s quite the undertaking, working through both of these issues in one prayer!

In his grace, God continues to show me my selfish heart.

I can’t escape it.

It is there in all of us.

And if you are brave enough to ask him to show you, I am fairly certain he will.

It is quite recognizable.

God called to mind any negative responses to my wife and children, my choices in life that confirm that I am most concerned with myself.

It is in these moments, that I became more fully aware of the sinfulness of my heart.

Next, I contemplated the nature of God – namely his holiness.

Have you considered lately the gap between God’s holiness and our sinfulness?

I encourage you to do this often.

Why?

Only here do we begin to scratch the surface on grace.

And then you begin to understand that it is *only* by the grace of God that you can be accepted by him and forgiven of your sin.

Does this cause you to shutter a bit?

One of our main problems is that we don’t think God is as holy as he is, or that we are as sinful as we really are.

Allow a fresh sense of God’s grace to wash over you, to comfort you, to challenge you in your walk with God.

This is a very powerful place to dwell.

Those who feared the Lord spoke with one another.

What would this look like?

If we all in this church were to regularly… consider….

deeply the holiness of God, our sinful hearts and his grace toward us, how would this change the way we talk *to *one another, *about *one another, *for *one another??? Zechariah 8:16 *16* These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace.”

In this case, it was in contrast to those who had spoken against God in the previous section.

Notice also that the Lord hears the words of both.

Nothing escapes his listening ear.

He has heard the complaints and accusations and he has heard the encouragement and edification that occurs with the faithful.

Does this truth impact you today?

Many of you have read the book “War of Words.”

I can’t remember if it was in the book or the teaching videos, but Paul Tripp mentioned that our words are not our own.

They belong to the King.

The way that we talk greatly affects who we are as a church family – as it did the nation of Israel in the time of Malachi.

The Lord paid attention and heard them and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.

Does God have a short memory?

Why did he mention a “book of remembrance?”

Apparently, there are records kept in heaven.

Not quite sure if this is a literal book or metaphorical.

Moses refers to a book that God has written in Exodus 32.32.

The Psalms refer to a book that records the days formed for us and a book of the living.

Daniel speaks of a book that holds the names of those who will be delivered in the time of the Great Tribulation.

And Revelation speaks of a book of life.

And in this book of remembrance is a record of those who fear God and esteem his name.