Sermon Tone Analysis

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*Malachi 3*
Can we turn to Malachi chapter 1 please?
*[P]* May I ask an audacious question?
“Why are you here?”!
I know that when I was a kid, it was because I was dragged along.
I was forced to by my parents; it was boring and I would rather not be there.
I am sure none of you are like that!
But you can have a congregation all singing the same songs, doing the same things but the motives of each one may be quite different.
Some may come because it is Sunday, and that is the thing that you do.
It is habit.
Some may come because they have a need that they want to be met.
Some may come out of religious duty.
This is what God requires, somehow I am pleasing God by coming.
It is a way to get on His good side.
Some sincerely believe by attending church regularly things will be well for them when they meet their Maker.
Some may come because they enjoy the fellowship, for social reasons – I had a school friend who started going to church because there were good-looking girls there.
Some may come to learn of God.
Some may come to be in God’s presence.
Some may come to worship.
I mean that is what we do at church, isn’t it?
It is not the coming; it is the motive in coming that matters.
And then – what about what we do when we get here?
In some fellowships there is a liturgical service – exactly the same words are said each time.
We are not like that but even so; you will find that our services fall into a regular pattern: a series of songs, a Bible reading, a time that open for contributions, communion then a sermon.
There is nothing wrong with a fixed pattern, but what we do have to be careful of is: JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS.
*[P]* That is what we find in Malachi’s time: Let us read Malachi 1:6-14 Now God had proscribed a set way to worship Him.
There was a right way to do it – God had specifically specified it for them; and they did it ….
But their heart wasn’t in it *[P]*.
It was just ritual that had to be carried out.
This message is addressed to the priests, those in charge of conducting the service of worship.
This is not a message to the godless but to those leading the people in the ways of God: [*Malachi 1:6-14*/ //“‘A son honours his father, and a servant his master.
Then if I am Father, where is My honour?
And if I am Master, where is My respect?’ says /יהוה/ of armies to you, O priests who despise My Name.
/(here they are meant to be honouring and respecting יהוה, and they were despising His Name) /But you say, ‘How have we despised Your Name?’/ (of course they proclaimed their innocence and denied the charge – the continual answering back that you encounter in Malachi) /“You are presenting defiled food upon My altar.
/(so יהוה gives them a specific example) /But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ /(again they question) /In that you say, ‘The table of /יהוה/ is to be despised//.’
“But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil?
And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil?/
(again יהוה gives specific examples)/ Why not offer it to your governor?
Would he be pleased with you?
Or would he receive you kindly?” says /יהוה/ of armies.
“But now will you not entreat God’s favour, that He may be gracious to us?
With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?” says /יהוה/ of armies.
/(here they were praying, seeking to get their prayers answered, wanting יהוה’s favour, is that likely with the disrespectful indifferent attitude they were displaying?!)/ “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar!
/(יהוה had had enough of the religious carry-on – He just wanted the whole useless ritual to be put to an end)/ *I am not pleased with you*,” says /יהוה/ of armies, /(that is fairly plain language – unambiguous!
You cannot get around it!
A two year old can understand that!) /“nor will I accept an offering from you.
/(their ritual was a waste of time – accomplishing nothing!)/“*For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nation*s, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My Name, and a grain offering that is pure*; for My Name will be great among the nations*,” says /יהוה/ of armies./
(God does not need a lamb chop!
What He wants and deserves is honour!
To be magnified!
He is GREAT!
We simply need to acknowledge who He is!
If they won’t do it then יהוה will have the Gentiles do it.
If they don’t cry out, the stones will!
They should be magnifying יהוה’s Name …)/ “But you are profaning it, in that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’
“You also say, ‘My, how tiresome it is!’ /(they were performing the ritual but it was just a wearisome task to be carried out.
Is that what coming to church is for you?) /And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says /יהוה/ of armies, “and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering!
Should I receive that from your hand?” says /יהוה/.
“But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, *for I am a great King*,” says /יהוה/ of armies, “and *My Name is feared among the nations*.”/]
יהוה is great – do we treat Him as such?! Do we fear His Name or are we just going through the motions?
*v.6:* *[P]* This is the second message of יהוה through Malachi and it is addressed to priests – we are priests.
[*Revelation 1:6*/ //and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father./
*1 Peter 2:9*/ //But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light./]
It has application to us!
He is talking to us.
Hebrews tells us that priests offer gifts and sacrifices, their role is distinguish between the profane and common.
But these priests were offering the profane, the defiled – lost their distinctive.
We are meant to be salt but if the salt has lost its flavour [*Matthew 5:13*/ //“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?
It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet./]
Priests are meant to be honouring יהוה’s Name, promoting the fear of that Name among the people.
But what were they doing?
יהוה accused them of defiling His Name!
What an accusation to lay against the priests, the spiritual leaders, the godly!
We live in a society where children disrespect their parents, rebel against them.
But the Bible commands children to honour their parents.
Honour is expressed in obedience - willing, unquestioning, submissive and respectful.
That is a father’s due: respect!
Likewise we live in a society that back-chats against the boss, mocks and criticizes management’s decisions – but a master is meant to be respected.
Now יהוה is both our Father and our Master – so He is worthy of double honour – and far more honour and respect than our earthly father, or our boss at work.
He is sovereign over ALL!
He deserves respectful submissive obedience as both our Father and as our Master.
And here יהוה is accusing the spiritual leaders of disrespect, of despising His Name!
A stinging accusation!
It is a relevant question: “Where is My respect?!” Today, where is the respect for God, the sense of His holiness?
- even among the spiritual leaders.
Today, you often find pastors are very "pally" and familiar with God, bold in their claims and audacious in their words and attitude to Him - but very little honour, fear, respect - where has the concept of יהוה’s holiness gone?!!
There is no fear of God before their eyes!
[*Psalm 36:1*/ //An oracle: the wicked has rebellion in the midst of his heart.
There is no fear of God before his eyes./]
Instead of honour there is contempt and disdain - they despise His Name.
And when their sin is pointed out there is no contrition - but a questioning of God, an implicit denial, they are convinced of their own righteousness.
They have no conscience about what they are doing - having lost the sense of יהוה’s holiness you soon lose the sense of personal holiness.
Oblivious of their sin, Once reverence and honour are gone, יהוה is no longer held as significant; instead there is contempt for God.
The same disdain is seen in church leaders today, where it is all about *me*, and יהוה is sidelined!
*v.7-8* *[P]* יהוה accuses the priests of despising His Name but these cynical, arrogant self-righteousness they questioned יהוה’s word! “Like, how?”
This continual answering back!
That in itself shows the lack of honour and fear.
So יהוה presents them with overwhelming evidence – they were despising His Name by presenting defiled offerings.
Their heart wasn’t in it, they were just going through the motions, any offering will do, just so long as we carry out the required ceremony and get it over with.
Slap-dash worship – it isn’t worship at all!
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