Sermon Tone Analysis

*BBC JANUARY 27, MAL 3:8-10 STEWARDSHIP SERIES: WHAT’S IN YOUR WAY?*

 

INTRO:THIS WEEK IN THE NEWS, THE PRESIDENT SAID HE’S GONNA SEND YOU SOME MORE MONEY....145 BILLION DOLLARS...TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMY....FOR YOU SPEND, INVEST, OR GIVE AWAY.

BUT OUR DOLLAR IS FALLING... ONE ENGLISH POUND IS WORTH TWO DOLLARS, BUT WHEN WE GO TO ENGLAND...ONE OF OUR DOLLARS IS WORTH .50

CENTS.

.AND IT IS INDICATIVE OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN

 

OUR COUNTRY... NIXON FELL, CLINTON FELL, TWIN TOWERS FELL,

OUR MARRIAGES ARE FALING

OUR INFRASTURES, OUR BRIDGES AND ROADS ARE FALLING

OUR MORALE IS FALLING

OUR POLITICIANS, PASTOR’S AND PREACHERS ARE FALLING

OUR MEN, WOMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS ARE FALLING

 

ALMOST EVERYBODY ON THE TAKE IS ON THE TAKE....... AND WHEN WE DO RECEIVE ...WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO PUT YOUR MONEY?

AND WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW IT THAT AMERICA...IS A HOUSE OF CARDS.

WHETHER WE WANT TO BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

EXPL: THE BOOK OF MALACHI REFLECTS THE WRITINGS OF THE RESTORATION PROPHET...HE IS THE LAST OF THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETS...AND THERE WILL BE A SPAN OF TIME WHEN GOD IS SILENT FOR 400 YEARS.

COMPENPRAIES OF HAGGAI AND ZECHARIAH.

HAGGI TO STIR UP THE PEOPLE TO BUILD UP THE TEMPLE.

GOD WILL BLESS, IF THEY SERVE AND WORSHIP GOD.

ZECHARIAH HAD THE LONG TERM VISION, AS THE TEMPLE WAS REBUILT, GOD WOULD BLESS AND PREPARE THEM FOR CHRIST.

BUT THE AGAIN THE CYCLE OF SIN AND SUFFERING I.E.

CH. 11, BUT THEN CH. 12 TO THE END OF TIME..HE SEE THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

MALACHI IS TO SHOW THE SINFULNESS OF THE PEOPLE AND CHALLENGE THEM IN THEIR UNGRATEFULNESS.

*THE PRIVILEGE OF ISRAEL PROGENY OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB*

 

*THE POLLUTION OF ISRAEL BY THE PRIEST AND THE PEOPLE*

THEIR SINS WHICH WERE MANY INCLUDED;

THEIR INIQUITY

THEIR FALSE WITNESSES 2:10

THEIR DEVOTION TO DIVORCE

THEIR UNEQUALLY YOKED MARRIAGE TO PAGAN WOMEN

THEIR CLAIMS THAT EVIL IS GOOD

THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH SORCERERS, LIARS AND CHEATERS

THEIR SLANDER OF GOD

THEIR ROBBERY OF GOD.

THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT ISRAEL WAS FULL OF ROT AND  RUIN

THE PRESCRIPTION WAS FOR ISRAEL TO REPENT

 

*THE PROMISES TO ISRAEL VIA JOHN THE BAPTIST, AND ELIJAH.

*

 

THE PROPHET CHALLENGES ISRAEL IN THEIR LACK OF COMMITMENT, AND ISRAEL ENTERS INTO DEBATE SEEDED WITH COMPLAINT.

MALACHI CONFRONTS AND ANSWERS THEIR DUMBFOUNDED QUESTIONS...

HOW HAS GOD LOVED US

HOW HAVE WE DESPISED HIS NAME

WHY WONT GOD ACCEPT OUR OFFERINGS

HOW HAVE WE WEARIED GOD

HOW SHALL WE RETURN TO GOD

HOW HAVE WE SPOKEN AGAINST GOD?

 

*JUST LIKE THINGS WERE BAD IN ISRAEL THEN, THINGS ARE BAD NOW IN THE  CHURCH....THEY WERE CARELESS IN THEIR WORSHIP..AND THE BOOK ENDED WITH A CURSE. *

* *

* *

WHEN WE BOIL IT DOWN....THE PEOPLE ..

 

* DOUBT GOD’S LOVE

* DESPISE GOD’S NAME

* DEFILE HIS COVENANT

* DISOBEY HIS WORD

 

*INTER: WHAT IS ONE THING THAT LED ISRAEL DISOBEY GOD.*

* *

*PROP: UNGRATEFULNESS WOOS US AWAY FROM GOD.*

 

TS: AS WE LOOK AT THE TEXT WE WILL SEE HOW ISRAEL DISOBEY GOD AS  A RESULT OF THEIR UNGRATEFULNESS... UNGRATEFULNESS’ GOT IN THEIR WAY.

IF FAMILIARITY HAS BRED CONTEMPT, AND WE STAND CONVICTED UNDER HIS GREAT GRACE...WHAT SHOULD WE DO...???

 

*MP I. RETURN TO GOD V. 7 –** */NLT /*/MALACHI 3:7/*/ EVER SINCE THE DAYS OF YOUR ANCESTORS, YOU HAVE SCORNED MY LAWS AND FAILED TO OBEY THEM.

NOW RETURN TO ME, AND I WILL RETURN TO YOU," SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY.

"BUT YOU ASK, 'HOW CAN WE RETURN WHEN WE HAVE NEVER GONE AWAY?'/

* *

*OUR SOCIETY NEEDS TO RETURN TO GOD.

*FROM THE DAYS OF JUDEO-CHRISTIAN VALUES WHERE FAMILY WAS ESTEEMED; PEOPLE STUCK TOGETHER, CHURCH WAS A FAMILY WAS CONNECTED; WHERE PRAYER WAS IN THE SCHOOL AND IT WAS NO CRIME FOR THE TEN COMMANDMENTS TO BE POSTED IN THE HALLS OF JUSTICE.

WHERE A DRUG PROBLEM WAS CHARACTERIZED BY BEING DRUG TO SCHOOL, DRUG TO CHURCH, DRUG HOME AND BEING DRUG TO WORK.

NOW..OUR SOCIETY IS SATURATED WITH SEX, DRUGS, ALCOHOL, MUSIC, MEDIA AND VIDEO THAT HAVE INFILTRATED OUR HOMES, OUR WORKPLACE AND OUR CHURCHES.

* *

THERE ARE OVER 400 REFERENCES TO STORIES OF RETURN.

FROM THE FLOOD OF NOAH, AS HE SENT OUT THE DOVE TO FIND LAND; TO JACOB’S FLIGHT TO LABAN AND THEN HIS RETURN TO THE LAND OF HIS FATHER; TO THE RETURN OF JOSEPH’S BONES TO ISRAEL AT HIS DEATH.

FROM THE EXODUS AND THE EXILE, ISRAEL RETURNS TO THE LAND OF PROMISE, NAOMI RETURNS TO BETHLEHEM; THE MAGI RETURN TO BABYLON; JOSEPH AND MARY GO FROM EGYPT AND RETURN TO GALILEE...AND WHO CAN FORGET THE PRODIGAL SON, WHO CAME TO HIMSELF AND RETURN TO HIS FATHER’S HOUSE.

*IMP.

*UNGRATEFULNESS LEADS US TO DISOBEDIENCE.

IN THE JOURNEY OF LIFE WHEN WE REALIZE WE ARE ON THE WRONG ROAD, REALIZE THAT WE ARE HEADED IN THE WRONG DIRECTION; WHEN WE REALIZE THAT WE ARE FAR FROM THE PEACEFUL SHORES...WE NEED TO STOP, DROP AND REPENT.

AND TO HELP US GET THERE...THE NEXT IMPLICATION IS...

 

UNGRATEFULNESS LEADS US TO BE DISCIPLINED.

V. 1-3..SAYS THE LORD WILL COME SUDDENLY TO HIS TEMPLE...AND WHO MAY ABIDE THE DAY OF HIS COMING...FOR HE SHALL PURIFY THE SONS OF LEVI AND PURGE THEM AS SILVER AND GOLD.

GOD USES DISCIPLINE SO WE REPENT AND RETURN TO A STATE OF FAVOR WITH GOD.

GOD DISCIPLINES HS OWN AND THOSE WHO HE LOVES...AND IT WILL BEGIN AT THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH. 1 PETER 4:17

 

*DEUT 4:30-31* SAYS...WHEN YOU ARE IN TRIBULATION, AND ALL THESE THINGS ARE COME UPON THEE (CURSES), EVEN IN THE LATTER DAYS, IF YOU WILL TURN TO THE LORD THY GOD, AND WILL BE OBEY HIS VOICE...FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS A MERCIFUL GOD, HE WILL NOT FORSAKE YOU NOR DESTROY YOU, NOR FORGET THE COVENANT OF YOUR FATHERS WHICH HE SWORE TO THEM

 

*1 CHRONICLES 7:14**...*IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, SHALL HUMBLE THEMSELVES AND PRAY, AND SEEK MY FACE, AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAY, THEN I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN, AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN, AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND.

*PSALM 51:11-13   11* DO NOT CAST ME AWAY FROM YOUR PRESENCE, AND DO NOT TAKE YOUR HOLY SPIRIT FROM ME.  12 RESTORE TO ME THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION, AND UPHOLD ME /BY YOUR /GENEROUS SPIRIT.

13 /THEN /I WILL TEACH TRANSGRESSORS YOUR WAYS, AND SINNERS SHALL BE CONVERTED TO YOU.

 

*JEREMIAH 3:12* "GO AND PROCLAIM THESE WORDS TOWARD THE NORTH, AND SAY: 'RETURN, BACKSLIDING ISRAEL,' SAYS THE LORD; 'I WILL NOT CAUSE MY ANGER TO FALL ON YOU.

FOR I /AM /MERCIFUL,' SAYS THE LORD; 'I WILL NOT REMAIN ANGRY FOREVER.

*JOHN 14:3* "AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU TO MYSELF; THAT WHERE I AM, /THERE /YOU MAY BE ALSO.

APP: RETURN AND RECOMMIT TO GOD.

GO BACK, EMBRACE YOUR FIRST LOVE.

GO BACK TO GOD.

THE PARADOX IS THAT IN ORDER TO GO FORWARD, WE MUST GO BACK.

IN ORDER TO GET AHEAD, WE MUST GO BACK.

RETURN TO THE HEART OF WORSHIP.

REALIZE THE WE CANNOT LIVE THIS LIFE IN OUR OWN STRENGTH

 

REMOVE ANY OBSTACLE THAT IMPEDES THE RELATIONSHIP.

*ILL**: PILLS OF PLEASURE TO AVOID THE PAIN OF SIN*

 

YOU AND I LIVE IN A WORLD THAT IS OBSESSED WITH THE ELIMINATION OF PAIN.

JUST TAKE A STROLL DOWN THE MEDICINE AISLE NEXT TIME YOU ARE IN THE GROCERY STORE, CVS, WAL-MART, WALGREENS, ACME, SHOPRITE...OR TARGET ..AND WHAT WE WON’T SEE IS THE $2 BILLION PLUS WORTH OF OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS SOLD LAST YEAR.

WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS ...A MYRIAD OF CHOICES ...FROM PLAIN OLD

*ASPIRIN*...DISCOVERED IN THE LATE 1800 AS AN EXTRACT FROM THE WILLOW BARK...AND FIRST SOLD BY BAYER...*.TO...ANACIN, EXCEDRIN...STORE BRAND..*

*ACETAMINOPHEN AKA TYLENOL*...@ 1955

*IBUPROPHEN AKA MOTRIN @ 1984  *AND ADVIL

*NAPROXEN AKA ALEVE...*

ALL IN VARYING STRENGTHS, AND MILLIGRAMS...TO DIFFERENT FORMS...

FROM GEL CAPS, COOL CAPLETS, LIQUID GELS, TO QUICK DISSOLVING .AND EVEN LIQUID FORM...WHEN WE HAVE A HEADACHE, BACKACHE, OR TOOTHACHE...

 

WE TAKE TWO ASPIRIN, TAKE A NAP, AND WAKE UP FEELING BETTER.

WE FORGET THE PAIN.

FACE IT, WE DO NOT LIKE PAIN.