ARE YOU DESPISING GOD'S WORSHIP?

ARE YOU DESPISING GOD’S WORSHIP?
Malachi 1:11-14 | Psalm 145

11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. 12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. 13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord. 14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

The Purpose and Proclamation of God (v 11b-12a). How they polluted the worship of God (v 12b-13). They polluted...

·      The Place of God's Worship (12b) "...in that ye say, The
table of the Lord is polluted;..." Polluted = defiled, desecrated

·      The Plan of God's Worship (12c) "...and the fruit thereof,
even his meat, is contemptible." Loathsome, disgusting

·      The Purity of God's Worship (13). They polluted it in how…

1. -       They Viewed it (v13). Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness it is!
2. -       They Valued it (v13). Ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts;...
3. -       They Violated it (v13). Ye have brought that which was torn,.. lame,.. sick. Torn = seized, take away by force.

The Displeasure of God (v 13f-14).

The Titles of God (v 14b). I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and
my name is dreadful among the heathen.

The root cause of carelessness in worship is a failure to sense & know the Greatness of God. How does this cause careless worship? It makes a person bored with God and excited about the world.

-     If you don't see the greatness of God then all the things that money can buy become very exciting. In the same way that...

                   

          If you can't see the sun you will be impressed with a street light.

                   

          If you turn your back on the greatness and majesty of God you'll fall 

in love with a world of shadows and short-lived pleasures.

When God is the center of your life, you'll praise him every day, because you are able to find blessings no matter how difficult your circumstance.

In Psalm 145 we see that the writer was caught up in four different aspects of God's person and work. Understanding these will help you to render true worship to God. We should…

1.   WORSHIP THE LORD BECAUSE OF HIS GREATNESS (v 3-6). Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. 4 One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. 5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

·      If God is God at all, He has to be the greatest of all.

·      The only thing great about man is his wickedness (Gen 6:5).

God is great in His Person (v 3). He is the... Solitary… Infinite… Eternal God!

God is great in His Works (v 4).

-     The world seeks to minimize God's influence on our World.

-     The believer sees the wisdom and power of God in creation & history.

God Is Great In His Majesty (v 5). The word 'Majesty' means regal, lofty,
stately, grand, supreme in greatness. There is not a fault in Him!

God Is Great In His Judgment (v 6). And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.

Because He is perfect in every divine attribute His judgment is pure and absolute. Therefore God informs us that He will not to be mocked; whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap.

2.   WORSHIP THE LORD BECAUSE OF HIS GOODNESS (v 7-10). They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. ⁸ The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. ⁹ The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. ¹⁰ All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.

·      Greatness without Goodness would leave God as a selfish tyrant.

·      Goodness without greatness would render God incapable.

·      Whatever God thinks, says, does, plans, and accomplishes is Good.

God's Goodness Is Abundant (v 7). We should celebrate the generosity of God (Science, intellect, emotion, dominion). Matthew 5:45 He maketh His sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

God's Goodness Is Compassionate (v 8). His Compassion is undeserved and without merit! This is one of the reasons we should praise Him.

God's Goodness Is Universal (v 9-10). Selah!!!

3.   WORSHIP THE LORD BECAUSE OF HIS GOVERNMENT (v11-13).

Do not be deceived... God still reigns today!

Colossians 1:17-20 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. ¹⁹ For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; ²⁰ And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Matthew 28:18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

God's Kingdom Is A Powerful (v 11). They shall..talk of thy power.

Today there's a conflict between Kingdoms!

God's Kingdom Is A Glorious (v 11-12). They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; ¹² To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

The kingdoms of men have faded and will turn to dust!

God's Kingdom Is An Eternal (v 13). Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

4.   WORSHIP THE LORD BECAUSE OF HIS GRACE (v 14-20). Our God is the God of all Grace! Salvation and Eternal Life are the works of God's grace.

God Is Gracious To Those Who Fall (v 14). The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

Life is, at times a great struggle! We, as a result, sometimes stumble and fall. Praise the Lord, God lifts us up!

God Is Gracious To Those Who Hunger (v 15-17). The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. ¹⁶ Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. ¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

To those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

God Is Gracious To Those Who Pray (v 18-19). The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. ¹⁹ He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

God Is Gracious To Those Who Love Him (v 20-21). The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. ²¹ My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

ARE YOU DENYING GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY?

Malachi 1:6-10 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. | And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? ⁷ Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. ⁸ And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.

⁹ And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts. ¹⁰ Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

Divided – 952 BC | Israel captive to Assyria – 721 BC | Judah captive to Babylon – 586 BC | Ezra & Zerubbabel – 538 BC | Nehemiah – 450 BC

The prophet Malachi was a contemporary of Nehemiah (450-400 BC).

•  The worship is restablished; joy and repentance return (Neh 8-9).
• Nehemiah 13:7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

Malachi's day corresponds with the Laodicean church of Rev 3:14-20.

Gifts for the Tabernacle | There was a time in Israel, when the Tabernacle was being built, that men worshipped with willing hearts…

·     Ex 35:22 They came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted,...and every man... offered an offering...unto the LORD. [36:4-5] All the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.

A great need in Christianity today is the recognition of the Lordship of Christ.

Recognizing His Lordship means serving Him with a willing heart.

Malachi addressed Israel's problem with accepting the Sovereignty of God. Their loyalty and values had become polluted by worldliness.

Romans 12:1-2 is a superb sections of scripture that summarizes the principal truths concerning the Lordship of Christ.

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1.   THE PLEA FOR A WILLING HEART: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service (v 1).

The Body Refers To The Physical.

·      The LORD has dealt with our Spirit.

·      Now He desires to deal with the remaining hold out.

The Lord is not satisfied with part of us... He wants ALL!

Exodus 35 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD;.....²³And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and   every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD'S offering... And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted,...

God does not force us to accept His Love, Grace, Mercy, or Salvation. Nor can we force God to accept a Polluted Sacrifice (Cain & Abel).

·      Yet some Christians try to force tainted sacrifices on God.

·      Paul uses the words, I beseech (I desire, entreat, urge, beg).

2.   THE WISDOM OF A WILLING HEART. Psalms 111:1-3 Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. ² The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. ³ His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

It's PROPER! In consideration of the mercies of God (Salvation)

It's POSITIVE! When you consider God's plan is the best plan.      

It's PRACTICAL! When You Consider The Alternative.

3.   THE REWARD OF A WILLING HEART. We become...

A Living Sacrifice! Alive unto God.

Romans 6:6-12 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷ For he that is dead is freed from sin. ⁸ Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: ⁹ Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. ¹⁰ For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. ¹¹ Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

A Holy Sacrifice! Set-apart for God.

          1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready

     always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

An Acceptable Sacrifice! Complete surrender. God wants the whole man,..

·      Body (physical)

·      Soul (mind, will, emotion)

·      Spirit (the quickened man).

4.   THE CHANGE OF A WILLING HEART. There will be...

A MORAL Change! Be not conformed to this world:..

          2 Corinthians 6:14-18 

          The world is the devil’s liar for sinners; his lure for the saint.

A MENTAL Change! Be ye transformed (meta-morpho) by the renewing of your mind,..

A MOTIVATIONAL Change! That ye may prove... (discern, examine).

God's plan is better than your plan!

God’s will is...

·      GOOD! (agathon) = beneficial. Joseph said, God meant it for good.

Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

·      ACCEPTABLE! (yoo-ar'-es-tos) = fully agreeable, well pleasing.       When you experience it you know it is right, it fits, its satisfying.

·      PERFECT! (tel-eion) = complete. You cannot improve on God's plan for your life.