Just Going through the Motions?

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Just Going through the Motions?

• June 3

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Think About It

• Whats one thing you always do (or did) with your
  very best effort no cutting corners or just
  getting by?
• What motivates you to want to give that task your
  best?

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Doubting Gods Love

• Today we look at what Malachi has to say about
  people who did not do their best
• They went through the motions of worship
• On that topic we may need similar warnings
• Listen for Gods hate of Esau.

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Listen for Gods hate of Esau.

• Malachi 11-5 (NIV) An oracle The word of the
  Lord to Israel through Malachi. 2 "I have loved
  you," says the Lord. "But you ask, 'How have you
  loved us?' "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" the
  Lord says. "Yet I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau
  I have hated, and I have turned his mountains
  into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the
  desert jackals."

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Listen for Gods hate of Esau.

• 4 Edom may say, "Though we have been crushed,
  we will rebuild the ruins." But this is what the
  Lord Almighty says "They may build, but I will
  demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a
  people always under the wrath of the Lord. 5
  You will see it with your own eyes and say,
  'Great is the Lord--even beyond the borders of
  Israel!'

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Doubting Gods Love

• To whom was the word of the Lord given?
• What did God claim for Israel?
• Notice Malachis Q A style of writing
• Called dialectical style
• Unique among Old Testament Prophets
• The initial question is How have you loved us?
  What are some implications behind that question?

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Doubting Gods Love

• What might make people today question whether God
  loves them?
• When someone gives one or more of these
  statements to you, what could you point to of
  Gods love for all people? For you specifically?
• What kind of judgment does Malachi mention for
  Esau/Edom?

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Doubting Gods Love

• How will people respond to Gods actions?
• Which do you think is a better motivator for our
  obedience fear of Gods punishment or Gods
  love for us? Why?

Fear of Punishment Gods Love

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Listen for how the people had despised the Lord.

• Malachi 16-10 (NIV) "A son honors his father,
  and a servant his master. If I am a father, where
  is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is
  the respect due me?" says the Lord Almighty. "It
  is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name.
  "But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for
  your name?' 7 "You place defiled food on my
  altar. "But you ask,

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Listen for how the people had despised the Lord.

• 'How have we defiled you?' "By saying that the
  Lord's table is contemptible. 8 When you bring
  blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong?
  When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals,
  is that not wrong? Try offering them to your
  governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he
  accept you?" says the Lord Almighty.

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Listen for how the people had despised the Lord.

• 9 "Now implore God to be gracious to us. With
  such offerings from your hands, will he accept
  you?"--says the Lord Almighty. 10 "Oh, that one
  of you would shut the temple doors, so that you
  would not light useless fires on my altar! I am
  not pleased with you," says the Lord Almighty,
  "and I will accept no offering from your hands.

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Offering Our Second Best

• What was Gods complaint against Israel?
• How were the priests implicated in contemptible
  worship practices?
• In what way do we sometimes give God leftovers in
  our worship? in our finances? in our time?

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Offering Our Second Best

• Why would God not gladly receive whatever we give
  Him in worship and devotion time, talents,
  treasure?
• How can we give God our passion and excellence in
  the midst of our busy lives with jobs, kids,
  elderly parents, etc.?

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Listen for how people had profaned the Lords
name.

• Malachi 111-14 (NIV) My name will be great among
  the nations, from the rising to the setting of
  the sun. In every place incense and pure
  offerings will be brought to my name, because my
  name will be great among the nations," says the
  Lord Almighty. 12 "But you profane it by saying
  of the Lord's table, 'It is defiled,' and of its
  food, 'It is contemptible. 13 And you say,
  'What a burden!' and you sniff at it
  contemptuously,"

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Listen for how people had profaned the Lords
name.

• says the Lord Almighty. "When you bring injured,
  crippled or diseased animals and offer them as
  sacrifices, should I accept them from your
  hands?" says the Lord. 14 "Cursed is the cheat
  who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows
  to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished
  animal to the Lord. For I am a great king," says
  the Lord Almighty, "and my name is to be feared
  among the nations.

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Forgetting Whom We Serve

• What prophecy do you see here about missionary
  activity?
• In contrast, what was the attitude of the priests
  in Malachis day?
• According to verse 14, how were the people
  cheating the Lord?

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Forgetting Whom We Serve

• What would God be teaching us about His
  greatness, His holiness, His glory if He allowed
  us to toss Him our leftover scraps in worship and
  commitment?
• What can you focus on to remember Gods greatness
  as you approach Him in times of worship both
  privately and corporately?

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Application

• Gods love is at work in the lives of His people.
• This is true even when we do not realize it or
  ignore it
• This week, look for Gods love at work in your
  life even in the midst of tough situations

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Application

• We owe God our first, our best, our all
• Offering God the leftovers of life is
  unacceptable to Him
• Look for ways to honor God with the best of your
  resources time, treasure, talent

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Application

• Apathy can lead to religion that just goes
  through the motions of genuine faith
• Ask God to help you to see areas where you are
  bored in your relation to Him
• Express your faith in sacrificial devotion to Him
  every day

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Just Going through the Motions?

• June 3