Sermon
Nuggets Mon Feb 20 Day of the Lord
Verses- Mal 4: 1 “Surely the day is
coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will
be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the LORD
Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But
for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in
its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.3 Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be
ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things,” says the
LORD Almighty.
4 “Remember
the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all
Israel. 5 “See,
I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the
LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to
their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will
come and strike the land with a curse.”
The
Day of the Lord
Malachi was far richer for me than I
anticipated when I started the series. Like most prophets he called Israel to
repentance, and wanted them to confront sins of apathy and pretence. I also
knew that the book of Malachi stressed the importance of tithing. What became
even more focused for me was the longsuffering of God. He wanted to give them
chance after chance of finding true blessing in proper relationship. To be
right with God results in heartfelt worship, it results in holiness and proper
relations with your spouse and families and marriages. When it comes to training there is no
substitute including the church, for what happens in the home for Bible
teaching, memorization and teaching of the laws of God.
Also what brought renewed focus for me was
how central to worship was the act of giving. It wasn't something hidden, or
something given out of manipulation. If we love God, central to expressing that
are offerings.
Now as we come to the conclusion of the
book, the prophet discusses the Day of the Lord. This November will be a day of
reckoning for all the political candidates. The judgment will come as to who
will serve our nation, our state, our communities. There will be winners and
losers. All have given everything they had to win elections. There are many
differences of opinions with many fundamental issues. We urge you all to use
your freedom to vote. When that Tuesday is done there will be celebration and
there will be great disappointment and sorrow. The day of reckoning will have come.
If you don't vote you will be without excuse to say my candidate didn't win.
You hold responsibilities for your decisions or your lack of them. In fact when
the Bible speaks of the Day of the Lord it also holds us responsible for our
decisions or lack of them.
Still speaking the words from God,
Malachi is warning the people of the coming Day of the Lord. He describes it in
unsettling terms. Its purpose is twofold: to bring to justice the unrighteous
and evil doer and to bring reward and blessing to the righteous.
The Day of the Lord has far greater
significance than Presidential elections, or even a day in courts of our land.
This is the subject of our meditations
this week.
Pastor
Dale
Sermon
Nuggets Tues Feb 21 – Warning
Mal
4:1 “Surely the day is coming; it
will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble,
and that day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the LORD Almighty.
“Not a root or a branch will be left to them.
Warning
of the Day of the Lord.
Its purpose is twofold: to bring to justice
the unrighteous and evil doer and to bring reward and blessing to the
righteous. When the day is referred in with other prophecies it is looking to
the consummation of the age, although sometimes it takes a more current
historical warning of judgment on Israel and Judah for their sin. I believe here he is referring to the end of
the age.
This day of the Lord will be the time of
distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the saved and the
lost. The primary concern of the passage
is to show God is righteous and just. He will carry out completely what he says
He will do. We cannot continue to live like we do without facing spiritual
consequences. And for the one who is weary and tired and wondering indeed if
they are forgotten of the Lord this word reminds us that He also provides comfort
to those who love him.
Our decisions have consequences. Our
actions result in certain conclusions.
There are three symbols that are used to describe
the day of the Lord; they are fire, sun, and liberated calves.
Fire symbolizes terror and destruction. The
wicked will be destroyed like a handful of grass which is thrown into a
fire. The wicked will meet with
punishment. We don't like to use the term much but in the New Testament it is
hell-fire. Jesus speaks of it often.
It is not easy nor do I find it enjoyable to
speak of the wrath and severity of God but it is something that we need to
hear. It seems like there are fads in theology just like there are fads in clothes.
The fact that not much is preached about the judgment of the day of the Lord,
has been an over-reaction of the day when you heard little else than the hell,
fire, and brimstone preachers that scared everyone into making decisions for
Christ like fire insurance, but little was said of discipleship, grace and love
of God.
We hear of the sermon of which Jonathan
Edwards was often criticized as emotional narrow preacher, "Sinners in the
Hands of an Angry God. "Yet Edward read his sermons and did not have a
powerful delivery. People today would readily fall asleep on him. Yet when the people
heard him read this sermon in a monotone voice they cried out in terror as
though they were over the very pit and felt the flame of hell itself. That also become the beginning of revival.
First let me say that it is because of the
goodness of God that He reveals this truth to us. It is either true or it is
not true. If it is true then how gracious it is of God to reveal it to us.
Lots of controversy is given over the AIDS
scare. Can we say, O don't tell us because that is negative talk. Or are we
doing what needs to be done to prevent people, young and old from not only protecting
themselves from a deadly disease, but also and more importantly from behavior
which dishonors God in sexual promiscuity, as it is so normally
transmitted. Is that being judgmental or
factual? Are we helping people or hurting them with the truth?
The Lord's curse on the woman and the man is
felt today. He is not indifferent to sin and rebellion or we would still be in
paradise and not face severity of the great deserts, howling hurricanes,
thistles, briars, and weeds. The earth
is filled with violence because of the curse of sin. The reason all of mankind was
annihilated by the flood was God judgment on sin after repeated warnings to
repent and turn to God and when the consequences of the truth came only Noah
and his family were saved. God reminds us he has done it to Adam, to the people
of Noah's day, to the Israelites to the people of Judah and it will even be
worse with hell fire. Not a root or a branch will be left to them. All will be
burned. Yet that is not the only purpose of the Day of the Lord. This serves as warning of judgment.
Pastor
Dale
Sermon
Nuggets Weds Feb 22 Rejoicing
Verse
Mal 4:2-3 . 2 But for you
who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its
wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.3 Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be
ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things,” says the
LORD Almighty.
Rejoicing
the Day of the Lord
Not
only is there warning regarding the Day of the Lord as depicted by fire, but then
there is also rejoicing. There are two more figures and symbols used in this
prophecy. There is the symbol of the sun of righteousness.
Sometimes the sun is looked upon as
gentle rays quietly overshadowing the righteous. The effect of the sun is
determined by that upon which it shines. It hardens clay and melts wax. The
gospel has the same effect. It is the means of condemning and hardening
unbelievers, while it liberates and softens those who believe (2 Cor 2:15-16)
But at the Day of the Lord there will be
the defeat of the wicked. That will also be an occasion for great
rejoicing. The purpose of this chapter
is to also bring comfort to the people of God. When the day of the Lord comes
they will enter into their reward. As
the newness of the warmth of sun comes so the righteous await the dawning of a
new spiritual day of peace.
After the storm there is a new day when
the sun comes out and hope is renewed. There is healing in its wings. How does
the sun have wings? Wings are for birds. Wings are for flying. As the sun rises
and flies up into the sky again (from our natural observations) there is once
again brightness and newness again. The prophet speaks of the healing which
means the sick and injured and made right again.
I visit a lot of people in the hospital.
It is no fun to be sick or injured. Health comes in many ways. Prayer and
confession brings spiritual health. It can also bring physical health. God has
provided doctors and medicine and rest and proper food and balance they can
help in the healing process also. There is peace available among people and
truth that has an effect on mental and emotional health. When righteousness
rises again it is like wings that causes the sun to come out again.
As if he had wings Jesus rose and
ascended up into the heavens, so in like manner he will return and bring
righteousness, hope and healing.
There is yet another symbol and this is the
prancing calves which have been penned up and now released into the pasture
where they can rump and run. This symbolizes the joy, freedom and exuberance
like what is felt when the calves are released into freedom warmth and light of
the sun. They joy will be a result of
complete victory of the righteous over all wickedness and evil.
It is
fun to be with new Christians, or see people come together in the Lord like in
Russia or India who are newly saved. Listen to their songs, and words. It is
fun to listen to the worship in prison when those who were in darkness have
seen the light. They sing and come with joy. Now they have this freedom they
don't know what to do with it. There is joy, but a pleading for more Biblical
truth.
There will be joy in the day of the Lord. There
will be victory much like the victory of the Allied forces coming to release
the prisoners of war. It is not a day to
fear and run from, but pray for and anticipate that all my trials Lord will
soon be over. There will be dancing and jumping and expressions of celebration.
Jesus is coming again.
That's why John in the Island of Patmos to
pray so Lord Jesus, come quickly. We seek to have the day hurried up as
believers in Christ so we see and experience joy without Satan, sin, and evil.
That is the way Malachi describes
the day of the Lord. We see its purpose to judge and reward. What if it were
today?
Pastor
Dale
Sermon
Nuggets Thurs Feb 23 Preparation
Mal
4: 4 “Remember the law of my
servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.
Preparation
for the Day of the Lord.
The prophet concludes by calling the nation
of Israel and all people to be ready. It is now a time of preparation for the
Day. There will be a time when all
preparation is done. Now is the time to
revere the name of God and the prophet comes to prepare the people.
How can we ever escape the fires of hell
unless there is a way to prepare for God? That is the Good News of the gospel.
Malachi says remember the law of my servant
Moses, and remember Elijah who is coming before that great and dreadful day of
the Lord. Moses is the great bearer of the Law of God and Elijah a symbol of
the prophets of Lord. The law the prophets is what God calls mankind to
remember.
The law constitutes the means by which sin
is challenged. It is a call to obedience.
What is mankind's response to the Law of Moses?
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania a few
years back vacated a convicted murderer's death sentence ordering a new
sentence hearing, because the prosecutor quoted the Bible in closing arguments.
The accused was convicted of beating to death 70 year old Anna Mae Morris while
robbing her. The jury that convicted Chambers agreed on the death penalty. But
during the penalty phase of the trial District Attorney H. Stanley Rebert told the
jury, “The bible says, "And the murderer shall be put to death."
I read last week the same thing happened
in another court of law. They do not allow the Law of Moses to be quoted and so
influence the jury.
The judge warned prosecutors that they could
be subject to disciplinary action if they cited the Bible or other religious
works
in
support of a death penalty.
If you teach others to keep His commands
you are not being politically correct. I am so sick of the way our society
dictates what is right and wrong that is so contrary to God's ways. Be warned- The
most righteous of all judges will look into the soul of our nation and the
souls of all people and judge us based on his word.
Ecclesiastes concludes his book by saying, “The
end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for
this is the whole duty of man." All else is pure vanity and emptiness.
Part of preparation is taking heed to the
law and its purpose, to convict us of our sin and point us to the one who is
our sin bearer.
I read this morning from Billy Graham’s
latest book, “Nearing Home”, if an elderly woman whose daughter kept witnessing
to her to repent of her sins and trust Jesus for her salvation. The problem was
the mother saw herself as most people saw her. She was very kind, good, and
loving to all. She did not seem to do anything wrong in her eyes. She lived a
good life.
When the daughter received the call that
Mom was dying she flew home from Europe to her deathbed in Florida. Mom took
her hand and said, ‘My dear, when I’m gone, take heart. The Lord has saved me.
When I could no longer do for myself and was committed to this bed of
infirmity, I realized I had come to the end of myself; I had no more control
over my life. I felt lost inmy own house. The home health care attendant would
read to me from the Bible, “There is none righteous, no not one.” 1 Chron 22:19
“Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God” and Luke 19:10
“for the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Her mother came to understand there was
nothing she could do to earn salvation. It was already done by Jesus and she
needed to accept by faith that gift.
This is a time to prepare for the Day of
the Lord.
Pastor
Dale
Sermon
Nuggets Fri. Feb 24 Promise
Verse
Mal 4: 5 “See, I will send you the
prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. 6 He
will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the
children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a
curse.”
The
Promise of the Day of the Lord
In
addition to the law of Moses is also the prophets. Many times in the O.T the law is symbolized
by Moses and the prophets by Elijah. They were the two who appeared on the
Mountain of Transfiguration. The law and the prophets emphasize the fact of
sin, the necessity of repentance in the conversion of sinners, and the ushering
in of the Day of the Lord. The offices
of the law the prophets were fulfilled in Christ.
We
read in Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or
the Prophets. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."
Jesus Christ is the good news. His is the
Promised One. We have heard how Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the
tree. By His stripes we are healed. Therefore a sinner can stand in the
presence of God and live because the Lord Himself took our sins and bore our
iniquities. That is Good News. The Lord cannot be just and rescind the
punishment. He cannot be holy and righteous and let us go without correction.
But the Lord has come down from heaven to take our punishment and He
understands.
John the Baptist was the preparer of the
Messiah Jesus. So he is referred to my Christ as the one who fulfilled the role
of Elijah. He would come and stand in the spirit, courage, and power of Elijah to
arrest a godless people and cause them to seek God in repentance and faith.
(Mat 11:10, 17:11)
Then we notice a most unusual phrase. We
notice that the purpose of the coming of Elijah was” turning the hearts of the
father to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” What does that mean? What was John the
Baptist doing? He was preparing the
people
for God and calling the people to train and teach their children
righteousness. The most important thing
is to think of your children so they will walk in the ways of God.
Turning the father’s hearts to the children
and the children to the fathers is I believe in the context the importance of
seeing the teaching of the Lord of God within the home. Parents are often seen as
responsible now for teaching the things of God and are responsible to God for
religious teaching.
I talked to someone who said her husband was
Catholic, and she was Protestant. She said,
“we will not influence our
children either way, We don't take them to any church. We will let them make up
their minds."
Well they are influencing them saying the
things of God are not important. You'd never say that about education of
science, math and literature, but things of God are far more important. When
the ways of the fathers will become the ways of the children this will produce
an obedient, covenant keeping community that will do justly love mercy and walk
humble with God (Mich 6:6-8).
I attended
a conference where Gary Dalby spoke. He writes on importance of Christian issues for men and fathers. He
quoted this verse in Malachi. He asked about 200 men if their fathers ever gave
them personal advice when they had their first children. Only 9 men raised
their hands. The point was vivid.
Fathers have abducted their training responsibilities to churches, to Mothers,
to schools.
The
Native American Indian missionary was mentioned if we can only get the men to
respond to Christ their families would come. We can say all we want about the feminist
movements, but here it is in the Bible, a prophecy. The purpose of John the
Baptist the one who comes in the name of the Lord is for revival, Fathers, and
men, to let God prepare your hearts and then pass that on to your children and
grandchild. If you don't there will be a curse. There is lots of debate
regarding family issues in the campaign, but it does not come from secular
votes, it comes from the Word and Spirit of Almighty God. Turn your hearts to
home.
The final verse of Malachi is a fitting
conclusion to the book. For his message is like the last rays of the setting
sun which brings the era of the Old Testament of divine love to a close and
awaits the bright radiance of the rising of the sun of the New Covenant of the divine love revealed in the
person and work of Jesus Christ.
Norman Macleod wrote a poem,
"Some will hate you, some will love you.
Some will flatter, some will slight.
Cease from man, and look above you,
Trust in God and do the right. "
At the heart of the universe is the
inescapable punishment for sin, but the heart of the gospel is that where sin
abounded, grace abounded much more. God moved with pity and love, became not
only our creator God, but also our Redeemer and Savior. He is our promise.
Pastor
Dale
