Sermon Nuggets Mon Jan 9 Wrong Way to Worship
Verses- Mal 1: 6 “A son honors his father, and a slave 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 priests who show contempt for my name.
Wrong Way to Worship
Jesus tells us a parable in Matt. 21 of a father who has two sons. He asks them to do some work. The first fusses and fumes and then says, He is not going to do it. The second says, "Yes I'd be happy to do it." After awhile the first goes and does the work. The second does not. Which son is it that honors the father?
The answer is the one who does what Jesus says.
Now those are the only two sons in the story. I suppose another story could have been: there were two sons and when asked to do some work the first replied “no way”, put up a fuss and didn't do anything. The second responded by saying, “I'd be happy to” and with a cheerful heart did the work to please his Father. Now which son was it that honored his father?
For you see there are really four groups of people when it comes to serving the Lord. Those who say they won't and don't. Those who say they won't but do. Those who say they will but don't; and those who say they will and do so.
What is it that God is asking of you? Our responses reveal our actions and our attitudes. In Jesus story the first son was convicted of his bad attitude and I believe he repented after thinking about it then obeyed. In his parable, the second wanted the Dad to think he had a right attitude, but his actions showed things were different.
If we narrow down our faith to attitude and action they seem similar to faith and works. Some say I have faith but do not show it with works. Some seek acceptance from their works and misunderstand what faith is all about. Of course the teaching of James is that works flow out of our faith.
When we talk about worship we emphasize the faith part. But how we demonstrate our worship is also related to our actions.
Last week we began a series from the book of Malachi and explained the background where Malachi speaks to a people who have returned to the land from Babylon. They rebuilt the temple, and they rebuild the walls. They waited for 100 years for God to carry out his promises and in their impatience have now fallen into an apathetic worship, a skeptical spirituality, and critical condition where their focus was not on God but themselves.
They carried out the religious requirements, but their hearts were far from worship. God reminds them how much he really does love them. He points to how He has been gracious to them when they compare themselves to Edom; God was showing His glory through their punishment and destruction. Now He wanted the Israelites to look and remember the covenant love of God that is sovereign, unconditional, and eternal.
How do they respond to that love? One way is by worship. But there are problems with their worship. They think going through the motions defines them as people of faith, but God sees something different. Malachi’s teaching on worship is helpful for us as well. It is a matter of what we say and what we do that comes from a faithful heart.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 10- Priority
Verse- Mal 1: : 6 “A son honors his father, and a slave 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 priests who show contempt for my name.
“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’
A problem with God getting a Portion not Priority
Malachi writes in dialogue form. God acknowledges that Israel practices the law to honor their fathers, and servants to respect their masters. They learned to do that. Disrespect and dishonor of parents was a sin that was addressed right from the commandments of Moses.
But the first commandment is even greater. “Thou shall have no other gods before him.” The love that God give to us is priority love and that is what he wants from us. Jesus put it even better when He said, “Thou shall love the Lord your God will all your heart soul and might.”
Now Malachi is revealing the problem that they give a portion of honor to God but not the priority. He doesn't even receive the kind of respect they give to their fathers and masters and He is God.
Malachi reads the hearts of the people, with the question: "Lord, how can you possible say that! How is it that you don't think you get that respect and honor?"
Now the answer is directed to the priests. The priests are the spiritual leaders of the people. The implication of this writing I believe is if this is how you as spiritual leaders respond, it is even worse among the people. Indeed there is a greater accountability to God by religious leaders. Pastors, missionaries, evangelists, teachers, seminary professors, denominational leaders all in our society hold an awesome and significant job that ought not to be sought out for personal reasons, but only by the conviction of the call of God on one's life. As a pastor I am responsible for what I teach and how I act and how
I serve the Lord. But that is true for you as well.
Spiritual leaders become guides and teachers, but you are now a priest representing others to God and God to others since Christ came. You are priests that offer sacrifices to the Lord. Now you conduct worship in your own hearts unto the Lord. So these are for you as well as paid clergy.
The people of Israel declared that God was their father and master, but they were not willing to submit to the priority of the relationship. People wanted to be free without responsibility but want the benefits of what God provides.
The problem in Malachi's day might be what we call Sunday Christians. The term is understood that we give God a portion of what is religious, not the priority of our lives. The shallowness of commitment might be as one poet said "Every time I see a church I stop to pay a visit. So when I am carried in the Lord won't ask you is it?"
It reveals the attitude that says, "I better do something religious so that I can make it into heaven." However, God does not have their heart. Many act like a Christian on Sunday, but nobody can tell any of the rest of the week. Many go to God when there is trouble but when things are going well they don't bother him.
For many modern day worshipers, there is a portion of God not a priority for God. But people are still pleading for blessings of heaven and wondering why God does not respond. After all they think, God should be pleased when I at least go to church Christmas and Easter, and really pleased if I go 3 or 4 times a month. I'm a pretty good Christian. That's actions without attitude. That is a works based salvation. That is seeking to gain approval from God but playing the game, but He knows our hearts and they do not honor Him.
How do we displease God? Is He the priority when there are not enough missionaries to tell the good news? When there are cut backs in most of the Christian organizations and churches all over and increasingly suffering financial set-backs? Should we question how we despise the Lord?
Worship gets pushed aside because people find it more inconvenient to gather with other believers for prayer or praise, or worship. Should we question how we despise the Lord, when sports, and work, and pleasure trips, and entertainment crowd out our week-ends so that even coming to worship is a chore?
Is God a portion or Priority for you?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Jan 11 Disrespect
Verses- Malachi 1:6b-9 “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’
7 “By offering defiled food on my altar.
“But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’
“By saying that the LORD’s table is contemptible. 8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame 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.
9 “Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the LORD Almighty.
A problem with God getting Disrespect instead of Dedication.
Worship in Israel involved offerings of animals as well as produce from the fields upon the altar. The altar was where the gifts were burned and a portion of it was saved for the priests to eat and make use of. The offerings were gifts from the people to God.
Burnt offerings symbolized the complete dedication of the worshiper. They were regarded as having been consumed by the Lord as evidence that the worshipper was surrendered to him and also accepted by God.
Instead what the people were doing on a continued basis was offering polluted bread and damaged animals. They were blemished in some way and not fit to eat, but since they didn’t want it or wasn’t useful they would bring those as their offering to God. It wasn't the gifts but what those gifts represented. It was the disrespectful attitude and thought regarding the altar that was contemptible.
There were showing pride in the fact they thought they were pleasing God by leaving him something that was not true dedication. It was like a tip to the waiter. It was not about thankfulness but about ritual.
Jesus pointed out to his disciples people putting in money in the offering so that they can be seen by men. When in the corner was a widow with 2 small mites. The Lord knew the hearts and the attitude as well as the actions. The people didn't even see that widow, but she was worshipping. She was full of love and devotion. There was a giving and receiving going on between she and her God. She loved her God so much that she gave everything she had and didn't know where her next meal was coming from. The men who sought attention were giving a pittance from their bounty but since they had so much what they gave was a nice gift and impressed all the people of their spirituality. They were giving for their own recognition and self justification.
It is disrespectful when they save the best for themselves and not the Lord. They were cheating God and not obeying the requirements of sacrifice and the priest were letting them get away with it.
The situation of which Malachi refers is people were saving their best crops and animals for themselves, but bringing the ones that wouldn't bring in much money and giving those to God. An indifferent and despicable attitude reveals the low spiritual vitality and unconcern.
Robert Baily in his book God's questions and Answers reminds us that the people in Malachi's day were more prosperous than they had been in generations, often they claimed the high cost of living prevented their making their intended offering to God. Today our economy is highly inflated. Yet we have more than ever before. Many have the attitude as the cost of attending professional sports, events, organized entertainment, recreational clubs, and vacations goes higher and higher, most people continue their very same habits. What gets slighted when they spend more of their income for more and more things? Their offering to God is the first area that gets cut back-in order to give their families what they want. It used to be that to withhold from God for one's own benefit was the exception."
We know that we really have nothing we can give to God that He needs, but these are symbols of ourselves and our personal commitment to him. Rightly so, the question is asked of the Israelites, would you treat your bosses and those in high places the way you treat me?
The prophet was saying, If you think these crops and animals are fine then try to impress the governor with them and see if that is what you would do? Many are more willing to sacrifice for their ladies club than Jesus Christ, Many willing to give more of their time to impress recreational buddies than devotion to God. That is not sacrifice. That is not worship. That is disrespect for the God of Glory who is worthy of our best not our least.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Jan 12 Critical
Verses Malachi 1:10-13 “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. 11 My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD Almighty.
12 “But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord’s table is defiled,’ and, ‘Its food is contemptible.’ 13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the LORD Almighty.
A Problem of God getting a Critical spirit instead of a Committed heart.
The attitude of the priests reveals a critical spirit toward God and the work of the ministry. The priests are doing their duty and ignoring their commitment to the God of glory. Let’s face it there are parts of everyone's job that you just do not like. There is no such thing as the perfect job. There are things you do that you hate but you do it because that is part of the job. That is true with service that you render to the Lord in giving Him your gifts.
How often do people do tasks in the church out of obligation instead of their offering to God? You might be singing unto the Lord. But the song you are signing maybe isn't your style. What do you do about that? Do you complain and criticize and carry on a fuss?
Many people do not like being leaders or teachers or workers in church because of criticism. They are serving but things are not to the liking of some people, who would never serve.
God says I wish someone would come and lock the door to the temple than to think what is going on is honoring me. There is lots of service, but it stinks. That is not the sacrifice I want, that is not the worship I want that is not the duty I want. I want people to see me and my love and from that heart of appreciation work and serve together to lift my name up among the people and among yourselves.
I don't want you to go through the actions without the attitude and I don't want you to think you have the attitude without action.
The priests were not enjoying what they were doing and no longer dedicated to serving God. Part of the distain of the priest is that they were complaining over some of the food they were getting, but they were allowing the people to give it. Bob L'Estrange said, "He that serves God for money will serve the Devil for better wages."
Worship has lost its wonder because people have lost their own love and focus and purpose of what they were doing. It happens with pastors, with workers, with leaders and with laymen. The wrong way to worship is with critical spirit, judgmental attitude, lack of love and appreciation.
There are people who in some services spend their time counting how many grammatical errors the preacher makes in his sermon. There are people who give more attention to the quality of the musician than to the words of Scripture. There are many people, and I am guilty too often, that care much more about what people think instead of what God thinks. As each of us evaluate our own participation could God be saying, "I am not pleased with you. "
God convicted me of my complaints and criticism. There are times I say of the pastorate, "Lord, what a burden. I want to quit this whole pastorate thing and let those who whine and complain and criticize dump on someone else."
There is more controversy among the churches whether people use overheads or hymn book in their worship organs or guitars. I talked to a pastor of a church that had a split who said the problem with the people is that they hate one another. And still they come and go through the motions of worshiping. And God says, “I am not pleased with you. You have missed the whole point of giving Me honor by being selfish and critical. I will accept neither offering of praise. It is with the attitude that is wrong.
“Instead my name will be great among the nations, all people, not Israel, not just the people who are of Jewish decent.”
God's Spirit seems to be moving in revivals in the third world more than with us in USA. True worship is seen today with people who beat drums in Africa, those who have liturgical worship in orthodox Russia, people who sing out of tune in Thailand, and those who use orchestras and choirs, and those who clap their hand and raise them in the air and those who sit in quiet contemplation, those who preach for 3 hours. There is worship with many overseas who meet in secret and those who meet under trees.
Do you understand pettiness that divides the churches and believers today is a stink in the nostrils of God? He wants people from all over the world to focus on His love and His sacrifice and from it give Him our best.
How is it that some worshippers leave full and others leave empty? Could it be our critical attitudes? Could it be we don’t come to give to the Lord but get? It is only in our giving that we receiving. God gave because he loved. When we seek to love him we find Him. When we come to criticize, complain and go through motions we find worship falls short.
Malachi's words were given to people whom God loved, so they might not miss out on God’s joy. Worship is commitment to God and to one another out of love and encouragement in the Spirit.
How is it with Stanchfield? How is it with your own heart?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Jan 13 Selfishness
Verses- Malachi 1:13-14 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the LORD Almighty.
“When you bring injured, lame 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.
A Problem of God getting a Spirit of Selfishness instead of Sacrifice
Each Sunday morning there will be some who will say, "We didn't get anything out of this service. It didn't move me."
That's' not the purpose of worship. We come here to think about the Lord. We come here to talk to the Lord. We come together as Christians in group because He asks us to confess sins, praise Him, remind ourselves of truth and encourage one another in the faith. We give ourselves to Him and give sacrifices- things that represent us whether it is animals, or money or whatever. We are giving ourselves to Him.
What do you give in worship? Is it your attitude, your love, your prayer, your money, your appreciation for God? Our audience isn't the people in the pew. Rather we are the participants and God is our audience.
Worship is each of us coming to God to give ourselves in service, and in time and in our offerings. Offering that cost the giver nothing in reality is not an offering either.
Selfishness is displayed when they were waiting and expecting God to be gracious to us. A selfish worshipper gives something to God in order to get something from God. Indeed the opposite is true of spiritual worship. Because He has given to us Himself, we give ourselves to Him. And reflect on His grace, truth, and renew our commitment to follow Him. Malachi was show the people of his day were not worshipping, they were pretending. They were concerned of themselves, what they thought about their gift, and what they thought others were thinking about them. Actions spring from attitudes. They were giving damaged animals that they could not use or not longer want. They wanted the best for themselves and the leftovers for God. People say, “Here I am Lord” but all kinds of selfish and personal attractions show they do not mean it. They love themselves more than God.
The bane of worship today is all about me. We sing praises to God but it must be my way not the way of others around me. It is a commodity to be consumed instead of a sacrifice to be offered to Him. He is the Lord and above all things. He is deserving of our best.
There are many preachers, singers, and worship leaders who see worship as their time to shine. They impress people with their abilities, and move people's emotions to impress others with their skills. The Lord does hold those who are spiritual leaders more accountable. People must worship, but those who are signing, those who are praying, and those who are preaching can make worship a very selfish exercise when they do so to receive glory for themselves. The priests sought to receive the best portions of the animals and the crops for themselves. They do it for personal benefit and not service, when they seek to lead for their own benefit and not for God. The people are under the judgment of God and we have far too many examples of professional religious people who pervert worship and that will always be.
God says, "I will be lifted up with people whose heart for me and not for themselves. Love goes beyond selfish desires and instead love me and love my people regardless how different they are."
Is God honored with your attitude? Is he honored with your actions?
How might we together better worship God?
Give him the right priority, dedication, commitment, and sacrifice. Let’s give Him the right worship!
Pastor Dale
