Wrong Way to Worship Malachi 1:6-14

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

Middle East Unrest Malachi 1:1-5

Sermon Nuggets Mon Jan 2 Middle East Unrest

Verses - ¹ A prophecy: 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?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob, ³ but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”

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!’

Middle East Unrest

Is 2012 the year Jesus returns? Harold Camping was wrong last year. All modern day prophets claiming when Jesus is returning are wrong, but one of these years someone is going to get it right because Jesus is coming again. So many of the signs of the coming have been fulfilled and are being fulfilled.

One prediction that has been ongoing is the animosity between Israel and the Arab nations. For 1,000s of years this has taken place.

In the news are the responses of the presidential candidates and their positions on the tensions in the Middle East and in particular with Israel. There has been much controversy over the place of the Palestinians and the Israeli conflict over land and the displaced people.

The place of Israel in the future history has been part of major controversy among Christians as it relates to the prophecies of the Scriptures. Regardless how the Israeli government acts many Christians will support whatever they do based on Gen 12:3 "I will bless those who bless you and him who curses you I will curse."

There is no question that God has been at work among the nation of Israel long after the New Testament days.

Since 1948 this tiny nation has been at the center of heated international and religious debate. Amos 9:14-15 "I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel... I will plant them upon their land and they shall never again be plucked up out of the land which I have given them, says the Lord your God."

Since the 1967 war where Israel captured land from the Arab neighbors whose right to the land is the issue. Palestinians seethe with anger over the loss of their homes and their rights. Many of them lost everything at great personal injury and abuse. Peace talks are seeking to settle political differences which most will agree is one of the most frustrating and changeable situations on earth. The hatred between Jews and Arabs, between Israelites and Moslems have been bitter from the time of Jacob and Esau.

The number one obstacle to political peace is nationalism, because it insists on the denial of the right of the other nation to exist. The peace that is spoken of in the Scriptures however is of a much different origin. Even Christ put the talks on a different level than geographic boundaries. It had to do with the boundaries of the heart. The peace that lasts now and through eternity is when Gentile, Jew and Arab; black, white, and Indian are holding hands in prayer and worship and homage to the one King of Peace, Jesus Christ.

Indeed as we shall see in this book of Malachi how God holds people, especially the nation of Israel, to the standards of justice and godly righteousness. I believe that the state of Israel holds a special and unique role in the future of God's kingdom, but the focus and the attention can be misdirected from the Spiritual principles God calls them and us to.

People of all ages and walks of life are out of touch with God today. This book gives some insights into how lifeless faith can be revitalized. It has a tremendous impact for a decadent, complacent and apathetic religious nation.

Malachi declares divine love and calls people to a complete relationship with our Creator. This can become a means of our re-evaluation of our relationship and responsibilities to God.

Perhaps this is a good reminder in New Year of the long term work of God fulfilling His plan and the short term manner in which He calls his people to justice, righteousness, and commitment.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Jan 3 The Prophet

Verse: Malachi 1:1 A prophecy: The word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi.

Introduction to Malachi

The word Malachi means "my messenger" in Hebrew. There are some who will debate whether or not Malachi was the name of the prophet or if it was the job this prophet had. If the prophet's name was not Malachi then we have no idea what it was. Since the Word identifies him as Malachi, my messenger, there are many times when the name properly is also identified with the task one performs. That was true of Jacob who was called Israel, or Abram whose name was change to Abraham, or Naomi who took the name Marah, meaning bitter. Names had a prophetic message in and of themselves. I believe Malachi the messenger of God if he did not have that name before, took that name as part of his prophecy to be heard.

Because of the lack of information about the writer such as parents or place of birth, or occupation, or history, it is not important for us to know a great deal about the man other than what the writings imply of his character. He was zealous for God and wrote in a way that spoke to his readers, or spoke in a way that communicated creatively and artfully the truths of God.

The condition under which he writes shows a spiritual laziness among the people. During Malachi's day people were living in religious indifference. There was high divorce, adultery, reduced giving to the Temple, financial selfishness, disrespect toward spiritual things, marrying people of others faiths or no faiths.

This is the last book in the Old Testament because it is the last recognized writings before the coming of Jesus Christ.

Politically, after the Jews returned from Babylon, they spent 20 years to restore the Temple. Now a century after their return from Babylon the earlier prophecies about the glorious, restored nation were not fulfilled. Most of the Jews were still ruled by other nations. They had to pay taxes to Persia and give men into their armies. They had limited resources. They had crop failures, drought, pestilence, poverty, and on top of all this, although they had been taught that piety was rewarded with prosperity and wickedness with adversity, there were a group of godless men who became unscrupulously wealthy.

Malachi writes in a question and answer format. His style is like a Hebrew Socrates. He raised God's questions and then proceeded to give God's answers to the questions. The intent of the questions is for spiritual renewal and revival. God had a passion for the people and they were called to stop playing church, and have a passion for God from within.

Malachi gives 8 points to determine whether or not they are living in a proper, acceptable relationship with God. The course of this series will be reviewing these points for ourselves and individual lives.

As we enter into a New Year, be open to what God may be telling you and how you might have spiritual renewal in a greater way.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Jan 4 Religion or Relationship

Verse- Malachi 1: ² “I have loved you,” says the LORD.

“But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’

“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob,

Religion or Relationship?

When a guy meets a girl it is increasingly common to adopt the thought that anything is okay if you really love someone. When the date draws limits to the expression of love, the guy often says with indignation, "Well, if you really love me, you are going to have to show it! You must prove to me you love me by your actions."

That can be pure manipulation. That statement isn't even a loving statement; it is a very selfish one. Love can be used to express almost everything from loving a new dress, to a kitten, to a parent-child relationship, or a husband-wife relationship of love, to the love that God has for us.

The love of God has a term in the Hebrew as well as the Greek that is different than most other love. It is unselfish, freely giving to man who does not deserve it and only receives it as a gift. Across the centuries man has a hard time understanding that. This is the word used in verse 2. It indicates a close, personal relationship. It points to the heart of the covenant established between God and the people of Israel under Moses.

The theme of the book of Malachi is God's expression of deep love. He is like a loving father who yearns for his prodigal son and seeks to reclaim him back unto himself. It is the old story of love that is often unappreciated.

The people come back with the question, "How have you, God, loved us?" They were upset in the midst of their troubles. They complained about what God had not done. Is that familiar? They blamed all their troubles on him.

I remember one lady who was in the hospital with disease. When one of our chaplains came into the room, she said, "I have no reason to talk with you. If God were up there I would not be here."

Many blame God for all their troubles, disease, death, and financial loss. Many think they have received unfair treatment at the hands of God.

The people felt that God did not care about them, so they questioned why they would bother about God. They were filled with bitterness. They felt they had been forgotten by God. We see the results of their resentment to their situation. First religious fervor declined. Then morals decayed. They were practicing sorcery, adultery, false swearing, and more. Does that sound familiar?

I listen to so many testimonies even during the horrible experiences of various hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes. It is during tragedies that many turn to God because there is nothing else to hold on to. They are the ones who will endure. They have a bigger picture of life than just the house and land and money. But like the wise man and foolish man it is the difficulties that reveal the strength of faith, or what the house is built upon.

The people believed if they only had to restore the temple and reinstitution the sacrifices of animals then God’s blessings would return to them. But building the temple with hearts far from God is like building on the sand. They heard the words, but doing them wasn't in their hearts only in their hands.

Many Christians today put lots of energy in building church buildings, and now half empty. The strength of a church is not in the buildings, or even in the multitude of religious activity; it is not in how many programs they have. We must ask again, Where is the heart?

Pastor Robert Bailey writes of how a pulpit committee interviewed him because his church was prospering. This caught the eye of one of the larger churches- they could give him a higher salary and better benefits. They told him they were seeking a preacher who would fill their sanctuary on Sunday with a large congregation. He told the committee that God did not call a minister to fill a sanctuary. He did call him to interpret and proclaim God’s Word. He wanted no one to worship the preacher, only Jesus. He did not get the call to come to the church.

Too often religion can get in the way of a relationship. The how we do worship becomes more of a focus than who we worship.

Do you love God with all your heart this day? Or is the extent of your love going through religious rituals without heartfelt relationship?

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Jan 5 People Groups

Verses Mal 1: “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I have loved Jacob, ³ but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”

⁴ Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.”

People Groups

America has many people groups living within its borders. A people group can be just about any group of people who are identified by culture, race, religion or ethnicity. Often there are similarities, but we have learned that prejudice and racism can too often color our views that leads to discrimination based on outward characteristics than inward character.

When we read about the differences between Jacob and his offspring and Esau and his offspring, it raises understandable questions about how we are to look at Jews and Arab nations. Do we lump everyone into favorable or unfavorable characteristics? Does there appear to be a blessing of God more on one group than another?

How do we look on the nation of America and the blessing we have been graced with? It certainly seems God’s hand has been on our beginning and continuance of a new culture, But the Bible is clear those blessings and curses can certainly be conditional.

When Jesus came unto his own (Jews) His own did not receive him. But as many as receive Him to them He gave the right to become His children. (John 1:12) Never forget grace allows all people, all races, all tongues to be considered a new people of faith. But in the Old Testament His plan was revealed in the outward illustration of nations.

How do the Israelites know that God really loved them? One of the answers God gives through Malachi is "Jacob I loved, and Esau I hated." Now there is a hard verse in God's answer. The people of Israel are represented by Jacob and the people of Edom is represented by Esau. If you read only these verses, you can arrive at an incorrect conclusion that God loves only the Jews and hates the Gentiles, or at least the people group of Edom.

I believe this is the use of hyperbole to put the emphasis on how much God loves them. Just like the New Testament reference of Jesus to his followers that they are to love him and hate their wives mothers, children brother and sister does not call for emotional hatred, but ranking of preference. It is setting of priorities for higher purposes and goals. In Jacob's case, Gods' love signaled his election and his call for service, which was not the call of Edom.

We read the account of Esau and Jacob from Gen 25-28. As the story of the two brothers unfolds it is evident of conflict and human hatred are determined. The birthright appeared was sold to Jacob for a bowl of soup. It was not important to Esau. Even before he twins were born, God had declared to Rebekah, "Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples, born of you, shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger." (Gen 25:23), It is logical to draw the conclusion that God had seen Jacob as the one with the special endowments to be the head of the family and worthy to receive double portion of the heritage.

Now if you look at the lives of both Jacob and Esau you will agree with me that neither was worthy to receive the provisions of birthright and to undertake the covenant responsibilities. The only thing you can say for Jacob is he wanted it and Esau couldn't care less.

History showed Esau ran after women who were godless; Jacob sought the daughter of Laban. The nation of Edom couldn't care less about God, and the nation of Jacob as bad as it was had Joseph, chosen of God to be devoted and faithful unto the Lord. There is always the remnant, the few who seek the face of the Lord. They have preserved the heritage.

God sees from the beginning to the end while man views life in terms of moments. Esau's way of life invited the judgment of God. Edom, Esau's descendants, is pictured as people who set themselves against God inviting his judgment and destruction in many of the prophecies of the Bible.

The prophet’s reply was that if things were bad in Israel they were infinitely worse in Edom. The decisions and actions of my ancestors allowed me to be born in America with all the privileges that I presently enjoy and you too. The fact remains friend, we have received grace like no other nation in the outward and inward evidences of God. Can we take pride in that? No. We can take worship seriously however.

Since the two nations from the two brothers were so closely related, and their lands bordered upon each other, they might have been expected to share the same fate. Yet God had clearly given the advantage to Israel as anyone could see who would consider the unhappy recent history of Edom.

In that day the Edomites were about as irreligious, self-sufficient people as could be imagined. They were profane and unrepentant, without ideals or humility. When Jerusalem fell to Babylon the Edomites rejoiced. Edom's territory was the rugged mountainous and desert land SE of the Dead Sea. Now Edom was being put under siege. They regarded the disaster which fell as only temporary and looked forward to re-establishing their life in that old environment and under the old conditions. Their optimism was similar to that of the people of the northern kingdom of Israel in its last days. Malachi said the end has really come and the ruin is permanent so that it will provide evidence for future generations of the wickedness of Edom and the justice of God.

Malachi's prophecy proved correct, historically. Edom never returned to her former lands. The Edomites remained settled in southern Palestine with their capital at Hebron and were incorporated by force into the Jewish commonwealth. It no longer exists.

Malachi's concern was not the fate of Edom but the illustration of God's love for his people and of his concern for moral values.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Jan 6 – God’s Plan

Verses- Mal 1: 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!’

Introduction to God's Plan

God's plan was for Israel to be his servant people. Instead of humility because of their divine election, they were arrogantly indifferent to the love of God. God chose them to be the people who point all others to him as the one true God. Instead, they rebelled and spurned the love of God, and then they had the nerve to question the validity and reality of his love!

In spite of all the evidence to the contrary, God did still love the Jews, his special people. His love was sovereign love, it was an unconditional love; it was intimately personal love. Edom was not punished merely for what she had done to the chosen people but for her brutal violation of the moral law. They were, as a nation, under God's judgment. Let us not think for a minute that we as a nation can also be under God's judgment for our increasing violation of the moral laws of God.

Malachi tells them when the self-righteous Jews are sure that God does continue to love them, they will confess that he is great in majesty, power and grace. Even the non-Jewish people, the Edomites, the Gentiles, will know him as Lord. Then the prophet predicted that when the Jews see the finality of God's judgment upon their enemies, they will realize that God does indeed reign, and that in spite of all appearances to the contrary, the love which he once manifested to Israel cannot have changed.

If people will only lift up their eyes to look beyond their own immediate difficulties and observe what is taking place upon the great stage of world history, they will know that the greatness of the Lord extends beyond the border of Israel! (A look at vs. 11 predicts this.)

God's love does extend beyond the borders of the Jews. He wants them to know he still loves them. However, we must come to God on his conditions. God's love includes those beyond the institutional church would open their lives to his Lordship.

What does this have to do with us? Is it a prophecy that we can relate to? How can we see this with New Testament eyes?

First if you are a child of Jesus, been convicted of your sin and forgiven by trusting is Jesus death on the cross, stop complaining that God doesn't love you if things aren't going your way. That is a self-centeredness that affects most of us from time to time. If God has called you to Himself think about that salvation. You could be lost today and bound for hell except for the love of Jesus Christ. You could have been in another part of the world where the message is still not heard. Does God love you? You could be torn with sins that keep you bound instead of the hope of freedom from them.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ the situation that you think is so bad remember is the worst it will ever get. This life is as bad as it gets, for then the blessings of eternal life, and heaven, and the presence of Jesus is far, far greater than ever. If you are outside of Jesus' salvation this morning, this life is as good as it ever gets. You might as well live it up however you want, for it will never get any better. But then you face an eternity lost. Now ask does God love me? When we think of the consequences of the saved and unsaved it is a foolish question. That’s the point Malachi wants to convey to the people who are objects of God's love.

Secondly, sin is a reproach to any people. The wages of sin is death. Malachi declares that when the work of God is seen in his judgment on Edom, people will be reminded that God’s promises are true. When evil is punished, when vengeance and justice are finally executed, we know God keeps His word. Those who feel victimized and perpetrators get away with it, know that they will face God someday.

The church now has the message of salvation that the world needs to hear before it is too late.

Pastor Dale

Prophet's Birth Luke 1:57-80

Sermon Nuggets Monday Dec 26- The Prophet’s birth

Verses-

Luke 1:57-63 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.

58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."

61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."

62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.

63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."

Prophets Birth

This week we come back to the person of Zechariah and particularly the events of John’s birth. We talked a couple of weeks ago of the silence of Zechariah, the priest, for couldn’t speak for 9 months for doubting Gabriel’s good news. Even in old age he and Elizabeth were to have a baby and this baby was the chosen one to prepare the way of the Messiah and he is to call his name John.

When John was born Zechariah as now able to get his voice back but instead of complaint he praised the Lord and that will be the subject of this weeks devotionals. We had talked about Elizabeth’s words of praise a couple of weeks ago and last week focused in on Mary’s song of praise with the Magnificat.

The verses today talk about Mary being with Elizabeth until the time came for the prophet’s birth.

It is always a joyous time to see new life brought into the world, but especially so when you have what we call a miracle baby. Some parents will call each birth a miracle and are filled with wonder at his or her birth. Some will use that term for those who are born out of unusual circumstances, a premie who lives, or someone who had a great difficult and pulled through. Some who couldn’t get pregnant, like Elizabeth and then the unexpected happened.

John is indeed a miracle child but also special because he is a prophet prepared especially by God and even prophesied in Malachi.

At the birth there was a neighborhood party unlike before because with the special events that surrounded the announcement of the angel to Zechariah at the temple they knew even by his silence that God was involve in an unusual way. Now there is a party to celebrate God’s work among them. Friends and neighbors new the mercy of the Lord was demonstrated.

At the time of the circumcision others expected this baby to have the name of his father Zechariah. We have not any instance in Scripture that the child should bear the father's name; but perhaps it was of increasingly the custom at that time with the Jews, and they intended hereby to do honor to the father, who was not likely to have another child.

It was the custom, when they circumcised their children, to name them, because, when Abram was circumcised God gave him a new name, Abraham; and it is not unfit that they should be left nameless till they are by name given up to God. But he gives him a new name than what is expected. This name is given by none other than the angel Gabriel who tells him to name the baby John.

Perhaps the reason others planned to name him was Zechariah couldn’t speak, but when Zechariah took a tablet and wrote His name shall be John that was when his tongue was loosed and he could speak!.

It seems to me the angel had struck Zechariah deaf as well as dumb because in verse 62 it says they communicated to him with signs instead of speech—gradually in the silence of those months, when he could not converse with his wife or friends, Zechariah began to see what was happening. It began to sink into his head and heart that these were stupendous, unrepeatable, incredibly significant days. That got everyone talking.

He shall be called Johanan-Gracious, because he shall introduce the gospel of Christ, wherein God's grace shines more brightly than ever.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Dec 27 New Name

Verses- Luke 1: 63-66 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."

64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.

65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.

66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him

A New Name

The people who heard now from both Elizabeth and John were amazed that something new was happening by naming him John. They heard John speak for the first time in 9 months and believed another miracle had occurred. They were willing to listen now to a message from the priest. It began with the name John, gracious. God is going to show grace upon His people.

Now a new name is symbolic of a new covenant, a new arrangement with God that is not by the law but by grace. God’s plan in the beginning was always to create for himself a people with whom he could share his life.

We begin to see this most clearly in God’s relationship with Abraham. God comes to Abraham and does something with him that becomes the norm for God establishing a relationship with someone — he establishes a covenant,

God has often given people different names. Names mean something in the Bible. Simons name was changed to Peter the Rock. Sauls name was changed to Paul. (small humble)

Abram the exalted father to Abraham, the father of many or father of nations.

A covenant is not just a mutual agreement between two people, like a contract. It was a binding agreement that the parties involved committed themselves to under pain of death. It created a binding relationship between them. The covenant was based on the character of the persons involved. God’s part of the promise was that he would fulfill the covenant and redeem his people by bringing his Messiah into the world, and this Messiah would bring God’s people back to him. As he said, “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33).
Sometimes you have heard the gospel song, There is a new name written up in glory and its mine, yes Lord its mine. Isa 62: 2 The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow. Rev 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

One of the interesting things we notice about God’s covenant with Abraham is how one-sided it was. The parties making a covenant with each other would walk the path between the pieces, of animals that were cut in half and in effect say, “If I break the terms of this covenant, so may this be done to me.” The animals were then prepared and eaten as a covenant meal.

But what is interesting in the covenant with Abraham is that only God walked the covenant path between the animals. One reason Abraham did not walk between these parts of the animals was he could not keep the terms of the covenant.

Now the new name reminds us of the new covenant. And our relationship with Christ is based on a covenant. His body was broken and we eat the covenant meal as we partake of communion, and we remember that God has bound himself to us in covenant love. This is our faithful God. It is not based on law but on grace. And that is the name of this baby, grace or gracious. A new name to a new beginning of a new work of God in coming to earth to save.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Dec 28 A New Song

Verses- Luke 1: 67-75 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.

69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us-- to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

A New Song

Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, now with his speech returned shouted what has come to be known as the Benedictus. , It was a song filled with praise of what was about to happen with the birth of Jesus. Benedictus is in Latin the first word. It is often recited in some churches and at this time of year.

Zechariah recognizes the coming of the Redeemer to keep the covenant promises and yet in new ways.

He started this new Song with praise to the Lord for he is the God of Israel and if there is a song to be heard from Zachariah it is the song of Redemptions

He begins with praise to the Lord, worthy of honor. He is the one who draws near to his people. He is not left the people without His presence. I am sure he knew of the excitement of Mary’s visit and special child in her womb as virgin with child from God.

Now remember the context of his message has been 400 years of silence. God did not speak to them except through the prophets and coming of the Messiah. It has been that long wince they heard.

Nine months earlier Zechariah could not believe his wife would have a child. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit, he is so confident of God's redeeming work in the coming Messiah that he puts it in the past tense. For the mind of faith, a promised act of God is as good as done. Zechariah has learned to take God at his word and so has a remarkable assurance: "God has visited and redeemed!"

I find it interesting that the word about Jesus activities are in the past tense if it had already been done. He was so confident that he moved from a doubter to one who said it is as good as done even though it would be 30 years before Jesus became public. God has come and has redeemed his people because the promise is sure.

He talks about raised up the horn of salvation. Horn symbolizes different things in the OT but Psalm 92:9, 10 gives us a picture of what the horn stood for: “For lo, thy enemies, O Lord, for lo, thy enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered. But thou hast exalted my horn like that of the wild ox.” The horn is a sign of strength and a means of victory. In Micah 4:13 God says to Jerusalem, "Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion, for I will make your horn iron and your hoofs bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples."

The power and might of salvation of Jesus Christ is from the house of David just as promised. Psalm 132:17, God says concerning Jerusalem, "There I will make a horn to sprout for David. I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame." When a horn sprouts on an ox's head and becomes like iron, then he must be feared by all his enemies.

But in the Old Testament one always finds the conviction that God is the one who fights for Israel. He is the one who is strong and who gets victory over the enemies of his people. Therefore, it is not surprising that the only two instances of the phrase "horn of salvation" in the Old Testament are references to God, not man. Both record the same psalm of David after God saved him from his enemy Saul. He says, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation."

God is his defense (his shield) and his offense (his deadly and powerful horn).

In hindsight we see how Jesus did so much more than Zechariah could have imagined. He believed now. But Gods mind wasn’t just on the Egyptian and Assyria, or Babylon and the Philistines or Greeks and Romans- it was on Satan and demons and principalities and power that are unseen. These are the world systems and leaders control by evil.

Zechariah, no doubt, is hoping that the Israel of his day will be delivered from her oppressive Roman overlords and that Messiah, the king of David, will reign over a liberated Israel. It has not been revealed to Zechariah that this national-political deliverance will not happen at the first coming of the Messiah, but only at his second coming. Nevertheless, we will see signs in Zechariah's son that the redemption of the Messiah is more than national liberation.

Zechariah has a new song of the coming of the Redeemer- The one who would pay the price for freedom. With redemption comes also salvation to the house of David.

There is also the praise of the pace of the mercy and to remember the covenant. The agreement by oath which God swore to Abraham call him to himself and his descendents.

It is the "consolation of Israel" for which Zechariah hopes. It is the "Lord God of Israel" who is coming to redeem his people. The people in view are the people of Israel. This was the chosen nation to whom the promises had been given. God had the world in view, but he aimed to come to Israel first. So Jesus said in Matthew 15:24, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But just like there is a clue in Zechariah's song that God's redemption is more than national, so there is a clue that the beneficiaries of that redemption are more than Israelites.

God was making a promise that will find its ultimate fulfillment when He sets up His kingdom here on earth. Just as surely as Zacharias could praise God for a past tense redemption that had not taken place yet, he could also praise God for keeping His promises that hadn’t been fulfilled yet.
When I read about the things God has said He will do one day I don’t worry a bit about whether He’ll do them or not. God has been faithful in the past; He is faithful today and I know He’ll still be faithful tomorrow! The God that promised a Savior and made promises for four thousand years about how that Savior would come is the same God that fulfilled those promises with amazing accuracy. That same God has promised that one day Jesus Christ is coming again to rule and reign in peace and righteousness. He came the first time as a meek and gentle Lamb, but He’s coming again as the mighty Lion of the Tribe of Judah! How do I know? Because God keeps His promises!

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Dec 29 New Hope

Verses- Luke 1: 76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."

A New Hope

Now Zechariah moves from addressing God in praise to addressing his newborn son in his arms: ” You will be called a prophet of the Most High.”

What an honor to know in advance you will be especially chosen by God to declare truth and revival to the people. You will prepare the way for the Messiah. What a privilege for John and for his parents who probably didn’t live to see that day.

What was his message of hope? It was to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sin. God is merciful to tell people they can have forgiveness and we see that played out in the person of Jesus Christ who came and lived and died on a cross and was buried and is coming again.

This one will guide them into peace which they longed or and anticipated.

How easy for Elizabeth and Zechariah to think of themselves and their joy of having children in their older age. But the significance of the baby, John was in being the forerunner of the Messiah. And they were celebrating the splendid part his son was to play in the Messianic drama.

Although they were thinking of political salvation from the oppressors, there was a need for moral salvation. Salvation comes by facing sins and repenting of them. John’s role was to prepare people hearts for the coming of Jesus and prepare them to listen to the Lord and follow in obedience and affect the world for God. There was a need for moral change by trusting and obeying God. It has more than national birth. It was to be a spiritual birth.

One commentator said, “Its not what the child is that made him important, but what the child says- a prophet through whom someone else is meant to speak.”

That is the task that God indeed prepares for each of us, for no longer do we live in a spiritual economy where God is hidden from men and is only revealed by the specially chosen prophets. Now we can hear God directly through the written word. God is no longer working through priest and sacrifices for us to come before his holy throne. Now we are all made priests before the Lord and have a right to come before him through Christ. We are prophets telling forth the good news of Jesus Christ that He came to save people from their sins. We are the new priests representing God to men and men to God. We have no longer a veil that separates us.

The Old Testament prophets could say with hope someday He will come God will visit us and we will be redeemed. We will be saved someday. Someday God will keep his promise but now John could say, “Listen people the one we were looking for is here. He is at hand. Hear him and follow him.”

And John was the first prophet, the greatest prophet to witness God presence and grace first hand. He pointed to the Lamb of God away take away the sins of the world He was preparing his prophet even from before his birth. He had a wonderful plan for his life. Yet we can also think back knowing the story as believers many years later.

We hear the Lord has a wonderful plan for your life. But realize that plan is to be used for his glory for our ultimate heavenly blessing. Let us not become so earthly minded that we think only of earthly blessing and comfort of this world that is a lie. The Lord has the same plan that he had for John in that we are not to be prophets in the New Testament sense speaking forth the word of God to our fellows of His grace and love. God has wonder plan for our lives the first and foremost plan is for you to know Jesus and trust him to save you and forgive your sin.

We remember and observe Christmas because of the hope it offers us. Both Christians and non-Christians see in this day the Hope of the World.
Unfortunately, while the hope of Christmas is offered to all men, not all men will accept it. The gift we celebrate came in that first century. It is offered until he comes again. This message is still to be proclaimed, accepted, and lived in hope.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Dec 30 A New Year

Verses Luke 1: ⁸⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Luke 3:1-3 ¹ In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— ² during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

A New Year

Vs 80 tells us what happened to John. He became that prophet and began his ministry. There was a new year that dawned in Israel. There was a new chapter God had prepared for his people with the public ministry of John. It was in the fifteenth year of Caesar’s reign.

People from all around would come to hear him and he readily preached repentance to prepare their heart for what God is going. People respond in three ways to messages on sin. First there is repentance when it is exposed resulting in humility, guilt and confession sin. People know they are condemned and want mercy. Secondly there is a self justification. This can result in resistance, denial and bitterness. People want to attack or discredit the prophet by either accusing them of wrong doing. Then there is a group for whom their hearts are so hardened they think it is for another and not them. They see faults and sins in others but not themselves.

John was eventually beheaded for his message as he pointed out the sin of adultery to the King who divorced his wife and married his sister-in-law. He was lonely as he spoke in a wilderness and had to eat locust and wild honey. He was denounced also by the Jews and his task was very unpopular, but he felt it was worth it all to be used by God.

We come to a new year. As we meet on Sunday we share in communion. It is a new year to reflect on the past and ask forgiveness for sin that God might reveal. It is a new year to ignore promptings of truth and we live as we always have lived. Or it is a new year to rejoice in the salvation and freedom provided by God in a closer relationship and vitality in faith. God is praised for providing salvation and forgives. Because he is merciful and shines on those living in darkness there is hope and life after death and guiding feet in the path of peace. God is praised for he provides his presence for his people and he has not only remembered them but also provides for them spiritually.

God provided for his people in way that honors him. He does not forget us either as individuals or as a nation and church. God can to save those who would trust in him and shine on those living in darkness and sin.

Jesus read from Isaiah ¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, ¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Isa 55:1-3 also pictures this beauty of salvation by saying “Arise, shine for thy light has come the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee for Gentiles shall come to the light when we think of the provision before us.”

What does it mean to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor? It is the time for the message to be revealed how God is dealing with his people by grace to all who will receive him as the gift. If you are fighting the effects of the evil one let me tell you the good news. Jesus has won the battle and desires you be strong and free. You can win over the temptation that plagues you that loneliness that will you not to go on, the light in that darkness. It is Jesus Christ and the power that can provide for your life. Only when we have learned to hate sin and leave it that we are free to walk the paths of righteousness. This faith is the beginning of Spiritual Life This can be a new year of God’s favor upon you.

I was talking with someone on their hopeless of addiction. They believe the lie that they will have this sin all their lives. There are others for whom a new year was proclaimed and by the power of the Holy Spirit and help of others they have remained free from resisting the temptations of Satan. He has come to destroy the devil’s power.

Man didn’t know God until Jesus came to show he is love. Man didn’t know forgiveness until Jesus came to offer a relationship with our creator. We have a new peace.

Men seek peace with all their hearts but few find it. The peace offered here today is not peace like the world offers. They is a phony peace of wealth, power and prestige. But peace among men can only happen when all men have peace in their hearts and that can only come as a gift from God.
I think of the hymns we sing could have been sung by Zechariah. It is the essence of his praise.” I will sing of my Redeemer -I will tell the wondrous story, How my lost estate to save, In His boundless love and mercy, He the ransom freely gave.

I will praise my dear Redeemer, His triumphant power I’ll tell, How the victory He giveth Over sin, and death, and hell.

Sing, oh sing, of my Redeemer, With His blood, He purchased me. On the cross, He sealed my pardon, Paid the debt, and made me free”

It’s a new year. A year of the Lord’s favor.

Pastor Dale

Spirit of Christmas Luke 1:46-56

Sermon Nuggets Mon Dec 19 THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS

Verses- Luke 1:46-56 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

Spirit of Christmas

At this time of year we hear a lot about the spirit of Christmas.

What does it mean? Ebeneezar Scrooge was contacted by the spirits of Christmas past, present, and yet to come. In Dicken's classic story, the Spirit of Christmas is a ghost.

You might see advertisements talking about given the spirits of Christmas and what they are selling are liquor; Christmas cards depict the spirit of Christmas as love, sharing, giving.

Of Course the Bible does give us an understanding of the ‘spirit’ of

Christmas. This is different also from the Holy Spirit, although He is involved in everything that surrounds the first Christmas story.

John MacArthur reminds us that "the Spirit of Christmas is a relationship with God out of thankfulness for His salvation. It is praise, a time of worship and filling with the beauty of the Holy Spirit. It is being filled with wonder, and awe at the work of God through Jesus.

The one who was closest with Jesus at that time of course was his mother Mary. And what does she do? She magnifies the Lord. She knew that she would bear God's son. What was her response? "Why me? I can't believe it." She, by her own words, felt unworthy of such a great honor. Let’s look at her song of praise as it reminds us of reasons for rejoicing this and every season.

She begins by acknowledging the joy of her heart and soul. The first thing that comes into her mind when Elizabeth greets he and calls her blessed is praise to God for his salvation. Redemption has come. God is coming to save his people. Her heart is centered on God.

I admit that too often people would have our hearts centered on the externals not the internals. I am not one who thinks the celebration should be banned, as some Christians do, anymore than I feel music should be banned because there is a danger of centering our attention on the beauty of the voice, song, music, instruments and not on the Lord. These are vehicles that can be used for worship. But we need the reminder of the one to whom all of this is dedicated. For the Christian the joy of the season is worthy of celebration, decoration, and symbols around which we can converse and discuss the reason for celebration to our children and to one another. But let’s remind ourselves that Mary's deep desire is to honor God and love him. It is not a shallow superficiality. We worship God in spirit and in truth.

This song is often called the Magnificat Latin meaning to magnify or lift up the Lord. You have a magnifying glass it brings things into focus in a larger way than how we have seen them before. Worship is lifting up and extolling and magnifying the Lord in a larger way that we do normally. I think that is an appropriate purpose of the Spirit of Christmas. It is a time to remind ourselves of the plan of God to save a lost world.

Salvation is the heart of the purpose for Jesus to come into the world. Jesus says, ”the son of man has come to seek and to save that which is lost.” The praise that God desires is because this is His plan. He plans to redeem and save. There is salvation in no other.

To declare the salvation of the Lord is to do so in the real spirit of Christmas.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Dec 20,

Verses- Luke 1:47-49 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name.

Grateful for Grace

Mary, the mother of Jesus, recognizes God as her savior, meaning she needs salvation too. She calls God her savior. She knows she is a sinner who needs saving. She is like any other human being.

She does not exalt herself, Elizabeth only recognizes how blessed she was and indeed she was. Nowhere does the attention of praise ever fall on the angels, on Mary on Joseph, on the priest, on the King only on Christ.

The verb tense in the Greek of praise or magnifies the Lord is a continuous action. She magnifies the Lord and keeps on doing it.

I wonder how many rejoice this season because the coming of Christ meant salvation for them. Have you responded to the good news personally? Have you repented of your sins and called upon God to be your savior? That is the root of all praise for we cannot really praise the Lord unless His Spirit lives within and that cannot happen until we commit ourselves to Him.

"..for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant." From now on all generations will call me blessed. for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name."

Grace is the giving of God that is so undeserved by mankind. Mary is humbled. Indeed, true worship comes from a humbled heart for the more we lift up God the more we recognize our unworthiness for we are not special but God is. She recognizes and is grateful for God’s work in her life. Out of that realization we are fortunate blessed people because of God's grace. Mary had done nothing to deserve the tremendous gracious gift of God.

Now to be sure, God would not have chosen someone who did not have upstanding character and a heart for God. But there were many God could have chosen. She was not a slut, or a profane woman. She had the character that God wanted to raise Jesus from infancy into adulthood. She had a love for God and a servant’s heart. She regarded her lowly estate: she is a handmaiden, a servant, willing to obey and do what God wanted. Only the truly humble can give true worship because when they see Gods' greatness they see their own weakness and undeserving of grace.

Luke 14:11 says, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Ish. 57:15 tells us "For this is what the high and lofty One says-he would live forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite." It is the humbled who recognizes the grace of God.

There is great joy realizing that we have been so blessed beyond what we deserve. If one thinks that he deserves a raise, he isn't nearly as excited about getting one as the fellow who didn't expect or even think he should get one.

Certainly we cannot be compared to Mary who was the mother of the Lord, but do not forget God dwells within us as believers. If we are partakers of the Holy Spirit what more can we desire by way of favor from God? We bear a close a relationship to Christ as did the virgin mother. It is a grace given to us so undeserved but indeed made into flesh as we demonstrate God's grace to the world within our own lives.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Dec 21

Verse Luke 1: 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

Grateful for God's Mercy.

Part of Mary’s song of praise included her thoughts toward God’s mercy. When I think of mercy I think of first, the forgiveness of God. If someone is merciful they are kind even though the other person doesn't deserve their kindness. It is not getting what they deserve. They deserve punishment, they do not get punishment. If I want the judge to be merciful it implies that I have done some wrong and I hope that he will not be harsh with me. If I want mercy from someone I do not want the worse or worse things to happen.

Forgiveness is the means of God’s mercy. Yesterday we addressed the subject of grace when Mary got this unexpected surprise of being the very one chosen to receive the babe. Mercy is recognizing this is undeserved. She felt this ought not to happen to her. When we fear, honor, love, respect the Lord when we are contrite we are seeking forgiveness for our sins and repentance implies the desire to turn from them.

I think of a comment made by Florence Littauer "I used to gather up my husband Fred's faults with the fervor of a child picking berries. I had a whole shelf of overflowing baskets before the concept of forgiveness fell heavily upon me. To be spiritual I plucked out a few of Fred's faults and forgave them, but I didn't want to clear the whole shelf. Where would I go for future reference material?"

Mary is impressed with the mercy of God in working with His people. Eph 2:4 illustrates God's mercy in this way. "But because of his great love for us. God, who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.”

Grace is given us what we do not deserve, salvation. Mercy is not giving

us what we do deserve, death.

John Prussing told of a woman who complained to a neighbor about receiving poor service at a local pharmacy, intending that her complaint would be repeated to the druggist. The next time the woman went into the

store, the druggist greeted her warmly, told her how much he appreciated her business, and filled her prescription immediately. He added that if he could do anything to help her family, she should be sure to call on him, even if it was after store hours.

The woman mentioned the improvement to her neighbor. "It certainly worked, your repeating my dissatisfaction to him."

"Well, no, I didn't do that”, replied her friend. "Instead, I told him you were impressed with the way he had built up his business, and that you felt his was one of the best-run drugstores you'd ever dealt with." The woman showed mercy. He didn't get what he deserved, but by receiving mercy he responded in kindness.

Instead of being full of judgment God has dealt mercifully with mankind by giving us a means whereby we can be forgiven. Instead of covering up sin and ignoring it and pretending it doesn't exist, we can face it and get it cleaned up and out and have those burdens lifted. God is merciful.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Dec 22

Verses- Luke 1: 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel

Grateful for God's Power

Mary continues her praise to God for his unbelievable power. She reflects in her song to God of what he has and will do for her and for others. She mentions seven things.

1) Has performed mighty deeds with his arm. 2) Scattered those who are proud in their inner thoughts 3) Brought down rulers from their thrones

4) Lifted up the humble. 5) Filled the hungry with good things 6) Sent the rich away empty. 7) Helped his servant Israel

E. Stanly Jones said, "The Magnificat is the most revolutionary document in the world." Why? Because of power against pride. Jesus came to earth to bring death to pride. Jesus knocks the props out of each one of us and says if you are a man or woman of faith; it is shown in your servant spirit, in your humble attitude. He brings down rulers. If you are not sure of that look at the regimes of Hitler, of Mussolinni, or of the communist countries that five years ago seemed like such a threat. Do you known when the rulers of Iraq was brought down, at God's timing.

However, have you thought when the ruler of the United State will be brought down? It will be.

Think for a minute of the rulers and kings that were involved during the time of Christ. There was Herod he was so threatened that he had all the babies killed. Still Christ overcame.

There was Pilate, he had not more power than what God would allow and finally allowed him to be put to death. He mistakenly even thought he had that power, yet he was overcome when Christ arose. Herod, Festus, Agrippa, Caesar and Nero all tried to do away with Christ and his followers. He has brought down rulers from their thrones and lifted up the humble. In that final spiritual conquest when the last of days are done; the mighty forces of this world, defeated, God's humble children have won."

There is a revolution against the rich. The love of Christ is demonstrated toward those who are generally poor, hungry, lost, sinners coming to Christ bring them hope to the hopeless.

How odd that someone like Mary should be picked, a simple poor woman. Joseph was only a carpenter. Disciples were fishermen, tax collector, a political zealot. In fact the whole Christmas story is not to the priests, Sanhedrin ministers, wealthy, but surrounded by shepherds, stable, straw.

Those who find themselves all self-sufficient will find themselves empty. Jesus came also to release the captives. Jesus has come by his power to make all the wrongs of society right again, all the things that are unfair just, and to overturn the oppression and prepare for the way of the final judgment of the righteousness of God. Are you ready?

Mary saw God at work. She became mindful of his power. She was to conceive of a child without having sexual relationship with a man. It was a miracle to recognize the virgin birth of Jesus. He was powerful. It was nothing she did. It was something by the sovereign grace of God that happened to her. That brought her to personal praise to God. It also brought her to reflect over the experiences of God throughout the ages.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Dec 23

Verses- Luke 1: 54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Grateful for God's Promises.

Mary is also praising the Lord for keeping his promises. The long awaited and expectant Jesus is the theme of anticipation for the Jews for so many years. Now God was fulfilling what he promised. The time had come for God to show himself in the form of a person and picked of all things, to come to earth as a baby and come to earth as a suffering servant. How unlike what they thought God should be and do.

But God does not forget promises and plans for they are foretold by the prophets and they will come about. How joyous to see that they are coming about now. He promised the seed of righteousness and Jesus is that seed.

It was years earlier when God coveted with Abraham to be his God and to let Abraham offspring become God's people. It was a special relationship that as initiated by faith. His faith was tested you remember with Isaac being placed on the sacrifice and he was instructed to kill his own son, Isaac. yet the angel intervened and said that was not God's desire, he wanted to make sure Abraham was obedience and faithful to the Lord.

What is the promise to Israel. Ish. 11:1-3 that he would be born from the family of Jesse, which was the stock of both Mary and Joseph, Micha

5:2 told he would be born in Bethlehem. Ish. 7:14 prophecies that avirgin shall conceive and bear a son. and many more Old Testament predictions.

Yes, the people have waited a number of years to be freed from the tyranny of Greece and Rome. The Israelites were wondering if the Messiah would ever come. Some are still wondering that. They were looking for the redemption of Israel. Now Mary knew that all the centuries of waiting would culminate in the birth of her son.

I wonder what she would have thought if she had any idea of what God was really doing. For you see, yes God was preserving his promises, all that was mentioned hundreds and thousands of years earlier did come about. But Jesus was interested in more than just Palestine. He was claiming his rightful place on the throne of the world- King of kings and Lord of lords. He was to reclaim the dominion of Satan. He was to see the lost and sinners come to life.

We too have the expectation when all of this will be fulfilled. What was purchased for us at his first coming will be finalized at his second coming?

Just as Mary was filled with praise for God was fulfilling his promises so with faith and hope we are filled with that same expectation that one day, soon, maybe very soon He is coming again so we shall be with him forever.

Listen to these promises: Acts 1:11 Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven will come back in the same way you have seen him go in’to heaven. I Thes 4:16-18, Mt. 24:3-8 & 36-44. Rev. 21:3,4 Yes, Jesus coming is something to sing about Mary. May we continue your song of praise to God and may we recognize the spirit of Christmas that spirit of rejoicing and praising God for his salvation, for his grace, for his mercy for his power and for his promises until he comes.

Pastor Dale