Malachi 2:17-3:6 Encouragement in Reprimand

God’s Reprimands Are…. Designed to… Challenge our Hearts Move us to evaluate ourselves used by the Holy Spirit in the Gift of repentance/obedience For our Blessing

Another Reprimand Malachi 2:17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”

The Nature of the Problem… Practicing evil as though it were acceptable practicing injustice as if God would not intervene

God Follows the Reprimand with… Encouragement Why? So that people have a positive reason to respond to the reprimand and … to take the focus off of self

Encouragement Rather than Judgment Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

The Blessing…. For Them: The Promise of the Messiah For Us: A reminder of the Messiah

An Awesome Messianic Promise… Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. The “me” is…. God

An Awesome Messianic Promise… Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. The “messenger” is…. John the Baptist

An Awesome Messianic Promise… Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

Why Now? The people could be prone to discouragement They need to know that they cannot right their wrongs, and… that they are in need of a Savior, and…. That the Savior is coming

Rejoice, but Stand in Awe… Malachi 3:2,3 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.

Rejoice, but Stand in Awe… Malachi 3:5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

Because Christ is Coming… Worship will be made RIGHT Malachi 3:4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

When Worship is Right… The Relationship between God and Man is RIGHT Therefore, Sinners will be able to be in relation with their Perfect God… all because of Christ

In the Framework of Reprimand, God Gives Great Hope… He takes our eyes off of ourself and places them upon the Person who is the Reason for all God’s Gifts of Grace… CHRIST

In Christ we have… The Gift of Worship The ability to Relate to God in Righteousness The Privilege of Prayer The Gifts of Obedience, Repentance and Peace

Romans 8:34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Romans 5:11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.