M AJOR L EARNING F ROM THE M INORS Malachi (Page 1487) Thirsting for a God of Relationship

Thirsty? W E A RE A T T HE E ND … God has placed a thirst within us so people seek a God of action (Obadiah), when times are tough (Joel), for justice (Jonah), for forgiveness (Amos), steadfast love (Hosea), for restoration (Micah), protection (Zephaniah), and a God who knows what has happened and what needs to be done (Nahum).

Thirsty? W E A RE A T T HE E ND … People today also thirst for a God who listens (Habakkuk), deserves worship (Haggai), has a plan and leads us (Zechariah). God has hard wired a thirst for us to seek Him with a chance that we would reach out for Him and find that He is not far off (Acts 17:27).

Thirsty? B IG Q UESTIONS What would God “Thirst” For? Why does it seem like there are so few people going to God to fill this thirst? Our God, the only God is a God of relationship; that is what He “thirsts for” but He honors our choice to separate ourselves from Him and to not have a relationship.

Thirsty? C ONSIDER T HE C ONTEXT There was great hope… God sends one more messenger and then He stops speaking for 400 years. The next time he connects He comes in person.

Thirsty? T HINK A BOUT I T.. Malachi the Priest writes between 458 BC and the 440’s BC. His name means “message of God” or “messenger of God”. As disciples of Christ we are his Malachi.

Thirsty? I NSTEAD O F S EEKING G OD T HE P EOPLE A RE … 1) Doubting God's Love 2) Dishonoring God's Name 3) Profaning God's Covenant 4) Trying God's Patience 5) Forsaking God's Decrees 6) Despising God's Service

Thirsty? #1 D OUBTING G OD ’ S L OVE Malachi 1:1-5 Page God says that He has loved them and they ask “How have you loved us?” God can show them many ways that He has loved them.

Thirsty? #2 D ISHONORING G OD ’ S N AME Malachi 1:6-2:9 speaks of their blemished sacrifices and half-hearted worship. Self-centered, luke warm faith is prominent in society and too common in the church and these choices draw us away from God who wants a relationship with us.

Thirsty? #3 P ROFANING G OD ’ S C OVENANT His people got drawn into their culture and divorced their Jewish wives and married heathen women and took on their faith. Malachi 2:10-16 speaks to this transition. Christians today who treat God and His word with disrespect are drawing themselves away from a God of relationship.

Thirsty? #4 T RYING G OD ’ S P ATIENCE Malachi 2:17 says: You have wearied the Lord with your words. “How have we wearied him?” You ask. By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and He is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?” We need to teach the “Good News” and the “Bad News”.

Thirsty? M ALACHI 3:1-5 G OD ’ S R ESPONSE God’s response will be to send his messenger to prepare the way for Him. John the Baptist and Jesus coming in the flesh, come to the temple, bring a new covenant, purge and cleanse His people, make the offerings acceptable, bring judgment while protecting His remnant.

Thirsty? #5 F ORSAKING G OD ’ S D ECREES Malachi 3:6-7 says: “I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’

Thirsty? #6 D ESPISING G OD ’ S S ERVICE They did not think that worshipping God had any value. In Malachi 3:14 the people say that it is futile to serve God because we do not get anything out of it. When we choose to not worship it affects our relationship with God and His people.

Thirsty? S OME G OOD N EWS : M ALACHI 3:16-18 Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. 17 “They will be mine,” says the LORD Almighty, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. 18 And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

Thirsty? M ALACHI C HAPTER 4 Malachi 4:1-4 speaks about this separation and the judgment for those who draw away from God. Malachi 4:5-6: “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.”

Thirsty? C ONSIDER T HOSE F INAL W ORDS We have the big task ahead of us to be God’s messengers today knowing that many 1) Doubt God's love 2) Dishonor His name 3) Profane His covenant 4) Try His patience 5) Forsake His decrees 6) Despise serving Him and Worshipping Him

Thirsty? E NCOURAGE O NE A NOTHER !!! Even with these challenges we encourage one another that there is a remnant who are thirsty for God so we share the bad news that time will end and the good news that our God is a God of relationship who has a place for us with Him for eternity.

Thirsty? T HANK Y OU ! Thank you for taking this journey through these 12 books and hopefully you have experienced some major learning from the Minor Prophets.

Thirsty? U PCOMING : Next week we have an Open Sunday service about Responsible Freedom. Then we have Friend and Neighbour Sunday as we start a new series showing a variety of Ways People Connect to God encouraging us to help people connect in ways that make sense to them. On the 20 th our Bible Classes resume and the Adult Class will be studying Nehemiah to help us take on the big tasks God has called us to.