Part 3 I Want Leaders I Can Respect Malachi 1:6-2:9.

Part 3Part 3

I Want Leaders I Want Leaders

I Can I Can

RespectRespect

Malachi 1:6-2:9Malachi 1:6-2:9

• It was a “time when people were It was a “time when people were wearyweary in in

spiritual things, eager to embrace the spiritual things, eager to embrace the

easyeasy wayway out, and out, and carelesscareless and and casualcasual

about the commandments of the Lord”.about the commandments of the Lord”.

• They quit taking God They quit taking God seriouslyseriously. .

The church leaders The church leaders are are offensiveoffensive to to GodGod

““A son honors his father, and a servant A son honors his father, and a servant

his master. If I am a father, where is the his master. If I am a father, where is the

honor due me? If I am a master, where is honor due me? If I am a master, where is

the respect due me?” says the LORD the respect due me?” says the LORD

Almighty. “It is you, O priests, who show Almighty. “It is you, O priests, who show

contempt for my name. contempt for my name.

““But you ask, ‘How have we shown But you ask, ‘How have we shown

contempt for your name?’contempt for your name?’ (1:6) (1:6)

They are offending God They are offending God with their with their cheapcheap giftsgifts

““You place defiled food on my altar. You place defiled food on my altar.

““But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’

““By saying that the LORD’s table is By saying that the LORD’s table is contemptible. When you bring blind contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong?

They are offending God They are offending God with their with their cheapcheap giftsgifts

When you sacrifice crippled or diseased When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the LORD Almighty. ( 1:7-8) says the LORD Almighty. ( 1:7-8) 

They are offending God They are offending God with their with their cheapcheap giftsgifts

• There are three basic concepts There are three basic concepts underlying sacrifices or offerings: underlying sacrifices or offerings: givinggiving, , substitutionsubstitution and and comingcoming closercloser. .

They are offending God with They are offending God with their their attitudeattitude toward toward serviceservice

““But you profane it by saying of the But you profane it by saying of the Lord’s table, ‘It is defiled,’ and of its food, Lord’s table, ‘It is defiled,’ and of its food, ‘It is contemptible.’ And you say, ‘What a ‘It is contemptible.’ And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the LORD contemptuously,” says the LORD Almighty. Almighty.

They are offending God with They are offending God with their their attitudeattitude toward toward serviceservice

““When you bring injured, crippled or When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the LORD. (1:12-13)hands?” says the LORD. (1:12-13)

They are offending God with They are offending God with their their attitudeattitude toward toward serviceservice

The priests thought the whole church The priests thought the whole church thing was thing was annoyingannoying

They are offending God They are offending God with their with their brokenbroken vowsvows

““Cursed is the cheat who has an Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the LORD Almighty, “and my name says the LORD Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.is to be feared among the nations. (1:14) (1:14)

They are offending God with their They are offending God with their selfself--servingserving messagesmessages

And you will know that I have sent you And you will know that I have sent you this admonition so that my covenant with this admonition so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD Levi may continue,” says the LORD Almighty. “My covenant was with him, a Almighty. “My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my he revered me and stood in awe of my name.name.

They are offending God with their They are offending God with their selfself--servingserving messagesmessages

True instruction was in his mouth and True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. (1:4-6)and turned many from sin. (1:4-6)

They are offending God with their They are offending God with their selfself--servingserving messagesmessages

• The priests only taught what came from The priests only taught what came from God.God.

• The priests were to make sure God’s The priests were to make sure God’s people knew what He expected of them.people knew what He expected of them.

• The priests were to instruct the people in The priests were to instruct the people in “truth”“truth”

They are offending God with their They are offending God with their selfself--servingserving messagesmessages

• The priests were not only instruct – but The priests were not only instruct – but model or “walk” in obedience and model or “walk” in obedience and fairness. fairness.

• The priests were to turn people from sin.The priests were to turn people from sin.

They are offending God with their They are offending God with their selfself--servingserving messagesmessages

““For the lips of a priest ought to preserve For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction—because he is should seek instruction—because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty. the messenger of the LORD Almighty.

They are offending God with their They are offending God with their selfself--servingserving messagesmessages

But you have turned from the way and by But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the LORD Almighty. with Levi,” says the LORD Almighty.

(2:7-8)(2:7-8)

God warned the leaders their God warned the leaders their prayersprayers would not be would not be answeredanswered

““Now implore God to be gracious to us. Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the LORD he accept you?”—says the LORD Almighty. Almighty.

God warned the leaders their God warned the leaders their prayersprayers would not be would not be answeredanswered

““Oh, that one of you would shut the Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD pleased with you,” says the LORD Almighty, “and I will accept no offering Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands. from your hands.

God warned the leaders their God warned the leaders their prayersprayers would not be would not be answeredanswered

My name will be great among the nations, My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations,” name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD Almighty.says the LORD Almighty. (1:9-11) (1:9-11)

God warned the leaders their God warned the leaders their legacylegacy would be would be cursedcursed

““And now this admonition is for you, O And now this admonition is for you, O priests. If you do not listen, and if you do priests. If you do not listen, and if you do not set your heart to honor my name,” not set your heart to honor my name,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will send a says the LORD Almighty, “I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not set your them, because you have not set your heart to honor me. heart to honor me.

God warned the leaders their God warned the leaders their legacylegacy would be would be cursedcursed

““Because of you I will rebuke your Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will spread on your faces descendants; I will spread on your faces the offal from your festival sacrifices, and the offal from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. And you will you will be carried off with it. And you will know that I have sent you this admonition know that I have sent you this admonition so that my covenant with Levi may so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD Almighty. continue,” says the LORD Almighty.

God warned the leaders their God warned the leaders their legacylegacy would be would be cursedcursed

““My covenant was with him, a covenant of My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth and nothing instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.turned many from sin. (2:1-6) (2:1-6)

God warned the priests they God warned the priests they would be would be humbledhumbled

““So I have caused you to be despised and So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.” shown partiality in matters of the law.” (2:9)(2:9)

Bottom Line:Bottom Line:

Take God seriously!Take God seriously!

Bottom Line:Bottom Line:

• Give God your Give God your veryvery bestbest..

• Be a Be a praisepraise filled person! filled person!

• Live with Live with integrityintegrity..

• Cultivate a Cultivate a hungerhunger for God’s for God’s truthtruth!!