Wake Up, Cynic!

Well, it's a blessing to be here with you guys. Wonderful. It's been a while. I think the last time I spoke with you, I brought the Word of God on a Sunday was over a year ago, maybe two or three years ago even.

So I'm glad I get to be here with you. It's a delight. And I bring greetings from King of Grace Church and Haverhill Mass.

And we're grateful for the connection with you guys and all that God's doing here.

What I want to look at this evening is the book of Malachi. It's a book written for the people of God struggling with spiritual lethargy.

It teaches us that we wake up out of spiritual slumber by seeing God for who He really is.

And that's really what the book is about. It's a call from God around many different topics.

But a call for the people of God to return to the Lord, to wake up and to see Him for who He really is.

It was given to a people who had replaced God-fueled hope and vitality with myopic cynicism and slumber.

And I think it applies to us today because we, like those who are the original audience from Malachi's prophetic word,

we too can trade hope and vitality for cynicism and slumber.

Jason Dusing, in his book, Mere Hope, Life in the Age of Cynicism, writes the following.

With instant global interconnectedness alerting us to all forms of tragedy and conflict,

our society appears to have defaulted either to resigned despair or distracted indifference.

When regularly our leaders disappoint us by their actions and their human flaws are flouted and magnified due to our relentless and merciless scrutiny,

it's easy to see why many have come to a collective understanding that no one can stand with a message of hope.

Once a small genre of fiction literature, dystopian-themed novels, games, and movies seem now to be the predominant world in which entertainment takes place,

and increasingly in the real world as well.

Hope, rather than dystopia, is the fiction of our day.

What happened?

Going to quote Mohamed Farouz, he writes,

The age of anxiety has given way to an age of cynicism.

Among my generation, cynicism is no longer a bad word.

It's being celebrated, and it is often mistaken for intelligence.

The age of cynicism, Farouz continues, is where it is better to be wry and distrustful than to be open and trusting.

And Ducing says,

Christians should take heed, for we, as those living in this world, are prone to bend toward it.

Often the pull toward cynicism is easier to follow than the struggle to resist.

Sarcasm comes too easily.

Complaining is default small talk, and despair can mark us more than joy.

I think he's right in his assessment.

And God does not leave us alone to kind of figure this out on our own.

He gives us his word.

And his word has truth, and his word has power to address us in our cynicism, in our struggle with cynicism.

And this book was written for people who were struggling with cynicism.

If you don't know the storyline, what had gone on with the people of God at the time,

they had come back from exile, and there had been wonderful promises of restoration.

There were wonderful promises for the people of God going back hundreds and hundreds of years,

and God had blessed them in so many ways.

They had rebelled, and after really hundreds of years of gross rebellion,

God finally brought what he said he would.

He brought discipline.

And exile on them.

But then miraculously, he brought them back.

He restored them as a people after military devastation.

It really is just an amazing miracle, even just historically,

what God did in bringing his people back and putting them back in the land.

But something happened along the way, and you can read it in other books of the Bible besides Malachi,

and the book of Nehemiah and Ezra.

They came back with wonderful promise, wonderful anticipation of what God might do,

but things didn't pan out quite how they expected.

They ran into opposition.

There were those opposing them around them.

They were still under a foreign rule.

They didn't have their own king.

Another people group there, the Edomites, had stabbed them in the back in the process,

then taken over much of their territory.

The governors of the surrounding territories were making life hard for them.

The city was broken down.

The walls were not put together.

They were struggling economically, and there were some bad harvests and pest infestations.

And in face of all this adversity and their heartfelt disappointment, cynicism crept in and took over.

And spiritual malaise became the M.O. of the day for the people of God.

It polluted everything.

And instead of believing in God and experiencing hope for the future and joy in the present,

cynicism became the trait that marked them.

And that's where we'll pick up from God's Word.

I encourage you to read this whole book, maybe this week even, to read through it.

But I'm going to start in chapter 3, verse 13, as God addresses the people.

And this is the end of the book, and so he's in many ways bringing everything together to address them

and address their hearts and call them to something besides cynicism.

The title of the message is, Wake Up Cynic.

And it's a message for us as well today.

So let's pray before we read God's Word that we might hear and respond.

Lord, we thank you for your Word.

We thank you, Lord, that you don't leave us alone.

You love us enough to confront us, to speak to our thoughts and our heart,

and to draw us back to yourself.

Thank you for your Word that's living and active, that works in our lives.

And, Lord, we need to hear from you.

We need the fresh repentance and faith and hope and joy that you intend for us.

All of us, O Father, have been affected by cynicism, and some of us are deep in it.

And we pray, Lord, lift us out and make us your holy people.

Draw all to yourself this evening, we pray in Christ's name.

Amen.

Malachi chapter 3, verse 13.

Malachi 3:13

Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord.

But you say, how have we spoken against you?

You have said, it's vain to serve God.

What is the profit of our keeping his charge of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts?

And now we call the arrogant blessed.

Evildoers not only prosper, but they put God to the test and they escape.

Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another.

The Lord paid attention and heard them.

And a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.

They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession,

and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him.

Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked,

between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven,

when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble.

The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts,

that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

But for you who fear my name,

the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.

You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall,

and you shall tread down the wicked,

for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,

says the Lord of hosts.

Remember the law of my servant Moses,

the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes,

and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,

and the hearts of the children to their fathers,

lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.

God's word from Malachi 3 and 4.

What I submit to you, the central message here,

is a call to not grow cynical,

but to realize that God has this.

God's got this.

Don't grow cynical.

God's got this.

So I want to first just look at this reality of cynicism in the text and in our lives.

He tells the Israelites in the beginning,

your words have been hard against me.

He says it earlier actually in chapter 2 as well,

that their words have wearied him.

The wording here is stronger.

These are not words that are just slightly off,

but these are words full of grumbling.

God is stepping up his rebuke

and summarizing the core problem with the Israelites in Malachi's day.

They've lost sight of God,

and they've exchanged faith and hope and love

for doubt and cynicism and compromise.

And brothers and sisters, this is happening in our age as well,

and it happens in our lives as well.

They had lost sight of God,

and they can only see themselves and their problems.

Any mention of God is to blame him.

Any thought of God only brings deeper bitterness.

Now they're facing difficulties that are part of God's discipline on their lives

because they are wandering and God's seeking to bring them back.

But they're also facing difficulties that are just part of life.

Life in this world until Christ returns and makes all things right

has trials, has difficulties.

And those difficulties come in seasons on both the wicked and the good.

And as they struggle with these difficulties,

whatever they might be in particular,

they're turning away from God, not towards him.

The Lord calls us to turn towards him.

He calls us to build our houses on the rock, not on the sand.

The storms and the floods come against both houses,

the one on the rock and one on the sand,

but the one on the rock stands,

the one on the sand is washed away.

And often that experience of being washed away is not so dramatic.

It's often a gradual cynicism and bitterness

and a loss of hope

and just going through the motions

that eventually leads to walking away.

Think about it, right?

If you know people that are older

and perhaps bitter have become cynical

and walked away from the faith

or walked away from hope,

they weren't always like that.

Most people at some point in life have hope

and are optimistic about the future.

And it's how they deal with the difficulties in life

that will shape and mold them

and determine whether they end up

fruitful and faithful or bitter and cynical.

That's what's going on here.

They've faced difficulty

and instead of turning to the Lord,

they're turning away,

they're turning to cynicism.

So listen to how they talk.

It's vain to serve God.

What is the profit of our keeping his charge

or of walking as in mourning

before the Lord of hosts?

And now we call the arrogant blessed.

Evildoers not only prosper,

but they put God to the test

and they escape.

You might not say it that way.

Maybe you or I would say it this way.

It's a waste of time to follow God.

What do you really get

for all this constant repenting

and attempts at holiness?

Why go to church?

Why give up a weekend day?

Why go to small group?

I'm too busy for this stuff.

Why should I tithe?

No one else does

and they all seem perfectly fine without it.

Even the worst sort of people are doing well.

How can it be that God cares?

And if he doesn't care,

why should I?

Forget it.

If God doesn't keep up his end of the deal,

I'm not keeping up mine.

I'm done.

More or less what the Israelites were saying

and maybe what enters our own minds at times.

The bane of the believer actually

is to be walking with God

or at least appearing to walk with God

while you forget God.

while you turn away from him.

Such a person is to be pitied.

There are many better ways to live

than in that place of pretending

and going through the motions

and yet feeling like it's not worth it.

But the problem in all this,

the problem with the Israelites,

the problem with us,

is the goal of our faith is off.

What's the expectation of someone

with that orientation?

I think often

it's a sort of pragmatic

self-realization program

that we've signed up for

thinking it's Christianity.

We think if we put enough effort

into believing and doing good,

we'll get back something in reward.

And those things are often things

like success in life,

a good job,

friends,

maybe a spouse and kids,

whatever else we might think

constitutes the good life.

And we forget in this

what it's really all about.

And we set ourselves up

for cynicism.

Now the people of God

would have been well served

in the day of Malachi

to turn to Psalm 73.

And we as well

are well served

to turn to Psalm 73.

For this is a psalm

written by a cynic

who learns the answer

to the root of his cynicism.

It says in Psalm 73,

Truly God is good to Israel,

to those who are pure in heart.

But as for me,

my feet had almost stumbled,

my steps had nearly slipped.

For I was envious of the arrogant

when I saw the prosperity

of the wicked.

All in vain have I kept

my heart clean

and washed my hands in innocence.

For all the day long

I've been stricken

and rebuked every morning.

Then he goes on,

When my soul was embittered,

when I was bricked in heart,

I was brutish and ignorant.

I was like a beast toward you.

Nevertheless,

this is the turning point

for the psalmist,

Nevertheless,

I am continually with you.

You hold my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel.

And afterward,

you will receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth

that I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever.

You see,

God has something way better

than a good career,

stable friends,

the good life.

And those things aren't bad,

but God has something better

and he wants us to set our heart

on that thing that is better

and it is the only thing

that will sustain you

and protect you from

cynicism.

He gives us

himself.

himself.

He gives us

himself.

That in him

we might have

true life

and overcome

and recognize

all these other things

are so much lesser

that I can hold my hands

open to them.

And if I have them,

great.

And if I don't,

that's okay too.

I've learned the secret

of being content

because I have him

and he has me.

Jesus defines

eternal life this way.

This is eternal life

that they may know you,

the only true God

and Jesus Christ

whom you have sent.

Paul says,

I've been crucified

with Christ.

It is no longer I

who live,

but Christ

who lives in me

and the life

I now live in the flesh.

I live by faith

in the Son of God

who loved me

and gave himself

for me.

When we are grumbling

against God

and tempted

towards cynicism,

it's likely

we've lost sight

of this truth

that he has given himself

wholly to us,

bearing our sins

on the cross,

living the righteous life

we never could,

dying on that cross

for us,

rising again,

on the third day,

victorious over sin

and death

so that we might

have his victory

in us and through us.

Performing that work

and then by the Spirit

of God in time

revealing that to us

that we might have him

holy

and that he might have us.

the cure

to cynicism

is to get your eyes

off yourself

and your circumstances

and get your eyes

on the Lord

of mercy

and glory

who loves you so.

I think of this

actually in ways

that are analogous

as a pastor

who does a lot

of marriage counseling.

What I find

in marriages often

is when the spouses

have their eyes

on what they should

be getting

from that other spouse.

It usually leads

to failure

and what can happen

is over years

and years of doing that

it's just all about

how this person

let me down,

the other one

let me down

and you live

in that place

and the way

that you break it,

the way that they

need to break it

is to realize

you know what?

The glorious God

has given himself

for me.

All my sins

are forgiven.

I'm free,

I'm forgiven in him

and now I'm called

in him

as he's given himself

to me

to give myself

to my spouse.

So I oint myself

in this marriage

not to what I can get

but what I can give.

Certainly there's

receiving

in a healthy relationship

but that's not

to be the primary

orientation.

So similarly

in our walks

with God

when we get our eyes

off of God

you owe me

I need this thing

this is my dream

you have to fulfill

my dream

but instead

Lord

you've given

yourself to me

holy

I give myself

to you holy

however you want

to use me

when we live

that way

it protects us

from bitterness

and cynicism

and you'll experience

joy even in

your trials.

So let me ask you

what is it

you've felt

like God owes you?

What is that thing

that you're holding

on to?

What is that

disappointment?

disappointment?

Maybe there is

something you were

holding on to

and it fell through

and you're still

holding on to it

even though you

don't have it

and you never will.

What is that thing?

Let it go

and give it to him

he's given himself

holy to you

and find your life

in loving him

and worshiping others

worshiping him

and serving others

find your life

in him

that

will rescue you

from cynicism.

don't be cynical

put your eyes

on the Lord

that's the message

of Malachi

that's the message

of scripture

well Malachi

goes on to give

other things

related to this

the central idea

here being

don't be cynical

God's got this

and so what he

talks about next

is that God's got this

he's paying attention

this wonderful

strength

that we receive

in this truth

it says in verse 16

then those who feared

the Lord

spoke with one another

the Lord paid attention

and heard them

and a book of remembrance

was written before him

of those who feared

the Lord

and esteemed his name

so while there were

so many that were cynical

there were those

who feared the Lord

there were those

who put their eyes

on the Lord

and said Lord

we're looking to you

in our hardship

in our trials

we look to you

and it says

those who feared

the Lord

spoke with one another

so there were

ones who regard

the Lord

they spoke with one another

isn't that interesting

they spoke with one another

and it says

the Lord paid attention

and heard them

and a book of remembrance

was written before him

the Lord writes

a book of remembrance

of his people

who are fearing him

and looking to him

they speak with one another

about their situation

probably about their temptations

to be cynical as well

this is hard

I'm disappointed

my neighbors

are all disappointed

they've been complaining

all the time

this is hard

but what are you doing

how can we help each other

they speak with one another

it's likely actually

where it says

the Lord paid attention

and heard them

that actually

that's a quote

of what they spoke

to one another

because in the Hebrew

the word them

is not there

there's no quotes

in Hebrew

so I think we can read it

those who feared

the Lord spoke with one another

and said to each other

the Lord's paying attention

and he hears us

they remind each other

that God is paying attention

that they are not

on their own

they're not lost

to struggle

with these things

on their own

but God is with them

and this points to a reality

that we need each other

in all this

we need encouragement

we will always

all of us

will tend towards

drifting away

towards disappointment

and towards cynicism

but we need each other

we need encouragement

and so Hebrews 3

13 says

parallel to this

but encourage one another

daily

as long as it is called

today

so that none of you

may be hardened

by sin's deceitfulness

sin will deceive us

and harden us

and lead us

towards cynicism

but we need to encourage

one another

and remind each other

that God is for us

that he's given himself

for us

that he knows

what's going on

he takes note

he pays attention

here it says

that he has a book

of remembrance

in Psalm 56

it says

you have kept

count of my tossings

put my tears

in your bottle

are they not

in your book

so God himself

is remembering

and keeping record

of your struggles

of your petitions

to him

as you bring

those things to him

and say

Lord help me

in my disappointment

help me in my loss

and he brings comfort

real comfort

don't trade

real comfort

for the false comfort

of cynicism

but come to the Lord

the God of all comfort

2 Corinthians chapter 1

2 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

it says

blessed be the God

and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ

the Father of mercies

and God of all comfort

who comforts us

in all our affliction

so that we may be able

to comfort those

who are in any affliction

with a comfort

with which we ourselves

are comforted by God

for as we share abundantly

in Christ's suffering

so through Christ

we share abundantly

in comfort

too

God is one

who's there

to comfort us

he knows

what we're going through

he's near to those

who call upon him

he's aware

God's got this

he's paying attention

you're not on your own

in your trials

in your loneliness

in your struggles

you're not alone

he is ever aware

your tears are in a bottle

as he notes

what you're going through

in the 1947 classic

It's a Wonderful Life

and probably a lot of you

have seen this

more than once

in the story

George barely reaches

the point of despair

and is ready

to take his life

because it seems

that everyone

would be better off

if he were dead

but at that point

in the movie

heaven intervenes

and the heavenly dialogue

if you don't remember

goes like this

hello Joseph

trouble

looks like we'll have

to send someone down

a lot of people

are asking for help

for a man named

George Bailey

George Bailey

yes

tonight's his crucial night

you're right

little does George know

that heaven

has been watching

all along

his whole life

and expecting

this very moment

of trial for him

as the angel says

tonight's his crucial night

now although

entirely fiction

this tale

this popular movie

is based on

a solid biblical truth

that God

is not surprised

nor uninvolved

heaven does take note

of your life

heaven is for you

he's paying attention

and he's ready

to be there

for you

God's got this

so remember

that he remembers

remind each other

of this

speak with one another

encourage one another

daily

remind each other

that

that

he is for us

I love the promise

of Romans 8 32

it says

he who did not

spare his own son

but gave him up

for us all

how will he not

also with him

graciously give us

all things

if he's given

his very son

for you

shedding his blood

for your sins

paying for your sins

completely

if he's already

done that

given them

the most precious

commodity

ever

for you

how will he not

take care of all

this other stuff

encourage each other

with these truths

be an agent

of the encourager

the Holy Spirit

the Holy Spirit

is the encourager

and as you

encourage each other

he will be working

in you

to strengthen

you in this

let us fear the Lord

and speak with one another

let us remind each other

that God's got this

he's paying attention

and then finally

third point

God's got this

he will make it right

as it goes into chapter 4

Malachi says

remember the law

of my servant Moses

the statutes and rules

that I commanded him

at Horeb

for all Israel

behold I will send you

Elijah the prophet

before the great

and awesome day

of the Lord comes

and he will turn

the hearts of fathers

to their children

and the hearts of children

to their fathers

lest I come and strike

the land with the decree

of utter destruction

he calls his people

to realize

that he is making

all things right

he calls them

to remember the law

this lifestyle

of faith

and obedience

that had been given

to the people of Israel

and then he speaks

of a final day

something he's going to do

where he's going to make

all things right

and it's throughout

the text here

he says that he'll send

this Elijah

Elijah

and we know

from the New Testament

that this Elijah

actually is metaphorically

John the Baptist

and he's sent

before the great

and awesome day

of the Lord

to turn the hearts

of the children

to their fathers

and the fathers

to the children

actually if we look

at the parallel verse

in Luke chapter 1

Luke 1 · chapter mention

we understand

a little bit better

what's being said

it says

and he will turn

many of the children

of Israel

to the Lord their God

and he will go before him

in the spirit

and power of Elijah

to turn the hearts

of the fathers

to the children

and the disobedient

to the wisdom

of the just

to make ready

for the Lord

a people prepared

so this isn't literal

fathers and sons

and fathers and children

this is basically

spiritual fathers

and spiritual children

because it says

turn the hearts

of the fathers

to the children

and the disobedient

to the wisdom

of the just

so young disobedient ones

to the wisdom

of the word of God

the wisdom

of those

who have been faithful

before them

so that's what's going on

in the life

of John the Baptist

as he prepares

God's people

to receive Christ

as king

and so it's interesting

to note

as you read through it

Malachi is saying

there will be this great day

that will come

and Elijah will go

ahead of me

and work

and the people

to prepare them

but when did that day

of Elijah happen?

It happened

in the days

of Jesus

and so we live

in the days

of fulfillment

of the final days

we live

in the final days

when Christ came

those final days

started

and they'll be completed

when he returns

and so we live

under the fulfillment

of this promise

of God making

all things right

he's already started

in the ministry

of Christ

and most profoundly

in his death

and resurrection

and he's continuing

to work in our lives

making things right

and he will finish it

when Christ comes back

rewarding the faithful

and bringing recompense

to those

who have refused

to trust

and follow him

he says in Malachi 4

but for you

who fear my name

the son of righteousness

will rise

with healing

in its wings

you shall go out

leaping like calves

from the stall

and you shall tread

down the wicked

for they will be ashes

under the soles

of your feet

on the day

when I act

as the Lord of hosts

again the fullness

of this

comes upon his return

but it has already

happened in great measure

the son of righteousness

has risen already

his name is Jesus

and he has overcome

our sin

and overcome death

and will finalize

that victory

and in him

we have forgiveness

and we have healing

in him

he promises

that this son of righteousness

shall rise

with healing

in the swings

we have healing

Isaiah 53 teaches us

he was pierced

for our transgressions

he was crushed

for our iniquities

upon him

was the chastisement

that brought us peace

and by his wounds

we are healed

God's already been at work

he's at work

in our lives

he's making things right

he's rescuing us

he's healing us

he's restoring us

he's leading us

the promises

to the people

in Malachi's day

are being realized now

and we are part

of that day

and this truth

is important

because I think

it adjusts us

even more

to recognize

we live in this day

that the Old Testament

people

the ones who feared

the Lord

in Malachi's day

would have longed for

if only I could be

a part of what he's doing

in Cambridge

in 2021

as this work

as this promise

is being realized

that adjusts us

I think

because we recognize

we are so privileged

in this grace

that we have in Christ

and privileged to be

part of the mission

of this going forward

of him making

all things right

of him winning people

from all tribes

and tongues

people and nations

he is making things right

and he will finalize it

and he will reward those

who have looked to him

and feared his name

those who have turned aside

those who have let

cynicism rule them

and take them to its final

the final destination

it takes them

they will receive judgment

but those who have said

I'm going to look to the Lord

I'm going to trust in the one

who's given himself fully to me

there will be blessing

and reward

he has this

he's making all things right

he's working now

he's bringing redemption

he's bringing healing

and we get to be a part of that

don't give up

don't lose hope

God's got this

and he will make it all right

and he is doing that

now

in Malachi's day

we could say that

they were in the first half

of a football game

we're definitely in the second half

we might even be in overtime

I don't know

don't lose heart

as you're called to this

football game

so to speak

now if you're

a Patriots fan

you've learned

it's not over

until it's over

four years ago

they played the Falcons

and I watched it

with a lot of my friends

we watched the game together

I don't know if you watched

that Super Bowl game

midway through the third quarter

there were a lot of cynical people

it was doom and gloom

but it all changed

imagine if Tom Brady

during halftime

had grown cynical

you can imagine him

in the locker room

and I don't know

what he would have been like

in the locker room

but imagine him

in the locker room

thinking

why should I continue

it always goes this way

we get behind

and then they expect me

to do something about it

I'm sick of it

it's your fault

I'm done

I'm not going to give any try

it's not

it's not going to work

they're so far ahead of us

just forget it

I give up

this is just

such a stupid game

anyhow

but he didn't

and they came back

we have someone

much better than Tom Brady

who's our captain

and he's at work

and you might feel

in your life

that it's 28 to 3

you're down right now

but the king of kings

is for you

and with you

and he's going to work

in your life

and through you

to accomplish things

that are beyond

your imagination

he wants to

form you into

the image of Christ

the most wonderful thing

he wants to use you

to help make things right

to bring the gospel

to others

that they might

encounter him

he wants to use you

together corporately

as a church

to image who Jesus is

to this area

to show the glories of God

he's at work

we live in an amazing time

God has a lot

for you to do

get in the game

don't grow cynical

put your eyes

on the Lord

God's got this

he's paying attention

he will make all things right

brother or sister

I plead with you

to examine your heart

and see where

it may have grown cynical

take that

to God

ask him to help you

ask him to help you

look to him

ask him to help you

remember

he's paying attention

he's making all things right

let's pray

Lord we thank you

for your word

thank you for Malachi

thank you for these truths

thank you for your care

for us

Lord we need you

because we do

tend to grow cynical

and we want to

have fresh hope

and fresh strength

and we want to follow you

we want to remember

we want to serve

we want to be in

what you're doing

this game so to speak

this wonderful

plan you have

so I pray

work in our hearts

draw us to yourself

and lead us in your ways

we pray

in Christ's name

Amen

Amen