Malachi 1:6-2:9 "Roadkill Christianity?"

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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Quit going to church.

Stop singing.

It's a waste of time.

This place is full of hypocrites.

Yes, maybe you've heard somebody say those things before, but today we hear God saying them.

It's kind of hard to hear those words from the prophet Amos that they just sang, isn't it?

Especially if you're sitting in a church during a worship service.

But they reflect some of the heart of God's message to his people through the prophet Malachi today, too.

We've talked about God's call to repentance, back to relationship with him when we're just playing church.

Right?

Micah told us about that.

And then when we're putting other things first and offering God only our leftovers rather than seeking first his kingdom.

And God sent Haggai to tell his people that and call them back.

And now Malachi comes with some similar words this morning.

Just decades later after these other prophets, because God's people really struggle with this.

We have to hear it over and over because we wander quickly, don't we?

Some of you have told me that you've been convicted by God's word through the prophets over the last few weeks.

And that's good, but have our lives altered drastically?

To borrow an analogy from Pastor Peter, when it comes to our sin, we're often like someone who opens up the door to look into the crawl space of your house and sees mold growing there.

And sees, oh, that's a problem.

But then shuts the door back and walks away and carries on.

It's there, but it won't bother me today.

But eventually it's going to invade everything and have devastating consequences if we don't repent and run back to God for his help.

So I'd urge you to listen again to God's word for his people to call us back to him again.

Malachi has been freshly convicting to me, showing me my mold again this week.

Let's pray, and then we'll read together from God's word.

Oh, Father, these words are not complicated, but they are hard to hear.

And we are slow to have our lives altered, me most.

Holy Spirit, would you soften our hearts?

Make us long to be molded into the image of Jesus.

Speak your truth to us this morning that we might be the people that you created and redeemed us to be.

We ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Malachi 1, beginning at verse 6, let's give careful attention to the reading of God's holy word.

A son honors his father and a servant his master.

If then I am a father, where is my honor?

And if I am a master, where is my fear?

Says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name.

But you say, how have we despised your name?

By offering polluted food upon my altar.

But you say, how have we polluted you?

By saying that the Lord's table may be despised.

When you offer blind animals and sacrifice, is that not evil?

And when you offer those that are lame and sick, is that not evil?

Present that to your governor.

Will he accept you or show you favor, says the Lord of hosts?

And now entreat the favor of God that he may be gracious to us.

With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you, says the Lord of hosts?

Oh, that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain.

I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts.

And I will not accept an offering from your hand.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting, my name will be great among the nations.

And in every place, incense will be offered to my name in a pure offering.

For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.

But you profane it when you say that the Lord's table is polluted and its fruit, that is its food, may be despised.

But you say, what a weariness this is.

And you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts.

You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick.

And this you bring as your offering.

Shall I accept that from your hand, says the Lord?

Lord, cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock and vows it and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished.

For I am a great king, says the Lord of hosts.

And my name will be feared among the nations.

And now, O priest, this command is for you.

If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts,

then I will send the curse upon you.

And I will curse your blessings.

Indeed, I have already cursed them because you do not lay it to heart.

Behold, I will rebuke your offspring and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings,

and you shall be taken away with it.

So shall you know that I have sent this command to you,

that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts.

My covenant with him was one of life and peace,

and I gave them to him.

It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me.

He stood in awe of my name.

True instruction was found in his mouth,

and no wrong was found on his lips.

He walked with me in peace and uprightness,

and he turned many from iniquity.

For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge,

and people should seek instruction from his mouth.

For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

But you have turned aside from the way.

You have caused many to stumble by your instruction.

You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts.

And so I make you despised and debased before all the people,

inasmuch as you do not keep my ways,

but show partiality in your instruction.

Amen.

May God add his blessing to the reading of his word.

Imagine that someone special you love and respect,

the Queen of England, Nick Saban, Mickey Mouse,

your beloved grandmother,

someone like that was coming over to your house for dinner tonight.

What would be on the menu?

What would you serve to them?

Perhaps steak or seafood?

Maybe a favorite family recipe for really yummy casserole,

something you know about them that it's their favorite, maybe.

Some of us might even hire someone else to come cook

because it's so important, we don't want to mess it up.

But you're probably not going to offer them leftovers.

You know, a slice of pizza and some green beans reheated in the microwave, right?

None of us would even think.

It sounds appalling to us to consider going out

and just spending the afternoon running some errands

and then, you know what, on the way home,

we'll see what we drive by and I'll pick up some roadkill.

You know, that's what, I mean, armadillo is what,

that's what I'm going to give them, right?

No way.

Now that may be cheap and easy,

but it won't honor our special guest.

And yet sometimes we treat God that way.

Our relationship with him is what I'll call roadkill Christianity,

where we offer him something cheap and easy,

costs us nothing, takes us little thought,

because other things are just more important to us.

But hey, at least we had dinner with God, check.

If that sounds extreme to you, it's meant to be.

So were these words from the prophet Malachi

to God's people in Jerusalem.

They're intended to call them,

and now to call us,

back to a passionate relationship with God,

where we're revived to live for his glory

and the extension of his kingdom to everyone around us,

and that's what we're all about.

That's where he's headed,

and he begins this morning by exposing

the false worship of God's people in his day.

They're back at the temple, remember?

They're offering sacrifices,

but they're not honoring God, their Father.

That's what he tells them,

and the people say, what?

Us?

Ow!

Now,

when you offer blind animals in sacrifice,

is that not evil?

And when you offer those that are lame or sick,

is that not evil?

Verse 13,

you bring what has been taken by violence

or is lame or sick,

and this you bring as an offering.

Shall I accept that from your hand, says the Lord?

Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock

and vows it,

and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished.

God has clearly told them not to worship him this way.

Deuteronomy 15, for example.

If it has any blemish,

if it is lame or blind or has any serious blemish,

whatever,

you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God.

Pretty clear?

But it's tempting, isn't it?

It's tempting to give God roadkill,

to invest our time and resources and energy

in our own kingdoms and the things that matter so much to us

and squeeze his worship in where we can

on the margins of our lives.

The great British preacher,

Martin Lloyd-Jones,

told the story of a farmer who came in one morning to his wife

with good news.

He said,

our cow has had two baby cows.

Here's what we're going to do.

We're going to raise them,

grow them up.

Eventually, we're going to sell them for a good profit.

We're going to give the money from one to God.

We're going to keep the money from the other for our family.

That's how it's going to work.

And she said,

that's a wonderful idea.

Which one is God's?

And he said,

oh, we don't have to worry about that.

We'll decide that when we get there.

The next morning,

he came in with his wife.

He had bad news.

God's cow died.

Figured out which one was which, didn't he?

Didn't take him long.

Worship that costs us little

is false worship.

And so is half-hearted worship

that is merely external.

Verse 13 again.

Here's what the people are saying.

What a weariness.

And you snort at it.

What a drag.

This is so dull.

Does that ever happen at your house?

Do we have to wake up and go to church this morning?

I'm so tired.

Well, listen, darling.

I mean, I know it's not the most exciting thing ever,

but we have to go to church.

I mean, it's one of those things you have to do.

Or maybe you've had your own conversation.

God, these neighbors are just such a pain.

They're messy.

I'm tired of dealing with them.

I'm just not sure I'm going to have time for them this week.

Sorry.

Or maybe in your own mind,

it's just getting a bit dull

following God's laws for my sexual purity.

I mean, I've been pretty good for a while,

but it's not a huge deal anyway, right?

Just one time.

I'll still go to church Sunday.

Yes, we will.

We'll sit in pews just like these.

We'll be there.

But in the meantime,

we're coming to a worship service,

but all the rest of the time,

we're telling God that He's not worthy of our worship,

that He's not our first love.

We may attend worship services,

but our hearts aren't worshiping God.

And that's the real problem

that God has with false worship.

So the fact that we give Him roadkill

that costs us nothing,

that takes little consideration from our hearts,

dishonors Him.

That's the problem.

It says that He is worth little.

It tells your friends He's unimportant.

It tells your kids He's a box to check,

but not a God to love.

Listen to what He says here.

This is all about His greatness and glory.

He says things like,

where is my honor?

You despise my name.

You profane my name.

My name will be great among the nations.

I am a great king,

and my name will be feared among the nations.

Do you hear what He's saying?

Then, just like serving roadkill to the queen,

communicates that you think very little of her.

So worshiping God with occasional leftovers of your life

communicates you think very little of Him.

See, the problem with God impacting only one hour of your week

when it's convenient to you,

where many of us live sometimes,

is that it says to your neighbor who doesn't know Jesus

that Jesus is not gloriously worthy

or eternally essential.

And it leaves the nations who've never heard of Jesus

without the hope of the gospel.

That's why God's so upset, isn't it?

This is a huge deal.

Verse 10, He says,

Oh, there were one among you who would shut the doors

that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain.

I've no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts.

I will not accept an offering from your hand.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting,

my name will be great among the nations.

You're not making it that way.

And in every place,

incense will be offered to my name,

a pure offering,

for my name will be great among the nations,

says the Lord of hosts.

The glory of His name is so vital to God

that He would rather have empty churches

than empty worship that doesn't display

the worth of His great name.

Yikes!

That's not exaggeration in a song.

I'm not stretching the truth.

It's what He tells them.

Somebody shut the doors!

That's what He's all about, isn't it?

This grand story that He's telling,

that Malachi shows up in for a few decades,

that you and I get to live in for a few decades,

is about His glory filling the earth

so that all nations will know Him and worship Him.

He will see to it.

He says that true worship happens

among the Gentiles themselves

if the Jews won't get on board.

That's the promise.

And y'all, we're here this morning

because that promise of His name being made great

among the nations

has actually been coming to life for centuries now.

That's a big reason that we're gathered here.

Could Malachi have even imagined Gentiles like this

from the rising of the sun,

think where they started on this Sunday, for example,

all the way to its setting,

magnifying God's name.

It's what He's talking about,

but could He have even imagined

what it was going to become?

That's true worship in every place in all of life.

True worship makes the name of God great

because we give the best of all we have to Him

from the bottom of our hearts

with all that we are.

True worship delights in the presence of God

when His people gather together,

especially as the new temple

where He dwells among us.

And true worship moves outward

because we long for the nations to know

not how great we are,

but how great and awesome our God is.

That's true worship.

He is indeed a great King.

And our job as we experience His glorious grace

is to express that grace to every neighbor,

to every nation that they too might live their lives

for the glory of King Jesus.

Is that what we're really all about?

Because that's why we're here.

But is it actually what we're about?

Y'all, we've got to ask ourselves those questions

and have those conversations.

How are we?

And how are we not?

All about that great story

and that great mission

that God has put us here for.

I hope you'll take the time

to talk about that with your family

or your connect community

or your connect community in a few minutes

or your small group.

What does that look like in your life?

We're not getting into a lot of particulars,

but we need to.

Remember how it worked in Malachi's day.

The holy presence of God,

at that time dwelling particularly in the temple,

was mediated to his people through the priests.

The priests were the go-betweens, right?

This one tribe, the Levites,

out of the 12,

those were the priests

and they were the ones who went before God

and they were the ones who represented him

to the rest of the nation of Israel,

to all God's people.

But that was only the beginning

of the priests going on then.

God also called the whole nation

as a kingdom of priests.

All 12 tribes were to be a kingdom of priests

who would represent God

and carry his holy presence

to all their neighbors and to all nations.

Just as he calls every Christian today.

To mediate his presence dwelling in us

by his Holy Spirit

to all our neighbors

and to all nations.

1 Peter 2, if you need a verse for it.

We are to know him

and to make him known,

not just in this place,

but everywhere.

That's true worship.

Friends, that's why God has given us breath today.

It's what his word tells us.

It either is what we're about or it's not.

That's why we're here.

I read this week the story

of a young new believer in Africa.

Having met Jesus,

she was excited to go to worship services

at her local church.

And she did.

And sure enough, during the service,

this time came for the offering.

And a plate started being passed

through the congregation.

Being unfamiliar with this practice,

she watched and noticed

that people would reach into their pockets

and put money in the plate.

And that seemed to be the thing to do.

Except,

she was poor.

She didn't have any money.

She got the plate

when it came around to her

and didn't really know what to do with it.

So she put it on the ground.

And then she stood in it

and said in a loud voice,

God, I don't have any money,

but you can have all of me.

That's true worship.

Because it happens

not just in these walls, right?

She wasn't bringing to God

something that would happen

just while she was here

for a little bit.

But when all of us

is living all for Jesus,

that's true worship.

Amen?

Amen?

How about our lives?

Roadkill Christianity?

Or

stand in the offering plate Christianity?

There you go.

We'll call it that.

That's something.

It is now.

Roadkill Christianity?

Whatever I can find

at the end of the day?

Or all of me?

All the time?

Everywhere?

Everywhere?

Everywhere?

This call to true worship

is for all of us.

But to be faithful

to Malachi's message,

I have to point out

that he targets this message

at those called

to lead God's people,

particularly to minister

his word to them.

They are especially responsible

for the true or false worship

of God's people.

Look how he starts chapter 2

after already in chapter 1

addressing the priests.

Now he's reiterating

his focus in chapter 2.

Now, O priest,

this command is for you.

If you will not listen,

if you will not take it to heart

to give honor to my name,

says the Lord of hosts,

then I will send the curse upon you

and I will curse your blessings.

Indeed, I have already cursed them

because you do not lay it to heart.

Behold, I will rebuke your offspring

and spread dung on your faces,

the dung of your offerings,

and you shall be taken away with it.

So shall you know

that I have sent this command to you.

Even when you pronounce

a benediction, a blessing,

it will actually be a curse

because you're not honoring my name.

See, there's a profound connection

between those called

to represent God to his people,

to minister his word to them

and the hearts of his people themselves.

Whether or not they worship him appropriately

and passionately with all of their lives

is really connected to those priests.

I got to be honest with you,

I've been feeling the weight of that this week.

How does my relationship with God,

our pastor's ministry of the word,

our elders' shepherding of this flock

impact all of us?

God says it's huge

one way or the other.

We need to be praying

for our leaders, don't we?

I asked you that personally

in my last pastor's note

and I'm really thankful for y'all.

So many of you pray for me.

So many of you have come to me recently

and said I'm praying for you.

I always have been

or I'm starting now.

I'll take it either way.

I need it so much.

I feel that need more and more

and this passage will help you briefly

know more about where to pray

and where to push us

as leaders of God's people.

See, these priests in Malachi's day

are false priests.

They're actually encouraging God's people

in their roadkill Christianity.

Not speaking the truth of God's word

clearly into their lives

and so God starts with them.

God says they are not focusing

on his name, verse 1,

but rather focusing on their own name.

That's what partiality in instruction means

in verse 9.

False priests fear man more than God.

Boy, that is hard for me.

Then verse 8 highlights these dual realities

that so often go together

and we see it and you've watched it happen.

They, the priests,

are walking away from God themselves.

They're not following his word

that they are to know and love.

They're not living for his glory.

They're not worshiping him

with their whole lives.

And as a result,

they're leading others

away from God too.

Those things go hand in hand, don't they?

It's no surprise,

but it is a grievous tragedy

when that happens.

If my life doesn't display

the greatness and worth of God

and my teaching doesn't exalt

the glory and grace of God,

then those magnificent truths

become small.

In the eyes of those I'm leading.

Just so in our day,

we have many priests

seeking celebrity status

over humility.

Many have crashed on the rocks

of personal moral failure

and hidden sins

rather than honest,

fruit-bearing repentance

and faith in their struggles.

Many have allowed political

and social agendas

to cloud the clarity

of God's word

and the gospel call

because many of us struggle

with fearing man

more than God.

Is it any surprise

that in our day,

God has brought disgrace

and shame

upon preachers

and leaders

dishonoring his name?

He says,

feces on your faces

in verse 3.

He's serious

because I will not allow

one who dishonors me

to continue with my blessing.

Friends,

please pray.

Pray for all of us

as we're all called

to be a kingdom of priests

to the nations

and pray particularly

for your pastors

and elders

and any who minister

God's word to you.

Listen to how it's supposed to work.

Why God gives priests

to represent him

to his people.

Verse 5,

You see what he's saying?

His main concern

is God's name,

God's glory, right?

You hear how he walks

with God himself,

speaking God's truth,

knowing God's truth

and as a result

he leads others

away from their sin

to repent

and turn back to God?

That's the way

it's supposed to work.

These words are describing Levi

whose household

God sets up

as priests

over his people

to point them

toward him.

But who else

does that sound like?

Listen again.

My covenant with him

was one of life

and peace

and I gave them to him.

It was a covenant of fear

and he feared me.

He stood in awe

of my name.

True instruction

was in his mouth.

No wrong was found

on his lips.

He walked with me

in peace

and uprightness

and he turned many

from iniquity.

Doesn't it sound like Jesus?

Our great high priest.

The one whose zeal

for God's name

bleeds through

everything he does.

who always

follows his father's will

no matter what

it costs him.

Who actually

speaks God's

very law

himself

in whose mouth

is no deceit

ever found

at all

and who doesn't

merely lead people

away from iniquity

but actually

delivers them

from their sin

once

and for all.

See,

we get the true priest

don't we?

The one who finally

does all of this

perfectly

and then

comes to those of us

called to be priests

and you know what

he doesn't do?

He doesn't fling

dung at us

and say

get it together

you disgraceful priests

can't you live

for me more?

That's not what he does.

No,

the perfect priest

at the end

of all that perfection

he takes

the shame

the disgrace

the curse

for us

false priests

on himself

hanging

on a cross

outside

the city

beaten

bloodied

buried

in a borrowed

tomb

he takes

that on himself

to rescue

us

false

priests

and to make us

true

sons

that's our great

hope, right?

That's

that's where we find

hope

beloved by the

perfect God

because Jesus

is perfect

for us

and he

remakes us

he does that

indeed

into priests

who even

today

can be a part

of making

the name

of our great

king

glorious

among the

nations

so it's not

as we find

ourselves

perfect

but as we

find ourselves

in

Jesus

that we

find God's

true

blessing

isn't it?

Blessing

now flows

to us

instead of

curse

and the

blessing

of God

then flows

through us

to all our

neighbors

and all

nations

isn't that a

greater and more

glorious purpose

than whatever else

you're living for?

Say yes

it is

thank you

Jesus

for allowing us

to be a part

of that

love

so amazing

so divine

demands

my soul

my life

my all

sing that again

in just a minute

let's pray

and ask him

for his grace

father we do

need it

your love may

demand our soul

our life

our all

but

we'll forget

that quickly

we even forget

the glorious

good news

that we don't

have to make

ourselves

acceptable to

you this

afternoon

that Jesus

has done

that

so would you

remind us

of that

and would you

would you

give us your

grace to be

faithful priests

that's why

we're here

help us

encourage each

other in that

give us your

spirit

that your name

might be great

in this place

and among the

nations

in Jesus

name

amen

for more

information

visit us

online

at

southwood.org

anda

you

who

and

you

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