Print

MALACHI 3:13-17

"GOD'S CONTROVERSY WITH MAN"

Intro: The book of Malachi deals with many controversies God had with the
       people.

I. "YOUR WORDS HAVE BEEN STOUT OR STRONG AGAINST ME."
        A. "What have we said against you?"
                1. They had made two basic charges against God.
                        a. It doesn't pay to serve God (verse 14..
                        b. The wicked are better off than the righteous
                           (verse 15..
        B. I have heard people make these same charges against God.
                1. Usually made by one who is not fully committed.
                        a. To analyze their lives God is not first, THEY
                           ARE.
                                1. They can't afford to give to God, but
                                   always seem to manage to spend on
                                   themselves.
                                2. They don't have the time, "to read the
                                   Word and pray, time for movies or
                                   television or magazines or whatever."
                2. They have not truly served God.
                        a. They have offered lip service.
                        b. In reality they seek that God should serve
                           them.
                                1. They are really saying God hasn't
                                   obeyed their commands.
                                2. He hasn't given me what I wanted.
                                3. If God is the Lord and you His servant,
                                   how is it that you want to always give
                                   the orders and never listen?
                3. "It is vain to serve God, what profit to try to live
                   right?"
                        a. The dividends of the Christian life are not all
                           given now.
                                1. Consider the eternal rewards of the
                                   righteous life vs sinful.
                4. Those who live for themselves are happy, the wicked
                   prosper and are better off.
                        a. How do you know they are happy?
                        b. The New Testament tells of a rich man who went
                           away from Jesus sad.
                5. What folly to charge God foolishly.
                        a. I hate to hear it done, it hurts me.
                        b. How much more must it hurt Him?

II. THERE IS OTHER TALK GOING ON ABOUT GOD.
        A. They that reverence the Lord spake often one to another.
                1. How beautiful to be in a fellowship where the
                   conversation can be upon the Lord.
                2. You can tell where a persons heart is - listen to what
                   they want to talk about.
                        a. New clothes, new jewelry, new furniture.
                        b. What  trite empty conversation pieces.
                3. "Oh the Lord was so good to me this week."
                        a. He freed me from a real fleshly hang-up, my
                           motorcycle blew up.
                4. It doesn't pay to serve God, it doesn't pay to live
                   right my new bike blew up this week.
        B. God claims these as His, they are His treasure.
                1. He promises to spare them in the day of judgment.