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Half-hearted won’t do, God wants all of you.

  • Malachi 1:6-2:9, pg. 801 in the pew bibles
    • William Price Reading Malachi 1:6-11
INTRO
  • We’ve seen the kid lip off to his parents. “Shut up, mom” Shut the %@*& up, mom!” It hurts the soul. The only reason I didn’t say anything was because the mom was laughing so instead I gave the kid the dad death stare… he stopped.  
    • Why? Because it’s innate to respect and honor those who are in authority above us. It taps into the original order of creation. There was no question who was God and who wasn’t before the fall. But what about now? Do we treat God with honor? Do we respect him? The bigger question, do our actions fall in line with honor and respect? 
  • READ vs. 6a
    • God / Father  & Lord/ Savior
      • Lord of Hosts (God of the Angel Armies, MSG)
    • Note it said, to the Priests. Well wait, isn’t this text just for you? Isn’t that contextually for church leadership? Yes, but not the way you might think, because as NT Christians, we are all leaders in that sense. 
      • The bible says we are all priests. 

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

  • There are still distinctions in the rolls within the body of Christ, some are called to preach, teach, admin, serving, prayer, but in regards to the roll of priest, we are all called to sacrifice, not on the alter anymore, Jesus did that once for all, but to sacrifice, to give of, our lives. And not a sacrifice that brings death, Jesus did that, but one that is living, because Jesus rose again. 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, Romans 12:1a

MAIN POINT- Half-hearted won’t do, God wants all of you.

1. Half-hearted

  • Half-hearted: Unenthusiastic, luke warm, apathetic
    • How does our text convey this?
  • Read vs. 1:6b-8 
    • You wouldn’t give an Honored guest what you give your God.
  • Read v s. 13
    • Basically offering road kill to God 
    • They were still “obeying” / Going through the motions
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      • Growing weary
      • They are the priests
        • As the leaders go, the people go 
  • Read 2:8 
    • Losing their witness, setting a pace of apathy
  • Application– Does this happen to us? 
    • Giving God your left overs 
    • Unanswered prayer
    • Weary because it’s the same ol’ same ol’
  • Half-hearted won’t do, God wants all of you.

2. Won’t do

  • Read 1:6b- Despise 
  • 1:10a- No pleasure 
  • 1:12-13, Profane: dishonoring, irreverent, offensive
  • 1:14- Cursed
  • 2:3 & 9
  • Are we getting the idea of how God feels about Half-heartedness? 

“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Revelation 3:15–17

  • Half-hearted won’t do, God wants all of you.

3. God wants

  • vs. 1:9a. How? By remembering who God is!
  • vs. 1:10 / vs. 1:11 / 14b / 2:4-6 / 
  • 2:7 We are God’s messanger! 2 Cor. 5- Ambassadors for Christ!
  • Half-hearted won’t do, God wants all of you.

4. All of you

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1

:Spiritual: pertaining to being genuine, in the sense of being true to the real and essential nature of something” Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains

  • Application- Take up our cross! Die daily! This ALREADY, NOT YET reality!
    • Half-hearted won’t do, God wants all of you.
  • Reread 2:5
    • Better covenant! 
    • We have no excuse. Jesus did it all. sacrificial lamb 
      • May we not Dispise the Lords table. 
    • God gave all of himself to you, may we give all of our selves to him! 
      • Lead into communion 
      • Elders available to pray
  • Half-hearted won’t do, God wants all of you.
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