Malachi 1:1-5 “Loved”
Jessica reading Text
Main point- “You are Loved”
“I love you”. It’s a common expression. We say this often in our home. Marriages where the words, “I love you” fall short. Commentary, “One of the most crippling foes we face is familiarity with the truth.” Ellsworth, R. (2007). Opening up Malachi
- Vs. 2 “‘I have Loved you,’ says the LORD” / Does he?
- John 3:16, we have mostly all heard it. Yeah, yeah, I know, God loves everybody.
- I do believe God loves the world soo much that he offers his son so that we can experience his love for all who believe. There’s common grace, (EXPLAIN), but does he love everyone the same?
- In a study done last year 97% of American Christians believe God “loves all people, regardless of their faults” Source
- I can see that, “God is love” 1 John, so in one sense his character exudes love, but it also exudes justice, and therefore wraith.
The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. John 3:35–36
- To the religious leaders trying to kill him he says…
But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. John 5:42
- We offerer God’s love to all. But does God love all people to the same degree? As one writer puts it, “Does he love Nero (the first century tyrant) to the same degree as Billy Graham”?
- Syndrome: And when everyone’s super, (Evil Laugh) no-one will be.
Beloved, let us love one another, (Address our love for others, God is all knowing, he knows, but we don’t, so we invite all, love all, in hopes that God may save some) for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God (Born again) and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (His love offered) In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 1 John 4:7–9
What’s my point? That there is a special love reserved for those who believe.
“God loves us with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Un-breaking, Always and Forever Love” Jesus Storybook Bible.
You are Loved
- Please keep your finger in Malachi and turn to Romans 8:36-39 pg. 945
- We will be going back and forth between the 2.
- PUTS an EXCLAMATION POINT on his points by saying this…
- READ Romans 8:36-39
- We offer this love to all people. This is reserved for all who believe.
- (Turn back to) Read Vs. 2b in Malachi, “How have you loved loved us”
- MSG- “Really? How have you loved us?”
“In all centuries since creation the human heart has not changed- it always questions what God affirms.” Liberty Bible Commentary
- Since the garden, the original lie “Did God really say…”
- Did God really say he loves me with a “Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Un-breaking, Always and Forever Love”?
You are Loved
- And then God answers, but it’s an interesting answer, Read vs. 2c
- What in the world does this mean?
- Paul basically exegetes, expounds scripture, Malachi 1:1-5 in Romans 8:36-9
- Paul starts Romans 9 in sorrow over this very “slide” into unbelief. Unmet expectation—> doubting God’s love —> Apathy —> Half hearted Obedience—> Disobedience.
- What in the world does this mean?
- Turn back to —> Read Romans 9:3
- He begins to make the point that is made in God’s response. That he choose a people to love, invited them and blessed them. How?
- Romans 9:4-5
- He choose a people to love BUT they became Apathetic, half hearted and disobedient. So did God’s plan fail?
- Romans 9:6-13 Quotes Malachi
- Read Malachi 1:3-4
- Distinction between the people chosen by God and all others.
- Is that fair? Is it just?
- Distinction between the people chosen by God and all others.
- Romans 9:14-24a
You are Loved
- Romans 9:24b- It’s available to all who have faith!
- Malachi 1:5 & Romans 9:25-26
- So what happened? How can we not fall into the same trap of Apathy, half heartedness, & disobedience? What can we learn from the Prophet Malachi as the people of God in the post-exile desired to restore the temple fo God, the word of God, the worship of God, and ways of God, what can we learn from them for us to restore our church?
- Romans 9:30-32
You are Loved by Faith