Slide

The book of Malachi- Overview

Main point, Are you sliding? It’s time to stand!

The context, Life was hard in some regard. 

1. Life isn’t what they thought it should be

• How does this lead them to slide down a path towards disobedience? 
  • Unmet expectation can lead to frustration- “My life isn’t good therefore God isn’t good” 
• Are you sliding? It’s time to stand!
• Read Vs. 1, Malachi means “messenger”.  
  • We don’t know much about Malachi as the author but as any good prophet, the focus is on the word of the Lord rather than the messenger. He sets up the book with questions in dialect form; a statement, a response in the form of a question and then an answer. 
• The first of which is in verse 2. (READ) 
• My second point and our sermon next week is 

2. Doubt God’s love

• When life isn’t as we think it should be, we can easily ask, “God, do you still love me?”
  • Let the text speak to the tone. 
• Read vs. 13, “Oh yeah, you sure?”  Cynicism.

3. Apathetic 

• Read vs. 1:6, the way you worship God wouldn’t even be accepted by a human guest. Once you stop caring but you are still going through the motions you end up with…
  • Apathy is Half hearted obedience. And it’s miserable 
    • Before I committed myself to Jesus in Maui (2 lives)
• It’s not sustainable and it can lead to… 

4. Disobedience

• Read 2:13-14- unfaithful to their spouses / Read 2:17, redefining “good” / 3:7-8, greedy / 3:13-14, What’s the point? 
  • Can you relate? 
• Life isn’t what you thought it should be —> Doubt God’s love—> Apathetic—>  Disobedience 

1. Life isn’t what you thought it should be
   1. Are you sliding? It’s time to stand! 
2. Doubting God’s love
   1. Are you sliding? It’s time to stand!
3. Apathetic
   1. Are you sliding? It’s time to stand!
4. Disobedient
   1. Are you sliding? It’s time to stand!

 Lead to the Gospel and invite to communion