January 12th, 2025
Let’s enter into the Lord’s presence with thankful & grateful hearts on this beautiful Lord’s day in Sarasota by prayerfully reading Malachi chapter 2, giving special attention to verses 1 – 9.
A bit about the background: The people of Judah began to be exiled from the Promised Land in 605 BC, returning from Babylon seventy years later. By the time of Malachi, they had been back in the land for more than a hundred years and were looking for the blessings they expected to receive when they returned. Though the temple had been rebuilt, the fervor of those early returning Israelites gave way to a thorough apathy for the things of God. This led to rampant corruption among the priesthood and a spiritual lethargy among the people.
Our focus today is Verses 1 – 9 and they deal with the apathy & corruption of the spiritual leaders of Malachi’s day. Can you identify their corruption?
V. 1 – What were they not taking seriously? “to honor _____ ________.”
V. 2 - 4 – What did God promise would happen to these leaders if they failed to take His name seriously? _____________________________. A spiritual principle to remember is ‘with great blessings from the Lord, come great responsibility before the Lord.’ God’s Word is very clear: sin has serious consequences.
V. 5 – Why did God give His covenant to these leaders? ________________________ Why does God give us His Word, the Bible? ________________________ (see Psalm 119: 105).
Vs. 6 – 7 – What did God expect from these spiritual leaders? ___________________________________. What does God expect from our lives as followers of Jesus? – See 2 Timothy 2: 2; Matthew 28:19-20 ________________.
Vs. 8 – 9 – What were the consequences of the leader’s apathy and indifference toward the Lord and His Word? _________________________________.
PAUSE & CONSIDER: Are there any attitudes of apathy in your relationship with the Lord? (concerning His Word, His calling to pray, His people as a church, His mission to be a witness, His blessings financially)
PRAY Psalm 115: 1 – “Heavenly Father, as I consider what You have done for me by _________________________________, I humbly bow before you confessing – “ Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness. I desire to give You all glory and praise through my life surrendered to You, for I pray in Jesus’. Name, Amen!
A bit about the background: The people of Judah began to be exiled from the Promised Land in 605 BC, returning from Babylon seventy years later. By the time of Malachi, they had been back in the land for more than a hundred years and were looking for the blessings they expected to receive when they returned. Though the temple had been rebuilt, the fervor of those early returning Israelites gave way to a thorough apathy for the things of God. This led to rampant corruption among the priesthood and a spiritual lethargy among the people.
Our focus today is Verses 1 – 9 and they deal with the apathy & corruption of the spiritual leaders of Malachi’s day. Can you identify their corruption?
V. 1 – What were they not taking seriously? “to honor _____ ________.”
V. 2 - 4 – What did God promise would happen to these leaders if they failed to take His name seriously? _____________________________. A spiritual principle to remember is ‘with great blessings from the Lord, come great responsibility before the Lord.’ God’s Word is very clear: sin has serious consequences.
V. 5 – Why did God give His covenant to these leaders? ________________________ Why does God give us His Word, the Bible? ________________________ (see Psalm 119: 105).
Vs. 6 – 7 – What did God expect from these spiritual leaders? ___________________________________. What does God expect from our lives as followers of Jesus? – See 2 Timothy 2: 2; Matthew 28:19-20 ________________.
Vs. 8 – 9 – What were the consequences of the leader’s apathy and indifference toward the Lord and His Word? _________________________________.
PAUSE & CONSIDER: Are there any attitudes of apathy in your relationship with the Lord? (concerning His Word, His calling to pray, His people as a church, His mission to be a witness, His blessings financially)
PRAY Psalm 115: 1 – “Heavenly Father, as I consider what You have done for me by _________________________________, I humbly bow before you confessing – “ Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness. I desire to give You all glory and praise through my life surrendered to You, for I pray in Jesus’. Name, Amen!
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