Failing to Prioritize God

 

Failing to Prioritize God

GEN. 13:8-13

 

SUBJECT: Carnality/Emotional Orientation

THEME: the Believer persisting in carnality ignoring the leadership of our Lord is destined for spiritual failure.

RELEVANCE: So many people rely on their feelings, thoughts, intuition, families, and experiences far more than God, His Spirit, or Word for guidance and decisions. No doubt we all want to be spiritually successful like Abraham and avoid the miserable catastrophes of Lot’s failures! Consider the elements that make spiritual failure; they must be avoided to be successful in fulfilling God’s plan for our lives!

INTRODUCTION:

Lot was a failure because of his carnality…he remained a feeling dominated person and never became a Spirit and Word obedient person! 

Erroneous standards, priorities, and decisions are the third major factor in Lot’s wrong choice to move closer to Sodom and his ultimate failure in life.

THE EVIDENCE OF BAD PRIORITIES AND DECISIONS

Gen 13:11-13, Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12, Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13, But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

A Believer who is weak in his devotions, worldly in his desires, will also be wrong in his decisions. Lot chose all the plain of Jordan and separated himself from his godly uncle Abraham. Before long he had his tent pitched toward Sodom and the Bible tells us that the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked sinners before the LORD!

a)     Lot’s Decision Was Wrong Because of His Enduring Carnality!

Again, to be “carnal” or “carnally minded” refers our thoughts, desires, and behaviors governed by our fallen human nature and worldly appetites rather than by the Holy Spirit. Enduring or remaining in a state of carnality carries severe spiritual dangers!  

1. Carnality Directly Leads to Spiritual Death. The most immediate and severe consequence of unyielding carnality is total spiritual separation from the life of God. Romans 8:6, For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Two different ways of living and thinking are contrasted here:

·       The Carnal Mind (Death): If our life and thoughts are centered purely on worldly appetites, self-gratification, or sin, it results in spiritual death. As believers, it is cut off from fellowship with God. Not sonship, but fellowship or close spiritual communion with God.

·       The Spiritual Mind (Life and Peace): If a believer allows the Holy Spirit to direct their heart and mind—focusing on Christ, Scripture, and God’s grace—it leads to spiritual vitality, freedom, and deep inner peace. Clearly, Lot was carnally minded in this decision!  

2. Carnality Places us in Direct Opposition to God. A carnal mindset creates a heart that is hostile toward God and cannot submit to His law. Romans 8:7, Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Paul contrasts life motivated by the flesh (leading to spiritual death and separation) with life lived in the Spirit (bringing peace, life, and security in Christ).  

·         Hostility Towards God: When our lifestyle or mindset centered purely on the flesh, it is fundamentally opposed to God’s character, will, and law.

·        Moral/Spiritual Inability: Left to itself, the unrenewed human mind cannot naturally obey or please God. Transformation requires the intervention and regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.

The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God. There are countless examples of this enmity and contrariness in people in the Scriptures. Think of Abraham marrying Hagar; Lot choosing Sodom; Moses smiting the Egyptian; Joshua making a deal with the Gibeonites; Saul sparing king Agage and the Amalekite Cattle; Solomon’s political marriages; Jonah fleeing to Tarshish instead of going to Nineveh as God said to. All of these illustrate this principle of rebellion that characterize the “carnal mind.” What we Christians want is the mind of Christ, that is yielding our minds to the Spirit’s control. —Unknown

3. Carnality Makes It Impossible to Please God. Operating from a state of carnality means one cannot please God. Romans 8:8, So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

·        “In the flesh”: Refers to an unregenerate person—someone whose life is governed and controlled by their sinful, self-reliant human nature rather than the guidance of God’s Spirit. It is not a reference to simply having a physical human body, but to a spiritual state of living independently from God—living in rebellion.

·        “Cannot please God”: A person living entirely under the sway of the sinful nature lacks the spiritual life, faith, and alignment with God’s will needed to offer anything acceptable to Him. Human effort, morality, or religion detached from God cannot bridge this serious gorge!

William Evans stated, “The entire nature of man, mentally, morally, spiritually, physically, is sadly affected by sin. The understanding is darkened (Eph. 4:18; 1 Cor. 2:14); the heart is deceitful and wicked (Jer. 17:9,10); the mind and conscience are defiled (Gen. 6:5; Titus 1:15); the flesh and spirit are defiled (2Cor. 7:5); the Will is enfeebled (Rom. 7:18; and we are utterly destitute of any Godlike qualities which meet the requirements of God’s holiness (Rom. 7:18).”

Believers are rescued from this state not by their own fleshly performance, but through faith in Jesus Christ and the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:1–9).

4. Carnality Breeds Strife, Envy, and Division. Enduring carnality disrupts church unity, leading individuals to act like worldly people rather than spiritual believers. 1 Corinthians 3:3, For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

They were “babes in Christ” and feed on spiritual “milk” instead of “meat” (deep doctrine) because they were not mature enough to handle it (1 Corinthians 3:1–2).

·        “Ye are yet carnal”: They were still controlled or heavily influenced by the “flesh” (carnal). They are saved believers, but they live according to human, sinful impulses rather than yielding to the Holy Spirit.

·        “Envying, and strife, and divisions”: We have concrete proof of their carnality. Being jealous of one another’s spiritual gifts, arguing over favorite church leaders (such as Paul or Apollos), and splitting into hostile factions—is carnality. Lot through conflict separated from holy influences in his life.

·        “Walk as men”: Is to conduct your daily lifestyle acting like ‘mere humans’ behaving no differently than people of the unregenerate world who do not know God, rather than acting like transformed followers of Christ.

Human Christian leaders are just servants! We must stop boasting in men, leaders, or officials and recognize that God is the one who brings spiritual growth (1 Cor. 3:4-8). We are to unite around the central figure of the Lord!

It is not difficult to determine a believer's spiritual maturity, or immaturity, if you discover what kind of “diet” he enjoys. The immature believer knows little about the present ministry of Christ in heaven. He knows the facts about our Lord's life and ministry on earth, but not the truths about His present ministry in heaven. He lives on "Bible stories" and not Bible doctrines. He has no understanding of 1 Cor 2:6-7. –W. W. Wiesrbe

5. Carnality Reaps Corruption and God’s Judgment. Persisting in the flesh yields a destructive harvest rather than eternal life. The principle of carnality reaping corruption is most famously articulated in Galatians 6:7–8: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

To “sow to the flesh” is carnality—it is living according to selfish, sensual, or sinful desires rather than God’s will. Such a lifestyle leads to “corruption” (decay, ruin, moral and spiritual degradation) and finally God’s judgment.

b)    Lot’s Decision Was Wrong Because of the Wickedness of Sodom

Gen. 13:13, But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Among many other sins, Sodom WAS A CESSPOOL OF HOMOSEXUALITY! Rom.1:24-28 gives us God’s current perspective on this type of sin! The key is redemption through Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 6:9-11)! Not hating the person but certainly rejecting this carnal lifestyle. Consider verse 13:13 carefully:

·        “But the men of Sodom...”: Interrupts the narrative about Abram and Lot to expose the true moral condition of the place Lot chose to approach.

·        “...were wicked and sinners...”: They lived in deep moral corruption, characterized by pride, violence, and flagrant social decay.

·        “...before the LORD...”: Their sins were not hidden from God; they occurred in direct, open defiance of His presence and authority.

·        “...exceedingly”: Their degeneracy had reached an extreme, unrestrained level.

After Abram and Lot split, Lot chose the fertile Jordan Valley ‘toward Sodom’ because it looked rich and prosperous, prioritizing physical comfort over spiritual safety. A dramatic warning to us all that living close to severe corruption is never neutral. Pitching a tent near Sodom eventually led Lot to dwell inside the city itself (Genesis 19), exposing his family and himself to its destructive culture.

c)     Lot’s Decision Was Wrong Because of God’s Wrath Against Sodom

Gen 13:10, And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

The Spiritual Conditions were Right for God’s Judgment to Fall! That is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah…God’s judgment was a direct response to a deeply rooted and unrepented evil.

Gen 19:24-25, Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;  25,  And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

Gen 19:27-29, And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: 28,  And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.  29, And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that....

This is not evidence for God accepting sin, greed, manipulation, selfishness, or homosexuality as legitimate lifestyles; He condemns them all as gross sin! 

Critics and theological readers question the fairness of destroying an entire city—which would have included children, infants, and potentially marginalized or coerced individuals—rather than singling out guilty actors. —Randy Duncan

Biblical historians and scholars estimate—based on the time Lot lived in the region—that Sodom was morally corrupt or ungodly for at least 15 to 25 years, though the text itself does not mark a formal countdown for their repentance.—Bible Tools  

In Genesis 18:23–32, Abraham intercedes for the city, asking if God would spare it if fifty, forty, thirty, twenty, or even ten righteous people could be found. God agrees to spare the entire city for the sake of just ten righteous individuals. However, this society had fallen into total, unrepentant corruption without even a tiny core of righteousness.—Got Questions  

2 Peter 2:6, warns that this destruction serves as a moral lesson to those who would live ungodly in the future to demonstrate that persistent and unchecked wickedness has severe consequences.

                     4. WHAT IS THE POINT?

Now, the point is … if we are weak in our devotions, worldly in our desires then we will certainly be wrong in our decisions! As a result, we will consistently miss the WILL OF GOD FOR OUR LIVES! 

Galatians 5:16, This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

·        Primary Instruction to Us: “Walk in the Spirit”— living, acting, and being guided day-by-day under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit.

·        The Promise/Consequence to Take to Heart: “ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” — yielding to the Spirit naturally breaks the power and completion of sinful or selfish desires.

·        Immediately Focus: In Galatians 5:17–18, the sinful nature (“the flesh”) and the Spirit oppose one another, and that those who are led by the Spirit are not under the bondage of the law.

It does not matter how sincerely you and I try to do what is right; we will continue to fail in spiritual things until we are ready to allow God by His Spirt and Word to order our lives! Direct fellowship with God and treating relationship with Him as the highest treasure is anchored in several key scriptures:

• Matthew 6:21: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” — What you value most claims your time, devotion, and affection.

• Matthew 6:19–20: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth... But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven...” — Shifting focus from temporary things to eternal communion with God. Beloved, we must treasure fellowship with the Most High God above all else!

  Our Prayer is, “Lord Lead Me by Your Precious Word!”  “May God’s statements be my plan, my compass, my guide, my leader to spiritual success, and my restrainer from all evil!”     

Ps 119:133, Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

Ps 37:23-24, The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.  24,  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Are you persisting in carnality as opposed to growing in the Lord? Who leads your life? Who or what influences most of your decisions? How often do you study the Bible? How regularly do you attend church? In what specifically have you disobeyed God? What or who are your eyes focused on? Isn’t it time to build an ‘alter’ to the Most High God?

 

 

“The Foundation of Our Prayers”

Spiritual Leadership in the Church Series

1 Tim 2:5-7

 

THEME: churches are to conduct their services with order with prayer to God in Jesus Names as the first Priority.

INTRODUCTION:

Church prayers like private prayers are rooted in Christ and the privileges He affords each believer. Yes, our prayers have a glorious foundation in Jesus Christ. 

MESSAGE:

The Basis For Prayer (1 Tim.2:5–7).

            1.  The Perfect Mediator.

Many believers do not realize that prayer is based on the work of Jesus Christ as Savior and Mediator. 

a. There is one God.

1) God is one; therefore, He is the God of all men, and prayer should be addressed to Him in behalf of all men.

·       As the one God, He desires the salvation of all men. If He were one of many gods, He might be concerned only about His own worshipers.

2) There is no other way of salvation (Acts 4:12).

Acts 4:12, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

3) Hence there is the need to pray for the lost to come to know the one true God (Deut. 4:35,39; 6:4; Is. 43:10; 44:6; 45:5,6,21,22; 46:9; 1 Cor. 8:4,6). 

b. As The God-Man, Jesus Christ Is The Perfect Mediator Between The Holy God And His Failing Children.

1) Mediator refers to someone who intervenes between two parties to resolve a conflict or ratify a covenant.

·       One Mediator between God and men. This being so, no man can come to God in any other way.

o   A mediator is a go-between, a middleman who can stand between two and communicate with both.

o   Through Christ, Himself Man, God is enabled to approach men with forgiveness of sins. Consequently any poor sinner can approach Him, and will by no means be rejected. 

·       Jesus Christ is the only “Mediator” who can restore peace between God and sinners. (see Heb. 9:11–15).

o   Hebrews 8:6, But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

o   Hebrews 9:15, And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

o   Hebrews 12:24, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

·       “Mediator is a concept derived from the ceremonial worship prescribed in the Old Testament. In the tabernacle and later in the temple, the priests meditated between God and the Israelites by offering animal sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people and by interceding to God for the nation. In their position as mediators, the priests were the only ones eligible to enter the Holy Place, the place where God had made His presence known.” ---(Nelson Study Bible)   

2) One of Job’s complaints had to do with the absence of a mediator who could take his message to the throne of God. “Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.” (Job 9:33).

3) Since there is only one God, there is need for only one Mediator; and that Mediator is Jesus Christ. No other person can qualify. (1Tim. 2:5)

·       Christ Jesus is both God and man, and, therefore, can be the “umpire” between God and man. There is one God from whom salvation is available. There is only one way to Him, through the Mediator, Christ Jesus, who has the full nature of God and the full nature of man. Christ has identified with us; He understands us perfectly and represents us at the right hand of God the Father (see Rom. 8:34).

·       Paul identifies the Mediator as the Man, Christ Jesus. This does not deny the deity of the Lord Jesus. In order to be the Mediator between God and men, He must be both God and Man. The Lord Jesus is God from all eternity, but He became Man in Bethlehem’s manger. He represents the whole race of humanity. The fact that He is both God and Man is indicated in the name Christ Jesus. Christ describes Him as God’s anointed One, the Messiah. Jesus is the name given to Him in Incarnation.

4) “The verse effectively answers the teaching so common today that the blessed Virgin Mary or angels or saints are mediators between God and man. There is only one Mediator, and His name is Christ Jesus.

Verse 5 summarizes the messages of the OT and NT. One God was the message of the OT entrusted to Israel; one Mediator—the message of the NT entrusted to the church. As Israel failed in her responsibility by worshiping idols, so the professing church has failed in her responsibility by introducing other mediators—Mary, saints, clergy, etc.”     --- MacDonald, W.

c. In His Perfect Life And Substitutionary Death, He Met The Just Demands Of God’s Holy Law. (1Tim. 2:6)

1) He was the “ransom for all.” This is the work of the Mediator (v. 5) giving Himself a ransom for all.    (1Tim. 2:6)

·       The word ransom means “a price paid to free a slave.”

·       The ransom is a payment given instead of a slave or prisoner—that is, in substitution for him or her. The person holding the slave accepts the payment as a substitute.

·       According to Gal. 3:13, Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. The law held us captive in its condemnation, and no one but Christ could pay the price to release us from this bondage.

o   Galatians 3:13, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

·       Christ substituted His life for ours. Our sins had separated us from God and held us in condemnation. Christ paid the penalty for our sins so that we could be reconciled to our Father and freed us from the prison of the Law.

2) His death was “for all” or “on behalf of all people.”

·       Though the death of Christ is efficient only for those who trust Him, it is sufficient for the sins of the whole world.

·       Jesus said that He came “to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). (see Mark 10:45)

·       This verse is one of many which teach that the death of Christ was substitutionary. He died in behalf of all. Whether all will accept it is another question, but the fact remains that the redemptive work of Christ was sufficient in value for all.

            2.  The Perfect Method.

Christ died for “all men,” and God is willing for “all men to be saved.” How does this Good News get out to a sinful world? (1Tim. 2:6)

a. God Calls And Ordains Messengers Who Take The Gospel To Lost Sinners.

1) To Be Testified In Due Time Means That The Testimony Concerning Christ’s Substitutionary Work Was To Be Borne In Its Own Time. (1Tim. 2:6)

·       The same God who desires the salvation of all men and provided the way of salvation for all men, has decreed that the gospel message should go out in this age in which we live.

·       All of this is designed to demonstrate the overwhelming longing on the part of God to save and bless mankind.

2) Paul Was One Of These Messenger! (1Tim. 2:6-7)

·       He Was A Preacher (The Herald Of The King).

o   As a final evidence of God’s desire for the salvation of all men, Paul states that he was “ordained” or appointed a preacher and an apostle to the Gentiles.

·       Then, as now, Gentiles constituted the greater portion of the population of the world.

·       It was not to one small segment of mankind, such as the Jews, that the apostle was sent, but rather to the Gentile nations.

o   Paul had been appointed a preacher (herald or messenger; see 2 Tim. 1:11).

·       A preacher is literally a proclaimer of the gospel.

·       He was to declare the gospel to the majority of the human race, not only to the Jews.

·       A herald was one who brought important news, much like our announcers at important events or like political ambassadors.

·       Thus, as Paul reminded the Ephesians, it can be seen that God desires everyone to be saved.

·       He was An Apostle (One Sent With A Special Commission). (1Tim. 2:7)

o   He speaks of himself as an apostle also.

·       The duties of an apostle may be somewhat broader—he not only preaches the gospel but plants churches, guides local churches in matters of order and discipline, and speaks with authority as one sent by the Lord Jesus Christ.

·       He operated with a sense of divine commission (1 Cor 15:7-11).

·       He was sent by God on a mission to establish Gospel ministries abroad.

o   Those who felt that the gospel was only for Jews in the Ephesian Church  were evidently being corrected.

·       This was a common problem, remember the case of Peter (Acts 10:9-43; Gal. 2:11-13).

·       Thus Paul cited his own commission as apostle . . . to the Gentiles as a clincher.

·       He was A Teacher. He was one who expounds the word of God in such a manner that it will be understood by the people. (1Tim. 2:7)

o   To give added emphasis to what he is saying, Paul confirms his claim to be a teacher of the Gentiles by the words “I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not.”

o   Teacher of the Gentiles describes the ministry to which Paul had been commissioned (see Acts 9:15; Rom. 11:13).

·       Faith refers to one’s initial salvation (justification);

·       Verity (truth) relates to the believer’s growth in salvation (sanctification).

·       Paul was called not only to preach the gospel to the Gentiles but also to guide their growth in the truth.

·       This is why he left Timothy at Ephesus. Timothy was to charge the Ephesians not to teach other doctrines, fables, or endless genealogies (1:4).

o   The words “in faith and verity” may describe the faithful and honest way in which the apostle carried out his teaching ministry, but more probably they describe the contents of his teaching. In other words, he taught the Gentiles in matters pertaining to faith and verity. (1Tim. 2:6)

o   Paul’s assurances of his truthfulness were stylistic devices designed to stress the importance of his point (Rom. 9:1; 2 Cor. 11:31; Gal. 1:20).

b. The same God who ordains the end (the salvation of the lost) also ordains the means to the end: prayer and preaching of the Word. This Good News ministry should still define us today. 

c. If the basis for prayer is the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ on the cross, then prayer is a most important activity in a church.

·       Not to pray is to slight the cross! To pray only for ourselves is to deny the worldwide outreach of the cross. To ignore lost souls is to ignore the cross.

·       “All men” [people] is the key to this paragraph: We pray for “all” because Christ died for “all” and it is God’s will that “all” be saved. We must give ourselves to God to be a part of His worldwide program to reach people before it is too late.

 

A Season for Helping Others

 

Luke 6:38

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom.

Jesus speaks of love that is not conditional or based on presuppositions. Generosity supplies another’s need but is also free of qualifiers and conditions for genuine disciples.  

It is a fixed principle in life that we reap according to our sowing, that our actions react upon us, that the same measure we use to others is measured back to us. If we sow material things we reap spiritual treasures of inestimable value. It is also true that what we keep we lose, and what we give we have^[1]

Helping others simply is giving something or being kind to another. It's a compassionate act that seeks another’s relief without any expectations of them in return. Many disciples are naturally geared toward this form of kindness, while some of us need a little push, opportunity, encouragement, or situation (Luke 6:38, 2Cor. 9:6-8).

Besides obey the Lord Jesus by making a difference in someone else's life, this is a great way to give your life more meaning. Accordingly, helping others improves your sense of purpose and identity in Christ. It also helps make the world a better place and strengthens our bonds with other people. Evidence even shows that helping others can also reduce stress as well as improve mood, self-esteem, and personal happiness. Certainly, passages like this and our passion should be the foundation for our giving, and it is not merely how much we give, but how much love we put into giving (Hebrews 13:16; Luke 6:30; John 15:13).

There are so many ways to help others as part of our everyday lives (Eph. 4:32; Prov. 19:17; 11:24-25), and this season clearly presents many opportunities. Good deeds need not take a great deal of time or cost large amounts of money. Many times, sharing a form of kindness means giving a portion of ourselves.

Finally, it was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” He understood the necessity of giving yourself. Then perhaps we all are familiar with this empowering priority, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:31). This golden rule perspective highlights the proactive gold standard of helping others whatever the season. Truly a fundamental responsibility of disciples of Christ, and an underlying ethical principle for life.

 

---

^[1] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1391.

Honoring God’s Name

 

Honoring God’s Name

Mal 1:6-7

SUBJECT: NEGLECT OF WORSHIP

THEME: As We Serve God with Respect and Sincerity, Our Ministries Will Honor Him. This Must Be our Number One Priority in a Life of Worship.

RELEVANCE:  Have we succumbed to problems of neglect, expediency-convenience, and outright disobedience? Do we have a proper perspective of God, or do we doubt His faithfulness to His promises?  

Such opinions lead to widespread unfaithfulness, and it affects the worship of others. We need to renew our perspective, reestablish our hope, and promote a proper faithfulness to God.

INTRODUCTION:

1.  Wherever there are privileges there are also perils (Mal. 1:6; 2:1, 7)! What sins were the priests committing as they carried on their duties in the restored temple?

2.  Not surprisingly, the exiles who had returned to Judah and Jerusalem and lost a sense of God's love for them were unable to muster much love for Him in return. This showed in the way they kept up superficial religious behavior which actually insulted God.

3.  Beloved, have we “despised” God by offering unacceptable worship in direct violation of the word. Are we treating God in a way that we would not dare treat our human or spiritual leaders, family members, or fellow church members (1:8). Perhaps it’s time for us to repent also (1:9)!  By our “polluted” worship, and meaningless church exercises we demonstrated our disrespect for God (1:12-14). Aren’t we making the same mistakes?

MESSAGE:

I.  Give God the Honor Worthy of His Name.   (Mal. 1:6-7)

God focuses on the priests, who should have been the spiritual leaders of the land. The priests were not giving honor to God’s name; they were taking the best for themselves.

A.  THE ALLEGATION (Mal. 1:6)

This is the point made in v. 6. A person who is subordinate shows respect for his superior.

   1.  The Standard Expectation.  “A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master”

      — It is Normal for Fathers and Masters to Receive Respect.

      — Honor is high respect, as that shown for special merit; esteem. Glory or recognition; distinction.  The dignity accorded to position.

     A.  Affection— Fatherhood is a Matter of Relationship.   (Mal. 1:6) “If then I be a father”

           1.  Family Love and Responsibilities Reveal our obligations to God.

           2.  The Lord Jesus, Taught on the Fatherhood of God.

Matthew 7:11, If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

           3.  The Apostle Paul Taught on the Fatherhood of God.

Hebrews 12:9, Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

           4.   The Obligations of Love and Respect are to Always Mark our relationship With God.

While it is true that many know nothing about showing respect and honor for parents, God expects his children to love and honor Him.   Exodus 20:12, Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

     B.  Assignment— Mastery is a Matter of Responsibility.  (Mal. 1:6) “If I be a master”

           1.  This refers to a Master & Servant Relationship and Service is the main emphasis. 

           2.  The Priest Were Special Servants of God.

                 — Like the rest of God’s people, they came under the claims of children and the responsibilities;                                                     

                 — But, as priests, they were children honored with special trusts. They were favored children, and were obligated to be models to the rest of the children.

           3.  But they offered God crippled and lame animals as sacrifices. Such actions by priests and people revealed contempt for God, whom they should have honored as “the great King” He is (v. 14).

           4.  The obligation of the servant to the master is similar to that of the son to the father, but in the case of the child there is the help of personal affection. 

           5.  It is our duty to honor the Lord.

1 Tim. 6:1-2, Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. [2] And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

APPLICATION: If God is first in our hearts our choices will reflect love for Him, and our every action will honor Him. Those in authority are worthy of respect (1 Sam 24:5-6). David had great respect for Saul, in spite of the fact that Saul was trying to kill him. Although Saul was sinning and rebelling against God, David still respected the position he held as God’s anointed king. David knew he would one day be king, and he also knew it was not right to strike down the man God had placed on the throne. If he assassinated Saul, he would be setting a precedent for his own opponents to remove him some day.

Rom 13:1-7 teaches that God has placed the government and its leaders in power. We may not know why, but, like David, we are to respect the positions and roles of those to whom God has given authority. There is one exception, however. Because God is our highest authority, we should not allow a leader to pressure us to violate God’s word.

Titus 2:9-10, Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; [10] Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

1 Peter 2:17-19, Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. [18] Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. [19] For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

   2.  The Indictment Clarified.    (Mal. 1:6) “Where is mine honor?” “. . . where is my fear?”

God’s complaint against Judah is that, though He has called this people into a relationship with Himself, the people have refused to honor Him.

     A.  Where is God’s Honor as Your Father?

            1.  God was the Father of Israel by creation, election, preservation, watchful guardianship (Deut 32:6; 64:8).   Exodus 4:22, And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

Isaiah 63:16, Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.

            2.  Out of Personal Affection for Him We Should Honor Him. 

                   — The word “honor” also means “glory.”

                   — The glory of God is spoken of frequently throughout the Scriptures (He is even called “the King of glory,” Ps. 24:7-10).

                   — The fact that glory and honor are due to the LORD is far beyond dispute.

            3.  Israel’s actions go beyond disrespect; they have “despised” God’s name (v. 6).

                A.  To regard with contempt or scorn or hold as insignificant.

                        1.  To feel contempt or look down on someone or something because it is thought to be bad, worthless, or distasteful.

                        2.  To regard as unworthy of one’s notice, consideration or interest. It may suggest an emotional response ranging from strong dislike to loathing.

                        3.  Contemn implies a vehement condemnation of a person or thing as low, vile, or feeble.

                B.  The opposite of highly esteeming.

            4.  As the prophet pointed out, a son honors his father—and God had been a Father to Judah.

                   — The fifth of the Ten Commandments states that children are to honor their parents (Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16).

                   — Disobedient children who rebelled against discipline were to be stoned (Deut. 21:18-21).                                 

                   — Therefore should the nation which considered itself a “son“ of the Lord be less obedient?

     B.  Where is God’s Fear as Your Master?

            1.  A Master's Claim Only Illustrate God’s Claims of Honor from Us.

                  — Israelites might consider the Lord the Master of Israel. Scripture presents Israel as the Lord’s servant.  Isaiah 44:1-2,  Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: [2] Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

                  — How could the nation that was the Lord’s servant be disrespectful to Him?  

            2. “Fear” of God does not mean being terrified of Him;

                  — It means a proper respect and reverence for Him,

                  — A reverence that leads to worship and obedience.(Deut. 6:5 with Deut. 6:13).

                  — Where is the fear, respect, reverence the Lord deserves. “If I be a Master, where is my fear? saith the Lord. of host.”

            3.  A servant shows respect to his master;

                   — God is rightly called “Lord” and “Master” by His people.

                   — Why then was God treated in Judah as unimportant?

Luke 6:46, And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

             4.  There is no necessary affection in this relationship, there is simply obligation and duty. A servant is bound to serve.

                   — Apply to the priests, who were precisely the servants of Jehovah's house, or temple.

                   — He had a right to claim service that would honor him, that would show reverence and fear, and would make others think highly of him. But that kind of service the priests were failing to render.

     C.  Where is God’s Honor as Your LORD?  “You O priests, that despise my name.”

          1.  Despise Means:

                A.  To regard with contempt or scorn.

                B.  To dislike intensely; loathe.

                C.  To regard as unworthy of one's interest or concern.

                        — A failure to look at attentively; observe closely.
                        — A failure to take into account; consider.

                D.  The opposite of highly esteeming.

          2.  God’s Name Means:

                A.  The Name of God is God himself and all that has to do with him.

                B.  In ancient Israel, a name was a symbol of a person’s character, works, and reputation. Therefore, this charge was most serious.

                C.  They were dishonoring God by defiling his name (Mal.1:6). How?  By not giving their best on the altar.

   3.  The Denial Offered.

        A.  The people of Judah react to this charge with another caustic reply. You can almost hear the tone of outraged innocence. “Wherein have we despised thy name?”

        B.  The priests have grown so callous and have so obscured true worship by their Pharisaical externalism, that they claimed to be utterly unaware of how they have shown contempt of God.

CONCLUSION:

The priests had “despised” God by offering offensive sacrifices in direct violation of the law (1:6-8; see Deut 15:21). They were mistreating God even disrespecting His name (1:8). Malachi was right to call them to repentance (1:9)! Are we making the same mistakes with our worship?