Pentecost 17 September 20th, 2015 Pastor Waldschmidt

Mark 8:27-35

WHEN MR. SATAN KNOCKS AT MY HEARTS DOOR

I JUST SAY "KNOW","NO", "KNOW"

In the name of Jesus, the Lord and Guide of our lives, dear fellow redeemed children of God;

     One of the blessings of going to Sunday School and a Christian Day School is the treasure trove of songs and prayers a person picks up over the years.  Maybe you remember some of the ones I learned too. “Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the doors and see all the people.”  Or remember, “There is a green hill far away without a city wall, where our dear Lord was crucified, he died to save us all.”  One of the little songs or plays my mom taught her Kindergarten classes was, “When Mr. Satan Knocks At My Hearts Door I Just Say No, No No!” 

     That littler sentence taught to little ones is a big one for us to think about this morning as we hear Jesus give a stinging rebuke to Peter.  It was at a spot where Satan was not just knocking at the door of Peter’s heart but instead was sitting at the kitchen table having a cup of coffee.  Jesus rebukes Peter and teaches us what to do when Mr. Satan knocks at our hearts’ door.  We just say Know, No, Know!  I.  Know that Jesus is the one God promised.  II.  No,  to what I want.  III.  Know,  that following Jesus brings crosses. 

   The first quizzes and tests of the new school year are probably happening this week in many of the schools.  So it fits right in that in this part of God’s Word we hear Jesus giving a quiz to his disciples.  This quiz only had two questions.  The first is easy.  Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”  To answer that question, all the disciples had to do was repeat some of the rumors that they had heard about Jesus.  The disciples quickly pointed out that some said he was John the Baptist.  This rumor was started when King Herod heard about Jesus and the wonderful things he had been doing.  Herod thought that Jesus was John the Baptist come back from the dead. Herod’s conscience was bothering him that he had beheaded John at the whim of his wife and stepdaughter.  Other people thought that Jesus was the prophet Elijah or one of the other prophets.  God had not sent a prophet to Israel for over 400 years.  So now when the people flocked to hear Jesus, they were thinking that the line of the prophets had resumed.  Many of these people were on the wrong track about Jesus- all underestimating him.  They failed to realize that Jesus was the one John the Baptist, Elijah and all of the other prophets had been talking about.  Jesus was the One God promised.  Jesus came to be the Savior for us God had promised-the Savior who would bring us into God’s family through his suffering and death.

     Now Jesus asked His disciples the most important question of the test.  “Who do you say that I am?” Did you ever have someone in your class who didn’t wait to be called on, they just blurted out the answer? Peter the self appointed spokesman for the group doesn’t wait to be called on.  He blurts out the correct answer.  “You are the Christ.”  It clicked in Peter’s mind and heart that Jesus was the One.  He was the Savior God had promised. Jesus was the one Isaiah was talking about when he wrote, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be upon his shoulders and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

     So God keeps His promises.  When Mr. Satan knocks at my hearts door that is usually one of the topics he shouts about.  Except he shouts through the door that he doesn’t think God will keep His promises.  And so often that old devil gets me to believe it-maybe you too.  He gets us to thinking that God has forgotten about us.  He wants us to think that God is big liar who makes all these promises about how everything is going to work for good and then forgets about them and forgets about you and me. I’m sad to say that sometimes he even gets me to shout along with him and Adam and Eve that God isn’t good that he doesn’t do what He says. When Mr. Satan knocks at your hearts door, just say that you know that God keeps His promises.  Look at the Jesus standing-the Word of God-the Promise of God made flesh.  He is the Savior God promised.  If He has kept the greatest of promises, do you really think He is going to forget His other promises to you.  “I will be with you.”  “I will hear your prayers.”  “I will provide for you.”  “I will take you to be with me in heaven.”

     Wouldn’t you think that Jesus would have wanted everyone to hear that he was the one God had promised to send?  But we read, “Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.”  This might seem strange at first, but then again we have to remember that many people had mixed up ideas about what the Christ was going to do.  Many were looking for the hero on the war horse who was going to drive out the Romans.  Jesus tells the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ because he did not want people coming to him for the wrong reason.  That brings us to another thing to say when Mr. Satan knocks at my hearts door, a “No” to what I want- the way I think things should be.

   Even Peter had a mixed up idea about what the Christ was going to do.  Peter passed Jesus test but then he got in trouble in class when Mr. Satan knocked at His hearts door.  “³¹He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. ³²He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.”  When Jesus began to speak plainly about his upcoming suffering and death, Peter gets off the track of following Jesus and gets lost.  Jesus was talking about suffering and dying and not about revolting and conquering.  Jesus’ words made Peter uncomfortable and he begins to scold Jesus, as if to say, “Don’t talk like that Jesus, that’s not what we want to hear.”  Jesus has to step in and get Peter back on track by calling Peter’s words what they were, the work of Satan. “³³But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."  God’s plan of salvation was different than Peter’s.  Out of love for Peter and the other disciples, Jesus quickly steps in and reminds Peter that it wasn’t about what he wanted.  It seems like maybe Peter saw in Jesus a new governor for here on earth who would get rid of those Roman soldiers on the corner and maybe Peter could have a nice office in Jerusalem next to Jesus’ throne room.  But here is Jesus talking about suffering and dying.  “Ish” “Don’t talk like that Jesus!”  “That’s not how I picture things going.”  Satan was knocking at Peter’s heart’s door but he was really talking to Jesus.  “Let’s forget about all this suffering and dying talk.”   
     But the Savior didn’t listen to what Peter wanted- to what Satan wanted. Jesus knew that the way to heaven for us was that “The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son purifies us from all sin.”  The part of God’s plan that Peter wasn’t seeing was that God would punish Jesus instead of Peter and you and me.  Because of Jesus’ sufferings and death, we read in Rom. 8:1, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”  Jesus opened himself up to the thunderbolts of God’s wrath crashing his heart so that we would never have to feel them crashing through our hearts.  Love like that makes you want to follow him-to pick up the crosses in our own lives and carry them with a heart that is grateful for what he has done for us.  That brings us to another thing for us to “know” when Mr. Satan knocks at our hearts door.  Know that crosses will come when we follow Jesus. 

      After this private rebuke of Peter, Jesus calls the crowd around him and makes clear the cost of following Him.  “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for me and for the Gospel will save it.”  With these words Jesus was preparing the disciples for the persecution which they would endure after He ascended into heaven.  Peter and the other disciples would learn that being tied to Jesus meant that their lives didn’t belong to them anymore.  They belonged to someone much better.  Their lives belonged to Jesus.  The early Christians gladly denied themselves and lived for Jesus.  When they were persecuted we hear, “The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name.  Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”  Their lives belonged to Jesus.  When people looked at them they saw Jesus.  Paul had to remind Peter of that later when Peter was treating the Jewish Christians better than the Gentile Christians.  When people see you, they see Jesus.  If you are wondering about that, think about how easily it happens that when you say or do something you should not do that people say, “I can’t believe Christians act like that.” Mr. Satan will be right there knocking.  “Being a Christian is weird.”  “You are missing out on something!”  Let’s know that the crosses will come.  No longer living for ourselves means that we will bear whatever abuse and scorn comes our way because we are Christians.  Let’s carry the scorn of an unbelieving world and all the abuse Satan heaps on us when he knocks at our heart’s door.  Like Peter and the other disciples let’s rejoice that we were counted worthy to be scorned for the sake of the Gospel. 

     Let’s not let the devil stop by for a cup of coffee in our hearts anymore.  When Mr. Satan knocks at our hearts door, let’s just say, “Know”, “No”, “Know”.  Amen.  

Pastor Bivens Mark 7:31-37 – Pentecost 16 JESUS DOES EVERYTHING WELL!

Mark 7:31-37 – Pentecost 16

³¹ Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. ³² There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.

³³ After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). ³⁵ At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

³⁶ Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. ³⁷ People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Introduction: 4 days ago, on Wednesday, one of our daughters called my wife and me to inform us that the child she was carrying had died. For reasons known only to God, a miscarriage took place during the 14^th or 15^th week of her pregnancy. Later that day my wife asked me what Bible passage came to my mind when I thought about what happened. “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21) was my answer. “It’s OK to say the Lord took the child away?” “Yes, God did it and is actively involved in every death even though many instrumental means may also be involved. Jesus once told his disciples, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (Jesus had begun to wash the disciples’ feet when Simon Peter questioned the action. Jesus gave this answer and promise.) The disciples didn’t understand why Jesus did some things at some times and in some ways. Neither do we. We don’t know why he chooses weather patterns of drought or flooding for us at certain times. We don’t know exactly why good health or poor health is given to people, nor do we comprehend why some are rich and others are poor due to circumstances beyond their control. So we may question the Lord’s actions and grope for enlightenment. And we can also enjoy the account set before us today. It instructs and comforts in a special way. Mark gives details of what Jesus did and, when all was said and done, the people there exclaimed, “He has done everything well!” Jesus acted his way – which was the best way. May we learn and remember this truth!

Jesus Does Everything Well

1.      He does it his way, and

2.      He does it the best way

Part 1: Jesus does everything HIS WAY

1.      We are given the background: Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis. He had been in Phoenicia where the Syro-Phoenician woman begged him to heal her demonized daughter (last week’s Gospel reading). Jesus was already showing a kind of independence and going against the desired of the majority of his fellow Jews. He was spending time and giving attention to Gentiles (non-Jews) and moved from Phoenicia to the “Ten City” (Decapolis) area, another non-Jewish region.

2.      The some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man. This request was just like that of Naaman, the Syrian who suffered from leprosy and who came to the prophet Elisha so that Elisha would “call on the name of the Lord, wave his hand over the spot and cure the leprosy” (2 Kgs 5:11). But again Jesus did things his way, different from expectations. “He took him [the deaf man with the speech disorder] aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue.  He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”). Despite his departure from their expectations, the result was what they really wanted:  ^“At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.”  

3.      Maybe there is value in noting the great diversity we find in analyzing how and when Jesus did miracles. His first, changing water into wine at Cana, was preceded by Mary’s suggestion that he do something – and his answer to her made it clear that she was not to tell him what to do, when to do it or how to do it. And this pattern of his doing things as he chose to do them, continued throughout his earthly ministry.

a.       Sometimes he acted with a word alone, sometimes with a word and a touch, sometimes with a gesture, and sometimes without any word and from a distance.

b.      In healing the man born bling he first spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, put the mud on the man’s eyes and told him to wash them at the nearby Siloam Pool.

c.       Sometimes he mentions the faith of a person being healed and at other times there is no evidence of faith or even an understanding of who was doing the miracle.

d.      And sometimes Jesus did not heal. When he ascended into heaven he left behind people who were still in need of healing. St. Paul, who healed in Jesus’ name, was made to endure physical burdens without healing. Coworker Trophimus was left behind on a missionary journey because of illness (2 Tm 4). Timothy has chronic stomach ailments but received no miraculous remedy.

e.       And sometimes, as in today’s text, “Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone.” More than once Jesus made it clear he didn’t want that kind of publicity at a given time and place. The point is clear: Jesus did things his way, often in ways that no one else really understood and at times in ways that brought potential criticism.

4.      I – we – need to remember this as we live out our lives under God. When our expectations are not met “on schedule” or “as hoped for” or “when we think it best.” We are all subject to impatience, discouragement, suspicion, grumbling, dissatisfaction and many other negative feelings when Jesus acts his way rather than our way concerning ourselves, those we love, and often those we consider enemies. Our spiritual lives, married and family lives, financial and social and physical lives are imperfect and seem to cry out for divine intervention regularly. But Jesus seldom acts how or when we want. Besides, just about every chapter of the Bible – and every conversation of his recorded in the Bible, he br4ings up the unpleasant subject of our sinfulness and shortcomings. That’s his way, a way I would not have chosen if it had been up to me.

Transition: We need to face that fact – and more than that. The more we focus on Jesus doing things his way, the more we learn that this is the best way. Let’s return to the event in our text to observe this reality.

Part 2: Jesus does Everything the BEST WAY

1.      It soon becomes clear that the way Jesus dealt with the deaf man with impaired speech was perfectly suited for the man. Put yourself in the man’s place. After living in total silence, he is here surrounded by a noisy crowd – the immediate gift of hearing would likely scare him to death.  So Jesus takes him aside, away from the noise and commotion. While a thousand thoughts were likely racing through the man’s mind, Jesus gently leads him step-by-step to understand what was about to happen:

a.       The fingers in the ears tell the man something would happen to his ears & hearing.

b.      The spit & touch of the tongue indicated his speech would also be involved.

c.       The look to heaven pictured to the man that God above would be involved.

d.      The deep sigh, as an expression of intense emotion, compassion, and perhaps even prayer – certainly maintained attention and communicated an emotional bond.

e.       Slowly yet deliberately Jesus prepared the man to receive what would happen and through whom it would come. Then came the spoken word “Ephphatha!” And the miracle took place with a minimum of fear, confusion, or trauma. The best way!

2.      There’s something else we don’t want to overlook here: Jesus worked to meet the deaf man’s deepest and greatest need – which wasn’t his physical handicap. He was a “heathen” Gentile living in Gentile territory and it may be assumed his knowledge and understanding of Jesus and his saving work on earth was minimal if there at all. So his greatest need – as it is with us – was for him to come to know and trust his Savior from sin. And the way Jesus went about healing him physically also served this cause:

a.       By drawing the man off to the side, working with him one-on-one, making himself the center of focus and face-to-face, Jesus presented himself, front and center, to the one he loved. Jesus would be foremost in his memory – and this would serve him as he had opportunity to learn more and more about Jesus. It’s the same way Jesus works in his Word, isn’t it. His many “I am . . .” statements (the good shepherd, light of the world, way, truth, and life, etc.) all are graciously “self-centered” because he is the One we need to know above all else.

b.      Not long after this, the healed man may well have heard that his Healer was crucified outside Jerusalem’s city wall. If he knew Jesus only as miracle-worker the news could have been devastating – such a very good person whose end was so very bad. But if he had the ability to learn of Christ’s main reason for being on earth and understood that souls and eternal destinies needed to be healed, the man would rejoice as we do, knowing Jesus does ALL things well, including paying for our sins, removing our guilt, and giving us life that never ends.

3.      It comes as little, if any, surprise that Jesus does things his way. He is true God as well as true man and his knowledge as well as his wisdom is flawless, perfect. “He sees the big picture” is one way of saying it. An illustration I heard years ago on the radio helped me appreciate God’s way of doing things: A man sees a bird building a nest in a tree—and immediately gets a ladder, climbs up, and tears the nest apart. The next day the same thing happens: the bird works on a nest and the man destroys it. The third day the bird moves to a different tree to build its nest – and the man is delighted. Why? The first tree chosen was diseased and about to be cut down and burned. What appeared to be cruelty or hate was kindness and wisdom. The key was the man’s knowing the future—and acting in a way that was good for the bird although not appreciated at first. When the last chapter is written it will be clear that his way is the best way.

4.      Shakespeare (in As You Like It) gave a familiar quote: “Sweet are the uses of adversity,
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.” Adversity, disappointment often bring blessings. [In the play it was spoken by a ruler deposed and exiled by his villainous brother.] Julius Caesar once had a respected, fearless soldier who lived in constant pain because of an injury early in his life. One day the pain left him. Caesar observed something else left him: his courage and leadership skills. He was now more interested in feeling good, being comfortable. Can’t we learn something from this? We are soldiers of Jesus Christ, and our commanding officer sometimes chooses  to “keep us in pain” or visit us with hardship – to maintain courage and character as members of the Church Militant. The events of Good Friday – and painful and ugly as they were, certainly showed us that he uses adversity for wonderful purposes. He does things his way – the best way.

Conclusion: Isaiah 55 tells us: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Praise him, for it is so. He does things his way – the best way. Amen

September 5-7, 2015 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Malachi 3:6-18 “MALACHI: GOD’S CLEANUP MAN!

MAJORING IN THE MINORS: MALACHI

September 5-7, 2015

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Malachi 3:6-18

“MALACHI: GOD’S CLEANUP MAN!

                                      In view of Christ’s coming…

1.     Clean up your giving.

2.     Clean up your living.

Malachi 3:6-18 (NIV1984) "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. ⁷Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' ⁸"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. ⁹You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. ¹⁰Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. ¹¹I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. ¹²"Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty. ¹³"You have said harsh things against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?' ¹⁴"You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? ¹⁵But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.' " ¹⁶Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. ¹⁷"They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

          SILENCE! That’s what was coming. God was going to go silent. Up to this point God had talked in special ways to Adam and Eve, Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and all the prophets. Always pointing people to the coming Savior. Exposing sin. Declaring forgiveness. Pointing to Jesus. From our earlier minor prophets you know the history. God’s people had been in exile. They were brought back to Jerusalem. The Temple had finally been rebuilt. God’s people now know that the table is set. All is ready for Messiah to come.  But in God’s plan the time will not fully come for the Savior to be born for another 400 years. Now what do you think is going to happen to God’s people who are anxiously waiting for Jesus to come? They’re going to get tired of course, tired of waiting. And you know what happens when people get tired? They got sloppy. Up to the prophetic plate steps Malachi. He’s batting clean up, the last prophet of the Old Testament. He helps God’s people stay ready. He teaches them to live in view of Christ’s coming.

          In view of Christ’s coming clean up your giving he said. At the time of Malachi God’s people had gotten sloppy in their giving. As part of Old Testament law all people, young and old, rich and poor, gave a tithe or 10% of their income to God. They also brought various different offerings of animals or crops to say “Thank you” to God or “I’m sorry” to Him. This was important for them as a way to show love for God because giving and loving are actually synonyms! God so loved that He gave. He showed love by giving. We show love by giving. Malachi’s people weren’t showing love. Earlier in his book you find that the people were bringing God the crippled sheep, the ones who were diseased or dying. Their leftovers. Now they were lying about the tithe, bringing let’s say 5% of their income but pretending it was 10%. They were robbing God. But it really wasn’t about the money. It was the lack of honor, lack of love. Like a father who tells his sick daughter, “I love you. I will do anything for you.” But then takes the money needed for her medicine and drinks it up at the bar. That’s not love.

          Malachi called on the people to repent and clean up their giving. He showed them how God would make it easy for them. "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. ⁷Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?' ⁸"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. ⁹You are under a curse--the whole nation of you--because you are robbing me. ¹⁰Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. ¹¹I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. ¹²"Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.” God doesn’t change. In view of Christ’s coming He would forgive the people, not destroy them. They didn’t have to be afraid of not having enough for God would bless them with more. Just clean up the giving. Let it be a way of showing love.

          Brothers and sisters, we find ourselves in a similar situation to the people at the time of Malachi. We are waiting for Christ to come. God is silent in that there are no more prophets or Apostles. We can get tired of waiting too. It might show in sloppy giving. Giving is loving. Love gives. First test yourself. Does your giving show love to God? Is it a portion that is served to God first or whatever is left over after other bills are paid? Is it given cheerfully or grudgingly? Does talking about money for God make you feel good or guilty? Test yourself. Then test God. See if He doesn’t keep his word. In view of Christ’s coming we clean up our giving.

          In view of Christ’s coming clean up your living. Remember at Malachi’s time the people were getting tired. When will Messiah come? You can hear it in their voices. "You have said harsh things against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?' ¹⁴"You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty? ¹⁵But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.' " God’s people were getting tired. It didn’t seem to do any good to follow God. Those who didn’t seemed like they were better off. Sometimes it looks and feels that way to us. What good does it do to carefully follow God’s commands? Cheaters do prosper. The immoral in our country challenge God and escape. When is Jesus coming?

God had an answer. “Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name. ¹⁷"They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. ¹⁸And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.” The Lord listened. A scroll of remembrance about those who feared the Lord and honored His name. “Mine,” said the Lord. A treasured possession. It’s all going to be clear on Judgment Day. You will see the distinction between the righteous in Christ and the wicked. Don’t give up. Don’t give in. Do you really think an eternity of glory in heaven is not worth it? In view of Christ’s coming clean up your living.

In view of Christ’s coming. That was the key. It’s all about Jesus. Malachi’s job was to help God’s people stay ready. 400 years later Jesus came the first time. As promised John the Baptist prepared the way for Him. Some were not ready. They had grown sloppy in their use of God’s Word and didn’t want a Savior from sin. But some were. They treasured God’s word. Pondered it in their hearts. They felt awful about their sin and were happy to have a Savior. God’s clean up man had helped them. Christ is coming again. How long will we have to wait? God doesn’t say. Will we be ready? Yes. Malachi helps us. Give as a way to show love to him. Live as His prized possession. Always in view of Christ’s coming. Amen.