You may have heard the expression, ‘the fish rots from the head down’. As with that proverbial fish, so with God’s people. In Malachi 2:1-9, we find that the cause of the spiritual decay that had set in among the people of Judah, was found in the priests of the day who were unfaithful and corrupt. They themselves were led astray and so by their teaching were also leading the people astray and to despise the word of God, just as they were doing. It’s a terrible picture, but something that wasn’t happening just ‘back then’. As goes the leadership of today’s church, so also goes the church.

Message

Outline

• What we’ve seen so far in Malachi
• The foundation established
• Decline from the ‘top down’
• See how the Lord accused the priests of …

1. Abusing the privilege of their calling (v.1-3)
2. Ignoring the responsibilities of the covenant (v.4-6)
3. Failing to set a godly example (v.7-9)

‘Going down like a lead balloon’
Generational decay
We need the Perfect Priest!

We have a saying in Australia that goes, ‘things are crook in Tallarook’. Maybe they aren’t always, Tallarook is quite a pretty place. But things were certainly ‘crook’ in Judah when Malachi declared God’s word in Malachi 1:6-14. The people had settled back into Jerusalem after the exile, but the worship had been turned upside down. Were they bored with worship or with God or both? Either way, they weren’t giving their best to God and He was not pleased. Worship can be all wrong when are hearts are far from Him.

Message

Outline

• Those opening verses of Malachi
• Two truths in tension
• Bored with God?
• See how the text tells us how there was…

1. A problem with the present worship (v.6-9, 12-14)
2. A promise regarding the future worship (v.10-11)

Guess who’s coming to dinner?
Out with hypocrisy…!

The book of Malachi is the last of the books of the Old Testament, written about 450 years before the appearing of John the Baptist. In it, Lord addressed His people through the prophet Malachi, calling them to wake up to themselves. Their spiritual condition was poor. And so in Malachi 1:1-5, it’s surprising to see the note with which the book begins. The Lord’s love for His people! It’s this backdrop that makes later messages from God through Malachi shine out in importance, calling His people today to ‘put matters right’ with our God who has chosen us to be His own.

Message

Outline

• Malachi
• 450 years before John
• The sad state of the people…’how have you loved us?’
• See how the text calls us to remember …

1. The nature of His love for them (v.1-3)
2. The depth of His mercy toward them (v.3-4)
3. The greatness of His purposes for them (v.5)

The correct diagnosis
The Lord’s love for you…