GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS (1 OF 10)
by Jim Perdue
Scripture: Malachi 1:1
This content is part of a series.
Going through the Motions (1 of 10)
Series: Going through the Motions
Jim Perdue
Malachi 1:1
Intro/Attention
Tonight, we begin a brand new series through the OT book of Malachi. It's a series I've entitled Going Through the Motions because here we see God's people performing the rituals of religion without a heart for God. They're still in church; they even come on Wednesday nights. They're faithful to Sunday School; in fact, they might even teach a class. They serve in various ministries; some may even be deacons or church officers. But, their heart is far from God. They were going through the motions. And you know as well as I do, just like in Malachi's day, these days it can be easy to go through the motions.
The book of Malachi sits aptly in our Bibles as the last book of the Old Testament, for it looks back to the Old Testament and assumes, summarizes, and applies its message. But it also looks forward to the New Testament, with its promises of the coming reign of God.
One of the books most striking features is the way in which every word of God is contradicted or questioned by God's people. This is the deep structure of the book, and it's recurring theme. Contradicting God and His words was unfortunately characteristic of this country people! Whatever God said, they contradicted by questions.
Furthermore, God's people neither served him enthusiastically nor turned away in blatant disobedience. This was not neutral territory, but a dangerous whirlpool of self-deception. READ TEXT - PRAY
*A church member scolded her pastor for preaching a series of sermons on ''The Sins of the Saints.'' ''After all,'' she argued, ''the sins of Christians are different from the sins of other people.'' ''Yes,'' agreed her pastor, ''they're worse.'' They are worse, for when believers sin, they not only break the Law of God, but they break the heart of God. When a believer deliberately sins, it isn't just the disobedience of a servant to a master, or th ...
Series: Going through the Motions
Jim Perdue
Malachi 1:1
Intro/Attention
Tonight, we begin a brand new series through the OT book of Malachi. It's a series I've entitled Going Through the Motions because here we see God's people performing the rituals of religion without a heart for God. They're still in church; they even come on Wednesday nights. They're faithful to Sunday School; in fact, they might even teach a class. They serve in various ministries; some may even be deacons or church officers. But, their heart is far from God. They were going through the motions. And you know as well as I do, just like in Malachi's day, these days it can be easy to go through the motions.
The book of Malachi sits aptly in our Bibles as the last book of the Old Testament, for it looks back to the Old Testament and assumes, summarizes, and applies its message. But it also looks forward to the New Testament, with its promises of the coming reign of God.
One of the books most striking features is the way in which every word of God is contradicted or questioned by God's people. This is the deep structure of the book, and it's recurring theme. Contradicting God and His words was unfortunately characteristic of this country people! Whatever God said, they contradicted by questions.
Furthermore, God's people neither served him enthusiastically nor turned away in blatant disobedience. This was not neutral territory, but a dangerous whirlpool of self-deception. READ TEXT - PRAY
*A church member scolded her pastor for preaching a series of sermons on ''The Sins of the Saints.'' ''After all,'' she argued, ''the sins of Christians are different from the sins of other people.'' ''Yes,'' agreed her pastor, ''they're worse.'' They are worse, for when believers sin, they not only break the Law of God, but they break the heart of God. When a believer deliberately sins, it isn't just the disobedience of a servant to a master, or th ...
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