Checking The Heart
For Spiritual Indifference
(Seven Revealing Questions In Malachi)
Intro. In
about 436 BC, Nehemiah had lead the way to a great
revival of the nation of
Malachi knows what the problem is, so he asks the people seven soul-searching questions. These questions mean even more in the gospel age, because those who have more spiritual light are responsible for more. To good hearts, these questions can lift us out of spiritual apathy or indifference or rebellion.
1. IN WHAT WAY HAVE YOU LOVED US? 1:2
A. Feeling unloved may be a consequence of our own attitudes
and actions. Our own sins created unnecessary barriers. Isa.59:1,2
B. But, there is plenty of evidence that God loves us even while we are yet
sinners. Rom.5:8
C. God's love has been “poured out”. Only the willfully blind and ignorant will
choose not to see it and appreciate it.
D. Did not His sacrifice speak endless volumes to His loving inability to cast
us off without some sacrificial effort to redeem us?
E. How can we ask “in what way have You loved us?”
2. IN WHAT WAY HAVE WE DESPISED YOUR NAME? 1:6
A. By being afraid of being called “fanatical” more than we
are afraid of NOT being close to God.
B. By not desiring to hear from Him (through His word). Matt.15
C. By not wanting to spend time with Him in prayer.
1 Thess.5:17
3. IN WHAT WAY HAVE WE DEFILED YOU? 1:7
A. By hurting the reputation of God's holiness and purity.
B. By pretending to be a child of God while acting like the child of the devil.
4. IN WHAT WAY HAVE WE WEARIED HIM?
A. By testing His patience.
B. By failure to grow. Matt.22; Jno.15
C. By bringing half-hearted worship. Jas.4:4
5. IN WHAT WAY SHALL WE RETURN? - 3:7
A. Keeping the same patterns does not necessarily mean
that your earliest religious expressions contained a true heart for God.
B. Therefore, we could be in a constant drift that is preventing a true walk
with God.
C. Talking about God does not mean that we have been with Him and reconciled to
Him.
D. We can return in humility, contrition, and confession. 1 Jno.1:7
6. IN WHAT WAY HAVE WE ROBBED YOU? -3:8-10
A. Robbing God of what he owns, your whole heart and life. Giving only half when it suits you.
B. Robbing God of the souls of children entrusted to us. Letting children go
the way of the world.
C. Robbing God of gifts that could support the
7. WHAT HAVE WE SPOKEN AGAINST YOU?
A. Have you ever complained before your wife/husband and
children about what a heavy burden it is to go to services?
B. Do they not notice the difference of enthusiasm you have over a
ball-game? 3-4 hours in the rain versus 1-2 hours in a comfortable
church-building?
C. Ever complained about how boring a sermon is, but not how boring the
discussion of foot-ball and politics afterward?
D. Actions speak louder than words. Some times our actions speak against
God and do not speak FOR Him.
Conclusion: God was calling upon