Malachi 1:6-2:9, Why Is the Church Dwindling?

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Malachi 1:6-2:9 Why Is the Church Dwindling?

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Malachi chapter 1 from verse 6 to chapter 2 verse 9 hear the word of the
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Lord a Son honors his father and a servant his master if then
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I am a father Where is my honor and if I am a master? Where is my fear says the
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Lord of hosts to you Oh priest? Who despise my name? but you say
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How have we despised your name by offering polluted food upon my altar, but you say how we polluted you
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Saying that the Lord's table may be despised when you offer blind animals and sacrifice
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Is that not evil and when you offer those that are lame or sick? Is that not evil?
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Present that to your governor Will he accept you or show you favor says the Lord of hosts and now and treat the favor of God that he may be gracious To us with such a gift from your hand.
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Will he show favor to any of you says the Lord of hosts? Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain
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I have no pleasure in you says the Lord of hosts and I will not accept an offering from your hand
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For from the rising of the Sun to its setting My name will be great among the nations and in every place incense will be offered to my name and a pure offering
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For my name will be great among the nations says the Lord of hosts But you profane it when you say that the
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Lord's table is polluted and his fruit That is its food may be despised.
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But you say What a weariness this is and you snort at it says the
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Lord of hosts You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick and this you bring as your offering
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Shall I accept from your hand says the Lord? Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock and vows it and yet sacrifices to the
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Lord What is blemished for I am a great king says the Lord of hosts and my name will be feared among the nations
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And now Oh priest this command is for you If you will not listen if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name says the
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Lord of hosts Then I will send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings Indeed, I have already cursed them because you do not lay it to heart
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Behold, I will rebuke your offspring and spread dung on your faces the dung of your offerings and you shall be taken away with it
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So show you know that I have sent this command to you that my covenant with Levi may stand says the
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Lord of hosts My covenant with him was one of life and peace and I gave them to him
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It was a covenant of fear and he feared me He stood in awe of my name
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True instruction was in his mouth and no wrong was found on his lips He walked with me in peace and uprightness and turned many from iniquity
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For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge and people should seek instruction from his mouth
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For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts But you have turned aside from the way you have caused many to stumble by your instruction
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You have corrupted the covenant of Levi says the Lord of hosts And so I make you despise and abased before all the people and as much as you do not keep my ways
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But show partiality in your instruction Make the Lord at his blessings to the reading of his
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Holy Word Well earlier this year Gallup released a poll that found for the first time in his 80 -year history
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Less than half of Americans were members of a church or some other kind of religious institution They found that only 47 % of people were members down from remaining around 70 % when they first asked the question in 1937 until just as recently about 60 years later in 1999 of course
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The first question is is why? Why is the church dwindling at least at the
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USA now worldwide over about the same time Christianity has grown rapidly.
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It has quadrupled in size over the last century Around the world particularly in Asia in Africa, but in America after remaining steady about 70 % for about three generations now
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It's as though the bottom has fallen out Why? What's causing the decline
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After all like any good business the church in America has been trying to adapt its product to meet market demands
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For some time since the 19th century the so -called second Great Awakening Churches began to focus on getting more people in the door
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They geared themselves for that goal after all more foot traffic in the doors means more cash flow in the offering plate
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I don't think that's what they all did it for just for the money They wanted to reach people and they thought we've got to meet their their demands what they want
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And so the music and the messages were crafted to appeal To more people what the people want psalm singing faded away
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The songs became more sentimental of the sermon more emotional or more practical
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The end result of that was that churches thought that they were putting out a form of religious entertainment
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And it even seemed to work for a while for a long while actually as the Gallup poll reminded us 70 % church membership and as recently as year 2000 earlier than that.
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The churches didn't have a whole lot of Quality competition for the entertainment time and dollar but now that's all changed intelligent young people raised in the church
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It's all about religious entertainment and nothing about Discipleship nothing about a
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God to be worshipped with reverence and awe Such people will correctly see that they can get much better entertainment at home watching their satellite
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TVs or online brought the movies or at a concert so the market for the church's product is dwindling
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Now some of the newer churches have tried to correct this by making the style of its services more appealing particularly more appealing to young people more contemporary music less formalism more practicality the sermon now feeling either like a motivational speaker or maybe
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You know like your friendly neighbor leaning over the fence giving you lawn care tips that kind of style their goal
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They say is to be sensitive to what the customers want
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What do the people want? But I think they missed the point. The point is that the product the church is supposed to be
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Putting out. It's not supposed to be Putting out a a form of religious entertainment at all whether in the old style
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With the hymns the gospel songs and all that people go in a man either in the old style or in a new style
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It's not like a fast -food place that kind of just lets you have it your way It's the one place where the customer is not
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King The Lord is the product we're supposed to be putting out is
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God -centered worshipful lives followers of Jesus who show to the world that we have bowed before the greatness of the name of Jesus Why is the church dwindling at least in the
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USA Well, we see here in the in the second disputation between the
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Lord and his people out of six we see Why the religion here is dwindling
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Israel has returned from exile. They have Reformed the Lord is not happy though with the product that they are producing.
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We see here four points on a dwindling but supposedly reformed church first corrupted worship second rejected churches third defected preachers and finally
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Accepted pastors. Why is the church dwindling? Because of corrupted worship the
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Lord begins in verse 6 saying that he is a father He's a master to his people and both fathers and mothers.
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They deserve honor. But where's the honor he is due? What he's asking where's my honor? I'll look at your worship.
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Where's my honor in it says that instead of honoring him. They have despised him Though back notice how out of touch with reality they are they ask back.
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How have we despised your name? They are totally unaware what they're they're doing after all work
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They think we're giving sacrifices that the temples rebuilt thinking we sacrifice a lot to get that temple back up and going
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We worked hard we paid money We put it as a priority even ahead of building the wall around the city
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It would be as if someone today denied that they despise God because after all they think I go to services
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I attend church I give to the offering How have I despised your name
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God? Notice the unawareness the blind spot That goes along with corrupted worship wherever you find corrupted worship you find people that have no idea that it's corrupted
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They think it's great It's meeting their needs they like it why shouldn't
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God Today people think that anything they do is worship. God must accept as though we're doing him a favor
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Right, we choose our music for what pleases us not what pleases him. Don't we? They'd be surprised people today to hear
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God accuse them of Despising him but here God says in verse 8 you're despising me by offering polluted sacrifices
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Mangy lambs blind goats sick calves Thinking that you can give
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God saying you think you can give me anything In you have whatever leftovers you couldn't sell them anywhere else.
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You couldn't sell them in the marketplace So you quote sacrifice them to me in verse 13
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He said to them you offer what is about to die of disease. Anyway, it's gonna die Why not offers it quote sacrifice a sacrifice is gonna die.
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Anyway, is it or even what's already been killed? you're driving to church instead of giving some real sacrifice you stop but Pick up some roadkill along the way and offer it plop down a dead possum in the basket over there
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This is what we brought something that cost nothing That involves no sacrifice
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You wouldn't think of offering that to your governor God says to them You know if you want to please the governor you got to give him something really nice But for me you you offer whatever is left over and God says in verse 14
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Don't you know you try to please your governor, but you know who I am. I am the great king
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They thought they could worship God on the cheap because they had less reverence and all of God Than they had for their governor
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Now I wonder many churches today. Do people get the impression that we are coming before someone We regard as the great king
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The Lord of hosts notice that curse over and over again and Malachi relatively short book It has that phrase probably is percentage wise more than any other book in the in the
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Bible Lord of hosts That is he has armies of angels at his command
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Is that who we think we're approaching Do they feel in the air that we really believe this
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God is great that his word is to be Trembled at that. He is someone who deserves more honor more careful attention to how we honor him
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Then we would if the president himself was to visit us Do people get that impression in our churches today?
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Or do we do we seem like a lot like these people here like in verse 13?
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Who are saying it what a weariness this is they're going to the temple and think what a weariness this this is
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Going to church was so weary boring This is so boring.
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When will this be over? There are people today in many churches who snort it biblical worship and preaching
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They may have been they may have been going to church all their lives and after 80 years of self -centered church attendance
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They still can't discern what is wrong with the shallowest TV preacher.
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I surprised and offended an elderly lady once when I Just lady had been going to church all her life and I told her that Joel Osteen was a false teacher.
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She was like what? He had no idea. How do you go to church all your life and not and not know that what are you listening to?
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Kid no idea they'll regard the real preaching of the word is the most depressing stuff
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They want it. No, they'll scored it because they want to go where they can hear how to live their best life now
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How great they are. They want their ego puffed and then The the tragic thing is such people won't understand why their kids and grandkids
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They aren't interested in the churches they go to Why is church attendance dropping here in America?
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I Know people raised in evangelical churches and Baptist families that left their churches and went to traditional liturgical churches
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Churches that I would criticize for having a lot of false doctrine for using icons, which are really just idols
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But they left their evangelical churches because they got sick of the shallow performances that passes itself off as worship
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At least what they left for they think has a sense of awe a sense of something holy something that's beyond them more than just Something that's been crafted to please them as the customer about me getting my way
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You see making by us making worship the worship of God Into a show that attracts the crowds.
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I mean, that's our focus How can I please these people? When we do that or when we try to make his word all about our success about here's what how's how
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I can use this? To help you have your best life now By doing that we've lost that vision of the awesomeness of God someone
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Well, so much greater and beyond us that we forget about ourselves And so we ask here where's my honor where's my fear
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That is the one thing we cannot be without In worship honor even fear a sense that we stand we stand sinful before a holy
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God That his name is great And it's and he has to be it is and to be called by his name is a great honor and an end of duty
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It makes an impression on us and we have an impression of the majesty of the
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Lord We have that we can have the most reformed theology But glorious building.
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We don't really have a practical building, but Even if we did now the most elegant service
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The most rich what they call it liturgy But the most eloquent preacher at the most exquisite music, but if we don't have that The honor and fear of God Then we are worshiping
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Our worship is corrupt Like theirs even many reformed people that they look for the right formula the right things to do or not do
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You know this this sing psalms and just do this of that Simple and they think of you if you keep these steps this formula you do these things
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That'll make for biblical worship it won't if your heart is not full of awe and reverence for God Of course worship isn't just about what we do here is in Romans chapter 12 verse 1.
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The sacrifice we offer is our entire lives as a living sacrifice
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Lived every day as an act of worship to God and the first way we do that is to renew our minds with the
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Word of God and then We would learn to think like God does
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Not like the world has trained us to So will be changed worship true biblical worship all the time.
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It's all of our lives It results in changed lives. So the cheat in verse 14 vows one thing to God and Then he sacrifices something else
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Someone cheats God if he or she vows his best bull like here and then offers roadkill
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He vows to live for God in a time of zinc great zeal and emotion to to be transformed to live
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God's way With tears, you know, take me I'll follow you wherever you go
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Exclaims he'll do anything go anywhere give up all to follow Jesus and then after a while He feels its weariness boring
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And now he won't give up sinful relationship or much money or time and So he began offering everything that's what he pledged
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But now is willing to only give up maybe some spare time some spare change on Sunday morning and after a while not even that and the
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Lord calls him in verse 14 a cheat They're cheating
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God the result of corrupted worship Maybe of us offering our lives to God a living sacrifice
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Lord Take me and then after a while we're tired where we consider weary and we give only a few
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Bear coins the result of that is God's saying you cheated me and Then comes
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Rejected churches some people that they can't conceive that God actually Rejects churches that there are there are churches that would be better off if they close their doors
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Now here Israel has returned from exile They rebuilt that temple and then
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God looks at what they are doing in that we built temple and says, you know In verse 10, it would be better if you just shut it down Close the doors to that thing forget about it
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Here we see a picture of the rejected Church God does indeed Reject some churches
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Their their worship is so corrupt. So Self -centered, you know sappy songs motivational or political speaking.
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It's moralistic It's therapeutic It's all about us and our feelings
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Maybe about our politics our success And so it's void of honor and fear of the
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Lord the Word of God is something they just snored at they just ignore to be bored with that God says
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You should be closed close it down. You want to know why churches are declining?
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Because God is shutting many of their doors Look at verse 10, it's better to shut the doors to a church than to perpetrate worthless worship
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We can have a fine -tuned theology. It can be reformed like these people But if our hearts are like these people in the last sentence of verse of verse 6 chapter 1 verse 6
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We're full of ourselves we're so Over up to so unaware of our corrupted worship.
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We ask God how we despise your name We like what we're doing unaware of how unsacrificial our worship is then we will be
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Rejected to be a rejected Church. God hasn't got his left them even though they may not know it
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It's like having left your house and calling back To someone behind you. Could you close the door behind me, please?
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That's what God is doing here. He's left that house And he did that temple that or the church.
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Could someone please shut the door for me? I'm gone This is about us
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We think highly of ourselves for having maybe better doctrine more theologically correct music our psalm singing our expository
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Preaching our heads around the Lord's table. That is our proper preparation for the Lord's Supper and and on and on But if we have no fear of God We're just so impressed with ourself.
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We got the formula, right? No reverence no trembling at his word then God says in verse 10
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I Have no pleasure in you You might be enjoying what you're doing.
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God says, but I don't Worship is to be done for an audience of one
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That's why we say it's not a show Our slides might be messed up our sound system popping.
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I might say um too much Look at my notes too long But if it's done with reverence and awe it produces change lives your lives change
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Then it's worship and God would say I have pleasure in that on the other hand if we had the money and We could pay professional musicians.
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We could we could pay Herbie to be a full -time song leader He didn't have to do his physical therapy anymore. He could just Invest all his time in this
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We could have sound technicians to run the sound we could have layout artists to do the slides and We could rehearse everything so it comes off flawlessly
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It's just a show maybe it entertains you But it doesn't change you God would say
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I have no pleasure in you We think we're offering worship to God, but he says
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I will not accept an offering from your hand He wants it shut down because in verses 11 and 12, he doesn't want this
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Confusing people that that this is Worship, this is what worship is all about this second -rate entertainment these unchanged lives this sentimental claptrap
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Moralism how to be a better person be a nicer person therapy this like a meeting for a counseling this roadkill
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Sacrifices that require no sacrifice This spare time and spare change given his so -called service this empty stuff that this
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Is somehow worthy of God? No It's not
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If your life isn't new And you aren't renewing your mind. You aren't becoming new
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You aren't worshiping If we aren't transformed by the greatness of God and see in verse 11 for from the rising of the
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Sun to Its setting like in the psalm we sang from the rising of the Sun to its setting.
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My name will be great among the nations We don't feel that We aren't worshiping
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We want to see with with all that again at the end of verse 11 the name of Jesus he says will be great
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Among the nations that he is the great King I used to comment a lot more in race than I do now that some people didn't understand why
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I was commenting on race Specifically condemning the racism that used to be so common here in the
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South. It wasn't just to make an historical point It certainly wasn't quote, you know virtue signal there were quote woke
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It was to make the point that the religion that lives so harmoniously with that racism
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You know a whole century after the Civil War when the church grew rapidly in the
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South, but at the same time simultaneously side -by -side the culture
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Often of the same people growing these churches was so obviously and egregiously disobeying
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Jesus a second greatest command to love your neighbor as yourself a Religion that could live with that sin could not denounce it just not expect its members to be different that religion
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Had a problem with worship It wasn't producing
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Transform lives at least not wholly transformed countercultural lives now
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In our day now that that racism has faded somewhat. I think it's I think it has What do you think of the chances that we still have the problem with worship the race and racism might have changed
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But has the worship really changed? Now, it's great that there's less racism, but that doesn't necessarily mean that we've changed the root problem with worship that we now have
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Suddenly we we have inexplicably we have new churches where our great king is now
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Finally getting the worship that he deserves is that's what happening Remember he is majestic and holy and awesome.
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He's the board of hosts with armies at his command legions of angels at his beck and call
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Planets spinning and stars blazing as he declares his glory.
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He he speaks and We're supposed to tremble He says love your neighbor as yourself now if we're
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We're real worshipers If we're really giving him the honor that he's do we fear him we tremble at his word
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We'll obey We'll change According to his command will be transformed.
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Why is the church in America declining? because of defected preachers beginning in Chapter 1 verse 6
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God is addressing the priest for most of most of this. He's addressing the priests They are the ones who should know the law
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That the law does not allow these mangy lambs and these blind goats and this rogue kill They should know what they're allowing is not allowable by God's law
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They should that those aren't proper sacrifices. They know it's wrong But they don't stand up for what's right, you know, they're probably thinking to themselves.
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Why should I get mr Deep pockets these rich guys coming in offering their their second rate sacrifices Why should
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I get them angry for telling them that their possum? They're off they picked up off the highway is not an acceptable sacrifice in chapter 2 verse 1
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The Lord reminds us again that he's addressing first the priest this command is for you for you priests now
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Sure, everyone has been in on this shabby worship. They're all in on it But you you priests have been leading the way in the shabby worship
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Instead of leading the right way Now I've spent much of my adult life around pastors or pastors and training and some of them are some of the best people you ever hope to meet
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Unselfish and caring and kind and giving and generous and godly and serious and committed but there are others that well,
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I Just don't want to think about Of all that could be said about the reasons why the church is declining.
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I believe the number one reason is The hireling ministry that is those who do it do their ministry for for the money for the career
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Maybe some for some maybe not necessarily money for the recognition for the ego boost They get to have people come and listen to them for half an hour 45 minutes every week
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They don't carry the burden of the Word of the Lord nor are they really troubled by the troubles of the sheep?
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Because they're hired hands They're doing it for themselves Either for their pocketbook or for their ego or both if this flock gets to be too much trouble or too little pay
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Well, then they'll go elsewhere Where the grass is greener if the wolves attack
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They'll just run away They are defected preachers They are just defective
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They have defected They have traded sides They may have begun with some desire to serve
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God to see his kingdom grow to be used in that to be for Jesus, but when they saw the price to be paid and When the other side offered better pay a more comfortable lifestyle they defected
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Just like Soviet spies or pilots used to defect or still today
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Cuban baseball players might defect to the u .s These preachers have defected to the side that used to be their enemy
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They may have begun on the side of God's kingdom, but now they just want to protect the old boys network or their pension or their status
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They may have begun wanting to declare the whole Council of God, but now they'll skip over those parts
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That mr. Deep pockets doesn't like what they know might offend these people Maybe like you saw
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I hated like last week John Piper said about such men quote when the glory of God no longer satisfies the heart of a preacher.
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He can do two things Leave the ministry or stay and preach for money would that they all left
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Would that they all left God despises the fraudulent ministry all about pleasing people
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Maintaining the ego or the esteem of the minister or just for the money He despises that kind of spiritual leadership because he loves his sheep
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Jesus the true good shepherd died to buy the lives of the sheep that these hireling
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Minister so -called ministers his hirelings these people for pay are willing to sacrifice on the alters alters of their career
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Notice what he promised it to do to them in chapter 2 verse 3. This is quite bold quite severe
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Chapter 2 verse 3 behold God speaking. I will rebuke your
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Offspring your children Jesus will later literally rebuke the offspring of these priests
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He rebuked the priest of his own day. I wonder For today if a reason why many were
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PK's they call him preachers kids have a bad reputation Is that the Lord is the Lord fulfilling this verse?
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He rebukes the children of the professional ministry Then notice there in verse 3
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I will spread dung on your faces the dung of your offerings
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Otherwise, they weren't properly cleaning them and presenting them. And so he's gonna Put it on them Gotta say he's gonna take out the excrement that is in these mangy lambs and blind goats and roadkill
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And he's gonna smear it on their faces. He said you want to know what I think of you you're like this and rubs their faces in it and then it says
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You shall be taken away Taken away to the dungheap down the sewer where you belong with the rest of the excrement
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Chapter 2 verse 3 They so crave popularity and approval or money but in the end of verse 9 the
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Lord promises they will be despised Says a based that means humiliated
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Before all the people they got into it for their ego God will bring them down They cause many to stumble by their instruction he says in chapter 2 verse 8 they tell the wealthy
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That their roadkill is acceptable. They show partiality. In other words the people that can do them favors They tell them all anything they want to hear and then the poor they don't care about Just like today many tell some church attendees that their sins are fine
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If they're uncommitted life never really laid down as a as a living sacrifice their worldly ways of thinking
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Maybe in the past their racism their now their greed their materialism living forgetting. Well, it's all fine
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Particularly if you're influential and can help me out. I'll tell you what you want to hear It's amazing to me today how many otherwise, you know conservative evangelicals who are often many other subjects will will rail about Taking it all of Word of God literally
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Some of many of the very same people will pass over Jesus's teaching about money you know
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Jesus said do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth and that was often just ignored today a preacher of a prominent preacher today makes or has a net worth of 14 million dollars and They excuse that it's just yeah, he's on my side.
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I like him like what he says Okay, never mind. Jesus said Do not lay it for yourself treasure.
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Never mind. We'll let it slide Showing partiality he's on my side, right?
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Now being naive I once asked why in the past during the long period when the church was growing side -by -side
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During the time with slavery and segregation Why ask why? In the why in the
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South? Why did white preachers correct the racism? Why didn't they rail against the racism of their church members?
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Why didn't they scold them for it and tell them to repent and I was told simply well because they get fired. That's why
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Well to the hireling That that ends their argument doesn't it about whether you should speak on that They're paid to say stuff and they say it and they take their pay
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And so God promises to strike white right where they live They turn the religion into a business to benefit themselves.
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And so God promises in chapter 2 verse 2 to make the product they put out Unmarketable People are going to them going to the temple for a blessing, you know
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So they're they're the wife gives birth healthy children and all they have they prosper
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They want a blessing from God if they give a sacrifice, but God says he will turn these hirelings blessings into curses
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Whatever they ask for a blessing for these priests They will be cursed and people soon get the connection every time I go to this priest and ask for a blessing it turns out that worse than before That'll dry up demand for their product quickly
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In verse 2 because the priests won't take the Word of God seriously because they lack the fear of God God promises to ruin their business
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He takes his own glory that seriously, but most of all he despises the hiring ministry because that ministry despises
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God They are the people in chapter 1 verse 6 who despise God's name by choosing to pander to people's
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Self -centered desires to have services are all about them their sentiments their feelings their ego.
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Maybe their politics They didn't really believe that the name of the Lord would be great among the nations that the
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Lord is the great king they have a lot more fear a lot more respect for Their governor than they do for the
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Lord Or maybe today for preachers from for a few powerful agitators who might get them fired than they do for the prospect of standing before God One day and giving account of their ministry.
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Where is the fear and the awe of God that is lacking in so many churches It's been lost in the cowardice of the defected
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Preachers, but not all preachers are defected some are
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Accepted pastors here exemplified by by Levi. He's the father of all the priests
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God will judge the defected preachers notice in verse 4. He does it as a way of setting them apart that's the defected preachers setting them apart from the accepted pastors, so The purpose of judgment you shall know
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Who are the ones he's coveted with? By doing it. I was got other words God is saying by doing what
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I'm going to do to them to these defected preachers these bad priests You'll know that there are true
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Pastors that I've called I'm gonna be able to separate them here in verses 5 to 7 we see the picture first of Levi father the priest and here a model of the accepted pastor and a type of the high priest that we need
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He's like a tree Here first in verse 5 the roots He fears
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God Remember how this began? Where's my fear? Where's where's the awe?
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Well, the accepted pastor he fears God. He has it. His heart is rooted in reverence of the
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Lord He knows that one day he will be judged the accepted pastor doesn't want to go out of his way to offend people
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Just go out and just make people unhappy just to make them unhappy Looking for a fight, but he knows that if he holds something of God's Word, he holds it back
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Just because it will make some people upset Then he will be judged by God for that He fears
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God's judgment more than man's approval Jesus had in John chapter 12 verse 49 that the father commanded him what to say and he spoke it
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Think of that. He father commanded him what to say Jesus spoke it and that's why sometimes
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What he said got him in trouble got him crucified Then the trunk of his life the accepted pastor the trunk of his life like a tree the trunk of his life is a commitment to the
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Word of God to Teach it to defend it and the first part of chapter 6 true instruction
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Was in his mouth originally in Levi Now here and their day in the good priest
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Accepted pastor true instruction was in his mouth and no wrong Was found on his lips
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In verse 7 he guards knowledge He guards he protects it
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That's he protects the truth from assaults from false teachers So when the Jehovah's Witnesses are the
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Mormons they come around tried to deny that Jesus is God he guards the truth and When someone from inside the church denies sound doctrine he stands up for it rather than just kind of wetting his finger and say
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What is this? Should I? So I stand up for the truth here or go with the crowd
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See which way the wind is blowing he's a messenger of The Lord of Hosts He gives the message from the
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Lord with his with his armies and his under his command God's people hear the voice of God in his teaching
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He's bringing him God's message and so like a trunk of a tree that resolve to guard the truth
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Makes him sturdy and strong So he holds up Against the the gusting winds of new fashionable
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Doctrines so the church is not blown away By them of every wind of doctrine.
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The reason the gates of hell won't prevail against the church is because Jesus defends it
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Then the branches of his life that is he's like a tree his godliness his personal commitment to the Lord and In the middle of verse 6 he walked with me.
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That's what Levi's like a model and a type walked with me in peace and Uprightness as branches of a tree bear the leaves that soak up the energy from the
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Sun and so to our personal walk with the Lord With God our life of prayer and Bible reading meditation our hearts inclinations with the presence of God that gives energy to grow
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Being a spiritual leaders into just a job. He does from 9 to 5 and once the day's shift is over So is his work.
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It's an expression of who he is. He walks with God all the time peacefully righteously
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Then comes the fruit at the end of our six that easy turns many from aniquity his life and teaching results over time
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Like the true vine. I am the true vine You are the branches bear fruit
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Results in time and people fearing God and so forsaking their sin That is the tree of the accepted pastors rooted in reverence with a sturdy trunk of upholding
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God's Word Hearts soaking up the sunshine of God's Spirit and the fruit of changed lives. God has made a covenant with his people
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That's a commitment to his people that they will have such a shepherd They will have a priest who represents us sinners before him who represents us to God who offers
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Atonement that is appeasement payment for our sins. God has made that commitment that we will have that So we can offer our redeemed lives back
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As living sacrifices, he's bought them now. We offer them back holy acceptable
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Worship, why is the church dwindling? Well, it's dwindling because we've despised
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God. We've despised him by thinking our Non -sacrificial sacrifices are acceptable in place of the living sacrifice of all our lives.
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We reform by admitting that Admitting that we've not honored him like a great king we've not
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Really believe that his name the name of Jesus will be great among the nations That is all kinds of people we reform by admitting
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That we need a sacrifice something that our unclean hands
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Can't offer up that we can't We can't bring from ourselves we reform by being amazed by the mercy
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That has already offered up that sacrifice By being us being transformed by grace we reform by admitting that we desperately need a perfect high priest who turns us away from our sins and Pays for those sins who shepherds us
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Who walk perfectly with God when we would not we reform?