The Book of Malachi (7) 04/10/2022

First Baptist Church Leominster

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And Pastor Jason will come now and read our New Testament portion today,

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Ephesians chapter 4, and then he'll pray for the Lord's blessing on us. Ephesians chapter 4.

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I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the

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Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one

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Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

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But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, when he ascended on high, he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.

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In saying he ascended, what does it mean but that he also descended into the lower regions of the earth?

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He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

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And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the

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Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness and deceitful schemes.

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Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

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Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.

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They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

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They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

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But that is not the way you learned Christ, assuming that you have heard about him, and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus.

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To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life, and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God, in true righteousness and holiness.

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Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

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Be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.

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Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

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Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

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And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and slander, be put away from you, along with all malice.

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Be kind to one another, tender -hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

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Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for this very encouraging passage.

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We're thankful, Lord, that you have called us out of darkness, and we're no longer to walk according to the sins and the flesh of this world.

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And so, Lord, I pray that we would put all of these things off, and that we would put on the image of Christ, that we would be renewed in our thinking as we behold

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Christ and the changed into his image. And we thank you,

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Lord, for the work of the Spirit in our lives. And so, we pray that we would put this passage into practice, that we would put off the sinful desires of the flesh, that we would put on the righteousness of Christ, and that we would be renewed in the spirit of our minds.

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Lord, we thank you that there is hope for change in Christ Jesus. The lives that we once lived, we no longer have to live because we are new.

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And so, Lord, we pray that in the power of the Spirit, we would put on all of these things. Lord, help us now as we continue our worship through the sermon.

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We pray that we would hear what the Word of God says, that we would understand it, and that the

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Spirit would help us apply these truths to our lives. Help us live every moment of every day for your glory.

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Thank you, Lord, in Jesus' name, amen. Well, let's turn in our

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Bibles to Malachi 3 as we continue our study. You know, we mentioned missions and special efforts or concerns that arise, and I don't know how many weeks ago

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I mentioned that Pastor Prem and his church in southeast India was planning an evangelistic crusade in the state north of them.

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It was going to be some distance from where they live, and they were going to take a team up into the mountains to villages.

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Apparently, there's not even a roadway going to them, and maybe a dozen villages up there that have no church, never heard the gospel, and so he made this known, and that it was probably going to cost them about $1 ,800,

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I think, if I remember right. I forget, but Jane indicated to me last week that the folks, our folks, have come up with $2 ,000 to wire to them, and so we've got that trip covered for them, which is wonderful, and so we should pray for the

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Lord's blessing upon them also. Well, here we are in Malachi 3.

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I really found this passage quite encouraging and enlightening myself. As we've read and analyzed this last book of the

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Old Testament, the prophecy of Malachi, we've seen, of course, a distinction of the people of Israel between those who sought to know and live in truth before the

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Lord and those Israelites who lived in disregard of God. In name only, who disregarded his laws, and it's quite clear that those who had true faith and sought to live faithfully before the

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Lord were the minority in Israel at this time. They were better remnant. The situation that day is analogous to these days in which there's quite a large number of people who profess to be

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Christian, but those who are true disciples of Jesus Christ, who alone are promised salvation, seem to be a minority in professing

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Christendom. The larger number of faithless ones in the days of Malachi who disregarded the

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Lord and his word were very culpable before God. They were guilty before God, given the long history of God's patient, gracious, merciful dealings with them.

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The Lord had punished Israel repeatedly through history for their great transgression of failing to conform their lives according to their covenantal obligations, keeping the

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Mosaic Covenant, the Ten Commandments, and although God had shown forth his manifold mercies toward them through history, they persisted in their refusal to respond to him in repentance and faith, and of course we know that he exiled the people to the world, to the nations, and then to Babylon in particular, but God had even enabled their return from the

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Babylonian exile and brought them back to their land. The people in Malachi's day were these folks and God had permitted them to rebuild the temple, reinstitute priestly worship, but in spite of all of God's dealings with them, both in his judgment as well as the mercies he had shown them, they persisted in their sinful disregard of him.

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They still refused to live before him in faithful devotion and obedience.

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Yes, there were some in Israel, albeit not many, who were humble before their God and had sought to be true to him in his word, and in the passage before us today we read of the favor and destiny that the

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Lord has for those who fear him. The Lord, through the pen of his prophet, speaks of the future day of judgment when he will call all humanity before him and at that time there will be a great distinction made between his people and all others.

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Salvation, of course, granted to his people, all others, eternal ruin, eternal judgment, eternal punishment.

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Here's the passage we want to consider, Malachi 3, 13 through 18. Your words have been hard against me, says the

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Lord, but you say how have we spoken against you? You have said it is vain to serve

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God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or walking as in mourning before the

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Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evil doers not only prosper but they put

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God to the test and they escape, they get away with it. Then those who feared the

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Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the

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Lord and esteemed his name. They shall be mine, says the Lord, the

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Lord of hosts, meaning he could bring it about. They should be mine, says the

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Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession or the

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King James, new King James, when I come to make up my jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.

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Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves

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God and the one who does not serve him. Here's a good summary of what is set forth in these two paragraphs.

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The prophet now returns to the subject of judgment but at a more profound level than back in chapter 2 verse 17 through chapter 3 verse 5.

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He shows that there is a fundamental difference between the man who serves God and the one who does not, not only here and now but even more significantly in the day of God's great assize or judgment.

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Injustices and inequalities are to be seen in the light of that final judgment when innocence and guilt will be exposed and opportunity for repentance will have passed.

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Malachi is virtually saying live in the light of that day and of course that's a theme that we find repeatedly in the

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New Testament as well. We are to live in the light of the coming of the Lord.

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Now as we consider these verses before us we will affirm the following themes.

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First the sin of charging God harshly and falsely, verses 13 through 15.

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Secondly a godly remnant who thought and acted in the fear of the Lord, verse 16 and I believe 17 too.

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And lastly we read of the final day of judgment when these two groups of people will be distinguished from one another and assigned different destinies and that's found in verse 18.

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So let's work through these verses. First the sin of charging God harshly and falsely.

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God charges people Israel with the sin of having falsely charged him with failure in his dealings with them.

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Again these few verses, your words have been hard against me says the

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Lord. Now you say how have we spoken against you? You have said it is vain to serve God.

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What is the profit of our keeping his charge or walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed evildoers not only prosper but they put

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God to the test and they escape. We read now what it should be familiar to us the formula that God has used in Malachi giving an initial charge followed by God posing an objection from them knowing their hearts which is then followed by the

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Lord detailing the nature and degree of their sin. And so in verse 13

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God said your words have been hard against me says the Lord. This is a common sin of people who are irreligious.

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They speak evil of the Lord. They are quick to deny or excuse their transgressions being unconvinced that they have sinned in the manner that they have been charged.

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They justify themselves. They blame God. They insist that they are justified for believing what they do and for practicing what they do.

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As the Lord brings a person to salvation he convicts a person of his sin and the sinner humbles himself in acknowledging

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God's charges against him are true and just. Everything that he says regarding us is true.

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And basically so when God brings people to salvation God makes no excuse sinners out of them.

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Spurgeon used to quote the hymn a sinner is a holy thing. The Holy Spirit has made him so and there's a reality to that.

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Of these that God addressed through Malachi though he had been very gracious to them there were some even the majority of them who were a very poor character.

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These were Israelites according to the flesh. Their hearts were far from the Lord. These people were disillusioned in their efforts to live for God and they spoke with one another openly in anger voicing their objections accusing

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God of having not been faithful to them. And apparently their indiscreet language with one another contributed to their problem undermining the people's morale and uniting them in their dissatisfaction with the

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Lord. It was contagious the way they spoke against God. Their speech was hard and strong stout as one translation says.

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Their speech was hard and strong direct and detailed asserting there was no value to serve the Lord as John Gill wrote.

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They bore very hardly upon him were exceedingly impudent insolent murmuring at his providence arraigning his justice and goodness despising his word his worship and ordinances or laws.

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Then Matthew Henry wrote of them their words against God were stout. They came from their pride the words came from their pride haughtiness and contempt of God.

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What they said against God they spoke loudly as if they cared not who heard them. They were not themselves ashamed to say it and they desired to propagate their atheistical notions and to infect the minds of others with them.

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They spoke it boldly as those that were resolved to stand to it and were in no fear of being called to an account.

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They spoke it proudly and with insolence and disdain scorning to be under the divine check and government.

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They strengthened themselves they would be valiant against the Almighty alluding to Job 15 25.

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Well their words were of course born of sinful pride. They were expressions of haughty self -righteousness thinking highly of themselves but lowly of their

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God. They were brazen and unashamed when they voiced their accusations against God and against those who were fully committed to living for God although they were few in number.

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They would have others embrace their blasphemous opinions and join them in their impudence.

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They were the wicked man as Job described him for he stretches out his hand against God and acts defiantly against the

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Almighty. Well what kind of charges were they leveling against God?

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Well God himself stated what it was that they believed and were saying and when you read this actually there are two charges that they are leveling against God and his people.

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The first might be described as the futility of serving God. What's the point?

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What's the use? There's no benefit in it no value in it. Verse 14 and this is

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God speaking you have said it is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or walking as in mourning before the

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Lord of hosts? Notice that these people thought they had been keeping God's charge as well as mourning before the

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Lord of hosts. Keeping his charge means they thought they were keeping the commandments of God. As in mourning speaks of the contrition they had shown for having sinned against God.

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They thought that they were humble and acknowledged their failure before God. They thought they had been faithful keeping terms of the covenant before God but they had concluded that there was no profit in doing so.

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For God had failed to fulfill his terms of their covenantal agreement or so they thought. It is as though they had been saying we've been faithful in serving and living for God but he's been unfaithful to us.

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What profit is there then in continuing our profession and claim that he is our God? They were charging

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God with being unfaithful or maybe incapable of keeping his word that he'd committed to them and so they would continue through the motions perhaps keeping the forms of their religion but they had little if any true faith in the true

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God. And I think there are many that are raised up in church and they walk off to the world because they think just like this.

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What's the use? What's the benefit? But perhaps a deeper problem is suggested by these words.

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They saw that their relationship with the Lord was primarily a means to receive personal benefit from having served him.

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They were serving him for what they could derive from knowing him. Not because they loved him and viewed him worthy of their devotion and service but only to the degree and with the intention to receive from him what they wanted.

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And so what Satan, what the devil falsely accused Job of could justly be said of these people.

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You recall what the devil said to God, Job's only serving you because you've been good to him. Stop being good to him and he'll curse you.

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That would have been a just accusation for the majority of these people in Israel in this day.

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The only reason they would seek and serve God was for what they could derive from him and that and that which they perceive would be beneficial for them.

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And we would argue that if the truth be known many churchgoers have this kind of motivation and they're seeking to serve

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God. And I would say from my own limited granted and faulty perspective of things it seems to me that a lot of modern church ministry is catered to appeal to these kinds of people.

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Come here and you'll receive all kinds of wonderful benefits in life if you seek our

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God in the way that we set before you. Think about the motivation there. Do they love

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God because he is God? Because they are his creatures and they and they love him for who he is?

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And not simply, although there's certainly benefit in doing so, but that wasn't their primary reason.

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But I'm afraid that's the kind of appeal that is often presented today. And people of the world will respond to that.

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They did in Israel. Now granted we acknowledge this.

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God in his mercy and grace will commonly bring someone to the place in which he sees futility of living a life apart from God and that he is in need of knowing

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God and serving God. In fact it's the common experience of Christians to have originally sought

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God because of their great need and they came to understand that God alone could deliver them from their miserable condition.

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That's how the Lord brought me and I imagine many of you, particularly those who are not raised in church, you could say that this is what happened to you too.

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But when the Lord works his grace in his soul he causes that one to see the wonder and the glory of the

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Lord. That God is worthy to be loved and served even if he never receives benefit for having served him.

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Our Lord Jesus repudiated this shallow and superficial reason for seeking him. In John 6 we read initially of Jesus feeding the 5 ,000 and the next day the great gathering of Jews desired to make

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Jesus their king. You open up John 6 and he's got 5 ,000 men and all the women and children want to make him king and by the end of John chapter 6 you've got some doubting disciples as to whether or not they wanted to continue to follow him.

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And so when they wanted to make him king because he had fed them, Jesus answered said, most assuredly

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I say to you, you seek me not because you saw the signs indicating that he's truly God incarnate and the

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Messiah but you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes but for the food which endures to everlasting life which the

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Son of Man will give you because God the Father has set his seal on him. We are to seek the

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Lord and purpose to serve him for who he is in truth not merely for what we perceive we might receive from him or through him.

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Now we affirm that great blessing comes from keeping the commandments of God we don't deny that and that's a powerful motivation for living for him.

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The psalmist wrote these words, the fear of the Lord is clean enduring forever the judgments of the

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Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired than they than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter than honey and the honeycomb moreover by them your servant is warned and in keeping them there is great reward.

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Certainly we affirmed that but if we're thinking clearly and we're a little more mature in the things of Christ we would acknowledge the

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Lord as word to be praised regardless of whether or not we receive any benefit for doing so.

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And so may we all come to the place where we resolve as the prophet Habakkuk who lived in very difficult times though the fig tree not blossom nor fruit beyond the vines though nor the labor of the olive or though the labor of the olive may fall and the fields fail and the fields yield no food though the flock may be cut off from the fold though there be no herd in the stalls in other words even though no blessing it would appear comes to us and to me nevertheless

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I will rejoice in the Lord I will join the God of my salvation. We should not be serving the

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Lord just because we perceive some temporal benefit that we're getting from him. He's a

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God worthy to be known and and worshiped and served regardless of whether or not benefit comes although obviously tremendous benefit comes to his people.

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Well there's a second charge however not only thought they thought it was useless to serve the

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Lord but secondly they thought the wicked prospered without suffering consequences for their sin. Look at those people they're getting away with it they seem to go be going doing quite fine however in life.

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Now we call the arrogant blessed evil doers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape they looked about the world and they could not conclude that serving

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God paid off in fact not only did they not benefit for all their pains and efforts but those who wholly disregarded

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God seemed to do quite well in the world. And again they were accusing

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God of bringing no benefit to his people who attempt to be devout and live their lives in devotion and obedience to him.

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They were as the psalmist Asaph was for an unknown period of life where Asaph wrote the psalm acknowledging but as for me my feet almost stumbled my steps had nearly slipped why for I was envious of the boastful when

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I saw the prosperity the wicked and then he describes the easy life they had for there are no pangs in their death but their strength is firm they're not in trouble as other men or they plague like other men and therefore pride serves as their necklace violence covers them like a garment their eyes bulge with abundance they have more than heart could wish they scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression they speak loftily they set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walks through the earth sounds like society today doesn't it sounds like Washington DC.

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Therefore as people return here and waters of a full cup are drained by them and they say how does

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God know God's not watching doesn't care they give lip service God bless

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America and then they do whatever they want to do in defiance of him is their knowledge in the most high behold these are the ungodly who are always at ease they increase in riches surely

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I've cleansed my heart in vain this is this is what Asaph thought exactly like the people in Malachi's day and washed my hands in innocence for all day long

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I've been plagued and chastened every morning is this supposed to be the good life you know life and more abundantly but what convinced the psalmist that he had drawn the wrong conclusion respecting

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God and those that lived in disregard of God well he speaks of what corrected him in Psalm 73 16 and 17 when

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I thought how to understand this it was too painful for me until I went into the sanctuary of God and then

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I understood their end and he goes on to write the

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Lord was just setting them up for the big fall he set them up in slippery places with the psalmist odd faith

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God declared forthrightly in our passage in Malachi 3 although in this fallen world it may appear that the wicked prosper and the godly suffer there will be a day when the fortunes of people are reversed the

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Lord Jesus said through Abraham of dives that's the traditional name of the rich man in Luke 16 remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and likewise

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Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and you are tormented our

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God is a God of justice and yes there are people who go through life living in total disregard of God and his ways who seem to do quite well for themselves but we should consider their end again

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Malachi God through Malachi points to the day of judgment when it's all going to be sorted out and the truth will be known they will give an account to him who's ready to judge the living and the dead according to Peter no sin ever committed by a human being in this world will escape

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God's just punishment no sin ever in all of history God is a

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God of justice and will render perfect justice for every infraction failure transgression of every human being through history thankfully for Christians that justice was fully satisfied when

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Christ was crucified when he died upon the cross God's justice with regard to our sins who believe on him has been wholly satisfied and that's why we'll escape condemnation on that future day of judgment as we'll stand in the righteousness of Christ having our sins fully atoned for by Jesus dying on our behalf paying for our sins nevertheless even though there may be the prevalence of evil and wickedness in the world the

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Lord has his people who have sought him and lived for him and there was a remnant even in Malachi's day and so we read in verses 16 and 17 then those who feared the

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Lord spoke with one another and the Lord paid attention and heard them and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the

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Lord and esteemed his name they shall be mine says the Lord of hosts in the day when

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I make up my treasured possession and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him under this heading a godly remnant who thought and acted in the fear of the

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Lord will consider four matters first we'll consider how these people are described they were those who feared the

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Lord second we'll consider what they were doing they spoke with one another third we'll consider how the

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Lord regarded and treated them the Lord paid attention and heard them speaking with one another if we might read it within context and then fourth we'll consider the

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Lord's dealings with them they shall be mine this is a wonderful passage those who feared the

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Lord in contrast to the many mentioned who disregarded and disrespected

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God these ones are described as those who feared the Lord the fear of the

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Lord is a very common idea or expression found throughout the Old Testament and just a quick consideration of this expression in similar terms the following frequency of use is found in the

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New King James Version fear the Lord 32 times feared the Lord nine times fear of the

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Lord 30 times fear God 10 times fear him 20 times it is a frequent theme and interestingly in the

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New Testament there are only four times in which the idea to fear of the Lord is expressed forthrightly although the word fear is used more frequently in Luke 1 50 we read of the words of Mary and her

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Magnificat and his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation the

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Lord Jesus himself gave this instruction do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell and of course there's a parallel to that in Luke's gospel but then you must go all the way the book of Revelation to find this phrase again or this this idea apart from the individual verses that speak about fear

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Revelation 19 5 then a voice came from the throne saying praise our

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God all you sir all you his servants and those who fear him both small and great fear the

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Lord is an important theme in fact the idea and expression of fear of the

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Lord is what describes and characterizes true believers in the Old Testament they're not called

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Christians in the Old Testament they're described as ones who fear the Lord you can see this in Psalm 103 here it's describing people that are have salvation he has not dealt with us according to our sins nor punished us according to our iniquities thankfully for as the heavens are high above the earth so great is his mercy toward who those who fear him as far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us forgiveness of sin as a father pities his children so the

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Lord pities whom those who fear him for he knows our frame he remembers that we are dust as for man his days are like grass short -lived as a flower the field so he flourishes for the wind passes over it it's gone and its place remembers it no more but the mercy of the

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Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on whom those who fear him and his righteousness to children's children to such as keep his covenant to those who remember his commandments to do them and so the fear of the

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Lord describes people who have salvation in the Old Testament a wonderful exposition of these verses

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Malachi 3 16 and 17 was set forth by Thomas Watson the great gain of godliness it's a wonderful book

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I recommend it highly and this is what he wrote regarding the fear of the

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Lord he gave a great deal of attention to this I found it so helpful and so forgive me for quoting him so extensively but I benefited from it and I think you are able to as well first he considered the fear of the

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Lord negatively it is not meant of a natural fear fear which is a tremor or palpitation of heart occasioned by the approach of some imminent danger fear shall be the way speaks of that kind of fear that's not what the fear of the

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Lord is about it's not meant of a sinful fear which is twofold a superstitious fear and this is typical of the way

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Watson spins it spins a phrase a clause a black cat crossing the path is by some more dreaded than a harlot lying in the bed he was clever a carnal fear it's not to be a sinful fear a superstitious fear or a carnal fear this is the fever of the soul which sets it a shaking he who is timorous or fearful will be treacherous he would decoy his friend and deny his

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God three times in one chapter Christ cautions us against the fear of men the fear of God is nothing like that a carnal fear is excruciating fear has torment in it a carnal fear is pernicious it indisposes for duty the disciples under the power of fear were fitter to flee than to pray and it puts men upon sinful means to save themselves this fear of man brings a snare what made

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Peter deny Christ or origin third fourth century sprinkle incense before the idol but fear and so that's what the fear of God is not fear the

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Lord what is the fear of the Lord positively the fear meant in the text is a divine fear which is the reverencing and adoring of God's holiness and the setting of ourselves always under his sacred inspection the infinite distance between God and us causes this fear when

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God's glory began to shine out on the mount mount Sinai Moses said I exceedingly fear and quake such as approach

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God's presence with light feathery hearts and worship him in a crude careless manner have none of this fear how much true fear the

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Lord is evident today when the people of God gather together and then he sets forth a doctrine a truth that's true at all times in all places it is an indispensable duty incumbent on Christians to be fearers of God fear

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God Ecclesiastes 5 7 that you may fear the glorious and awesome name of the Lord your God Deuteronomy 28 this fear of God is the very foundation of a saint one can no more act as a

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Christian without the fear of God than he can act as a man without reason this holy fear is the fixed temper and complexion of the soul this fear is not servile in other words you're not scared of him terrified of him but filial as a you know as one really highly regards the father there's a difference between fearing

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God and being afraid of God the fear of God is not being afraid of God perfect love casts out that kind of fear according to John the godly fear the godly fear

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God as a child does his father the wicked are afraid of God as a prisoner is of a judge this divine fear will appear admirable if you consider how it is mixed and interwoven with several of the graces and so Thomas Watson then gave reasons why we should fear

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God including God's eyes always upon you the eyes of the

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Lord are in every place beholding the good and evil somebody who's keenly aware that's watchful about what he says what he does what he watches what he reads because God is always looking over his shoulder beholding the good and evil that's the fear of God God interprets are not fearing him as slighting him disregarding him not to praise

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God is to wrong him so not to fear God is to slight him disregard him that's what they were doing

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Malachi 3 and then third God has the power to destroy us the Lord Jesus himself said fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell in other words

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God and Watson then set forth a number of exhortations to get the fear of God planted implanted in our hearts happy is he that feareth always and there's a bunch of them here

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I'm not going to read them all but I mean this expression and this idea is found throughout scripture the fear of God is the very badge and uniform of the saint in other words the true believer the saints of all were

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God fearing men the fear of God is a main branch of wisdom it's called the beginning the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom proverbs the fear of God is the best certificate to to show for heaven in other words evidence of salvation for there is that in God which may command fear with God is terrible majesty terrible not in a negative sense but a positive sense of course

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Old Testament the fear of God tends to life the fear of God gives full satisfaction the fear of God makes a little sweet better is a little with the fear of God the fear of God is the

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Christian safety the fear of God makes all things go well with us blessed it's everyone that feareth the

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Lord happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee the fear of God is a great cleanser the fear of the

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Lord is clean I'm not going to read the rest but again

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I give these forests not just to help us appreciate it here now but also to give you a flavor and I hope a desire to read this book by Thomas Watson it's incredible Thomas Watson dedicated a chapter to his book and to answer the question how may we know whether we have the fear of God planted in our hearts that's a good question to answer answer one the fear of God will make a man fear sin he quotes

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Joseph here how can I do this great wickedness and sin against God answer two he who fears

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God walks by rule rather than by example the Word of God guides him instructs him he doesn't follow along with everybody else three he who fears

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God keeps his commandments fear God and keep his commandments Ecclesiastes 12 answer for he who fears

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God is a light good in all companies wherever he is not just in church but at work at home answer five he who fears

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God is good in the position where God has set him or placed him he who fears God dares not neglect his family or closet prayer answer seven he who fears

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God will not oppress his neighbor he shall not oppress one another but thou shall fear thy

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Lord answer eight he who fears God has given to works of mercy nine he who fears

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God would rather displease man than God answer ten the fear of God will make a man fear these six things

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Satan snares his own heart death judgment hell and heaven that's what the scriptures say he who has his hope in him you know resurrection everlasting life cleanses himself doesn't he the fear of the

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Lord now let's look back at our text and secondly consider what about these people how did they what were they doing these ones who feared the

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Lord in this context of a nation in which you had people who thought that they were godly but they were godless but you had a remnant who truly had the fear of the

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Lord they spoke with one another I saw this is so very important those who feared the

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Lord were living in dark and difficult days as we are there was little devotion true devotion and dedication many to live for the

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Lord the worldly ones who did not fear the Lord spoke openly and loudly about how vain it was to serve the

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Lord they said it is vain to serve the Lord what is the profit of our keeping his charge or walking as in mourning before the

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Lord of hosts and perhaps the ones who feared the Lord would have been hard -pressed to refute these infidels given the low ebb of the people in difficult times there was low morale how would they deal with it they spoke with one another they would speak with one another while in the way perhaps meet together for meals or for the specific purpose to speak with one another regarding the things of the

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Lord fulfilling Deuteronomy 6 and these words which

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I command you today shall be in your heart you shall teach them diligently to your children talk of them when you sit in your house when you're walking by the way when you lie down when you rise up you'll so bind them as a sign on your hand they should be as frontless between your eyes you shall write them on the doorpost of your house and on your gates and so what we see here in Malachi 316 is the value and importance of spiritual conversation or fellowship among the people of God I think of this in particular with regard to our own place these last two years with this whole

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COVID business social distancing putting a mask on where you basically are alienating yourself from your brothers and sisters in Christ we didn't we don't have the same haven't had the same setting that we've had in the past and we're trying to get that renewed because I tell you what

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I can I can see it the elders we can see the breakdown and the weakness because the people of God have not had the kind of fellowship that we've enjoyed in the past it's important they spoke with one another the early

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Christians made a practice of this acts 242 they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and prayers and so as Christians we're just speaking be speaking with one another and our conversation should be spiritual in nature so that we could benefit ourselves and others spiritually if a man speak let him speak as the oracles of God let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth but what is good for necessary edification building up that it may impart grace to the hearers as Watson wrote a

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Christian by divine discourse may enlighten another when he's ignorant warm him when he's frozen comfort him when he is sad and confirm him when he's wavering and so we see this holy interaction played out in the conversation of the two disciples remember on the road to Emmaus on the day of first Easter the day of the resurrection now behold two of them were traveling that same day to a village called

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Emmaus which was seven miles from Jerusalem one of my favorite passages Luke 24 they talked together of all these things that had happened and so it was while they conversed in reason

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Jesus himself grew near and went with them but their eyes were restrained so that they did not know him one of the great lessons of Luke 24 is that even though the

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Lord Jesus has physically left us crucified risen and he's gone from us nevertheless we can still enjoy his presence and fellowship as believers as disciples when we're talking about him in the way that's one of the lessons and so although they did not recognize at the time it was

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Jesus who was walking with them they could later say did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us on the road and while he opened the scriptures to us and that's what we are to be doing one for another this is a critically important means of grace for our spiritual growth and health biblical fellowship involves interaction with our brothers and sisters in Christ and so we who fear the

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Lord should speak with one another regarding the Word of God relating with one another the works of God in our lives this ministry of Christian fellowship is not fully accomplished alone through the worship service of the church we're not interacting with one another right now

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I'm up here talking and you're listening we're listening but there's not this true communion or fellowship taking place until we're talking with one another and hearing and relating with one another yes we're gathered together to worship

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God but there's little if any verbal interaction among us and this form of fellowship in which there's mutual interaction speaking with one another according to the

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Oracles of God may best take place say in our ladies Bible studies Monday night

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Wednesday morning are the Wednesday morning men's gathering the Wednesday evening prayer meeting our

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Saturday morning men's group where there's interaction taking place this kind of fellowship which is so essential for staying power difficult days may be seen in our contact and conversation with one another through the week phone calls visiting email these are the kinds of settings that we can see realized what is in our text and those who feared the

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Lord spoke with one another as Watson wrote the body is the temple of the

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God of God the temple is the organ of the temple which sounds holy discourse the tongue of the just is choice silver

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Proverbs 10 he dropped silver sentences enriching others with knowledge a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things

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Jesus taught in his heart is a treasure of goodness and this is not a bag of money sealed but he brings something out of the treasure within to the enriching of others grace is of the nature of fire which will not be pent up or confined like new wine it requires event there's a principle within that constrains to holy conference the spirit within me constrains me and that's how we ought to be we want to talk about the things of the

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Lord or we should but then next consider what our

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Lord how our Lord regarded their fellowship their spinner spiritual interaction then those who feared the

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Lord spoke with one another and the Lord paid attention and heard them isn't that fascinating the

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Lord is present with his people when they speak with one another conversing regarding him and his ways among the people like Jesus along with those two disciples and so we can cite that Jesus paid attention and heard them and that's what

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God does with us and with regard to us the Lord is present and delights to hear the spiritual conversations and discussions of his people what kind of subjects may we consider and speak about with one another

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Thomas Watson was helpful here some say that they are barren of matter they don't know what to talk about no no not what to speak of no have you walked so often through the field of Scripture yet gathered no ears of corn have not you matter enough in the word to furnish you with something to say let me suggest a few things to you when you meet speak to one another of the promises no honey so sweet as that which drops from a promise the promises are the support of faith the springs of joy the

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Saints Royal Charter are you citizens of heaven and you do not speak of your charter speak of the preciousness of Christ he is beauty and love he's laid down his blood as the price of your redemption have you a friend who's redeemed you and you never speak of him speak one another sin what a deadly evil it is and how it's affected your virgin nature and turned it into a lesser hell speak of holy the beauty of holiness which is the souls embroidery filling it with such oriental splendor as makes

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God and angels fall in love with it speak to one another of your souls inquire whether you were in health speak about death and eternity can you belong to heaven and not speak of your country speak one to another of the times wherein

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God is the great is the greatest sufferer again talking about the attitude of the people of the world and let your hearts bleed for his dishonors

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I believe that the one main reason for the decay of the power of godliness is a lack of Christian conference in other words communicating with one another people when they talk of impertinences but God and heaven are left out of their discourse

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I hope as we gather downstairs that we try and keep things on a spiritual plane yeah

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I know turkey season just around the corner and trout seasons in Montana but you know spiritual matters

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Lord help us but notice it's not only said the

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Lord joins with those who fear him so as to hear him but a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the

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Lord and esteemed his now it's obvious the Lord doesn't need a book of remembrance he's omniscient he cannot forget he can disregard something your sins

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I will remember no more in other words I'll no longer take them into consideration but God cannot forget of anything he's omniscient knows all things but this metaphor a book of remembrance was taken is speaks about how ancient kings used to chronicle the good deeds of their citizens with view to maybe rewarding them in the future

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King Azarius in the days of Esther and you know Mordecai saved him from being assassinated he put it down in his journal and providentially at a later time he couldn't sleep he opened up the journal and there was the account of Mordecai and it spared

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Mordecai and Esther of course at that point the point of the metaphor is to assure the people of God that the

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Lord is interested and he will recompense his people for the holy glorified and edified conversations they have of one another you're sending fruit ahead to heaven that you're going to enjoy in eternity by what you speak about today it's amazing when you think about it and then lastly the

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Lord said of those who fear and they shall be mine they should be mine says the

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Lord of hosts in the day when I make up my treasure possession and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him speaks about the treasured possession of the people of God we're precious in God's sight valuable to him and one day he'll prepare us as a glorious displays when he makes up his jewels puts them in display as it were

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King James read version reads they should be mine says the Lord of hosts in that day when

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I make up my jewels setting them as it were on a display as a man spares his own son that serves him we who believe on the

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Lord we who do fear the Lord are regarded by him as having great worth as most people would regard having many jewels he regards the one who fears him as close to him important to him as his own son and that is what we are sons and daughters of God through great the grace of adoption through faith in Jesus Christ and then the passage concludes with verse 18 there will be a day of judgment when it's all sorted out these two peoples those who fear the

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Lord will be distinguished from all others and so verse 18 then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked between one who serves

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God and the one who does not serve him the course and ignorant assertions of many who believed and declared they that they were receiving no benefit from living for the

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Lord will then discover how terribly foolish and wrong to have thought that way yet alone said these things but the ones who feared the

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Lord who believed and lived otherwise would be brought forth as God's treasured possession on glorious display before angels and all the damned as well as they're consigned to everlasting punishment

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John Gill wrote on the phrase or the words I will spare them as a man spares his own son serves him this is a favor not granted to the apostate angels nor to the old world nor to the

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Jewish nation nor even to the Son of God he was crucified him but his vows saved to his special people the lives of these he are spared until they're called by grace in other words he preserved you even in all your lost condition until the day you were saved they are sometimes afflicted and chastised it is very gently and in love their services are accepted and their imperfections in them overlooked their sins are pardoned and they will find mercy at the great day of account they are used in the most tender manner not only as a son an own son but as an obedient one for whom the greatest regard is had an affection shown and so he will own us and present us in Jesus Christ in glory it's a wonderful passage and it's very applicable isn't it for Christians Old Testament is

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Christian Scripture when understood in the light of the coming of Christ let's pray thank you father for your word thank you father for these words and we pray

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Lord you'd help us take it to heart help us our Lord not to be so independent of one another that we fail to receive the spiritual benefit that you provide when your people gather together and speak of the things of Jesus Christ we pray

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Lord that you would help us as a church to encounter and enjoy a true biblical fellowship that we would be strengthened thereby and encouraged thereby comforted thereby our

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God so that we might please you and we thank you our God that you take these matters to heart and that you're with us and you listen to what we're saying and you make a record of them our

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God and that you even have promised to reward our our few words that we express on your behalf and encouragement of one another and so help us to be faithful and true to you our father for we pray in Jesus name