Easter Sunday

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Living in the Reality of the Risen Christ

Living in the Reality of the Risen Christ

 

Malachi 4:1-12

 

ICE BREAKER

Have you ever said something like this to your spouse or a good friend, “It would be nice if you cared about me like you do other people.”? Within this question is usually a deeper question: “Do you really love me?”.

This type of question reflects a loss of gratitude. A failure to remember.

Do we ever say this to God? 

Share a time when you lacked gratitude toward God or someone else. Share about a time when you questioned God’s love or someone elses’ love. 

We are very vulnerable in times of suffering in our lives. We can have doubts about God’s faithfulness, His goodness, His nearness. The enemy is very active in our suffering and he loves to whisper lies about God. 

Malachi is a book that reveals this type of dialogue with God.

 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What do you need to let go of so you can hold fast to Christ? Is it money, your time, is it in your relationships, your faithfulness to spouse, friends? 
  2. In the first exchange between God and Israel God tells Israel He loves them. Israel replies: “ How have you loved us?” God replies by asking them to remember Jacob and Esau–to remember His extravagant pursuit of the nation for generations! God is inviting them to remember and to cultivate gratitude. The problem is that when we lose gratitude we lose sight of what we do have. Share with the group how well you are currently embracing gratitude for God’s blessing in your life(If this is a season of suffering in your life this is an expecially valuable exercise.). 

    Group leaders consider taking some time as a group to foster gratitude. You can give the group time in solitude to write down reflections of God’s faithfulness and/or invite them to share with the group.

  3. To live out biblcial justice is to care for the orphan, the fatherless, the sojourner and the widow. The fatherless need a father. The sojourner needs a home. The widow needs a protector.  Do I live out biblical justice in my life by engaging with them? Do we offer ourselves to help? Share with the group your personal reflections. 

 

NOTES AND QUOTES

Malachi records an argument between the people and God.

The book captures several exchanges between God and the nation of Israel.

 

First exchange:

God: I love you.

Israel: How have you loved us?

God: Remember Jacob and Esauu.

God is telling them to look back and remember. 

The problem is that when we lose gratitude we lose sight of what we do have.

Do I live as if I am grateful for God’s blessing in my life?

 

Second exchange:

God: You despise me.

Israel: How do we despise you?

God: Polluted offerings.

 

God asked them to bring Him their best. Israel is bringing blemished sheep for sacrifice.

It is like digging in my bag that is filled with items to bring to the Good Will store and I grab an item in the bag and give it to you for your birthday.

 

When we do this we are telling everyone that God is not much of a God. 

God gave His best. He gave His Son.

So, our worship and giving should reflect our gratitude.

 

Do we bring Him our best? In my work does God get my best?

 

3rd exchange:

God: You are faithless.

Israel: How are we faithless?

God: Wrong marriages, divorce and idolatry.

 

God is saying that when you dissolve your marriage easily you will dissolve other commitments easily and you will dissolve your relationship with Him. 

Many have been divorced and you have gone through much pain. There is a healing journey back.

 

A marriage can be void of intimacy without the official category of a divorce. God desires marriages to flourish. 

The hard work in marriage is the work of forgiveness. 

 

Does my faithfulness toward God and others show that I trust God? Do I forgive enough?

 

4th exchange
God: You weary Me with your words. 

Israel: How do we weary You?

God: Saying evil is good and there is no justice. 

 

Our culture today calls evil good and makes the claim that they are more loving in the process. Our culture demands replacing biblical justice with its own brand of justice. The implication is that God is not pursuing justice but we will. It is justice on our terms.

 

Do I live out biblical justice in my life? The fatherless needs a father. The sojourner needs a home. The widow lacks a protector. God wants us to be a protector for the widow.

 

5th exchange:

God: Return to me and I will return to you.

Israel: How can we return to You?

God: Stop robbing Me.

 

Malachi 3:8-9 

If there is a God who is all loving and all powerful, would you go up to Him and rob Him?

 

In Malachi 3:10 God says to put Him to the test with our giving….He will open the windows of heaven for you and pour down blessing.

This is not a health and wealth gospel message.

 

God is saying, If you adopt my heart—a generous heart–you will receive a blessing of true joy.

The change of mindset that comes through giving is more of a blessing than receiving more money in return.

All the research shows that more and more net worth does not make people content. As people get richer the amount they give tends to be reduced as well. This pathway lacks much blessing!

 

6th exchange:

God: Your Words have been hard against me.

Israel: How have been hard against you?

God: You said it is vain to serve me. 

 

In Malachi 3:17-18 His promise to the righteous and to those who serve Him is that they will be His. 

Malachi 4:4-5  Remember the law from Moses. Remember that the law is where joy and life comes from. Then look forward to what I have promised will come. The biggest promise to come is heaven. We will be in HIs glorious Presence tasting His love and affection. We will have no more suffering all relationships and all of life will flourish. 

 

Stand firm in the gap you now live in. Be faithful in these things. 

Look back and remember Christ came and then look ahead to his promises.

 

Don’t argue with Me with your actions.

Be faithful in relationships and in your giving.

 

Do I really love God? If so, we will stand firm in the faith and our actions will mirror His heart.