Embracing God's Patience: A Call to Holiness

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting in God's Perfect Timing

God's patience is an opportunity for repentance, not a sign of indifference. In our human impatience, we often question God's justice, especially when we see the wicked prosper while we struggle. However, God's timing and ways are perfect, and His patience is an opportunity for us to repent and transform. We must trust that His justice will prevail in His time, and His ways are higher than ours. Our impatience can blind us to His merciful nature, but by recognizing His patience, we can align ourselves with His divine plan. [34:09]

Isaiah 30:18 (ESV): "Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him."

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you struggling to trust God's timing? How can you actively practice patience and trust in His perfect plan today?

Day 2: Heeding God's Messengers

God sends messengers to prepare and purify us, calling us to repentance and readiness for His coming. John the Baptist and Jesus Christ serve as examples of these messengers, urging us to turn from our ways and embrace God's transformative work. Ignoring these messages leads to spiritual stagnation and a failure to recognize God's work in our lives. By heeding the call to repentance, we open ourselves to spiritual growth and alignment with God's will. [45:27]

Malachi 3:1 (ESV): "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts."

Reflection: Who are the messengers in your life that God might be using to speak to you? How can you be more attentive to their messages and respond with a heart of repentance?

Day 3: Recognizing the Gravity of Sin

Sin is not merely a list of wrong actions but a failure to honor and revere God's holiness. Taking sin lightly wearies God, as it reflects a lack of understanding of its impact on our relationship with Him. Jesus' sacrifice underscores the seriousness of sin and the depth of God's love for us. By acknowledging the gravity of our actions, we can seek genuine repentance and restoration in our relationship with God. [57:07]

James 4:8-9 (ESV): "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom."

Reflection: What sins have you been taking lightly in your life? How can you begin to take them seriously and seek God's forgiveness and transformation today?

Day 4: Embracing the Refining Process

God's refining work, though often painful, is essential for our growth and alignment with His will. This process molds us into the image of Christ, leading to spiritual maturity and deeper faith. By embracing the refining process, we allow God to transform us and prepare us for His purposes. It requires a willingness to endure discomfort and trust in God's perfect plan for our lives. [52:36]

Zechariah 13:9 (ESV): "And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people'; and they will say, 'The Lord is my God.'"

Reflection: What areas of your life are currently undergoing God's refining process? How can you embrace this process and trust in His transformative work?

Day 5: Pursuing Holiness

We are called to pursue holiness and allow God to transform us into the image of Christ. This involves a daily examination of our lives, repentance, and a commitment to live out the gospel in every aspect of our lives. By pursuing holiness, we align ourselves with God's will and open ourselves to His transformative work. It requires intentionality and a willingness to surrender our desires to God's greater purpose. [55:47]

1 Peter 1:15-16 (ESV): "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to pursue holiness in your daily life? How can you commit to living out the gospel in every aspect of your life?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we celebrated the joy of community and the anticipation of new life, as we look forward to a gender reveal next week. Our youth have been actively sharing the gospel, and their enthusiasm is contagious. We also took time to pray for those in need, including Jeremiah's mom, asking for healing and strength for those ministering to her family. As we continue our journey through the book of Malachi, we are reminded of the importance of moving from apathy to affection for God. Malachi challenges us to examine our lives and our relationship with God, urging us to respond with genuine love and devotion.

The passage from Malachi 2:17 to 3:5 highlights the weariness of God with the people's words and actions. They questioned God's justice, seeing the wicked prosper while they struggled. This reflects a common human tendency to overlook God's patience and mercy, expecting immediate justice according to our understanding. However, God's timing and ways are perfect, and His patience is an opportunity for repentance and transformation.

We explored the role of God's messengers, both the preparer, John the Baptist, and the purifying messenger, Jesus Christ. These messengers call us to repentance and prepare us for the coming of the Lord. Ignoring their messages leads to spiritual stagnation and a failure to recognize God's work in our lives. The refining process, though often painful, is essential for our growth and alignment with God's will.

Taking sin lightly is another way we can weary God. Sin is not just a list of wrong actions but a failure to honor and revere God's holiness. We must take our sin seriously, recognizing the gravity of our actions and the need for repentance. Jesus' sacrifice underscores the seriousness of sin and the depth of God's love for us.

As we reflect on these truths, we are called to examine our hearts, repent of our apathy, and embrace the refining work of God in our lives. Let us not overlook His patience and mercy, ignore His messengers, or take sin lightly. Instead, may we pursue holiness and allow God to transform us into the image of Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. God's Patience and Mercy: God's patience is an opportunity for repentance, not a sign of indifference. We must trust His timing and justice, recognizing that His ways are higher than ours. Our impatience often blinds us to His merciful nature. [34:09]
2. The Role of Messengers: God sends messengers to prepare and purify us. John the Baptist called for repentance, while Jesus purifies us through His sacrifice and ongoing work in our lives. Ignoring these messages leads to spiritual stagnation. [45:27]
3. The Seriousness of Sin: Sin is a failure to honor God's holiness. We must take our sin seriously, recognizing its impact on our relationship with God. Jesus' sacrifice highlights the gravity of sin and the depth of God's love. [57:07]
4. The Refining Process: God's refining work, though painful, is essential for our growth. It molds us into the image of Christ, aligning us with His will. Embracing this process leads to spiritual maturity and deeper faith. [52:36]
5. Pursuing Holiness: We are called to pursue holiness and allow God to transform us. This involves daily examination of our lives, repentance, and a commitment to live out the gospel in every aspect of our lives. [55:47]
** [55:47]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[07:09] - Community Announcements
[14:57] - Opening Prayer
[15:54] - Worship and Praise
[29:58] - Reading from Malachi
[31:08] - God's Weariness with Israel
[32:27] - Responding with Affection
[33:13] - Human Annoyances vs. God's Patience
[34:09] - Overlooking God's Patience and Mercy
[36:24] - Questioning God's Justice
[39:02] - A Futuristic Perspective
[42:34] - God's Promises and Patience
[44:12] - Ignoring God's Messengers
[45:27] - The Preparing Messenger
[46:35] - The Call to Repentance
[47:12] - The Purifying Messenger
[49:43] - Jesus' Authority and Judgment
[51:35] - The Cleansing of the Temple
[52:36] - The Refining Process
[55:47] - Pursuing Holiness
[57:07] - Taking Sin Seriously
[59:52] - Oppression and Vulnerability
[65:04] - The Need for Jesus
[67:20] - Closing Prayer and Reflection
[72:37] - Tithes and Offerings

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What specific complaints did the people of Israel have against God, and how did they express their frustration? ([36:24])
How does the passage describe the role of the messengers, and who are they identified as in the sermon? ([45:27])
What imagery is used to describe the refining process, and what does it signify about God's work in our lives? ([52:36])
According to the sermon, what are some ways people can "annoy" God, and how does this relate to the passage in Malachi? ([34:09])

Interpretation Questions

How does the concept of God's patience and mercy challenge the common human expectation for immediate justice? ([42:34])
In what ways does the sermon suggest that ignoring God's messengers can lead to spiritual stagnation? ([45:27])
How does the refining process, as described in the sermon, relate to personal growth and spiritual maturity? ([52:36])
What does the sermon imply about the seriousness of sin and its impact on our relationship with God? ([57:07])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you questioned God's justice in your life. How can you learn to trust His timing and patience more fully? ([42:34])
The sermon mentions the role of messengers like John the Baptist and Jesus. How can you be more attentive to the messages God is sending you through scripture or other means? ([45:27])
Consider the refining process in your own life. What current challenges might God be using to mold you into the image of Christ? How can you embrace this process? ([52:36])
How do you typically respond to sin in your life? What steps can you take to take sin more seriously and seek repentance? ([57:07])
The sermon calls for a move from apathy to affection for God. What practical steps can you take this week to deepen your love and devotion to God? ([32:27])
Reflect on the idea of pursuing holiness. What specific area of your life needs transformation, and how can you invite God into that process? ([55:47])
How can you actively participate in your community to share the gospel, as the youth in the sermon did? What is one action you can take this week to spread the message of Christ? ([07:09])

Sermon Clips

2. "People get annoyed really easily. Don't we? We get annoyed so easily. Our fast food drive-thru experience is just a little bit, a little bit slower than it is at Chick-fil-A. And we just go off the handle, right? We have this, or maybe someone cuts us off in traffic so we lay on the horn in unbridled anger, throwing up one-fingered hand waves, never considering that they may have screaming children in their backseat. Or they may have gotten terrible news and were distracted. Or they may have simply just not seen You in the same way that You've done in multiple other situations." [00:32:58] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "God is not annoyed. God is not subject to emotional extremes and temper tantrums in the same way that we are. God is not riding on an emotional roller coaster like we are sometimes. So what does it mean that God is wearied or annoyed by the people of Israel's actions? See, God holds all of His attributes in perfect perfection. Every attribute He has, He has it to the, 100% perfect degree. His wrath towards sin is not unbridled rage, but it is His perfect disposition toward our infractions against His holiness." [00:35:14] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "The reason God allows things to happen in ways that look unjust to us is because he is patient and we are not. He is merciful and we are not. God is just and he will make everything right. Scripture promises this. We cannot forget or overlook God's promises and we must trust him. So, if we want to annoy God, we can overlook his patience and mercy." [00:43:48] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Church, we cannot ignore the message of John the Baptist. We are each called to repentance and to look to Jesus and his saving work on the cross for our salvation. Another messenger is mentioned in the second half of verse 1. This messenger is a purifying messenger. Not only we should not ignore the preparing messenger, we should also not ignore the purifying messenger. We can annoy God if we do." [00:47:00] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "For Christians, there are two types of purification that we go through. The first is while we are on this earth and the second is before the Lord at his mercy seat. On this earth, God molds and shapes us into the image of God, often through pain and suffering. This is a verse we refer to in Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12 verses 5 and 6 we see this. Have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord nor be weary when reproved by him for the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son whom he receives." [00:52:36] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "God's purpose in our lives is not to make us happy. It's not to make us wealthy. It's not to make us healthy. God's desire and purpose with our lives as believers is to make us more like Christ. We should be grateful for his purifying in our lives. We cannot ignore it. We cannot ignore the coming day of the Lord. Christ will return and purify his people. Will you be ready?" [00:56:18] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "At its heart, this is what sin is. He says, it is the glory of God not honored, the holiness of God not reverenced, the greatness of God not admired, the power of God not praised, the truth of God not sought, the wisdom of God not esteemed, the beauty of God not treasured, the goodness of God not savored, the faithfulness of God not trusted, the commandments of God not obeyed, the justice of God not respected, the wrath, of god not feared the grace of god not cherished the presence of god not prized the person of god not loved that is sin so with that understanding we move into this final verse where god gives further instruction he gives some further indications about the judgment that he will bring he says then i will draw near to you for judgment i will be a swift witness against the sorcerers against the adulterers against those who swear falsely against those who oppress the hired workers in his wages the widow and the fatherless against those who thrust aside the sojourner and do not fear me says the lord of hosts" [00:57:21] (-1527 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Christian apart from christ we were nothing we had nothing of valuable of value that we could stand before god and say see all these things that you should be impressed with without jesus we had nothing we have no reason to think of ourselves as better than anyone else because we've been saved by grace when we oppress those around us we forget god's amazing grace toward us so i've been seeing an ad pop up for a website that you can you can double check whether or not somebody you know is voted right there's an evil people that don't vote it's basically how the conversation pulls out it's like it was like look one of them's like i had this boyfriend and i checked him out and i wasn't gonna be around him anymore if he's not gonna vote like really and this idea that i'm better than somebody else because i voted and they didn't that's the same kind of thing here isn't it when we oppress others it's the same kind of thing so it doesn't matter what someone's political affiliation is you are no better than them you have no right to stand before anybody whatever their sin is whatever their political affiliations are whatever team they like to cheer for in christ we have nothing to stand as being better than others in our lives when we do we forget that god was gracious to us the fear of the lord preserves us for the day of judgment we should seek to have the same view of sin that god does and not pretend that things that we do are just the same as the things that we do not that big of a deal, while the things other people do are far worse." [01:02:08] (123 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "See, Jesus is the promised purifying messenger. He is the object of the message of the preparer. His second coming will mark the end of his patience and mercy toward the wicked. Who seem to prosper. And Jesus is the great judge of all the earth who will do what is right. He does not take your sin lightly. In fact, he added to his divinity humanity to suffer and die as a perfect sacrifice on our behalf to pay the debt that was owed by our great sins. Jesus takes your sin so seriously. He died for it. And then three days later, he conquered the power of sin and Satan and death itself by raising from the dead." [01:04:36] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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