God's Unchanging Love: A Legacy of Faithfulness

The story of God’s love is one of faithfulness across generations, a love that is not dependent on our worthiness or circumstances, but rooted in His own character and covenant. As we reflect on the call to pass on faith to the next generation, we are reminded that our influence—whether as parents, teachers, or friends—can have an impact far beyond what we see. The legacy of faith is not just about immediate results, but about sowing seeds that may bear fruit long after we are gone, as seen in the stories of the acacia and tamarisk trees: some fruit comes quickly, some only in the lives of our grandchildren.

In seasons of dryness or discouragement, when we feel like we are in a desert and see little visible fruit, God’s love remains our shade and sustenance. The testimony from Vietnam illustrates that ministry and faithfulness often require patience, trust, and a willingness to keep showing up, even when results are hidden. Sometimes, the encouragement we need comes from unexpected places, and the very people we seek to serve become a source of comfort and strength to us.

Turning to the book of Malachi, we see a people who have returned from exile, only to find their reality does not match their expectations. Disillusionment sets in, and their faith becomes a matter of routine rather than passion. God’s response is not to rebuke them for their disappointment, but to remind them of His unchanging, covenant love—a love that is irrevocable, electing, and far-reaching. God’s love is not based on our performance or circumstances, but on His own faithfulness. Even when we are tempted to doubt, to “quiet quit” in our spiritual lives, or to measure God’s love by our current situation, the cross stands as the ultimate proof of His steadfast love.

God’s covenant love is not only for us, but is meant to overflow beyond our borders—into our families, our communities, and the nations. The challenge is to anchor our hearts in this unchanging love, to resist letting our circumstances define our view of God, and to trust that He is at work, even when we cannot see the results. As we journey through Malachi, may we rediscover the depth, security, and far-reaching power of God’s love, and let it transform how we live, serve, and hope.

Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s love is covenantal, irrevocable, and not based on our merit. From Deuteronomy to Malachi, Scripture reveals that God chooses to love not because of our worthiness, but because of His own faithfulness. This love is unchanging, even when we are unlovable or unable to keep our end of the covenant. Our security rests in His character, not our performance. [61:14]
• 2. Disillusionment and disappointment can erode our confidence in God’s love, especially when our circumstances do not match our expectations. Like the returned exiles in Malachi’s day, we may be tempted to “quiet quit”—to go through the motions of faith without wholehearted engagement. Yet God invites us to bring our doubts and cynicism to Him, and to let His unchanging love reawaken our hearts. [66:31]
• 3. God’s electing love is a mystery and a mercy. Neither Jacob nor Esau deserved God’s favor, yet God chose Jacob to carry forward His covenant. This choosing is not arbitrary, but rooted in God’s sovereign purpose. For us, it means that our failures and circumstances cannot override God’s commitment to us in Christ; we are chosen, not because of our goodness, but because of His grace. [74:12]
• 4. The fruit of faithfulness often takes time—sometimes a lifetime, sometimes generations. Like the acacia and tamarisk trees, some seeds we plant will not bear fruit until long after we are gone. Our call is to trust God with the results, to keep sowing, and to believe that He is at work in ways we cannot see. Even in seasons of dryness, God is our shade and sustainer, and He often uses others to minister to us as we minister to them. [41:44]
• 5. God’s love is far-reaching, extending beyond our personal experience to the nations and into eternity. The promise to Abraham, fulfilled in Christ, is that all nations will be blessed through God’s covenant love. Our circumstances may change, but the cross is the unshakeable proof that God’s love for us is secure, victorious over our greatest enemies, and destined to make all things new. [78:54]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [19:34] - Generational Faith and Pastoral Prayer
• [22:20] - Prayers for Teachers, Leaders, and the Congregation
• [24:23] - Missions Focus: Indonesian Children’s Fund
• [26:57] - Upcoming Events and Announcements
• [31:44] - Pray and Go: The Hope Initiative
• [32:23] - Missionary Testimony: Ministry in Vietnam
• [36:45] - Endurance in the Desert: Lessons from Trees
• [41:44] - The Tamarisk and Rodm: Faithfulness Across Generations
• [47:59] - Introduction to Malachi: Rediscovering God’s Love
• [51:43] - Israel’s History and the Role of the Prophets
• [56:09] - Post-Exile Disillusionment and Spiritual Quiet Quitting
• [58:45] - God’s Declaration of Unchanging Love
• [63:14] - The People’s Doubt and God’s Response
• [74:12] - God’s Electing Love: Jacob and Esau
• [78:54] - God’s Far-Reaching Love and the Gospel
• [84:44] - Living in Light of God’s Unchanging Love
• [86:07] - Personal and Corporate Response in Prayer

Bible Reading

Malachi 1:1-5 (ESV) — > 1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
> 2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob
> 3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.”
> 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’”
> 5 Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (ESV) — > 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,
> 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Ephesians 1:4-6 (ESV) — > 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
> 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
> 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Observation Questions

1. In Malachi 1:2, what question do the people ask God after He declares His love for them? What does this reveal about their attitude? [[01:03:14]]
2. According to Deuteronomy 7:7-8, what is the reason God gives for choosing and loving Israel? Is it based on their size or merit?
3. In the sermon, what are the two trees (acacia and tamarisk) used to illustrate about faith and fruitfulness? [[41:44]]
4. What does Ephesians 1:4-6 say about when and why God chose us in Christ?

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think the people of Malachi’s day doubted God’s love, even after returning from exile? What circumstances contributed to their disillusionment? [[51:05]]
2. The sermon describes God’s love as “covenantal, irrevocable, and not based on our merit.” How does this understanding of love differ from how love is often experienced or expected in human relationships? [[01:01:14]]
3. The story of the acacia and tamarisk trees shows that some fruit takes a long time to appear. How might this perspective change the way someone views their own faithfulness or ministry, especially when results are not immediate? [[41:44]]
4. What does it mean that God’s love is “electing” and “far-reaching,” and how does this shape the way we see ourselves and others in God’s plan? [[01:14:12]] [[01:18:54]]

Application Questions

1. The people in Malachi’s day were tempted to “quiet quit” in their faith—going through the motions without real engagement. Have you ever found yourself in a similar place spiritually? What were the signs, and what helped you move forward? [[01:06:31]]
2. When have you felt like you were in a “desert” season—dry, discouraged, or not seeing fruit from your efforts? How did you experience God’s “shade” or sustenance during that time, or how could you seek it now? [[44:13]]
3. The sermon challenges us not to let our circumstances define our view of God’s love. What is one current situation where you are tempted to doubt God’s love or faithfulness? How might you anchor your heart in His unchanging love this week? [[01:05:14]]
4. Think about someone who influenced your faith—maybe a parent, teacher, or friend. What seeds did they plant in your life that are bearing fruit now? How can you intentionally sow seeds of faith in the next generation, even if you may not see the results right away? [[20:15]] [[41:44]]
5. God’s love is meant to overflow beyond us to our families, communities, and the nations. What is one practical way you can let God’s love flow through you to someone outside your immediate circle this month? [[01:18:54]]
6. The cross is described as the ultimate proof of God’s steadfast love. When you struggle to feel loved by God, what helps you remember and trust in the reality of the cross? [[01:19:39]]
7. The testimony from Vietnam showed that sometimes the people we serve end up ministering to us. Can you share a time when someone you were trying to help ended up encouraging or blessing you in an unexpected way? [[44:13]]