Does It Pay To Serve God Sermon

Devotional

Day 1: Serving God is worth it; God remembers the faithful.

When the people began to say it is vain to serve God because the wicked prosper, the record shows that those who feared the Lord spoke with one another, and God paid attention; there is a book of remembrance for the fearful, faithful ones, and God promises to spare and claim those who serve him, so keep serving with tunnel vision and trust that God is writing your name among his treasured possessions. [02:13]

Malachi 3:13-18 (ESV)
“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. Yet you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’ Then those who feared the 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 Lord and esteemed his name. ‘They shall be mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.’”

Reflection: Make a list of three faithful acts you have done in service to God that felt unnoticed; thank God for each now in prayer and, before the week ends, tell one church leader or a fellow believer why one of those acts mattered to you.

Day 2: Don't rob God; give from faithful understanding.

Giving apart from knowing the cause is like robbing God—when people are not present at the vision meeting the cause for their giving is aborted; engage with the church's mission so your resources and service align with what God is doing, not with comparisons or confusion. [25:46]

Malachi 3:8 (ESV)
“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.”

Reflection: If you missed the church's vision meeting recently, today email or call a ministry leader to request the next meeting date and one-page summary of current causes, then commit to attending or to giving toward one specific cause this month.

Day 3: Love for God shows through obedient service.

True love for Jesus produces obedience—one cannot claim love for the Lord and refuse his commands; love is visible in doing the Lord's work, serving in the body, and letting God's word shape daily action rather than words alone. [22:53]

John 14:21-24 (ESV)
“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.’”

Reflection: Identify one command of Jesus you've been avoiding (for example, forgiveness, generosity, or hospitality); choose one concrete step you can do today to obey it and take that step before evening.

Day 4: Gathering together sustains faithful giving and service.

The assembly of the people matters—when the faithful gather they understand the mission, are encouraged, and become participants in what the church does for the community; do not neglect meeting together, for presence shapes vision, giving, and ongoing service. [23:31]

Hebrews 10:25 (ESV)
“not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Reflection: Commit to being physically present at the next corporate worship or vision meeting; if you cannot attend in person, send an email to the church office today asking for the meeting notes and a volunteer contact, and plan to introduce yourself to one ministry leader this week.

Day 5: Do not covet another's God-given blessing.

Avoid the danger of wanting what God has given someone else—blessings often come through a refining process unknown to the onlooker, so keep your eyes on what the Lord has for you, stop judging God's faithfulness by another's life, and cultivate contentment with God's unique preparation for your calling. [16:28]

Exodus 20:17 (ESV)
“You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”

Reflection: Name one blessing you envy and write down one step God might be asking you to take toward your own calling; then remove or mute one source of comparison (for example, unfollow a social account) today and pray, asking God to help you steward what he has uniquely given you.

Sermon Summary

In Malachi 3:13-18, I wrestled with a question many of us whisper: does it pay to serve God? The people in Malachi’s day were discouraged. They saw evildoers prosper, and they wondered if their devotion mattered. I reminded us that serving God is not hard because God is unclear, but because people are complicated—sometimes focused, sometimes unfocused; sometimes faithful, sometimes unfaithful. So the first call was simple: serve with tunnel vision. Stop peeping over the fence into someone else’s yard and judging God’s goodness by someone else’s story. The rain falls on the just and the unjust, and comparison will always turn worship into resentment. You don’t know the price of the oil on another person’s life. Want the portion God has shaped for you.

Then we looked at the “fearful faithful,” the saints who still fear the Lord and serve Him. When such people speak together about kingdom things, God listens. Malachi says God opened a book of remembrance. That means our quiet faithfulness matters. God is taking note—of our words, our work, our worship. This is why gathering, vision, and obedience go together. Love for God is not a sentiment; it shows up as obedience, as presence in the assembly, and as sacrificial giving toward God’s mission. When we miss the vision, we often miss the reason to give, and our generosity withers. “Will a man rob God?” isn’t just about money; it’s about divorcing devotion from the cause God cares about.

Finally, God promises a distinction—a future unveiling between those who serve Him and those who do not. That led us to honor Deacon Terry Butler with emeritus status, not as retirement, but as righteous legacy. Emeritus means dignity under pressure, faithfulness over time, and fruit that remains. And we lifted our eyes to Jesus, the true “emeritus,” who finished His earthly post with “It is finished,” rose with all power, and still reigns. He is the pattern and the promise: it pays to serve God because He is not unjust to forget, and because His presence turns our Twinkle, Twinkle into worship that holds a room. Don’t quit. Keep playing. The Master has His arms around you.

Key Takeaways

1. Serve with holy tunnel vision Comparison poisons worship and confuses calling. God shapes each life for a specific work, and you don’t know the heat of the fire He used to refine another’s gold. Judge God’s faithfulness by His Word and by His dealings with you, not by someone else’s outcomes. Want the portion that fits your name. [08:09]
2. The fearful faithful are heard When those who fear the Lord speak together, heaven leans in. God opens a book of remembrance to mark not only what we do, but the reverent tone of our talk. Faithfulness is not lost in the noise of cynicism; it is recorded by the God who attends to His own. Speak of His goodness; He is listening. [20:48]
3. Vision fuels obedience and generosity Love for God cannot stay abstract; it takes form in gathered life, obedience, and sustained giving to God’s cause. When we avoid the assembly, we often lose sight of the mission—and when mission blurs, giving dries up. “Will a man rob God?” is answered when the church’s vision becomes the believer’s burden. [25:46]
4. God distinguishes, and legacy speaks God promises a clear distinction between those who serve Him and those who do not. That future unveiling meets us in the present through lives that finish their post with dignity—what we call a righteous legacy. Emeritus is not escape but evidence: years of faithful service that continue to bless even when roles change. [27:56]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:13] - Opening Prayer at the Sacred Desk
[03:01] - Does It Pay to Serve God?
[04:02] - Paderewski: Keep Playing with the Master
[05:49] - Malachi’s Charge After Exile
[06:38] - Serving Is Hard Because People Are
[08:09] - Tunnel Vision Over Comparison
[12:39] - Come As You Are, Without Judgment
[15:55] - The Cost Behind Another’s Blessing
[17:27] - The Fearful Faithful Gather
[20:48] - God Opens a Book of Remembrance
[23:31] - Vision, Assembly, and Honest Giving
[26:14] - The Fate of the Faithful
[27:56] - Deacon Butler’s Emeritus Legacy
[82:54] - Benediction and Celebration at Peppers

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

- Malachi 3:13–18 (ESV) — 13 “You have said harsh things against me,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘What have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What do we gain by keeping his charge or by walking as mourners before the LORD of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’ 16 Then those who feared the 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 LORD and esteemed his name. 17 “They shall be mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 And you shall again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.”

Observation Questions

What specific complaint do the people make about serving God in Malachi 3:13–15? How does that complaint describe their view of blessing and suffering?
According to vv.16–17, what does God do when “those who feared the LORD spoke with one another”? What is recorded and how is the faithful described?
Verse 18 promises a future distinction. What two groups will be distinguished, and what does that distinction imply for the present life of faith?
The pastor warned against peeping “into somebody else’s yard” and urged “tunnel vision” in service. What behaviors did he name as coming from comparison and judgment? [08:09]

Interpretation Questions

How should the phrase “It is vain to serve God” (v.14) be read in light of the book of remembrance and God’s promise to spare the faithful (vv.16–17)? What tension is the prophet addressing?
What might the “book of remembrance” indicate about the value of small, ordinary acts of faithfulness (showing up, speaking well of God, serving quietly) in the life of the church?
The pastor argued that people often judge God’s faithfulness by comparing outcomes in other people’s lives. What reasons did he give for why that judgment is mistaken? How does that change how one reads blessing and hardship? [10:18]
The sermon used “emeritus” to describe a righteous legacy rather than mere retirement. What does that metaphor tell us about how legacy is formed and measured in God’s economy? [27:56]

Application Questions

Where have you last compared your progress or blessing to someone else and felt discouraged? Name one concrete step you will take this week to stop that comparison and focus on “what the Lord has for me.” [15:55]
Think of a person in your church you have silently judged for dress, manner, or background. What one practical thing can you do in the next month to welcome and disciple them instead of making them feel unwelcome? [12:39]
Are you regularly present at your church’s vision/mission conversations (so your giving and serving connect to the church’s cause)? If not, identify the barrier and one change you will commit to so your support is informed by vision. [25:46]
The sermon says God pays attention when “the fearful faithful” speak of kingdom things. Who could you meet with this week to intentionally speak about God’s goodness and kingdom work (a phone call, a coffee, a short testimony at a meeting)? Plan it now. [20:48]
Consider a ministry you currently serve in or could serve long-term. Is your aim to earn a title or to build a lasting, righteous legacy? Choose one habit to begin or renew (regular mentoring, consistent attendance, sacrificial giving, disciplined prayer) and commit to it for 90 days. [27:56]
Has some person or experience caused you to step away from church? If you were to return or rededicate, what boundary or spiritual practice would help you keep your eyes on Jesus rather than get derailed by people? Name the practice and a first step you will take this week. [36:01]

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