Blake Jennings

Grace Bible Church

“Serving Leftovers Tonight?”

Malachi 1: 6-14

God has demonstrated His commitment to Israel, but Israel's commitment to God is far less than what He deserves. By analogy, if they were to make similar overtures to earthly authorities, their actions would be rejected. So God reminds them exactly who He is - the God with whom they have a special relationship, the God who will be worshipped appropriately by all nations. It is our privilege to worship, and in worshipping appropriately to draw all nations to the Lord.

• v6-8

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and to his sons and to all the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘Any man of the house of Israel or of the aliens in Israel who presents his offering, whether it is any of their votive or any of their freewill offerings, which they present to the Lord for a burnt offering— for you to be accepted—it must be a male without defect from the cattle, the sheep, or the goats…

‘Whatever has a defect, you shall not offer, for it will not be accepted for you. ‘When a man offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord to fulfill a special vow or for a freewill offering, of the herd or of the flock, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it. ‘Those that are blind or fractured or maimed or having a running sore or eczema or scabs, you shall not offer to the Lord, nor make of them an offering by fire on the altar to the Lord.

—Leviticus 22:17-22

‘They shall therefore keep My charge, so that they will not bear sin because of it and die thereby because they profane it; I am the Lord who sanctifies them.

—Leviticus 22:9

• v6-8 …is without COST

worship devoid of sacrifice

Then David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of this threshing floor, that I may build on it an altar to the Lord; for the full price you shall give it to me, that the plague may be restrained from the people.” Ornan said to David, “Take it for yourself; and let my lord the king do what is good in his sight. See, I will give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for wood and the wheat for the grain offering; I will give it all.” But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will surely buy it for the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, or offer a burnt offering which costs me nothing.”

—1 Chronicles 21:22-24

• v13a …is without CONVICTION

worship out of bored obligation

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

—2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Why is genuine worship worth the price?

1. Because it avoids God’s curse

2. Because the One we worship is Lord of all

• Father

• Master

• Lord of Armies

• He will be worshipped by all

3. Because He gave more