Offering Leftovers To The Creator of the Universe.

Mal 1:6-11

Holy, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful God loves you… that’s astonishing!

Do you really believe that God loves you, individually, personally, & intimately? (Ps 8:3)

Only response is to “sell” everything to “purchase” this heavenly treasure. (Mt 13:44)

Would you describe yourself as totally in love with Jesus Christ (sold everything)? 

Do we dishonor God by offering Him our leftovers (sick blind animals)?

A lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron. (Rev 3:14-22)

Lukewarm people consistently give leftovers to God & think its okay.

All of us are sinners & no one is totally immune to lukewarm behavior. However, there is a difference between a life that is consistently characterized by lukewarm behavior, & a life that is in the process of being transformed into the image of Christ.

This seems so radical… don’t we need to have balance?

Jesus may still ask you to sell everything (its all His), or He may ask you to follow Him up a hill to be crucified for your faith. He may not… you follow & obey Him!

Is that radical & unbalanced? In America it probably is… but not in the NT church.

Jesus did not say that you could follow Him in a lukewarm way. (Lk 9:23; 14:33)

Churchgoers who are lukewarm are not Christians.

Jesus’ call to commitment is clear… He wants all or nothing. (Mt 19:16-24)

What must I do to get eternal life? (This is eternal life… know God (Jn 17:3))

No others gods… sell everything, give to poor & follow me. (love, obey, follow)

If we claim to know God but don’t obey (love) Him, we are a liar. (1Jn 2:3-4)

Do you offer leftovers to Holy, Creator, Almighty God? (Mal 1:8)

The Lord Almighty is a Great King… His name will be feared & will be great. (Mal 1:11)

We show contempt & desecrate His name when we give God our leftovers.

God wants our best, deserves our best, & expects our best.

If you offer Him less that the best… at least in that area, you are lukewarm. Repent.

It is easy to give God leftovers if we take our eyes off Scripture & compare self to others.

To fill ourselves up with others things & then give God what is left. (Hosea 13:6)

Don’t assume God is pleased because we sacrifice something, He calls it evil. (Mal 1:8)

Let’s stop calling it “busy schedule”, “bills”, or “forgetfulness”, & call it evil.

God is holy… He deserves excellence, the very best I have.

Faint praises & sickly offerings aren’t better than nothing… they’re an insult. (Mal 1:10)

God is saying that no worship is better than apathetic worship. 

Shut the Temple doors… How many church doors does God want to shut today?

Laodicean Church was deceived… did not have what really matters. (Rev 3:17)

People at Laodicea did not realize their souls were sick… they were in desperate need.

They were wealthy & successful, but they didn’t have what really matters… our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that really don’t matter.

God’s definition of what really matters is how we love Him & others. (Mk 12:29-31)

God assesses our success based on how we love. (Jn 13:34-35; 1Cor 13:2-3)

Do you represent agape love to others? (e.g. Paul is patient) (1Cor 13:4-8) 

Following Christ can’t be done halfheartedly… it must be central to everything we do.

Lives of many in America who call themselves Christians lack evidence of saving faith.

Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (Ja 2:17)

They have a kind of faith & belief… but it is not saving faith. We are saved by grace thru faith alone… but faith that saves is never alone.

What if Jesus came to your home or work place & said “follow me”? (Mk 1:17)

Would you follow him up a hill to be crucified? He might lead you to another country, or perhaps you would stay put… but He would ask you to spend your time helping others.

Lukewarm people place limits on their following… they follow halfheartedly.

Many would say they have as much of God as they want right now… 

Nothing should concern us more than our relationship w/God… to know Him is eternal life. (Jn 17:3) God is not someone who can be tacked on to our lives.

Remember all the stars & galaxies God breathed into existence & how tiny Earth is in comparison? How can we say to the Creator of the heavens, “I’m not sure You are worth it… you see I really like my stuff, my sin habit, my money & I’m not sure I want to give them up to get to know You more.”? We would never say that we chose stuff over God, but where we spend our time, energy & money is same as choosing God or rejecting Him. 

Do you believe that wholehearted commitment to God is more important than any other thing or person in your life? (Lk 14:26,33)

Do you believe that nothing you do in this life will matter unless it is about loving God & loving the people He made?

If your answer is “yes”… then true faith means holding nothing back.

Pursuing Christ, taking up your cross, & counting the cost is so hard that Jesus said the road is narrow & few will actually find it.

Don’t assume you are good soil; don’t assume you live in Philadelphia; & don’t assume you are one of the few on the narrow way. Examine yourself to see if you are in true faith.

                                                                                                                                              02-01-09