Introduction

• God used a question and answer rhetorical technique in Malachi to make His point with Israel.

“How have you loved us?” (Malachi 1:2)

• Malachi 1:1-5
• God punished Edom because of their disobedience but blessed Israel.
• Deuteronomy 4:7
• The audacity of even asking this question is amazing!
• I Peter 1:10 – God has done so much to love us for thousands of years!

“How have we despised Your name? … How have we defiled You?” (Malachi 1:6-7)

• Malachi 1:6-8 – Would you offer this level of sacrifice to even a human ruler?
• Do we offer sorry, insincere worship to God?

“For what reason?” (Malachi 2:14) [God no longer accepted their worship.]

• Malachi 2:13-16
• God is looking at the whole picture of our lives. What we do affects our fellowship with God.
• I Peter 3:7
• I John 4:20-21 – Love God and your neighbors all the time.

“How have we wearied Him? … What have we spoken against You?” (Malachi 2:17; 3:13)

• Malachi 2:17; 3:13-15
• They were not worshiping God well.
• They were looking at serving God as being transactional: If I do this for God, He will do this for me.
• Psalms 73:3, 24-26

“How shall we return? … How have we robbed you?” (Malachi 3:7-8)

• Malachi 3:7-12
• We must be aware of the power of self-deception.
  • Galatians 5:20 – Am I guilty of jealousy?
  • Romans 1:29 – Am I guilty of gossip?
• Notice the word “rob”:
  • Luke 17:7-10
  • God looked at offerings and tithes as things owed to Him. To not give them was robbing Him.

[Unfortunately, about the first 10 minutes of this recording was lost due to technical difficulties. Sorry about that! -MRW]

Luke 11

Luke 11:1-13 – How to pray

• Luke 11:1 – See Luke 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28-29; 22:41-44; 23:46.
• Luke 11:2 – This starts with respect for God and His purposes.
• Luke 11:3 – Thi sis not asking for luxuries or anything beyond the day’s needs. It emphasizes daily dependence on God.
• Luke 11:4 – This reminds us of our needs for forgiveness and the attitude we should have toward others.
• Luke 11:8 – If even a reluctant neighbor can be persuaded to help, how much more so will God?
  • II Corinthians 12:8-9; James 4:3; I John 5:14 – Persistence in prayer is good, but not a blank check.
  • Sometimes God’s answer is “no.” Sometimes it is “wait.”
• Luke 11:11-13 – See Matthew 7:11. God wants to give us good things. Note that v13 says God will give the Holy Spirit to those that ask Him. What exactly did Jesus mean by this?

Luke 11:29-36 – Authentic Christian living

• Luke 11:29 – See Luke 16:31. They just wanted to see more signs. They were not willing to believe. Regarding the sign of Jonah, see Matthew 12:39-42.
• Luke 11:31-32 – The queen of Sheba traveled a great distance to hear Solomon. How much more should we strive to hear Jesus?

Introduction

• Our eternity depends on the level at which we examine ourselves.
• Judas was called to be an apostle, but we don’t know his origin story.
• Paul’s life had the opposite direction to Judas’ life.

I Corinthians 9:27

• Paul disciplined himself.

Matthew 26:20-26

• Some translations render this to indicate that Judas was already betraying Jesus.

Honest and detailed self-examination

Acknowledge that we might be wrong

• I Corinthians 10:12
• II Peter 3:17-18 – “be on your guard”

Critically examine specific aspects of our life

• It’s easy to look at the surface only and think we are great. We must look more deeply than that.
• II Corinthians 13:5 – “test yourselves;” “examine yourselves!”
• Luke 18:11 – Don’t be arrogant like the Pharisee here!
• Galatians 6:3-5 – Don’t think you are something when you are nothing.

Look for the warning signs

• An unbelieving heart
  • Hebrews 3:12-14
• A “root” of sin
  • Hebrews 12:14-17; James 1:14-16
  • Fix sin before it gets to be a bigger problem!
• Decreased love
  • Revelation 2:4-5 – Remember how zealous you once were!

Does not keep account of a wrong suffered.

• Luke 23:34
• Luke 17:4
• Matthew 18:21
• Hebrews 8:11-12
• How does Jesus exemplify the ideal?
  • By forgiving us!
• When is it hard?
  • When I make it about me or my ego?
• How do we love anyway?
  • Mark 11:25
  • Hebrews 8:9-10
  • Remember our purpose in the relationship.

Is not provoked

• Acts 17:16
• Acts 15:39 – Paul and Barnabas disagreed about taking John Mark with them, so they went separate ways. This works for preachers but not husband and wife!
• Hebrews 10:24
• John 3:17; 12:47
• John 3:18
• If your spouse is truly sinning, we must help them see that, but we must first make sure it is not just a personal annoyance.

Believes all things

• Love wants to believe the best. It is optimistic.
• Acts 26:14-18 – God had no evidence that Saul would do any of these things when He called him. He laid the opportunity in front of Saul and Saul took it.

Does not act unbecomingly

• I Corinthians 12:23-24
• II Samuel 6:20-23 – What David did embarrassed Michal.
• Matthew 12:15-21 – Jesus was careful in his interactions with people.
• I Corinthians 10:23 – Seek the good of your neighbor.
• Be sensitive to what might embarrass your spouse.

Introduction

• Matthew 4:1-4 – When we study with people, are we going back to “it is written?”
  • Psalms 119:11

We may often ignore the context.

• “I know this is the context, but it’s still a good rule for this case …”
• I Timothy 5:19

What does context mean?

• That which comes before and after.
• Acts 17:1-4 – Paul reasoned from the scripture and some were persuaded.
• Acts 17:16
• Nehemiah 8:2-8 – The people stood in their place and those reading did so clearly and gave the sense so the people could understand.
• Acts 8:26-40 – “Do you understand what you are reading?”
• The scriptures were written so that we might know how to behave.
• I John 5:13
• John 21:15-19