This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "A Prepared Plan For Life", 8/30/2015

A PREPARED PLAN FOR LIFE

Malachi 3:1-10

THE REDEEMER

V:1. "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the Lord Almighty. "

A. The messenger is John the Baptist.

     1. This is the prophecy of the coming of Jesus Christ 400 years before time.

     2. This is the also the prophecy of the assignment of John the Baptist as the

         forerunner of Jesus Christ.

 B. The job of John the Baptist was to preach repentance for the coming of Jesus Christ.

    1. The prophecy of the Messiah was long awaited. (Isa 40:3-5)

    2. Throughout the Bible, God makes known to us His plan of redemption.

        a. He gives us the pieces of His plan throughout the Old Testament.

        b. He gives us the order of His plan.

        c. He gives us the opportunity to participate in His plan.

        d. He makes known to us How His plan will end.

        e. God has revealed to us the success of His plan.

 C. It is the Father who sent the Son to redeem His people through His death on the

      cross.

     1. It is the Father who made a covenant with Abraham concerning His people

         that could only be fulfilled in His Son.  Gen 17:5-7

     2. During the time of Malachi (400 BC), Israel was under the control of the Persian

         empire.

     3. They were looking for a political King to restore control of the Nation to them.

     4. However, the promise Messiah was our Lord and Savior sent to redeem Israel

         from their sins.

THE JUDGE

V:2-3. " But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap."

3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness."

A. When you heat up gold or silver, it turns to a liquid and all the impurities can be

     filtered out.

    1. We were born in sin shaped in iniquity.

    2. It is the blood of Jesus that atones for our sins and Word of God that cleans us

        from all unrighteousness.

B. Verse 1 speaks of the first coming of Jesus Christ.

    1. Verse 2 and 3 speaks of the Age of Grace between the first and second coming of

        Christ.

    2. During  the Age of Grace, the redemptive blood of Jesus is the atonement for our

        sin and makes us acceptable to God.

    3. It is the faith in Jesus and His Word that makes us acceptable to the Father.

C. The only ones who can stand before the judgment of Jesus are those who

      believe in His death and resurrection.  

    1. It is Jesus who said that we are made clean by His Word.  John 15:3

    2. It is faith in the Word that effects our obedience to God's commands.

    3. It is our love for the Father and the Son that causes us to be doers of the Word.

D. God selected the tribe  of Levi as His priestly line of  Israel after the exodus from

     Egypt.

   1. Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi.

   2. At the first coming of Christ, the chief priest were not from the line of Aaron.

   3. The Chief Priest at the first coming of Christ was a political position rather than

         a holy, divine  spiritual office. (Ray C Stedman, Adventure Through The Bible).

  4. The refining process of the Levites will probably not take place until after

      rapture of the Church during the tribulation. Rev 7:14

      a. Two thirds of the nation of Israel will perish and God will take the remaining

           Israelite's to be His people.   Zach 13:8-9

      b. It will be during the 1000 year reign of Christ on earth that Israel will become

          a Nation that worships the Lord Jesus Christ. Rev 20:6

AN ACCEPTABLE OFFERING

V:4.  "And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years. "

 A. When Israel was delivered from the Egypt, God set up His tabernacle among

      them to offer sacrifices for the atonement of sin and to show honor

      and gratefulness to Him.

    1. Gradually over time the offering became just a religious ceremony.

    2. Israel rejected the true and living God and took up the worship of idol gods

        in violation to God's commands.

 B. When Israel worshiped God with their whole heart and were obedient to God's

      commands, they were acceptable to God.

   1. We must be careful  not to let our worship become a formality.

   2. Our worship of the Lord Jesus Christ should be a life changing experience.

   3. We should be able to look in the mirror and see our continual growth in Jesus

       Christ.

   4. Our lives outside the four walls of the Church; at home, in the community and on our

      jobs should be the image that draws others to Christ.

V:5 "So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the Lord Almighty. "

 A. God is not far from us.

     1. He is aware of all our thoughts and actions.

     2. God knows who is for Him and who is against Him.

     3. God knows whether you are committing spiritual adultery, which is the worship of

         anything other than Him or physical adultery.

     4. God knows whether your are mistreating those around your.

     5. He knows whether your are taking advantage of the weak and defenseless.

     6. God knows where you put your trust.

B. God will judge us  according to our actions, good or bad.

     1. Only what we do for Christ will count.

     2. What we do for Christ stores up treasures in heaven.

     3. What we do against God's commands and against our neighbors blocks

         blessings and causes judgment.

AN UNCHANGEABLE GOD   

V:6 "I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed."

 A. God does not change.

     1. He is the same today as He was yesterday and will be the same tomorrow.

     2. God's commands for us does not change.

     3. God's standard of judgment is the same for everyone.

 B. The reason God has not executed His judgment against us is because He

     is tolerant and long suffering.

    1. We cannot get away with anything. God has not destroyed us, He is just giving us

        time to repent  and turn to Him.

    2. We should learn from the Nation of Israel who suffered greatly because of their

        disobedience.

V:7. " Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?"

 A. This is God's indictment of the Nation of Israel.

     1. As I wrote these comments there was a storm blowing through the area.

     2. The wind blew up suddenly and the trees outside moved violently back and forth.

     3. There was thunder and lightening all at the same time.

     4. It was God controlling His environment.

 B. I realized that God could protect me through His storm or execute judgment. 

     1. It is only by the grace of God that we are still here.

     2. You never know when God will call us to give an account of our actions and judge

         us on the spot.

     3. At every stage of our lives, God gives us a chance to repent and return to Him.

THE BLESSINGS OF GIVING

V:8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings."

A. God said that the love of money is the root of all evil.

    1. If the love of money is in your heart, you will find yourself ignoring the

        righteousness of  God to get it.

    2. The love of money can cause you to overlook the basic principles of hard work

        and dedication.

    3. The love of money can cause you rob another person of his hard earned gain.

    4. The love of money can cause you to rob God.

B. God gave the nation of Israel everything they needed to survive in the promise

     and.

   1. God required Israel to worship Him with the first fruits of their flocks and

       produce, giving Him a tenth of all their increase.

   2. God did not need what they had because it all belong to Him.

   3. Giving from the heart shows our love for the Lord and our obedience to the Lord's

       commands.

   4. When we failed to do what God commands us to do, we rob Him of His glory. 

       a. When we fail to do what God commands us to do, we show a lack of respect

           for the Lord.

       b. When we fail to do what God commands us to do, we show a lack of trust

           in the Lord.

       c. When we fail to do what God commands us to do, we deny God the opportunity

           bless us beyond our expectations.

DON'T CURSE YOURSELF

V:9. "You are under a curse — the whole nation of you — because you are robbing me. "

 A. Just because it is popular does not mean you ought to be involved.

    1. The crowd is not always right.

    2. The whole nation of Israel decided not to pay God His required tithes and offerings.

         a. They were all wrong and disobedient to God's commands.

         b. They all faced the consequences of their actions.

         c. They cursed themselves.

 B. Part of the curse was not having a  prophet of God for 400 years.

    1. Can you imagine not having anyone to intercede for you with God.

        a. It was the prophets of God that gave the people a word from God.

        b. It was the prophets of God that informed Israel of God's plans

    2. There was no relief from foreign occupation for 400 years.

    3. At the time of the writing of Malachi. Israel was under the control of the Persian

        government.

    4. 400 years later at the first coming of Christ, Israel was under the Roman

           government.

 C. When you disobey God, you block the answers to your prayers.

     1. In every stage of our lives, trouble will meet us.  Job 14:1

     2. The key to living successful with trouble is to obey God's commands.

     3. We are either going into trouble, going through trouble or coming out of trouble.

     4. God is there at every stage to bless us with peace, contentment and joy.

     5. Some of God's blessings depends on our obedience.

TEST GOD

V:10. "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. "

A. God gave the Israelite's a command with a purpose.

    1. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse.

    2. God does not want a partial payment, but a full payment of what is due.

B. The purpose of giving is  so that there is food in God's house.

   1. The Levite priest were not given a share of the promise land.

   2. The tithes and the offering was to take care of the priest.

   3. The tithes was also for the maintenance of the temple.

   4. The primary purpose of the tithes was to honor God.

C. God gave us a promise as a result of our giving.

   1. God dares us to test Him to see if He will keep His promise.

   2. Just try God out. You will not be disappointed.

   3. God can do exceedingly abundantly more than you can conceive as

       a result of your obedience.

  4. Your faithful, cheerful giving promotes God to give you more.

Rev M. Mitchell,   Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Learn From The Mistakes Of Others", 8/23/2015

LEARN FROM THE MISTAKES OF OTHERS

Zechariah 7:8-14

This passage of scripture is set in the reconstruction period, after the Israelite's had been released from Babylonian captivity. The temple and the city of Jerusalem was in the  

rebuilding stage. While they were rebuilding their homes, construction on the temple had been put on hold for fifteen years.  Also the Israelite's were complaining why they should  celebrate the feasts started in captivity for the rebuilding of the temple.

In a series of visions, God reassured Zechariah  that the temple would be rebuilt and

worship would be held in the temple again.

GOD SPEAKS, MAN SHOULD LISTEN

V:8.  " And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah."

 A. The more you study the Word, the more God will reveal His plan for your life.

     1. The more we study God's Word, the more questions we will have to understand

         the Word.

     2. We are never capable of understanding God's complete plan for us.

 B. Zachariah's job was  not the lead role in the reconstruction  program.

     1. His job was to crown the Jeshua as Chief priest and King of the reconstruction

         effort.  Zech  6:9-13

     2. Even though Zachariah received constant communication from the Lord,

         his job was an important supporting role.

         a. His job was one of encouragement to the Chief priest and the people

             of Israel.

         b. Starting over can be frustrating and there is always a need for an encouraging

              word.

     3. Sometimes the work God has for us, is in the back ground.

     4. You don't have to be out front to make significant contributions to the body

         of Christ.

GOD SPEAKS, MAN SHOULD ACT ACCORDINGLY

V:9.  "This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. "

 A. One of the characteristics we are born with, is selfishness.

     1. We know how to look out for ourselves.

     2. The Israelite's were given the charge to rebuild the Temple when they returned

         to the promise land after 70 years of captivity.

     3. Instead of completing the Temple, they stopped and rebuilt their own homes

         Haggai 1:4.

 B. When what we want takes priority, we have loss focus on God's plan for us.

    1. When our heart is focus first on God commands, all our desires will be met.

    2. God's desire is for our  hearts to be right before Him and toward our brothers in

        Christ.

 C. The fullness of life can only be obtained when we follow God's commands.

    1. The God we serve is a just God.

    2. God does not show favoritism to any individual.

    3. Every person should be treated fairly regardless of whether we like them or not.

 D. It is our job as believers to show kindness and compassion to others.

    1. God has been merciful to us, so we should be the same to others.

    2. We should see the needs of others and act with love.

    3. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

    4. It does not matter what others do to us, it is what we do for others that God sees.

 

DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANYONE

V:10. " Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other."

 A. God pays attention to those who  can easily be taken advantage of by selfish

      and evil thinking individuals.

      1. A widower in question in Biblical times were women who were left alone without

         family to take care of them.

      2. It is easy to  take advantage of someone who can't help themselves and have no

          outside support.

      3. A good neighbor will not take advantage of another person and will show   

          compassion to those in need.

B. Even today, orphans are often abused, sold into slavery and used for personal gained.

    1. The Lord tells us that what we do to the least of these, we do to Him.

    2. We all belong to God and are sons and daughters through Adam and Eve.

    3. When we hurt another person we hurt our family members.

 C. Jesus said the poor will always be with us.

    1. Therefore, the work of the Lord will never be done in our lifetime.

    2 . We will always have opportunities to do good and show evidence of our genuine

          love.

 D. God said, be kind to strangers, because you never know if you are entertaining

     an angel.

   1. Angels are messengers of the Lord.

   2. We can gain by listening to anyone's story.   

   3. Every story is a lesson in the goodness of the Lord or the consequences of rejecting

       the Lord.

E. There is some bad in the best of us and some good in the worst of us.

  1. You never know who God will put in your mist for you to be the role model of light.

  2. Any evil thoughts we have are the results of the influence of the devil.

  3. We were made in God's image and therefore to have good thoughts and to do good

      deeds.

THE WRONG THING TO DO  

V:11. "But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. "

 A. The "they" in this verse are the ancestors of the Israelite's.

     1. They rejected God and refused to follow His commands.

     2. They had the Word, but it fell on stony ground.

 B. The glory of God shone all around them but they refuse to recognize the work of God.

     1. The blessings of God were with them every step of the way, but they refused

         to give God credit.

     2. They chose to serve idols they created with their hands rather than the

         sovereign creator of everything. 

V:12 They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry."

A. God made us with a soft heart and to be totally dependent on Him.

    1. God brought them (the they) out of slavery in Egypt with a mighty hand.

    2. God established them in the promise land especially prepared for a

        priestly nation.

   3. God gave them His law with the promises of divine blessings if they kept His

        commands.

   4. God gave them (the they) His prophets to continually remind them of His

       righteousness.

 B. They rejected God, His Word and His prophets in favor of the lust of their flesh.

    1. They became the enemy of God and God got angry.

    2. The one thing you don't want to do is stand in the way of an angry God.

    3. We have a choice; to make God happy with us or to make God angry with us.

V:13 "'When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,' says the Lord Almighty."

A. What goes around, comes around.

    1. Whatever you do to others will come back to you.

    2. We need God. He will never be in need of us.

B. We need the Word of God.

    1. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.

    2. The beginning of knowledge is the fear of the Lord.

    3. God is my rock and shield. I will never be a rock that God needs.

    4. I need the foreknowledge of God. God will never need any knowledge from me.

 C. God calls and He expects us to listen.

    1. God calls and He expects us to heed His call.

    2. God calls and He expects us to be obedient to His call.

 D. God called us out His love.

    1. Heeding God's call leads to success.

    2. Heeding God's call leads to joy.

    3. Heeding  God's call leads to peace.

    4. God's call is a call of forgiveness.

    5. God's call is a call to eternal life.

E. To reject God's call is to reject God.

   1. If we don't listen to God, our prayers will go unanswered.

   2. We are totally in the dark if we think we don't need God.

   3. God has a way making us know we can't make it with Him.  

  

THE CONSEQUENCES OF DISOBEDIENCE

V:14. "I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers. The land was left so desolate behind them that no one could come or go. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.".

A. There are deadly consequences for rejecting God.

   1. The man who rejects God reject eternal life.

   2. God has given us everything we have.

   3. In a moment, God can take everything from us.

 B. God established the Israelite's in the promise land.

    1. God made provisions for them in the promise land.

    2. God provided their protection in the promise land

    3. For a time, God tolerated their disobedience in the promise land.

C. When God got angry, He destroyed their cities and the temple He built in

     the promise land for worship.

   1. When God got angry, He allowed a foreign nation to burn down their

        cities and take them captive into  Babylon.

   2. God kept them captive for 70 years before He allowed them back in the

      promise land.

 D. We ought to learn from the mistakes of our past.

    1. History is a testimony that God keeps His promises.

    2. History is a testimony that God punishes those that He loves.

    3. History is a testimony to the goodness of the Lord.

    4. History is a testimony of the power of God.

    5. History is a testimony that we serve an awesome God.

    6. History is a testimony that life only exists in God.

FOLLOW GOD AND LIVE

Rev M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church.

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Make A Decision To Live Or To Die",8/16/2015

MAKE A CHOICE; TO LIVE OR DIE

Ezekiel 18:1-13, 31-32

MEDITATE ON GOD'S WORD

V:I.  "The word of the Lord came to me."

 A. Any time you open your Bible and start reading, the Word of the Lord is coming to

      you.

    1. The Word of God is a living Word.

    2. The Word speaks to all people in all times.

    3. The Word is always relevant to your situation.

 B. Jesus said heaven and earth will pass away, but My Word is eternal.

    1. The Word contains directions and inspiration for our lives.

    2. The Word is the only source of truth.

V: 2 "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: "'The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'? "

 A. People say a lot of things that are not true.

    1. The general meaning of this proverb was that the sons inherent the sins of the fathers.

    2. In other words, we are in the situation we are in because of what our fathers did.

    3. This was just a way of not taking responsibility of our actions.

 B. Where we start in life may be the result of what our parents did.

    1. Your starting circumstances does not determine  your end.

    2. To many people have started in poor circumstances and ended up being

        rich in every area of their lives.

    3. Everybody is responsible for the outcome of their lives.

V3 "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel."

A. Every issue, whether true of false can be settled by studying the Word of God.

     1. God's commands apply to us individually.

     2. God gave the Nation of Israel His law for worship and obedience to Him.

     3. Individual blessings are conditional on individual obedience,

     4. Proverbs 3:5-6 states: " Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your

         own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your

         paths straight."

B. Every person will have to stand before Jesus and give account for his deeds.

     Romans 14:12

    1. Every day we have an opportunity to do good or to do evil.

    2. The decisions we make have consequences; good or bad.

V: 4 "For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son — both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die."

 A. God is the creator of all things.

     1. The Word of God says of Jesus; Every thing that was made was made by Him and

         nothing was made with Him.

      2. We are each responsible for living according to God's commands.

B. The Lord, the sovereign creator made every thing and everyone for His

         purpose and according to His divine plan.

    1. God gifted every individual with a mind to know Him and to know right

        from wrong.   Hab 2:14

    2. From the beginning, God made Adam responsible for his environment.

    3. Like Adam, God gives each of us the ability to make decisions, right or wrong.

C. God hold each of us accountable for our decisions.

    1. The text says the soul that sins shall die.

    2. In the New Testament, God says, the wages of sin is death.

    3. The sons are not responsible for the fathers sins and the fathers are not

         responsible for son's sins.

    4. God owns each of us. He has not made any of us responsible for anyone's

        sins.

In theses next few verses, from 5-13 gives us comparison between the good man

the evil man. Verses 5-9 are the actions of those who have life, and verses 10-13

are actions of those who will die.  Those who live do the opposite of those who

die.  We are taking about the consequences of our actions ending in eternal life and eternal death.

THE LIVING

V:5 "Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right."

  A. The first characteristic of a living soul; one who has eternal life is

       righteousness.

     1. He lives and acts according to God's Word.

     2. He delight in the law of the Lord.

B. The righteous man is just.

     1. He seeks to do the right thing.

     2. His heart is set on not mistreating anyone.

C. He is right or lawful.

     1. He follows the divine Laws of God.

     2. He seeks to do what is morally right.

V: 6 He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He

        does not defile his neighbor's wife or lie with a woman during her period."

A. The one who has life does not worship idols.

     1. He does not participate in idol worship services.

     2. He does not see the Temple  or anything as an object to be worshiped.

B. The one who has life does not commit adultery.

    1. God hates adultery.  Lev 20:10

    2. God meant for the marriage bed to be undefiled.

    3. In marriage, the husband is to respect the  menstruous cycle of his wife.

        1 Cor 7:4-5

RIGHTEOUS DEALING WITH NEIGHBORS

 V:7. " He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He

         does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for  

          the naked."

 A. The one who has life does not act violently toward anyone.  That is peacefulness.

 B. He returns that which was taken in a pledge.  That is lawful

     1. In Old Testament times, if a man coat was take as a pledge, it was to be

         returned at sun down.  Ex 22:26-27.

 C. The  man who has life does not take what is not his. That is righteousness

     1.The man who has life does no steal.

     2. The man who has life trust the Lord for his needs,

 D. The man who has life feeds and cloths the needy.

     1. The man who has life is compassionate.

     2. The man who has life is unselfish.

 

V:8 "He does not lend at usury or take excessive interest.  He withholds his hand from

  doing wrong and judges fairly between man and man."

  A. The Jews were not permitted to take interest from their fellow Jews. It was allowed

        in moderation with strangers. Ex 22:25.

      1. There are a number of different ways of taking advantage of another person, and

           high interest rates is one of them.

      2. The righteous follows God's Law in all business dealings.

 B. It is the advantage of the righteous to have the power of the Holy Spirit to fight

     the temptation of doing something wrong.

     1. It is power of the Holy Spirit that keeps us mindful to be just in

         all our transactions with others.

     2. We are reminded to do unto others what we want done to us.

 V:9 He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will

        surely live,  declares the Sovereign Lord."

 A. The just live by faith and not by sight.

     1. The just live according to the Word of God.

     2. The just give God credit for all his accomplishments.

THE LIVING DEAD

Verses 10-13 is just the opposite of 5-9

 10 "Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things 11 (though the father has done none of them): "He eats at the mountain shrines. He defiles his neighbor's wife. 12 He oppresses the poor and needy. He commits robbery. He does not return what he took in pledge. He looks to the idols. He does detestable things. 13 He lends at usury and takes excessive interest. Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he will surely be put to death and his blood will be on his own head.

1. This passage is a comparison between the living and the dead

2. This passage is a comparison between light and darkness.

2. This is a passage is a comparison between  righteousness and sinfulness.

3. This is a passage is a comparison between good and evil.

4. This is a passage is a comparison between the desire to please God and the desire

     to please self.

V:31. " Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? "

A. The God we serve is a loving God.

    1. He reminds us of our sins.

    2. He reminds us of what it takes to please Him.

    3. He gives us the opportunity to change.

B. God made provisions for our change.

   1. Christ Jesus is the way to Change.

   2. Any man in Christ is a new creation.

   3. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life.

   4. In order to have a new heart, you have to born in Jesus Christ.

C. God does not want any of His chosen to die.

    1. Jesus said, I came that might have life and have it abundantly.

    2. No one come to the Father but through Jesus Christ.

    3. No man can come to Jesus unless He is drawn by the Father. John 6:44

V:32 " For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent

   and live!"

  A. We have the Word from the Lord, that He loves life and not death

     1. Man is given the ability to choose God or Satan.

     2. Man is given the opportunity to choose life or death.

 B. The prerequisite for life is repentance.

     1. Repentance is bound up in our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

     2. The Israelites had the Word of God.

     3. They had a choice to believe the Word of God or reject the Word of God.

     4. Since the Word is Jesus, they had the choice to believe Jesus or to reject Jesus.

     5. They had the choice to please God or to please themselves.

WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE?

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "When Worship Becomes A Ceremony"

WHEN WORSHIP BECOMES A CEREMONY

THE TEMPLE BECOMES A ROBBERS DEN

Jeremiah 7:1-15

PREACHER'S OBLIGATION

V:1-2 " This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:"

     "Stand at the gate of the Lord's house and there proclaim this message: "'Hear the

      word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship

      the Lord."

 A. Preachers have an obligation to God the Father.

    1. Preachers must always be prepared to hear a word from the Lord.

    2. Preachers must preach the Word given to them by God.

    3. Preachers must be willing to go where God sends them.

 B. The Word of God must be taught when believers come together for worship.

    1. Preachers must preach the truth and the whole truth.

    2. Preachers cannot preach the blessings of God without preaching the requirements to

        receive the blessings.

       a. We can not preach the righteousness of God without preaching  the

           penalty of sin. 

       b. We cannot preach discipleship without preaching discipline and chastisement.      

A COMMAND TO REFORM

V:3. " This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place."

 A. In this verse, God gave us  a command and a promise.

     1. The command is to reform our ways and our actions.

         a. The Israelite's had followed the ways of the world.

         b. They followed the ways of the pagan nations around them.

         c. They worshiped idol gods.

     2. In their hearts, they rejected the true and living God.

     3. They worshiped gods made with human hands.  

     4. They came to the Temple of God and participated in all the ceremonies,

        but their hearts were far from the worship of the Lord.

 B. God gives us time to reform before He executes His judgment.

    1. The God we serve is a tolerant God. He is long suffering.

    2. God puts up with our disobedience for a time.

 C. We are here because God lets us live.

     1. None of us can sustain ourselves.

     2. We are here by the grace and the mercy of God.

     3.  God requires us to worship Him in the spirit of truth.

     4. God promised that if we follow His commands, we will live a prosperous

         life.

       a. We want the blessings of God without being obedient to God. 

       b. Some of the individual blessings of God are conditional on our

           obedience.

       c. Our quality of life is conditional on our obedience to God.

A FAILED RELIGION

V:4. " Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!"

 A. The temple that Solomon built was designed by the Lord.

     1. The Lord provided all the material and gifted the all the tradesmen with the

         power of the Holy Spirit to build the temple to His specifications.

     2. The general thought was that God would not destroy His temple.

     3. The temple became the center of worship.

     4. The Nation of Israel had come to worship the building but not the God

         who built the temple.

 B. God used His prophets to inform His people that He had no interest in the

      building, but rather the spiritual well being of His people.

    1. God is not concerned about our religious practices, but our lifestyle of

        obedience.

    2. You can practice religion without being obedient to God's Word.

    3. Your religion is not an indication of your faith.

    4. Your religion could be giving glory to a building, a congregation,

        a denomination or a pastor.

     5. Religion without faith in the Word of God is a trip to hell.

C. We cannot trust in the words of man.

    1. We must trust in the Word of God.

    2. What God wants from us is a religion that believes in His Word, lives by

        His Word and acts according to His Word.

THE REQUIRED REFORMATION

V:5-6. " If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, 6 if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm,"

 A. The Sins of the nation are specified in this verse.

     1. They were walking not according to God's ways.

     2. They were not dealing with each other  justly.

     3.  They oppressed the foreigners.

     4. They took advantage of the fatherless and widows.

     5. The shed innocent blood.

     6. They worshiped idol gods.

B. The people of Israel were practicing a religion that had no faith in God.

    1. Their religion was one of ceremonies.

    2. Their religion lacked love and compassion for others.

    3. Their religion was one of selfishness. 

    4. Their religion was one of deceitfulness.

    5. Their religion was totally ungodly. 

THE CONDITIONAL PROMISE OF GOD

V:7. " Then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever."

 A.  God said , I would rather obedience than sacrifice.

     1. God gave us two great commands.

          a. Love the Lord with all you heart, mind, soul and strength.

          b. Love your neighbor as yourself.

          c. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commands.  Matt 22:37

    2. If we could just follow through on these two commands,

        we would fulfill God's requirements for righteousness.

 B. Successful living in the Lord is conditional on our obedience to

      God's commands.

    1. We need the conviction of the Holy Spirit to keep our minds

         focused on the Word.

    2. Righteousness is preliminary to worship of the Lord.

TRUSTING IN THE WRONG VOICE

V:8. "But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless."

 A. There is only one voice that is worth listening too and that is the Word of

      God.

     1. In this life we will find many false doctrines that are filled with lies

         and deceptions.

         a. Satan is the father of lies.  John 8:44

         b. He disguises himself as an angel of light.  2 Cor 11:24.

     2. The Word of God is the unchanging truth.

         a. Jesus said heaven and earth will pass away but My Word is eternal.

             Matt 24:35

         b. Jesus also said , you will know the truth and the truth will set

             you free.

THE NEED FOR A SAVIOR

V:9-10 "Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, "We are safe" — safe to do all these detestable things?"

A. Satan the Father of lies, will have us believe that as long as we show up for worship,

     God will over look our sinful behavior.

  1. We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity, therefore lust of the flesh is our

       natural behavior.

  2. The Word says, that there is none righteous, no not one.

  3. Men are lovers of darkness and likely to exchange the truth for a lie.  Rom 1:23-26

B. The only solution to our sinful behavior is Jesus Christ.

    1. Any man in Christ is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come.

        2 Cor 5:17

        a. In Christ, the old man is dead and the new man has come alive.

    2. On our own, we have no power to fight the lust of the flesh.

    3. We have to have the conviction of the Holy Spirit to change.

ROBBING GOD

 V:11 Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have

 been watching! declares the Lord."

A. The Lord's house is a House of prayer.

   1. We have made it a production of song, dance and eloquent speaking.

   2. The Lord's house has become a place of entertainment.

   3. We only want to hear a word that is pleasing to the ear.

   4. An occasional mention of sin is ok, but don't make it the focus of the message.

B. We rob God of His Glory when we minimize our sinful behavior and the

      need for conviction of the heart and repentance.

   1. We rob God of His Glory when we preach the atoning blood of Jesus Christ

        without the need for spiritual growth and development.

   2. We rob God of His Glory when we hear the Word but don't make it a

        lifestyle and a commitment to service.

   3. We rob God of His Glory when we don't continuously seek the high calling

       of Jesus Christ.  

   4. We rob God of His Glory when we bring a sacrifice of money but not our bodies

        as a living sacrifice.

   5. We rob God of His Glory when our prayers become what I want rather than

         what I can do for God .

   6. We rob God when trust man, idols or ourselves.

 C. God takes note of our worship.

     1. He knows if it is for show or comes from the heart.

     2. We have to remember that one day we will have to give an account of

          everything we have said and done.

EXAMPLES OF GOD'S WRATH

V:12 "'Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel."

A. The tabernacle of God was set up in Shiloh in the days of Joshua.

     1. God destroyed Shiloh and gave the ark in the hands of the Philistines

         because of the idol worship of Israel.  Joshua 18:1, Judges 18:31

     2. God favor is not tied to any building or location.

B. The body is the temple of the Lord.

    1. We should be the living Church that others can see.

    2. Others ought to see a change that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has made in out lives.

    3. God does not need us, we need God.

THE EVIDENCE OF GOD'S LOVE IS HIS LIVING WORD

 V:13 While you were doing all these things, declares the Lord, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer."

A. God is a tolerant God.

    1. God is long suffering.

    2. God extended His mercy to us, even though our behavior did not

        change.

   3. Unless we change, there will come a time when God will punish us for our sins.

B. Throughout the Bible, God has given us promises and warnings over and over

      again.

  1. We must not take God's kindness for weakness.

  2. He is able to destroy us from the face of the earth.

  3. He promised us life if we follow His commands and destruction if we ignore

      His commands.

GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES

V:14.-15.  Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your fathers. 15 I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your brothers, the people of Ephraim."

A. God point us to what He has done in the past to His people who disobeyed His

     commands.

   1. We have the example of the flood in which only Noah and his family survived.

   2. We have the example of  Solomon's temple which was destroyed in 586 BC.

   3. We have the example of Herod's temple which existed doing the time of Christ

       Ministry which was destroyed in 70 AD.

B. People are moved to worship a building rather than God,  the builder of the Temple.

   1. God has no special interest in a building, but He has love and compassion for

       His people.

   2. God will keep His promises and His covenants that He made to Abraham and David.

   3. God promises are not dependent on a particular person or generation, but to

       a covenant people who keeps His commands.  

YOU AND I STILL EXIST BECAUSE OF THE GRACE AND MERCY OF GOD

WORSHIP THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD

GIVE HIM PRAISE AND HONOR

Rev. M. Mitchell

Asst. Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church