The Vineyard Church of North Grand Rapids, MI

1. Let's open our Bibles to the last book in the OT-Malachi. If, when you read your Bible, you spend most of your time in the NT, you might get the impression that, in Bible times, people moved from one adventure to another, from one mountain-top experience with God to another. After all, most of the big events recorded in the gospels happened within just a couple years. The entire book of Acts unfolds in a period of time not much longer than some of our friendships.

2. Life in NT times moved along at a quick pace. But that wasn't true in the thousand years before Christ recorded in the OT. People in OT times waited a lot. In the OT, people waited for God to keep his promises sometimes through decades, sometimes through whole generations. Some people grew old and died while waiting for things they never saw come to pass. Malachi's whole message is crafted for people who are stuck in one of life's long waiting periods.

A few folks, when they're forced to wait, actually grow stronger. We call them saints. They make good use of their time-like industrious farmers, planting and cultivating for a future harvest. Many of us, however, lose hope, become cynical and apathetic if we're forced to wait too long for answers to our prayers. Discouraged by waiting, we sometimes start coasting through life, disappointed with people and even God. That was how the people in Malachi's day were feeling. They were at the point of giving up on God and his promises. God sent the prophet Malachi to the people who were living at the very end of the OT period to challenge their hopelessness, cynicism, and apathy.

1. In our January study of the OT's Minor Prophets, our theme verse has been Micah 6:8, "He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God". There are two great moments in a person's life: the moment you were born and the moment you realize why you were born." The Minor prophets remind us why we were born, and why we've been born again-to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God-our hearts beating with his.

2. This morning's teaching is from the prophet Malachi. Malachi calls us to walk humbly with God . . . especially during times of waiting. HOW MANY OF YOU ARE WAITING FOR SOMETHING BIG TO HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE? YOUR MARRIAGE OR FAIMLY? YOUR HEALTH OR FINANCES? YOUR CHURCH OR MINISTRY? Life is pretty much a waiting game! God calls us to wait with humility. Why? Because he's the King, and we're his subjects. He's in charge and in control; he knows what is best and when the time is right. Right?

3. LET'S PRAY

I. WAITING TESTS US ALL

A. Our entire culture hates to wait. That's why we go out to eat so much and why, when we're fixing dinner at home, depend on our microwave ovens. Why go out to shop for audio CD's when you can download them from the internet? It's quicker. We take college courses online and ‘read' audio books while we drive because it's quicker. We use the internet to apply for jobs and get travel directions and pay our bills because it's quicker. We carry cell phones so speed up communication and even get email on our cell phones because it's quicker. These technological developments aren't bad. They just reveal how much we hate to wait!

1. Our income rises so slowly that we're tempted to charge our way into the future with credit cards.
2. Saving is such a slow and tedious way to work toward home ownership, that we're tempted to sign for mortgages we can barely afford.
3. It's so hard to wait for marriage to have begin enjoying sex . . . that fewer and fewer couples are waiting.

B. Waiting is no joke. One of our friends recently was diagnosed with cancer. Between discovering the lump and getting the tests back, the waiting is enough to kill you. Between the surgery and chemo therapy, the waiting will discourage the strongest soul. Waiting can be some of life's hardest work.

Even in my life-the pastor a church-waiting can be very hard. In 1990, we rode into the Vineyard on a wave of renewal; every day was exciting. Morning by morning, I couldn't was excited to get to work. Five years later, we were surfing the Toronto blessing. WOW, what a mountain top. Five years later we were partying in this new building. And now . . . no we're just wondering and waiting and hoping again . . . for something big to happen.

Even in church life and ministry, nobody likes to wait. Make us wait too long, and we're pretty sure something is wrong. Waiting frustrates us, makes us mean, challenges our faith, tempts us to lose hope. When we lose hope, we might even stop worshipping God with passion and take a break from serving him.

C. That's exactly where God's people were at when God declared through Malachi: I still love you (1:2). I'm still protecting and providing for you. Look around at some of the nations I haven't chosen. Why have you stopped respecting me? Have you forgotten that I'm not just your friend? I'm more than a higher power. I'm not just The Force that guides the universe. I am not a distant deity who is confused and impotent. I AM A GREAT KING, I AM THE LORD ALMIGHTY (1:14). Don't I deserve to be respected during times of waiting? How about showing some humility?

1. Twenty times God reminds his people in Malachi that he is the LORD Almighty-the Eternal King of the Universe. He knows what he's doing and when the time is right. His plan includes seasons of running and seasons of waiting, magic mountain top moments and long journeys through valleys.

2. Waiting doesn't mean we've been bad, or that God is angry with us. Waiting doesn't mean that we've lost our way or that God is judging us. Waiting doesn't mean that we need to repent; it may just mean that we need to be faithful while we continue worshipping and serving God in life's routine.

TRANS: If you are tired of waiting-disappointed with people and God-Malachi invites you to remember that . . .

II. OUR GOD IS A GREAT KING

A. He wants our respect

1. God's people had stopped worshipping with whole hearted passion. They showed up on days like this and sang a few songs, prayed a prayer or two, passed the offering bag, and evaluated the teaching. Worship no longer seemed like a privilege. The didn't see themselves coming into God's throne room on a morning like this to offer their hearts and lives and minds and money to a great king. They just saw themselves putting in time at church.

2. They had also stopped investing in solid, careful Bible study. They had been waiting so long for God to keep his end-time promises, that they weren't sure those promises and prophecies were every going to come true. Waiting had worn them down. They weren't altogether sure it made all that much difference if you carefully followed God's instructions or not. Does Bible study really lead to a better income or love life? Will obeying God's word really make you happier than the next gal or the next guy who is just making up his own rules as he goes along?

3. God was getting it. Shut the doors on your worship services; I'm tired of watching you go through your half-hearted routines. I'm tired of getting your leftovers. There's no real respect in your worship (1:10). I'm not listening to your all-night intercessory prayer meetings any more (2:13). Try approaching me with some real humility and respect in worship and Bible study.

B. What respect for a king looks like.

1. Extravagant worship and generous giving.

a. (1:6-8) Extravagant worship. They were giving God their leftovers. We sometimes fall into that routine-coming to church only to give God whatever energy is left over from the week, stale attitudes, leftover money, cool indifference to Bible teaching, volunteering to serve with whatever time is leftover in our busy schedules.

If you and I were invited to a White House gala, we'd prepare for the privilege, dress to the nines, bring a respectable gift, and enter into the event with wholehearted appreciation and excitement. We'd eat with gusto, clap like maniacs, dance on every song, and be the last to leave at the end of the night. God says, "I understand that you're in a waiting period of your life. I know that waiting is hard. But, I haven't stopped protecting you and providing for you; so I'm pretty disappointed in your half-hearted worship. This cheesy little routine you've fallen into is pretty disappointing to me. This isn't what humility looks like when it worships a great king!"

b. (3:6-12) Generous giving. This is one of the Bible's clearest teachings on giving God a tithe, or ten percent of our income. In fact, God says that when we act like his protection and provision isn't worth ten percent of our income, we're robbing him. That ten percent off the top of our pay checks is his tithe. It's what trusting, humble subjects gladly give a great king.

Have you ever described the money you put in the Sunday offering as your tithe? God says, "That's fine. Do what you want with your tithe. Break it down into smaller percentages and give it to any cause that you want-from favorite charities to favorite missionaries. But I want my whole tithe brought into the storehouse (v. 10). This temple represents me-a great king-and my kingdom. I want my temple to be known for abundance-a place where there's always more than enough resource to meet every need. That's how humility gives when it trusts a great king for protection and provision".

You may not realize it, but recent studies have shown that if all the self-proclaimed Christians in North America actually gave ten percent of their income to their local churches, north American churches could single handedly end world hunger. If we humbly trusted God enough to give him his complete tithe, the church would be the world's storehouse. And we would discover that in giving ten percent to our great king, our needs would be met in abundance.

TRANS: What does respect for a great king look like? Extravagant worship and generous giving. But it's more than just what happens in a room like this for an hour or two one morning a week. When humility meets a great king, it gives itself to . . .

2. Faithful serving and expectant waiting (3:14-18).

In times of waiting . . . it's hard to see that men and women who contribute by serving are really more blessed than people who hang back leave serving to othes. Why volunteer to serve in children's ministry or youth ministry if all you're going to do is tire yourself out? Time's of waiting tempt us to think that there'll never be any real payback for serving on a host team or a worship team or a facility maintenance team.

It had been years-maybe decades-since the people in Malachi's day had seen real revival or excitement in their temple. It had been a long time since anyone had seen anything in worship and ministry that would approach the glory of God promised in by a prophet like Isaiah. Waiting had worn them down . . . down to the point that they couldn't see any discernable benefit to serving God. They had become apathetic to announcements of need. They had fallen into a routine where it just didn't seem all that smart to really put yourself out in service to the Lord or his people.

TRANS: But that's not how humility assesses the opportunities when it thinks of serving a great king!

III. NO ONE WILL EVER BE SORRY THEY WAITED FOR GOD'S PROMISES.

A day is coming when the waiting will be over, the promises will be fulfilled, and dividends will be paid, and everything in doubt will come clear (3:17-18). There will come a day when all the painful waiting will be overshadowed by the celebration and reward. The humble are going to thank their lucky starts that they worshipped extravagantly and gave generously and served faithfully and waited expectantly.

God himself will celebrate the humble men and women who waited through hard times with respect for their great king's instructions and respect for his timing. They'll be his treasured possession-like businessman's Rolex watch, a housewife's going-out-to-dinner diamond necklace, the crown a king wears in moments that reveal his glory.

CONCLUSION

1. Let's make 2008 a year that we shift our heart orientation and give God that which is most important to him. Micah 6:8, "He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God".

ILLUS: In a Rolling Stone interview, musician Paul Simon offered his thoughts on what God requires of us: "The only thing that God requires from us is to enjoy life-and love. It doesn't matter if you accomplish anything. You don't have to do anything but appreciate that you're alive. And love, that's the whole point". Paul Simon is one of my favorite musicians. His songs speak for many in my generation. But his songs are a lot better than his advice. There are two great moments in a person's life: the moment you were born and the moment you realize why you were born."

2. Act justly-make justice issues for the poor and weak one of your personal and interests this year. Make respect, fairness, and equal opportunity for the poor a significant part of your voting, and your journey with God. Love mercy-When you hear about the needs of the poor and the weak, when you see someone in trouble along the road, when you overhear hopelessness in another person's voice-speak up, step in, and get personally involved in the lives of people in need. Don't just cry over headlines and TV news. Open your heart, open your wallet, open up your schedule to give real people in your daily routine a real taste of God's mercy. Walk humbly with your God-even when you're tired of waiting . . . especially when you're tired of waiting. Remember, your great king is still protecting you and providing for you. He deserves to be humbly trusted with the kind of respect that shows up in generous giving and faithful serving.

Discussion Questions for Home Group Leaders

1. Invite group members to read aloud the four Scripture texts used in this four-part teaching series. Micah 6:1-8; Amos 5:21-24; Zechariah 7:1-10; Malachi 3:6-18. What texts have stirred you the most over the past month, and why?

2. Be honest. When our pastor's launched this month-long study on the Minor Prophets, was your personal thinking closer to Paul's Simon's philosophy or Micah's invitation to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God? [Paul Simon: "The only thing that God requires from us is to enjoy life-and love. It doesn't matter if you accomplish anything. You don't have to do anything but appreciate that you're alive. And love, that's the whole point".]

3. Did anyone taken a personal step this past week to show mercy-face to face-to a real person in real need?

4. The focus of this week's teaching was on walking with God in humility while we wait for the Bible's promises to come true, while we wait for our prayers to be answered. The fact that our God is a great king-wise and good even when he asks us wait-calls us to respond with humility, even when we feel like complaining or quitting. Are you in a painful waiting period right now? Tell us about it. Did you hear God speaking to you through last Sunday's teaching?

5. When you think of gathering on a Sunday morning to worship, give money, and serve God at little ol' Vineyard North . . . do you tend to think of the routine as ‘just showing up for church' or, do you drive up to the building reminding yourself that you're entering the presence of a great king to show him the respect he deserves for protecting you and providing for you even during times of waiting?

6. On the way out of our Sunday service this week, our hosts passed out an article on tithing-the training wheels of generous giving. God uses tithing to measure the genuineness of our humility and respect. Our pastors believe this is one of the best Bible studies on tithing we can find anywhere. Did anyone read it? What parts of the article stood out to you? Did anything surprise you? Did you find any part of the article convincing?

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