Malachi 3:6-12
1. An unchanging God, v. 6
“Immutability means that, being perfect, God cannot and does not change. In order to change, a moral being must change in either of two ways. Either he must change for the better or he must change for the worse. God cannot get better, because that would mean that he was less than perfect earlier, in which case he would not have been God. But God cannot get worse either, because in that case he would become imperfect, which he cannot be, God is and must remain perfect in all his attributes.”
-James Boice, The Minor Prophets, Vol. 2
“Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end. The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.”
-Psalm 102:25-28
2. A reciprocal return, v. 7-9
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
-Matthew 6:19-21
3. The full tithe, v. 10a
4. An invitation, v. 10b
“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.”--Deuteronomy 6:16
“Jesus said to him, Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
-Matthew 4:7-10
Consequences of returning to our unchanging God through obedience in tithing, v. 10-12
sufficiency, v. 10
protection, v. 11
blessedness, v. 12
delight, v. 12
Mental worship…
If you really believed God to be unchanging, merciful and good then what would you trust Him with?
What would a church be like where everybody was working towards giving a full tithe?
Do you have more treasure on earth or in heaven?
What four words would you like to describe your life when its over?
What questions will you have as a result of what you heard today?