1 Thessalonians 4:1-12.

John 3:14-18.

Malachi 4:4-6

Malachi 3:13-4:3.

What difference does it make? This question reveals a tension we've all felt. The tension of, "Does living for God really matter?" Malachi helps us to understand that there are two ways to live before God and the difference in the distinction makes all the difference in the world.

Malachi 3:6-12.

When we begin to doubt God's gracious love no area of life is unaffected. And for the folks of Malachi's day this doubt affected how they viewed their possessions. It revealed they had a 'keeping' problem which stemmed from a stingy, God-robbing, un-generous heart. This problem exists today which is why we need Jesus, the Generous One.

Malachi 2:17-3:5.

Where is the God of justice? Not just a contemporary question, but a question that the people of Malachi's day wrestled with as well. In those moments of injustice we can tend to blame God when He doesn't live up to our expectations of what justice should look like. Malachi helps us to understand what true justice looks like and why we need a 'messenger of the covenant' who can take the justice we deserve so we can receive the grace we don't deserve.

Malachi 2:10-16.

Marriage has a design. And God's design is that marriage reflect the faithful covenantal sovereign love of God. When a man and a woman enter into the covenant of marriage and fight for faithfulness their marriage will 'speak' the good news of God's grace to those around them. The problem is that we can be so unfaithful; in our marriages and to our God. The good news of Jesus is that He is our True Husband who remains faithful even when we are faithless.

Malachi 2:1-9.

The church leadership in Malachi's day had gone off course. Not only were they satisfied to offer less than best worship, their less than best worship was leading others away from God. Instead of flourishing the priest's failure was bringing spiritual damage. The NT says we are a kingdom of priests and unfortunately we fail in proper proclamation just as the OT priests. This failure proves our greatest need is Jesus our great High Priest.

Malachi 1:6-14.

When we doubt God's love this belief will seep its way into our behavior. Flat, distant, bored worship is the inevitable result of believing God has not loved us in Christ. Malachi addresses this issue head on by reminding us that true worship of God flows from a heart gripped by the sovereign love of God.

Malachi 1:1-5.

Because life can so often not go the way we planned, we can begin to doubt the love of God. Religious cynicism, disillusionment, and discontentment settle in…and this is a reality that can often describe the people of God! God steps into this experience through His prophet Malachi as he turns our focus to the sovereign electing love of God. Main Idea = God’s love for His people is proved by His sovereign election and divine rejection.