As we try to realign our hearts to the True Story of the good news of Jesus and the Kingdom of God, we are reminded of our true identity in Jesus. We are a family of missionary servants, learning to follow Jesus. Or, to put it another way, we are a community of God’s people, learning to live in God’s ways, for the sake of our city.

The Bible tells one cohesive story from Creation to Restoration - and it is the True Story of the whole world. God, the Creator of the world, is the main character of this story. But this God existed even before the story began. We may not be able to know everything about this God, but by His love and grace, we can know God.

Simeon and Anna were two people who had waited their entire lives to see the promised Messiah; the one who would come to rescue God's people. Finally, they see their promise fulfilled in a little baby named Yeshua (Jesus). Their response is one of praise and of witness.

Perhaps you've heard this story before. The story of the virgin who gives a miraculous birth to a baby. The baby who would one day die and miraculously rise again. But this story is miraculous not only because of what happens, but because of why it happens. God has come to save His people, and to be with us.

Finally, after centuries of waiting, longing, and hoping, a miraculous birth occurred among the people of Israel. Well, not the one you're thinking of. At least, not just yet. Before Jesus was born, his cousin John was. Have you ever stopped to question why? Why did a regular human need to come and prepare people for the true perfect Son to come? Then again, why has God chosen to partner with humanity all throughout history?

Since the very beginning of the true story of the world, God's people have been waiting for the coming of their Rescuer. In the garden, a promise was given that he would one day come. And not only would he come from some far off place, but God would use the man and woman themselves to partner with his coming. All these years later, we have both seen him come and we wait again for him to return. We are a people of advent.

A brief conclusion to the book of Malachi and the entire Old Testament - and a hope for the Sun of Righteousness to come forth and shine upon the world. This was our final week in Malachi and the first week of the Advent season.

It all boils down to this: will you trust God?

This was what God wanted from His people from the very beginning - and it's His complaint to His people at the very end of the Old Testament. They have not trusted Him. They have not been an obedient son. Yet, God gave them a promise that a better Son was coming to serve the Father perfectly, on their behalf.

Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God. The second goes with it - to love others. In the message from Malachi, God had addressed first how Israel has not loved Him, then He went on to address their lack of love toward one another. They had not loved their own wives and families well, and that lack of concern for others spilled out to other parts of the community as well; the orphans, widows, and foreigners. All of this stemmed from their apathy toward God and His ways. How could they turn back to God and His love? Better yet - How can you and I deal with our own apathy toward God and His ways?

Malachi is the last prophetic book of the Old Testament, before a 400 year period of silence, until finally another prophet named John would come to get everyone ready for the coming Messiah.

In these parting words from the Lord, He reminds the people through Malachi that He has loved them, that He still loves them, and that He will always love them. But where is there love and honor for Him? Their hearts have grown cold. Their worship apathetic. As we hear these words spoken to Israel long ago, do we also find a message that can be spoken to us today?