Matthew 1:18-25 (ESV) - When we talk about the birth of Jesus Christ, we are talking about one of the single most important events that ever occurred. God the Son took on humanity and became incarnate in the womb of a virgin girl. The promise of Immanuel, “God with us” became a literal, physical reality. God’s plan of salvation was nearing its crux. But the implications of Jesus’ birth are as challenging as they are comforting. The Son of David is a king who demands our allegiance, a costly offering at any time. But it is a cost that is entirely worth paying because of the joy of knowing Jesus and receiving salvation in Him. Because the Savior has been born to us, we have the promise of complete freedom from our sins, and as we will see, that is worth any sacrifice we have to make on earth.

Matt 1:1-17 (ESV) - At the very beginning of the Gospel comes Jesus’ family tree. If we are being honest, we probably find that pretty boring. It’s a bunch of names of dead people, most of whom we have never heard of and know nothing about. Why are we studying these people? Why not skip the genealogy and drive straight into the meat of the Gospel? If such things cross your mind, ask yourself this: if Scripture is God’s word to man, and every letter is meant to be useful to us, what are the things He would have us learn from this passage? He must have had good reasons for what He led Matthew to write, so what are His reasons for including this? May the Lord grant us understanding as we read an unusual part of Scripture and see what it has to tell us about our savior.

Malachi 4:1-6 (ESV) - {NOTE: from :05-:07 minutes sound drops out due to technical difficulties] - When Malachi concluded his book of prophecy, he essentially summarized everything that he’d already said to Israel. He’d explained that the Lord loved them, but they had turned away from Him. He’d warned them that they wouldn’t be able to stand before the Lord unless He purified them. He’d said that the Lord would distinguish between the righteous and the wicked and make the differences between them very clear. Now that they have heard all that, they must be ready. They know what the Lord has said He will do, so they must take the warning and look for the Lord to act. In this final passage, God will clearly state what He wanted Israel to know about the Day of the Lord and how to prepare for it. And we must listen to the Lord of Hosts speaking to us through that same Scripture if we are to be ready in that day too. In Jesus, He has given us the assurance of salvation and protection, so let us rest on Him, lest we put our hope on a false rock and be unable to stand on the Lord’s day.

Malachi 3:13-18 (ESV) - Why should we serve the Lord? How does it benefit us? What is the profit of obedience? Put another way, why shouldn’t we do what the Lord has forbidden, when it seems like so many people get away with it for so long? Is there anyone who really holds to the word of God anymore, with all the craziness and darkness in the world? Does the Lord really know what He is doing, and how to tell the difference between good and evil? If these questions sound like things you could ask today, it’s because the situation that Malachi spoke to was more like ours than we might expect. And the word of the Lord is just as helpful and vital today as it was when Malachi first spoke in the Lord’s name. We will see that the Lord indeed cares about whether we serve Him or not, and that there is great gain in obedience. And we will see the Son of God who leads us in service to His Father and teaches us to fear the holy name of the Almighty.

Malachi 3:6-12 (ESV) - If we have learned anything about Israel’s relationship to the Lord during Malachi’s ministry, it’s that they weren’t in a great place spiritually. God had said that He has loved and still loves Israel; they denied this. He rebuked their bad behavior; they asked why they needed to change. In our passage this Sunday, the Lord will say that the Israelites need to return to Him if He is to return them. What does it mean to return to the Lord? What will Israel need to turn away from to come back to God, and will it be worth it? As we learn the answers to these things, may we will hear the Lord’s call for our return to Him as well, to leave behind our sin and worship Him alone. And may we will believe God’s promise that He will provide for our needs when we listen to Him.

Malachi 2:17-3:5 (ESV) - Here’s a riddle for us to ponder: what can make the all-powerful God, the maker and sustainer of all creation, feel weary and exhausted? Malachi’s answer: the slander of His good name and nature. While Israel complained that God neither knew nor cared about the difference between good and evil, justice and injustice, God replied that He would send a messenger to apply His Law and root out all lawbreakers. Let us consider how deeply the Lord cares that justice be applied correctly and how He Himself makes us able to stand before Him on the day of His judgement.

Malachi 2:10-16 (ESV) - through Malachi, the Lord teaches us that He regards marriage with the highest zeal and calls for great faithfulness in it. Whatever our relational status, we will see how love for God requires love for our neighbor in this precious, yet easily misused, institution.

Malachi 2:1-9 (ESV)

James 5:13-20 - on the occasion of the ordination and installation of Jonathan Key as the new pastor of New Life Burbank.

Malachi 1:1-5 (ESV) - We must praise the Lord because of His sovereign love for His people.