Giving Only The Best

Malachi 1.6-14

 A.     The Root Of A Gift    

1.      The Joy of the Potentate (vs 6) [- A son honoureth [his] father , . . . if then I [be] a father , where [is] mine honour?. . . - This refers us to the type of honor a son would show to his father.] 

a.       [Honor - kabowd {kaw-bode'} (Hb) - 1) glory, honour, glorious, abundance    1a) abundance, riches    1b) honour, splendour, glory    1c) honour, dignity    1d) honour, reputation    1e) honour, reverence, glory    1f) glory] 

b.      [This honor is an honor of respect and relationship.  It is based upon love and recognition.] 

c.       [This honor recognizes they love and provision of the father even in the face of the fathers necessary chastisement and correction.] 

2.      The Justice of the Potentate (vs 6) [- . . . and a servant his master  . . . and if I [be] a master , where [is] my fear ? saith the LORD of hosts unto you,. . . - This refers us to the type of honor a servant would show to his master.] 

a.       [Fear -  mowra' {mo-raw'} (Hb) - 1) fear, reverence, terror    1a) fear, terror    1b) reverence    1c) object of reverence    1d) awe-inspiring spectacle or deed] 

b.      [This is an honor that is based on fear rather than regard.  It is rooted in the fear of loss or rebuke for having done less than might be acceptable by the master.] 

3.      The Jesting of a Potentate (vs 6-7) [-  . . . O priests , that despise my name . And ye say , Wherein have we despised thy name ? 7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar ; and ye say , Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say , The table of the LORD [is] contemptible .  - This is the lack of all honor or fear.] 

a.       [Contempt - bazah {baw-zaw'}  (Hb) - 1) to despise, hold in contempt, disdain    1a) (Qal) to despise, regard with contempt    1b) (Niphal)    1b1) to be despised    1b2) to be despicable    1b3) to be vile, worthless    1c) (Hiphil) to cause to despise] 

(1)   [This is a mocking honor at best.  It is the neglect or lack of honor.  It is giving with regret.  Notice that God directly addresses the Priests in connection with this type of giving.  Those who ought to give the best often with the worst.] 

(2)   [Instead of giving God quality time, you give Him what is left over of your time, and this often offers little or not time at all.] 

(3)   [This  type of honor disregards the goodness and authority that is over it.  It is no honor at all.] 

B.     The Reconciling Of A Gift 

1.      The Tenor of a Gift (vs 8; 2 Sam 24.24) [- And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice , [is it] not evil ? and if ye offer the lame and sick , [is it] not evil ?. . .] 

a.       [Are you giving your best to God, or are you giving what no one else wants.]   

b.      [Perhaps you have developed the attitude that since God doesn't really need it anyway you might as well give Him something that doesn't cost so much.  I am reminded of what David said when He was offered a threshing floor for free in order to make sacrifices to God.  He said:] 

[2 Sam 24.24 And the king said unto Araunah , Nay; but I will surely buy [it] of thee at a price : neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing . So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.]   

c.       [A Sacrifice is supposed to cost you something, otherwise it never was a sacrifice.  If you think God will take just anything as an acceptable sacrifice toward Him, then you think wrongly.] 

d.      [The Tenor of a Sacrifice deals with your heart in the sacrifice. If you can give less than your best to a Heavenly Father who gave the very best that Heaven had to offer for you, our Lord Jesus Christ, then your heart is just not right with God.]  

2.      The Test of a Gift (vs 8) [-  . . . offer it now unto thy governor ; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person ? saith the LORD of hosts .  What does your governor or your boss require from you?] 

a.       [Our government requires the first of your finances.  You don't even have a choice here.  Your taxes are taken from your paycheck before you even get it.  Your sales taxes are added unto your purchases whether you like it of not.  Trying giving a little of what you have left over to the tax assessor and see how long you have your house.  Will they accept second best?  Never in a day.] 

b.      [How about giving second best talents to your boss.  Do you do second best for your boss?]   

(1)   [Will you give him a document with errors and mistakes in it, just because you didn't fell like doing better?  How long would you have your job?]  

(2)   [Would you go into a classroom un prepared for the class if it were your job to teach the class?  If you  did you wouldn't be teaching for long.] 

(3)   [If it is your job to keep something safe, what would happen if you let it slip and lost, or broke whatever you were supposed to protect?  How log would you have your job?] 

c.       [Yet God's people seem willing to give second best to God.]   

(1)   [People come to Church when we feel good enough to come to Church, yet you often go to work when you are tired and sickly.] 

(2)   [People often give God less effort than they should and come to Church unprepared or having prepared slightly to serve their Lord and His kingdom.] 

(3)   [People are often fair-weather Christians.] 

d.      [What we give to God ought to cost us something.  It ought to be a sacrifice, and a costly sacrifice at that.] 

3.      The Tempering of a Gift (vs 9) [-  And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means : will he regard your persons ? saith the LORD of hosts. - In essence the prophet is saying, "Get your heart and your giving right with God."] 

a.       [Stop giving that which is unacceptable to the world around you to Almighty God.] 

b.      [Repent and get your heart right, and let your right heart get your realtionship right with your Heavenly Father.] 

C.     The Rendering of a Gift (vs 10) - A Proper gift is one that: 

1.      Promotes our Heavenly Father [- For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name [shall be] great among the Gentiles ; . . . for my name [shall be] great among the heathen , saith the LORD of hosts.]   

a.       [Greater than the greatest, and higher than the highest.  This must be the highly esteemed position of honor that our God holds in our hearts.] 

b.      [God does not desire all of your treasure, talents, or time.  But He does require the first and best of your treasure, talents, and time.] 

c.       [You will only give God your very best and first if He holds the highest place of honor in your heart.  Otherwise you will just be giving junk for Jesus, and that will be less tan acceptable to God.] 

2.      Prasies our Heavenly Father [- . . . and in every place incense [shall be] offered unto my name, . . .] 

a.       [Incense represents the prayers of the saints.  When God is exalted in your heart, you will not only give Him your first and best, but you will give Him all the rest as well.] 

b.      [Those who have developed a living relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ will honor their lord in every way at every moment.  Their sacrifices are the best sacrifices because they are surrendered sacrifices.] 

3.      Presents to our Heavenly Father [- . . . and a pure offering . . .] 

a.       [The sacrifices of these saints will be their best, because nothing else will do.  They will be pure because their motive in giving will be pure.] 

b.      [Hence this purity is the purity of ones heart in their giving.  Their sacrifice will be found acceptable and pure, because their heart was acceptable and pure when they gave their gift.] 

CrossRoads Baptist Church, March 18, 2007