Sermon Snippets with Max Taylor

088. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 4: Stop Justifying Yourself!

Malachi 1:6-9
 
We cover the next two questions against God today. The people’s offering showed what they really thought about God’s name. Their thoughts of God corrupted their service for God. Because they didn’t appreciate His love, they didn’t view Him as a loving Father, and therefore they did not offer Him their best. Are we offering God less than we would offer someone else? We need to stop justifying ourselves and humbly accept God’s assessment of our lives before Him.

087. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 3: Doubting God’s Love

Malachi 1:1-5
 
When God describes you as having a certain attitude, you do. It is so important that we realize it is only by being near to God that we can actually discover ourselves. We must spend time with Him, not only to know His thoughts towards us, but so that He can reveal our true thoughts towards Him. If you are struggling with knowing God loves you (and you might not have even realized it), just think on the cross of Calvary and let God’s love astonish you all over again. He does love you! And He proved it when Jesus died for your sin. 
 
If you would like to hear the poem “Let the Stable Still Astonish” by Leslie Leyland Fields, the Breckenhorst Singers have quite a nice version of it. You can listen at the link below:
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RIDYrtvn6Y

086. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 2: On Questioning God

Outline of Malachi
 
There are eight rebuttals against the children of Israel in this short book, and God describes the people as having these views:
 
“Wherein hast thou loved us?” (1:2)
“Wherein have we despised thy name?” (1:6)
“Wherein have we polluted thee?” (1:7)
“Wherefore?” (2:14)
“Wherein have we wearied him?” (2:17)
“Wherein shall we return?” (3:7)
“Wherein have we robbed thee?” (3:8)
“What have we spoken so much against thee?” (3:13)
 
It is significant that there are eight of them since the number eight in the Bible symbolizes a new era, which certainly took place during the silence that was implemented after this book. We will get into the details more in our next episode as we dive into the first accusation.

085. Final Words | Studies in Malachi Part 1: My Messenger

Background to Malachi
 
Welcome to the last words of God before the coming of the Messiah to the world. These writings precede over four hundred years of silence from God before the He broke the silence with the glorious announcements that the promises of the Messiah (and of this prophecy) were being fulfilled. Today we lay the groundwork for this book and introduce the theme of these special words from God to mankind.

084. 10x Consolation

2 Corinthians 1:3-7
 
The words “comfort” and “consolation” appear ten times in this short passage. In today’s bonus episode, we are going to pause and reflect on Christ’s consolation in the midst of our suffering in this life. And we also remember the imminent rapture of believers which will end all suffering for the followers of God.

083. Our Living Hope | Studies in 1 Peter Part 26: Suffering—the Challenge to Endure

1 Peter 5:5-14
 
Hope is the thread that runs through the entirety of this epistle, and it goes all the way to the end. In the concluding statements, Peter instructs us believers to continue in the daily disciplines listed here, to understand the duration of our suffering, and to keep our eyes on the final destination. May we be able to say as Paul did that none of these things move us when we are faced with suffering. When we have the hope spoken of here, we will surely be filled with peace as he wishes in his final verse.

082. Our Living Hope | Studies in 1 Peter Part 25: Suffering—the Command to the Elder

1 Peter 5:1-4
 
When it comes to pastoral qualifications, many of us turn to 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, however I have grown to treasure this section in 1 Peter 5 as one of the best passages on God’s expectations for a pastor. Unfortunately, many pastors have “cared more about the mission than the people. And they [don’t] realize that the people are the mission (July Roys Report Podcast ‘The Body of Christ Keeps the Score,’ 28:10).” We need far fewer superhero pastors and far more pastors who are willing to be servants. May we all learn to follow Christ in servanthood, even in our suffering as He did.

081. Our Living Hope | Studies in 1 Peter Part 24: Suffering—the Call to Everyone

1 Peter 4:12-19
 
The end of chapter four and the majority of chapter 5 contains some of the best condensed teaching on suffering, in my opinion. We have already mentioned suffering several times as we have gone through this book, and I think that is one of the major themes God had in mind for this book. Chapter four closes with some helpful reminders and straightforward charges on how to handle suffering. Next week we will look at the pastor’s role in helping people walk through suffering.