05 Trusting God with our Finances (Mal 3:6-12)

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Sermon Outline

1. A person’s bank account reveals a person’s god.
2. The Faithfulness of God (Mal 3:6)
   1. God doesn’t change (Heb 13:8)
   2. Change implies that something can’t be trusted, relied upon. (1Sam 21:13, 1Ki 14:2)
   3. Result of God’s unchanging nature is Israel’s existence (Mal 3:10b)
3. Faith and Money
   1. Money a test of obedience to covenant (Mal 3:7, Jn 13:35)
      1. The people of God have consistently been in sin
      2. Their parents turned from the law of God and so have they
         1. To turn: is to depart, as in abandon (Num 12:10)
         2. To turn from God’s ways is to invite the curse (Dt 11:28)
         3. The law commanded the people (Dt 17:10)
      3. But notice, b/c God is faithful to his covenant, he continues to invite the people to return and renew their loving participation; Return to me!!! (Jer 3:12)
         1. To return is another way of saying Repent or get right with God.
         2. Furthermore, Jer 3:11-4:2 goes on to lay out the steps for returning[1]
            1. “a veritable liturgy of repentance:
               1. acknowledging God’s lordship (3:22);
               2. admitting wrongdoing (3:23),
               3. including the verbal confession, “We [I] have sinned” (3:25);
               4. addressing the shame (3:25);
               5. and affirming and adhering to new conduct (4:1–2).
            2. For a comparable prescription of the components of repentance cf. Hosea Hos 14:1–3”
   2. Our use of Money is a sign of betrayal to God (Mal 3:8)
   3. Tithes and Offerings display our trust in God
   4. Curse of financial idolatry (Mal 3:9, Hag 1:6)
   5. God’s invitation to test him (Mal 3:10-11)
   6. The Blessing of God (Mal 3:12)
4. Will we trust him with our finances? (Mal 3:10)

[1] J. A. Thompson / Elmer A. Martens, “שׁ,” NIDOTTE, 4:57. https://accordance.bible/link/read/NIDOTTE#36596