So, if you've been with us for the last couple of weeks, you might know that we're in a series
in the book of Malachi. Now, just to get your bearings if you haven't been with us, Malachi
was a prophet which we saw was like an inspired theological lawyer that was sent to God's
elect people Israel who had rebelled and had been exiled but was now back in the land that
God had promised them. As we've seen, they were disheartened people because the promises
that God had given them by prophets such as Haggai and Zechariah weren't playing out like
they had thought. They were living in the land, they had a restored temple, they had
a restored priesthood just like God said would happen but they weren't yet living in the
golden age of messianic rule. And so you might say that they were disappointed people because
they felt like God didn't love them anymore, like he'd forgotten them. And we know all
of this because it was showing in the way that they practiced their worship of God.
He was half-hearted and hollow. And so God sent his prophet to remind his people that
they weren't forgotten by any stretch of the imagination. They were his covenant people
and he was still completely dedicated to them in every way. First, we saw this by God telling
them that he loved them and that he continues to love them no matter how they felt and that
he had in no way forgotten all the promises made to them because out of all the people
of the world he had elected them through their descendant Jacob. Then second, last week God
rebuked the priests because they weren't leading the people to the truth of God's love because
though they were giving sacrifice they were showing by example that sacrifice was something
that didn't really need to be your best, which was preaching to all God's people that half-hearted
efforts towards God was totally acceptable, something God identified as completely offensive.
This morning we're continuing with the same theme of God still speaking to the priests
and we're going to see again that the ministry of the Word is intrinsically connected to
the health of the people. That's what God wants us to see here in the big picture. If
the spiritual leadership goes off track there will be ramifications in the community or
as someone once wisely put it, as goes the pulpit so goes the church. And so in one
sense like last week we have to hold two things in tension. The priests are being directly
addressed here, nevertheless because of the subject matter that we're looking at in this
passage it deals with something that every single Christian has a vital and compelling
interest to pay attention to. The health of the ministry of the Word is directly connected
to the health of the people of God. So if you have your Bibles with you there this morning
we're going to be in Malachi chapter 2 verse 1, in chapter 2 but look with me at verse
1. These are the words of God and now you priests this warning's for you. Now I want
to briefly address who God is speaking to here again because like we saw last week the
priesthood they were the spiritual leaders of the nation and they were failing and that
was no small matter. For spiritual leaders to go off track there would be serious ramifications
for those involved. In fact there's an event that occurred earlier this week that I think
serves as a helpful picture to the message of Malachi and what we're looking at this
morning. Indian National News has been reporting that a passenger train was travelling from
Bengal to Kolkata when a goods train hit it from behind resulting in the deaths of nine
people and seriously injuring 41 others. Now it seems that this happened because when automatic
systems fail in India their protocol allows written authority to authorise train drivers
to pass all the red signals that are broken provided they obey stringent safety measures
in which the drivers must stop for one minute at each broken signal and then proceed at
a maximum speed of 10 k's per hour. The investigators of the crash site said in this instance the
driver of the goods train indeed had written authorisation to cross all the signals though
didn't obey the instructions of stopping at each defective signal and flew right through.
That's resulting in the tragic events that happened earlier this week. 41 seriously injured,
nine dead. To put it plainly this all happened as a result of someone not obeying instruction
and that church it's a useful picture of what Malachi is addressing in our passage. The
priests their task was to lead God's people and give instruction and they were failing
to obey the word of God themselves. As we heard last week the result was leading people
into a spiritual train wreck and so God again points these things out and calls the priesthood
to repentance by first warning them. You may have noticed as Hannah Lee wrote read our
passage out this morning that the whole section is bookended with warnings. It's bookended
with these warnings to the priests verses two and three. If you don't listen, if you
don't resolve to honour my name says the Lord Almighty I'll send a curse on you and I will
curse your blessings. Yes I've already cursed them because you've not resolved to honour
me because of you I will rebuke your descendants. I'll smear on your faces the dung from your
festival sacrifices and you'll be carried off with it. In other words God warns that
he was going to shame the priesthood and that they would be taken away and made unclean
like the filthy things that they were offering to him in the first place if they didn't listen.
But I think all of this is made clear as we look at verses eight and nine. God says you've
turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble. You violated the covenant
with Levi says the Lord Almighty so I've caused you to be despised and humiliated before all
the people because you haven't followed my ways but shown partiality in the matters of
the law. What are we to make of this church? Well let's put it together. There's four warnings
that I actually want to bring to your attention this morning. First the priesthood had strayed
from God's instructions. We see that there in verse eight. They've turned from the way
of the law. To put it plainly the priests own lives were marked by a failure to obey
the word of God themselves. And that's so often the root of the failure on the pulpit.
The truth isn't proclaimed and upheld because the life of the minister has turned from the
truth itself. We've seen this all throughout the history of the church again and again
and again. Error and desertion from the word revealed is usually preceded by error and
a failure to obey the word of God in the life of the minister themselves. To put it plainly
godliness matters for an effective preaching ministry. And Malachi was warning that they
were straying from the path. Secondly they were causing many to stumble. Again if we
go back to our illustration this morning that the driver he had instructions but he simply
didn't follow them. It was an accident waiting to happen. That's what Malachi is saying here.
He's saying to the priest because you've turned from the way you're causing others to turn
from it as well. Which thirdly makes them violators of the covenant with Levi. Which
is to say, we'll look at this in a moment a little bit more, but this is to say that
the objective pastoral ministry that was given to the Levitical priesthood in the law was
being distorted and pushed to the side by these guys. They twisted the word of God to
justify their rebellion and disobedience which fourth caused them to practice things that
were unjust and stewiff. Or as God says here in verse 9, they showed partiality in the
matters of the law. To put it plainly church, the spiritual leaders of Israel were inconsistent
and they distorted the pattern that God had revealed to them through the law to lead his
people. And the result of that was that the ministry of the priesthood that was given
by God was held by the people in low regard. People were going off track. So God says,
I will cause you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, verse 9. I don't know
about you brothers and sisters, but this is such a warning in our own time, isn't it?
I mean with the rise of the internet, with different vlogs and blogs being so accessible,
there's widespread and worldwide suspicion of preachers and religious teachers. And unfortunately
much of it is a failure that deserves to be pointed out. I don't know if you've seen
the extensive work that's been done recently on calling out certain prosperity preachers,
but it's shameful that so-called Christian teachers have been shown to have been robbing
God's people on the back of desperately wicked doctrines. It's a horrible thing to see high
church officials redefining what God has revealed about marriage and what the family is. As
others have thrown in their high calling for a political soapbox or social agenda, while
yet others who formally proclaim the truth have publicly come out and said that they
don't think the Bible's God speaking, but man surmising. Devastatingly, not just unfortunately,
but devastatingly, people have been made to stumble. And the result, the world sees the
pulpit and the preaching of the word of our risen Christ in low regard.
18th century pastor, Matthew Henry once said, nothing profanes the name of God more than
the misconduct of those whose business it is to honor it. The brother of our Lord James
comes to mind here. Not many of you should become teachers because you know that we who
teach will be judged that much more strictly. Church preaching and teaching, it's not just
public speaking or social influence. It's a divine calling and those who have been called
to serve the people of God in this way really do affect the health of the people of God.
And so God warns the spiritual leaders by his prophet of what will happen when there
is a failure to keep and obey the ministry of the word because his precious people are
in danger. That warning still stands today. The bride of Christ, the church is in danger
of spiraling into a moral and spiritual decline if the ministry of the word is twisted, skewiffed
and abandoned by her ministers. That's why we say a hearty amen to the prayers we heard
this morning by Ben that, Lord keep the pulpit pure. It's a sobering picture of the failure
of the ministry of the word that we see here this morning. That's first. There's real warnings
in our passage here this morning. If the ministers of the word won't listen, the dung of their
sacrifices, it'll be wiped on their faces and they'll be carried away in like manner
and they will be publicly shamed. But in the midst of all of this, there's actually a wonderful
promise given by our Lord. And it comes by way of a covenant promise that he was still
completely dedicated to. We see it there in verse four. You know that I've sent these
warnings so that my covenant with Levi may continue, says the Lord Almighty. What does
he mean by that? Well basically, God had committed to act to maintain and give his people a faithful
priesthood. Faithful ministers that would uphold the biblical revelation that was first
given in the law. Now just to make things clear, to get a bit of historical perspective,
Levi or the tribe of Levi or the Levites as they came to be known, was a tribe that
was specifically segregated and set aside in all Israel to act as mediators between
God and his people. Now these mediators didn't need to guess what that process looked like
because God had given it to them in his word. That they were a specific tribe of people
that was set aside for a specific ministry to God's people. And their whole aim in life
was to be faithful to the revealed word of God. And so by God saying that he's committed
to the covenant that he had made with Levi, he was saying that he wouldn't leave his people
in the situation that they found themselves in. That he wouldn't leave them without a
way to know and be obedient to his words. Or to put it plainly, he wouldn't leave his
flock without faithful shepherds to lead them in the way that they were to go. Church this
should give us such incredible comfort. God despite the disobedience and despicable behaviour
of some ministers past and present, God Almighty is always committed to maintaining and providing
faithful ministers of the word for his church. Malachi's picture is horrible. The priesthood
had abandoned and played down and twisted divine revelation and the people were being
misled. Sacrifices, yeah they're important but they don't really matter. Give what you
can. But it's also comforting that we see that God saw it and that he reveals that he's
committed to preserving and advancing his kingdom by always providing for his people
faithful shepherds. Church our God is a covenant making and keeping Father. He has promised
his people to never leave nor forsake his church. He will always provide for the body
ministers who will equip the saints for the work of the ministry and who will build up
the body of Christ. We heard it before in Ephesians 4. Christ gave his life for you
and me. He gave his life for the church and he ascended to the right hand of glory and
his promise is that there would always be faithful ministers, faithful pastors and teachers
to feed the flock of God with his word. Church our God is radically committed to his people
by covenant to always provide for his people, to make a way known for them, to them by the
faithful ministering of his word. So no matter what we see with these celebrity preachers,
these high church men or liberal lenience, God desperately loves his people and he will
never leave nor forsake us in this world. He's committed himself to providing faithful ministers
throughout all generations. That's some good news. It gets better. But first let's ask
what might these faithful ministers do? What might they say? What does it mean to be a
faithful minister of the word? Well, faithful ministers will pretty much do the opposite
of what we're seeing here in our passage this morning. First, they'll listen to what God
has to say. That's what God was calling these ministers, these priests to do. Listen so
as to bring honour to my name among the people. We see it there in verse 2. Church is so important
that those who are in any position of ministering to others in whatever capacity you might find
yourselves in, that they would first be hearers of the word. That's why the WPC, the denomination
we're part of, takes great measures in educating our elders and ministers. That's why Matt
Vanderveld was nominated when he was nominated from Among Us for Eldership, that he's now
going through serious training to be a student of the word, so that he might be able to lead
and guide the people of God through their Lord and Saviour. But this isn't just for
elders. We're all called to listen. And so I might ask, is the word of God having its
way in you, that it might find its way to the lives of others around you? Faithful ministers,
they must be hearers of the word. Second, faithful ministers won't just hear the word,
but they'll live the word out. You might know the famous saying by James, don't be just
hearers of the words, my brethren, but be doers. Malachi alludes to this in verse 5.
My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him. This called
for reverence, and listen to this, he revered me, and he stood in awe of my name. Notice
that. The blunder of the priesthood in this context of our passage this morning was that
the priests hadn't stood in awe of God's name. Because yes, they were giving sacrifice,
but again, it was half-hearted, it was a hollow effort, and as a result, it was preaching
to the people and they were stumbling. Cyprian of Carthage, a third century pastor, once
said, there's no advantage in setting forth virtue by our words, but then destroying the
truth by our deeds. How true that is. The ministers of the word, they have a calling,
but because they weren't living that calling out, they were becoming a stumbling block
to those in the church underage. And so, faithful ministers won't just hear the word, but they'll
obey the word so that when they share with others, it won't just be a theological truth,
but will come from a life which by grace, with confession, by repentance, from a life
that is living with God, a life that loves God, a life that is tasted and is ever by
grace becoming what they are calling others to. To simply put it, they'll practice what
they preach. So, faithful ministers of the word, they'll hear it, they'll do it. Third,
they'll share it. Look with me at verse six. Malachi says, true instruction was in his
mouth and nothing false was found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness
and turned many from sin. That's what faithful ministers of the word will endeavour to do
for the people of God. They'll endeavour to be accurate with what God has revealed and
wants his people to know so that they might turn from sin. A faithful minister of the
word won't twist what God has to say so that people will end up downplaying sin or abandoning
holiness altogether. The faithful minister of God will endeavour to communicate the word
of God as it's given. When sin must be confronted, it will be preached black and white. That's
why gospel faithful preaching churches take the approach of looking at the whole council
of scripture and looking at what God has to say so that the sheep are fed with our Lord's
words. Sometimes the words are going to say hard things to all of us, to all of us. But
it's our responsibility, particularly here at Grace as your elders, to preach, to give
you God's words in season and out of season so that you, the people of God, might be reproved,
rebuked and exhorted with complete patience and teaching as the apostle Paul commanded
Timothy all those years ago. Fourth, look at verse seven with me. A faithful minister
will preserve knowledge among the people. Malachi says, for the lips of the priest ought
to preserve knowledge because he's the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction
from his mouth. How will they do that? How will we preserve instruction among the people
of God? By sharing it. Faithful ministers will preserve the knowledge of God among the
people of God by giving instruction to others. Sixth century pastor and theologian Gregory
the Great once stated, for it's true that whoever enters the life of ministry undertakes
the office of a herald. So he's to walk himself crying aloud before the great and coming day
of our Lord. And verse seven is somewhat tied to what we just looked at before in verse
six, but it goes to show that faithful ministers will have a burden for others to know and
follow biblical revelation. This means they won't be obsessed with their own popularity
or ideology, but will endeavour to have the people of God instructed by any means necessary,
whether in public or in private so the people of God might become mature in their most holy
faith. So as Malachi preached to the church under age here, the faithful ministers that
God will provide will be people that hear and live and preach the word. They'll be people
that are passionate about the truth and want to share it so that the people of God might
come to a greater knowledge of our God and thereby walk faithfully in his revelation.
And this is God's promise. These faithful ministers will come and keep coming because
God wants his people to have these ministers. So God will keep providing faithful ministers
and faithful labourers of his word until we heard it before, until we all reach unity
in the faith in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ. Now I said before there was good news. There is wonderful,
amazing news here. And I want to end on that news on these last few verses. I want to end
by concluding, by bringing your attention to the greatest and final minister of all.
You see Malachi, he's putting his finger on something here this morning and that's the
people of God in his time, these priests and ministers, they were failing. It was a serious
problem. But I don't think the point of the passage is simply to hope for better ministers
or more faithful priests. But for people to look forward to the perfect priest who wouldn't
fail his people in his ministry to them. That's what we're meant to see in this passage this
morning, particularly looking at verses 5 to 7. There would come a day when God would
ultimately fulfill his covenant promise in a great high priest. And I'm of course talking
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And we're meant to look to him and I mention this because
there's a real danger when the people of God look more to their ministers to be their solution,
look more to their pastors to get them through and to the teachers to grow their numbers
and sustain them in their trials. I want to be crystal clear with you this morning brothers
and sisters, it is a wonderful and God given calling of every minister to walk with their
congregation through the best of times and through the worst of times. But it's not the
task of the pastor to be the ultimate answer to all our problems. That's because to be
honest with you, no pastor in the world can be. No, it's the task of the pastor to lift
our eyes, your eyes and say behold the Lamb of God who takes the sin away from the world.
He can wipe away every tear from your eyes. He strengthens the weak knees and the feeble
hands. He will give you sustaining grace in the darkest valley. He'll satisfy your heart
with an abundance of good things. One better than Levi has come. He is our great high priest.
He is the final and perfect minister of the word. His name is Jesus Christ. He is the
one that we all need. And it's the blessed privilege of God's people and pastor alike
to look to Jesus, to lean on Jesus, to cling to Jesus, to point people to Jesus and to
proclaim Him in all we do. So as we've heard Malachi's message here and even his strong
rebuke on those who are charged with teaching the Bible, let's make sure that all of us,
all of us fix our eyes on Jesus Christ because it is He and He alone who is all sufficient
for us in our weaknesses. He is all sufficient for you when your pastor makes mistakes because
with Him at the helm we can know that we will never be derailed. Let's pray. Father, we
ask that as we have heard your word this morning, that the gospel would cause us to look to
your Son, that your Spirit would keep us steadfast and that you would change us, that you would
make us all faithful heralders and proclaimers of this good news wherever we may find ourselves,
that Grace Christian Church would be used by you as a place of disciples, making disciples
for your glory and your glory alone. Lord, we ask that you would keep this pulpit pure,
that you would guard your people from error and where we do make mistakes and when we
make mistakes, that we would be quick to listen, quick to hear and repent. We ask for this
in Jesus' name, Amen.