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Call to worship: 2 Timothy 3:16-4:5

Text: Malachi 2:1-16

Summary:

Unfortunately, the sons of Levi have not followed in Levi's footsteps. Accordingly, God will curse their blessings. Their ministry, mighty in producing godless lives, will be disavowed of God's pleasure and power. Oh that they would have hearts for God that listened well and taught what was true to the good of souls. Because they didn't, the people didn't live faithfully. In their disregard for the sanctuary, they were faithless to one another, allowing idolatry to take root; more, in their lust for godless living, they also disregarded the sanctity of marriage and its aim: godly offspring. When God's ministers fail, marriages and families, home and church, these institutions intended to reflect the glory of the Gospel, are likely to crumble. Thankfully, we have a High Priest Who will never fail us and, in His mercy, He lives to make us a priesthood of believers devoted to a ministry with lasting power in the lives of those it envelopes.

Sermon Outline:

1. Levi's ministry, or a faithfulness to take to heart. (2:1-9)
2. Israel's failures, or a faithlessness to guard against. (2:10-16)
a. Faithlessness toward the sanctuary of God. (2:10-12)
b. Faithlessness toward the sanctity of marriage. (2:13-16)

Prepare

Discussion Questions:

1. Read Malachi 2:1-16. Compare with the texts given for our call to worship and intermediate reading above.
2. What aspects of Levi's faithful ministry do you detect in 2:5-7? How have the priests of Malachi's day forsaken Levi's model? How does God address their faithlessness? What are the consequences?
3. Is ministry practical? How might faithless ministry impact the people to whom it ministers? What about a faithful ministry? Is there a relationship between 'priesthood and people'? If so, how would you describe it? In dealing with Israel's faithlessness, why might Malachi focus on the family of God and the family (and marriage) in general? Why would a faithless ministry produce faithlessness, foremost, in these areas? Give some thought to Genesis 2 and 3.
4. Why is Israel's faithlessness to one another so despicable? Profaning of the covenant? What's the connection to be made between the sanctuary of God and the family of God? What's to be done with someone who leads the people of God astray (2:12)?
5. What is 'this second thing' that Israel's done as a matter of faithlessness? What's the relationship between the health of their marriages and the favor of God? In what ways does God labor to convict them concerning their desecration of marriage? Is there any collateral damage to broken marriages? What's the significance of godly offspring in Israel at this time? Today? To whom does the Lord focus His charge? What is the charge? Why is the Gospel at stake? How does Jesus, our Great High Priest, establish a new and better priesthood? Implications for us?