13 “Your words have been hard against me, says the LORD. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’” 16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. 17 “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts. 4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” —Malachi 3:13-4:6

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When God calls our lives into question, the godly will

, whereas the rebellious will

Reveal Answer

.

I. Why should I serve the Lord? 3:13-18

13 “Your words have been hard against me, says the LORD. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ 14 You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the LORD of hosts? 15 And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’” 16 Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. 17 “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18 Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. —Malachi 3:13-3:18

• A. The thinking of the unfaithful 3:13-15
  
  1. There is no use in serving 3:14a
  2. There is no profit in keeping His charge 3:14b
  3. There is no profit in fasting or repenting 3:14c-15
• B. The thinking of the faithful 3:16-18
  
  1. The Lord hears and remembers us 3:16
  2. They will be a treasured possession 3:17
  3. The Lord knows the distinction between the faithful and the unfaithful 3:18

The

that drive our

Reveal Answer

are the most

Reveal Answer

of the state of our relationship with God.

II. Will it matter in the end? 4:1-3

1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. 3 And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts. —Malachi 4:1-3

• A. There is a day coming 4:1
• B. There are two destinies 4:1-3
  
  1. Eternal punishment for the wicked 4:1,3
  2. Eternal blessing for the faithful 4:2

It is

that our eternal reward is

Reveal Answer

in a world that increasingly devalues God’s people’s

Reveal Answer

.

III. How should I live while I wait? 4:4-6

4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” —Malachi 4:4-6

• A. Live in obedience to the truth 4:4
• B. Wait expectantly for the Lord’s return 4:5-6

Our mission in this is life to live in

as we wait for

Reveal Answer

and

Reveal Answer

of the

Reveal Answer

.

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Small Group Questions

1. What did God teach you through this passage and sermon? Share the work of God in your heart with the group.

2. What questions did this passage and sermon raise in your mind?

3. How can we avoid the danger of justifying or deflecting our sin?

4. In your honest evaluation, what do you think motivates you to serve the Lord?

5. What are some ways to warn people of the coming Day of Judgment as we move through 2021?