Exile and Return: "Fighting for Sincere Worship"

Exile and Return: “Fighting for Sincere Worship”

Malachi 1:6-14

I. Insincere worship minimizes God’s greatness and worth (Malachi 1:6-14; 3:7-12)

Matthew 23:37-40

II. Areas God rebukes our insincere worship.

7 ways to fight for sincere worship:

1. Worship God based on the work of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5)

2. Make all of life about worship (Romans 12:1)

3. Praise Him through song (Hebrews 13:15)

4. Gather with others (Malachi 3:16)

5. Remember the Word (Malachi 4:4)

6. Look for the work of the Lord (Malachi 4:5)

7. Repent for areas of insincere worship (Malachi 4:6)

 Faith Sheet

1. Consider someone whose success you admire, an athlete, musician, or writer whose abilities you appreciate. How would you describe that person?

2. What actions of the priests demonstrated their lack of respect and honor toward the Lord?

3. When reviewing the different characteristics of God how are you led to worship Him for who He is? Specifically, how can we worship God with our bodies? Our finances? Our praise? Our works? Our witness?

4. What types of things might we take pride in as evidence that we are close with God when actually we are not?

5. How should Christians understand and apply God’s promise of blessing for obedience in light of what Christ has done for us?

6. Share an area of insincere worship in your life and how you plan to fight to make your life one that is more sincere in your worship of God. Pray together to make these steps a reality in your life.