“It’s All About Soul” is part of the sermon series “Paying Ransoms and Making Deals,” focusing on the eternal value of the soul as referenced in Matthew 16:26. This sermon examines what it means to search, appraise, sell, and ultimately save the soul. Through an exploration of key Biblical passages, it emphasizes that while the world offers temporary gains, only Jesus can save and give us a new identity in Him. The sermon encourages listeners to recognize the unmatched worth of their soul and the ultimate sacrifice Christ made for its salvation.
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Matthew 16:26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses
his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Quote
“It’s hard to imagine these experiments getting any serious attention from the scientific
community today. But the lines of thinking that led to them — and the reactions they
generated — remain with us to this day.
We’re still profoundly ignorant today, as any honest scientist will tell you.
According to scientific consensus, the soul does not exist and cannot be weighed.”
I. A SOUL SEARCHER.
Matthew 16:26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses
his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Proverbs 11:30 ” … He who wins souls is wise.
Soul searching is defined as a penetrating examination of one’s motives,
convictions, and attitudes.
The person who never searches the soul will never find the need to save the soul.
II. A SOUL APPRAISER.
Matthew 16:26 For what PROFIT is it to a man if he GAINS the whole world, and loses
his own soul? Or what will a man give in EXCHANGE for his soul?
1) THE SOUL’S CREATION.
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship,…”
2) THE SOUL’S DURATION.
Revelation 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the
lake of fire.
3) THE SOUL’S DISTINCTION.
4) THE SOUL’S APPRECIATION.
Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
III. A SOUL SELLER.
Matthew 16:26 … what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Luke 18:18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to
inherit eternal life?”
Luke 18:22 “… Jesus said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and
distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Luke 18:23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.
Matt. 26:14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
Matthew 26:15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him
unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
IV. A SOUL SAVIOR.
John 1:12 ” … As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become
children of God, to those who believe in His name:
Colossians 1:27 “… Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Galatians 2:20 “… It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the
life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God …”
I HAVE A NEW IDENTITY IN CHRIST!
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things
have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
We are in Christ, Christ is in us.
Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it,
and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
Matthew 26:27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
Drink from it, all of you.
Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many
for the remission of sins.
When we are born physically, a new person emerges that did not previously exist.
When we are born again spiritually a new person emerges that did not previously exist.
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of his Spirit, washed in His blood.”
“The Devil Is In The Details” is part of the sermon series “Paying Ransoms and Making Deals.” This sermon focuses on the real spiritual battle between Jesus and the devil, emphasizing the temptations that Jesus faced in the wilderness (Luke 4). With powerful scriptural references, the message highlights the devil’s desire for worship and control over the kingdoms of the world, but it ultimately showcases Christ’s victory and the necessity of worshipping God alone.
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Luke 4:1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and
was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Luke 4:2 being tempted for forty days by the devil …
Luke 4:5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the
kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Luke 4:6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory;
for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
Luke 4:7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”
Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written,
‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
Luke 4:13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from
Him until an opportune time.
DETAIL #1. THE DEVIL EXISTS AND IS A REAL ENEMY.
John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.
Ephesians 2:2 “… walked according to the course of this world, according to the
prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
DETAIL #2. THE DEVIL’S WORLDLY OFFER TO JESUS.
Luke 4:5 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the
kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Luke 4:6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory;
for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
Matthew 12:25 But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom
divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against
itself will not stand.
Matthew 12:26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will
his kingdom stand?
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government
will be upon His shoulder.
Revelation 11:15 … “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of
our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
Psalm 2:7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Psalm 2:8 Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance,
DETAIL #3. THE DEVIL’S MAIN DESIRE IS TO BE WORSHIPPED.
Luke 4:7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”
Matthew 4:9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down
and worship me.”
Revelation 13:15 He was granted power to … cause as many as would not worship
the image of the beast to be killed.
Revelation 13:16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and
slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,
Revelation 13:17 And that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark
or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
What is worship? It is giving glory to God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all
to the glory of God.
Romans 1:25 ” … and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator
Whatever you offer your body to is your object of worship
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you
present your bodies a living sacrifice …
DETAIL #4. THE DEVIL’S BARGAIN FOR SOULS.
Mark 8:36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his
own soul?
Mark 8:37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
1) Nobody ever gained the whole world.
2) What part of the world they do gain will not satisfy them.
Ecclesiastes 1:8 … the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
3) What part of the world they do gain, they can not keep.
Jim Elliot’s quote, ” He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain
what he cannot lose. ”
Luke 12:15 “… “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not
consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.
What do people sell their souls for? The passing pleasures of sin!!!
Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the
son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
Hebrews 11:25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to
enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
2 Corinthians 4:4 (GW) The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who
don’t believe …”.
Charles F. Kettering said,”We should all be concerned about future because we will
have to spend the rest of our lives there.”
In the Journal of Psychology is a survey of 160,000 was conducted asking people
what their most important personal values were:
56% Economic security
46% Home & Family
25% Liberty & Freedom
13% World Peace
10% Education
8% Religion
4% Decency & Morality
2% Being a good citizen
Question: Do you see the word “soul” anywhere mentioned on the list?
DETAIL #5. JESUS CHRIST IS THE VICTORIOUS SAVIOR-KING.
Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is
written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
Luke 4:13 Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from
Him until an opportune time.
Isaiah 59:16 He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no
intercessor; Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; And His own
righteousness, it sustained Him.
Psalm 106:23 (NLT) So he declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen
one, stepped between the Lord and the people. He begged him to turn from his
anger and not destroy them.
Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to
God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Worship gets us into trouble and worship will get us out of trouble.
‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
In this powerful sermon, Pastor Ed Hamilton takes us through the biblical account of King Hezekiah and his interactions with the Assyrian Empire, exploring the spiritual dangers of making deals with the enemy. Drawing from 2 Kings, Ephesians, and 2 Corinthians, this message reminds us that Satan’s tactics—fear, deceit, and manipulation—are designed to lead us away from trusting God. With practical wisdom and biblical truth, Pastor Hamilton encourages believers to stand firm, put on the armor of God, and refuse to compromise with the devil. This sermon offers vital insights into spiritual warfare and how to rely on God’s strength for victory.
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2 Kings 18:5 He (Hezekiah) trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him
was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.
2 Kings 18:6 For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him,
but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.
2 Kings 18:7 The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went. And he
rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.
2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant
of his devices.
Ephesians 6:11 (ESV) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand
against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 4:27 And give no opportunity to the devil.
Isaiah 32:7 Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans to
destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks justice.
Sun Tzu in the ancient Chinese military manual The Art of War (quote)
“Knowing the enemy enable you to take the offensive, knowing yourself enables
you to stand on the defensive.”
I. THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE: LET’S MAKE A DEAL.
2 Kings 18:13 And in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Se-nnac-he-rib king of
Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.
2 Kings 18:14 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lac-hish,
saying, “I have done wrong; turn away from me; whatever you impose on me
I will pay.” And the king of Assyria assessed Hezekiah king of Judah three
hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
2 Kings 18:15 So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house
of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house.
2 Kings 18:16 At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the
temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had
overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
2 Kings 16:8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of
the Lord, and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and sent it as a present to
the king of Assyria.
The family patriarch grandfather J. Paul Getty refused to pay the ransom price,
famously proclaiming, “If I pay one penny now, I’ll have 14 kidnapped grandchildren.”
II. THE DEVIL’S ATTACK: SCARE TACTICS.
2 Kings 18:17 “Then the king of Assyria sent … a great army against Jerusalem,
to King Hezekiah. And they went up and came to Jerusalem.”
2 Kings 18:19 Then the Rab-sha-keh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus
says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust?
2 Kings 18:20 You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words.
And in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?
1. THE DEVIL ALWAYS TRIES TO MAGNIFY OUR WEAKNESSES.
2 Kings 18:22 But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the Lord our God,’ Is it not He
whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to
Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’?”
2 Kings 18:23 Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king
of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses–if you are able on your part
to put riders on them!
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater
is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
2. THE DEVIL LIES TO TRY TO DISTORT THE LORD’S WORD.
2 Kings 18:25 Have I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it?
The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land, and destroy it.’ ”
III. THE DEVIL’S APPROACH: DIVIDE AND CONQUER.
2 Kings 18:28 Then the Rab-sha-keh stood and called out with a loud voice in
Hebrew, and spoke, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria!
2 Kings 18:29 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall
not be able to deliver you from his hand;
2 Kings 18:30 Nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will
surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ‘
2 Kings 18:31 Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria:
‘Make peace with me …
Isaiah 36:12 But Sennacherib’s chief of staff replied, “Do you think my master sent
this message only to you and your master? He wants all the people to hear it, for when
we put this city under siege, they will suffer along with you. They will be so hungry
and thirsty that they will eat their own dung and drink their own urine.”
IV. THE DEVIL’S APPEAL: A FALSE PEACE TREATY.
2 Kings 18:31 “…‘Make peace with me by a present and come out to me; and every
one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree, and every one
of you drink the waters of his own cistern;
2 Kings 18:32 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of
grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive groves and honey,
that you may live and not die. But do not listen to Hezekiah, lest he persuade you,
saying, “The Lord will deliver us.”
Jeremiah 6:13 “… And from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.
Jeremiah 6:14 “… Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction
comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
IV. RIGHTFUL RESPONSES TO THE DEVIL’S DEALS.
1. SILENCE IS GOLDEN: REFUSE TO NEGOTIATE.
2 Kings 18:36 But the people held their peace and answered him not a word;
for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.”
Proverbs 26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.
2. SUBMIT TO THE LORD: HUMBLE YOURSELF IN REPENTANCE.
2 Kings 19:1 And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes,
covered himself with sackcloth, …
3. SEEK THE LORD: GO INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.
2 KIngs 19:1 …. and went into the house of the Lord.
4. SPEAK TO THE LORD: PRAY EMPHASIZING GOD’S GLORY.
2 Kings 19:14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers,
and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before
the Lord.
2 Kings 19:15 Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: “O Lord God of Israel,
the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the
kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.
2 Kings 19:16 Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see;
and hear the words of Se-nnac-he-rib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.
2 Kings 19:17 Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands,
2 Kings 19:18 and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the
work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them.
2 Kings 19:19 Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all
the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.”
Pastor McGee said, “Fight with us against the enemies that are killing our children.
There is a war going on in the streets of America. Well pls pray for me. Today
hopefully, I am going to rescue my daughter from where she is in Las Vegas.”
Also pray for anyone who tries to get in my way, that I would ‘lay hands suddenly
on them’ & it would [be] quick & productive. Even though I am really good at
hurting people, I do NOT like that, & I have tried to help them since I got
saved @ 17 in Teen Challenge.”
5. SELECT THE PROPER WEAPONS OF WARFARE.
Ephesians 6:12 (NLT) For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but
against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in
this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
1 Corinthians 9:26 (ESV) “… I do not box as one beating the air.
2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal …
2 Corinthians 10:4 (GNT) The weapons we use in our fight are not the world’s weapons
Zechariah 4:6 …’Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.
Ephesians 6:10 … be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Pastor Ed Hamilton delivers a powerful message titled “It’s A Big Deal” that explores the parallels between current world events and biblical prophecy. Drawing from Genesis 6 and contemporary examples, Hamilton emphasizes the pervasiveness of violence and corruption in our world, likening it to the days of Noah. He delves into the nature of sin, its consuming and controlling power, and its continual presence in human hearts. The sermon also touches on the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, the evil presence of sin, and how history tends to repeat itself. Hamilton concludes by reminding the congregation that while evil may seem to prevail, God’s plans stand firm forever, offering hope and perspective in turbulent times.
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Genesis 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with
violence.
Genesis 6:12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh
had corrupted their way on the earth.
Genesis 6:13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the
earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Psalm 11:5 The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves
violence His soul hates.
Proverbs 13:2 ” … The soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.
Rachel Goldberg-Polin said at the funeral eulogy for her son Hersh on Sept. 1, 2024
“I have had a lot of time during the past 332 days to think about my sweet boy
Hersh. And one thing I keep thinking about is how, out of all the mothers in the
whole entire world, God chose to give Hersh to me. What must have I done in a
past life to deserve such a beautiful gift? It must’ve been glorious.
Hersh and I once watched some documentaries a couple of years ago together
about young people who had died and he commented:
‘How come everyone
who dies young is always said to be the funniest, the smartest, the greatest,
the handsomest? Why doesn’t anyone ever say ‘I liked Max, but you know
what, he was pretty stupid, his sense of humor was off, and he had bad breath’.’
I am honest, and I’d say, it’s not that Hersh was perfect, but he was the perfect
son for me, and I am so grateful to God and I want to thank God, right now, in
front of all of you, for giving me this magnificent present of my Hersh. For 23 years,
I was privileged to have the most stunning honor to be Hersh’s mama. I’ll take it
and say thank you. I just wish it had been for longer.
Hersh, for all these months, I’ve been in such torment and worried about you for
every millisecond of every single day. It was such a specific type of misery that
I never experienced before. I tried hard to surpass the missing you part because
that, I was convinced, would break me. So I spent 330 days terrified, scared,
worrying, and frightened. It closed my throat and my soul throbbed with 3rd degree
burns.
Amidst the inexplicable agony, terror, anguish, desperation, and fear, we became
absolutely certain that you were coming home to us alive, when it was not to be.
Now I no longer have to worry about you, I know you are no longer in danger.
But now my worry shifts to, … How do we live the rest of our lives without you?
I pray that your death will be a turning point in this horrible situation in which
we are all entangled.
You each and every single one of you did every single thing right to survive 329 days
in what I’m pretty sure can only be described as hell. I send each of the families
my deepest sympathies for what we are all going through and for the sickening
feeling that we all could not save them. I think we all did every single thing we could.
And Hersh there is one last thing I need you to do for us. Now I need you to help us
stay strong and I need you to help us survive.”
Matthew 2:18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great
mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they
are no more.”
John 8:44 He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because
there is no truth in him …
I. IT’S A BIG DEAL SEEING BIBLE PROPHECY FULFILLED.
Genesis 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with
violence.
Genesis 6:12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh
had corrupted their way on the earth.
Genesis 6:13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the
earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
Psalm 11:5 The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves
violence His soul hates.
Proverbs 13:2 ” … The soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.
The Hebrew word Hamas is defined as “violence, violently dealing in taking away,
ruthlessness, fierceness, cruel hatred, to lay waste, to think up devise mistreatment
to wrongfully imagine.
Rabbi Nechemia Coopersmith said (quote)
October 7th…became the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust…
The world watched then, it knew, and the world did nothing. We will not stand by
and do nothing again. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. How fitting it is that in
Spanish the word “hamas” has an entirely different meaning. It means: “never again.”
II. IT’S A BIG DEAL UNDERSTANDING SIN’S EVIL PRESENCE.
Genesis 6:5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth,
and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
1. SIN IS CONSUMING.
Genesis 6:5 “… EVERY intent… ”
Our mind is depraved and reprobate
The Bible says we are blind, we have eyes but we don’t see
The Bible says we are deaf, we have ears but we don’t hear
Our ears are deaf to God’s voice and truth,
What comes out of our mouths is as foul as a rotting corpse;
Our mouths are full of cursing and bitternes
We open our mouths and we pollute the air.
Our tongues are filled with lies.
Snake venom drips from our lips.
The Bible says our hearts are desperately wicked, we have the hands of the wicked
and our feet are swift to shed innocent blood.
2. SIN IS CONTROLLING.
Genesis 6:5 ” ….Every intent of the thoughts of his heart was ONLY evil …”
3. SIN IS CONTINUAL.
Genesis 6:5 ” … the thoughts of his heart was only evil CONTINUALLY.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
III. IT’S A BIG DEAL KNOWING HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.
Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son
of Man be.
Matthew 24:38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,
Matthew 24:39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away,
so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
What are the marks of the “days of Noah?”
1) The world did not get better then so it is not going to get better now
2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving
2) People were living as if it was business as usual then and now.
3) A world filled with violence then and now.
4) The minority of believers like Noah were standing alone against the majority of
the unbelieving world then and now..
5) The world was and still is completely unprepared for the coming judgment.
Psalm 33:11 “The plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart
through all generations”.
Pastor Ed emphasizes the contrast between the fate of the wicked and the righteous on this day, using vivid imagery of fire and healing. He discusses God’s judgment on the proud and wicked, while also highlighting the hope and restoration for those who fear God’s name. The sermon incorporates various biblical references beyond Malachi, including Psalms, Romans, and New Testament passages, to reinforce its points. Additionally, Pastor Ed touches on contemporary issues, such as changes in school disciplinary problems over time, to provide context and relevance to his audience.
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Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud,
yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn
them up,” Says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.
Malachi 4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
Malachi 4:3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles
of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 4:4 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him
in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments.
Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord.
Malachi 4:6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the
hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with
a curse.”
The Supreme court offered this justification and quoted a psychologist who stated:
“If portions of the New Testament were read without explanation, they could be and
had been psychologically harmful to the child.”
Sixty years ago, the top disciplinary problems in schools were:
Talking in class, chewing gum, making noises, running in the halls, cutting in line
That was then, this is now
Disrespect – students speak and act in a disrespectful way to adults and peers
including verbal abuse of teachers and faculty
Defiance – students openly refusing to listen to adults or follow directions.
Bullying – students consistently trying to intimidate others,
Widespread disorder in classroom, cyberbulling & school shooting possibilities.”
I. WHAT A FIERY DAY OF BURNING THAT WILL BE.
Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud,
yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn
them up,” Says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.
Psalm 51:4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, …”
Romans 2:5 (NLT) But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin,
you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming,
when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Romans 2:6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done.
Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven,…
Psalm 21:9 You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger;
Isaiah 47:14 Behold, they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burn them;They shall
not deliver themselves from the power of the flame; It shall not be a coal to be
warmed by, nor a fire to sit before!
Malachi 4:1 “… And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the Lord of
hosts, That will leave them neither root nor branch.
Zephaniah 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them
in the day of the Lord’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured by the fire
of His jealousy, for He will make speedy riddance of all those who dwell in the land.
Hebrews 10:30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”
says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
Hebrews 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Malachi 4:3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles
of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 3:14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we
have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord
of hosts?
II. WHAT A FANTASTIC DAY OF HEALING THAT WILL BE.
Malachi 4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
Malachi 1:14 “… For I am a great King,” Says the Lord of hosts, and My name is to
be feared among the nations.
Malachi 2:5 “My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, and I gave them to
him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me and was reverent before My name.
Malachi 3:16 “… So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who
fear the Lord
Malachi 4:2 ” …my name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Acts 17:28 For in Him we live and move and have our being …”
John 1:5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world,
and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light,
lest his deeds should be exposed.
John 3:21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly
seen, that they have been done in God.”
Malachi 4:2 ” …my name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His
wings, …
Malachi 4:2 “… And you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.
III. WHAT A FUTURE DAY OF TESTING THAT WILL BE.
Malachi 4:4 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him
in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments.
Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord.
Malachi 4:6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the
hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with
a curse.”
IV. WHAT A FINAL DAY FOR THE PROUD THAT WILL BE.
Malachi 4:1 ” … All the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. ”
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 15:25 ” The Lord will destroy the house of the proud …”
2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God,
on those who know not God, and on those who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
1 Peter 5:5 “… God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
This sermon, titled “Does It Pay To Serve The Lord?,” examines the tension between skepticism and faithfulness among God’s people, as depicted in Malachi 3:13-18. The message addresses the cynicism of those who see no benefit in serving God and believe that the wicked prosper without consequence. It contrasts this with the assurance that God hears the faithful, remembers those who fear Him, and distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked. Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to trust in God’s justice and faithfulness, reaffirming that God rewards those who honor and serve Him.
Sermon Audio
Sermon Video
Sermon Notes:
Malachi 3:13 “Your words have been harsh against Me,” Says the Lord, “Yet you say,
‘What have we spoken against You?’
Malachi 3:14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we
have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord
of hosts?
Malachi 3:15 So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are
raised up; They even tempt God and go free.’ ”
Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the
Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before
Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name.
Malachi 3:17 “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make
them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
Malachi 3:18 Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him.
II. GOD REMEMBERS THE CYNICAL CRITICS.
Malachi 3:13 “Your words have been harsh against Me,” Says the Lord, “Yet you say,
‘What have we spoken against You?’
Malachi 3:14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we
have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord
of hosts?
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
It may be the Devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody
Job 21:15 ‘Who is the Almighty that we should serve Him? And what profit do we
have if we pray to Him?’.
Malachi 3:15 So now we call the proud blessed, For those who do wickedness are
raised up; They even tempt God and go free.’ ”
Malachi 3:15 (GNT) As we see it, proud people are the ones who are happy. Evil
people not only prosper, but they test God’s patience with their evil deeds and get
away with it.
Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who
will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”
Isaiah 6:9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not
understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
Isaiah 6:10 “Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy,and shut their eyes;
eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with
their heart and return and be healed.”
Isaiah 6:11 Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered: “Until the cities are laid
waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without a man, the land is utterly desolate,
Isaiah 6:12 The Lord has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many
in the midst of the land.
2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy,
we do not lose heart
Grace is me receiving something I don’t deserve
Mercy is me not receicing something I do deserve.
2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, …
II. GOD REMEMBERS THE RIGHTEOUS REMNANT.
Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the
Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before
Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name.
Isaiah 6:13 But yet a tenth will be in it, and will return and be for consuming, as a
terebinth tree or as an oak, whose stump remains when it is cut down. So the holy
seed shall be its stump.”
Matthew 7:13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way
that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
Matthew 7:14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life,
and there are few who find it.
Jeremiah 23:3 “But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where
I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and
increase.
Malachi 3:16 (MSG) Then those whose lives honored God got together and talked
it over. God saw what they were doing and listened in. A book was opened in God’s
presence and minutes were taken of the meeting, with the names of the God-fearers
written down, all the names of those who honored God’s name.
God has His book, the Bible.
Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven
God has His book, the Book of Life.
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and
books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.
And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written
in the books.
God has His book for our tears,
Psalm 56:8 You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not
in Your book?
Psalm 56:8 (NLT) You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears
in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
And then, God has His book of remembrance.
Malachi 3:16 “… a book of remembrance was written before him
1. God will remember those who feared Him.
Malachi 3:16 “… So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who
who fear the Lord ….
Romans 3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
2. God will remember what you say.
Malachi 3:16 And the Lord listened and heard them
Psalm 139:4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O Lord, You know it
altogether
Psalm 139:4 (NLT) You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
Psalm 66:16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has
done for my soul.
3. God will remember your friends.
Malachi 3:16 Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another,
Malachi 3:16 (MSG) Then those whose lives honored God got together and talked
it over.
4. God will remember those who honor His name.
Malachi 3:16 (MSG) written down, all the names of those who honored God’s name.
Matthew 10:42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in
the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”
Malachi 3:16 And who meditate on His name.
Psalm 9:10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You,
Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.
We sing “His name is wonderful”
Isaiah 9:6 “… And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
All hail the power of Jesus’ name, let angels prostrate fall.
Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all!”
Malachi 3:17 “They shall be Mine,” says the Lord of hosts, “On the day that I make
them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.”
Malachi 3:17 (ESV) “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.
Malachi 3:18 Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked,
Between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him
1 Samuel 2:30 “… For those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me
shall be lightly esteemed.
