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.
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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.
