Sermon Video: Don't Rob God - Malachi 3:7-12

What do we owe God?  That seems like a rather important question.  The prophet Malachi warned the people of Israel that they were under a curse for failing to fulfill their covenant obligations to give the tithe that was used to support the Levites (the ministry at the temple and beyond) as well as the vulnerable in society (immigrants, widows, and orphans).  The Mosaic Covenant stipulated what the people of God were obligated to give, and they were in violation of that requirement.
As an incentive, God promises to Israel through Malachi that he will richly bless them if they act in obedience to the covenant, turning their land into a blessed place.  It is unclear if the people of Israel ever took God up on that offer, it seems as if there were always some who held back from obedience.  The promise given here is one of the blessings of the Mosaic (Old) Covenant, and contrary to the teachings of those following the Prosperity Gospel (among others) it is not transferable to the Church, and certainly not to America.  The Church is not Israel, and neither is the U.S.A.  God's promises to Abraham's descendants are eternal, cannot be revoked, and cannot be transferred to others.  And yet, those who falsely teach that the Church (or America) have been promised material blessings for obedience make that assumption, reading Old Testament covenant promises to Israel, in particular regarding the promised land and the people as a nation, as if those promises have also been made to us.  What did Jesus promise his followers?  Trouble, persecution, hardship, and spiritual blessings in abundance.  The Gospel's purpose is not for you to be healthy, wealthy, and happy, but to create disciples who will serve the kingdom of God as they grow ever more Christ-like through self-sacrifice.

To watch the video, click on the link below: