Where is the God of Justice?
Malachi 2:17-3:5
March 31, 2019
preached by Ryan Bouton
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Time of Reflection Quotations
“I hear that a God who’s good would never let the evil run so long,
But I say it’s because You’re good You’re giving us more time,
Because I believe that You love to show us mercy,
But when will You step into our sky blue,
And say ‘That’s quite enough, and your time is up!’
Am I naive to want a remedy for every bitter heart?
Can I believe You hold an exclamation point for every question mark?
And can I leave the timing of this universe in bigger hands?
And may I be so bold to ask You to please hurry?”
~Chris Rice, “Naïve”
“We have a strange illusion that mere time cancels sin. I have heard others, and I have heard myself, recounting cruelties and falsehoods committed in boyhood as if they were no concern of the present speaker’s, and even with laughter. But mere time does nothing either to the fact or to the guilt of a sin. The guilt is washed out not by time but by repentance and the blood of Christ: if we have repented these early sins we should remember the price of our forgiveness and be humble.”
~C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
“So they were right,
And pride is hard to let go,
Would you believe I said so
And put it on the line?
The sun is rising.
Your confession won’t surprise me.
My love, lay it down,
Oh let it all come down on my love.
Just as sure as the sun is rising,
Your confession won’t surprise me.
Lay it down on my love,
Lay it down.”
~Smalltown Poets, “Lay It Down”
Sermon Passage
Malachi 2:17-3:5 (ESV)
Malachi 2
17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
Malachi 3
1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.