The Day of the Lord

The Gospel Story
The Day of The Lord 
Malachi 3:13-4:6

Gospel Story Review:

The Bible is a diverse collection of different writings. It contains sixty-six books written by about forty human authors over nearly 2,000 years. It has two main sections (Old Testament and New Testament) written originally in two main languages (Hebrew and Greek respectively) and includes a mixture of types of literature.

The Unity Of The Bible

1. The Bible has one Divine Author

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:16, ESV)

2. The Bible has one Supreme Subject – Jesus

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,” (John 5:39, ESV)

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27, ESV)

Jesus, then, is not part of the Bible story, but the point of every story in the Bible—from Genesis to Revelation.

3. The Bible has one Central Story

God’s plan to rescue His people from sin through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

“and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:15, ESV)

4. The Bible has one Unifying Theme – The Kingdom of God

“and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”” (Mark 1:15, ESV)

Graeme Goldsworthy describes the kingdom of God as: “God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule and blessing.”

Jesus was, is, and will be the center of God’s story. We must therefore align both our thinking and our lives around Jesus in order to find our place in that story.

Malachi: The Last Book of the Old Testament

Background:

Survey:

• The Privilege of the Nation – God’s love for them (1:1-5)
• The Pollution of the Nation (1:6-3:15)
  • Sins of the priests (1:6-2:9)
  • Sins of the people (2:10-3:15)
• The Promise to the Nation (3:16-4:6)
  • Book of remembrance (3:16-18)
  • The rewards of the coming of Christ (4:1-3)
  • The prophecy of the coming of Elijah (4:4-6)

Appeals From The Lord

1. Will you Serve God? (3:13-15, 18)
2. Will you Fear the Lord? (3:16)

"It is at one and the same time (1) a consciousness of being in the presence of True Greatness and Majesty; (2) a thrilling sense of privilege; (3) an overflow of respect and admiration; and perhaps supremely, (4) a sense that His opinion about my life is the only thing that really matters." Sinclair Ferguson

3. Will you Experience the blessings of God? (3:17)

• God listens to us (3:16)
• God remembers us
• God claims us
• God treasures us
• God spares us

4. Will you be ready for Judgment? (4:1-3)

• A day of Retribution
• A day of Restoration
• A day of Release

5. Will you Remember the law of God? (4:4)

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24, ESV)

6. Will you Follow Christ Jesus? (4:5-6)

“And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”” (Luke 1:16–17, ESV)

“The great temptation for Israel in the Old Testament and for the church of Christ today is to forget that we are pilgrims not natives in this world.  The temptation is to let the Lord's delay make us settle into the world and become passive as we wait; to forget that we are aliens and exiles, sojourners, strangers on the earth, seeking another homeland, desiring and yearning for a better country (Hebrews 11:13-16).” John Piper

Making It Personal:

• Am I truly prepared for the coming day of the Lord?
• Review the appeals from the Lord. Which of these appeals do you most need to hear and respond to today?
• How will you live this day in light of the coming day of the Lord?
• Who can I share these truths with?

Ready to take your Next Step?

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