May 16, 1948 GIVING OUR BEST IN WORSHIP Mai. 1:1, 6-9; 2:13, 14; 3:7-12
Helps for the Children Hearing and Doing God’s Word (Neh. 8) Memory Verse: “The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad” (Psalm 126.3). In spite of the work of their enemies, the faithful Jews, led by Nehemiah, finally finished the work of rebuilding the wall around the city of Jerusalem. Their God had given them victory again! One day all of the people met in one of the streets of Jerusalem and asked Ezra, the scribe and priest, to bring the book of the law of Moses. Ezra brought the book and read God’s Word to the peo ple from morning until noon. They lis tened eagerly to God’s law. A wooden pul pit was made for Ezra to stand upon. As he opened the book, all of the people stood. When Ezra praised the Lord, “The people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.” As Ezra read, other servants of God ex plained the words to the people. When God’s children knew how greatly they had sinned against Him, they wept. Ne hemiah told them that this was a day of rejoicing, “ for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Joyfully the people went on their way to feast and to share their blessings with others who were poor. God’s children heard His Word, were made happy by it, and shared their joy with others. Christian boys and girls who hear God’s law should want to do some thing about it. Studying God’s Word and thinking of' His numberless blessings should make God’s children say to others, “The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” A W f c l C i PuipH u u m n i j i l i Fine materials, beautiful work, pleasingly low prices. Catalog and samples on request. State your needs and name of church. DeMoulin Bros. & Co. 1126 So. 4th St., Greenville, 111. L INDA VISTA BAPTIST BIBLE CO LLEG E A N D SEM INARY Liberal Arts Theology Christian Education APPROVED FOR VETERANS Dormitory Housing for Both Married and Single Students Available Immediately Catalog on Request SAN DIEGO II CALIFORNIA R Ü Choir &
God’s Ordinances Dishonored (3:7) Two pictures are vividly set before us in these words: first, a picture of the waywardness of the human heart, always prone to walk apart from the will of God; and second, a picture of the infinite patience and compassion of God. He is always ready to receive with open arms the returning prodigal (Luke 15). In spite of this great truth revealed so often in the Bible, man still is desper ately slow to appreciate it. God’s Cause Dishonored by Niggardly Giving (3:8-12) Israel had failed in money matters. They had been miserly when they ought to have been munificent. God loves the cheerful, or hilarious, giver (2 Cor. 9:7). Giving unto the Lord will do nothing toward obtaining one’s salvation, but, after a person is saved, giving is one way by which the Lord may be wor shiped. Selfishness is one of the mean characteristics that should be reckoned crucified with Christ on the part of the believer. Giving promises rich blessing (v. 10). Helps for the Children Giving Our Best to God (Malachi 1:6-14; 2:10; 3:7-12) Memory Verse: “Bring an offering, and come into his courts” (Psalm 96:8). God’s people, the Israelites, and their religious leaders, the priests, were sin ning against God in the way in which they worshiped Him. The priests were offering imperfect sacrifices upon the altar and they refused to do their work in the temple without receiving extra pay for it. They refused to deal honestly with God’s people. God told these wicked priests, through the lips of His servant, Malachi, that He would no longer accept their offerings. God pleaded with His children to come back to Him, saying, “ Return unto me, and I will return unto you.” If they would faithfully bring to God their tithes and their offerings, He promised to pour out a blessing so large that there would not be room to receive it — “And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.” What makes a gift acceptable to God ? Gifts and tithes that are brought grudgingly and not given because of the love of the giver are never acceptable unto God. The reason that the gift is given rather than the amount of the gift is the important thing to God. One tenth, or a tithe, of the money, time, etc., of Christians belongs to God. Boys and girls will honor God by cheer fully giving to Him one penny out of every dime. A penny is a small gift in human eyes, but it is great in the sight of God if it is given by one who truly loves Him. What sort of giver have you been—a “have to” giver or a “ want to” giver ? T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
Pointers on the Lesson Worship is a word which has been contracted from two Anglo-Saxon words, worth and ship. Literally speaking, then, the word means the worth of a ship. As used in their religious sense, it has to do with the recognition of the worth of God. What we commonly call worship is the act or attitude whereby devoted individuals show their reverence for and appreciation of God. Since God is who He is and what He is, He deserves the best His creatures can possibly render unto Him in the way of worship. The passages selected for this week’s lesson show how God’s people in the days of the prophet Malachi had failed to give Him the best. By contrast we today should learn from their wrong attitudes, what are the right attitudes that should be assumed. Leaders Dishonor God (1:6-9) When the spiritual leaders of people do not realize God’s worth and seek to honor it, not much may be expected from those who follow. The priests had offered stale bread upon the altar and for their sacrifices had brought blind, lame and sick animals for offerings. They pre sumed to offer to God what they would not think of offering to the “ governor” (v. 8). In other words, they were bring ing, to God what they did not want them selves. Worst of all, they did not seem to realize their sin. They asked: “Wherein have we polluted thee?” (v. 7). How blinding are the effects of sin! It is en tirely possible that some who will listen to the teaching of this lesson on Sun day morning are as guilty as were these priests of long ago. When God’s children offer to God less than the best of their lives, and give Him but fragments of their time, talent and gifts, they mani fest the same spirit as the priests. It ought to cost us something to. serve the Lord. David had the right attitude when in relation to the service of God he said, “Neither will I offer burnt-offerings un to the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing” (2 Sam. 24:24). Do you so appreciate God and all that He has done for you that you are willing to give Him your best? Family Life Dishonored (2:13, 14) God expects godly living in the homes of those who have espoused His name. If Christianity does not make folks bet ter husbands, better wives and better children, it is not real salvation. Ap parently, the people of Malachi’s time had failed at this point. Though offend ing in their personal life, they contin ued to bring their offerings to the altar but God could stand it no longer. He frowned upon them. The “ tears” re ferred to probably are the tears of the unoffending wives who had been repudi ated by their husbands in order that they might make other alliances. At any rate, the situation of the home life in.. Israel was not right.
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