Sermon Prepared by James McCullen
Email Preach Him with Dr. Jim
The Sins of the Priest and or Allowed by the Priest
Mal. 1:6-14
NKJV 6 "A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the LORD of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised Your name?' 
7 "You offer defiled food on My altar. But say,' In what way have we defiled You? 'By saying, 'The table of the LORD is contemptible.' 8 And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, Is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, Is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?" Says the LORD of hosts. 
9 "But now entreat God's favor, That He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands, Will He accept you favorably?" Says the LORD of hosts. 
10 "Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you," Says the LORD of hosts," Nor will I accept an offering from your hands. 11 For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations," Says the LORD of hosts. 
12 "But you profane it, In that you say,' The table of the LORD is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.' 13 You also say,' Oh, what a weariness!' And you sneer at it," Says the LORD of hosts." And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?" Says the LORD. 
14 "But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And makes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished--For I am a great King," Says the LORD of hosts," And My name is to be feared among the nations. NKJV 
 		 NASU    6 ""A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?' says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, "How have we despised Your name?' 
7 "You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, "How have we defiled You?' In that you say, "The table of the LORD is to be despised.' 8 "But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?" says the LORD of hosts. 
9 "But now will you not entreat God's favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?" says the LORD of hosts. 10 "Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you," says the LORD of hosts, "nor will I accept an offering from you. 11 "For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations," says the LORD of hosts. 12 "But you are profaning it, in that you say, "The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.' 13 "You also say, "My, how tiresome it is!' And you disdainfully sniff at it," says the LORD of hosts, "and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?" says the LORD. 14 "But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King," says the LORD of hosts, "and My name is feared among the nations." NASU 

Introduction
 
 

1.    The Sins of the Priest and or Allowed by the Priest God's
        Sacredness . . Defamed by the Priest. v 6

6 "A son honors his father,And a servant his master.If then I am the Father,Where is My
honor?And if I am a Master,Where is My reverence?Says the LORD of hosts To you
priests who despise My name.Yet you say, 'In what way have we despised Your name?'

Isa 1:3 3 The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master's crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider." NKJV

Matt 15:10-14 10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." 12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" 13 But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." NKJV
 
 
 

2. The Sins of the Priest and or Allowed by the Priest
    God's Sanctuary . . Desecrated by the Priest. v 7 - 8 a

7 "You offer defiled food on My altar. But say,'In what way have we defiled You?' By saying,'The table of the LORD is contemptible.' 8 And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice,Is it not evil?And when you offer the lame and sick,Is it not evil?
 

They offered Polluted Bread.

Sick and Lame.

Priest did not wash properly.
 
 
 

3.    The Sins of the Priest and or Allowed by the Priest
        God's Sacrifice . . Defective by the Priest. v 8-9
8 And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice,Is it not evil?And when you offer the lame
and sick,Is it not evil?Offer it then to your governor!Would he be pleased with you?Would
he accept you favorably?"Says the LORD of hosts. 9 "But now entreat God's favor,That
He may be gracious to us. While this is being done by your hands, Will He accept you
favorably?"Says the LORD of hosts.
 

Their View of the Sacrificial Table. v 8 a
    The Blind and Lame - - Defective.

2 Sam 24:24 Then the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. NKJV

Offer This to your Governor. v 8 b

Repent and be heard. v 9

They had more:    Show than Substance.
                            More Getting than Giving
                            More Glory to Self than God
 
 
 

4.    The Sins of the Priest and or Allowed by the Priest
        God's Servants . . Demeaning by the Priest. v 10-12
10 "Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you,"Says the LORD of hosts,"Nor will I accept an offering from your hands. 11 For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,"Says the LORD of hosts. 12 "But you profane it, In that you say,'The table of the LORD is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.'

God wanted Repentance.
    Isa 1:11-18 11 "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?"Says the LORD."I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle.I do not delight in the blood of bulls,Or of lambs or goats. 12 "When you come to appear before Me,Who has required this from your hand,To trample My courts? 13 Bring no more futile sacrifices;Incense is an abomination to Me.The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies--I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me,I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands,I will hide My eyes from you;Even though you make many prayers,I will not hear.Your hands are full of blood. 16 "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.Cease to do evil, 17 Learn to do good;Seek justice,Rebuke the oppressor;Defend the fatherless,Plead for the widow. 18 "Come now, and let us reason together,"Says the LORD,"Though your sins are like scarlet,They shall be as white as snow;Though they are red like crimson,They shall be as wool. NKJV

God Preferred the Temple to be closed Down.
    He allowed it to be destroyed 586 BC
 
    Jesus said: Matt 21:12-13
12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" NKJV

God again allowed the Temple to be closed in 70 AD

It is closed today.

American Baptist Convention has declined more than one church per week for over 50 years.
Sad --- No it is good if they will not stand for the word.

Rev 3:16-18
16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. NKJV
 
 
 

5.    The Sins of the Priest and or Allowed by the Priest
        Godless Service . . Denounced by God. v 13-14

13 You also say,'Oh, what a weariness!'And you sneer at it,"Says the LORD of hosts."And
you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept
this from your hand?"Says the LORD. 14 "But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his
flock a male, And makes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished--For I am a
great King,"Says the LORD of hosts,"And My name is to be feared among the nations.

A Half Hearted service. v 13 a

They sneered at Serving. v 13 b

        Bo Hart new baseball player has excitement for the game, he inspires others.

What they allowed the People to use for sacrifices.

God Pronounced a Curse upon the nation.