Pentecost 23 Sermon: Deadly Fire, Delighted Frolic

Preached on Malachi 4:1–6
23rd Sunday After Pentecost — Proper 28C
17 November AD 2019

Title: Click to hear the MP3 of Deadly Fire, Delighted Frolic

Summary: God promises to end this fallen, sin-infested creation. He warns evildoers, threatening those who reject Him with everlasting punishment. He compares his judgment with a fierce blaze sweeping through dry, harvested fields. The useless stubble will be utterly consumed.

However, for those who believe in Him and trust His promises, He promises forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation through Jesus Christ. The Son who healed the blind, deaf, and lame will raise us up healed and whole. Sin-sickness and all its physical, emotional, and mental symptoms will be cured.

Jesus took our sins’ punishment upon Himself that He might clothe us in His righteousness. Through Malachi, the Lord contrasts His wrath at the impenitent with His tender mercy for stricken sinners who trust in His grace. On the Last Day, He will raise us up to health and wholeness. In joy we will join all the redeemed “leaping like calves from the stall” in celebration of lives of never-ending bliss in the New Creation.

Text: “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts.

“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” Malachi 4:1-6

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of Deadly Fire, Delighted Frolic

NB: A few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio with Windows Media Player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.

Other Readings: Psalm 98; 2 Thessalonians 3: (1-5) 6-13; Luke 21:5-28 (29-36)