Remnant: Gratitude or Entitlement // Malachi 1:1-5

1. GOD MEETS US WHERE WE ARE AND WALKS US TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE

MALACHI 1:1

MALACHI 1:2A  2. GOD’S STARTING POINT WITH US IS LOVE 

MALACHI 1:2b-4     

Romans 9…when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, ¹¹  though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of Him who calls— ¹²  she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” ¹³  As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” ¹⁴  What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! ¹⁵  For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” ¹⁶  So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

3. GOD REMINDS HIS PEOPLE THAT HE HAS CHOSEN TO PLACE HIS LOVE ON THEM.

4. THE MYSTERY OF SALVATION IS NOT THAT GOD WOULD PLACE HIS LOVE ON SOME, BUT THAT HE’D PLACE HIS LOVE ON ANY!

MALACHI 1:5 5. WE ALL LIVE ON THE CONTINUUM OF GRATITUDE AND ENTITLEMENT. 

EPHESIANS 1:3-9 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. ⁴  For God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love, ⁵  He predestined us to be adopted as His children through Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will-- ⁶  to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.    ⁷  In Christ, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace ⁸  that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. ⁹  And He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ…

WHEN WE REALIZE WE AREN’T ENTITLED TO ANYTHING GOD HAS GIVEN US, IT MAKES US GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING GOD HAS GIVEN US