Malachi: Reminders to Remain Faithful

In this message from Book of Malachi 3:13–4:3, believers are encouraged to remain faithful to God even when the wicked appear to prosper. The sermon highlights four truths: God hears, God records, God reveals, and God rewards. Though faithfulness may seem difficult at times, God sees every act of obedience and promises to ultimately vindicate and reward His people through Jesus Christ. The key message is simple: stay faithful—God has not forgotten you.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Caribbean Grace Chapel Podcast, where we value the expository preaching and teaching of the word of God for the purpose of life transformation. If you have your Bible, I would encourage you to open it to the book of Malachi. We are still in the book of Malachi, Lord willing. There's only two sermons left. We have today and next week. And we'll conclude with this with this powerful uh prophetic book. As I've been saying every week, the book of Malachi is unique in that it is short but powerful, it's straightforward, it's unique in the way that it is arranged. It is arranged in a series of six disputations or six disputes between God and his people. So the Lord would bring a charge against his people, the people would dispute the charge, and then the Lord would prove his case. So today we're gonna look at the sixth dispute. So this is the final dispute in the book, but there are a few more verses that function as an epilogue to the book or as an appendix to the book, and we'll deal with those few verses next week. So if you have your scripture, we're gonna read Malachi chapter 3, beginning at verse 13, and we're gonna go into chapter 4, all the way to verse number 3. This is from the English Standard Verse and beginning at Malachi 3 and verse 13. Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, How we spoke it against you. You have said, It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed, evildoers, not only prosper, but they put God to the test, and they escape. Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him. For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and 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 Son of righteousness shall rise with healing in his 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. That is the reading of God's word. We could take those scriptures and again distill the meaning to one sentence, it would be as follows. Malachi reminded God's people to remain faithful. From that we learn God's people are reminded to be faithful, are reminded to remain faithful. Well, what reminds God's people to remain faithful? There are four reminders that remind God's people to remain faithful. The first reminder that reminds God's people to be faithful is that He hears. Let's look at the text again. It's Malachi chapter 3, verses 13 through 16. Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. But you say, How have we spoken against you? You have said, It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper, but they put God to the test and they escape. Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. And so in this dispute, the Lord wasted no time in indicting his people. Right off the bat, he brought a charge against them. He said, Your words have been hard against me. The people disputed the charge. Their dispute was as follows. How have we spoken against you? Almost arrogantly, almost as if you can't prove it, you don't know. How have we spoken against you? And the Lord proved his case by telling them what they had said about him. He said, I have heard. You say, Why? Why should we serve the Lord? It doesn't benefit us in essence. Why are we keeping his charge? Why are we walking in mourning over our sin with him? Against him? Why even try to serve the Lord? It's not benefiting us. I mean, just look around. The arrogant are blessed, the evildoers are prosperous, and they tempt the Lord, test the Lord, and they escape. God doesn't do anything. The implication was why even bother to try to serve God? Why even bother trying to walk in holiness with the Lord? It's not paying off for us. It's not benefiting us. So we're better off just doing what we want to do and at least prospering in the here and now. You see, they said it was vain to serve the Lord. Think about that. The word vain here means empty or pointless. Can you imagine? It's empty to serve the Lord. It's pointless to serve God. There's no blessing in it. Look, look, look, look at the arrogant, look at the evil, look at the wickedness around us. They're prospering and we're struggling and we're suffering. So it's pointless to serve God. The Lord also said that he heard the righteous. Remembered the righteous assembled together and they spoke with one another. That phrase, they spoke with one another, meant they encouraged one another to remain faithful to God. They were reminding one another to remain faithful to the Lord. And so, how does this truth apply to us today? Simple. God hears your conversations. There is nothing that you say in private that one day will not be revealed before all of humanity. Hello. I mean the altar ought to be filled right now. Think about that for a second. The Lord hears our conversations, he hears what we say. He heard Israel, ancient Israel, when they spoke negatively about serving God in Moses' day. Listen to this in Numbers chapter 11 and verse 1. And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes. And when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. Hmm. Now it is highly probable they didn't realize that they were complaining in the presence of the Lord, but they were complaining in the presence of the Lord. Why? Because God is omnipresent, He is everywhere at all times. There is nowhere that you can go. There is nowhere that you can go hide and have a private conversation that the Spirit of the Lord is not right there with you. In Deuteronomy chapter 1, verses 26 and 27, we read, Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. And you murmured in your tents and said, Because the Lord hated us, he brought us out of the land of Egypt to give us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us. Very similar to what the people in Malachi's day were saying, right? They were in their tents, in other words, their private dwellings, their homes. Likely husbands and wives just having normal conversation. And they're saying, oh man, you know, this is God's fault that we're going through this. He's just handing this over to the Amorites. In other words, it is not benefiting us to serve the Lord. This has been a problem for God's people throughout the ages. They struggled in Moses' day with looking around and saying, why should we remain faithful to the Lord? And then they actually murmured and complained and said, It isn't worth it. Not maybe in so many words, but that was the intent of what they were communicating. The Lord heard ancient Israel when they talked negatively about God in Malachi's day. We already read that. There's no need to read those scriptures. And can I just tell you, the Lord hears what you say today? He's the same yesterday. Today, right? He doesn't change. Right? He's eternal, he's immutable, he doesn't change, and the Lord hears us today. The scripture tells us in Matthew chapter 12, verses 36. Through 37. I tell you, on the day of judgment, people would give an account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. In other words, there's a lot there to unpack, actually, but for the point of our sermon today is this God hears every careless word that we speak. In this context, when we speak negatively about serving God and about murmuring against him, and why are we struggling at a certain season of our life? Why are we going through hardships and we look around and it appears that the wicked are prospering? And they put God to the test. It's as if they thumb their nose at God in heaven and he does nothing. And a lot of people look around and say, then why? Why remain faithful? Like I might as well just do what I want to do and at least, quote unquote, be happy for a few moments in this life. You and I will give an account one day before God for those words that we have spoken. That truth alone ought to remind us to remain faithful in serving the Lord. Because he hears what we say. God heard ancient Israel and He hears us today. Therefore, we must be very careful with the words that we use when speaking about serving God and the Lord. And listen to me. Listen to me. We have to be honest. Serving the Lord, being faithful to God, doesn't always pay off in the present. But it will in the future. Listen to this in Galatians chapter 6 and verse number nine. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. Right? We have to recognize there's seasons just like farmers have to prepare the soil, and just like farmers have to sow the seed, and then they have to wait for the rain and the sun and all that goes into it, and eventually there comes the crop and the harvest. So it is in our spiritual lives. There are times that the Lord is preparing the soil of our hearts. There are times that the Lord is preparing the soil of our flesh. He's breaking up the fallow ground. The seed of the word of God is being planted. The rain and trials and tribulations come, the sun comes, but eventually there comes forth the harvest. If you will remain faithful to the Lord and you do not grow weary while doing good, you will reap in due season. And so we must remain faithful to the Lord. The first reminder that reminds God's people to remain faithful is that he hears. Look at the text. It is Malachi chapter 3 and verse number 16. Then those who fear the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them. And a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name. And so the second reminder that reminds God's people to be faithful is that he records. Again, it was pointed out that the Lord hears, right? He heard the people who were sinning against him with their words, but he also heard the righteous. Now a little background would help this passage make sense. In the ancient world, kings would record or have someone record the names of individuals who demonstrated their loyalty to the kingdom in some way or form so that the king would be reminded to reward them later for their faithfulness to him and to the kingdom. And so the Lord used that, that was a common understanding of that day to communicate to the people what is happening. Because we we have to remember, it's not like God has to write something down. Right? How many times when you've had a conversation with someone and uh they they're reminding you to do something, you know, uh and you go, hold on, let me write that down. Why do you have to write it down? Because you're gonna forget. Some of us that um, you know, are a little north or 40. We have little issues with this, don't we? You don't always remember everything, and so you write it down so you can remember to do this or that, to keep your word or what have you. Well, God doesn't have to write anything down. God does it learn and he does it unlearn. It's not like God was like, oh yeah, I said I was gonna do this for John. Man, I forgot. That doesn't happen. And when you read in the scripture of the Lord remembering, the idea is now's the time to do what I said I would do. It's not, I remember and said, Oh yeah, man, I forgot. See, this was meta likely metaphorical language for us to understand. Definitely, the people in their day, they would have clearly understood a book of remembrance. It was common practice among the ancient world. So they clearly understood what the Lord was communicating through the prophet Malachi. That God, he hears and he sees, and he records. Because not only did he say, I heard the righteous speak with one another, he said, the righteous assemble together. So the Lord saw and he heard and he recorded it. And it was meant to be an encouraging word to the faithful in Malachi's day. To know that nothing is in vain whenever you're serving God. He sees it all, he hears it all, and one day you will be rewarded accordingly. Nothing is in vain. And so obviously, we see how this can apply to us today. There are three that I will briefly mention. First, the names of the redeemed are recorded in a book. Right? Listen to this Hebrews chapter 12, verses 22 through 24. The text reads, But you have come to Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festival gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven. Did you catch that? Their names are recorded. Our names are recorded. Those yet to be born are recorded. And to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Revelation chapter 13 and verse number 8 reads, And all who dwell on the earth will worship it, speaking of the beast. Everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world and the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. Revelation 17 of verse 8 is even clearer. It reads, The beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. Again, this is meant to be a source of encouragement for God's people, for God's redeemed. Even our names are recorded in a book and done so before the foundation of the world. So God knows who his people are, every one of them. And he doesn't lose any of them. It's meant to be an encouraging truth. So because of that, we can remain faithful no matter what we endure, no matter the persecution, no matter what we're going through, because our names are recorded, we are his. And he sees and he knows everything about us and what we say and what we do. Secondly, Christians should assemble together. Now, obviously, I'm preaching to the choir because you're here. So if you know somebody who's not here, guess what you're gonna do? Today, you're going to send them a link to this message. We know there's always you know valid reasons why people aren't here and holidays and things like that. We're not following new legalism. But it is also true that the world that we live in, people are less and less inclined to assemble together with fellow believers. This is wrong. I go so far as to say it is sin. In Hebrews chapter 10, verses 23 through 25, it reads, Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near. In other words, assemble together, encourage one another, stir one another up, encourage one another, remind one another to remain faithful to the Lord. Now, in context, the writer of Hebrews was, you know, speaking to his people and reminding them you can't go back into Old Testament Judaism. You can't go back to sacrifices and so on. We have a better covenant, a better sacrifice, a better priest, and so on. And there's coming a day that all that's going to be destroyed. And we know he was referring to AD 70 when Rome came in and destroyed Jerusalem and the temple and so on. Don't go back. Remain faithful, even under intense pressure for people to pull you back into the old covenant. That applies to us today. Listen, we have to remain faithful to God, even when people are pulling us in another direction. Even when people are pulling us back into the world. And they're saying, it doesn't matter. Why serve God? No, we need to assemble together and encourage one another. So, you know, before and after church, and again, there's going to be some other ministries rolling out soon that we're going to be able to take care of some of these issues. But for now, before and after church, you really should spend time encouraging one another, like talking to one another. Like talking to one another. Like beyond, hey, how are you doing? You know what I mean? Because we're called upon to encourage one another to remain faithful. And of course, lastly, everything that we say and everything we do is recorded. I've already read Malachi 3, verse 16. I don't need to read that one again. But I do want to reference you again to Matthew chapter 12, verses 36 and 37. It says, On the day of judgment, people will give account for every curless word they speak. Okay? So the Lord, and he goes on to say, by your words you're justified, and by your words you're condemned. And so again, the point for today's lesson would be the Lord does pay attention to everything that we say, and we give, we will give account of it. And so the second reminder that reminds God's people to remain faithful is that he records. Reveals. Look, if you will, in Malachi chapter 3, verses 17 through 18. They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. And so in that particular text, in those passages, the Lord went back and he addressed something. Do you remember earlier in the dispute where the people disputed the charge that came before them? They stated, the arrogant are blessed. The evildoers prosper. They put God to the test and escape. And here the Lord said, No, that is not true. He went on to state, there is coming a day when the distinction between the righteous and the unrighteous, those who remain faithful and those who do not, will be revealed. Those who remain faithful to the Lord will receive mercy, and they will be considered among God's treasured possession. Those who do not remain faithful, those who are arrogant, evildoers, and so on, will not receive mercy, and they will be judged and punished accordingly. Now, granted, this is a message that is not preached very much in the American pulpits. Unfortunately, the American church majors on the love of God. And the reason why it's unfortunate is because they misdefine God's love. And they turn it into lasciviousness or a license to sin. It's not God's love, as revealed in Scripture. Now, God rewards the righteous, and he also punishes the evil. And before that takes place, there will be a clear revelation of who is who. And there is coming a day in which that will happen. In Acts 17 and verse 31, we read, because he has fixed a day. And of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. Now, obviously, he's speaking of Christ, and this is, you know, post-resurrection. And so, in other words, there is coming a day, it's a fixed day in which the Lord will return. And he is going to judge the world. And when he does, there will be a clear distinction between the righteous and the unrighteous. Between those who remained faithful to the Lord and those who did not. Unfortunately, in our time right now, it can be difficult to discern the difference between the two. Because sitting in any church around the world, there are righteous and unrighteous in the same congregation. There are those who remain faithful and those who do not remain faithful sitting in the same congregation. There are even false teachers in the pulpits. But on judgment day, on that fixed day when the Lord returns, there is going to be a clear revelation of who is who. The Lord reveals. And this is a reminder to remain faithful to God. Because you may think that you are fooling people, and you might be, but you won't fool the Lord Jesus Christ when he returns. It will be revealed. There is a fixed day coming. And something else. God's people is his special treasure. And so, as the prophet Malachi was reminding the people, hey, those who remain faithful will be, you know, will make up his treasure possession. God's treasured possession is his people. You read about this in Exodus 19. When the Lord entered into covenant with his people, Mount Sinai, before he gave the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20. If you back up and read, he says, You shall be my treasured possession. You'll be my treasured people. And that is a theme that runs all throughout Scripture. God's people is his special treasure. Now look, you ought to pay attention to what I'm saying right now, because this is about as positive as I get. You know what I mean? I try my best to avoid the self-help gospel. You know what I mean? Like, you know, Jesus died and rose again just because he wants to make you a better you. So buy my books and you'll make more money. Yeah, that's what they preach down in Houston, but anyway. See, God's people is a special treasure. 1 Peter chapter 2, verses 9 and 10. I've referenced this particular text quite a bit in this series, tying it back in of how Malachi applies to us today in the New Covenant. But listen to this in 1 Peter chapter 2, verses 9 through 10. You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people. Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. That's right. From Christ. And you are his own possession. We know from the text of Scripture that Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross of Calvary. And he purchased his people in so doing. If you are a child of God, if you are saved, if you have repented of your sin and placed your faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, you are among his treasured possession. Jesus Christ did not shed his blood on the cross for nothing or in vain. He did not shed his blood on the cross to make men savable. He died on the cross to save his people. He purchased them with his blood. Christ's death on the cross was personal. Amen. And the third way that this applies to us, this truth that God will reveal who's who on judgment day, is that he will show the distinction between the two on that day. On that day. Listen to this. In Matthew chapter 7, verses 21 through 23, we read, Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven. But the one who does the will of my Father, who is in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name? And do many mighty works in your name? And then He then will I declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. There will be a clear distinction. God will reveal who is who on judgment day. And just in case you're wondering, God already knows who is who. Did you notice here? And at the end of this text that we read in Matthew 7, verse 23, it says the Lord will declare to them, I never knew you. In what sense was he speaking? If God is God and He knows all things and all people, then in what sense did He not know them? He did not know them in covenant. They were never among the redeemed. Now think about this for a second. These are false converts, these are false preachers, who apparently were used in some way, and yet were not among the redeemed. I think Paul sheds some light on this, and we'll do with it, we'll deal with this more in the future when in his letters to Timothy. But he says that the thing about the wicked and the thing about false converts and false teachers is that they go from bad to worse. Meaning they become more and more corrupt in their own character. And they go about deceiving and being deceived. So they deceive other people, including themselves. They become even more deceived in their own spiritual life. To the point that they think that they're actually doing something for God and the kingdom when in fact they are not. And by the way, this is why every Christian needs discernment. We should be praying, all Christians should be praying for discernment so that we can discern the spirits by which someone is operating even in the ministry. Because not everyone who prophesies, all right, not everyone who preaches, not everyone who teaches, not everyone who goes around praying for the sick is actually a child of God and doing something for the kingdom of God. And again, sometimes that's hard for us to discern that, but on judgment day, it will be made very clear. The point of this passage that I'm bringing up is for us to search our hearts. Okay? It's not for you to go around and search other people and go, Liar! False convert. I mean, unless the Lord does, you know, wants you to call somebody out as clear as day. I mean, the Apostle Paul called people out. We shouldn't have a problem with that. But the main point of today's sermon is not for us to go point the finger at everybody else, it's to search our heart. Remind ourselves to be faithful. And part of that is, hey, am I really saved? Am I truly a child of God? Or am I just going through the motions? Am I just playing church? Do I know all the right words to use? All the right lingo, all the right body language, are have you truly repented and place your faith in Jesus Christ? Here's another example of a clear separation. It's Matthew chapter 25, verses 31 through 33. It's the judgment of the nations. It reads, When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats. Now, in today's context in the church, unfortunately, there are tares among the wheat, and there are goats among the sheep. And the constant pressure being placed upon ministers, particularly in the Western world, America, Britain, Australia, and so on. The great pressure being placed upon ministers in the Western world, to borrow a phrase from Keith Foskey, a minister down in Florida, the great pressure being placed upon them is to manage a goat farm instead of tending to the sheep. Boy, there is a huge difference. You see, when you manage a goat farm, what you're having to do is you're having to entertain and satisfy and appease the goats that aren't even saved. And so we have to provide all this entertainment, and we have to provide the laser shows, and we have to provide all these benefits for you to come to church because basically I'm managing a goat farm. Or we tend to the sheep, God's people. And they get fed every week, not entertained. Worship is designed to lead them into the presence of God where they can drink of the living waters. Rather than having the lights, a camera, in action.

unknown 43:10

Man.

SPEAKER_00 43:11

You know what else is kind of sad in today's world? There's a lot of sheep in those goat farms that are starving. And for some reason, they haven't made their way over to good pastures because there's a whole lot of good shepherds in the church actually tending the sheep. This isn't completely designed to be negative. At the same time, though, it is designed for you to search your heart. And if you believe that we happen to be a place where we can tend to the sheep, then maybe we ought to be out there inviting other people to come to our church. Man, it's sad. To see a new convert end up in a gopher. And I think that becomes I think that's normal Christianity when it's not. And I think that's good doctrine when it's not. So there will be a clear separation. So I challenge you to search your heart. Search your heart. Which side will you be on? Sheep or the goats? The third reminder that reminds God's people to remain faithful is that he reveals. And the fourth and final reminder that reminds God's people to remain faithful is that he rewards. I'm not going to spend a lot of time here because I've woven it throughout the message, but I do want to read the text. It's Malachi chapter 4, verses 1 through 3. For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and the 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 Son of righteousness, shall rise with healing in his wings. You shall not, or 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. Now, when wrestling with this text, this was the difficult portion. It was difficult to uh for a lot of commentators and scholars to fully grasp what what Malachi is communicating here under the unction of the Holy Spirit. If you considered, I know we didn't read it today, but there's verses four, five, and six that are still left. If you consider that, that's considered an epilogue or an appendix to the book. If you consider that epilogue or appendix to the book, then one might say, well, there's coming a day when the Lord is going to act, and you know he's gonna act because he'll send his forerunner before him, and then he's gonna come himself, he's gonna act decisively. Others have interpreted the text to mean that there's coming a future judgment day, in which the Lord will finally and fully vindicate his people for their faithfulness. So, for the point of today's sermon, I'm just gonna simply stay with this truth. The Lord rewards his people. He rewards his people. I think that's the point that we should walk away with. And I think the best way to handle this particular passage is by using something that theologians call the already not yet principle. That is, as Christians, we are already enjoying the benefits of being in the kingdom of God, yet not in its fullness. We're already experiencing the blessings of God, but yet not in his fullness. Because there is that aspect of Christ returning one day. But that doesn't negate the fact that we're walking in victory and in freedom and in joy and in hope right now in the present moment. Because God acted at a moment in time when he came to this earth. You know, it's interesting. He said that the sun will, you know, rise, sun of righteousness will rise, the healing in its wings. By the way, you you well know if you're familiar with church, there was an event that occurred in the Gospels. You know, the woman touching him with his garment and so on. Um we know that interestingly, Malachi says that when the Lord comes and he providentially acts. I think that's the part of the already. You see, when calves they turn down, and it's, I don't mean, calves go out jumping around. Calves do what calves do. It's kind of like kids. You know, we had little kids, we dismiss the kids and they take off running and they're laughing and they're talking, because that's what kids do, right? When they're in your house and they're playing in the living room, and all the old people are sitting around on the furniture, the entertainment is watching the kids. It's not the TV, man. You're just watching the kids. And they're jumping around and they're leaping and they're having fun and it brings laughter to you. That's the image that's being painted here. The calves are coming out of stall, and the sun of righteousness is shining on them. It's bringing healing to them. They're jumping up and down on the dust of the enemy. They're treading on the dust of the enemy. The sun of righteousness that brought healing and joy to the calves that came out of the stall was also the same son of righteousness that brought the destruction of the enemy that made them like dust. Alright? Now, right now, in the kingdom of God, because Christ acted decisively in a moment of history when he came to this earth and he died on the cross of Calvary, and he was buried in the tomb, and he rose again on the third day, he defeated the powers and principalities. They're already defeated. And as we come to faith in Christ, it's like we're just, whoo, we're so excited. We're like little kids just running around playing out in the pasture, and we're jumping up and down on the dust of enemy that's already been defeated by Jesus Christ. This is a great message of expectation and hope that the kingdom of God will be victorious, is victorious, and is spreading around the world. Which brings me to another point. I've mentioned before that there are tares in the wheat. And so many people look at that and go, Oh man, in the end, it's gonna be one big tear field, but it's not. The scripture says the opposite. Never forget, we're in the wheat field and there's some tears mixed in. It's not the other way around. The kingdom of God is victorious and it will be victorious, and it is spreading around the world. And when the people come to faith in Christ, they're just like a calf being led out of the stall to go run around in the pasture. You remember what it was like when you came to faith in Christ? You had joy too, didn't you? You ran around, some of you, your countenance even changed. If we were to show a before picture and a now, you look differently. Even your physical appearance looks differently. Yes. You see, the more you grow in Christ, the more you're being conformed to the image of Christ, and the more that you walk away from him, the more and more you're moving away from what God intended humans to be. It really does have an impact on you. So the already is that we should be. We are, no matter what it feels like, no matter what it appears to be, we are experiencing victory right now in the kingdom of God. But there's coming a day when he comes to fully give us the victory, to fully reward us for remaining faithful to him. And again, I point your attention to Matthew chapter 25, verses 45 through 46, where it reads, This is after the separation of the sheep of the sheep, the sheep and the goats, and why there was that division. And then he says, This he will answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Revelation chapter 22, verse 12. The last chapter of the New Testament, it reads, Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me to repay each one for what he has done. I am Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. The Lord Jesus Christ is coming on a fixed day. And when he does, we will have our full vindication. We will have our full reward. It's as if the book of remembrance will be opened and the Lord will reward his servants for being faithful to him. So this message today is designed to remind you to remain faithful to God. You will experience portions of victory right now in this life. But more than that, on that fixed day when Christ returns, you will experience the full reward. So remain faithful now. Amen. Will you stand to your feet with me this morning? God's people are reminded to remain faithful. There are four reminders that remind God's people to remain faithful. The first reminder that reminds God's people to be faithful is that he hears. The second reminder that reminds God's people to be faithful is that he records. The third reminder that reminds God's people to be faithful is that he reveals. And the fourth reminder that reminds God's people to be faithful is that he rewards. Repent and trust in Christ. He will fill you with his spirit and give you the ability through the Spirit of God to remain faithful in your service to Him. And in so doing, you'll be like a little child playing in the living room full of joy. Or a calf let out into the pasture to run and jump. So you will be let out. You'll be freed from your sin to enjoy the fullness of life in Jesus Christ. So I call upon you now to repent, place your faith in Jesus Christ and confess that He is Lord. If you are a Christian, this message was designed to remind you to remain faithful. No matter what you are enduring, or no matter what you will endure in the future, remain faithful to God. He hears everything that you say, He sees everything that you do. It's recorded in the book of remembrance. And he's coming one day with his reward. And it will be worth it all. For the greatest reward is Him. You'll see Him, the one who died on the cross for you. So remain faithful. I'm Dr. Jason Murphy, proclaiming grace, transforming culture.