Before Luke tells us about the extraordinary work of the Holy Spirit, he spends nearly an entire chapter describing the ordinary rhythms of the life of the church. They spend time in corporate prayer, seek direction from the Scriptures, and have a congregational meeting. Before Jesus sends His Spirit to empower the church, he first lays the foundation he’ll build his church upon.

The ascension is significant because it is Christ's royal coronation. Having accomplished the work the Father gave Him to do, the risen Christ ascends into heaven and is enthroned at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

Acts reminds us that the church is not ultimately built or sustained by human effort. It is built and sustained by Jesus Christ. The mission of the church is entirely dependent upon Christ's authority, His abiding presence, and the power of His Holy Spirit. Our responsibility is not to manufacture success, but to faithfully rely on Christ’s promised means of ministering in and through His Church.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that you’ve probably heard this passage at some point or another. We just read “judge not, that you be not judged.” But the more common way we refer to it is “judge not lest you be judged.” 

Our culture generally hates the Bible, but for whatever reason, it seems to love this passage. And much of the reason our culture loves this passage is because it’s become something of a shield. It’s been reinterpreted to mean, “Christians are not allowed to condemn the actions or behaviors of anyone.”

And so, “Judge not lest you be judged,” has become a slogan for immunity. “You can’t criticize or condemn anything that I’ve done because, well, judge not…”

How many times has someone criticized or questioned you and then you threw out, “judge not lest you be judged!”

But things get somewhat complicated if you know your Bible, you probably know that Jesus also commanded in John 7 to “judge with right judgment.”

The Bible makes it crystal clear that the world is not caught in some sort of endless cycle. All of human history is moving towards a final day. God has appointed a day when He will judge evil, vindicate His people, and establish His kingdom forever. 

Here Malachi points us to the final Day of the Lord—the day of God's ultimate judgment and salvation, what Christians often refer to as Judgment Day.

If we're honest, there are moments when we look around and wonder whether the sacrifices are worth it. We may never say it out loud, but the thought can creep into our hearts: "What profit is there in serving God?"

As it turns out, that is not a uniquely modern struggle. It was the very struggle facing the people in Malachi's day. They looked at the prosperity of the wicked and the difficulties of the righteous and concluded that serving God was a waste of time! Their hearts had grown cynical, and their cynicism was beginning to shape the way they viewed God, worship, and obedience.

And it is to those cynical and discouraged people that the Lord speaks in Malachi 3:13–18.

This past Sunday, Providence Presbyterian Church was blessed to have Rev. Richard Brueck fill the pulpit. Rev. Brueck is leading the church planting effort in Bedford, VA. You can learn more about it here.

Malachi reminds us that anything other than the Lord makes terrible saviors. Money can disappear. Careers can end. Health can fail. Beauty fades. Relationships change. 

Which is why the Lord's invitation is so astonishing. He does not merely expose their sin. He does not simply condemn their worshiplessness. He graciously calls them back to Himself: "Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts."

It’s easy for us to forget an incredibly important point: God’s justice is impartial. When the Lord comes, He’s going to judge His enemies, but He’s also going to purify His own people. The church is going to be purified. 

What a society worships trickles down into their moral and cultural values. What is celebrated, tolerated, or excused today often shapes the broader culture tomorrow. And here’s where things get intimidating–a moral drift at the top almost always leads to a moral drift among the people.

That is precisely the issue in Malachi 2. The priests had been corrupted which led to weak, apathetic worship, but of course it didn’t stop there. Their corruption and indifference towards God trickled down into the entire covenant community.

This past Sunday, Providence Presbyterian Church was blessed to have Rev. Andrew Newman from Fellowship Presbyterian Church in Greer, SC fill the pulpit.

As the church officers go, often, so goes the church. There are always consequences for poor church leadership. The attitudes and convictions among those entrusted with spiritual oversight inevitably shape the tone and direction of the entire congregation.

That’s why James says that those who teach will be judged with a greater strictness. There’s a weightiness, a seriousness, a heaviness to come with being in a position of spiritual authority. In the Old Testament, the priests were not anonymous religious robots; they were supposed to protect public worship—they were entrusted with maintaining the holiness of God’s name among His people. When they were faithful, they led Israel into the presence of the living God. But when they became careless, indifferent, or self-serving, they led Israel away from the Lord. 

The One who is infinitely greater than any earthly king—the One who rules over all things—invites us into His presence. This is not a casual gathering. This is not just another event on your calendar. This is where you show your honor and reverence to the King of kings. And yet, far too often our worship is like walking into the White House or the Buckingham Palace in your pajamas, carelessly unprepared, distracted, and indifferent.

God deserves to be praised, honored, and glorified, but more often than not you and I give Him less than our best. 

Which was happening in Malachi’s day. The people were active in worship, but they were merely going through the motions because their hearts were far from the Lord. 

And that’s exactly what the Lord is chastising Israel for—they’re going to the Temple, they’re participating in Old Testament worship, but they weren’t giving the Lord their best because their hearts were far from Him.

God’s love is not a fragile or conditional love, but a committed, covenant-keeping love rooted in God’s own character. Even when Israel struggled to see it, even when their situation made it feel distant, God’s love had not diminished. He had bound Himself to them in love. And that means His love was not temporary or uncertain, but enduring, faithful, and secure in every season.

“Remember how he told you…”

You see, the Lord Jesus has already told us—and accomplished—everything we need. He lived the perfect life, bore our sins on the cross, and rose three days later just as He said. And so the question before us isn’t really whether or not you know this. Most of you likely do. The question is whether you remember it—whether it’s something you regularly reflect on, hold dear, and truly trust in.

Because it’s possible to know these truths in your mind and yet live as though they don’t matter.

According to God’s Word that’s forgetfulness. That’s the warning of Psalm 78. That’s also what we see here in Luke 24. 

Careers will come and go. Possessions will fade. Achievements will eventually be forgotten. But a life that points your family to the Lord has eternal significance. When you tell your children and grandchildren about who God is and what He has done, you are investing in something that will outlast you. You are shaping not just their present lives, but their eternal future—and there is no greater legacy than that.

A healthy society is not built merely through legislation, a healthy society is built in the home. A peaceful, happy society begins with honoring your father and mother. The crack that will ultimately break down your family and break down our society is when dishonor and disrespect are normalized in the home.

When husbands and wives begin to shape their marriage according to God’s design, it brings clarity, stability, and a deeper sense of purpose to their relationship.  

Which is why Ephesians 5 is so significant. It’s more than just an analogy of Christ and His church for marriage. It provides all Christians, regardless of whether you’re married or not, with principles and guidelines for a happy, healthy, marriage.

Like one of Robert Frost’s most famous poems, “The Road Not Taken,” Psalm 1 describes two paths. But unlike Frost’s poem, the Psalmist tells you exactly where the paths will take you. From the very beginning the Psalmist tells us that one path is for the blessed and the other path is for the wicked.