This final sermon from the book of Malachi is about hope. Hope is something we can’t live without. Hope gives us reason to endure. Hope lifts our eyes beyond the shadows to the dawning of the light.
And as the Book of Malachi draws to a close, it ends with a wonderous vision of hope. There’s been a lot of tough love in this book. God doesn’t pull His punches as He disciplines His beloved children. But His final word is full of tender mercies; He leaves hope ringing in their ears. Because hope breathes courage into our timid souls.
1) The Sun of Hope
In the Great and Awesome Day of the Lord, four things will happen: Evil will be vanquished forever; the earth will be banned, purged with fire; then upon the scorched ashes of the world that was, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings; and the righteous shall inherit the earth, set loose like bounding calves into the wide world of the New Creation.
One day the darkness will be way to the dawn.
This really is what the story of the Bible is all about. The Bible helps us see the profound depths of the darkness, because it also holds out resplendent heights of hope for the dawning of the light. The Bible helps us see the darkness of the crucifixion in resurrection light. And one day, the darkness will give way to the dawn. And healing shall come to all creation with the rising of the Sun of Hope.
2) The Soil of Hope
What difference does it make when this hope falls upon the soil of your life? When this hope rains down and sinks in how does it change us?
Endurance grows in the soil watered with hope.
Hope helps us look back to remember Whose we are. Hope helps us look ahead to all that God has promised us. Hope helps us look beyond to the glories that await us.
3) The Seed of Hope
All throughout the Bible, God is sowing this seed of hope of the world one day set to rights. These promises are sown in hope all over the Scriptures.
But the greatest seed of hope is found in Jesus Himself. Because in Jesus’ death and resurrection, we get a preview of what will one day happen to us and to all of creation.
Jesus is a microcosm of new creation hope. He’s a mini cosmos: Jesus is the firstborn of all creation; and he’s the firstborn from the dead.
Takeaway: “Behold, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”
