The Semper Reformata Podcast

How Have We Robbed God?Read: Malachi 3:4-12Malachi says, in verse 8 “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.”“You have robbed me!” What an accusation. the people of Malachi's day were astonished! "How have we robbed you?" - But they had, by withholding the tithes and offerings needed to maintain the order of faith and society, and which were mandated by God for the OT nation of Israel. - A bit like paying our taxes to the present day government, only not so onerous.But have WE robbed God? In this podcast, Bob explores the idea of tithing, and concludes that in the NT Church, WHY we give is much more important than how much! So, just what is the motivation for Christians to support the Lord's work?

The Unchanging Faithful GodA Sermon on Malachi 3:6Text.  Malachi 3:6.  “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.God never changes!   The Bible warns us about trusting in men, even powerful men.  Psalm 118:9   Psalm 146:3    That’s why we depend only upon him.  But what does it mean to say that God is ‘immutable' - that he never changes, - and what are the implications of that for us?Read the NOTES HERE.This sermon was recorded at Templepatrick Reformed Church, and is used here with their kind permission.

Return Unto the Lord. Malachi 3:6When we think of the state of Israel in Malachi’s day, we are forced to consider the spiritual state of God’s people in our modern age and to conclude that some sections of the modern visible church are no better than the defiant, perverse people of Judah.Yet even for the OT Israel, there was hope. God calls upon them, through the prophet, to repent, to return unto the Lord, and he will return to them. Will they heed his command? Will we?

The Unique Role of a FatherEphesians 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  We cannot ignore the fact that verse four is specifically addressed to FATHERS. In addressing the FATHER, Paul is calling the whole household to be ruled in conformity with God’s Word.Read the NOTES HERE.This sermon was recorded at Ballymacashon. Please excuse the poor sound quality - it's an old building!

Wearying God With Our WordsMalachi 2:17 to Malachi 3:6, We are STILL working our way through the last of the Minor Prophets, - and indeed the very last book in the OT - the book of Malachi.  Malachi challenges the people with another serious indictment, one that is perhaps related to their desire to take pagan wives. The prophet thunders, in V17 Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. And the response of the people is typical, Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? READ: Malachi 2:17 to Malachi 3:6,

Children in Christian FamiliesEphesians 6:1-4  Let’s learn about what the apostle Paul teaches us about parents and children and their relationship in the family and in the church.Read the NOTES HERE.This sermon was recorded at Ballymacashon, - please forgive the poor reproduction - it's an echoey building!

Malachi Study #4 - Yet Ye Say “Wherefore?”Malachi 2:10-16In this passage Malachi deals with two sins which were besetting the people of Israel, and which were again, some of the causes of their being bereft of God’s blessing - which they certainly expected, and to which they thought they were entitled!  In verses 10-13, the people of God were causing God much grief, by intermarrying with the pagan people who lived in the land around them, - people were outside the covenant that God had established with Israel. In verses 14-16, The first sin is compounded with an even more heinous crime, for in order to bring these marriages with the pagans about, the men of Israel were actually divorcing their legitimate wives! Is it any wonder that God was refusing to bless these rebellious people.

The Biblical Origins of the Family.Ephesians 5:33-6:1In this sermon, we look at the origins of the family in Genesis 2 and 3, and see God's purposes in creating a family unit, - man, woman, child/ren. We then explore how the fall of man destroyed everything, sin entered the world and the family paradigm of intimate innocence within God's purposes, was shattered by guilt, same and blame, and that led to death, and murder. Even then, God was not finished with the family, - and it into a family, a mother, and a stepfather, that he sent his only begotten Son, the Saviour of the world.We noted that the effects of sin on the family - disfunctionality and breakdown, and various perversions of the family, are legislated for and encouraged by the wicked governments that rule western nations, and because every national authority finds is source in, and is an extension of the family, - the breakdown of the family has led to the moral and spiritual breakdown and decline of society.Finally, we seek to find out what a Christian and biblical family should look like, and we learn that such a family is characterised by love, respect and discipline.This sermon was recorded at Templepatrick Reformed Church, and is used here with their kind permission. Find more Templepatrick content HERE.Read the NOTES HERE.

The Minor Prophets - Malachi #3Malachi Chapters 1 and 2."In what way have we despised your name?" The people of Malachi's day had despised God, his salvation and preservation, by their half hearted, lukewarm religion. Let's make sure we don't fall into that same trap...Revelation 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.