Malachi 1:10-14

Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought?

Wrong worship

1. Wrong worship is worse than no worship at all.

2. Wrong worship will one day be practically repudiated.

3. Wrong worship is sometimes rendered even by the religious teachers of mankind. These priests made worship appear contemptible and burdensome.

4. Wrong worship evermore incurs the just displeasure of heaven. (Homilist.)

A sordid religion

I. It is common. “Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought?”

II. It is God-displeasing. “I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.” It is displeasing to Him--

1. Because it is repugnant to love. Something like this a noble father would say to his son who paid him attention only for what he could get, a true husband would say to the wife who did the same. Genuine love sickens at such service, disdains and refutes it. Pure love in man is the same as pure love in God. It is displeasing to Him--

2. Because it is opposed to happiness. It is an eternal law of mind, that it can never be happy in self-seeking. He who searches for happiness as an end will never find it. It will always be to him a mirage; as he thinks i.e. approaches it, it will vanish into thin air. God’s great law in His spiritual universe is this--that souls shall only get happiness as they pursue goodness. When goodness is pursued as an end, full happiness gushes up at every step in the march. (Homilist.)