Today is FATHERS’ DAY. 
God of the Bible is always addressed as Heavenly Father not as Heavenly Mother.
Somehow the father figure is lost in the present western world due to combination of things.
My heart goes out to all single parents especially the mothers for their diligence and dedication to fill the emptiness of a father in the house.
Such mothers stand in the gap for their children.
There was a Father who was overlooked because of the importance given to his wife. 
He is JOSEPH, the husband of Mary and the adopted father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God chose Joseph to Father Lord Jesus and to raise Him into manhood. 
God specially chose Joseph to be the step father to Lord Jesus for various reasons.
1. JOSEPH WAS A LOVING MAN
From the Scriptures we draw a picture of a wonderfully caring and affectionate man. 
He falls in love with this beautiful young woman and planned to have a life with her.
Joseph came to know that Mary was pregnant and he knew that he was not the source.
Most interesting thing is he does not know who the father is.
The penalty for adultery in the Old Testament was death by stoning.
BUT, even before God spoke to Joseph, he “had a mind to divorce her quietly”. 
Joseph loved Mary and was ready to do the least painful thing to her. 
Joseph was a loving man toward Mary.
Joseph was a loving man in his relationship toward Jesus.
There was no resentment or indifference toward Jesus and loved Him.
Joseph adopted Jesus as his own son. 
He protected Him from the hatred of Herod. 
He nurtured Him and cared for Him. 
Evidently he taught Jesus his own trade of carpentry.
2. JOSEPH WAS A DEVOUT MAN
In Matt 1:19 we read that Joseph was a righteous man.
Joseph was a man who feared God and obeyed Him.
He explicitly followed the Lord’s leading and direction without raising any questions. 
God asked him to go to Egypt – asked him to come back – he did
He was a man of obedience.
Joseph was a man of FAITH.
It takes lot faith to pack his bags and head off to a foreign country with wife and a toddler.
Just because God told him he obeyed without asking any questions.
3. JOSEPH WAS A MAN OF SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES.
He set an example for his family by going to God’s house at Jerusalem regularly.
He attended the Temple and observed the feasts.
He had provided for his family, loved his wife Mary, accepted his first adopted Son, Lord Jesus, obeyed God faithfully and above all that he remained the only man who fathered the Lord of this universe for a while.
Joseph was not perfect but he was devoted, and was doing his very best for the family. 
No one can be a perfect father or mother but with Holy Spirit’s help they can be the role models, spiritual leaders in the children’s life.
“The home doesn’t need a man in the house, it needs a father”


HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Malachi 2:10-17
Previous 9 verses of this chapter we saw prophet Malachi rebuked the spiritual leadership of the people of Israel. 
Starting with 10th verse, the prophet is addressing all people of Israel.
Both spiritual leaders and the people were guilty of serious charges relating to marriage.
We all understand from the Bible that marriage is a divine institution ordained by God as a union between one man and one woman.
Today we are living in a world where the institution of marriage is under attack.
For the past few years, liberal socialists, progressive thinkers and Hollywood moghals are doing their best to re-write the definition of marriage.
Today we are depending on the outcome of the final decision by 9 Supreme Court judges in few days.
This may be the only place in the Bible that specifically calls marriage a covenant.
“A covenant cannot be terminated. It can only be violated” 
I. COVENANT RELATIONSHIP BROKEN (10-11)
In their covenant relationship with God the people of Israel were instructed:
To worship exclusively God of Abraham by discarding all idol worship.
All male members must be circumcised as a token of their new covenant relationship.
Prophet Malachi reminds them not be unfaithful to each other including their women.
Because they had special role to play as “God’s people” among the “world people”
They were setting terrible examples to the gentiles by compromising with the world.
Being unfaithful to each other also may result into defaming God’s way of life.
God specifically commanded the Jews not to marry a non-Jew.
But they did marry many pagan women of Moab before entering the Promised Land.
Later King Solomon and King Ahab did marry pagan women who brought pagan worship into the camp.
People of Israel exactly did what was prohibited and they desecrated the temple.
In 2 Cor. 6:14 Apostle Paul clearly instructs the believers not to marry a un-believer.
Christian believers are marrying unbelieving friends and families.
The unbelieving spouse will definitely impact the believer’s faith walk.
If a believer compromises with this fundamental aspect of marriage disaster awaits.
II. UNFAVORABLE RESPONSE FROM GOD (12-13)
God says “the tents of Jacob” means the homes of Israel – they lost their place in the chosen race – ultimately their identity as Jews is erased.
It does not matter what they bring to the Lord as an offering because it is just an emotional outpouring that would not make the offering acceptable.
Exactly that will happen to every believer in Christ who compromises with faith – no blessings received – prayers, offerings and service have no value.
III. MARRIAGE IS A COVENENT RELATIONSHIP (14-16)
For God Almighty, marriage is not just a trade in business. (Old car to a new car)
God clearly describes that marriage is a covenant relationship so not to be taken lightly.
God designed marriage to create and bond a physical, emotional, and spiritual union between a husband and a wife.
So divorce is contrary to God’s original intention for marriage.
IV. GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS CHALLENGED
I believe that God is, as Malachi said, “Weary” over His people. 
Because filled with people who have denied His righteousness and come to Him with hearts that have no intention of change. 
They were trying to justify sin instead of repenting of it
Those people choose not to submit to God, but rather argue against His justice.
Such people see nothing wrong with dumping their old wives for younger pagan women.
Our God is also tired of hearing people justify their corrupt and wicked practices.
They drew two wrong conclusions with their rebellion.
God is such a loving God He overlooks the wickedness of the people because wicked people are prosperous and successful.
Secondly they question God for not punishing such evil people.
They forgot God is holy and does not tolerate sin.
The righteousness of God makes it impossible to justify sin as something else.
A true convert has a firm foundation in Christ recognizing sin and Christ’s righteousness.
Never lose sight of the fact that our God is holy and hates sin of any kind.

Malachi 2:1-9
Malachi chapter 2 introduces a group of spiritual leaders who were dishonoring God.
1 “And now, you priests, this warning is for you. 
Looking at the first verse we tend to conclude that God is warning the temple priests.
In the Old Testament, the priests were descendants of the tribe of Levi. 
Theses Levites were to serve in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple at Jerusalem. 
Professional ministry always is a humble opportunity to serve God – all priests, ministers and clergy are just humble servants of God.
Old Testament priesthood had specific functions:
To honor, reverence God, listen and worship Him.
To follow the highest moral standards in their personal life
To turn people away from their sinful lives
To instruct God’s people according to the Law
To be a messenger of God
Some priests’ main responsibility was to perform animal sacrifices on the altar.
I. PRIESTS DISHONORED GOD’S NAME (2-3)
Serving God is a serious business – God noticed that these priests were not paying any attention to what they do on the altar while sacrificing animals.
Priests forgot that God is a Holy God.
Malachi purposely uses the expression “Lord Almighty” in this passage to convey a message that all powerful, sovereign Lord will not accept such attitude from the temple priests.
The priests were going through ritualistic motions without heartfelt worship.
They were doing lip service but their hearts were far away from the presence of God.
They were exhibiting superficial religiosity in their actions as if they were bored.
God is still giving them a conditional second chance. 
God warns that HE will curse them instead of blessing for their careless attitude.
The consequence of rebellious attitude resulted in rejection.
Since they had dishonored God’s Name, God would give them a dung makeup.
He is going to take the excrement from the sick animals and smear it on their faces. 
Such self-righteous religious leaders would be defamed with their faces filled with dung.
Rejection leads to removal from their service.
Like the dung and other unclean material from the sacrifices are removed, so also such priests will be removed from His presence.
II. PAGES FROM THE PAST (4-7)
God brings to their memory from the past how their founder father Levi served Him.
God had a covenant with Levi to bless him and his generation of priesthood with life and peace.
Prophet Malachi was reminding the priests of his day that their ancestors served God faithfully and discharged their duties well.
He was pointing to the new generation that they were misleading the people – allowing all sick animals to be sacrificed – dishonoring God – teaching people false doctrines.
III. PRIESTS DEVIATED FROM THE WAY (8-9)
They caused the people to stumble
They violated the covenant with their founder father Levi.
They disrespected the Law
CONCLUSION
Under the New Covenant, each and every believer is a priest in the sight of God.
We are walking and living temples where God dwells.
Dangerous consequences await those who worship God without any reverence.
Many times it seems that we are bored with God and His worship.
We failed to grasp who our God really is - We lose sight of the important essence of God’s holiness and dishonor Him in worship, in service, in giving and in our way of life.
We do compromise and disobey right in the face of our holy God because we fail to grasp God’s holiness and sovereignty.
We should not forget that we are His priest and temples through Holy Spirit who dwells in each believer’s heart.