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Venture Church

Refining Fire

By Pastor Alika PolancoMarch 1, 2026

The sermon explores the profound balance between justice and mercy, drawing upon scripture to illustrate how God embodies both qualities while urging us to reflect them in our lives. Key passages from Deuteronomy, Micah, and Malachi frame this discussion, emphasizing the human tendency to stray from God's path and the importance of obedience to divine principles over personal opinion. Through God's refining process, believers are called to transformation, aligning their lives with actionable compassion and confronting injustice with grace. The sermon culminates in a practical call to action, inviting the congregation to actively live out these principles in their daily interactions.

Watch · 5 Clips

Select a clip to watch

01
The Concept of Wandering
1:41
02
Understanding Justice and Mercy
1:22
03
Refining Process of God
2:50
04
The Tension of Justice and Mercy
2:46
05
Practical Application and Examples
1:31

Read

Scripture from the sermon

Deuteronomy 10:18-19

¹⁸And he executes justice for the orphan and widow, and he is one who loves the alien, to give to them food and clothing. ¹⁹And you shall love the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

Malachi 3:1-5

¹“Look! I am going to send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you are seeking will come suddenly to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you are taking pleasure—look!—he is about to come,” says Yahweh of hosts. ²And who can endure the day of his coming? And who is the one who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, like launderers’ alkali. ³He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the children of Levi, and he will refine them like gold and like silver, and they will present to Yahweh offerings in righteousness. ⁴And the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to Yahweh, like in the days of old and like in former years. ⁵“Then I will approach you for judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers, and against those who swear falsely, and against the oppressors of the hired worker with his wages, the widow and the orphan, and the abusers of the alien, and yet do not fear me,” says Yahweh of hosts.

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Related verses

God's justice and mercy2 passages

2 passages

Isaiah 1:17-19

¹⁷Learn to do good! Seek justice! Rescue the oppressed! Defend the orphan! Plead for the widow! ¹⁸“Come now, and let us argue,” says Yahweh. “Even though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white like snow; even though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. ¹⁹If you are willing and you are obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.

Exodus 34:5-7

⁵And Yahweh descended in the cloud, and he stood with him there, and he proclaimed the name of Yahweh. ⁶And Yahweh passed over before him, and he proclaimed, “Yahweh, Yahweh, God, who is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding with loyal love and faithfulness, ⁷keeping loyal love to the thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and he does not leave utterly unpunished, punishing the guilt of fathers on sons and on sons of sons on third and fourth generations.”

Human vulnerability and divine grace1 passage

1 passage

2 Corinthians 12:9-11

⁹And he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, because the power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore rather I will boast most gladly in my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may reside in me. ¹⁰Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong. ¹¹I have become a fool! You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the preeminent apostles, even if I am nothing.

Transformation through God's refining process3 passages

3 passages

Isaiah 48:9-11

⁹For the sake of my name I refrain from my anger, and for my praise I restrain it for you so as not to cut you off. ¹⁰Look! I have refined you, but not like silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of misery. ¹¹For my own sake, for my own sake I do it; for why should it be defiled? And I will not give my glory to another.”

Isaiah 1:25-27

²⁵And I will turn my hand against you; I will purify your dross like lye, and I will remove all of your tin. ²⁶And I will restore your judges, as at the first, and your counselors, as at the beginning. After this you will be called the city of righteousness, faithful city. ²⁷Zion will be redeemed by justice, and those of her who repent, by righteousness.

1 Peter 1:5-7

⁵who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, ⁶in which you rejoice greatly, although now for a short time, if necessary, you are distressed by various trials, ⁷so that the genuineness of your faith, more valuable than gold that is passing away, but is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

Discuss

Observation

In Deuteronomy 10:18-19, what specific actions does God take to demonstrate justice and mercy, and how are we encouraged to reflect this in our own lives?

Interpretation

Micah 6:8 mentions acting justly, loving kindness, and walking humbly with God. How do these concepts interrelate, and what do they reveal about God's expectations for us?

Application

What are some real-life examples where we see the tension between justice and mercy, perhaps in our communities or workplaces? How can we respond in a way that aligns with God’s heart?

Up next in Malachi

Generous Hearts

Pastor Troy Martin·March 8, 2026

Watch →

God's Call to a Wandering HeartSermon 01 · Pastor Troy Martin Fully DevotedSermon 02 · Pastor Jordan Hansen

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