Here’s the audio and sermon note for my sermon on Haggai 1 “Build the House!” preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship in Naperville.
Haggai 1: “Build the House!”
Intro: 586 B.C.: temple burned to ground and Jews carried to exile in Babylon
-In 539 King Cyrus frees the Jews and allows as many interested to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple
-After some initial work (altar and foundation), the work ceases and no more efforts are made to rebuild the temple
-15 years or so later, God raises up two prophets (Haggai and Zechariah) to help the people rebuild the temple
-Book of Haggai is an account of this: Word of God is received, and temple is rebuilt
-In ch 1, we see the Word of God come to Haggai who proclaims it to the people
-God SPEAKS and BRINGS ABOUT CHANGE in His people through HIS WORD
-We rejoice in this today: God speaks and God brings about change through His WORD!
I. GOD SPEAKS THROUGH HIS PROPHET HAGGAI (1-11)
CONTEXT: (1:1)—8/29/520 B.C.
-Some Jews have already returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt an altar and temple foundation
-After initial work, the Jews faced opposition and the work was stalled for 15 years!
-God came at just the right time to bring a Word to His people and bring about change.
1 GOD SPEAKS TO HIS PEOPLE (1-11):
A basic, but important point: God speaks to His people.
-Contrary to agnosticism, which says that God may exist but we can’t really know or really hear from Him.
-Bible: God has taken the initiative and spoken to His people: “He is there and He is NOT Silent” (Schaeffer)
-Through His Word He brings about change and transformation.
-GOD SPEAKS THROUGH HAGGAI: (1b-2a, 3, 7a, 12c, 13a):
-GOD SPEAKS: -“Word of the LORD” (1b, 3); “Thus says the LORD of hosts” (2, 7); “The voice of the LORD their God” (12c)
“the LORD’s message” (13)
-SPEAKS THROUGH HAGGAI:
-v 1, 12: “came by the hand of Haggai the prophet… Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him”
-Ezra 5:1, 6:14-In the OT, God spoke through His Word and His prophets
-Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Isaiah, etc.
-In the NT, we see that God spoke through Christ
-Heb 1:1-2: We don’t need a living prophet today, we have Jesus.
–God speaks today through the reading and preaching of His Word.
-We hear from God on Sunday morning and as we open our Bibles during the week. -God changes people TODAY through the preaching and reading of His Word.
-Approach Bible reading and sermon listen this way: God speaks!
2 GOD’S MESSAGE (2b-11, 13b)
–GOD’S MESSAGE IN HAGGAI 1: Exposure of Sin; 2 Call to Action; 3 Encouragement to Strengthen
1. Exposure of Sin
Tim Keller quote ‘if your god never challenges you, it is the god of your own imagination’
-Delayed Obedience (2b) These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.”
-Already waited 15 years to rebuild the temple
-We do the same thing: ‘in another season I’ll get around to…’
-QUESTION: How might you and I be doing the same thing right now?
-Giving; leading spiritually; sharing the gospel; serving -Exposure of Self-centered Actions (4):“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?
-Their personal homes were complete “paneled” (finished, or luxurious), but temple “lies in ruins”
-How might this challenge us?
-Our physical home; our crowded schedules and programming of children’s activities
-Our pursuit of entertainment and hobbies and activities over God’s Work
-Call to “CONSIDER” (5, 7)
-God calls his people to “consider” what is happening, and what they have done: to see their disobedience
-God calls for honest reflection what has happened and is happening.
-Futility of their Self-Centered Approach (READ 6)
-Their efforts are not resulting in the blessing, comfort, and achievements they hoped for
-Much striving and efforts, but it is futile.
-This is always the way when we choose self above God.
-God’s Discipline and Intentional Withholding of the Blessing (9-11)
–God has withheld the blessing (9): 9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away.
–NOTE: Personal ownership of God withholding –REASON (9b): Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.
-SIN of Omission: A Refusal to do the work God has called them to do—build the temple!
-Out of discipline, God has withheld material blessings.
-God Actively Caused Hardship (READ 10-11):
-Out of discipline, God withheld the blessing on Israel
NOTE: This shapes how we think of God
-No “Mickey Mouse” god, or Disney god, or Daniel Tiger God
-This is the God who controls weather, crops, and finances, brings drought and destruction
-This is a God who at times actively withholds blessing from his people when they are in sin and disobedience.
-NT: 1. James 4:3; 2. 1 Cor 11:27-32
CLARIFICATION: Not ALL hardships, burdens, pain, or perplexity are RESULT of our sin.
-Sometimes we suffer because of other people’s sin (Achan in Joshua 7)
-Sometimes we suffer because of God bringing trials to test and refine our faith
-Sometimes we suffer for reasons we are not privy to, but God knows.
ON THE HAND: Sometimes we do suffer because God is righteously bringing discipline in our lives.
*QUESTION: How do we know if our suffering might be a result of God’s discipline for us? What do we do?
*ANSWER: “Consider your ways”
-Is there some kind of obedience to God that you are refusing to do? H.S. is convicting, but you are refusing?
-Do the work God has called you do, trust Him through the trials and hardships.
2. CALL TO ACTION (READ 8)
-God is calling the people to rebuild the temple: “build the house” (8)
-After waiting 15 or so years, it was now time to get this work done
-MOTIVATION (8b): that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD.
-God takes pleasures in our worship and prayer:
-God delights in our worship and acts of obedience.
-God seeks to be glorified in us, His people
-Not out of need, but because He deserves it and only this can actually satisfy us.
-There is nothing more satisfying in all of reality than God
NT APPLICATION: Jesus brought the kingdom of God to Earth and is building His Church (Matt 16:18-19)
-Jesus’ death and resurrection: defeated Satan; paid for our sins; reconciled us to God; brought in New Creation
-Through faith in Jesus we are brought into the “house of God”
-Christians are saved by grace, but have good works to do: Eph 2:8-10; Matt 28:18-20
-We live our lives today as ‘living sacrifices’ (Rom 12:1-2)
-We individually have responsibilities and a calling to fulfill—good works to do
QUESTION: What are the good works God is calling to fulfill in this moment? Are you doing them?
-Are you actively trying to share the gospel with others? Are you actively discipling others? Doing works of mercy?
-Are you being faithful with the task and position God has given you in the home, work, friendships, ministry?
-Will you turn from self-centered ways and pursue a God-centered approach to your time, money, and life?
3. ENCOURAGEMENT FROM GOD (13b)
-God gives encouragement to the Israelites through the promise of His presence (13b): “I am with you, declares the LORD.”
-The knowledge of God’s presence with us amid difficult work strengthens us.
-God knows our work is our hard, but promises to be with us as we carry it out in His strength.
APP: As you do the work God is calling you to do, remember that God is with you.
-Seek His presence by listening to His Word (Bible) and pouring you heart out to Him in prayer
-Remember that God is with you
II. GOD BRINGS ABOUT CHANGE THROUGH HIS WORD (12-15)
Amazingly, the people of God respond to the preaching of God’s Word!
-OBEDIENCE (12a)
-People obeyed God’s Word!
-FEAR OF GOD (12b)
-They feared God: rather than man, or difficulty of circumstances
-GOD STIRS THEIR SPIRITS TO ACTION (14)
–NOTE: It is God who stirs the peoples’ spirits to action
-We work God with the ‘strength that God gives’
-WORK BEGINS ON REBUILDING THE TEMPLE (14b-15)
-23 days after the initial message of Haggai, after 15 years of disobedience, the people begin the work!
*APPLICATION: People can and do change.
-You can experience God’s power in your life leading to repentance and holiness, even after long disobedience
-We take heart as we look to the future: God can and will change us to be more like Christ!
CLOSE: Let us rejoice in the God of Haggai, a God who speaks and brings about changes in our lives through His Word.
