Reflections on Revival
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Introduction: Go ahead and turn to this little book that is tucked away in the final pages of the Old Testament, often referred to as the minor prophets. As your finding your place, It is a thorough joy to be able to worship with you all this evening. Pastor Neal and Sandy have been a tremendous influence on my walk with Jesus. Everything from teaching me at Bible College to giving me opportunity to serve as an apprentice at Bethel chapel. From serving together at Trinity to giving Emily lodging when we were courting. As a matter of fact they probably had a huge part in keeping me alive by feeding me often during my single days! So, the invitation to join you is a great privilege and feels a lot like a family reunion.
The goal over the next few nights is to make some reflections about revival. I suppose if we were to interview followers of Jesus from different age and areas we might receive a variety of definitions as to what revival actual is. However, I think we could all agree that at the very least, revival is God transforming His people.
That’s a very brief definition, but it is the one I hope to work with as we dig into the book of Haggai. My aim is to work through the book of Haggai and begin noticing some reflections about revival And how God transforms His people.
Let’s pray and get started…
Read: Haggai 1:1-2
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.”
Transition: God sent the prophet Haggai with a message to His people. The core of that message was to, “rebuild my house”. The reason is was so important to rebuild God’s house, was because it represented God’s presence among His people. It was the place where atonement was made for the sins of the people. It was the center of the life of God’s people. It was also a symbol of God’s promise to dwell with His people. This is why God was so emphatic that they rebuild this place.
Tonight, we are going to be reflecting on that asp of revival that will diagnose the dilemma. Why had God’s people stopped building His house?Why were they content to not have God dwelling in the center of their lives?
Transition: In order for us to diagnose their dilemma we need to have a little family history about the nation of Israel. It’s much like going to your family doctor with a complaint about some ailment. You may have specific symptoms, but the doctor wants to know something about your family history before they offer a proper diagnosis. This is true for us as well…
Diagnosing the Dilemma
Diagnosing the Dilemma
1. Family History
Thankfully, The Bible records the historic record of the people of Israel during the time of Haggai's preaching. Keep your place in Haggai, but turn toward the front of your Bibles to the book of Ezra. As you turning…. Here is some brief background
In 586 the Southern Kingdom of of Israel, known as Judah, fell to the Babylonians. The king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed the temple in Jerusalem. The inhabitants of Judah were taken captive and they remained exile for the next 70 years.
After these years of exile, a new world power took over the land. The Persians. Cyrus, the king of Persia, gave a decree that the people of Judah could go back to their homeland and rebuild God’s house.
From the book of Ezra we discover that when God’s people returned they initially demonstrated devotion to God.... They started out well. For example.
Ezra 1:5 The fact they actually went back to Jerusalem when many others did not.
Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem.
Ezra 3:2 They built of the alter and concern for law of Moses.
Then arose Jeshua the son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.
Ezra 3:10 They laid the foundation of the temple.
And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the directions of David king of Israel.
Transition: Even though they had started well, by the year 522 when Darius is the new King in Persia, the people had ceased operations. (The time Haggi was sent to preach. After the foundation was laid it sat there for over 15 years untouched. So what happened? What caused them to stop rebuilding God’s dwelling place? How did they go from being stirred up and consumed with God to now letting the work stop?
Transition: In order to answer these questions and Before we can give a proper diagnosis we do not just need family history but we also need to understand what symptoms are prevalent among the people. There are three that I want to draw your attention to.
2. What are the symptoms ?
2. What are the symptoms ?
a. Distress (Read) Ezra 4:23-24
Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Some internal fighting had occured. If you read chapter four leading up to this we discover that some folks got very angry about not being allowed to be involved. So they took it upon themselves to go to the king and get orders to make the work stop. Notice.. they did this by force and power. So what was the initial symptom that caused the people to stop building? Distress.
Has distress ever stifled your devotion to God? We should understand that opposition is a normal reality for those who follow Christ. Jesus told His disciples, In this life you will have trouble. So, Christians shouldn’t be surprised when opposition comes. However, when distress hinders our obedience to Christ it really is a symptom of a deeper problem.
Transition: The second symptom that hindered their obedience is alluded to in …
b. Disappointment (Read) Ezra 3:12 & Haggai 2:1-3
The temple that had been destroyed was the Temple that Solomon built. It was the temple that King David had collected all the resources to build. It was a site to behold. I Kings records that it contained more than 285 tons of gold, and 625 tons of silver. It took 180,000 workers over 7 years to complete. However, it laid in a heap of rubble.
But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy,
In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?
Now, a new foundation was being laid. And when those who had worshiped in Solomon's temple saw the smallness of this foundation, it lead them to disappointment.
Perhaps we might identify with these who are looking at the rubbish of the Old Temple and feeling discouraged. We can see why they might be discouraged. We might imagine, as the remnant were taking up there tools to go out for a days work, there would be those walking around saying things like, “This will never be what it used to.” or.. “You should have seen the old temple, now that was something.”
So you have discouragement for some because its not what it used to be, and discouragement from others because they their work will never achieve that former glory. The symptom that the Lord was confronting is that they were disappointed with the past rather than obeying His present command.
Transition: Distress and disappointment are symptoms of a deeper problem.… Now notice the third.
c. Distraction Haggai 1:9
You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.
The indictment that God makes against His people is that they are busy with their own affairs while His house lies in ruins. They are terribly distracted.
One of the most common responses I hear from folks when I ask them ,“how they are doing” is, “busy”.
Jesus was certainly busy, about His father’s business. I wonder if we are busy in the right direction? I wonder if we haven't yielded to the temptation to jump into the flow of rush hour or the swarm of busy bees? We are busy people, and its okay to be working hard. However, we often find ourselves working very hard for things that will not last for eternity. Distress, disappointment, and distractions are symptomatic of a deeper problem.
Transition: So what is the diagnosis? What is at the root of the trouble? What is the core of the problem?
3. What’s the diagnosis of the symptoms?
3. What’s the diagnosis of the symptoms?
a. Look at Haggai 1:7-8
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord.
The reason God is telling them to get back to work is so that He might take pleasure in dwelling with His people. So that He might be glorified! By revealing this, God is also revealing the essence of His people’s problem. It is self-glory. They were guilty of seeking their own pleasure above God’s. They were consumed with self-centered love.
Frankly, this is always the essential problem of all of our spiritual dilemmas. This was at the root of the original sin, and it lies at the heart of our problems today.
b. Definition: Self Glory= Seeking satisfaction outside of God. Offer some examples!
c. All three of these symptoms are rooted in a central problem. The sin of self glory. Distress-self preservation. Disappointment- self-loathing. Distraction- Self interest. They were consumed with self pleasure rather than God’s glory.
Transition: Hear me out as we make some Closing Considerations… It is time for us to think, to consider, to set down into our hearts and be examined. Here are 2…
Closing Considerations
Closing Considerations
1. Consider Our Ways… a.Haggai 1:5, 1:7, 2:15, 2:18 How does my attitude, time, efforts, and behaviors reveal who I love? Our ways will show who’s glory we are pursuing.
Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
Now then, consider from this day onward. Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the Lord,
Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider:
3. Consider Our Hope… Haggai 2:20-23
The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts.”
God is promising hope for the future of His people. He is prophesying a future establishment of His Kingdom among His people which ultimately drives us to the person and work of Jesus Christ. When we get to the book of Matthew, we find that Zerubbabel is listed as one of the grandfather’s of Jesus. Which explains for us that Jesus is God’s chosen signet ring that perfectly establishes His kingdom. Jesus is the authentic stamp of God’s approval because He died for our sins and raised from the dead on the third day.
Consider.. When all the things that we have spent our lives pursuing are shaken, are broken off, what will be left? If we belong to Christ , He is left. This is why His glory is the satisfying source of our soul. Consider our Hope!
However, this hope also offers a strong warning. If we do not have Christ, then all that will be left when our lives are shaken will be ashes, death, the righteous judgment of hell, eternal condemnation, forever separated from the presence of God. This should be a sobering reality.
Closing: Tonight, we have been reflecting on revival. Immediately, we notice, There is nothing comfortable, convenient or cool about revival. When God transforms His people He confronts us to the core of our being. Perhaps many of us have been showing signs of discouragement, disappointment, and distraction. The Lord is being very kind and gracious to diagnosis these symptoms for us. The dilemma/ the sin… is.. , self -glory. The book of Haggai will challenged us to consider our ways and our hope. Tomorrow night we will discover what treatment should be applied to our diagnosis. What solution should we follow in order to be transformed by Christ and truly enjoy the fruits of revival? (Pray)