Consider Your Ways - Haggai 1:1-8
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INTRO
People talk about women nesting before a baby is born and certainly that is the case but lemme tell ya, it happens for us men too.
The day before our son Samuel was born I got a wild hair.
When we bought our house the inspector found a small leak near our chimney that cause our drywall to have a crack.
Well the seller fixed the leak and did a good job but left the crack in the dry wall.
I was sitting in the living room staring at it and went and got spackling and mesh.
By golly I was gonna fix it, I’d do the repair, spackle and sand it and repaint it.
Well I got the mesh up, did the spackle and then decided to let it set.
That night Hannah woke me up telling me baby was coming
…and wouldn’t you know it my son is now almost 4 and I still haven’t sanded the spackle and painted.
I had good intentions.
Really I did.
I meant to finish it.
I just let it sit.
Haggai the prophet is coming to the people of Israel who have put off rebuilding the temple.
They had collected everything and begun the work which you can read about in Ezra…but then circumstances arose and they put it off.
Now some 16 years have passed.
Haggai is the second shortest book in the Old Testament.
It’s an unassuming minor prophet, one that is easily passed over.
Yet it contains such a profound and timely challenge for us today.
Now it’s pivotal we have some context so that we can understand this passage
To do that we have to understand what is happening in redemptive history
Haggai happens after The Babylonian Captivity
The Babylonian captivity was a dark chapter in Israel’s history, where God’s people, because of their persistent idolatry and disobedience, were torn from their homeland.
Jerusalem was leveled, temple destroyed, people carried of as exiles to Babylon
Consequence for turning from God
God’s promises remained that they would return
So after this period of captivity the Persian king Cyrus allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.
So they return and begin the work.
They start laying the foundation for the temple
Despite their initial efforts to begin this work, outside opposition halted the work.
At least they halted building the temple.
But as we will see, they continued the work of building the city and their homes.
Nearly 20 years later, Haggai began his prophetic ministry during a time of hardship and unfulfilled expectations.
While earlier prophets had promised a glorious restoration after exile, the reality was disappointing.
Life was really difficult, and Haggai is going to tell us why.
Haggai's message centered on the importance of rebuilding the temple as key to God's restoration plan,
He will urge the people to realign their priorities with God's purposes and look forward to the coming kingdom.
That brings us to right now.
Put yourself in the streets of Jerusalem.
Imagine Haggai walking the streets and alleys urging the people to get back to doing God’s work.
And listen to Haggai speaking to you, urging you to reorder your priorities in accordance with God’s will.
Here is our Big Idea this morning:
Big Idea: The abundant life is found only in the kingdom of God.
We will walk through the first 8 verses of Haggai and we will see first Misplaced Priorities.
1. Misplaced Priorities (v.1-2)
Look at Haggai 1:1
Haggai 1:1 (ESV)
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:
So here we meet some Characters.
Zerubbabel, Joshua, and Haggai
Zerubbabel is heir to the Davidic throne, and governor of Judah.
Joshua is the high priest whose line is traced through Zadok to Aaron.
These are key details for two reasons
Without the priest there is no way to be obedient to the lord, there is no way to atone for sin, and pursue the presence of God.
Without someone in the line of David their can be no Messiah.
Big deal right.
Now both of these things will be pivotal in our understanding as we continue through this book.
The last person we meet is Haggai.
He is likely an older man in his 70s who had seen the old temple before the exile.
We know very little about Haggai other than he was a prophet.
Which as an aside - is baller.
Haggai gives one of the more hope filled challenges of all the prophets and what lingers from his work is not his biography but the glory of God.
(Preach the gospel, die and be forgotten)
The last character isn’t listed and that is the people of God
…or well as we will see the wayward people of God.
Let’s get to Haggai’s first challenge verse 2
Haggai 1:2 (ESV)
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.”
So right away we see the almighty God, the Lord of Hosts or Yahweh of Angel Armies speaks.
He doesn’t speak tenderly calling them “My People.”
He says These People.
The prophet Haggai had a deep concern for the people of Israel.
They’d been back home for over 16 years
but the temple—the very heartbeat of their faith—remained in ruins.
When they first returned, there was this electric excitement, almost euphoria, that drove them to get to work right away.
Ezra tells us they laid the foundation with gusto, and the response was overwhelming.
There was a massive celebration;
older folks wept with memories of the past
others shouted for joy at the sight of new beginnings.
It was a powerful, emotional moment.
But like so many stories of obedience, the enthusiasm hit a wall.
Pressure from their surrounding neighbors, especially the Samaritans who feared a resurgence of Israel’s power, caused them to abandon the project.
So the Israelites hit pause—except it wasn’t just a brief pause; it was a 16-year standstill.
In that time, life moved on.
The people rebuilt their homes, restarted businesses, and the city buzzed with activity again.
It’s easy to imagine the streets filled with the noise of commerce and everyday life.
But in the midst of all this busyness, they forgot the most crucial thing—the worship of God.
When they said, “The time has not yet come,”
what they really meant was, “I’ve got more important things to do.”
But here is the thing….this isn’t just an ancient problem; it’s a human one.
We often have our priorities all wrong
Illustration
A group of friends went deer hunting and paired off in twos for the day.
That night one of the hunters returned alone, staggering under an eight-point buck.
"Where's Harry?" he was asked.
"Harry had a stroke of some kind. He's a couple of miles back up the trail."
"You left Harry laying there, and carried the deer back?"
"Well," said the hunter, "I figured no one was going to steal Harry."
Transition
Prioritizing our own comfort and convenience over God’s calling has always been the easier road,
but Haggai’s message cuts through the noise:
God’s work cannot wait.
If we are honest there is absolutely pressure on us to put off the things of God.
We live in a time where there is hostility towards the way of Jesus.
It can be all to easy to heed that pressure and let it push us into complacency.
That’s what happened in Haggai’s day.
Life had gone on and yet, the temple was still in ruins.
Leaving the temple in ruins wasn’t just a matter of unfinished business;
it was a statement.
The temple was where God’s presence was made manifest,
it is where His glory rested, where He dwelled among His people.
By neglecting to rebuild it, the Israelites were essentially saying that having God right in the middle of their lives wasn’t a priority.
And if we’re honest, we are often the same way.
We’re okay with having God nearby, in our general vicinity,
as long as He doesn’t interfere too much with our daily routines.
We want God around, but we don’t always want Him up close and personal.
It’s one thing to believe in a God who’s all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere at once—a kind of distant, general God who’s full of truth and grace.
But having God truly in our midst? That’s different.
That’s when we can say, “I’ve experienced His power. I know His grace because I’ve felt it. He’s shown up in my life.”
Having God in our vicinity is nice.
But having Him in our midst?
That’s where the real transformation happens.
That’s when we can say with confidence, “He’s been good to me. He answered my prayers. He’s right here, in the thick of it, with me.”
Where are your priorities?
What is your proverbial the time has not yet come?
When things slow down, then I’ll get a routine to read and pray
When the kids are a little older, then we’ll get in a community group
When work isn’t so chaotic I’ll think about getting in a discipleship group
When I don’t need a season of refreshing then I’ll join a serve team.
Delayed obedience is not obedience.
Let this be a challenge to you - indicator light - check engine
What would God say to us?
Let’s see second as we look at our empty pursuits
2. Empty Pursuits (v.3-6)
Look at verse 3
Haggai 1:3–4 (ESV)
Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?
So now the scene comes into focus more clearly.
The temple is in literal ruins.
Yet here the people are with nice homes, concerned with their own affairs.
God is getting straight to the heart of Israel’s messed-up priorities.
The people were living in a way that was the exact opposite of King David, who couldn’t stand the thought of living in a palace while God’s ark was housed in a tent.
Yet here was a people content to ignore God.
When Haggai talks about “paneled houses,” he’s not just talking about functional living spaces;
he’s pointing out that the Israelites had gone way beyond meeting their basic needs.
The idea is a house covered in, and finished in an elegant manner, with covered wainscots, walls and ceilings.
They were chasing after personal luxury while completely ignoring the temple, the place where God’s presence was meant to dwell.
Not only that but what scholars infer from the the text is that the wood they used was the very wood that was originally intended for the temple.
What are they pursuing?!
Their focus was on their own comfort, while God’s house lay in ruins.
Going over to a friends and seeing a dog in the back yard
Life got busy and They become indifferent to the pet’s needs, forgetting to play with it or even feed it regularly.
His just there
Now that may get some of us riled up but here is the thing:
If we care about a dog, what about the Holy God?
We have to look to our own lives.
Have we denied the things of God seeing ours selves as self important?
Before we think this is a passage that has nothing to do with us we’d do well to remember what God has done in our lives if we believe in Jesus
1 Corinthians 3:16 (ESV)
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
His temple is in you?
Once we realize that he has taken up residence in us, that his temple dwells within
We should realize that our neglect is even more serious when we become lazy.
God isn't asking us to gather wood, stones, or cement, but to build a heavenly temple within ourselves where He can be truly worshipped.
So, when we become indifferent, like the people who were harshly rebuked, our apathy is even more disgraceful.
What are you saying, I need examples…ok but Confession: Recovering People Pleaser Here
Opting for leisure over gathering
Distractions over scripture and prayer
Refusing to serve to maintain comfort
Prioritizing career over spiritual growth
Prioritizing self over generosity
Ignoring a call to mission or ministry
Staying silent about faith to avoid awkwardness
Convenience over community
Here are some examples of how people might deny the things of God for their own comfort:
Leisure over gathering
Choosing to sleep in or enjoy a weekend getaway instead of gathering with the church family for worship.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Distractions over scripture and prayer
Spending hours on social media, streaming shows, or gaming while neglecting time in prayer or reading the Bible.
But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Refusing to serve to maintain comfort:
Refusing to join a serve team or serve in ministry because it would take away from personal comfort.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Prioritizing Career Over Spiritual Growth:
Focusing solely on advancing in a career and accumulating wealth while sidelining spiritual disciplines and involvement in church.
Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
Prioritizing self over generosity:
Holding back on giving financially to the church or missions because it feels more comfortable to spend that money on personal desires.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Ignoring a Call to Mission or Ministry:
Sensing a call to step into missions or ministry but resisting because it would disrupt a comfortable lifestyle.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Staying Silent About Faith to Avoid Awkwardness:
Choosing not to share the gospel or speak about faith in Christ because it might lead to uncomfortable conversations or conflict.
For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Choosing Convenience Over Community:
Avoiding deep relationships and accountability in the church because it’s easier to live without the messiness that comes with community.
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Transition
There are many ways we can prioritize our own comfort over the things that matter most to God, much like the Israelites did in Haggai’s time.
What would God say to us?
Haggai 1:5 (ESV)
Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
Consider your ways
That is think carefully about your ways.
Consider carefully how you live.
This is a crucial for us in our own lives.
We’re often too caught up in the day-to-day to pause and really reflect on where we are or where we’ve been.
Taking an honest look at our lives isn’t easy—it can be uncomfortable, even painful—but that’s precisely why it matters so much.
When we take the time to reflect, we’re forced to ask ourselves the tough questions:
Are we truly walking in obedience to God’s purposes and His commands, or have we been drifting?
Consider your ways.
And wonder, am I content?
Am I satisfied?
Would I say that I am living the abundant life?
Look what he says next, verse 6.
Haggai 1:6 (ESV)
You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.
Haggai didn’t want there to be any confusion—he made it crystal clear that their lack of obedience was directly tied to their lack of flourishing.
He is urging them to see how their situation was a direct result of either their obedience or disobedience.
Now, let’s be clear—this isn’t some ancient version of the prosperity gospel.
It’s not about a quid pro quo where if they do something for God, He’ll do something for them.
Instead, it’s about a foundational truth: God designed the world to work best when we’re living in alignment with His commands and purposes.
True human flourishing happens when we honor God and walk in His ways.
So let me ask are you flourishing?
The Israelites certainly weren’t.
They were in the midst of a terrible drought.
Not only that but they found their lives unfulfilling.
It felt like the minute they got money it left their wallets.
Life was hard.
Is that how you feel?
“I’m working harder than ever, but I feel less satisfied. No matter how much I do, it seems like I’m always falling further behind—my bills keep piling up, and my money doesn’t stretch as far as it used to.”
Could it be that God is trying to get our attention?
If we’re not hearing Him call us back through His Word, His love for us is so relentless that He’ll speak to us at the grocery store checkout line.
He’ll shout to us through the frustration and emptiness we feel in our work and our achievements.
Here’s a lightly edited version with updated language for modern ears:
There's a feeling of emptiness, and from that emptiness comes pain, and from that pain, a deep longing for satisfaction. This is true in spiritual matters as well. We need Christ and all the spiritual comforts that come from Him. There’s an emptiness within us, and every day we recognize our need to rely on the mercies of God in Christ.
This emptiness in our souls must be felt, and that feeling of emptiness and the pain it brings should drive us to earnestly seek what we truly desire. It's in those moments, when our souls are hungry and thirsty for Him, that Christ becomes truly sweet to us. _Richard Sibbes
Too often, we’ve let other things take the place that belongs to God alone—our kids’ education, their sports schedules, climbing the corporate ladder, or our weekend leisure.
The way we prioritize our lives reflects a culture that tells us to “have it our way” or that everything should revolve around us.
But God calls us to make a radical break from that mindset.
He’s asking us to put His ways, His mission, and His purposes first, above every other earthly pursuit.
Why because he alone satisfies
Matthew 6:19–20 (ESV)
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Here is one way I have heard that paints the picture clearly:
No one cheats God without cheating himself at the same time! _Walter C. Kaiser
This is what God wants the people to see.
They will never have abundance with out the presence of God.
Again the temple was where his presence dwelled.
Similarly, we will never have abundance outside of the person and work of Jesus.
Everything is at best a cheap imitation of the actual satisfaction.
It’s a bag with holes.
It can’t contain your joy.
Only Jesus satisfies.
What then should we do?
We must shift our focus.
let’s see third and finally
3. Kingdom Focus (v.7-8)
Look at verse 7
Haggai 1:7–8 (ESV)
“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 Lord’s command to “consider your ways” echoes again, but this isn’t just about rebuilding a physical temple—it’s about a transformation of the heart.
The people of Haggai’s day have a heart problem.
So do we.
Here’s a more concise version that ties in the hope of the gospel:
Through Haggai, God calls His people to stop treating Him like an afterthought and make His glory the center of everything.
This is a call to repentance—a turning of the heart that leads to a change in behavior.
Haggai urges the Israelites to turn from their delayed obedience and align their lives with God’s will.
But here’s the hard truth: we can’t provide the perfect obedience God requires.
He is holy and demands holiness, and when we fall short, we face the reality of His judgment.
That’s why we need a Redeemer, and this points us directly to Jesus.
Every generation, including ours, struggles with sin and the weight of God’s wrath, but through Christ’s sacrifice, redemption is available.
God, in His sovereign grace and mercy, did not leave us to face His judgment.
From eternity past, He chose to redeem a people for Himself, and He accomplished this through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus, the perfect and sinless Lamb of God, took on human flesh and lived the life of perfect obedience that we could never achieve.
On the cross, He bore the full weight of God’s wrath, taking upon Himself the punishment that we rightfully deserved.
He died in our place, satisfying the demands of God’s justice.
Yet, death could not hold Him.
On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead, conquering sin and death, and securing the redemption of all whom the Father has given Him.
His resurrection is the guarantee of our justification, and through faith—
faith that is itself a gift from God—
we are united with Christ, clothed in His righteousness, and brought into the family of God.
This is the glorious truth of the gospel: that while we were dead in our sins, God made us alive together with Christ.
By His grace, we are saved—not by our works, but by the finished work of Jesus on the cross.
If God is drawing you today, don’t resist His call.
Repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.
He has paid it all, and in Him, you will find true life, everlasting peace, and the joy of being forever secure in the love of your Heavenly Father.
This morning if you say that is true of you, yet you find yourself drifting towards indifference then repent.
Repentance isn’t just about feeling bad—it’s about taking action, empowered by the Spirit, to live in obedience to God.
When we turn to Him, we must turn away from our sin and excuses, putting Christ first in all things.
God doesn’t leave us to figure this out on our own; He gives us a clear purpose—living for His pleasure and glory.
Our obedience and worship bring Him immense joy, and this is our highest calling:
to glorify God in everything we do, because He alone is worthy.
There’s no greater purpose than this.
Through Christ, we are called to a life that brings glory to God, and in that, we find true fulfillment.
Conclusion
In 1857, in the midst of a time of economic uncertainty and social upheaval in America, a man named Jeremiah Lanphier was appointed as a lay missionary by the North Dutch Reformed Church in Manhattan.
Burdened by the spiritual apathy and declining church attendance he saw around him, Lanphier decided to take action by organizing a noontime prayer meeting for businessmen.
On September 23, 1857, Lanphier held the first prayer meeting at the Old North Dutch Church on Fulton Street.
Only six people attended.
However, the meeting continued weekly, and attendance gradually increased.
It was just ordinary believers realizing their apathy, repenting, and seeking the Lord to work in their lives and the lives of others.
As word spread, more businessmen began to join in prayer, and soon, the meetings were being held daily due to the overwhelming response.
What began as a small gathering quickly grew into a widespread movement. Within months, similar prayer meetings were being held in other cities across the United States.
The revival was marked by simplicity—there were no sermons or elaborate services, just earnest prayer and worship.
The impact was profound, leading to a significant spiritual awakening across the country.
Thousands of people came to Christ, and many churches experienced renewed vitality.
The Fulton Street Revival is a powerful example of how God can work through the humble, obedient actions of ordinary people.
What started as a small, seemingly insignificant prayer meeting grew into a nationwide revival that touched the lives of countless individuals and revitalized the American church.
What might God do if we lay off our spiritual indifference and sought His glory?
What priorities or comforts have I placed above God in my life?
Am I delaying obedience in any area where God has clearly called me to act?
In what ways can I realign my life to make Jesus the center, experiencing the true abundant life He offers?
Where do I need to repent, trust in the gospel, and take action to live in obedience?
Prayer:
Leaders Collective:
Continued Growth
Financial Support
Needs:
Garcia’s
Lynn Andrews Healing
elder candidates would remain above reproach, kept from temptation, complacency, idols, and worldliness.
BENEDICTION
May the Lord who has never failed in any of His
good promises,
Who does not leave or forsake His own,
May He turn your hearts to Him, To walk in His Ways
And to keep His commands that he gave our fathers
in the Faith.