New Directions - Sermon 1

“Consider Your Ways” - A Call to Recommitment

Bible Passage: Hag 1:1-15

Summary: In Haggai 1:1-15, God encourages His people to reconsider their priorities, emphasizing the importance of rebuilding the temple, which symbolizes restoring their relationship with Him. The passage serves as a call to action for the Israelites, who had focused on their own comforts while neglecting God’s house.

Application: Reflect on yur spiritual priorities as you start the new year. Evaluate your resolutions, do they align with God’s will and challenges you to building a stronger relationship with Him. Will you demonstrate your resolution through action rather than mere intention.

Teaching: Our resolutions should not only focus on self-improvement but also on spiritual growth and commitment to God. By prioritizing our relationship with God, we can ensure that our resolutions have lasting significance and direction throughout the new year.

How this passage could point to Christ: Jesus embodies the ultimate purpose of returning to God and rebuilding our spiritual lives. Haggai's message foreshadows Christ's role in restoring our relationship with God, emphasizing that our resolutions should draw us closer to Him, reflecting His desires for our lives.

Big Idea: As we face the new year, let our resolutions be rooted in our commitment to God, prioritizing our spiritual growth and relationship with Him above all else.

Recommended Study: Consider exploring the historical and cultural background of Haggai in your Logos library to better understand the context of the Israelites' situation during this time. Look into commentaries that focus on the themes of sacrifice and restoration, as well as how Haggai's call to action parallels New Testament teachings about prioritizing God's kingdom. This could provide deeper insights for your congregation on applying these lessons to their own lives.

1. Evaluate Your Priorities

Hag 1:1-6

You could explore how the people's misplaced priorities led to their unfulfilled lives. God called them to consider their ways, urging them to prioritize rebuilding the temple, a symbol of their relationship with Him. In applying this today, perhaps we ought to reassess our own priorities as we step into a new year, ensuring that our resolutions are aligned with God's will and focused on spiritual growth. Highlight how Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God's presence among us, reinforcing the need to build our lives upon Him.

2. Embrace God's Plan

Hag 1:7-11

Maybe delve into the consequences of neglecting God's house, reflecting on how the Israelites faced drought and futility. This resonates with the emptiness we may encounter when our lives lack spiritual focus. Suggest that as we create new year's resolutions, we let them be opportunities to pursue a deeper relationship with God, ensuring He is at the center of our plans. Connect how Jesus, as our mediator, restores and sustains our spiritual wellbeing, encouraging us to depend on His provisions.

3. Execute with Obedience

Hag 1:12-15

Consider highlighting the people's obedient response to Haggai's message, leading to God's reassurance and encouragement. Their actions renewed His presence among them. Reflecting on this, propose that our resolutions are not just commitments to ourselves but promises to God. When rooted in sincere intention, they invite His guidance and blessing. Emphasize how Christ offers the ultimate assurance of God's love and presence, motivating us to live with purpose and dedication in the new year.