Now is the time to build
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
We can’t change the world until we change ourselves...
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” 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? Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. 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.
“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. 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. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce.
Haggai 1:2-
Haggai is delivering a message of urgency to people who are discouraged
compare effort & outcome
The people had a saying
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.”
We have a lot of things that we say to disguise our procrastination
I’m praying about it
there are some things that we should pray about
there are some things that He has told us plainly enough that just require action
Progress or procrastination
God’s people had been exiled from their homeland and had returned about 20 years prior
had intentions of rebuilding the Temple because it had been destroyed along with their houses
people don’t always decide to be disobedient but we get distracted
*busies himself
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.
he didn’t say that they are bad people but busy
for those who don’t serve in the church
I don’t think its because you are satanic
but because your kids have socer
or your family will be coming over for dinner and the house will need to be ready
Who knows how a business is run?
people pay for goods and services right?!
at church we trust God to motivate His people because from a financial standpoint its like a business where people decide to pay for the services rendered or not...
some people give and some people serve because we recognize that the harvest is connected to God’s house
not that all of the ministry happens here on Sunday morning but that they are connected
Wave Walker
Food pantry
BGC’s
Little People’s
people loving, serving, & giving to others
— all connected together here and helping one another--
it’s important that we work together here within ministries because as one grows the others can grow
God sends a message:
you are disappointed, you planted a lot of seed
only 1/2 of your seed produced a harvest
have you every invested into something or someone just to think at the end
“how did I put so much into this to only get so little back?”
when you do not start your process without God in the center of it then you will end in disappointment
it will not matter how much talent you have
energy you put into it
your sincerity
any process that does not start with God will end in disappointment
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.
people busy building their own houses
their own bodies
lives
future
— they neglected God’s presence —
Until we make this connection we will continue to live in a cycle of frustration
remember Peter when he had fished all night and caught nothing
as soon as he gave his boat to Jesus
the biggest problem was breaking nets
God is control of the harvest
there is a certain part of life and success that you do not control
you can decide how much to plant but without the elements it will only grow so much
it takes a while to learn this but...
you can put in all the effort to have a happy life but there is an element that is out of your control
I understand that God’s people just came back from a horrible situation to homes that had been destroyed
maybe a year or 2 to rebuild
it’s been 20 and they are still building for themselves and feeling lack
think back 20 years ago… what were you working on then? How did it go or how is it going?
was God the center?
how have things changed since He has been in the center?
Did you know that you find time to do what you want to do...
passion & energy
same energy into serving God that we do to sin
we would change the world
progress is more than effort but effort in the right direction
consider your ways
God says when I saw you so busy on your house
He doesn’t mind us having a nice house or a nice car
or enjoying a weekend trip
He is concerned though when we lose our since of what is important
God may interrupt your schedule to remind you of your calling and purpose
God brought them back from Babylon with an assignment to rebuild the temple but they got distracted and spent what God gave them on themselves
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.
why would a good God blow away my goods?
it wasn’t the devil
we give him credit for a lot more than we should
it wasn’t a punishment but to protect you
when we get too attached to what He has given us rather than to Him then He may blow it away
when we are building our house on the sand
He may blow in a storm and wreck what we are building
because God will do whatever it takes to show us how to build our house on the rock
What have you been going to do for the Lord? Are you going to wait 20 years or when will you actually do it?
we get distracted by the temporary pleasure of sin that we forget that it will not eternally satisfy
only following Jesus will lead to that
what have you been doing instead of what your going to do for the Lord?
you’ll find time to do what you want...
In this story there was not a lack of resources to prevent the people from prospering
they planted plenty
but God interrupted their harvest so that they would not depend upon what they had but that they would depend upon God
Response:
Haggai 1:8
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.
Look to God - location
bring down the wood - potential
Build the house of God - process
there is no shortage of provision
the problem is our priority
you will find supplies for what you want to build
Seek first the Kingdom of God & His righteousness
when we put Him 1st we will have everything that we need and often more
asking God for provision but He can’t send provision where there are no priorities
I see people who can’t afford to tithe with a big screen and then complaining that their car is always broke down
boy sharing lunch with Jesus
what started with a lunch ended in leftovers
it was a shift in priorities
daycare director Sussanne asked
needed rest
friends provided housing
last week 2 people bought my lunch
invitation song
some of you are discouraged
Go up, bring down, and build & God will be with you
you are here for a reason
what do you need to build?
NOW IS THE TIME