Propheting: Building Our Best

Propheting: Building Our Bes= t Haggai 1:1-8

This morning= , we come to Haggai, the tenth Minor Prophet, and to a book that represents a si= gnificant break from the first nine. Al= l the others warned of events PRIOR to what we know as “the exile.” The final three deal with events A= FTER the exile of Israel.

I’ll explain. Just as Zephaniah warned would happen in our text last week, Jerusalem fell to= the Babylonians. The year was 587 BC. The city, along with its magnificent Temple= , was sacked and destroyed. Mos= t of the citizens of Jerusalem were carried bac= k to Babylon as captiv= es. They were in exile there.

About fifty = years later, though, the Persians conquered the Babylonians. The Persian king, a man named Cyru= s, permitted any Jews who wanted to do so to return to <= st1:place w:st=3D"on">Jerusalem. So, in 536 BC, about 50,000 exiled= Jews made their way back home.

Now, one of = their goals in returning to Jerusalem was to reb= uild the Temple. They did repair the altar and lay = a new foundation, but that’s as far as the project got. Sixteen years later, nothing more = had been done.

This is when Haggai comes on the scene. Go= d gave him one job—to inspire and encourage His people to rebuild the Temple.

As we examin= e this book together, we’ll find places where Haggai speaks out against prob= lems that are getting in the way of rebuilding the Temple. We will also hear some clear = words on how they could best move forward to get the job done. =

Now, in case you’re thinking, “Preacher, I really don’t see the releva= nce of this to my life. I donR= 17;t plan to build any temples, after all.” Well, let me say this: I think what Haggai said so long ago still applies to our lives today, whether we’= re building a church or simply trying to do something constructive with our ow= n lives. See if you agree as we take a look= at our text:

HAGGAI 1:1-8~~ ¹ In the second = year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD c= ame through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Juda= h, and to Joshua ^[a] son of Jehozadak, the high priest: &n= bsp; =

² This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the LORD's house to = be built.' "

³ Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: ⁴ "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?"

⁵ Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. ⁶ You have planted much, but have harvested little. You ea= t, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clot= hes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."

⁷ This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your way= s. ⁸ Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that= I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD.

Already, in these few verses, Haggai points out three problems that are getting in t= he way. Look again, please, at v= erse 2: …“These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the LORD's house to be built." (Haggai 1:2) Here’s what I see in this verse:

1. NOTHING GETS BUILT WHEN WE DON’T SEIZE THE MOMENT. Haggai had to point out to the peo= ple that they had been saying “Not yet” for sixteen years. Some day, some time, yes. But not now…not yet.

Well, this relates to our lives—doesn’t it? In fact, we COULD take a moment ri= ght here and now to let some of you share where you’ve heard this kind of thin= g before—maybe even very recently.

But if I gave you the chance, some of you might actually do it—which means others might leave here mad. = So I’ll just stick with preaching for now, and let you discuss this one&= #8230;in the privacy of your own homes. =

It’s that old procrastination thing. Most of us struggle with it at times. For some, it’s a continuous = challenge. It robs us of time and effectiveness. It lets people down. It makes us feel guilty= and leaves us regretting what might have been—IF we had only seized the moment—instead of procrastinating!

It’s a huge problem, friends, made even bigger when it’s God’s time we’re wasting. And guess what? It’s all God̵= 7;s time. Time is His gift to us, and He exp= ects us to be good stewards of it. Bu= t how often do we say, “Wait, God...not yet, not now?”

We say this to God—just as we say it to our spouse, our children, our church, or ourselves. If this= is your struggle, maybe it’s time to ask God to give you the courage to = say, “If not now, when?!?” Seize the moment—it just may be your time to build something!<= /p>

Now, let’s look back at our text, verse 4: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?" (Haggai 1:4) Here we find another factor that g= ets in the way of building our best:

2. NOTHING GETS BUILT WHEN WE DON’T PRIORITIZE. Poor priorities will hinder the bu= ilding God’s Temple<= /st1:place>, or His church, or anything else of value, including our lives.

For sixteen years, the returning exiles catered to their personal affairs, buil= ding their own houses while God’s house remained unconstructed. Their priorities were misplaced.

Much the same, friends, as when we get so busy with life and all the stuff that = we accumulate along the way...that we have very little left over for God. Whether we’re talking about = time and money, or love and devotion—there may not be much left.

Our priorities are broken. The Go= d who gives us life, who’s the source of all that we are and have, deserves= better. If we belong to Him, God gets first place-- top priority.

Then, when He’s in His rightful place, God makes sure there’s plenty = of time and money and love and whatever else is needed for all the other opportunities and responsibilities we have in life. Getting this right, though, begins= when God’s agenda becomes ours--in other words, when we make Him LORD of our lives!

There’s a lot in Haggai about building solid lives and a solid church. Let’s look at another verse = (1:8): “Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, = so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. (Haggai 1:8) So, what does this tell us?

3. NOTHING GETS BUILT WHEN WE DON’T WORK. We have problems when we don’= ;t manage our time well, and when we fail to set the right priorities. Sometimes, though, the problem is simpler: we’re just lazy! Failing to work will do us in.

Haggai had to remind God’s people that the Temple was not going to build itself. It was up to them. God had assig= ned the task to them, and He was counting on them to get the job done. And, yes, this would require work.=

Most anything of any lasting value does. Take this place—this beautiful sanctuary--the people who were = once part of the mission of this church and who are now part of our “great cloud of witnesses”—just think of all the time and energy and m= oney they invested here in God’s work.&nb= sp;

We are so blessed today because of their sacrifices, but what about us? What about the work that is still required to continue to maintain and build this church’s ministry?

Bottom line—who’s willing to work today—to teach the classes, to keep the nursery, to sing in the choir, and to reach out to and care for th= is community in which God has placed us?

God has sustained us and brought us through the challenges of the past. The exile is over, but do those of= us who are in this place now realize it’s time to go to work to build th= is church?

That’s the question I hear old Haggai posing to us today—and it’s the = same one he asked God’s people long ago!&= nbsp; Who’s willing to work for this? Will we stop procrastinating, make= this a priority, and get back to work—for God?

Well, so far, we’ve seen some of the problems, but I mentioned earlier that Haggai also gives us indications of how we can go about building our best l= ives and our best church too.

Listen as the prophet continues (1:13): “Then Haggai, the LORD's messenger, = gave this message of the LORD to the people: ‘I am with you,’ declar= es the LORD.” (Haggai 1:13)

4. WE BUILD OUR BEST WHEN WE KNOW GOD IS PRESENT. Maybe those exiles, now back in Jerusalem, had fo= rgotten that God was with them. Maybe= we forget this too. But we won&#= 8217;t accomplish much, or build anything of any lasting value, unless God is in it and we recognize and rely upon His presence.

Jesus gave His followers a big assignment. He told us to take the Gospel to the world. So we have missionaries to do that= in foreign countries—good. But He told us to begin right where we live--to be His messengers, His ambassad= ors, His witnesses wherever we are.

Then He assured us that wherever that is, He’ll be with us. “Lo, I am with you always, t= o the ends of the earth,” He promised.&nbs= p; We can build so much better and keep at it for so much longer when we know we’re not by ourselves--that God is with us.

Without an awareness of God’s presence, we’re mismanaged, poorly prioritized, and probably lazy too. But you take even the likes of us and put the powerful presence of t= he Lord in our midst, and our potential for doing good explodes.

Relying on God’s presence is the difference between success and failure—= ;in any venture of life. Now I wa= nt you to listen to how the Lord continues to get His people ready to build (2:4b-= 5):

“‘Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the LORD Almight= y. ⁵ 'This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains = among you. Do not fear.'” (Haggai 2:4b-5)&= nbsp; Which brings us to this:

5. WE BUILD OUR BEST WHEN WE KNOW OUR PURPOSE. God says, “This is what I covenanted with you…” (Haggai 2:5).

“You’re not just any group of people,” God tells them. “You are My people. We’ve made promises to each other. We’re in a coven= ant relationship—which is not something to be taken lightly.”

In other words, building this Tem= ple is a reflection of who you are. This is your purpose in life. Thes= e were people who had been called and set apart to be on mission for God--like us.

Knowing what we’re here for is powerful.&nbs= p; It keeps us “building our best”—our best lives and families, our best churches and communities as well.

It’s always been this way in the relationship between God and those who trust Hi= m. But let us not forget that when th= e time was right, God made a new covenant between us and Him. As we make our way through this Le= nten season, we draw ever closer to that old rugged cross upon which our Savior died.

The cross that stands here on the table before us is a reminder that this new covenant was ratified by the blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Knowing that we’re died for changes everything. We belong= to God. We’re bought and paid for, a= nd we know it.

And God will never break His side of the covenant. It will forever remind us of who w= e are and what our purpose in this world is—which is to live our lives for = the glory of God…and to build whatever it is He has for us to build. This is why we’re here.

Now, just one more little prophetic nudge before we close. It’s found in Haggai 2:8: &#= 8220;'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty.” (Haggai 2:8) You thought we were safe concernin= g this topic until we got to Malachi, right? Listen:

6. WE BUILD OUR BEST WHEN WE KNOW IT BELONGS TO GOD. What belongs to God? All of it. We will never build our best of an= ything until we get it straight who owns everything that we attempt to build with. God makes this clear: “It’s all mine.”

God owns it all, yet by His grace, He gives some of it to us for a time—to manage: that’s what stewardship means. In order to build the Temple, God’s people had to give generously—which they did. Now, for us to build this church and keep it strong and moving forward, we must = give generously too.

But listen: in God’s plan, it all comes back around to building us up, and making us stronger. God knows= we build our best selves only as we give generously and joyfully to His Kingdom̵= 7;s work.

Whatever we build for God brings Him glory--but here’s the thing. It’s not because God somehow= needs any glory from us.

Instead, it’s because God knows that in building His Temple, His church, and H= is kingdom—if we are doing these things for His glory—then we are = also building our own lives.

This doesn’t profit God any. Everything belongs to Him already.&= nbsp; What we give back to God profits us!

For God’s people, it’s always time to build. We know He’s with us, and th= at He’s given us a purpose in this world. So our challenge, and highest privilege, is to give Him our best—never a= nything less than our very best. Just= as He has given His BEST for us!