Get Your Tools Ready
Haggai
Majoring on the Minors
August 6, 2023
I want to be so full of Christ, that if a mosquito bites me, it flies away singing, ‘there is power in the blood!’
Self?… am I desperate for the effects and influence of God’s presence in my life?
1 On the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
2 “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.’” 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 The Lord said, “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 “You have planted much but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” 7 The Lord said, “Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored.”
12 Then Zerubbabel [and officials], and the whole remnant of God’s people began to obey the message from the Lord. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, the people feared the Lord. 13 Then Haggai gave the people this message, “I am with you,” says the Lord! 14 So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel [and officials] and the whole remnant of God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. —Haggai 1:1-7, 12-1419 “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” “What!” they exclaimed. 20 “It took us forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” 21 “But when Jesus said, “this temple,” he meant his own body. —John 2:19-21
19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people, and members of God’s family. Together, we are his [temple], 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. —Ephesians 2:19-20
21 We are carefully joined together in [Christ], becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. —Ephesians 2:21-22
9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. —1 Corinthians 3:9-10
16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? —1 Corinthians 3:16
We have been called to the task of laboring and building a dwelling place for the Spirit of God.
25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. —Galatians 5:25
7 We walk by faith and not by sight. —2 Corinthians 5:7
Do I have permission to push?
Why have you given up?
1.) WE’RE DETERRED BY THE ‘INNER-ME.’
The inner-me is my greatest enemy and it gets the best of me through my memory.
2.) WE’RE DISCOURAGED BY THE RESULTS.
3 “Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?” —Haggai 2:3
Your success in life should never be compared to the victories in Christ.
The goodness of God should never be compared to the successes in life.
4b “Be strong for I am with you.” —Haggai 2:4b
5b “My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.” —Haggai 2:5b
9 “The glory of this present house [temple] will be greater than the glory of the former house,” says the Lord Almighty, “And in this place, I will grant peace.” —Haggai 2:9
7 “Give careful thought to your ways.” —Haggai 1:7
8b “Build my [temple], so that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified.” —Haggai 1:8b
THE PEOPLE BEGIN TO OBEY THE MESSAGE
Obey {+} Put in the work
22 “…overturn royal thrones and shatter the
power of the foreign kingdoms.” —Haggai 2:2223 “On that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel…,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” —Haggai 2:23