Introduction (Secure Attention):
Have you ever thought along these lines, “I am going to serve the Lord after I grow old.”
“I want to work for God but I’m too busy.”
“I want to serve God but I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to do anything at all for the Lord.”
If you had any thoughts like that, then you will have an idea about what these post-exilic Jews thought.
Brief Background of the Passage:
Haggai was a prophet who, along with Zechariah, encouraged the returned exiles to rebuild the temple (see Ezr 5:1-2; 6:14).
Here, explain briefly as to why they went into Babylon as exiles.
In 538 B.C. the conqueror of Babylon, Cyrus king of Persia, issued a decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (see Ezra 1:2-4; 6:3-5).
Led by Zerubbabel, about 50,000 Jews journeyed home and began work on the temple.
About two years later (536) they completed the foundation amid great rejoicing (Ezr 3:8-10).
Their success aroused the Samaritans and other neighbors who feared the political and religious implications of a rebuilt temple in a thriving Jewish state.
They, therefore, opposed the project vigorously and managed to halt work until Darius the Great became king of Persia in 522 B.C. (Ezr 4:1-5, 24).
The Jews were more to blame for their inactivity than their opponents, and Haggai tried to arouse them from their lethargy.
About 18 years went by between the return of the exiles and the rebuilding of the temple. This delay is what brings forth the message of Haggai in 520 B.C.
Haggai preached four sermons to the Jews.
In 516 B.C. the temple was finished and dedicated (Ezr 6:15-18).
The Exegetical Idea (The Exegetical Theme):
Since the Jews became spiritually lethargic, God exhorted them to build His house.
Fallen Condition Focus (FCF; Demonstrate the relevance of the sermon to the contemporary audience):
Since Christians, like the post-exilic Jews, can easily become spiritually lethargic, we need to remind ourselves that we need to do the work of the Lord.
Proposition:
God encourages His people to do His work.
Sermonic Interrogative (Interrogative Sentence):
How does the Lord encourage us to do His work?
Transitional Sentence:
The Lord encourages us to do His work by taking us through the following steps (Key Word) that He used for the Jews.
Main Points:
I. God will Rebuke us (vv. 1-6, 9-11).
Verse 1 says that the Word of the Lord came to Haggai in the second year of Darius, King of Persia.
This is the first of the four sermons that Haggai preached to the Jews.
Here we see that God Almighty is rebuking His people.
The Reason for Rebuke (vv. 2-4).
These people. Because of their sin, the nation is not called "my people" (cf. 2:14).
Why is the Lord rebuking them?
The reason that the Lord is rebuking the people is that they were making lame excuses that “the time has not yet come for Lord’s house to be built” (Read v. 2).
While the Israelites were thinking about their own selves and their families, they had completely forgotten about the Lord’s house (Read vv. 3-4).
Theirs was not a genuine excuse. It was just a lame excuse!
They were trying to spiritualize the whole issue by saying that the time has not come for the Lord’s house to be built.
To refuse to build the [Lord’s] house was at best saying that it did not matter whether the Lord was present with them.
Perhaps the returnees were saying that it was better to wait for more favorable times.
In response to this, Haggai would have to say that the time is rarely just right to build the house of God--i.e., to do God’s work.
We can never expect the cooperation of the enemy in a truly spiritual task.
Taken from Shanklin’s Sermon, “It’s Time to Build the Lord’s House”. {Question: Is God against them building up their homes? Answer: No
Question: Is God against them because they spent more time building their homes and invested little or no time building up his house? Answer: Yes
Question: Is God against people maintaining a living, developing a career, having nice things? Answer: No
Question: Is God against folks who spend all of their energy maintaining a living, developing a career, obtaining nice things, but leave no room for God’s will, word, or work? Answer: Yes}
Taken from Shanklin’s Sermon, “It’s Time to Build the Lord’s House”. {God’s house in ruin, their house in riches;
God’s house, neglected, their house erected;
God’s house, not remembered, their house not forgotten;
God’s house, second class, their house first class;
God’s house, the leftovers, their house running over.}
The people had put their own comfort before the building of the temple.
The word translated "paneled" raises some questions.
It apparently refers to an overlay of some kind, in some cases definitely wood.
It simply means that the Jews were living in luxurious houses!
Illustration: {Many Christians give such lame excuses.
“I’m not able to serve God because of my problems.”
“I’m not able to give time to the Lord because I’m too busy with my office work.”
“I’m not able to serve God because of my kids.”
“I’m not able to serve God because nobody asked me to do so.”}
What types of excuses do we see people hiding behind?
Mat. 8:21-22 “permit me first to go and bury my father” – putting family ahead of the Lord; waiting around to collect the security of one’s inheritance
Luke 9:61-62 “but first permit me to say goodbye to those at home” – No place for emotional distractions or double-minded types of commitment
Are you giving lame excuses to do God’s work?
Don’t you have time for the Lord Who gave everything to you?
Are you so lost in your world that you don’t have time to build God’s Kingdom and to do His work?
The Result of Spiritual Lethargy (vv.6, 9-11).
Because they were spiritually lethargic, God had to discipline them.
Read v. 6
1) Pictured first is a lean harvest.
Reversal of the Harvest Principle - “You have sown much, but harvest little”.
2) The next picture is of a person suffering from some disease where quantities of food fail to satisfy his needs.
His metabolism somehow does not allow the food to be properly digested and turned into a healthy and strong body.
3) The wine was so watery that it failed to provide the satisfaction and stimulus it ordinarily should.
4) Their clothes were not sufficiently heavy to keep out the winter’s damp chill.
5) Somehow the people’s income failed to meet their expenses; money seemed to disappear through holes in their pockets. It is possible that inflation was working against solvency, as in our day.
All these figures speak of the hardship that befalls people who have not included the Lord in their plans and who are preoccupied with their own interests.
Tough times for us may not be coincidences.
Read v. 9-11
Agricultural and economic disaster resulting from God’s withdrawal of his blessing because of the people’s failure to do first of all what pleased him.
The reference to God’s blowing away what they brought home probably suggests that in the harvest was much chaff.
The kernels or grains of wheat were so insubstantial that they simply disappeared with the chaff in the winnowing process.
The harvest was poor because each man was busy with his own house, and no one cared for the house of God.
First, the heavens withheld their dew, and consequently, the earth withheld its crops. Dew was normally abundant, and often as valuable as rain.
Though ordinarily receiving more dew than the fields, even the mountains were denied it.
Thus also the vineyards and olive orchards would be affected.
Grain that supplied the staple bread, grapes that provided the basic beverage, and oil used for a number of things would all be in short supply.
Olive oil was used as food, ointment or medicine.
What a tragedy to have these three basic crops (the grain, the new wine, the oil) fail!
Those who plan to give to God ’once they have enough for themselves’ will never have enough for themselves!
Illustration: Taken from Shanklin’s Sermon, “It’s Time to Build the Lord’s House”. {You’ll have a degree, but can’t find a job. You’ll get a raise, but still be broke. Buy a house but can’t afford to eat. Got your child, but now he’s wearing you out.
You’ve left home, but you are two months behind in your bills. You’ve got your mate, but now you’ve gone from honeymoon to bitter pills.
You’ve got the job you want, but no promotion. Move into the neighborhood you’ve always wanted but hardly see it in the daytime.
You can eat any food you want, but still not be satisfied. Go anywhere you want but don’t have the time.}
If you devote yourself to sowing and eating and drinking and clothing yourselves and earning wages but neglect your ministry in the body of Christ (the temple of God, 1 Cor. 3:16, 17), you will live in constant frustration.
Are you reaping the punishment for neglecting God’s Work?
Then, the Lord has a remedy for you!
II. God will give us the Remedy (vv. 5, 7, 8).
God is giving remedy to the Jews to get out of the curse.
Give careful thought to your ways (vv. 5, 7).
God is exhorting the Jews to consider their ways.
That means look at the results of your spiritual lethargy.
In other words, you need to realize your folly.
Obey (v. 8).
The first positive part of Haggai’s initial message begins with three imperatives: "Go up . . . bring down . . . and build."
The original temple was built with cedars from Lebanon (1Ki 5:5-6).
Perhaps wood from the hills around Jerusalem was to supplement the cedar wood already purchased from Lebanon.
The reference to wood rather than stones may further indicate that only the interior work was left to be done.
The two reasons the Lord gives for the people to obey and build the temple are that he may have the pleasure and be honored in it.
be honored. An obedient nation would bring praise and honor to God.
Proof of the people’s devotion will come as they actually put their faith to work and finish the Lord’s temple.
Work began again on the twenty-fourth day of that every month.
Perhaps it took three weeks for the people to make their decision and make preparations, including cutting wood (cf. v. 8).
Requires initiative and hard work; must set aside other distractions; must be willing to suffer hardship.
Illustration: Taken from sermonillustrations.com {During the war between the states, General Lee sent word to Stonewall Jackson that he rode in the direction of headquarters he would be glad to see him on a matter of no great importance. When Jackson received the message he immediately prepared to leave the next morning. Rising very early, he rode 8 miles (13 kilometers) to Lee’s Headquarters against a storm of wind and snow. He arrived just as Lee was finishing breakfast. Lee greatly surprised, asked Jackson why he had come through such a storm? Jackson replied, “You said that you wished to see me. Sir, your slightest wish is a supreme command to me.”}
Is God’s slightest wish a supreme command to you?
Are you honoring the Lord by doing His work?
If you are willing to obey the Lord, He will surely reward you.
III. God will Reward us (vv. 13-15).
Since people responded by obeying the Lord and the message of His prophet, God rewarded them.
A. The way the Lord Rewarded (vv. 13-14).
The Lord rewarded them by:
1. The promise of His Presence (v. 13).
These words were comforting and encouraging to a people oppressed by enemies and depressed by failing crops.
He will never leave you nor forsake you.
2. Stirring up His people (v. 14).
The Lord stirred the spirits of the two leaders (Zerubbabel and Joshua) and all the people, and they began to work on the temple.
B. The Reason behind God’s Reward (v. 12)
After Haggai preaches his first message to the Jews, they respond positively.
They responded positively because they were in a lot of pain.
Illustration: {God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world. C. S. Lewis}
Many times, we too do not respond to the Lord unless we are chastised.
The Jews were rewarded because the Jews responded by obeying the Word of the Lord.
1. Obedience of Zerubabbel and Joshua (v. 12).
This is the Zerubbabel who led the exiles back to Judea; he was the grandson of Jehoiachin (Jeconiah in Mt 1:12).
Zerubbabel was, then, an heir to the Davidic throne; and it is understandable that the magnanimous Cyrus and Darius should allow such a man to be the governor of the province of Judea.
Joshua was a direct descendant of Aaron the Levite, the first high priest.
The political leader and the religious leader responded with obedience.
2. Obedience of the People (v. 12).
Verse 12 records the positive reaction of the two leaders and the people to Haggai’s initial sermon--they "obeyed" and "feared".
If you have the fear of God, you will obey the Lord.
Illustration: God looks for availability, not ability.
If you are willing enough, God will stir you up and strengthen you to do His work!
Conclusion:
The Lord said – “seek the kingdom first and all these other things will be added" (Matthew 6:33).
Let’s work for the spiritual temple of God – the Church.
Summary Sentence:
Therefore, we have seen that we can be encouraged to do the work of the Lord by following the steps that God used for Jews.
Summarize the Main Points:
Rebuke.
Remedy.
Reward.
Call to Specific Action/Action Statements:
I challenge you to put the Word of God into practice by start working for the Lord from today.
What you will be doing may seem insignificant, but you got to do something.
I’m praying for at least 5 people who are willing to help with any sort of ministry in the church.
If you are willing to serve the Lord in any capacity and willing to pay any price, we would be more than glad if you could meet us after the service.
Let’s take an initiative for the Building Project of our Church.
We need to do more! Let’s work for the Kingdom of God!
Note: I preached this sermon in 40 minutes.
