I Look Within (2.10-17)
A Haggai challenges the Temple builders to carefully measure their hearts as they raise the walls.
1 Haggai was about to preach his third which started with two illustrations about spiritual health (v.12,13) that he directs to the priests.
a IL. This week, former V.P. Dick Cheney said that while in office he had a resignation letter kept in safe that only President Bush and another staff member knew about. The reason was because of Cheney’s past health problems and if he became incapacitated in some way, there was (and is no) mechanism in place to replace a VP that is incapacitated.
aa There was a gray area in the law so Cheney was prepared if the situation came up.
bb The Bible has a plan for gray areas too. Deut. 17.8-11. Go ask the preacher! Haggai does!
b The first illustration was about the Temples alters ability to make things holy, consecrated, sacred, clean.
aa Ex. 29.37, Speaks to the alters ability to sanctify.
bb Jesus alludes to this in Matt. 23.19.
cc Lev. 6.27, tells us that meat offered on the alter can make other items sanctified.
dd You put the meat in your coat and then start touching bread, stews, wine, oil, etc., does these items become holy?
cc Answer: 12b “And the priests answered and said, “No.”
c The second illustration was about touching dead bodies.
aa If one touched a dead body and then went & touched bread, stews, wine, oil, etc. do these items become unclean?
bb Answer: 12b “And the priests answered and said, “It will become unclean.”
2 v.14, Haggai gives the interpretation of the answers to the questions he asked the priests, “So is this people . . . nation, . . . every work . . . every offering is unclean.”
a The Jews couldn’t make God’s House more holy, Altars more sacred, Treasury more righteous.
b They could make these things unclean, defiled, impure.
aa W/ sin, selfishness, wrong/bad attitudes, pride, spiritual arrogance, faulty thinking.
bb These things spread through out the congregation of Israel like a viral outbreak.
cc “I don’t think the priest knows what he’s talking about. If I was running things around here, things would be different.”
c The Jews were showing up to work on the rebuilding of the Temple only to infect/contaminate everybody else with their own sin.
3 Haggai was telling the people to understand that it was easier to fall into sin than to fall into righteousness (Sin is contagious, holiness is not.)
a When we are sick with a cold/flu/chicken pox we try desperately not to come in contact with others because we do not want to make them sick (contaminate, expose).
b Why don’t healthy, strong, well people go amongst those with colds/flu so they could catch their health, strength, wellness?
aa You already know the answer: Sickness is contagious but health is not.
bb Easier for you & me to get sick than it is to get healthy.
cc There is a reason we stay away from sick people, keep our kids home from school when they’re sick . . . we don’t want to get infected.
B When our attitudes are wrong nothing we give to God is really acceptable. (Worship, offering, ministry, even prayer)
1 God made it clear a long time ago that He wanted more than simply going through the motions from His people.
a He wanted sincere worship, not performance.
b He wanted our hearts, not our hands.
c He desired obedience over sacrifice
2 God’s desire for His people have not changed today.
a Matt. 6.33, We are to be seeking His Kingdom, righteousness first.
b Heb. 12.15, God gives a stern warning about deviation from what He desires from us..
3 v.15-18, Haggai reminded Israel that God had withheld their blessings because of sin, spiritual laziness in their lives.
a He either worked against them or did not allow things to go in their favor.
b Not a case of God trying to teach a lesson, but rather a case of people in sin in need of repentance (v.17).
3 IL. Early in our ministry a couple at the church we were pastoring at the time gave us a $100 gift certificate to a fancy restaurant. (We were po’ and $100 was a lot of scratch in 20 years ago.)
a Cleaned the car (Ford Tempo GLS) for valet, cleaned up, Brutt 33, dressed in olive double-breasted suit; Pam got all dolled up, put on the fuffy-fuffy perfume used only on special occasions and off we went!
aa Pulled our car up, walked in, entered the lounge area and ate crackers & cheese while we waited for our table, waiter came, took our order, suggested wines, etc.
bb Brought our check and I said, “Baby, give me the gift certificate.” “I don’t have it. They gave it to you.” She said. “You’re the wife, you’re supposed to keep track of stuff like this.”
cc Deep weeds! We’d been acting rich, smelled rich, looked rich, but without that certificate it invalidated everything!
b There are times in our lives when we can look, act, and even smell holy.
aa But without a relationship with the Lord, we’ve forgotten something.
bb It’s the relationship that validates everything else.
T.S.: Haggai told Israel to look within themselves to keep straight while telling them to look someplace else to keep moving.
II Look Ahead (2.18-23)
A V.18, is a new day, beginning, fresh start, revival!
1 They people were back to work on the Lord’s House (Remember, that’s the reason why their in Jerusalem in the first place: calling/appointment)
a v. 19, Is your seed in the barn? (No, they had planted it already. It was in the ground)
b Haggai is saying, “Trust God to bring you blessing, favor in the other areas of your life when your putting His call first, kingdom first, righteousness first.”
c I was in the Drs. Office in St. Louis and a guy setting next me was going to dr. whose name he couldn’t pronounce, got a prescription for a medicine he had never heard of, gave it to a pharmacist he never met and took the medicine hoping he’ll get well! FAITH!
2 Haggai told the Jews to trust God, serve Him and He’ll bless you!
a Haggai wasn’t separating sacred from secular.
b Farming was just as spiritual as church work and church work was just as spiritual as farming.
c Haggai was saying you put the farming ahead of church work . . . your farming will be the one that suffers.
3 Quick application for that is that whatever you do remember we do it as unto the Lord as spiritual service.
a We govern our church (out of convience/tradition) by saying deacons in charge of the spiritual direction and others will handle the material direction. (Not biblical)
aa Building a new building should be just as spiritual as having a revival.
bb The managing of material blessings should be as sacred as managing the “spiritual” ministries of the church.
b In an old hymnal it is written, “I AM YOUR SONG BOOK: I am your song book, a book containing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. In most instances I have been purchased with money from the Lord’s treasury, and will be used by a multitude of people. I am not a notebook or a writing pad; please do not mutilate my pages by turning the corners down. I am not a toy for children, neither am I to be used as a fan or a pillow. Be careful with my back, and if you find me on the floor, kindly pick me up. Handle me with care, and keep me in good condition that I may have a long life of usefulness. Study my contents that you may better use me to His glory.”
aa Everything we do can bring glory to God.
bb Picking up a trash in the pew, dirty Kleenex, candy wrappers, . . . this is a sacred place.
cc Col. 3.23
B Haggai affirms their faithfulness will bring about blessedness (v.20-23)
1 God promises He’s going to shake the heavens and the earth (turn them upside down) but He’s going to shake blessing out on the Chosen.
a He speaks to Zerubbabel (He’s a descendant of David, claim to the throne of Israel, Royal ties) and says when I turn the world upside down, I will work through you, fulfill my promise through you.
b The signet ring is a physical representation that the King will keep His promise.
aa Matt. 1.12; Luke 3.27
bb The King has kept His promise to Zerubbabel and King Jesus proves it!
2 Mark 13.13 NASB, Keep up what you’re doing with love.
a Gal. 6.9 NASB
b God is always moving forward! Will you move with Him?
Conclusion:
Notice to Sermon Central Users:
My name is Mike Fogerson, and I pastor a Southern Baptist Church in Chester, Illinois. I have been a long-time user of Sermon Central and truly appreciate its content and contributors. Some of the best sermons I’ve ever preached have been reworked material from this website. As you use the material from my sermon bank, understand that it is work that has been done from not just myself, but from hundreds of other pastors as well. If you see part of your message, or a bunch of your message with my name on it and this upsets you, please email me and I will quickly respond and cite you as the main source. My intent is not to claim someone’s work as my own. I am disclaiming up front that I use the resources from Sermon Central and appreciate the tool. I simply want all those who use my work to know that some of these messages were inspired by the Holy Spirit working through other pastors. Because I do use the messages of other pastors I waive all claims of originality or origin of creativity for the messages posted under my messages. I pray God blesses your preaching ministry for the glory of His Kingdom.
Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
