The Right Time To Rebuild
Haggai 1:6-15
Several years ago we (as a church) felt led to invest our time, money and resources into remodeling our church building. This facility was erected in 1979 and over the years time had taken it's toll. In all honesty, much of the work should have been done sooner. But we eventually came to a place where God revealed to us that it was time to get to work. It took some time and the process brought some inconveniences but when you look at the end result I believe the sacrifice was worth it.
I love to see old things restored to new. Whether it is an old piece of furniture, a building, a home or a classic car, it is exciting to see something that had been neglected brought back to life.
In recent years the Southern Baptist Convention has seen a need to invest in existing churches that have plateaued or declined. This is called church "revitalization". To "revitalize" is to inject (something) with new life and vitality. It means to refresh, invigorate, renew or revive. Not only are there some churches that need to be "revitalized" as whole, there are some relationships that need to be "revitalized". There are many people who once had a right relationship with the Heavenly Father but over time they have grown cold and indifferent. These individuals have backslidden and need to return to the Father.
The Book of Haggai chronicles the fact that it was past time for the Temple of the Lord to be rebuilt. Through Haggai God confronted His people about the fact that His house was laying in a pile of rubble. The people of Israel said among themselves that "now was not the time to rebuild the Temple". But God made it clear that it was indeed time to return to the Lord's work! God was not pleased with the inactivity of His people. As a result they suffered severe consequences. They were rebuked sternly by the Lord. And God called them to consider their ways. He also informs them that if they will obey His Word then He would be pleased with them.
I am excited to report to you that God's people listened... and they obeyed! They began to do the work that they had neglected for so long. They started to rebuild the abandoned Temple. God's people went from saying "now is not the time" to saying now is "The Right Time To Rebuild".
That is the thought that I would like for us to consider today... "The Right Time To Rebuild"
There is nothing I would like more for our assembly than for revival to break out. I echo what Habakkuk said when he called out to the Lord and said "O LORD, revive thy work' - Let me share some good news with you... GOD DESIRES TO REVIVE HIS WORK IN HIS PEOPLE! Just as He called on Israel to rebuild the Temple, He is calling us to rebuild some things as well. God would have His people to come to the realization that now is "The Right Time To Rebuild".
They say that for alcoholics and addicts the first step towards recovery is to admit that there is a problem. Likewise, in order for a Christian to overcome the apathy that consumes their life is to realize and admit that there is a problem. The next step is to do something about it! Unfortunately, Israel was at a point where they denied that there was a problem. Look with me to verses 6-7 as we examine:
I. THE PROCRASTINATION OF GOD'S PEOPLE v6-7
Procrastination means to delay or postpone something. Gloria Pitzer said:
"Procrastination is my sin"
"It brings me nothing but sorrow"
"I know that I should stop it"
"In fact, I will...tomorrow."
(Source:Today in the Word, MBI, April, 1990, p. 41.)
I know some people who procrastinate about procrastinating. When it came to the Lord's work, Israel was guilty of procrastination. Notice if you will:
A. The Task Involved (ref: v1-5) - The Jews had been delivered from captivity in Babylon. They were allowed by Cyrus to return to Israel. When they arrived there was much work to be done. Jerusalem and the Temple had been plundered, burned and destroyed. Instead of rebuilding the Lord's house the people began to build their own homes.
Many of our inactive and idle brethren are not necessarily opposed to the Lord's work. In fact many of them have every intention of one day dedicating themselves to serving the Lord and contributing to the furtherance of His Kingdom. But they put off their service to their Master while living their lives for themselves. What we are speaking of is a matter of priorities.
Abraham Lincoln said " You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” If God has called you to accomplish a specific task and you refuse or procrastinate there will be consequences. The people of Israel learned this the hard way. Consider if you will:
B. The Trouble Involved - v6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. 7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.
C. As God confronts His people He references the fact that they planted many crops but harvested very little.... they ate but were not satisfied... they drank but their thirst was not quenched.... they wore clothes but they were not warmed.... they earned wages but their money disappeared as if they had holes in their pockets. God says "look at all that is happening to you and ....CONSIDER YOUR WAYS"!!
When you procrastinate concerning your responsibilities for the Lord there will be a steep price to pay. Many times Christian people will face extreme difficulty and place the blame in the wrong place. Trouble comes and they say "boy, the devil sure is after me", or "God sure is testing my faith" ... or "the Lord must be trying to teach me patience". What they fail to realize is that sometimes the troubles that we face are the effects of the chastising hand of our Heavenly Father!
You may say "Oh, but preacher... God wouldn't do that to us!" - If you believe that you are dead wrong! God will punish you and He won't hesitate to take credit for it! Look down to - v9 Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.
If He punished Israel, He will do the same to us! Remember what His Word says in - Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
The goal of the Father is to get you to realize that you are not doing what you have been called to do. Maybe you are at that point right now. Perhaps God has given you a wake up call and you now comprehend the fact that you have abandoned your duty. You have no doubt that there are some changes that need to be made immediately.
- If so, then I would like for you to listen close as God reveals your next step. Consider:
II. THE PRESCRIPTION FOR GOD'S PEOPLE v8-9 - When you have a problem concerning your physical health you go to the doctor. He identifies the problem and often will give you a prescription that will cure your ailment.
When we have problems with our spiritual health God is quick to identify them. And through His Word, He will give you a prescription that will solve those issues. This prescription is twofold. The first part of the prescription is for us to:
A. Hear God's Warning - v9 Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. 10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. 11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.
God warned Israel about the trouble they were facing and what was to come if they failed to repent. He said that they hoped for good harvests but they were poor. And then what little they did bring in, He blew it away! The Lord had caused a drought in their land. Because there was no water the crops withered away. With no crops the livestock and the people would starve. This food and livestock was also how many of them made their living. Because of these conditions all of their hard work would be lost. This would have affected their income greatly.
Uh oh! Do you see what I see? God was going right after what mattered most to them. THEIR MONEY! What did they do with their money? They used it to purchase the materials for these luxurious homes they were building. The very same homes they were building while God's house was in ruins. Notice that God makes it clear in v9 that all of this was happening because of their disobedience. (The Lord said this was happening) "Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. - God got their attention by removing what distracted them from Him!
In the Bible we are told of a time when David's son Absalom wanted to speak with Joab. He sent for him once and he wouldn't come, he sent for him again and he did not come. After a while, Absalom set Joab's barley field on fire and Joab came running to him.
Sadly, there are many people who ignore God when things are going good. But when trouble comes and tragedy strikes He is the first One they run to! There are 3 main areas in life that people regularly put before the Lord. These are Professions Possessions and People.
People choose their career over the Lord (possessions). For some, stuff is more important to them than the Lord (possessions). For some, family and friends often take precedence over the Lord (people)
I fully believe there comes a time when God gets fed up with the idolatry of His people and He will remove those things that hinder them from Him. Will it take God removing your profession, or your possessions or certain people for you to return to Him? You may say "the Lord wouldn't do that to me!". My friend, there is an abundance of scriptural evidence that prove you are wrong. In fact He will chastise you and He will tell you why He did it! Jesus said in Revelation 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
That is exactly what He did to Israel here in Haggai. So the prescription for those who are procrastinating is to Hear God's Warning. The next step is to:
B. Heed God's Warning - v8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.
It is not enough to simply realize your error. It is not enough be sorry about your actions. It is not enough to fear the chastising rod of your Heavenly Father. Once you HEAR His warning, you must HEED His warning!
God warned Israel and then He told them how they should respond. In verse 8 He says - "Go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored."
There are many different people here today. Each are at a different place in their walk with Christ. Each have their own gifts, abilities and callings. But there are some who are not where they are supposed to be or doing what they have been called to do. If this describes you, you know what you should be doing. The Holy Spirit has already convicted you of your disobedience. Through God's Word you have been warned of the consequences. I don't know the specific details of your situation. But I do know the answer for your rebellion... heed God's warning, repent, return to Him and devote yourself to the work that currently sits idle! And as verse 8 says, then the Lord will be pleased with you!
Maybe you are guilty of procrastination, through this message you have heard God's prescription for your situation. If you will obey the Lord and devote yourself to serving Him then you can move forward for Him. This leads us to the final point I would like to consider:
III. THE PROGRESS OF GOD'S PEOPLE (v12-15) - Israel began to move forward from this point. They heard and heeded the words of God. They FINALLY obeyed His command. As a result they made progress for the Lord.
There are 3 steps that will ensure that we move forward for Him as well. Notice:
- Step 1 - Listen To God - v12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the LORD.
These verses tell us that God's people heard His voice, obeyed His voice and feared Him. Perhaps they obeyed Him BECAUSE they feared Him. Regardless, they listened to the Lord. God our Father loves His children enough to warn them when they are disobedient. He could have thrown Israel away but He didn't. He does not have to extend mercy to us, but He does!
Notice also HOW God reached His people. He used His prophet Haggai. Through Him, the people heard the Word of the Lord. He is still reaching men and women in similar fashion today. The message that I deliver is not mine... it is the Lord's. Let me encourage you to LISTEN TO THE LORD! Once you listen to the Lord and return to a place of obedience, you must return to your work for God. When you find yourself working for Him, it is imperative that you trust Him. This leads us to:
- Step 2 - Lean On God - v13 Then spake Haggai the LORD'S messenger in the LORD'S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD.
The Lord not only sent a message of rebuke to His people, through Haggai He also sent a word of encouragement. God wanted Israel to know that as they labored to rebuild His Temple, He would be with them each step of the way. No matter what your calling is, you can be assured that when you serve the Lord, HE WILL BE WITH YOU! God may have called you to a difficult task. He may desire you to step out of your comfort zone or He may have led you to do something that seems impossible. If you will lean on the Lord and remember that He is with you... you can be successful! Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 19:26 .... With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Remember also what God told Joshua. He said "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)
Whatever the task... whatever the calling, LEAN ON GOD! Once you listen to God and being to Lean on God then the next step is simple... Get to work! Notice:
- Step 3 - Labor For God (v14) - We are told that Israel "came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God"
What they did was begin to do what they should have done all along! And that is the answer for many of you today. Begin to do what you should have been doing all along! But before we close I want to see just how we should do this. Consider the fact that:
a) We Must Labor Enthusiastically - 14a And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people;
Enthusiasm is intense and eager enjoyment or interest. These people did not labor for the Lord just because they feared Him. They didn't serve so that the chastisement would stop. They were not working so that the drought would cease and their living conditions would improve. They labored because it was the right thing to do. And they were enthusiastic about their work.
Folks, it is an honor and privilege to serve the Lord in any capacity. Whatever your calling, serve with enthusiasm. Don't say "I have to go to church"... you should be excited that you get to go to church. Don't say "I have to teach that class"... you should be honored that you get to teach that class. Don't say "I have to go witness to my neighbor... you should be thrilled at the opportunity to share the life changing good news of Jesus Christ with a friend! You have the privilege of singing in that choir, playing that instrument or serving on that committee. Whatever you duty, never look down on your position! If God has called you and equipped you to do something for Him, then there is no greater position on earth! So whatever you do... labor enthusiastically!
Not only should we labor enthusiastically, we also see that:
b) We Must Labor Collectively - v14b and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, 15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
Notice that all of the people joined together to accomplish the task that had been assigned. For some time the work remained idle as everyone focused on their own interests. While everyone was focused on themselves the work of the Lord sat idle. I wonder if there were some who had a desire to begin rebuilding the Temple but they felt that they could not be productive on their own. So, like the others they procrastinated and remained idle. If there had been some leaders who had stepped up, there may have been many who were willing to join in.
The problem that Israel faced is the same problem that plaques the church today. Everyone is sitting around waiting on "someone else" to do things. Once God got His people attention, the leaders stood up and began to lead. And a strange thing happened... others began to follow. Then something amazing happened... work was accomplished, progress was made and the Lord was pleased! The very same result can occur in this very church! It will happen... WHEN WE LABOR COLLECTIVELY!
We must also address the fact that we will never labor collectively until each one is willing to do their part and labor individually!
C. We Must Labor Individually - Each person joined in and did their part to ensure that the Temple was rebuilt. Not everyone had the same job, but they all had the same goal and purpose.
If I performed a survey I am sure that 100% of the people here would say that you desire revival. You want to see folks saved. You want to see backsliders restored. You want to see people mature spiritually. You want to see the church grow and you want to see the Kingdom advanced.
I can assure you that none of these things will occur if everyone sits back and expects someone else to do all of the work. But if each person will find a place to serve and give their all, God will bless your effort. He will be pleased and glorified. The results are in His hands... all He requires of us is to be willing vessels.
Perhaps some of you have abandoned your area of service because your relationship with the Lord is just not where in needs to be. May I encourage you to stop procrastinating, return to the Lord ...rebuild that relationship and then return to the work that has been assigned.
Whatever the situation, may we come together and agree that now is "The Right Time To Rebuild".
