We always hear about our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.But, God judges whole cities for lack of relationship with him. If God were to say over Sold out ministries that the people lost their first love,from Jesus' perspective -He would look over people who were at one time on fire for God. There was a desire and passion for God, but now there is a pulling away and a lack of remembrance of what God has done for us in our lives. There comes a little slipping in of immorality, which causes divorce, strife, factions as well as other things that keep us from operating in the Spirit of unity -which God's anointing flows through. There are many things that can keep our eyes off of where they are supposed to be. We have HBO/the TV/music>all those things teaching us about immorality. But we have a choice as to what we will take heed of. We could follow that or we can follow what the bible says - to be holy as I am holy. That's how you gain a reputation as a church-the church at Sardis had a reputation that they were alive but God saw them as dead. Could you imagine that? God saw them as a dead church in the corporate setting. But whats even more amazing to me is that God is able when he speaks to this dead church and tells them to wake up. Being all powerful he can tell what is dead to wake up. The church that was dead corporately can come back alive at the word of the lord.
We are going to address two particular chapters that are very powerful in my life this morning. As I've looked at it again last night there were two things that particularly stood out to me. What you have here in Haggai chapter 1 is an interruption and if you turn back with me to the book of Ezra 3 let me just show you the historical setting the timing of this book here. Because its so powerful to see how God relates to his people in this time period. What we have here is the Israelites, the community of God, have just come out of the exile-being captive for seventy years when the first group of people have just come out. So think of it seventy years they've been enslaved and in captivity-what would 70 years do to you and I as a church having to be subject to the laws of pagans-you can read more about the seventy years in the book of Daniel. And you could see what they were subjected to (the different culture) they weren't able to worship and pray and do all the things that they were supposed to be doing in serving the Lord. The 70 years are over and they are beginning to come out they are coming to Jerusalem. They are returning back to their home and when they get there,(what happen is this- Just like anyone who has been held captive for 70 years) as you would think. They come back and they are just excited, they are free- they are free people once again. Immediately in Ezra chapter 3 they start thinking corporately-70 years of captivity individually. As I've thought about this, what many of us would have done is now that I'm free I got to go and establish myself, my home and all the things that are there. I got to get everything situated for my family, but when they come out of captivity back to Jerusalem, what you see is that there is such a cohesiveness, such a longing and desire, that what begins to take place in chapter 3 is that when they get out of there they begin to rebuild the things that have been destroyed, and right away go after restoring the alter. And shortly after they complete that which is about a seven month period. They began to shift and go after rebuilding the temple. And addressed the need that was in the house of the Lord and go into relaying the foundation again. Look with me in Ezra chapter 3.
Ezra 3:1
Altar and Sacrifices Restored
1 Now when the seventh month came, and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.
They were unified they were operating as one man, trying to restore God's name and His glory back to Jerusalem. And how He should have been displayed to the whole world. And things were going so well for the first year. and one year later after the captivity, with everyone walking together with one mind one heart and one purpose. Something drastically changes. Now all of a sudden what takes place with the Israelites- with God's community is that they go from captivity(being in fear,and bondage ,and bound with no freedom, just being there trying to survive) to a liberated community with the ability to make choices and decisions and they decide to choose to build the house of the lord, but comes year number two, and something starts to take the whole people of God on detour. What happens is there begins to be an attack from the enemy- look in your bible in Ezra chapter 4:
Adversaries Hinder the Work
1.Now when the enemies of Judah (I love the play on words over here, what Judah means is praise- so this is the enemy of praise. So what's happening is the year goes good and then the enemy of praise started to attack-those that were the enemies of Judah. Who were the enemies of Judah? Who they were-were the people [while Israel were in captivity] living in the city- they were the co-inhabitants. Now when they came back there was God's community and there were this mixed community that were there. And the dilemma arose as to what to do! ) The bible talks about that there was a fear- and the reason they had a fear of restoring the altar of God was because the enemies of praise were all around them. So when they start focusing on the kingdom and the corporate work of God- The enemy comes with this discouragement, watch this
2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God; and we have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.” (they were basically saying all the right things, they were acting spiritual- there was no reason for you to question them. But there was people who got into the community physically, who were not walking in the same spirit that they were. And what begins to happen is you get these individuals who have the wrong spirit, but are in the right place, saying the right things. And now you have a problem which arises that the people of God quickly recognize and say no these people are not to join with us on what God is doing with us in the Israelite community. And what happens when they say no you can't help us they begin to attack.Ezra 4:4
4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah (to discourage the people of praise, and they hired counsellors to work against their corporate relationship and puts it into their personal necessity and frustrate their plans. And so you see this attack from the enemy come from with in the city and with in the community-I want us to keep in mind the body of Christ as we are going to see how God begins to do this in Haggai-How God begins to take the focus off personal necessity and puts it into corporate relationship. ) He takes the focus from it's all about me and what I want, and my schedule, and he makes a shift in their mindset, and puts it to the kingdom as a whole. But see what happens is the opposition comes against them in the form of discouragement. I believe that God wants to do something great over here in this ministry. And every time I see growth seeming to occur, something occurs. When I was looking at this scenario last night is has occurred to me.What the enemy will look to do to attack the Spirit of the camp is to attempt to bring discouragement to you and I. There are going to be individuals that you will see coming through the doors sit in these seats that's a joy to be around that while everything is going good- they have a great spirit about things because they are building kingdom things. Because you are thinking corporately you are not just thinking personally, you are focusing on all the things that God is doing. Beloved that's when the enemy is going to send people into your life to try to discourage you. Why because he's not trying to stop you he is trying to stop us. So you have to be mindful that everything is not all about you. When an attack comes against you, it might not be just to attack you. But it's there to attack you in order to keep everything from going forward in the body. Remember it wasn't until the disciples were in one accord that the Spirit came down and filled these men who eventually turned the world upside down for Christ.
That's what took place when these people began to oppose and to discourage-they began to bring false accusations and wrote a letter to the king and said- these are rebellious people. These are the people that work on the house of God.
Look at Ezra 4:23 Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes’ document was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force of arms.
24 Then work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
70 years of captivity,1st year out-rebuild the altar/temple>boom all of a sudden attack from the enemy, discouragement- instantly all of a sudden work completely stops and comes to a stand still. They work for a year in unity, working as one man, God is beginning to restore every thing and it stops. That's why it's so important to be around people that will speak life into your spirit. Now I'm not talking about positive thinking-
I'm not talking about Tony Robbins type of thing that is sweeping through the church.
I'm talking about faith inducing words that will bring you into a place in which come what may- God is able to bring you through what ever you are going through.
Now after this stoppage in the work of God – fifteen years goes by and nothing is started up again. Fifteen years because of a little bit of discouragement. Turn with me to Haggai chapter 1 and I'm going to go through this real quickly. When you get to Haggai what's happening is this- God is trying to get the community back on track. They were doing good for that year and everything stops-people throw in the towel. Now you have an alter that was built, you have the temple unfinished, and it's just lying there just started. And now for 15 years the community exists and there are no thoughts about completing what was started. Something settled in there was a change in the attitude, the change that took place within the Israelite community on a corporate basis, and what you get here is this in chapter 1 .
Haggai 1:1 In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,
2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘This people says, “The time has not come, even the time for the house of the Lord to be rebuilt.” ’ ”
3 Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4 “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?”
5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways!
6 “You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.”
7 Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways!
8 “Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord.
9 “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house.
You have here a people who when they 1st come out of persecution there was a unity- the amazing thing that I have to acknowledge is that when we are in persecution there is a tendency to pull together in order to get through what is happening in our lives. After this we get into a life that is dominated by schedules, and we lose that community in our lives. Things start to go into wrote and repeat instead of flowing out of our lives because of a passion for the Lord. What Haggai begins to go after is this issue in their lives. These people started to be focused on themselves instead of honoring the Lord. When I've read this I could see that God wanted His house built. God wants this church (this community) to build this house. But there's more- go up to verse 7 Haggai 1:7-8
7 Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways!
8 “Go up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the Lord.
#1 you got to see this, God doesn't just want us to build the house. He does but we also have to understand the why. Because if we don't have the why, do you know what we are doing? We'll be just getting caught up into number games and create our own big world. We just begin to be this machine that's just driven by the next great event, the next great out reach, the next great thing, and we just begin to focus in on the numbers instead of the real focal point which should be Jesus.
What he says is this, the reason why this house needs to be built- is because it pleases God. Not only does it please Him but it gives Him honor- God is saying I want to be honored. So that means, if we keep living individually like it's said in those first verses-Haggai 1:6
6 “You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.”
God's saying I'm not getting honor when you are only concerned with your own lifestyle. Lets take a second to go back to the individual life for a second in verse 5 Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, “Consider your ways!
We see the phrase “Consider your ways” said three times and what I believe is this: Some of us could be living and missing what is happening in our lives. He's telling them stop and give careful thought, look at your life right now. And he goes on and basically encourages them to take inventory. And what the Lord did throughout Haggai is He begins to direct his people to give special attention to certain things.
1-You've planted much but you've harvested little-He's got the church the community planting a lot but wheres the return? He's saying maybe somethings off? They are unfulfilled in their lives-because if that is taking place there is something not right.
He says once again -you put on clothes, but your not warm. I don't know about you but that's plain out frustration-think about it it's cold outside and no matter what you put on you can't get warm. Your just constantly cold-that seems to me to be a miserable life. Always frustrated that whatever I put on I'm never going to get warm. You try to pray through it but God is calling you to consider your ways. We think problem is just the situation but the fact is, the problem lies within us.
Next level- you make wages and you put them in a purse with holes in it. You just seem to financially making enough money but you don't know where it's going?The solution in this passage is not to go and try to work longer hours, buy more clothes , get more food, get a bigger nest egg- it has nothing to do with that. What God wants you to do is getting back to glorifying and honoring God.
God wants to show up and be with us. He wants us to experience His presence- How do we get his presence in this house?
1-It starts with a priority shift we've got to start thinking us instead of me. When we look to serve others God is pleased.There has to be a balance between the personal and the community.
2-go to chapter 1:14 So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,
They started to put into practice that shift in priorities and functioned in the spirit of the community. God began to deal with the leadership, and bring them into focus as a body to start to build up His house, and they received the word to shift from personal focus to corporate focus and then the work starts again.
3- Go to chapter 2:
Haggai 2:1 On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet saying,
2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying,
3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?
4 ‘But now take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ declares the Lord of hosts.
5 ‘As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!’
6 “For thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land.
7 ‘I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.
8 ‘The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts.
9 ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the Lord of hosts.”
After doing what they said they were going to do -God said that He would pour out his Glory in this place. And it's going to be greater- but the promise didn't come to pass until after they've started the work. It didn't come on day one, it came three weeks later.
‘and in this place I will give peace,’ declares the Lord of hosts.” How many of us need peace in this place. It starts with prioritizing God's will. There is no greater stress reducer because if anything fails it's now in His hands and it's His responsibility taking you off the hook. We couldn't do it anyway.
Finally we are going to look at verse 18 for out final point Haggai 2:18-19
18 ‘Do consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the Lord was founded, consider:
19 ‘Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, it has not borne fruit. Yet from this day on I will bless you.’ ”
All of a sudden God's blessings begin to come-Where? To the individuals that are part of the corporate community. Theres something that God desires to do in this place- the peace,to honor Him, the joy,the glory, it comes when we lock arms together. I'm going to challenge you to think corporately. The shifting of our thinking from individual to corporate. In every revival you never think about your personal responsibility. Theres never a moment of complaining. Because complaining reveals the spirit of selfishness and individuality in the church today.It comes when we prefer our brother above ourselves.Amen
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