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Call to worship: Luke 14:25-35

Text: Haggai 1:1-15

Summary:

The Lord speaks through Haggai to a spiritually negligent people. They don't share the same concern of their covenant Lord for the glory of His house. Not recognizing the signs of His displeasure, they seek their profit in this world only to be perpetually frustrated by its returns. The Lord speaks to recenter their lives around Him, His glory, and Kingdom. Ever in His hands, the Sovereign of our circumstances proves the Sovereign of spirits, stirring them up to a work that, by its destruction, finally directs us to a true house of God that can never be destroyed, a house of greater glory - the Church of our risen Lord Jesus.

Sermon Outline:

1. Realigning hearts with the building of God's house. (1:1-11)
2. Advancing to action in the building of God's house. (1:12-15)
3. Applying Haggai 1 to the building of God's house today.

Prepare

Discussion Questions:

1. Read Haggai 1. Compare with the texts given for our call to worship and intermediate reading above.
2. Can you locate the historical setting for Haggai's ministry? Does his ministry intersect with any other prophets? Who are the leaders in Judah at this time? What does the Lord bring to their attention (1:2)? How would you characterize the deficit in Judah's spiritual state (1:3)?
3. What charge does the Lord give them? What are they to consider? If they do so, what will they discover? If we seek profit for profit's sake, will we ever have enough? Are following Jesus and 'keeping up with the Jones' compatible? How do their shortfalls relate to God's covenant with them?
4. What charge does God repeat in 1:7? What is God's concern? Do the people share His concerns? Would our Lord ever withdraw His graces from us? If so, for what reason? Do we thank God for weaning us off this world, that our affections and actions might be set more fully on Him and His glory and Kingdom?
5. What do we learn in the passage about the power of the Word in light of the people's change? Who gets glory for stirring us up to action? What then is our obligation to that end? What promise does the Lord make to our laboring for His glory? How does the rebuilding of the temple relate to Christ and the Church's mission in the world? Consider: Mt 16:18, Jn 2:19, 1 Cor 3:10-17, Eph 2:17-22, 3:14-19, 4:12-16, 1 Pet 2:3-4, Rev 21:1-5.