ROUTE 66 EP 042

ROUTE 66 Haggai - Better Things Are Coming

Introduction & Personal Testimony: The Principle of Giving

The sermon begins by focusing on the relevance of the Old Testament prophets, specifically Haggai, for our lives today. The pastor shares a personal story to illustrate the principle of prioritizing God's Kingdom.

Pastor's Personal Example: Early in his ministry at the church's old building, the 4th-6th grade classroom (the "city room") was in a state of disrepair. It had no proper ceiling, making it noisy, and was prone to sewage flooding.
Conviction from Scripture: During his personal quiet time, the pastor read Haggai 1:4: "‘Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lieth waste?’" This verse convicted him deeply. At the time, he and his wife were planning to use their tax return to remodel their own bathroom.
Act of Obedience: Feeling convicted by God, they decided to give that money to the church project instead. The pastor emphasized that the "return on our investment was so much greater than getting a stupid bathroom remodeled."
Application: This story illustrates a broader principle. Giving isn't just about money, but also our time, energy, talents, and bodies as a living sacrifice. Obedience to God, even when it's a sacrifice, brings great returns.

Panoramic View of Haggai: The Big Picture

To understand Haggai, it's crucial to understand its historical context, which revolves around the Babylonian Captivity (the exile). The pastor outlined three main timeframes for the prophetic books:

Pre-Exile: Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah wrote before the captivity, warning of the coming judgment.
Exile: Prophets like Daniel and Ezekiel wrote during the captivity, while the people were in Babylon.
Post-Exile: Prophets like Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi wrote after the people had returned to their land. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah also fit into this historical period.

The Context of Haggai

The book of Haggai takes place during the time described in the book of Ezra. By God’s will, the Gentile King of Persia had decreed that the Israelites could return to their homeland and rebuild the temple.
The Problem: The work began, but due to opposition from the enemy, the project was halted for approximately 15 years.
The People’s State: During this time, the people had become apathetic and indifferent. The foundation of God’s temple was overgrown with weeds, yet they were focused on their own homes and lives. This mirrors our own culture’s tendency to live in "Babylon," becoming comfortable in a worldly system.

Primary Theme: God's Temple & Future Hope

The central theme of Haggai is God’s temple, which represents His presence among His people. The book moves from the historical temple to the future, prophetical temple to provide hope.

The Problem of Comparison: The older generation who remembered Solomon's magnificent temple were discouraged. They looked at the new, shabby foundation and wept, comparing it to the glory of the past (Haggai 2:3).
God’s Response: God commands them to be strong and work, not to get stuck comparing the past to the present. He says, "Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel... be strong, O Joshua... and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts" (Haggai 2:4).
The Power of Future Hope: God gives us glimpses of the future to motivate us through present struggles.
- God's Promise: God tells them, "This house that you guys are whining and complaining about... I am going to fill this house with glory" (context of Haggai 2:7, 9). He promises a future glory that far surpasses the physical appearance of the temple.
- Example of Paul: Paul was given a vision of heaven (2 Corinthians 12), an "indescribable" mountaintop experience. This glimpse of future glory gave him the strength to endure immense suffering on earth.
- Application: When we feel discouraged by our present circumstances or tempted to look back with longing, God points us to the future. Our human, fleshly perspective is limited; God wants us to look to the future He has planned because better things are coming.

Our Future Hope: A Redeemed Body

A New Body: We will receive new, redeemed bodies that are so much better than our current ones.
Complete Salvation: When a person accepts Christ, their soul and spirit are saved. However, the flesh still struggles with sin. The future hope is for a redeemed physical body, free from corruption and sin. This is the "full package."
The Path Starts Now: For those who are not saved, this process can begin today by accepting Christ. For believers, there is a future hope of a life where we will no longer have to sin.

God's Perspective vs. Man's Perspective

The enemy constantly tries to minimize genuine works of God by causing us to focus on the negative. It is a vital reminder that God's estimation of a situation is always different from man's.

Key Point: God’s people need to be kingdom-centered rather than self-centered.
Example of Solomon: When God offered King Solomon anything he wanted, Solomon did not ask for personal riches or honor. He asked for wisdom to lead God’s people—a kingdom-centered request. Because of this, God not only granted him wisdom but also gave him the riches and honor he did not ask for.
Who God Is: God is a God of right priorities. He cares about where His house—His presence—stands in our lives and calls us out when we neglect it for our own comforts.
How We Are to Live: We are to put God’s Kingdom first, not our own. Our focus should be on building His house, not just our own lives.

Primary People and Events in Haggai

Haggai the Prophet: The Alarm Clock

Scripture Reference: Haggai 1:1 introduces the historical context: "In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel... and to Joshua..."
The Prophet’s Role: Haggai is referred to as "the prophet" and "the messenger." He is like an alarm clock, waking people up from their spiritual apathy. This call can be annoying, especially to those who are "resting" in their complacency.
Our Responsibility: As Christians, we all have the responsibility to be messengers for God, to speak "Thus saith the Lord." Our objective is not to please people but to please the Lord. We are called to speak the truth in love.

Haggai's Main Message: Invest in God's Kingdom

The Core Rebuke: Haggai's message to the people was, "You’re investing in your own little kingdom when you should be investing in God’s kingdom." They were prioritizing their own "ceiled houses" while God's house lay in ruins.
The Consequences of Neglect: The people were experiencing a lack of fulfillment and blessing because they were neglecting God.
- Haggai 1:6: "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."
- Spiritual Application: This principle applies to us spiritually. If we put our own kingdom agenda before God’s, we will experience a lack of spiritual fruit and fulfillment.
The Key Word: "Consider": A key word, used at least five times in the book, is "consider."
- Haggai 1:5, 7: "Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways."
- Application: The prophet urges the people—and us—to stop and seriously think about our actions, our priorities, and the ultimate consequences. They were living for the "now" without considering the big picture.

The Misery of a Disobedient Christian

The most miserable people are not the unsaved, but Christians living out of God’s will.
Who God Is: God is a loving Father who allows affliction and misery in our lives to guide us back to where we need to be. He will ensure that we are never satisfied as long as we are pursuing our own agenda instead of His.
Who I Am: A believer has a new nature that battles the old nature, causing internal conflict when living in disobedience.

The Four Messages of Haggai

The book consists of four messages from Haggai to the remnant of Israel. One of the messages strongly emphasizes the need for holiness.

Quote: "Wickedness in the life of a Christian is like wearing a bathing suit to a wedding." - Brian Clark. It simply doesn't fit; it's out of place.

Pictures of Christ in Haggai

The pastor identifies three "pictures" or "types" of Christ in the text.

First Picture: Zerubbabel, The Governor

Scripture: Haggai 2:20-23
Context: The Lord speaks a second time to Haggai, addressing Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah. God declares He will "shake the heavens and the earth," overthrowing heathen kingdoms (v. 21-22), a prophecy of the future Great Tribulation.
The Message: God tells Zerubbabel, "In that day... I will take thee... and will make thee as a signet; for I have chosen thee" (v. 23). A signet ring was a symbol of authority, honor, and royal power.
Application (Who God Is & Who I Am):
- Who God Is: While Zerubbabel was the historical leader, this prophecy ultimately points to Jesus Christ. Jesus is the chosen one, the true King who will establish His eternal throne.
- Who I Am: I am part of a story that is heading toward a glorious conclusion under the true King, Jesus.

Second Picture: Joshua, The High Priest

Context: Alongside Zerubbabel the political leader, Joshua served as the spiritual leader, the high priest.
The Message:
1. His Name: The name "Joshua" in Hebrew is Yeshua, which is the same name as "Jesus."
2. His Office: Joshua held the office of High Priest.
Application (Who God Is & Who I Am):
- Who God Is: Jesus Christ is our great High Priest. We no longer need an earthly intermediary.
- Who I Am: I am a priest. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, all saved believers have direct access to God. We do not need to go through another person for confession or access to God's presence.

Third Picture: The Desire of All Nations

Scripture: Haggai 2:7-9
Context: This is a prophecy about a future temple, looking ahead to the Millennial reign of Christ. The temple they were building was the very one where Jesus, the King, would later teach and announce, "The kingdom of God is at hand."
The Message:
- God says, "I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory" (v. 7).
- "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former... and in this place will I give peace" (v. 9).
Application (Who God Is & How to Live):
- Who God Is: Jesus Christ is the "Desire of All Nations." While nations may not consciously desire Christ, they universally desire what He brings: Peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
- How I Am to Live: This peace is not just the absence of conflict but an internal, spiritual peace "that passes all understanding" (Philippians 4:7). If you are saved, Christ dwells in you; you are His temple. We must yield control to Him.
- Example: The Apostle Paul and Silas, though beaten and imprisoned, were able to praise God at midnight because they possessed this unexplainable, internal peace from Christ.

Main Message: Stop Waiting for a Convenient Time

The central problem in Haggai was the people's procrastination. After 15-16 years, they claimed, "The time is not come, the time that the Lord’s house should be built" (Haggai 1:2).

Key Point:

When God tells you to do something for Him, it will very rarely be at a convenient time.
- We must stop waiting for all our "ducks to be in a row." When God's Word is clear, "It's not God's timing yet" is an invalid excuse.
- The Commission: God commanded, "Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified" (Haggai 1:8). This parallels our Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). We are called to "go, bring, and build."
- The Promise: God’s message was, "I am with you, saith the LORD" (Haggai 1:13). This is the same promise Jesus gives us: "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."
- Our Problem: We get discouraged, apathetic, and fearful. The Israelites had been wounded by enemy opposition (recorded in Ezra) and were crippled by fear.
- God's Response: God is bigger than our obstacles. We cannot allow past attacks to cripple us from future obedience.

Overcoming Fear with Faith

The Message: The spirit of fear does not come from God. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). God reminded the Israelites that He rescued them from Egypt (Isaiah 37:6). The same faith that saved us is the faith that sustains us.
Application (How I am to Live):
- Instead of fear and apathy, we must be a people of conviction, like David facing Goliath.
- Example (Bob Berry): At a local talent show, Bob was fearful but chose to use the opportunity to preach the gospel out of deep conviction. He acted on the principle, "To whom much is given, much is required," and was obedient despite his fear.

Jesus and the Inconvenient Time

Scripture: Luke 13:11-17
Context: Jesus encounters a woman crippled for eighteen years and heals her on the Sabbath. The ruler of the synagogue became indignant because it was an "inconvenient" or improper time.
The Message: Jesus called him a hypocrite, pointing out that if they would care for animals on the Sabbath, how much more should this "daughter of Abraham" be loosed from Satan’s bondage?
Application (How I am to Live):
- It will almost always be an "inconvenient time" to free someone from bondage through the gospel. The greatest opportunities often come at the most inconvenient moments.
- We must stop waiting for the perfect financial situation, schedule, or feeling. When God says to do something, we must do it. Satan will ensure the "convenient time" never arrives.

Conclusion and Call to Action

The message of Haggai is that God’s Kingdom, His temple (His people), and His presence are the priority. He does not take second place. We must ask ourselves where we need to change and be obedient.

For the Unsaved: Have you considered your eternal destination? The best move you can make is to meet Jesus Christ and be born again.
For the Saved: What is your next step?
- Do you need discipleship and accountability to grow?
- Do you need to be baptized as a public declaration of your faith?
- Is there someone you need to speak to, but fear has been holding you back? Stop overthinking and just do it.
- Do you need to remove something from your life, or move from being a "taker" to a "giver"?
Final Thought: The story of Peter warming himself by the fire while Jesus was on trial is a powerful reminder. It is easy to become focused on our own comfort while others are suffering. Let Jesus Christ be our true comfort, not the fleeting comforts of the flesh that lead us astray. Let us be doers of the Word.