Aligning Our Priorities with God's Mission
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delved into the powerful books of Haggai and Zechariah, exploring their relevance not only to the people of Israel but also to us today. These books are set in a time when the Israelites returned from exile and were tasked with rebuilding the temple. The central theme is about keeping the main thing the main thing—focusing on God's priorities rather than our own. The Israelites were initially distracted by building luxurious homes for themselves while neglecting the temple, which serves as a metaphor for how we often prioritize our own desires over God's work.
Zechariah and Haggai remind us that God doesn't need to bring calamity to teach us lessons; He uses His Word and the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Israelites' history of poor decisions serves as a warning for us to heed God's instructions and avoid the consequences of disobedience. The books also emphasize the importance of teamwork in ministry, as seen in the collaboration between Haggai and Zechariah.
We explored how focusing on end-times prophecy or other specific aspects of faith can sometimes distract us from the main mission: spreading the Gospel. While these studies are important, they should not overshadow our primary calling to reach the lost. Jesus Himself emphasized that the Gospel must be preached to all nations before the end can come.
When we stop making the main thing the main thing, we dishonor God, our prayers become inward-focused, and we squander the gifts He has given us. Conversely, when we align our priorities with God's, we walk in the Spirit and can accomplish the seemingly impossible task of reaching the world with the Gospel. The message concludes with a call to action, urging us to make God's priorities our own and to use our gifts for His glory.
### Key Takeaways
1. God's Instruction and Mercy: God doesn't need calamity to teach us; He uses His Word and the Holy Spirit. The Israelites' history of poor decisions serves as a warning to heed God's instructions to avoid dire consequences. This principle underscores the importance of listening to God's guidance to live a life aligned with His will. [06:49]
2. The Importance of Teamwork in Ministry: The collaboration between Haggai and Zechariah highlights the power of teamwork in ministry. Just as they worked together to encourage the rebuilding of the temple, we too should embrace collaboration to strengthen the church and fulfill God's mission. [03:51]
3. Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing: The Israelites' focus on building luxurious homes while neglecting the temple serves as a metaphor for how we often prioritize our desires over God's work. We must keep the main thing—spreading the Gospel and fulfilling God's mission—at the forefront of our lives. [08:17]
4. Walking in the Spirit: When we align our priorities with God's, we walk in the Spirit and operate in His power. This alignment allows us to accomplish what seems impossible, as we are no longer relying on our strength but on God's. [35:50]
5. Using Our Gifts for God's Glory: God has given each of us unique gifts to fulfill His calling. When we squander these gifts, we miss out on the joy and purpose that come from serving Him. By using our gifts for His glory, we contribute to His mission and experience the fulfillment of our divine purpose. [31:27]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[02:13] - Opening Prayer
[03:51] - Power of Teamwork in Ministry
[05:20] - Returning to a Devastated Land
[06:49] - God's Instruction and Mercy
[08:17] - Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing
[09:44] - Zechariah's End Times Prophecies
[11:14] - The Battle of Armageddon
[12:41] - The Main Theme: Prioritizing God's Work
[14:06] - The Blessing of Abraham
[15:26] - The Fulfillment of All Things
[16:59] - Serious and Watchful in Prayer
[18:34] - The Gospel Must Be Preached
[20:04] - God's Jealousy Explained
[22:48] - Honoring God's Voice
[24:16] - Inward-Focused Prayers
[25:50] - The State of American Churches
[27:08] - The Joshua Project
[28:38] - Creating Revival
[30:04] - Stirring Up the Gift Within
[31:27] - Squandering God's Gifts
[32:57] - The Glory of the Latter Temple
[34:33] - Walking in the Spirit
[35:50] - Doing the Impossible
[37:17] - Making the Main Thing the Main Thing
[38:45] - Communion and the Main Thing
[39:45] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Zechariah 1:3 - "Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts."
2. Haggai 1:4 - "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?"
3. Matthew 24:14 - "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the main message that God conveyed through Zechariah in Zechariah 1:3? How does this message relate to the Israelites' situation upon returning from exile? [02:13]
2. According to Haggai 1:4, what were the Israelites prioritizing over the rebuilding of the temple? How does this reflect their spiritual state? [08:17]
3. In Matthew 24:14, what does Jesus say must happen before the end can come? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on keeping the main thing the main thing? [18:34]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the collaboration between Haggai and Zechariah illustrate the importance of teamwork in ministry? What can we learn from their example about working together in the church today? [03:51]
2. The sermon mentioned that God uses His Word and the Holy Spirit to guide us rather than calamity. How does this understanding affect our perception of trials and challenges in our lives? [06:49]
3. The Israelites' focus on building luxurious homes while neglecting the temple serves as a metaphor in the sermon. What modern-day distractions might be comparable to this, and how can we identify them in our own lives? [08:17]
4. The sermon emphasized the importance of using our gifts for God's glory. How can we discern what our unique gifts are, and what steps can we take to ensure we are using them effectively for God's mission? [31:27]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you prioritized your own desires over God's work. What was the outcome, and how might you approach a similar situation differently in the future? [08:17]
2. The sermon highlighted the importance of teamwork in ministry. Are there areas in your church or community where you can collaborate more effectively with others? How can you take the first step towards fostering better teamwork? [03:51]
3. How do you currently seek guidance from God's Word and the Holy Spirit in your daily life? Are there specific practices you can adopt to be more attuned to His guidance? [06:49]
4. Identify one specific distraction in your life that prevents you from focusing on God's mission. What practical steps can you take this week to minimize or eliminate this distraction? [08:17]
5. Think about the gifts and talents God has given you. Are you using them to their full potential for His glory? If not, what changes can you make to better align your actions with God's calling? [31:27]
6. The sermon mentioned the importance of serious and watchful prayer. How can you incorporate more intentional prayer into your daily routine? What specific prayer focus can you adopt to align with God's priorities? [16:59]
7. Jesus emphasized the need to preach the Gospel to all nations. Is there someone in your life who needs to hear the Gospel? How can you take a step towards sharing your faith with them this week? [18:34]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Instruction and Mercy
God doesn't need calamity to teach us; He uses His Word and the Holy Spirit. The Israelites' history of poor decisions serves as a warning to heed God's instructions to avoid dire consequences. This principle underscores the importance of listening to God's guidance to live a life aligned with His will. [06:49]
"For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." (Hebrews 12:6, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a recent decision where you ignored God's guidance. How can you seek His Word and the Holy Spirit to guide you in making a better choice today?
Day 2: The Importance of Teamwork in Ministry
The collaboration between Haggai and Zechariah highlights the power of teamwork in ministry. Just as they worked together to encourage the rebuilding of the temple, we too should embrace collaboration to strengthen the church and fulfill God's mission. [03:51]
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a ministry or project where you can collaborate with others. How can you contribute your unique gifts to strengthen the team and fulfill God's mission?
Day 3: Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing
The Israelites' focus on building luxurious homes while neglecting the temple serves as a metaphor for how we often prioritize our desires over God's work. We must keep the main thing—spreading the Gospel and fulfilling God's mission—at the forefront of our lives. [08:17]
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33, ESV)
Reflection: What personal desires or distractions are keeping you from prioritizing God's work? How can you refocus your efforts on spreading the Gospel today?
Day 4: Walking in the Spirit
When we align our priorities with God's, we walk in the Spirit and operate in His power. This alignment allows us to accomplish what seems impossible, as we are no longer relying on our strength but on God's. [35:50]
"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16, ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you relying on your own strength? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you in these areas today?
Day 5: Using Our Gifts for God's Glory
God has given each of us unique gifts to fulfill His calling. When we squander these gifts, we miss out on the joy and purpose that come from serving Him. By using our gifts for His glory, we contribute to His mission and experience the fulfillment of our divine purpose. [31:27]
"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." (1 Peter 4:10, ESV)
Reflection: What unique gifts has God given you? How can you use these gifts to serve others and glorify God this week?
Quotes
1. "There is power in teamwork ministry. We see that in the book of Ezra. Aren't you glad you have a pastor willing to share his pulpit in order to bring some teamwork into things so that the church may be strengthened?" [03:51] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God doesn't need to strike us with calamity in order to teach us something. You listening to me? We have the Holy Spirit living on the inside of us and it's not some weak watered down halfway I can't believe it's not Holy Spirit kind of Holy Spirit. It is the same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead that lives on the inside of you and he's there to teach you things." [06:49] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "God is a good God. The things that happen to these people happen to them because of a law that's been in principle, a law of creation since the very very beginning, and that law is that whatsoever a man sows that too shall he also reap. And these people sowed in rebellion and they sowed in corruption and they sowed in sin and so as a result what ends up happening is they reap the destruction that that was purchasing." [06:49] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "This morning, if I had to pick a subtitle for this message, it would be about keeping the main thing the main thing. I was praying about this morning for weeks and I was pretty intimidated initially because I know that this church has a lot of interest in eschatological prophecy, study of the end times and stuff." [08:17] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "God promised the blessing of Abraham to the entire nation of Israel, and it is spoken of throughout the Old Testament over and over and over again. And the people clearly were only interested in just the blessing me part of that information and neglected the one important part of the Abrahamic promise that you would be blessed to be a blessing." [14:06] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Jesus said, I cannot come back from my church until this gospel is preached to everybody, everywhere, to every people group. And believers have become so inward focused, they cater more to themselves than to a world that needs a savior." [27:08] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "When we stop giving him think time, we stop honoring him. And I don't know about you, but if he tells me something or leads me to do something, I want to honor that. I want to cherish it. I want to follow up with it. Are you with me this morning? When we give him the honor that he deserves, he's not jealous for us because he doesn't need to be. He's getting what's owed to him." [24:16] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Church, whether you realize it or not, you have been given a set of giftings all on your own. If you remember Romans chapter 11 verse 29, a verse most of us are familiar with, it's talking about the gifts and the calling of God. We're familiar with that verse. Romans 11 29, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Did you ever notice that in that verse of scripture, gifts is plural, but calling is singular." [31:27] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "When we seek to pursue our own priorities and our own passions and our own wants and all of those things, anything that we accomplish has to be done on our own strength, has to be done based on my ability. But when we step over into this place of pursuing his assignment, I'm not walking in my own strength anymore. I'm walking in the spirit of the living God and I'm walking in his power." [35:50] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "When we get back to making the main thing, the main thing, when everything we do is done for the sole purpose of seeing that every person in every tribe of every tongue around the world hears this gospel. We're suddenly tapping into what it is that we were designed and created to do. And then with his spirit within us, we're capable of doing the impossible task of reaching the world with the gospel." [37:17] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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