Building Hope Together: Renewing Faith and Commitment

Devotional

Day 1: Rebuilding What Matters Most

God’s people returned from exile with excitement to rebuild the temple, but as life’s pressures mounted—unstable economy, family needs, and fear of enemies—their priorities shifted and the work on God’s house stalled for sixteen years. The unfinished temple became a symbol of misplaced priorities, as they focused on their own comfort and stability while neglecting the visible reminder of God’s presence among them. This story is a mirror for us: it’s easy to let good things crowd out the best thing, to let our passion for God’s work fade into the background as we chase after what feels urgent. Yet, God’s invitation is not to shame us, but to wake us up—to call us back to building what truly matters, to make Him our first priority, and to remember that our obedience, even if interrupted, can always be reignited. [34:25]

Haggai 1:2-4 (ESV)
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?”

Reflection: Where in your life have you let comfort or busyness take priority over God’s calling, and what is one step you can take this week to begin rebuilding what matters most?

Day 2: Consider Your Ways

God’s challenge to His people was not just to build, but to pause and truly consider the direction of their lives. He asked them to look honestly at their efforts and their emptiness, to see that even as they worked hard and accumulated more, their souls remained unsatisfied—like putting wages into a bag with holes. The call to “consider your ways” is a call to set your heart on what truly matters, to recognize that no amount of striving or success can fill the ache that only God’s presence can satisfy. When good things become ultimate things, they lose their goodness and leave us restless. God’s correction is not condemnation, but an invitation to realign our hearts and rediscover the joy and peace that come from making Him our true priority. [44:58]

Haggai 1:5-6 (ESV)
“Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.”

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are working hard but still feel empty, and how might God be inviting you to pause and realign your heart with Him?

Day 3: You Cannot Overinvest in God’s Kingdom

In a world obsessed with chasing the next big thing—whether it’s technology, success, or comfort—God reminds us that the only investment that truly lasts is in His kingdom. While we may worry about overextending ourselves in worldly pursuits, we can never overinvest in what God is doing to bring life and hope to a world in need. The story of God’s people rebuilding the temple is a call to give our best energy, resources, and passion to what is eternal, knowing that long after every headline fades, God’s promises remain. Our participation in God’s work is a privilege and a legacy, planting seeds for generations we may never meet, but whom God longs to know. [51:01]

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Reflection: What is one practical way you can shift your time, energy, or resources this week from temporary pursuits to investing in God’s eternal work?

Day 4: Move from Knowing to Going

God’s call is not just to know the right thing, but to do it—to move from intention to action. After years of delay, God told His people to “go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house,” reminding them that effort alone is not enough; it is partnership with Him that brings lasting fruit. Success without God may look impressive for a while, but it never truly satisfies or endures. When we step out in obedience, even if it means forgoing comfort or facing uncertainty, God multiplies our efforts and uses them for His glory and the good of future generations. The invitation is to stop sitting on the sidelines and to join God in building something that will outlast us. [56:04]

Haggai 1:7-8 (ESV)
“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord.”

Reflection: What is one specific action God is prompting you to take this week to move from intention to obedience in your faith journey?

Day 5: Building a Legacy for the Next Generation

We are the beneficiaries of the faithfulness of those who came before us—people who invested sacrificially so that we could know Jesus and experience hope today. Now, it is our turn to plant seeds for the next generation, to give, serve, and pray so that others may encounter God’s love long after we are gone. Our legacy is not measured by what we accumulate for ourselves, but by what we give away for the sake of others and the kingdom. God invites us to be part of a story bigger than ourselves, to love people we may never meet, and to trust that every act of faithfulness is a brick in what He is building for the future. [57:48]

Psalm 78:4, 6-7 (ESV)
“We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done… that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.”

Reflection: Who is one person—whether in your family, church, or community—you can intentionally encourage or invest in this week as a way of building a legacy of faith for the next generation?

Sermon Summary

For over 150 years, Menlo Church has been built on the sacrificial investments of those who came before us—people who never knew our names, but believed in a future where hope would overcome despair. Today, we stand on their legacy, and it is now our turn to invest in the next chapter of Menlo’s story. The Bay Area is filled with millions who live without hope, unaware that a different way of life is possible. God has called us to be a living, enduring gospel presence here, to extend His welcome to the hopeless, and to express His love in practical, tangible ways.

We are at a pivotal moment. If we want to see 250,000 people in the Bay Area freed in Jesus over the next decade, we must make strategic investments now. That’s why we are launching the Hope for Everyone initiative—a three-year, $80 million campaign with the goal of 100% participation. This is not just about funding; it’s about every one of us stepping into the story God is writing, both by giving and by living out our faith in ways that bring hope to our neighbors.

Reflecting on the book of Haggai, we see ourselves in the story of God’s people returning from exile. They began rebuilding the temple with passion, but soon got distracted by the demands of daily life. Their priorities shifted, and the work of God sat unfinished for sixteen years. God’s call through Haggai was not to shame them, but to wake them up—to remind them that when good things replace the best things, we lose our way. The temple was never just about bricks and mortar; it was a visible reminder of God’s presence, a multi-generational stake in the ground that declared who their God was.

God’s invitation to them—and to us—is threefold: build, consider, and go. Build what matters most, consider how our choices shape our future, and go with renewed courage into the work God has called us to. We are challenged to examine where we have drifted from calling to comfort, where we have rationalized giving God only what’s left over, and what it means to truly invest in what lasts. The world may chase after the next big thing, but we know the future is found in God’s kingdom—a future we cannot overinvest in.

As we look back on the past year, we celebrate growth, new partnerships, and tangible impact in our community. But the work is not finished. God is inviting us to continue, to recommit, and to ensure that the hope of Jesus is truly for everyone. Let’s be the generation that builds what matters, gives what we have, and believes even when it’s hard—trusting that God is still writing His story of hope through us.

Key Takeaways

1. Reignite Obedience When It’s Interrupted Even when our faithfulness is interrupted by distraction or difficulty, God’s invitation is always to return and rebuild. Obedience is not a one-time act but a continual process of realignment. No matter how long the work has sat unfinished, God’s grace allows us to pick up where we left off and participate in His ongoing story. [34:25]
2. Prioritize What Matters Most When good things replace the best things, our lives become restless and unsatisfied. God calls us to examine our priorities, ensuring that He is not just one among many, but the priority. True fulfillment comes not from what we accumulate or achieve, but from centering our lives on God’s presence and purpose. [37:55]
3. Consider the Direction of Your Life God’s challenge is to “consider your ways”—to honestly assess whether our current path is leading us toward what truly matters. It’s easy to fill our lives with activity and still feel empty. Lasting satisfaction is found not in self-effort, but in aligning our hearts and actions with God’s calling. [44:58]
4. You Cannot Overinvest in God’s Kingdom While the world anxiously chases after the next big thing, we know that investing in God’s work is never wasted. The impact of our faithfulness extends beyond our own lives, shaping generations to come. Every act of generosity, service, and prayer is a brick in the eternal work God is building. [51:41]
5. Move from Knowing to Going It’s not enough to simply know what God is calling us to do; we must act. God’s blessing follows our willingness to step out, even when it means forgoing comfort for calling. When we partner with God, what we build becomes part of His eternal story, impacting lives far beyond our own. [56:04]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:04] - The Legacy of Menlo Church
[25:59] - Launching Hope for Everyone
[26:45] - Personal Stories of Incomplete Projects
[27:33] - The Challenge of Finishing What We Start
[29:42] - Renewing Commitment and Participation
[31:10] - Praying for Faithfulness
[32:08] - Returning from Exile: Haggai’s Context
[33:58] - God’s Threefold Invitation: Build, Consider, Go
[35:23] - Misplaced Priorities and the Temple
[37:55] - The Danger of Divided Priorities
[39:30] - Celebrating God’s Work in the Bay Area
[43:10] - Counting the Cost and Considering Our Ways
[46:49] - God’s Correction as Invitation
[51:41] - Investing in What Lasts
[53:39] - The Call to Go and Build
[57:14] - Our Turn: Investing for Future Generations
[59:17] - Three Questions for Reflection
[62:08] - Closing Prayer and Commitment

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Haggai 1:2-9 (ESV) —
> 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.”
> 3 Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet,
> 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?
> 5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
> 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes.
> 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
> 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord.
> 9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house.

Observation Questions

According to Haggai, what were the people of Israel doing instead of rebuilding the temple? ([35:23])
What does God mean when He says, “Consider your ways”? How does He describe the results of their current way of living? ([44:58])
In the sermon, what are the three invitations God gives through Haggai? ([33:58])
What was the outcome when the people finally responded to God’s call to rebuild? ([56:30])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the people’s priorities shifted from rebuilding the temple to focusing on their own homes and comfort? What pressures or distractions might have influenced them? ([33:07])
The phrase “putting wages into a bag with holes” is a vivid image. What does this reveal about the results of living with misplaced priorities? ([44:58])
The sermon says God’s correction is an invitation, not a condemnation. How does this perspective change the way we respond to God’s challenges in our lives? ([46:49])
The call to “build, consider, and go” is described as a multi-generational investment. Why is it important to think beyond our own comfort and consider the impact on future generations? ([49:34])

Application Questions

The sermon asks, “Where have I drifted from calling to comfort?” Can you identify an area in your life where you’ve chosen comfort over what God is calling you to do? What would it look like to realign your priorities? ([59:17])
Have you ever found yourself “tipping God”—giving Him only what’s left over after you’ve taken care of everything else? What would it mean for you to give God your first and best, not just your leftovers? ([59:45])
The people in Haggai’s time got distracted by good things and neglected the best thing. Are there “good things” in your life that have taken the place of God’s calling or presence? How can you reorder your priorities this week? ([36:01])
The sermon challenges us to “move from knowing to going.” Is there something you know God is asking you to do, but you haven’t acted on yet? What’s holding you back, and what is one step you can take this week? ([56:04])
The idea of investing in God’s kingdom is described as something you “cannot overinvest in.” What does generosity look like for you right now—whether it’s time, resources, or relationships? Is there a specific way you feel prompted to invest more deeply? ([51:41])
The legacy of Menlo Church is built on the sacrifices of people who never knew us. How does thinking about future generations—people you may never meet—change the way you view your role in the church and community? ([57:14])
The sermon mentions that “obedience is not a one-time act but a continual process of realignment.” When was the last time you had to restart or recommit to something God called you to do? What helped you get back on track? ([34:25])

Sermon Clips

It's not that they were lazy. It's not that they were evil. They were simply trying to fill the ache in their life with something that only God's presence can fill. That's the way he made us. See, when good things become ultimate things, they stop being good for us. [00:45:23] (15 seconds) #GoodThingsVsGod

When God says you earn wages only to put them in bags with holes in them, he's describing the futility of a life that is built on self-effort without his presence at the center. It didn't work then, and it doesn't work now. As a matter of fact, without God, even winning starts to wear you out because you're not sure why you're doing it. [00:45:58] (20 seconds) #FutileWithoutGod

See, we can get to the end of our lives only to realize that we have built things that don't really matter, that don't really last. Well, the things and the people that do matter, we never really got to them. We told ourselves like, okay, well, I'm gonna invest in those relationships or I'm gonna invest in the things of God when life slows down. But can I tell you a secret you already know, but you live like you don't? Life never slows down. At some point, you just have to be the one to slow down. [00:48:17] (30 seconds) #SlowDownAndInvest

They had survived the exile, they were building their homes and families as a way of seeking stability. They'd never even seen the temple before. This was like a dream to them. They weren't even sure it was possible. When God tells them to consider their ways, he is giving them a gift. He's not saying work harder. He's saying come back. He reminds them that their worth is not in how much they produce, but in who they belong to. [00:49:15] (25 seconds) #BelongingNotProducing

You cannot overinvest in eternity, but you can miss the moment to participate in it. So let's not sit on the sidelines. Let's be people who say, we built what mattered. We gave what we had. We believed when it was hard because God is still writing the story of hope and he's inviting us to be a part of it with him. [00:53:20] (20 seconds) #BuiltWhatMattered

Maybe you've never thought about it this way but even if you're not a follower of God today, the success you've had in your life has been a success of co-creation with the creator of the universe. Nobody has made progress without God's support in that progress. We plant, we water, but God makes things grow. Success without him, it may look impressive for a while but it never lasts. [00:55:25] (24 seconds) #CoCreationWithGod

He doesn't just tell his people to think differently. He tells them to move, to get up and go, to make sure that knowing doesn't take over going. Go up to the hills, bring wood, build the house, my house. He says, in other words, stop trying to build a life on your own strength and start partnering with me again. Make me the first thing. God's not after more effort, he's after cooperation. He's saying, let's build it together. Would you do this with me? [00:56:08] (30 seconds) #MoveFromKnowingToDoing

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