Moving Forward in Faith: Rebuilding with God's Provision
Summary
In Haggai chapter 2, we find ourselves in a pivotal moment in history where the Israelites are called to rebuild the temple after its destruction by the Babylonian Empire. This narrative serves as a profound reminder for us today about the dangers of dwelling too much on past glories and victories. Just as I once learned the hard way while racing my brother on horseback and looking back only to crash into a tree, we too can stumble if we focus too much on what lies behind us. The past can be a great teacher, but it should not be a place where we dwell. God has begun a good work in us, and He is faithful to complete it. Our call is to move forward in faith, trusting that God has more in store for us.
The Israelites faced a similar challenge. They returned to Jerusalem, found it in ruins, and instead of prioritizing the rebuilding of the temple, they focused on their own homes. This misplaced priority led to discouragement and stagnation. God, through the prophet Haggai, called them to be strong and work, assuring them of His presence. This is a timeless message for us: God is with us, and He calls us to be strong and to work diligently for His glory. Our work is not just an obligation but a privilege, a way to experience God's presence and power in our lives.
Moreover, we are reminded to trust in God's provision. Just as He provided for the Israelites, He will provide for us. Our greatest asset is not our resources but our people, our community. God guides and provides, and His plans are always for our good. We are called to trust Him with our future, knowing that He will give us the resources, presence, and peace we need.
Finally, we are reminded of the ultimate peace that God promises—a peace that surpasses all understanding and will be fully realized when Christ returns. Until then, we are to live in the light of His promises, moving forward in faith, trusting in His provision, and working diligently for His glory.
Key Takeaways:
1. Move Forward in Faith: Dwelling on past victories can hinder our progress. God calls us to look forward, trusting that He who began a good work in us will complete it. Our past should inform us, not define us. [03:11]
2. Be Strong and Work: God's presence empowers us to be strong and diligent in our work. Our labor is not just an obligation but a privilege that brings us closer to God and His purposes. [10:33]
3. Trust in God's Provision: Wherever God guides, He provides. Our greatest asset is not our material resources but our community and the people God has placed in our lives. [17:05]
4. God's Plans and Peace: God's plans are for our good, and He promises a peace that surpasses all understanding. This peace will be fully realized when Christ returns, but we can experience it now through the Holy Spirit. [27:53]
5. Hope in Adversity: In difficult seasons, we often see the greatest good. God's presence and promises give us hope and strength to persevere, knowing that He is faithful and His plans are perfect. [35:04]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [03:11] - The Dangers of Dwelling on the Past
- [07:13] - The Call to Rebuild
- [10:33] - Be Strong and Work
- [14:02] - The Privilege of Work
- [17:05] - Trust in God's Provision
- [20:12] - God's Provision in Our Church
- [25:02] - God's Presence and Guidance
- [27:53] - God's Plans and Future Glory
- [31:09] - The Promise of Peace
- [35:04] - Hope in Adversity
- [37:00] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Haggai 2:1-9
Observation Questions:
1. What was the condition of Jerusalem and the temple when the Israelites returned from exile, and how did this affect their priorities? [03:11]
2. How did God communicate His message to the Israelites through the prophet Haggai, and what was the main command given to them? [07:13]
3. What were the Israelites' initial reactions to the task of rebuilding the temple, and how did their past experiences influence their perspective? [10:33]
Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might dwelling on past glories be detrimental to spiritual growth and progress, according to the sermon? [03:11]
2. How does the command to "be strong and work" reflect God's presence and empowerment in the lives of believers? [10:33]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's provision is linked to community and people rather than material resources? [17:05]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when focusing on past successes hindered your progress. How can you shift your focus to what God is doing in your life now? [03:11]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of being strong and working diligently. What specific area in your life requires you to be strong and take action, trusting in God's presence? [10:33]
3. Consider the role of community in your spiritual journey. How can you invest more in the people around you to experience God's provision and guidance? [17:05]
4. The sermon mentions the ultimate peace promised by God. How can you cultivate a sense of peace in your daily life, even amidst challenges? [31:09]
5. In what ways can you actively participate in the work God is calling you to, viewing it as a privilege rather than an obligation? [14:02]
6. How can you ensure that your priorities align with God's plans, especially when faced with personal or professional challenges? [25:02]
7. Reflect on a recent adversity you faced. How did you see God's presence and promises providing hope and strength during that time? [35:04]
Devotional
Day 1: Embrace the Future with Faith
Dwelling on past victories can hinder our progress. The Israelites, upon returning to Jerusalem, were faced with the daunting task of rebuilding the temple. Instead of focusing on the ruins of the past, they were called to look forward and trust in God's promise to complete the good work He had begun in them. This is a reminder that our past should inform us, not define us. We are called to move forward in faith, trusting that God has more in store for us. Just as the Israelites were encouraged to rebuild, we too must focus on the future, knowing that God is faithful to complete what He has started in us. [03:11]
Haggai 2:4-5 (ESV): "Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are holding onto past successes or failures? How can you begin to trust God with your future in this area today?
Day 2: Strength in God's Presence
God's presence empowers us to be strong and diligent in our work. The Israelites were reminded that their labor was not just an obligation but a privilege that brought them closer to God and His purposes. In the same way, we are called to be strong and work diligently, knowing that God is with us. Our work is a way to experience God's presence and power in our lives. It is through our efforts, empowered by His presence, that we can fulfill His purposes and bring glory to His name. [10:33]
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Reflection: In what ways can you invite God's presence into your daily work or responsibilities? How might this change your perspective on the tasks you face?
Day 3: Trust in Divine Provision
Wherever God guides, He provides. The Israelites learned that their greatest asset was not their material resources but their community and the people God had placed in their lives. We are reminded to trust in God's provision, knowing that He will provide for us just as He did for the Israelites. Our community and relationships are invaluable resources that God uses to support and sustain us. Trusting in His provision means relying on the people He has placed around us and believing that He will meet our needs. [17:05]
2 Corinthians 9:8 (ESV): "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
Reflection: Who in your community can you lean on for support and encouragement? How can you also be a source of provision and support for others?
Day 4: Peace in God's Promises
God's plans are for our good, and He promises a peace that surpasses all understanding. This peace will be fully realized when Christ returns, but we can experience it now through the Holy Spirit. The Israelites were encouraged to live in the light of God's promises, moving forward in faith and trusting in His provision. We too are called to embrace the peace that God offers, knowing that His plans are perfect and His promises are true. This peace is a gift that sustains us through life's challenges and uncertainties. [27:53]
John 14:27 (ESV): "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need God's peace? How can you actively seek and embrace His peace today?
Day 5: Hope in Adversity
In difficult seasons, we often see the greatest good. The Israelites faced adversity upon their return to Jerusalem, yet God's presence and promises gave them hope and strength to persevere. We are reminded that God is faithful and His plans are perfect, even in the midst of challenges. Our hope is anchored in His promises, and it is through adversity that we can experience His faithfulness and grow in our trust in Him. This hope empowers us to persevere and remain steadfast in our faith. [35:04]
Romans 5:3-5 (ESV): "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
Reflection: How can you find hope in a current challenge or adversity you are facing? What steps can you take to trust in God's faithfulness and promises during this time?
Quotes
It's written during a very interesting time period, and it's about rebuilding the temple. Solomon's temple has been destroyed by the Babylonian Empire, and so we're looking back in history to help us look ahead. And so important in the Christian life as a believer is not to get stuck in the past, the good old days, the glory days. I remember when, people say. Looking back too long can be incredibly damaging and dangerous. [00:11:44] (30 seconds)
And so they get very discouraged, and then what happens is, is that there were people that can remember the past, the glory days, because they were there 66 years prior to, and they remember what Solomon's temple looked like, and it brought a lot of discouragement. The question is for them, and the question is for you, are you going to look back, or will you look forward in faith? Point number one we're going to see is move forward in the faith. God has more in store. [00:251:92] (33 seconds)
And so you can't advance if you're constantly in the past. History should be a great teacher, a great form for you to grab some lessons, but you have to constantly look forward. God has more in store. And so what happens to all of us is we can get stuck in the past. I remember when God was working like this. I remember my old church. I remember when I was young. I remember what the music was like. I remember what this was like. Well, you're not in the past. [00:395:92] (30 seconds)
And if you're constantly looking back to the past, you're dismissing and disregarding God's promises and plans for the present and the future. Another thing we can do to get stuck in the past is you constantly compare yourself to other people. It gets you really stuck. Well, man, they're doing better than me right now. Man, their marriage is better. Their business is better. And that'll get you looking back rather than looking forward. [00:451:90] (28 seconds)
He says, hey, yet now, be strong. Oh, Zerubbabel, that's the governor, declares the Lord, be strong. Oh, Joshua of Jehoshadak, the high priest, be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts. Here's the point. Number two, here it is, is that you be strong and you work with God. God is with you. [00:569:11] (31 seconds)
Because for too many decades, we taught Christians to simply be like the sheep that follows the herd. And you know and I know the sheep is probably the weakest analogy of the church, although it is one. But you follow the good shepherd. And now in today's Christian ideas and a worldview would be, I believe, that you're soldiers of the Lord. You're raising kids to fight the good fight. You're raising men and women up to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ in opposition from our culture is just a normal part of Christian experience. [00:633:03] (42 seconds)
Work, and that's the command. And some of you think work is something you have to do because you gotta earn money to provide for your family or yourself. And I agree, you do have to do that. But it is not an obligation. It is also a privilege to work. The Bible says that when he created Adam, he put him in the garden to work. And so why is this connected together? Because I'll tell you, guess what? The strongest people in our culture are the working people in our culture. [00:689:01] (33 seconds)
Trust the Lord wherever he's gonna guide, he's gonna provide. And this is like always so true. Like, if we were to rally up all the folks that do in our church what's called tithe, that means give 10 % of their income to the Lord, not as a literally like paying tax to God or doing it because you're just trying to keep things moving, giving a tithe to God shows that you're honoring him with your wealth. [00:882:49] (28 seconds)
When people give, they're trusting the Lord. And what I've seen, if we were to do research with our own people in our church, they would say, when I gave, I didn't exactly know how it was all gonna work out, but God provided. He guided me to give, I gave, and then God literally, supernaturally supplied it. That's the message I hear. [00:910:69] (25 seconds)
You might say, Ryan, how can you talk about providing for our church right now when we were shy of half a million dollars of our $1 .3 million goal? I'll tell you because the greatest asset in this church is not how much money is in the bank account. The greatest asset of this church is the people right here. The greatest asset a church has is the heart of the people. [01:25:21] (20 seconds)
And so what is the present application back in that context? I think it would be that God was at work. God made a promise that even though this shabby little foundation and that little altar, although it was gonna be rebuilt and although it wouldn't be to the scale, to the size, to the significance, architecturally, like Solomon's temple, there was more glory that was going to occur in and through that temple than ever before. [01:701:33] (29 seconds)
And so, this is a promise about glory that is yet to come. This is a promise about God's glory and plan being unfolded in the earth in the days ahead. And so, my message to you is do not lose hope. My message to you is move forward in faith. My message to you is that trust that God will provide wherever he guides for you. My message is to you is that you can trust that God has plans for your life. He has plans for this church and the best is yet to come. [02:060:09] (34 seconds)
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