Rebuilding Glory: Prioritizing God's Presence in Our Lives

Devotional

Day 1: True Glory in God's Presence

In the book of Haggai, the Israelites returning from exile were more focused on building their own homes than on rebuilding the temple, which symbolized God's presence among them. This neglect led to a loss of glory, similar to the story of Ichabod, where the glory of God was said to have departed from Israel. The Israelites were reminded that their true glory was not in their achievements or possessions but in God's presence and His name upon them. This message challenges us to reflect on where we seek glory in our own lives. Are we building our own "paneled houses" while neglecting the spiritual temple within us? God calls us back to His glory, urging us to rebuild our spiritual lives and prioritize His presence. [02:43]

Haggai 1:4-5 (ESV): "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways."

Reflection: What "paneled houses" in your life are distracting you from prioritizing God's presence? How can you begin to rebuild your spiritual temple today?

Day 2: The Fleeting Nature of Earthly Glory

Earthly glory is fleeting, and we often find ourselves lamenting past successes or achievements. The Israelites lamented the loss of the former temple's glory, yet God promises a greater glory, one that is not tied to physical structures or past successes but is found in His enduring presence and the future hope of His kingdom. This calls us to look beyond the temporal and embrace His enduring presence and future hope. [16:18]

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: What past achievements or successes are you holding onto that may be hindering your focus on God's eternal glory? How can you shift your perspective to embrace His enduring presence?

Day 3: Rebuilding Our Spiritual Lives

The Israelites' neglect of the temple reflects our own tendencies to procrastinate and prioritize personal pursuits over spiritual growth. God calls us to rebuild our spiritual lives and prioritize His presence, reminding us that true glory is found in Him. The excuses of the Israelites for not rebuilding the temple mirror our own procrastinations and misplaced priorities. In His patience and love, God urges us to consider our ways and align ourselves with His purposes. [11:51]

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 personal pursuits are taking precedence over your spiritual growth? What steps can you take today to begin rebuilding your spiritual life and prioritizing God's presence?

Day 4: The Signet Ring and Jesus

The imagery of the signet ring in Haggai points to Jesus, who embodies the ultimate authority and glory of God. In Christ, we find a kingdom that cannot be shaken, offering us a secure and lasting glory. This imagery symbolizes authority and identity, pointing us to Jesus as the embodiment of God's ultimate glory and authority. In Him, we find a kingdom that endures beyond the temporal and the tangible. [35:13]

Hebrews 12:28-29 (ESV): "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire."

Reflection: How does recognizing Jesus as the ultimate authority and glory influence your daily life? In what ways can you live as a bearer of His presence in the world?

Day 5: Embracing a Theology of the Cross

Embracing a theology of the cross means accepting the difficult realities of life and recognizing God's presence in our suffering. This perspective allows us to find true and lasting glory in the cross and resurrection of Jesus. It challenges us to examine our lives, consider our ways, and align ourselves with God's purposes, embracing a glory that is eternal and rooted in the cross. [33:03]

1 Peter 4:12-13 (ESV): "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."

Reflection: What difficult realities are you currently facing, and how can you recognize God's presence in them? How does embracing a theology of the cross change your perspective on suffering and glory?

Sermon Summary

In the book of Haggai, we find a profound message about the glory of God and the call to prioritize His presence in our lives. The Israelites, after returning from exile, were more focused on building their own homes and lives rather than rebuilding the temple, which symbolized God's presence among them. This neglect led to a loss of glory, akin to the story of Ichabod, where the glory of God was said to have departed from Israel. The Israelites were called to remember that their true glory was not in their achievements or possessions but in God's presence and His name upon them.

The narrative of Haggai challenges us to reflect on where we seek glory in our own lives. Are we building our own "paneled houses" while neglecting the spiritual temple within us? The Israelites' excuses for not rebuilding the temple mirror our own procrastinations and misplaced priorities. God, in His patience and love, calls us back to His glory, urging us to rebuild our spiritual lives and prioritize His presence.

Haggai's message also speaks to the fading nature of earthly glory. Just as the Israelites lamented the loss of the former temple's glory, we too often cling to past glories or achievements. Yet, God promises a greater glory, one that is not tied to physical structures or past successes but is found in His enduring presence and the future hope of His kingdom.

The final chapters of Haggai point to a future restoration of glory through God's intervention. The imagery of the signet ring symbolizes authority and identity, pointing us to Jesus, who embodies the ultimate glory and authority of God. In Christ, we find a kingdom that cannot be shaken, a glory that endures beyond the temporal and the tangible.

As we reflect on Haggai's message, we are called to examine our lives, consider our ways, and align ourselves with God's purposes. In doing so, we embrace a glory that is eternal, rooted in the cross and resurrection of Jesus, and live as bearers of His presence in the world.

Key Takeaways

1. The story of Ichabod and the loss of the Ark of the Covenant serves as a reminder that true glory is found in God's presence, not in our achievements or possessions. We must prioritize His presence in our lives and not be distracted by building our own "paneled houses." [02:43]
2. Earthly glory is fleeting, and we often find ourselves lamenting past successes or achievements. God's promise of a greater glory calls us to look beyond the temporal and embrace His enduring presence and future hope. [16:18]
3. The Israelites' neglect of the temple reflects our own tendencies to procrastinate and prioritize personal pursuits over spiritual growth. God calls us to rebuild our spiritual lives and prioritize His presence, reminding us that true glory is found in Him. [11:51]
4. The imagery of the signet ring in Haggai points to Jesus, who embodies the ultimate authority and glory of God. In Christ, we find a kingdom that cannot be shaken, offering us a secure and lasting glory. [35:13]
5. Embracing a theology of the cross means accepting the difficult realities of life and recognizing God's presence in our suffering. This perspective allows us to find true and lasting glory in the cross and resurrection of Jesus. [33:03]
** [33:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:34] - The Story of Ichabod
[02:43] - God's Glory and Israel
[04:01] - Personal Reflections on Glory
[05:18] - Israel's Misplaced Glory
[06:20] - The Return from Exile
[08:05] - The Call to Rebuild
[09:24] - Misplaced Priorities
[11:00] - The Rhetorical Challenge
[13:37] - The Pursuit of Glory
[14:30] - Building for God
[16:18] - Faded Glory
[18:48] - Personal Stories of Glory
[20:43] - The Nature of Glory
[22:24] - God's Presence and Promises
[24:11] - The Spoiled World
[27:19] - Consequences of Neglect
[29:51] - Future Restoration of Glory
[31:35] - Theology of the Cross
[33:03] - Embracing Suffering
[35:13] - The Signet Ring and Jesus
[37:39] - Final Reflections and Prayer

Sermon Clips

1. "Remember in 587, the people of Israel were carried off to Babylon in exile. And I want to kind of talk about something that happened much further and earlier in the story of Israel. It was the story of the longest day, maybe one of the longest days in the Old Testament, when God was going to bring us into the world. And it's when Israel was defeated on the battlefield by the Philistines. And in that battle, the priests at the time, Hopnius and Phineas, were killed in that battle. They were the sons of Eli, the chief priests, they were wicked sons." ([00:00:37] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

)

2. "Your husband and his brother were killed in battle. Your father-in-law heard the news, and he died. And on top of all of this, the Ark of the Covenant is taken from us. Remember, the Ark of the Covenant was a symbol of the presence of God. It was to be in the midst of the people of God. And it was stolen by the Philistines in battle. It was the throne. It represented the glory of God in the midst of his people. So she gives birth to her son. And she names him. Him, Ichabod. The glory of God is gone." ([00:01:58] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

)

3. "I think we need to remember that God chose the people of Israel to be a people who would bear his glory in the world. You maybe think about a time, maybe when you're a parent, or someone else that you admired and respected bestowed on you some aspect of glory. Like the fact that I looked like my dad and that this friend of my dad, who was much younger than my dad, he was about 10 years younger than my dad, who I thought was very cool, bestowed on me this name, J.R. I thought so much of that that I started to take a permanent marker and mark everything that I owned." ([00:02:43] (75 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

)

4. "God, slow in anger, abounding in love, is patient, wants to return them to His glory. He alone has it. He alone conveys it and gives it them. And what I want you to remember about that is that word Ichabod, the glory of God, is gone. Where in your life have you lost glory? Persia. Persia. And he decides to send back a remnant. It's told in Ezra and Nehemiah and here in Haggai. Haggai is the prophet during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah." ([00:05:43] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

)

5. "So Haggai, here in the book, is four oracles. Kind of wrestling with the glory of God that's gone. And how is God going to restore that glory? So the first oracle happens in the month of August in 520 B.C. I want to read the words of that from chapter 1. The word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai. Is it time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses while this house remains a ruin? Now this is what the Lord Almighty says. Give careful thought to your ways." ([00:07:12] (91 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

)

6. "They misplaced their glory. The glory is gone. The glory is returned with the remnant. God calls them to rebuild the temple. They misplaced their glory in the things that they could build and achieve in the land. And the people had lost sight of their true glory. They returned to land with high hopes. God rescued them, reestablished them, restored them. God's presence among them." ([00:10:31] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

)

7. "achieve and manufacture themselves. Nice houses, comfortable lives, money in the bank. But the real glory they were made for was not their own glory, but God's glory. God's gracious presence in their midst. His name upon them. They had a thousand excuses for why they'd fallen down on that job of rebuilding the temple. We've got to take care of our family. Times are tough. Jobs are scarce. The Samaritans have made this incredibly difficult for us. We'll get around to the temple at some point." ([00:12:01] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

)

8. "today, what could get in the way of blockade from living a life where God's glory is centered to your life, God's name upon you, you living your life as his presence in the world, what gets in the way of that calling for you? Oftentimes we say we're going to start at some point, and we procrastinate. I'm really good at that. Israel says it's not yet time. What we really mean, what they really mean by that is, I got other things I want to do right now." ([00:13:36] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

)

9. "acknowledge honestly the reality of ongoing sin and the lack of visible transformation in us as Christians. A sign that you are operating with the theology of glory is when your faith feels like a fight against these realities instead of a resource for accepting these realities. When the Bible talks about the cross and the resurrection, remember, it's the pinnacle of glory in the Bible. The temple destroyed and rebuilt in three days. Is this Jesus who has died and was raised?" ([00:33:47] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

)

10. "So, Haggai is attempting to help the people to accept glory, however it's going to be remade, is going to come from some different source that's not them. It's going to come from God. image is a signet ring, right? The signet ring is this symbol of authority. In ancient times, the signet ring was a symbol of authority and protection. The ring was often used to seal documents and letters. It was believed to carry the power of the wearer. It was a means of identification." ([00:35:38] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

)

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?