Rebuilding the Temple: Making God Our True Home

The longing of the human soul is to dwell in the presence of God, to find our true home, strength, and joy in Him. God graciously invites us into His presence, not just as individuals but as a gathered people, where His Spirit meets us in a unique and powerful way. Throughout history, God has chosen to make His home with His people, dwelling in their midst and sustaining them by His Spirit. Yet, so often, we find ourselves distracted, pouring our energy into building our own “paneled houses”—lives filled with activity, comfort, and achievement—while neglecting the deeper work of making space for God at the center.

The story from Haggai 1 is a mirror for our own lives. After returning from exile, God’s people rebuilt their homes and businesses, but the temple—the place of God’s presence—remained in ruins. Their priorities had shifted, and as a result, they experienced a deep emptiness: working hard but never satisfied, busy but hollow, always seeking more but never finding contentment. This is not so much God’s punishment as it is a revelation of the futility of self-centered living. When God is not our first priority, even our greatest successes feel strangely empty.

God’s call is not to shame or guilt, but to action: “Go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house.” The invitation is to realign our lives so that God’s glory is at the center, to become living temples where His presence is seen and known. This is not about constructing buildings, but about opening our hearts, surrendering our schedules, and inviting God into every part of our lives—our homes, our work, our relationships, our routines.

Jesus fulfills and transforms this vision. He is the true temple, the meeting place of heaven and earth, and by His Spirit, we become the dwelling place of God. The call is to rebuild—not with stone, but with lives surrendered to God’s glory. Whether we are parents, teenagers, retirees, or new believers, the invitation is the same: to make space for God, to invite Him into our busyness and our brokenness, and to let His presence fill us with joy and purpose. In doing so, the emptiness lifts, and our lives become places where God’s glory dwells.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Divine Discontent Reveals Our True Need When we prioritize our own comfort, achievements, or busyness above God, we may find ourselves strangely unsatisfied, no matter how much we accumulate or accomplish. This emptiness is not simply a punishment, but a gracious signal from God—a “divine discontent”—meant to draw us back to Him as our true source of fulfillment. The ache we feel is an invitation to examine what we are building our lives upon and to return to the One who alone can fill us. [38:42]
• 2. God’s Call Is an Invitation, Not a Condemnation God does not leave us in our apathy or shame. Instead, He calls us to action: to “go, bring, and build.” The work of rebuilding our lives around God’s presence is not about earning His favor, but about participating in His restoration. Every act of obedience, no matter how small, is a step toward experiencing His pleasure and glory in our midst. [40:58]
• 3. The Temple Is Now Within Us Through Jesus, the dwelling place of God is no longer a building, but the hearts and lives of His people. We are called to be living temples, places where God’s glory, grace, and generosity are visible to the world. This means that every part of our daily life—our homes, relationships, and routines—can become sacred spaces where God is encountered and honored. [46:10]
• 4. Rebuilding Is a Daily, Communal Practice Restoring God’s presence to the center of our lives is not a one-time event, but a continual, communal process. It happens in the ordinary moments: in prayer over breakfast, in conversations with family, in acts of hospitality and service. Each of us, regardless of our stage of life, is invited to ask, “How can I make space for God’s glory here and now?” [53:05]
• 5. God Fills the Ruins With His Glory Even in the rubble of our failures, losses, or unfinished dreams, God desires to dwell. We do not need to erase our brokenness or wait for perfect circumstances; instead, we invite God into the mess, trusting that He can tell a new story of grace and restoration. When we surrender our ruins to Him, He rebuilds joy and makes our lives a testimony to His presence. [50:05]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:35] - Opening Blessing and Prayer
• [01:30] - Worship Through Giving
• [19:08] - Reading from Haggai 1
• [22:25] - Children’s Object Lesson: The Leaky Bucket
• [26:40] - Seeking God First: Matthew 6
• [29:36] - Prayer for Open Hearts
• [31:09] - The Story of Justo Gallego’s Cathedral
• [33:16] - The Unfinished Cathedral of the Soul
• [34:42] - Haggai’s Context: Post-Exile Priorities
• [37:01] - The Emptiness of Self-Centered Living
• [40:12] - God’s Call to Rebuild
• [42:17] - The Promise of God’s Presence
• [44:03] - Jesus as the True Temple
• [46:10] - Becoming Living Temples
• [49:34] - God in the Rubble: Coventry Cathedral
• [50:59] - Practical Ways to Rebuild
• [57:02] - Obedience and Spiritual Renewal
• [58:20] - Prayer for Reordering Our Lives
• [67:41] - Affirmation of Faith and Benediction

Bible Reading

Haggai 1:1-15 (ESV) —
> 1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest:
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> 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.”
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> 3 Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet,
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> 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?
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> 5 Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
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> 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.
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> 7 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.
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> 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.
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> 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.
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> 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce.
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> 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”
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> 12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord.
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> 13 Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord’s message, “I am with you, declares the Lord.”
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> 14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,
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> 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

Matthew 6:33 (ESV) —
> But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

John 2:19-21 (ESV) —
> 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
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> 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?”
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> 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.

Observation Questions

1. In Haggai 1, what were the people of Israel busy doing instead of rebuilding the temple, and what was the result of their misplaced priorities? ([20:10])
2. According to the sermon, what does God mean when He says, “Consider your ways”? How does this phrase function in the story? ([51:56])
3. What promise does God give to the people when they begin to obey and rebuild the temple? ([42:17])
4. In Matthew 6:33, what does Jesus say should be our first priority, and what does He promise will happen if we do this? ([26:40])

Interpretation Questions

1. The people in Haggai’s time experienced emptiness and dissatisfaction even though they were working hard and building comfortable lives. What does this suggest about the relationship between our priorities and our sense of fulfillment? ([38:42])
2. The sermon describes God’s call to rebuild as an invitation, not a condemnation. Why is it important to see God’s correction as an invitation to restoration rather than a source of shame? ([40:58])
3. Jesus refers to Himself as the true temple in John 2. How does this change the way we think about where and how we encounter God’s presence today? ([45:02])
4. The sermon mentions that rebuilding is a daily, communal practice. What are some ordinary, everyday ways that we can make space for God’s presence in our lives? ([53:05])

Application Questions

1. The sermon talks about “paneled houses” as a metaphor for the comfortable, busy lives we build for ourselves. What are some “paneled houses” in your own life—areas where you may be prioritizing comfort, achievement, or busyness over God’s presence? ([36:26]) How can you begin to shift your focus this week?
2. Have you ever experienced a sense of emptiness or “divine discontent” even when life seemed full of good things? What do you think God might be inviting you to notice or change in those moments? ([38:42])
3. The call to “go, bring, and build” is about taking action, not just feeling guilty. What is one small, practical step you could take this week to make space for God in your home, work, or relationships? ([40:58])
4. The sermon suggests inviting God into our busyness rather than waiting for life to slow down. What is one busy area of your life where you could intentionally invite God’s presence? How might that change your experience of that activity? ([49:20])
5. The idea of being a “living temple” means God’s presence can be seen in our daily routines. What is one routine or relationship where you want to see more of God’s glory, grace, or generosity? ([46:10])
6. The sermon gives examples for different life stages (parents, teenagers, retirees, new believers). Which example resonated with you, and what is one way you can respond to God’s invitation in your current season of life? ([53:05])
7. The story of Coventry Cathedral shows that God can fill even the ruins of our lives with His glory. Is there an area of brokenness, loss, or “unfinished dreams” in your life where you need to invite God’s presence and trust Him to rebuild? ([50:05])