LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2023 am
HAGGAI 1 VERSES 12 – 15
We all have known turning points
in our lives. A turning point in someone’s
life can be monumental. There are many
notable figures in history who have had such turning points. They can produce good or bad results depending
on the way they turn. The captivity for
the Israelites was such a turning point.
When God returned the people back to their homeland it did not result in
them turning to God. The proposal was to
live for God and not to live in their own ceiled houses. The temple had to be rebuilt for worship to
be restored in the land. A turning point
had to come – there was barrenness and famine in the land. The Lord used this to bring these people to
their senses. If the Lord was going to
be on their side they had to be on his side.
A change of ambition – verse 12 “Then
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua the son of Josedech, 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 did fear before the Lord.”
What a turning point. They were
far too long rejecting the instructions of God sent by the prophet Haggai. What an encouragement it must have been to him
but also to the Lord. There will be
glory brought to the Lord from now on.
God’s ambitions would be their ambitions. Their ambitions were changed. Their allegiance was changed. Their attitudes were changed. They changed because they obeyed the voice of
the Lord. They were turning from
disobedience to obedience. When God
speaks he expects nothing less than obedience.
We are not the kind of people who question his instructions. It is not our place to negotiate the terms
and examine the alternatives. We must
obey the voice of God, do what he says and leave the rest to him. “faith is not believing in spite of evidence,
it is obeying in spite of consequences.”
Have we all reached a turning point in our lives? How could it be we are disobedient? It is possible to a child of God and not be
obedient to God. Could I be speaking to
some believer who is questioning God’s instructions? Perhaps trying to negotiate the terms? Even examining the alternatives? If so it is time for a change of ambitions. It is time to turn to the Lord. Peter said we ought to obey God rather than
man. Obedience to God entitles us to
more of his truth. John 7 verse 17 “If
any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or
whether I speak of my self.” This change
of ambition came about in the lives of the ordinary Jew at this time but also
the leaders. Zerubbabel was the leader
of the Jews who returned from captivity.
He did not allow his position to set himself above others. He realised his own ambitions were wrong and they
had to change. Something must be
honoured and obeyed. Joshua’s ambition
was to teach yet he was willing to be taught and receive instruction from the word
of God. That shows ambition from God, a
willingness to be instructed. We are
living in a day when we don’t want to be taught. We should all be willing to receive
instruction from the word of God. What a
wonderful day when the leadership turned to the Lord. Their ambitions were no longer for
themselves. They became ambitious for
God. What a contrast from that day to
this day. The leaders of our nation have
removed and rejected the word of God.
They have allowed their position to set themselves above the word. They see it as outdated and of no relevance
to their cause today. This change of
ambition in Israel started at the top and worked its way down. Zerubbabel, Joshua, the high priest and then
all the remnant of the people. It
started with the most prominent and finished with the least prominent. What a change it would bring to our nation if
God was to touch the lives of the powerful and the prominent. Let’s pray for that end – for our king and
our Prime Minster. This turning point
was marked by unity as well. They were
all in one accord in their turning to God.
Not one among them had a different idea or ambition, they were all
united together in obedience to the Lord.
There is one great need among the ecumenical movement today - to be
united. We often hear of churches in
disagreement. There are arguments. We rarely hear of the blessings. Blessing will only come when there is unity. Psalm 133 verse 1 “Behold, how good and how
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.” Unity only happens when we are in a right
relationship with God. There will be
unity among comrades when they are in unity with God. The thing that motivated them most of all was
a reverent fear of God. He is the Lord
of hosts. Haggai uses that title 10
times in his book. He has control over
the armies of heaven. We live in a time
of fear but not reverent fear for God.
People are afraid of losing their false sense of community rather than
fearing the one who secures their destiny.
May we witness what the early disciples experienced – Acts 5 verse 11 “And
great fear came upon all the church and upon as many as heard these things.”
A cheer of affirmation.
Verse 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 Josedech, the
high priest and the spirit of all the remnant of the people and they came and
did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God.” The Lord wanted to encourage them, to
reassure them of his presence. A God who
brought the message of chastisement and rebuke was the same one who brought a
message of encouragement and affirmation.
It was the first positive word the people received from the Lord since
returning from captivity. The great I am
couldn’t associate himself with those planning against him. This message did not come from the Lord but
from Haggai the Lord’s messenger. He had
a special message for the people – that God’s presence would be with them. God’s message of encouragement to the people
shows something of his forgiveness. When
the children’s ambitions changed the Lord forgave them. He wouldn’t hold that against them in the
future days. The Lord who appeared
against the people for disobeying him in bringing drought and famine in the
land would forgive them. The Lord will
not neglect those who obey and serve him.
When we work for the Lord we are assured of his presence. Matthew 28 verse 20 “Teaching them to observe
all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even
unto the end of the world.” The Lord
here was teaching his disciples if they obeyed all he commanded them to do he
would be with them. When the Lord is
with us nothing will hinder or stop our endeavours for him. The Lord hindered the Children of Israel when
they were labouring themselves. All their
hard work was wasted. When they made the
choice to obey he would help them and his presence would be continually with
them. He would give them power to help. The assurance of his presence was with them.
A charge of aspiration – verse 14. When the Lord saw the people were obedient he
stirred up their spirits. He stirred the
leaders first before he stirred the people.
God gave each of them a boldness of spirit to face the task. He revived them so they would be responsible. He energised them so that they would not
languish. A stirring of God – is that not
what we need today? We need God to come
and stir us to our depths and awaken us to the great need all around us. I fear that the church of the west has lost
is cutting edge. Pray that God would
come and stir our spirits.
Stir me, oh, stir me, Lord, I care not how,
But stir my heart in passion for the world,
Stir me to give, to go, but most to pray;
Stir till the blood-red banner be unfurled
O’er lands that still in heathen darkness lie,
O’er deserts where no cross is lifted high.
When there is a stirring there must be an
acting. There must also be a willingness
in ourselves to be stirred by God. The
Children of Israel were put in such a situation – firstly they obeyed God, they
had a reverent fear for God and finally there was a stirring by God. We must be willing to be stirred by God. We must obey him and fear him and then he
will stir us. When the people were
stirred by God they started to rebuild the temple - “and they came and did work
in the house of the Lord of hosts their God.”
The remnant of the people played their part in rebuilding the temple when
they were stirred. When God has a work
to do he will also call and equip people to do it. They all did it with one eye on the Lord of
hosts and the other on the work.
Whatever our capabilities we can play our part in advancing the work of his
kingdom. God can use an educated and
talented people but he is looking for willing people. He is looking for willing people with one eye
fixed on him and the other fixed on the work.
He will equip us for the task.
What a change of heart the people had.
They went from being unwilling to being willing. We can learn lessons from the remnant of the people
in Haggai’s day. We have the assurance
God is with us. If he is with us who can
stand against us? Romans 8 verse 31 “What
shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
So first we see the people’s changed
ambitions. What are our ambitions
today? Maybe we need a change. They received a cheer of affirmation. God reassured them of his presence. That is the greatest encouragement – to know
the Lord is with us. Lastly the people
were charged with aspiration. God stirred
them up to carry out his work. May we be
stirred in these days. May we pray that God will stir us up that his name would
be uplifted and exalted and glorified. A
change of ambition. A cheer of affirmation
and a charge of aspiration.
No comments:
Post a Comment