Pastor Dave Martin ~ Cross Creek Community Church ~ March 07, 2010

Step Up, Sell Out, Soar High!

Haggai 1:1-15 p667 (Minor Prophet OT book with only 2 chpts … 3^rd from last in O.T. - back from Malachi)

• Good morning Cross Creek!  I want to thank P. Barry and P. Jeff for doing a great job while Cathy & I were away…
• You like our title this morning?  Step Up, Sell Out, Soar High! Let’s all say it together… Step Up, Sell Out, Soar High!
• Let me explain this… Step up – make a conscious decision, commitment… be a servant… say you’re a Christian than be one; Sell Out – to the Lord, reverent submission to His Word;  Soar High – Reap the benefits by flying High!!!  Seeing fruit in your life and people around you… making a Difference!
• There’s nothing sweeter than soaring High with your Lord… nothing between me and my Savior!
• Let’s try this… I’ll say Step Up… you all say Sell Out… then I’ll follow with Soar High!  Awesome!

• Background… In 586BC the Babylonian Empire led by the great Nebuchadnezzar plundered and destroyed Jerusalem.  They ransacked and burned God’s Temple and took young Daniel and others into captivity back to Babylon, 900 miles away (which is modern day Iraq)
• In 538BC King Cyrus of the Persian Empire (modern day Iran) conquered the Babylonians and was very favorable to the Jews held in captivity in Babylon.  He allowed over 42,360 Jews with 7337 servants and 200 singers to return to their homeland, to Jerusalem and a wasted Temple. (Spiritually significant)

• After the Babylonian captivity, the foundation of the temple was laid in 537 b.c. with great Jewish enthusiasm. But, opposition began to grow (Ezra 4-6) [Samaritans, political lobbyist, protests, accusations, etc] . . . and for 16 years the people of God succumbed to the enemy!  [Discouragement, confusion, doubt]… God raised up His prophet Haggai to address God’s people [and God’s people today, with many parallel applications for us… “laid foundation”-got saved… “16 years”- backslidden… they started good, on fire then faded away from their Lord… etc…]…

I.   STEP UP:  To a Clear Spiritual Perspective

Haggai 1:2-5 ² This is what the Lord Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the Lord's house to be built.'" ³ Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: ⁴ "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?" ⁵ Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways.

• God’s people were facing difficult uncertain times, non-Jews were everywhere felt helpless… intimidated, outnumbered minority (like people not wanting to share Gospel today)
• Why rebuild the Temple… Someday, but not now… They did not want to STEP UP to the plate
• They lack a clear spiritual perspective of what God wanted them to accomplish…
• Lost their Vision, Lost their Purpose, Lost their Passion… they were content to DRIFT spiritually
• Can we give witness to this today when so many Christians are spiritually aloof?
• What is your spiritual perspective?  Must work at keeping FRESH Perspective before us continually

The Reality (TRUTH) of the Situation and God’s Chastisement

• God’s People were saying – “The time has not yet come”

God’s people were materialistic, self-centered, apathetic, fruitless, empty, lazy… going through the “motions” yet in a spiritual stupor… they started strong, then quit… becoming self-absorbed

1. God called His people to be about His business, not theirs… they failed to see clearly
2. The people became engrossed in their own affairs while neglecting God’s work
3. God tells His people in V4 “my house/temple remains in ruins… picture of many believers today

1. We are God’s Temple (1Co 3:10-17, 6:19-20; 2Co 6:14-18; Jn 14:15-21; Eph 2:19-22)

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ¹⁹ Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1. Many “Christians” today say the time has not yet come for me to STEP UP in my faith
2. Perhaps “we too” don’t understand the reality of the situation… suffering God’s Chastening

God’s People were saying – “The time has not yet come”… invoking God’s chastisement/discipline

• God was saying – “Give Careful Thought to Your Ways” (4 times God commands this)

Haggai 1:6 You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."

• People BUSY planting, harvesting, working – trying to make a living… God was low priority

Haggai 1:9-11 ⁹ "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the Lord Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. ¹⁰ Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. ¹¹ I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands."

• God’s people were complacent, invoking God’s judgment upon them… “Oblivious”
• Problems with the crops, daily substance… any money you get seems to disappear
• If you’re taking notes mark down Heb 12:4-11 concerning how the Lord disciplines His children
• I might ask here… do you tithe?  “Give and it will given to you…”  “open floodgates of heaven…”  “God loves a cheerful giver…”  God says, “Give careful thought to your ways”… 4 times! 
• Step up to a clear spiritual perspective… making a conscious decision… giving careful thought…

Step Up, Sell Out, Soar high!

II.   SELL OUT:  In Reverential Fear and Obedience to God

Haggai 1:7-8 ⁷ This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. ⁸ Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the Lord.

• The Babylonians ransacked the temple stripping all the valuables, especially gold… then burned it
• God tells His people to “go up into the mountains” to get necessary timber to build the temple
• People were busy with their own house & décor… God tells them to build HIS HOUSE…

• I believe God’s people today need to “go up into the mountains”… getting still and alone with God
• Obtaining a clear perspective of God’s Majesty… Of who He is… and who I am, produces reverential Fear… Honor, Respect, Awe – of His Glory, Power, Holiness… that is why we must SELL OUT to God
•  Seek Him as we tear down the accumulated junk/sinful debris in our lives… Agreeing with God

Haggai 1:12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord.

(Prov 1:7; Isa 33:6; Ecc 12:13; Ex 20:20; Jn 14:23-24)

• The “Fear of the Lord” is the beginning, the starting point for knowledge Prov 1:7, wisdom 9:10
• We sell out in reverential fear which prompts us to obedience of His Word… Began with Leaders…
• Zerubbabel the Governor, Joshua the High Priest and all the people OBEYED and FEARED the Lord

Isaiah 33:6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

• God has not changed… He is still the sure foundation for our times!  He holds in His vault of riches… Salvation, Wisdom, Knowledge… what opens up these priceless treasures?  Fear of God!

Step Up, Sell Out, Soar high!

III.   SOAR HIGH:  Making a Difference Spiritually and Eternally

Haggai 1:13-15 ¹³ Then Haggai, the Lord's messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: "I am with you," declares the Lord.¹⁴ So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, ¹⁵ on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius. (23 days after Haggai arrived)

• Godly fear=obedience, the Lord stirred up their spirits… Zerubbabel, Joshua, all the people… 
• Samaritan naysayers looking on, God’s people fully sold out to the Lord… hearts stirred deeply
• Their 16 yr spiritual slump was over, now fully committed… God revives their hearts with PASSION!

James 4:8 “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…”  Drawing near to God demands His cleansing

• Focusing on the Lord (not themselves) in fear and obedience… they started to soar
• We Soar High in proportion to our willingness to pay the price of obedience…
• Investing our time, talents, treasures, discipline… prayer, witnessing, reading/obeying God’s Word

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (Try to grasp the power of what God is telling us in this verse)

As Paul Harvey used to say, “Now the rest of the story…”

1. Temple completed & the people celebrated with joy (Ezra 6)

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    • They chose to step up, sell out and they completed the Temple, God’s house
    • Ezra 6:16, they celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy!  V22 – for 7 days they celebrated with joy… The Lord filled them with Joy (deep seated peace, all is well)

1. The people chose to be Faithful and Revival broke out (Ezra 10)

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    • They turned from their sin, sought the Lord in prayer… God showed up in a big way
    • Revival always begins in prayer… I believe it’s falling deeply in love with Christ.
    • It’s not about church getting filled with people, it’s about people getting filled with God!
    • Many applications for us today from this obscure O.T. book of Haggai

Step Up, Sell Out, Soar high!

Do you have an unsaved family member, loved one?  Someone you work with?  Do you know somebody who doesn’t have a church family?  Someone who’s struggling through life with no purpose?

Who could I pray for and invite to Friend Day March 21^st?

We serve an incredible God… Don’t wait 16 years after you’re saved… get to know Him better starting today …

Step Up, Sell Out, Soar high!

Let’s Pray…

This is the song written/sung by Laura Story who will be with us in two weeks… “Indescribable”