M AJOR L EARNING IN T HE M INORS : Thirsting for a God Who Deserves Worship. Haggai (Page 1468)

Thirsty? T HE M INOR P ROPHETS Most are written just before, or in the middle, of trouble.

Thirsty? T HE C ONTEXT Jump ahead about 100 years! The Babylonian captivity is over. Daniel and Ezekiel write during the Babylonian captivity. Haggai begins his writing at possibly 70 years of age on August 29 th until December 18 th 520 BC. We are now in the time of Ezra, Nehemiah and Zechariah.

Thirsty? C ONNECTING TO THE C ONTEXT : 70 Years of Captivity. Released by King Cyrus in 538 BC. Most people stay. 50,000 Israelites return to Jerusalem. They have been home 18 years when Haggai writes.

Thirsty? I N Y OUR L IFE … How do you respond after the difficulties are gone?

Thirsty? F IRST T HINGS F IRST !! Seek ________ His kingdom and His righteousness and all of these things will be added to you as well – Matthew 6:33. How are you doing with this? What word would people who are watching your life say best fills the blank?

Thirsty? H AGGAI 1:1-2 P AGE 1468 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: Hag 1:2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come for the LORD'S house to be built.’ ”

Thirsty? H AGGAI 1:3-5 Hag 1:3 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?” Hag 1:5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 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.”

Thirsty? 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. 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. H AGGAI 1:7-11

Thirsty? 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.” T HEREFORE …

Thirsty? H AGGAI 1:12 God is deserving of worship not just when it is convenient for you! Hag 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. (fear often is a start of worship)

Thirsty? H AGGAI 1: 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.

Thirsty? P EOPLE N EED TO BE C ALLED … They need to be invited in. They need to know that God is worthy of worship and life is not all about them. The Psalms remind us of the call to worship and inviting others to come to know God while there is still time.

Thirsty? H AGGAI 2: On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Haggai: 11 “This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: 12 If a person carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’ ”

Thirsty? The priests answered, “No.” 13 Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?” “Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.” 14 Then Haggai said, “ ‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the LORD. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.

Thirsty? I N THE W ORLD B UT N OT O F IT 1 Peter 2:9-12 Chosen people, royal priesthood, aliens, strangers, abstain from sinful desires, …live such good lives among the pagans…see your good deeds and glorify God…

Thirsty? T HE P OINT ! We need to be aware of our connection to the world and the worldliness that we live in and live as salt and light. Too often people do not see a difference in attitude, action, speech, giving, or priorities between those who call themselves Christians and those who do not. Disciples of Jesus lead people to worship as they call others to join them in knowing God and making Him known.

Thirsty? H AGGAI ’ S M ESSAGE IS P OWERFUL It is a good reminder to worship God in all that I do and watch to see if I am influencing the world or the world is influencing me. “How Do You Know if Christ is at the Center?”

Thirsty? N EXT W EEK Two Books Left Over Three Sermons: August 16 th Thirsting for God Who Has a Plan Zechariah Part 1 August 23 rd Thirsting for a God Who Leads Us Zechariah Part 2 August 30 th Malachi Thirsting for a God of Relationship.