Sermon - 2013-07-21 - The Return Home

The words of Haggai and Zechariah are ones that could easily be shared with us even today.  Remember the people were taken captive from this land of Israel to the land of the Babylonians.  The Persians were the ones who not only told them to go home if they wanted, but also gave them the money, supplies and support to build their homes.   More importantly the Temple of the Lord was to be rebuilt once again. Haggai and Zechariah were sent to the people of Israel to show them what it is they have.  Who they should put their trust and focus in, but also to direct the people into what they should be doing. For the people were so glad to have their freedom and be within their homeland, that they were overjoyed.  In fact when the people began, one of the first things that they did was offer sacrifices and thanksgiving to God.  But then they met resistance from those around them.  They became discouraged and focused on what was more important for themselves and not truly caring about the Temple that was causing the frustration with their neighbors.  When something became a struggle, they became frustrated and abandoned the work that God was calling them to do.  

The people become rather afraid and disenchanted.  Being afraid that the resistance would soon mean that the people would be thrown into war or battle and soon losing the home that they had recently been given back.  It was fear that drove the people into their complacey, and so they needed encouragement and guidance to do the work that was being asked of them.  This reality that the Israelites were facing is something that we as Amaericans are facing and should also be aware of.  The words of Haggai come to the people, come to us: 7Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. 8Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord. 9You have looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts. Because my house lies in ruins, while all of you hurry off to your own houses. 10Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the soil produces, on human beings and animals, and on all their labors.”

Haggai invites the people to look at the world around them.  Look at what they are laboring for, what are they receiving for their work and even why are they doing the work.  Haggai explains that yes you do have large homes, you are enjoying wealth that you have not had within your lifetime and you are looking for even more.  So why don’t you find it?  Why don’t you find the riches, wealth and growth that you are expecting now within the land.  You are not working with God and answering the call that God has given to you.  

When God is speaking of His House, he is referring to it in two ways.  He is referring to the physical building, but he is also referring to the way the people are engaging the world around them.  For truly the entire creation is God’s House.  God is calling the people back to worship and to the meaning of being the people of God.  To share the stories of ancient times, wrestle with them and understand the lessons that we can draw from them.  The people had been given a gift of a second chance, but now it was there time to understand who gave them this gift and what they are suppose to do with it.   

Wrestling with the stories of the Bible is something that can be a challenge.  To find the time, energy and even understand them.  These can be challenges.  Yet it is this challenge that is so important within our lives.  It is important for us to do this every so often and even more important is to find a trusted person who can help you by sharing the life that you are presenting to the world.  Are the goals, ideas, concepts and things of this world something that you are only thinking about, or are you able to engage this world and share those things with others?  Sometimes we need that outside perspective to tell us that we are doing great in following the Will of God, but more often than not, we are putting ideas within our own minds and deceiving ourselves with what we are doing within the world.  

In our modern world, we could use the same encouragement and guidance.  We often think that bigger is better, newer is some how more improved and the busier we are, the better our life truly is.  While for some things this mantra can be true, but today we are reminded that sometimes mantras can be misleading and even guide us away from what is truly important.  We have become so independent within our thinking and mindset that we are much like the people of Israel. I hear it in the excuses that are given to me.  We couldn’t make it church because we were at this sporting event for our son, they have to be on the Pro All Star team so that they will be a great athelete, they can put that on their college application, and finally receive the blessings that God has placed within the world.  Really?  Your son is 4 years old, how about you give the rich blessings that God has placed within the world now, your time, your energy, your love, and help them understand that all things are from God.  We have beautiful homes, we have our own bedrooms, our own houses, bank accounts, and our own schedules. Now these are not bad things, but we need to reflect and understand what they are doing to us and how we are truly influencing the world around us. We should be able to look at our schedule and our checkbook and see where our heart truly is in the world.  Yet we should also be scheduling some time for us to listen to the one who created and sustains us in our world.  We should take time to come to church.  

We should care for the people and the building so that they are signs in the community.  By doing that, they shall see that this is a place where God’s love and God is dwelling.  If theybwant to be a part of that, to have that void that nothing within this world can fill, except God.  Now today in the story, God is reminding the people that they are the best voices, advocates, poster boards, advertisers, slogans and any other means of advertising because they are sharing God’s love within the world.  You are the church, the very body of Christ within the world to share the love of God. For you are instruments of God within the world.  You are the hands and feet of God that people shall witness.  

At long last the people of Israel and you shall realize what it means to be the church in the world.  That your hands and feet are what share that love within the world.  For when Christ enters into the world, he announces that he will destroy this temple, this very temple that the people are working on and he will rebuild it in three days.  This temple that took forty years to construct by thousands of people, Christ shall do the work for us.  Yet Christ was speaking of his own body and the work of our salvation.  These things come to pass and it is the work of Christians to share this good news, to be the church and even care for the building that they gather in.  

So I will leave you with the same reflection that Haggai and Zechariah gave to the people.  Who are you?  What are you doing in this world?  How is it being received?  Are you doing the Will of God?