Putting God as First and Foremost Priority
Today’s sermon is based on the book of Haggai.
When Cyrus, King of Persia, conquered Babylon in 539 BC, he allowed the exiled Jews to return home and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. One group returned the next year, completing and dedicating the temple foundation within two more years. Sixteen years later when King Darius takes the throne, the prophet Haggai urges the people to restart their work.
First message [Haggai 1:1-5]: This is the first message that the Lord had sent through Prophet Haggai which explains why Israel’s crops weren’t blessed because God’s house had been left in ruins. Even when the temple of God was in ruins, the Israelites were putting themselves first, busying themselves with their affairs and not God’s. And God calls them on it and requires them to put him first and foremost. If they had obeyed, God would have blessed them according the covenant he had with them. But they disobeyed and the blessing was withheld.
Likewise presently, in our Christian lives we are busying ourselves with worldly affairs and well being. Our work and our houses are fine, but God’s work and God’s house gets little attention in our busy lives. Personally there is almost no fellowship with God. Family alter are becoming mere symbolic in nature, rather than a true quality time with God. As the temple of the lord, we ourselves should let God reside within us. We must put God first and foremost. Otherwise we will face the same fate as the Israelites. Therefore, God speaks to us through the book of Haggai to say that we need to serve and give God the first and foremost priority.
Second message [Haggai 2:3-9]: The Israelites manages to rebuild the Temple. But, they were disappointed as it lacked the glory compared to King Solomon’s Majestic temple of God. However, the Lord says that the new temple may not be as beautiful and glorious as the first one in its appearance still it will become more glorious because Jesus Christ our Lord would set his very foot inside the temple and would preached the gospel. Thus, highlighting that what’s inside is more important than outward appearance in the eyes of the Lord.
Similarly, in our present times as Christians we are busying ourselves in building beautiful houses, churches, trying our best to be acceptable in our outward appearances and conducts. Believing that, these things bring satisfaction and glory to our lives. Giving no attention to whether God is in His temple that is inside us neither seeking God’s plan. This shows that just like the Israelites, we looks only at the outward appearances such as the Glorious and Majestic temple built by King Solomon but for God it is what’s inside that matters most. Therefore, we need to set our priorities right first i.e. God then, all other things will fall in line.
Third message [Haggai 2:18-19]: The third message assures the people that from now on their crops will be blessed. The Lord asked the people to give careful thoughts to their ways - their crops were not blessed and how they never had their fill of drinks, how they had clothes but were not warm, how they earned their wages only to be put them in a purse with holes in them. But from the day they decided to obey the Lord, God wanted to assure them that his hand of judgment was lifted and they would have a good harvest to provide for their needs in the coming year. God wanted them to put him as their first priority.
Likewise in our day to day life, we as Christians living in this materialistic world often put our worldly affairs and orders as our first priority. We succumb to our worldly needs and neglect God. We think that after reaching a certain position, can we be able to work better for his kingdom rather it is the other way round. God wants us to put him first in everything that we do. Like the Israelites when they began to rebuild the temple of God, He was pleased with them and provided with all their needs since that day. This shows that if we put God first and foremost and if God is pleased with us then he will surely provide each and every need of ours. [Matthew 6:33-34]
