WEBVTT

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 Okay, folks, with Haggai open in front of you, and if you're struggling to find it,

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 a wee inside tip is find the first book of the New Testament called Matthew,

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 and then skip back three wee ones, and you'll hit Haggai.

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 Let me tell you a conversation I had recently.

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 My oldest daughter came home from school and asked her that question,

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 that annoying question that parents always ask.

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 And if you're a parent here, you've probably done it.

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 And let me tell you from experience, I've subsequently realised there's better questions to ask

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 that provide better inroads into our conversation.

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 So I asked her on this occasion, I said, how was school today?

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 And walking back from her, it wasn't so much an answer, it was just a noise.

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 Okay, she just went, meh.

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 Here's what I want you to do, turn to your neighbour for ten seconds,

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 have a go at translating meh into English, okay, go for it.

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 Okay, ten seconds.

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 Here's what I took from meh.

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 I took from it, I'm really not all that fussed.

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 Say something like that.

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 Kind of happened, went through the motions,

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 and let's not pretend we don't do that as adults as well.

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 Some of you have heard you do it when you talk about work.

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 It was a bit meh.

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 A bit meh.

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 But here's the thing, as we get into Haggai this morning,

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 we're going to be in this for the month of January,

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 thinking about this big challenge that this book presents us.

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 It's maybe a book that you've never thought about before.

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 The generation of God's people that Haggai's addressing,

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 he's an Old Testament prophet,

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 could well be nicknamed the meh generation.

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 Because the problem in Haggai is not so much apostasy.

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 They've not abandoned the faith.

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 They've not thrown it out.

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 The problem's not apostasy.

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 The problem is just apathy.

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 They're just not really all that fussed about the Lord.

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 They've just grown a bit meh towards him and his ways.

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 Now let me ask you as you start this, as we start this,

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 if I was to ask you honestly in your heart of hearts

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 how you would describe your current view of the God of the Bible,

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 would it be meh?

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 The fire in your belly that maybe once was there for Jesus

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 has gone cold.

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 The zeal to serve him with your life,

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 to give it your all, isn't quite what it used to be.

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 Let me just say, if that's you here today,

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 then Haggai's the book for you.

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 And these are always big questions to ask about our lives, isn't it?

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 My biggest fear for my life, dear brothers and sisters,

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 is that I'm just going to go a bit meh, right?

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 In life, in ministry, just go a bit lukewarm

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 in my love for Jesus.

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 And this book prompts us to take in the panorama

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 of who he is.

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 Now, a great question to ask of this book

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 is how did this generation of God's people

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 get to this place?

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 And these are always wonderful opportunities

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 to grasp the fact that when it comes to the God of the Bible,

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 as we think about the background to this letter,

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 we're not dealing in mythology.

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 We're not dealing in mythology.

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 We are dealing and diving into history.

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 And maybe that's a new concept for you this morning.

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 You had the Bible up there with kind of Aesop's fables

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 and the little book of Chinese Proverbs.

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 Let me ask you lovingly, have you read it?

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 Have you read it?

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 Maybe you're watching this and you've never thought

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 about the claims of Christianity.

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 Have you read it?

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 Would you like to read it?

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 I'm game.

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 If you are, would you like to read it?

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 How do we get to know the God of the Bible?

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 We listen to his voice as he speaks to us.

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 If you're a Christian here today, let me ask you,

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 have you got plans to read the Bible this year?

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 It's always what they say, isn't it?

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 Fail to plan, you plan to fail.

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 Do we know the story?

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 There's French philosopher, Emile Calais,

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 who having asked some big questions

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 of his atheistic worldviews,

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 he sat in the trenches during World War I

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 and thought, what is life all about?

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 A friend gave him a Bible and has returned to France

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 and he said of it, this at last was a book

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 that would understand me.

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 And that's the claim that God would make in his word.

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 Why?

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 Because the God of the Bible, our creator,

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 is the God of history.

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 He is the God of history.

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 And the Babylonians are the world superpower in 600 BC.

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 It's kind of roughly where we are.

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 And as part of their territorial expansion program

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 in the year 586,

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 they conquer Jerusalem in the south.

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 And what happens is they gradually carry away

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 God's people to Babylon.

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 And just short of 50 years later,

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 I mean, this really is like a great big game of risk.

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 Another superpower emerges on the world stage

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 called Persia.

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 And the Persians defeat the Babylonians

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 and they take over everything that belongs to them,

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 including the exiles from Judah

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 who happen to find themselves away from their homeland

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 in Babylon.

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 And the Persians have a different tactic

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 to the Babylonians.

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 The Babylonians take and try and convert.

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 What the Persians do is they send back

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 so that the people that they send back

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 will think favorably of them.

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 And so what happens under the orders and support

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 of King Cyrus of Persia,

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 the exiles from Judah are allowed to return

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 to their homeland.

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 So you imagine they make their way back.

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 Zerubbabel, you read about them in verse 1,

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 he leads the first wave of God's people

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 to come back home.

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 But what the Bible is explicitly clear on

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 is that these things didn't happen to God's people

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 because they were the unfortunate victims

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 of power politics.

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 These things happened because God made them happen, right?

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 The exile happened not because the Babylonians

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 are in control,

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 but because standing above it all

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 is a God who is punishing his people

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 for their disobedience and flagrant sin against him.

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 And just like Adam and Eve were,

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 they have to be banished from the promised land.

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 God would not be faithful.

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 He would not be holy if he allowed them to stay.

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 And the people returned to the land

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 not because Cyrus was a decent bloke,

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 but the people returned to the land

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 because this God is kind,

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 this God is gracious,

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 and this God has purposes to fulfill,

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 plans to bring blessing to the nations of the world,

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 and he's going to do it through this people.

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 And so God's people, to much fanfare and rejoicing,

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 they begin to build the temple again

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 in Jerusalem in 536 BC.

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 And you can read about that in Ezra chapter 4.

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 But the thing is,

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 16 years after that initial bit of enthusiasm,

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 Project Temple 2.0 has completely fizzled out.

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 The people have just lost the spark for the Lord.

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 They've lost the dream for the project.

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 And what God does,

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 because he's gracious,

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 because he is good,

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 because he is loving,

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 he raises up the prophet Haggai to be his messenger.

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 And God's purpose through Haggai

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 is to breathe new life into his people's hearts

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 through a mixture of challenge and encouragement

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 and get them building the temple again.

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 And so you want to tap into Haggai chapter 1 this morning.

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 Here's what God knows his people are saying.

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 Verse 2 of chapter 1.

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 This is what the Lord Almighty says.

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 These people say,

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 And you might ask,

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 why is God getting so animated about a building?

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 Why does he care so much about some bricks and mortar?

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 The answer is because of what the temple represents.

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 The temple is about God's presence.

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 This God, despite of who we are,

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 should have said to Israel,

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 he longs to dwell with us.

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 He lives slap bang in the middle of our presence.

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 It's an incredible thing.

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 The God who created all things,

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 he looked on us not because we were good.

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 He looked on us because he's gracious

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 and he lives with us.

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 All the gods of the world live up there.

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 They live out there.

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 Our God lives in the middle of us.

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 And the temple is about God's peace.

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 This is where the sacrifices happen.

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 This is the place where you would go

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 to know that your sins against a holy God

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 have been dealt with.

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 You want to be right with him?

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 You want to be right with him?

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 You're an Old Testament.

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 Israelite, you've got to go to the temple.

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 You've been given of your sin

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 and the temple is about God's promises.

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 In other words,

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 this building points beyond itself

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 to a time when the peoples of the world

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 are going to come in

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 and see how good this God is

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 and the whole earth

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 will one day be filled

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 with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord

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 as the waters cover the sea.

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 This is about way more than a building.

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 That's why we call the series

00:09:15.899 --> 00:09:17.700
 More Than a Building.

00:09:18.700 --> 00:09:19.980
 And let me try and distill that

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 into one really simple,

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 accessible truth for us.

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 In Haggai, it's almost as if God

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 is laying his heart on the line

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 and saying to his people,

00:09:30.860 --> 00:09:32.399
 my heart's desire

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 is that you would come to a point

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 where the number one reason

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 that you exist,

00:09:38.539 --> 00:09:40.840
 the greatest longing in your heart

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 is to know me

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 and enjoy me forever.

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 And so that's the question

00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:50.340
 that God would ask us this morning.

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 This is all about priorities.

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 This is all about what you and I

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 most long for in our hearts.

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 And this is why it's such a brilliant book

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 to study at the outset of this year

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 when we sit down

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 and we think about the things

00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:04.160
 that our lives are going to be about this year.

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 Are they going to be about the Lord?

00:10:07.520 --> 00:10:09.020
 Are they going to be about serving him?

00:10:09.140 --> 00:10:10.520
 Are they going to be about knowing him?

00:10:10.600 --> 00:10:13.020
 Are they going to be about other things?

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 And so in the time remaining,

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 I just want us to focus on two things

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 in these first 11 verses

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 of Haggai chapter 1.

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 Right, two things.

00:10:21.300 --> 00:10:23.380
 What can we say about these people?

00:10:23.379 --> 00:10:26.820
 What we can say is that

00:10:26.820 --> 00:10:27.860
 they've lost the spring

00:10:27.860 --> 00:10:29.980
 in their spiritual step.

00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:33.080
 They've just gone a bit flat.

00:10:35.439 --> 00:10:36.480
 And there's two reasons

00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:37.980
 why they've gone a bit flat.

00:10:38.139 --> 00:10:39.600
 And just notice as we go through these

00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:41.240
 just how close to the bone

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 and relevant these things are for us.

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 The first reason is in the text.

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 And the reason is

00:10:48.820 --> 00:10:51.580
 it's just really simpler to settle down.

00:10:51.580 --> 00:10:53.879
 Right, you know that in your life?

00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:55.740
 Really just simpler to settle down.

00:10:55.820 --> 00:10:57.560
 Now any good estate agent will tell you

00:10:57.560 --> 00:11:00.020
 that a good investment strategy

00:11:00.020 --> 00:11:02.600
 is to find the most expensive street

00:11:02.600 --> 00:11:05.560
 and to buy on it the cheapest house.

00:11:06.259 --> 00:11:07.720
 Right, buy the doer upper.

00:11:07.860 --> 00:11:08.360
 That's what they say.

00:11:08.759 --> 00:11:10.000
 Well, in Jerusalem Main Street,

00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:11.320
 the cheapest house going

00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:13.040
 is the temple.

00:11:14.139 --> 00:11:16.040
 Have a look at what God says at verse 3.

00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:17.920
 Here's the challenge.

00:11:19.060 --> 00:11:20.680
 Is it a time for you yourselves

00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:22.859
 to be living in your panelled houses

00:11:22.859 --> 00:11:26.439
 while this house remains a ruin?

00:11:27.179 --> 00:11:29.219
 So it's not like these people aren't busy.

00:11:30.079 --> 00:11:31.079
 Right, they're really busy.

00:11:31.199 --> 00:11:31.699
 Really busy.

00:11:31.819 --> 00:11:33.299
 Verse 9, God knows that they're busy.

00:11:33.419 --> 00:11:36.539
 Verse 9, you are busy with your own houses.

00:11:37.319 --> 00:11:38.879
 There's nothing wrong with being busy.

00:11:39.079 --> 00:11:41.159
 It's God's people were called to be productive.

00:11:43.019 --> 00:11:44.259
 But what's happened is that

00:11:44.259 --> 00:11:46.699
 they've confused primary and secondary things.

00:11:46.700 --> 00:11:47.940
 Right?

00:11:49.060 --> 00:11:51.160
 Primary things have become secondary things.

00:11:51.700 --> 00:11:53.540
 Secondary things have become primary things.

00:11:53.620 --> 00:11:55.259
 How true is that in the Christian life?

00:11:56.660 --> 00:11:58.340
 This is a challenge to keep the main thing

00:11:58.340 --> 00:11:59.020
 the main thing.

00:12:00.100 --> 00:12:02.440
 They are prioritising panelled houses.

00:12:02.640 --> 00:12:05.520
 They are prioritising their own little DIY projects.

00:12:06.140 --> 00:12:06.300
 Right?

00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:07.400
 The extension on the side,

00:12:08.040 --> 00:12:09.040
 going up to the attic,

00:12:09.420 --> 00:12:10.180
 out to the garden.

00:12:10.179 --> 00:12:12.099
 They're pursuing their own agendas

00:12:12.099 --> 00:12:13.139
 for bigger and better

00:12:13.139 --> 00:12:15.539
 over and above God's purposes.

00:12:15.959 --> 00:12:17.099
 Yeah, think about it, guys.

00:12:18.719 --> 00:12:20.039
 Think about my conversations

00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:21.059
 over the holiday there

00:12:21.059 --> 00:12:23.479
 and how much of them

00:12:23.479 --> 00:12:26.259
 centred around our home,

00:12:26.599 --> 00:12:27.979
 our next move,

00:12:28.259 --> 00:12:29.500
 the next project,

00:12:29.819 --> 00:12:31.179
 the next promotion at work.

00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:32.399
 Do you know these kind of things?

00:12:33.339 --> 00:12:34.979
 I was challenged over those conversations,

00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:36.019
 thinking to myself,

00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:38.679
 what would somebody listening in on that?

00:12:38.679 --> 00:12:39.979
 That, Shanks,

00:12:40.019 --> 00:12:40.779
 what would they conclude

00:12:40.779 --> 00:12:42.179
 is the thing that drives your life

00:12:42.179 --> 00:12:42.839
 from what you've said

00:12:42.839 --> 00:12:43.739
 in that conversation?

00:12:43.899 --> 00:12:44.759
 What gets you going?

00:12:44.839 --> 00:12:45.819
 What gets you up out of bed

00:12:45.819 --> 00:12:46.279
 in the morning?

00:12:46.379 --> 00:12:47.239
 What would they derive

00:12:47.239 --> 00:12:48.319
 from that conversation?

00:12:49.179 --> 00:12:50.279
 Is you going to work tomorrow?

00:12:51.239 --> 00:12:52.059
 Is you going to school?

00:12:52.059 --> 00:12:52.099
 Is you going to school?

00:12:52.099 --> 00:12:53.259
 Is you going to school?

00:12:54.039 --> 00:12:54.719
 What is it?

00:12:54.739 --> 00:12:55.659
 Is people looking at us

00:12:55.659 --> 00:12:58.000
 that they would deduce

00:12:58.000 --> 00:12:59.659
 to the things that make us tick?

00:13:01.259 --> 00:13:02.939
 It's easier to settle down

00:13:02.939 --> 00:13:04.039
 and reason two, I think,

00:13:04.159 --> 00:13:05.479
 is behind the text.

00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:08.419
 And it's just safer to blend in.

00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:11.239
 I heard it in Ezra chapter four

00:13:11.239 --> 00:13:12.539
 when the people started rebuilding.

00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:15.379
 There came a wave of opposition

00:13:15.379 --> 00:13:16.239
 from their neighbours.

00:13:17.299 --> 00:13:19.779
 Because for them to get back in the land,

00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:20.979
 and remember, it's not just them.

00:13:21.079 --> 00:13:22.779
 There's people from all over the nations

00:13:22.779 --> 00:13:23.779
 round about in there.

00:13:24.019 --> 00:13:25.779
 For them to start building the temple,

00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:27.219
 for them to erect a structure

00:13:27.219 --> 00:13:28.279
 right in the middle,

00:13:28.819 --> 00:13:30.179
 is to declare to the world

00:13:30.179 --> 00:13:31.719
 that our God is the true God

00:13:31.719 --> 00:13:32.779
 and all the other gods

00:13:32.779 --> 00:13:34.679
 that you worship are pretenders.

00:13:35.479 --> 00:13:36.279
 So you can imagine the people

00:13:36.279 --> 00:13:37.240
 of the world looking in at that

00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:38.299
 thinking, we're not having that.

00:13:39.079 --> 00:13:39.759
 Not for that.

00:13:39.959 --> 00:13:41.379
 We really don't like

00:13:41.379 --> 00:13:43.759
 what you guys stand for.

00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:47.259
 And that can be hugely discouraging.

00:13:47.379 --> 00:13:48.519
 Do you know that in your own life?

00:13:49.899 --> 00:13:50.819
 Discouraging when people say,

00:13:50.899 --> 00:13:51.519
 I don't want anything

00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:54.459
 to do with what you stand for.

00:13:54.539 --> 00:13:55.579
 You know, I was taking the kids yesterday

00:13:55.579 --> 00:13:57.279
 to the rope park at Craig Miller,

00:13:58.399 --> 00:13:59.399
 telling a lady I met there

00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:00.299
 what I did for a job,

00:14:00.359 --> 00:14:01.359
 and her face dropped.

00:14:02.359 --> 00:14:03.120
 Not interested.

00:14:03.120 --> 00:14:05.799
 It's discouraging, isn't it,

00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:07.279
 when people say that?

00:14:07.820 --> 00:14:08.620
 And after a while,

00:14:08.700 --> 00:14:09.799
 that discouragement can lead

00:14:09.799 --> 00:14:10.620
 to despondency.

00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:11.519
 And after a while,

00:14:11.580 --> 00:14:13.740
 it can just leave us

00:14:13.740 --> 00:14:14.279
 with the feeling

00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:15.240
 that it's just easier

00:14:15.240 --> 00:14:16.340
 to duck a conversation.

00:14:17.539 --> 00:14:17.840
 Yeah?

00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:20.360
 And I find it as a parent

00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:22.860
 not to try and constructively

00:14:22.860 --> 00:14:24.879
 try and speak to the school

00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:26.960
 lovingly about why

00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:28.500
 they're asking my children

00:14:28.500 --> 00:14:29.320
 to wear purple

00:14:29.320 --> 00:14:30.580
 to celebrate Pride Day.

00:14:30.780 --> 00:14:30.920
 Right?

00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:32.060
 It just becomes easier

00:14:32.060 --> 00:14:33.340
 to duck that conversation.

00:14:33.340 --> 00:14:35.340
 not because I want to do

00:14:35.340 --> 00:14:36.720
 anything other than love

00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:38.320
 and welcome and respect

00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:39.379
 every human being

00:14:39.379 --> 00:14:40.540
 who's made in God's image

00:14:40.540 --> 00:14:42.220
 and hear me right clear on that.

00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:44.080
 But because as a Christian,

00:14:44.200 --> 00:14:45.399
 I just cannot affirm

00:14:45.399 --> 00:14:47.220
 any, any lifestyle

00:14:47.220 --> 00:14:48.160
 that would run contrary

00:14:48.160 --> 00:14:49.720
 to what the Bible teaches.

00:14:49.820 --> 00:14:50.600
 I just can't do that

00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:51.280
 in good conscience.

00:14:52.800 --> 00:14:53.379
 But after a while,

00:14:53.420 --> 00:14:54.500
 it just becomes easier

00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:56.320
 to duck a conversation.

00:14:56.460 --> 00:14:57.259
 It becomes easier

00:14:57.259 --> 00:14:58.840
 to avoid a certain question.

00:14:58.920 --> 00:14:59.620
 When people ask you

00:14:59.620 --> 00:15:00.680
 what you did at the weekend,

00:15:01.300 --> 00:15:02.740
 how easy is it just to say

00:15:02.740 --> 00:15:04.360
 that you spent time

00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:05.120
 with friends?

00:15:06.200 --> 00:15:06.700
 And all of a sudden

00:15:06.700 --> 00:15:07.600
 you see how this becomes

00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:08.960
 really close to the bone.

00:15:09.240 --> 00:15:10.139
 It's just simpler

00:15:10.139 --> 00:15:11.100
 to settle down

00:15:11.100 --> 00:15:12.419
 and it's just safer

00:15:12.419 --> 00:15:13.200
 to blend in.

00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:14.220
 And you bring those

00:15:14.220 --> 00:15:15.279
 two things together.

00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:16.399
 Here's what happened.

00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:17.259
 Here's what's happened

00:15:17.259 --> 00:15:17.879
 in the background

00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:18.820
 here to these people.

00:15:19.100 --> 00:15:21.100
 The ideal of comfort.

00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:22.180
 We just want

00:15:22.180 --> 00:15:23.460
 a comfortable life.

00:15:24.340 --> 00:15:24.460
 Right?

00:15:24.500 --> 00:15:25.379
 You're not doing away with God.

00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:26.680
 We just want a comfortable life

00:15:26.680 --> 00:15:27.840
 has taken the throne

00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:29.060
 in these people's lives.

00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:31.360
 And they've just lost

00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:32.500
 a sense of the buzz

00:15:32.500 --> 00:15:34.120
 for who the Lord is.

00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:38.399
 But what we can say

00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:39.700
 secondly about this God

00:15:39.700 --> 00:15:43.379
 is that he won't settle

00:15:43.379 --> 00:15:44.500
 for second place.

00:15:45.779 --> 00:15:47.139
 For here's the question

00:15:47.139 --> 00:15:47.919
 God asks

00:15:47.919 --> 00:15:49.159
 verse 5 and 7.

00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:49.620
 He says,

00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:50.799
 give careful thought

00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:51.679
 to your ways.

00:15:53.259 --> 00:15:53.940
 He says,

00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:54.840
 stop and think

00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:55.799
 about how you're living

00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:57.039
 and stop and think

00:15:57.039 --> 00:15:58.519
 and consider

00:15:58.519 --> 00:15:59.419
 how it's going.

00:16:00.620 --> 00:16:00.759
 Right?

00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:01.379
 God knows

00:16:01.379 --> 00:16:03.340
 what these people

00:16:03.340 --> 00:16:04.200
 are throwing themselves

00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:04.480
 into.

00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:05.439
 You get a list there

00:16:05.439 --> 00:16:07.279
 from verse 5

00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:08.139
 and from verse 7.

00:16:08.259 --> 00:16:08.700
 Planting,

00:16:08.899 --> 00:16:09.319
 harvesting,

00:16:09.539 --> 00:16:09.799
 eating,

00:16:10.019 --> 00:16:10.379
 clothing,

00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:10.860
 earning.

00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:12.120
 These are busy people.

00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:13.279
 And particularly

00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:14.179
 if you consider Haggai

00:16:14.179 --> 00:16:15.059
 because of the dating

00:16:15.059 --> 00:16:16.179
 he begins to speak

00:16:16.179 --> 00:16:17.379
 at the harvest season

00:16:17.379 --> 00:16:17.980
 when the people

00:16:17.980 --> 00:16:18.580
 would begin

00:16:18.580 --> 00:16:19.480
 to think

00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:20.100
 that they might see

00:16:20.100 --> 00:16:21.299
 results from these things

00:16:21.299 --> 00:16:22.200
 but they're not.

00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:25.120
 God says,

00:16:25.180 --> 00:16:25.980
 consider your ways.

00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:26.920
 What's it telling you?

00:16:27.040 --> 00:16:27.980
 I love that image

00:16:27.980 --> 00:16:28.759
 you get there

00:16:28.759 --> 00:16:29.640
 of putting money

00:16:29.640 --> 00:16:30.140
 in a purse

00:16:30.140 --> 00:16:30.960
 with holes in it.

00:16:32.660 --> 00:16:34.060
 That constant cycle

00:16:34.060 --> 00:16:35.600
 of money coming in

00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:36.480
 and going out again

00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:37.379
 and it didn't even

00:16:37.379 --> 00:16:38.840
 hit your bank account.

00:16:38.920 --> 00:16:39.720
 You know that feeling?

00:16:40.900 --> 00:16:41.520
 It just comes

00:16:41.520 --> 00:16:42.160
 and it goes.

00:16:42.280 --> 00:16:42.940
 I've never seen it.

00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:43.620
 What's going on?

00:16:44.680 --> 00:16:45.640
 That's what he's saying.

00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:46.440
 These things

00:16:46.440 --> 00:16:46.980
 that you're plowing

00:16:46.980 --> 00:16:47.700
 yourselves into,

00:16:47.820 --> 00:16:48.620
 do you see

00:16:48.620 --> 00:16:49.700
 just how fragile

00:16:49.700 --> 00:16:50.720
 and unsteady

00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:51.580
 it all is?

00:16:52.140 --> 00:16:53.080
 I read a fascinating quote

00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:54.320
 from Jim Carrey recently,

00:16:54.460 --> 00:16:55.120
 Hollywood actor.

00:16:55.259 --> 00:16:55.620
 He said,

00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:56.940
 I don't blow money.

00:16:57.060 --> 00:16:58.160
 I don't have tons of houses.

00:16:58.379 --> 00:16:59.860
 I know things can go away.

00:17:00.259 --> 00:17:01.440
 I've already had

00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:02.280
 that experience.

00:17:03.520 --> 00:17:04.340
 And it's true,

00:17:04.460 --> 00:17:04.819
 isn't it?

00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:06.980
 The things of our lives

00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:08.500
 that we so often pursue

00:17:08.500 --> 00:17:10.940
 are here today

00:17:10.940 --> 00:17:12.080
 and often gone tomorrow.

00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:12.940
 And God says,

00:17:13.019 --> 00:17:14.200
 where is this getting you?

00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:15.480
 What is it telling you?

00:17:17.100 --> 00:17:17.819
 But more than that,

00:17:17.900 --> 00:17:18.759
 God says,

00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:19.779
 and this is,

00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:21.720
 this is difficult

00:17:21.720 --> 00:17:22.299
 for us to hear,

00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:23.039
 but this is true

00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:23.819
 when you think about it.

00:17:23.859 --> 00:17:24.359
 God says,

00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:25.420
 I brought these things

00:17:25.420 --> 00:17:26.039
 to pass.

00:17:27.140 --> 00:17:27.299
 Right?

00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:27.859
 Verse nine,

00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:28.960
 what you brought home,

00:17:29.079 --> 00:17:29.859
 I blew away.

00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:30.440
 Verse 11,

00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:31.900
 I called for a drought

00:17:31.900 --> 00:17:32.799
 on the fields.

00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:33.740
 And if the people

00:17:33.740 --> 00:17:34.619
 were on the ball,

00:17:35.579 --> 00:17:36.299
 they'd remember

00:17:36.299 --> 00:17:36.920
 that these are

00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:38.019
 the covenant curses

00:17:38.019 --> 00:17:38.720
 that God said

00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:39.539
 he would bring in them

00:17:39.539 --> 00:17:40.839
 for their disobedience.

00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:43.119
 What does this signify?

00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:44.220
 It signifies that

00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:45.440
 things aren't good

00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:46.379
 between them

00:17:46.379 --> 00:17:47.700
 and the Lord.

00:17:47.700 --> 00:17:49.880
 Now we need to understand

00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:50.740
 that we live

00:17:50.740 --> 00:17:51.840
 at a different time

00:17:51.840 --> 00:17:52.460
 in history

00:17:52.460 --> 00:17:54.720
 from these people

00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:55.980
 when Jesus has taken

00:17:55.980 --> 00:17:57.140
 the covenant curses

00:17:57.140 --> 00:17:57.960
 that we deserve

00:17:57.960 --> 00:17:58.779
 on himself

00:17:58.779 --> 00:17:59.819
 on the cross.

00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:00.420
 Okay,

00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:01.240
 he has died

00:18:01.240 --> 00:18:03.000
 for the curses

00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:03.600
 and punishment

00:18:03.600 --> 00:18:04.400
 that I deserved.

00:18:04.640 --> 00:18:05.279
 So this is not

00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.299
 a straight line application

00:18:06.299 --> 00:18:07.460
 for us today.

00:18:08.740 --> 00:18:10.340
 But the heart of God

00:18:10.340 --> 00:18:11.620
 in this remains the same.

00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:12.580
 The love of God

00:18:12.580 --> 00:18:13.900
 in this remains the same.

00:18:14.019 --> 00:18:14.799
 What does he want?

00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:16.180
 He wants his people

00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:17.279
 to wake up

00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:18.579
 and remember

00:18:18.579 --> 00:18:19.539
 who he is.

00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:21.919
 Remember who he is.

00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:22.659
 Seven times

00:18:22.659 --> 00:18:23.399
 in these verses

00:18:23.399 --> 00:18:24.740
 God's covenant name

00:18:24.740 --> 00:18:25.980
 capital L

00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:26.919
 capital O

00:18:26.919 --> 00:18:28.000
 capital R

00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:28.740
 capital D

00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:29.460
 that was a mouthful.

00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:30.879
 The Lord is used.

00:18:30.940 --> 00:18:31.500
 Do you see it?

00:18:31.819 --> 00:18:32.500
 Seven times.

00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:33.819
 Thirty-four times

00:18:33.819 --> 00:18:35.059
 in these three

00:18:35.059 --> 00:18:35.480
 sorry,

00:18:35.579 --> 00:18:36.500
 these two chapters

00:18:36.500 --> 00:18:37.960
 God says

00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:38.740
 I am the Lord,

00:18:38.839 --> 00:18:39.019
 right?

00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:39.899
 I am the God

00:18:39.899 --> 00:18:41.039
 who has loved you

00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:42.180
 with an everlasting love.

00:18:42.279 --> 00:18:42.940
 Remember that.

00:18:42.940 --> 00:18:44.380
 I am a God

00:18:44.380 --> 00:18:45.400
 who has fully committed

00:18:45.400 --> 00:18:46.460
 myself to you

00:18:46.460 --> 00:18:47.000
 in love

00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:48.360
 and to my plans.

00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:50.019
 I am the Lord.

00:18:50.140 --> 00:18:51.080
 Don't forget that.

00:18:51.820 --> 00:18:52.740
 I am the Lord.

00:18:52.860 --> 00:18:53.840
 Not changed.

00:18:54.440 --> 00:18:55.519
 You've gone and come back.

00:18:55.600 --> 00:18:56.740
 I've not changed.

00:18:58.600 --> 00:19:00.080
 And he is the Lord Almighty.

00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:04.019
 He's the God of angel armies.

00:19:04.100 --> 00:19:04.820
 That's what that means.

00:19:05.840 --> 00:19:06.660
 God wants his people

00:19:06.660 --> 00:19:07.100
 to know

00:19:07.100 --> 00:19:07.620
 in a world

00:19:07.620 --> 00:19:08.720
 of scary opposition

00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:10.259
 that he's always

00:19:10.259 --> 00:19:10.960
 in control.

00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:13.000
 that he's always bigger.

00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:14.360
 That he's always better.

00:19:15.460 --> 00:19:16.059
 And why are they

00:19:16.059 --> 00:19:16.700
 to build the house?

00:19:16.779 --> 00:19:18.319
 See that magic word

00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:19.200
 beginning with P

00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:19.840
 at verse 8.

00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:20.779
 God says

00:19:20.779 --> 00:19:23.539
 that I may take pleasure

00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:24.779
 in it.

00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:27.240
 This God

00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:28.819
 is a jealous God.

00:19:30.380 --> 00:19:31.240
 He's not jealous

00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:32.160
 of his people,

00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:32.420
 right?

00:19:32.460 --> 00:19:33.059
 That's us.

00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:33.960
 We get jealous

00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:34.819
 of things

00:19:34.819 --> 00:19:35.440
 all the time

00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:36.140
 in my heart.

00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:37.579
 It's our twisted hearts.

00:19:37.660 --> 00:19:38.140
 I see someone

00:19:38.140 --> 00:19:38.860
 having a better time

00:19:38.860 --> 00:19:39.600
 than me in Facebook.

00:19:39.740 --> 00:19:40.400
 I want it.

00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:41.160
 That's my

00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:42.540
 jealous heart.

00:19:42.620 --> 00:19:43.220
 We get jealous

00:19:43.220 --> 00:19:44.420
 of things.

00:19:44.860 --> 00:19:45.500
 But this God

00:19:45.500 --> 00:19:45.940
 is jealous

00:19:45.940 --> 00:19:47.060
 for his people.

00:19:47.180 --> 00:19:47.780
 And there's a world

00:19:47.780 --> 00:19:48.519
 of difference

00:19:48.519 --> 00:19:50.180
 between being jealous

00:19:50.180 --> 00:19:51.140
 of something

00:19:51.140 --> 00:19:52.080
 and being jealous

00:19:52.080 --> 00:19:53.600
 for something.

00:19:53.700 --> 00:19:54.380
 There's a world

00:19:54.380 --> 00:19:54.900
 of difference

00:19:54.900 --> 00:19:55.720
 between him and us.

00:19:56.040 --> 00:19:56.840
 He wants

00:19:56.840 --> 00:19:58.180
 the sole affection

00:19:58.180 --> 00:19:59.500
 of his people's hearts.

00:19:59.880 --> 00:20:00.540
 He wants

00:20:00.540 --> 00:20:01.880
 the people,

00:20:01.980 --> 00:20:02.560
 his people

00:20:02.560 --> 00:20:03.340
 to find their

00:20:03.340 --> 00:20:05.080
 all satisfaction

00:20:05.080 --> 00:20:06.540
 in him.

00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:07.900
 And so this God

00:20:07.900 --> 00:20:08.620
 says,

00:20:09.280 --> 00:20:10.480
 I will not

00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:10.980
 settle

00:20:10.980 --> 00:20:11.820
 for second

00:20:11.820 --> 00:20:13.220
 place.

00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:16.580
 And fast

00:20:16.580 --> 00:20:17.019
 forward to

00:20:17.019 --> 00:20:17.800
 Mark's gospel

00:20:17.800 --> 00:20:20.400
 in the New Testament

00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:21.040
 and we see

00:20:21.040 --> 00:20:21.960
 Jesus saying

00:20:21.960 --> 00:20:22.759
 the exact

00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:23.440
 same

00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:24.360
 thing.

00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:26.400
 So in Mark

00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:26.980
 chapter 10,

00:20:27.060 --> 00:20:27.880
 this rich young man

00:20:27.880 --> 00:20:28.740
 comes to Jesus

00:20:28.740 --> 00:20:29.460
 with a burning

00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:30.100
 question.

00:20:30.280 --> 00:20:30.620
 He says,

00:20:31.040 --> 00:20:32.140
 what must I do

00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:32.780
 to inherit

00:20:32.780 --> 00:20:33.759
 eternal life?

00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:35.400
 For all

00:20:35.400 --> 00:20:36.160
 intents and purposes

00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:36.900
 as a reader,

00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:37.400
 you read it

00:20:37.400 --> 00:20:37.740
 and you think,

00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:38.940
 this guy has it

00:20:38.940 --> 00:20:39.339
 sorted.

00:20:39.579 --> 00:20:40.319
 This is the guy

00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:40.740
 that we would

00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:41.579
 look at and think,

00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:42.240
 we want to be

00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:43.019
 like him.

00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:44.940
 And Jesus gives

00:20:44.940 --> 00:20:45.539
 him the commandments,

00:20:45.700 --> 00:20:46.299
 do not steal,

00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:47.019
 do not murder,

00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:47.839
 honour your father

00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:48.220
 and mother.

00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:48.680
 And it's almost

00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:49.480
 as this guy goes,

00:20:49.579 --> 00:20:50.180
 tick, tick, tick,

00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:50.839
 tick, tick.

00:20:51.059 --> 00:20:51.740
 Done it all.

00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:53.539
 I've kept them.

00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:56.000
 And I love it,

00:20:56.019 --> 00:20:56.700
 you read Mark 10

00:20:56.700 --> 00:20:57.819
 and it comes

00:20:57.819 --> 00:20:58.700
 across as you read it,

00:20:58.759 --> 00:20:59.339
 Jesus could have

00:20:59.339 --> 00:21:00.299
 quite easily

00:21:00.299 --> 00:21:01.259
 left the conversation

00:21:01.259 --> 00:21:03.140
 there and said,

00:21:03.140 --> 00:21:03.840
 that's great mate,

00:21:03.900 --> 00:21:04.420
 off you go.

00:21:04.620 --> 00:21:04.900
 But no,

00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:05.700
 he didn't leave it

00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:06.020
 there.

00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:08.660
 Because Jesus

00:21:08.660 --> 00:21:09.759
 loves us too much

00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:12.340
 for us to make

00:21:12.340 --> 00:21:13.380
 him second place.

00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:16.440
 Mark lets us know

00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:16.940
 that Jesus,

00:21:17.120 --> 00:21:18.100
 and notice this word

00:21:18.100 --> 00:21:18.800
 in the text,

00:21:18.940 --> 00:21:19.300
 you've got to

00:21:19.300 --> 00:21:19.759
 notice it,

00:21:19.840 --> 00:21:20.020
 okay?

00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:21.580
 Jesus looked at him

00:21:21.580 --> 00:21:22.380
 and what did he do?

00:21:23.720 --> 00:21:24.820
 He loved him.

00:21:26.200 --> 00:21:26.780
 And that's why

00:21:26.780 --> 00:21:27.400
 the conversation

00:21:27.400 --> 00:21:28.020
 kept going.

00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:29.440
 And that's why

00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:30.200
 Jesus asked the

00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:30.960
 searching question

00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:31.960
 of this man's heart

00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:33.020
 because he loved him.

00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:33.880
 And that's why

00:21:33.880 --> 00:21:34.480
 God would ask

00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:35.300
 of us this morning

00:21:35.300 --> 00:21:36.460
 as he searches

00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:36.980
 our hearts

00:21:36.980 --> 00:21:37.880
 through his words,

00:21:38.020 --> 00:21:38.740
 doesn't do it

00:21:38.740 --> 00:21:39.560
 to out us,

00:21:39.660 --> 00:21:40.180
 he does it

00:21:40.180 --> 00:21:41.360
 because he loves us.

00:21:43.520 --> 00:21:44.640
 Jesus looked at him

00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:45.259
 and loved him.

00:21:45.900 --> 00:21:46.759
 Jesus isn't simply

00:21:46.759 --> 00:21:47.660
 after this man's

00:21:47.660 --> 00:21:48.400
 surface obedience,

00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:49.580
 he longs to have

00:21:49.580 --> 00:21:50.400
 first place

00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:51.540
 in this man's life

00:21:51.540 --> 00:21:52.960
 because true life

00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:54.060
 will only be found

00:21:54.060 --> 00:21:56.140
 in making Jesus king,

00:21:56.680 --> 00:21:57.500
 letting him have

00:21:57.500 --> 00:21:58.580
 the driving seat,

00:21:58.900 --> 00:21:59.780
 and allowing him

00:21:59.780 --> 00:22:00.540
 to reshape

00:22:00.539 --> 00:22:01.159
 and reform

00:22:01.159 --> 00:22:01.940
 our minds.

00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:03.180
 So I was thinking

00:22:03.180 --> 00:22:03.579
 about this

00:22:03.579 --> 00:22:04.339
 over the holidays,

00:22:04.500 --> 00:22:05.379
 remember driving out

00:22:05.379 --> 00:22:06.059
 and I'm driving

00:22:06.059 --> 00:22:07.159
 behind somebody

00:22:07.159 --> 00:22:08.259
 with L plates on.

00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:09.700
 Do you remember

00:22:09.700 --> 00:22:10.159
 doing that?

00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:10.819
 Maybe some of you

00:22:10.819 --> 00:22:11.359
 are doing it,

00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:12.500
 maybe some of you

00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:13.019
 will do it.

00:22:13.079 --> 00:22:13.759
 Remember doing it.

00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:15.039
 What is it they

00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:15.579
 made us do?

00:22:15.700 --> 00:22:16.779
 Remember before

00:22:16.779 --> 00:22:17.539
 we sat our test,

00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.599
 just put the L plates

00:22:18.599 --> 00:22:19.460
 on, saying to the

00:22:19.460 --> 00:22:20.319
 world, I'm still

00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:21.039
 learning.

00:22:21.980 --> 00:22:22.420
 Let me just say

00:22:22.420 --> 00:22:22.879
 the Christians

00:22:22.879 --> 00:22:23.220
 that have made

00:22:23.220 --> 00:22:24.079
 the biggest impact

00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:24.839
 on me over my

00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:25.579
 Christian life

00:22:25.579 --> 00:22:26.539
 are the people

00:22:26.539 --> 00:22:27.279
 I could look at

00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:28.079
 and I could say

00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:29.480
 at whatever age

00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:29.980
 they are,

00:22:30.119 --> 00:22:30.599
 they've never

00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:31.740
 stopped learning.

00:22:32.579 --> 00:22:33.279
 They've never

00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:33.879
 stopped learning

00:22:33.879 --> 00:22:34.259
 Jesus.

00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:35.460
 And it's almost

00:22:35.460 --> 00:22:36.039
 as if Jesus

00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:36.779
 at this point

00:22:36.779 --> 00:22:37.279
 is this man

00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:37.839
 comes to him

00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:38.119
 and says,

00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:39.039
 what will it take

00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:39.799
 for me to follow

00:22:39.799 --> 00:22:40.079
 you?

00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:40.740
 He is saying

00:22:40.740 --> 00:22:41.139
 that you need

00:22:41.139 --> 00:22:41.819
 to put an L plate

00:22:41.819 --> 00:22:42.519
 on your life

00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:43.899
 and you need

00:22:43.899 --> 00:22:44.539
 as a disciple

00:22:44.539 --> 00:22:45.420
 to be all about

00:22:45.420 --> 00:22:46.460
 learning me

00:22:46.460 --> 00:22:47.299
 for life.

00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:49.539
 To be a disciple

00:22:49.539 --> 00:22:50.420
 is to learn

00:22:50.420 --> 00:22:51.359
 Jesus.

00:22:52.539 --> 00:22:53.740
 Learn Jesus.

00:22:54.160 --> 00:22:54.759
 And the thing

00:22:54.759 --> 00:22:55.279
 is when you

00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.200
 come to Jesus,

00:22:56.200 --> 00:22:56.799
 and I love

00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:57.240
 this in the

00:22:57.240 --> 00:22:57.559
 Gospels,

00:22:57.660 --> 00:22:58.779
 people flock

00:22:58.779 --> 00:22:59.240
 to him.

00:22:59.400 --> 00:22:59.700
 Why?

00:23:00.220 --> 00:23:01.080
 Because in him

00:23:01.080 --> 00:23:02.080
 they don't find

00:23:02.080 --> 00:23:02.539
 someone with

00:23:02.539 --> 00:23:03.180
 arms folded.

00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:04.299
 They find

00:23:04.299 --> 00:23:04.740
 somebody with

00:23:04.740 --> 00:23:05.640
 arms open wide

00:23:05.640 --> 00:23:06.380
 who welcomes

00:23:06.380 --> 00:23:07.120
 them in and

00:23:07.120 --> 00:23:07.500
 says,

00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:08.319
 come to me

00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:08.940
 all you who

00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:09.360
 are weary

00:23:09.360 --> 00:23:09.779
 and heavy

00:23:09.779 --> 00:23:10.440
 burdened

00:23:10.440 --> 00:23:11.680
 and I will

00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:12.059
 give you

00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:12.620
 rest.

00:23:13.539 --> 00:23:14.039
 And that's

00:23:14.039 --> 00:23:14.460
 the Jesus

00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:15.039
 who we meet

00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:15.940
 in the Gospels.

00:23:16.519 --> 00:23:17.000
 And that's

00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:17.480
 why Jesus

00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:18.039
 goes after

00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:18.500
 the idol

00:23:18.500 --> 00:23:18.920
 in this

00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:19.420
 man's

00:23:19.420 --> 00:23:20.220
 heart

00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:20.519
 and he

00:23:20.519 --> 00:23:20.720
 says,

00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:21.380
 go and sell

00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:21.740
 everything

00:23:21.740 --> 00:23:22.080
 that you

00:23:22.080 --> 00:23:22.539
 have and

00:23:22.539 --> 00:23:23.220
 come follow

00:23:23.220 --> 00:23:23.620
 me.

00:23:24.580 --> 00:23:25.039
 Because that's

00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:25.380
 the idol

00:23:25.380 --> 00:23:25.660
 in this

00:23:25.660 --> 00:23:25.960
 man's

00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:26.160
 heart.

00:23:26.200 --> 00:23:26.480
 And Jesus

00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:27.059
 loves him

00:23:27.059 --> 00:23:27.500
 too much

00:23:27.500 --> 00:23:27.860
 to let

00:23:27.860 --> 00:23:28.240
 him settle

00:23:28.240 --> 00:23:28.759
 for that.

00:23:29.120 --> 00:23:29.420
 But the

00:23:29.420 --> 00:23:29.900
 decision's

00:23:29.900 --> 00:23:30.180
 in his

00:23:30.180 --> 00:23:30.519
 core.

00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:32.299
 And it

00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:32.680
 turns out

00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:32.960
 he loves

00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:33.460
 money more

00:23:33.460 --> 00:23:34.019
 than Jesus.

00:23:34.279 --> 00:23:34.559
 And Mark

00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:34.920
 tells us

00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:35.140
 that he

00:23:35.140 --> 00:23:35.539
 goes away

00:23:35.539 --> 00:23:35.819
 with his

00:23:35.819 --> 00:23:37.299
 face sad.

00:23:37.299 --> 00:23:37.319
 heart.

00:23:39.980 --> 00:23:40.259
 But let

00:23:40.259 --> 00:23:42.379
 let's

00:23:42.379 --> 00:23:42.799
 he

00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:43.039
 see him

00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:43.740
 what would

00:23:43.740 --> 00:23:45.180
 define success

00:23:45.180 --> 00:23:45.359
 for you this

00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:45.879
 year?

00:23:45.919 --> 00:23:46.460
 If you're

00:23:46.460 --> 00:23:46.879
 thinking about

00:23:46.879 --> 00:23:47.359
 what's on the

00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:47.700
 throne of

00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:48.180
 your life,

00:23:48.899 --> 00:23:50.220
 what if it

00:23:50.220 --> 00:23:50.899
 didn't happen

00:23:50.899 --> 00:23:51.619
 this year would

00:23:51.619 --> 00:23:52.119
 leave you

00:23:52.119 --> 00:23:53.259
 feeling gutted?

00:23:53.259 --> 00:24:00.720
 the grades at school you need to get into that college or uni getting into that friendship

00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:06.640
 group you've been trying to tap into get your foot in the door for years what about that holiday

00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:11.559
 that it might happen or might not happen that time off what about that partnership promotion

00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:20.019
 at work whatever it is Jesus would say because he loves us he would say is following me your

00:24:20.019 --> 00:24:25.680
 greatest priority is following me your greatest priority the thing is we don't go to a temple

00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:32.500
 anymore we go to Jesus as new testament believers the true meeting place between God and man

00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:40.079
 and so the question becomes are we prioritizing knowing him are we investing what we have

00:24:40.079 --> 00:24:48.200
 in the spread of the gospel do we love and serve and care for the people that are so dear to Jesus

00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:53.559
 his heart have we got a heart for the peoples of this world who do not know this Jesus because life

00:24:53.559 --> 00:25:01.480
 is to be found in him you know as we close I had something to close with and I just from the drive

00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:05.019
 up I thought I'd change it in light of this morning let me just tell you about a man who had his priority

00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:11.220
 is right so three years ago I remember speaking to Archie at an evening service and he sat right there

00:25:11.220 --> 00:25:14.779
 and I asked him Archie how can I pray for you this week

00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:20.639
 and let me just say if we want to change the spiritual temperature amongst us that's a great

00:25:20.639 --> 00:25:26.399
 question to ask how can I pray for you this week so I asked him the question and he sat there for

00:25:26.399 --> 00:25:32.639
 but 10 seconds just in silence and I could see that he was staring just thinking about it and the guy at

00:25:32.639 --> 00:25:37.759
 that point in his life was not sure of physical ailments could have said anything could have said hip

00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:43.019
 could have said all sorts of things physical stuff he could have also said pray for my family

00:25:43.019 --> 00:25:47.920
 pray for my family pray for their interest pray for what's going on in their lives because you know

00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:54.579
 the Naismith family is big right could have said family but you know what he said he said would you pray

00:25:54.579 --> 00:25:56.200
 for my walk with Jesus

00:25:56.200 --> 00:26:05.059
 and to my dying day that will stay with me as a man who had his priorities right

00:26:05.059 --> 00:26:11.079
 so the question that comes from Haggai chapter one and the question that's going to come at us through

00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:20.379
 this book Jesus says am I number one am I number one do you see that I love you to ask you enough

00:26:20.379 --> 00:26:22.960
 am I your greatest priority

00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:31.500
 let's just pause for a moment just before I pray and let's just allow God to do his work by his spirit

00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:37.240
 through his words in our lives as we respond to this challenge this morning let's pause for a moment

00:26:37.240 --> 00:26:47.539
 and then we'll pray so heavenly father we ask that by your spirit you would show us this morning the areas where we need to change

00:26:47.539 --> 00:26:52.220
 thank you that you love us so incredibly much

00:26:52.220 --> 00:26:57.539
 that you would take the time to send your son Jesus in pursuit of us

00:26:57.539 --> 00:27:06.379
 to search us out to save us to rescue us to reconcile us to yourself and you are committed to forming us

00:27:06.379 --> 00:27:08.539
 more than to the likeness of him

00:27:08.539 --> 00:27:15.339
 and so Lord I pray that you would help us this year to prioritize above all the other things that are important

00:27:15.339 --> 00:27:18.920
 and that we need to think about would they all fall into place

00:27:18.920 --> 00:27:22.860
 under the number one priority of seeking first the kingdom of God

00:27:22.860 --> 00:27:24.580
 and your righteousness

00:27:24.580 --> 00:27:28.400
 and we thank you that you are a God who is committed

00:27:28.400 --> 00:27:32.400
 to lovingly

00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:34.620
 meeting all of our needs

00:27:34.620 --> 00:27:35.620
 in Jesus

00:27:35.620 --> 00:27:38.660
 prone to wander Lord I feel it

00:27:38.660 --> 00:27:40.980
 prone to leave

00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:41.920
 the God I love

00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:44.460
 here is my heart oh take and seal it

00:27:44.460 --> 00:27:46.500
 seal it for thy

00:27:46.500 --> 00:27:47.840
 courts above

00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:49.480
 Amen