God Unboxed Series 2nd of 4 - Haggai
ICE BREAKER
Describe a time when you were young and found yourself caught up with having fun and ignoring responsibility? What woke you up to the reality?
CONNECTING TO THE TEXT
- What calendar date was given for God’s message to come to Haggai? Hag. 1:1
- What was God’s criticism of Israel? Hag. 1:4-11
- A key to applying Haggai appropriately today is understanding that God is no longer into building buildings to show forth his glory. The church IS the people. Eph. 2:19 – 21
- How did the glory of this temple compare to the one that Solomon built? Hag. 2:3
- How could God “fill this present house” with a greater glory than even Solomon’s temple? Hag. 2:6-9 & 2 Cor. 3:7-10
- What were the people of Israel to “consider” from this day forward? Hag. 2:15,18
REFLECTING UPON OUR LIVES
- If being “missional” is to our church, like “building the temple” was to the Israelites, then what would be “our paneled homes” in today’s Christian culture?
- What do you do that might be classified as “working on the house of the Lord?” Consider this as a description of the work of the church: “The Christian church is supposed to be a light to the world. It is supposed to fight against wickedness, oppression, poverty, sin, rebellion, adultery, homosexuality, fornication, abortion, etc. It is not supposed to sit idly by and watch the unbelievers go to hell. The church is supposed to be active, living what is right before God and standing against sin. Yet, this resistance against ungodliness is to be done with gentleness, love, patience, kindness, and wisdom. It is this last item, wisdom, which is so often lacking in the church today.” http://carm.org/christian-church-supposed-to-be
CONNECTING WITH THE WAY WE DO CHURCH
- In light of the above paragraph, how does our church “work on the house of the Lord?”
- How can your CARE group begin to pray and watch for new opportunities to “work on the house of the Lord?”