How can we apply "My house...in ruins" to modern church stewardship? Setting the Scene “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? … Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.” Written after the exile, Haggai confronts returned Israelites who had rebuilt their own homes but left the temple desolate. God’s rebuke centers on stewardship: priorities reveal the heart. Recognizing the Call to Prioritize God’s House • God equates neglect of His house with misplaced devotion. • In the new-covenant era, “house” embraces both the local congregation (1 Timothy 3:15) and believers as a corporate temple of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). • Stewardship, therefore, touches facilities, finances, ministries, and people. Diagnosing the Heart Issues • Comfort first, kingdom later (v. 4) • Busyness without obedience (v. 9) • Forgetting the covenant promise: “I am with you” (Haggai 1:13) Stewardship Principles Drawn from Haggai • Priority: Seek God’s kingdom before personal projects (Matthew 6:33). • Ownership: All resources belong to the Lord; we manage them (Psalm 24:1). • Accountability: Neglect brings drought—spiritual and material (Haggai 1:10-11; Luke 16:10-11). • Reciprocity: Obedience invites blessing (Haggai 2:19; Malachi 3:10). Practical Steps for Today’s Church 1. Assess the House – Regularly review facilities, budgets, and ministries: What lies “in ruins”? 2. Align the Budget with Mission – Allocate firstfruits to gospel outreach, discipleship, and benevolence before expansions of comfort. 3. Mobilize the Body – Equip every member to give time, talent, and treasure; “living stones” build the spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). 4. Model Transparency – Publish clear financial reports; invite accountability and foster trust. 5. Celebrate God’s Provision – Share testimonies of needs met when the church prioritized His work (2 Corinthians 9:6-8). 6. Maintain a Restoration Mind-Set – Ongoing repair, maintenance, and renewal reflect a living, not neglected, temple. Encouraging Promises for Obedient Stewardship • Divine Presence: “I am with you” (Haggai 1:13). • Resource Sufficiency: “The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine” (Haggai 2:8). • Future Glory: “The glory of this latter house will be greater than the former” (Haggai 2:9). Putting God’s house first is not merely facility care; it is an act of worship that opens the flow of God’s blessing and manifests His glory through His people today. |
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