By David Faust
The Jews returned to Jerusalem after years of Babylonian captivity and began rebuilding Godโs temple. Before long, though, they neglected the temple and focused on their own houses. The prophet Haggai rebuked their misplaced priorities and asked, โIs it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses,โฏwhile this [Godโs] house remains a ruin?โ (Haggai 1:4).
Someone said a preacherโs job is to โdisturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed,โ and Haggai did both. People surely squirmed when he quoted the Lordโs words, โWhat you brought home, I blewโฏaway. Why? . . . . Because of my house, which remains a ruin,โฏwhile each of you is busy with your own houseโ (1:9). Later, however, Haggai encouraged the governor, Zerubbabel, the high priest, Joshua, and the rest of the builders by saying, โโBe strong, all you people of the land . . . and work. For I am with you,โ declares the Lord Almightyโ (2:4).
Full Houses, Empty Lives
A preacher friend and I were discussing the apostle Paulโs warning that people will โgather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hearโ (2 Timothy 4:3).
โThere are two ways preachers scratch itching ears,โ my friend pointed out. โOne is by preaching false doctrine. The other is by saying things that are true, but avoiding any topics that make people uncomfortable.โ
Haggai proclaimed an unpleasant but necessary message. He preached, โNow this is what theโฏLordโฏAlmighty says: โGive careful thoughtโฏto your ways.โฏYou have planted much, but harvested little.โฏYou eat, but never have enough.โฏYou drink, but never have your fill.โฏYou put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages,โฏonly to put them in a purse with holes in itโโ (Haggai 1:5-6).
The people had full houses, but empty lives. They were so frustrated and ineffective, it was as if they were putting money in purses filled with holes; yet they refused to repent and turn to the Lord.
A Challenge to Us
What would a prophet like Haggai say to American Christians today? Might he preach something like this?
โYour priorities are wrong! You are preoccupied with your own comfort and neglecting the Lordโs work.
โYou devote hours to your cell phones and TV trivia, but you canโt find time for Bible reading and prayer. Your lifestyles arenโt significantly different from those who donโt follow Jesus. You want church leaders to entertain you instead of equipping you to do ministry yourself.
โYou spend extravagant amounts of money on specialty coffees and restaurant meals, but you give less than a tithe to the Lordโs workโand make ministry leaders beg for support to spread the gospel and care for the poor.
โYour stadiums are full but not your church buildings. You gladly sit outside in scorching heat or freezing cold to watch a four-hour football game, but you complain when a worship service lasts more than an hour.
โYou worry about your kids, but you give them little spiritual guidance. You fixate on politics and economics but pay little attention to loving God and loving your neighbors. Stop neglecting the house of God!โ
If he were here today, Iโm not sure Haggai would say those exact words. But Iโm sure he would comfort usโand make us uncomfortable. Thatโs what faithful preachers do.
Personal Challenge:ย According to Hebrews 12:6, โThe Lord disciplines the one he loves.โ How do you respond when a preacher or another Christian speaks firm words of rebuke and calls you and other believers to repentance? Is your heart open to receive correction from the Lord?
Author: David Faust
David Faust serves as contributing editor of Christian Standard and senior associate minister with East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is the author of Not Too Old: Turning Your Later Years into Greater Years.
