Let’s Get It Re-Started
Finishing Well, part 1 of 5
Starting a brand new project is easy but whenever that project gets side-tracked for whatever reason, it can be hard to restart that project. In the Old Testament book of Haggai, they began to rebuild the temple after it had been destroyed hundreds of years earlier. However, due to a number of circumstances the Israelites abandoned their work and through the prophet, Haggai, the Lord encouraged the people and sparked their enthusiasm to resume the work. We will use the Haggai story overview to apply practical principles to individual lives and to our church as we restart our efforts to build the LC2.
Download the notes.“Be sure to finish the work the Lord gave you.”
(Colossians 4:17, NCV)
Lessons On Finishing The Work God’s Assigned Us
(The OT book of Haggai)
I) God’s call: Why we don’t finish it
1) We operate with our own __time-table__, not God’s.
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘These people say, ‘The time has not yet come for the Lord’s house to be built.””
(Haggai 1:2, NIV)
2) We drift toward our own __needs__, not those of others.
“Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: ‘Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses…”
(Haggai 1:3-4a, NIV)
3) We lose our initial __passion__, not staying persistent.
“…living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”
(Haggai 1:4b, NIV)
II) God’s challenge: How to finish well
1) Consider the negative consequences of _incompletion_.
“Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.’”
(Haggai 1:5-6, NIV)
2) Start getting back to work positively _one step at a time_.
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored…”
(Haggai 1:7-8, NIV)
3) Ask God for that extra ___spark of enthusiasm___.
“The Lord sparked their enthusiasm…they came and began their work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God.”
(Haggai 1:14, NLT)
III) Our completion: Everyone wins!
1) God wins because He is ___glorified___ in the work!
”’…I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
(Haggai 2:7b, NIV)
2) We win because God will ___bless us___ for the work!
“From this day on I will bless you.”
(Haggai 2:19c, NIV)
3) Others win because God _shakes things up_ in the world!
“…I will shake the heavens and the earth.”
(Haggai 2:21b, NIV)
IV) Our call: “Finishing the work” of God
Our Three Purposes
1) To help us all __grow in spiritual maturity__ together.
Through…
teaching during the Sunday Series: “Finishing Well”
praying together at our Day of Prayer event on Sat, Nov.15
encouraging people to become mature in their giving
“You are growing— in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in truly wanting to help, and in the love you learned from us. In the same way, be strong also in the grace of giving.”
(2 Corinthians 8:7, NCV)
2) To deepen our __unity as a church family__ together.
By getting together for FTW Vision Gatherings so I can share my heart and this vision with you personally over dessert November 3,4,5,7,10,11,12,13.
“You should be like one big happy family…”
(1 Peter 3:8, LB)
3) To spark giving for our _children, church, commission_.
By having All-Church Commitment Services on Sunday, November 23, when each of us can turn in a three year giving commitment to “Finishing The Work”.
“Every one must make up his own mind as to how much he should give. Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you…”
(2 Corinthians 9:7-8a, LB & NIV)