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Build the House of the Lord

Haggai 1:7,8
Key Verse 1:8

‘Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,’says the Lord

Today we are gathered to have the dedication worship service for this new West LA Bible house. We know that it takes a lot of effort and material to build even a small house. But how much more effort, materials and prayer must be offered to build this spacious house of God? Today we want to think about God’s word from Haggai. Especially, we want to think about why we must build this house of God when it is so costly.

In verses 7-11 the Lord Almighty encourages us to build the house of the Lord. Verse 7b says, ‘Give careful thought to your ways.’What do these words mean? This is God’s word of encouragement to his people who forgot about building the Lord’s house and were only engaged in their civilian affairs. He encourages them to look at what they have been doing and repent. God’s children should not turn from their faith nor change their faithfulness toward their Father God. God is grieved when his children’s hearts turn away from him to themselves. If God’s children reject God and live according to their own desires, only seeking to satisfy their greed, will they happy? If a man does not have a right relationship with God, he is not happy. No matter what he does he is never happy.

What did God say to people in such a situation? Look at verse 8.

‘Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,’says the Lord. God didn’t tell them to bring gold or gems or special wood or marble from Italy. He asked them to bring what they could bring, as five loaves and two fish, to God. Whoever can get wood from the mountains should get it. Any and everyone can participate. ‘Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house (of the Lord)...’Timber is necessary to build the Lord’s house. Going up the mountain is necessary to get timber. We cannot get timber if we just sit down at home. The work of building cannot be done with just thinking. First, we have to go up into the mountains. Even if we are pierced by thorns, we must go up into the mountains to find proper trees. One or two persons can not carry heavy timbers down from the mountains. Many people should co-work together to carry the timber. Building the house of the Lord cannot be done without co-working.

Next, it says, ‘Build the house of the Lord.’Why should God’s people build the house of the Lord?

First, they must build because it is the will of God and the command of God. (8a)                    Verse 8a says, ‘Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house.’This is a word of command. This command is God’s command through the prophet Haggai. This, then, is the reason they should build the house of God. Above of all, we must obey the command of God. To obey the world mission command of Jesus, West LA co-workers have built this house. Missionary Paul Chin obeyed the command of God with absolute faith like that of Zerubbabel. As a result, this spacious center was built right by the university campus. I pray that this house of God may be used by God preciously.

Second, they built because this house gave God pleasure.                                                             Look at verse 8b. ‘..so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored’What does this mean? At that time, the religious life of Israel was focused on rebuilding the temple of God. This seems to be an outward matter. But building the Lord’s house was the expression of their faith. To build the house of God was most important to the spiritual life of Israel. In that way, Israelites who just returned from Babylonian captivity could turn their hearts to God to live God-centered lives instead of self-centered lives. God was pleased when they offered their hearts to God. It was like Mary who broke the alabaster jar and poured the expensive perfume on Jesus as expression of sacrificial faith and dedication to Jesus.

Likewise, through building this building, the West LA co-workers learn committed faith in God, and dedication to him. When we offer our hearts and materials sacrificially, we can learn commitment and sacrificial faith and God is pleased.

Third, building the house of the Lord is for the glory of God.                                                           When the temple of the Lord was destroyed, the name of God was dishonored. Therefore rebuilding the temple of God restores God’s honor. It renders glory to God. The house of the Lord is the place where the glory of the Lord is revealed. It is directly related to the honor of God. If the house of God is established and managed well, it glorifies God. When the temple of the Lord is destroyed, it becomes a mockery to unbelievers’eyes and it dishonors God greatly. I believe that it is for God’s glory to build a new West LA center.

Verses 9-11 tell us God’s people receive God’s punishment because they neglected the building of the temple of God. These verses strongly encourage the building of the temple.

In fact, we don’t have luxurious mansion houses. Not many shepherds have their own houses. Many co-workers live in rented apartments or live a common life. Some people live in poor conditions; some live in small spaces with their children. Actually, we don’t have many possessions. But because we trust and honor God, we want to build Bible center which is the house of the Lord, with absolute obedience and sacrifice. We want to learn the faith and obedience of our ancestor of faith Abraham, who feared the Lord and obeyed his word and offered his only son Isaac as the burnt offering. I believe that all of you learned the faith of Abraham in building this new center, even though it was not exactly giving your children as burnt offerings. Our devotion comes from the heart, not from materials. Thank God for the commitment and the sacrificial offerings our co-workers in West LA center. Through their prayer and sacrifice this new center, which we dedicate today, has been established. May God use this center greatly to raise young American disciples of Jesus from West LA area and sent them to North America and all nations of the world. May God make this center a house of prayer for all nations and raise many missionaries to China, N. Korea and many Muslim nations, as well. Therefore God says in Haggai 1:8. ‘Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,’says the Lord.’