MAKE CHURCH GREAT AGAIN

Haggai 1:2-8 (KJV)

Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built.

Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?

Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.

I have thought, for most of my Christian life, that the parallels between the United States of America and the Bible lessons concerning Israel are uncanny.

• • I do not believe America is “the new Israel”
• • I do not believe God has replaced Israel with America

Israel is an independent people, chosen of God for His unique purpose.

He loves Israel because he chose to love Israel.

Deuteronomy 7:7-8 (KJV)

The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:

But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

Israel was called out of the world to be set as an example.

By observing the interactions of Israel in the Old Testament we learn:

• • About the effects of the sin nature
• • About the grace of God
• • About the relationships of righteousness with unrighteousness
• • About the longsuffering of God
• • About godly character
• • About raising up one generation after the other and
• • Etc

Israel is an example:

1 Corinthians 10:1-6 (KJV)

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

But Israel is more than an example.

Israel is the object of God’s love and, due to that, possesses the expectation of a promise distinct from all other races and nations of the world.

Because Israel serves as an example, it is not surprising that we can find parallels throughout the Old Testament for life applications and lessons.

But the parallels are so striking that there were some in early England who saw themselves in the Old Testament and developed a doctrine called “British Israelism.”

They believed God literally replaced Israel with England.

The doctrine shifted from England to America and were made popular by Herbert Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God in the 60’s and 70’s.

It is a false doctrine.

But the parallels between Israel and America are still striking.

Some of the parallels I find between America and Israel in the book of Haggai are:

A. The enemy, in both cases is in the same geographical area.

Babylon is modern day Iraq.

Iraq, Iran, Syria, Pakistan and Turkey

These were all the sworn enemies of Israel, just as they are of America today.

Israel was, for all practical purposes, surrounded by Arabs.

• • To the North was Assyria and Syria
• • To the West was Babylon and the Persians
• • To the South was the Egypt

Everyone of those lands read and write in Arabic today.

America too is surrounded by Arab speaking people – Muslims.

Besides those in their native countries:

• • They are all over Europe
• • They are all over Canada and
• • They are all over our own country

And, even when they claim to be friendly, they want their Sharia laws governing America and they don’t want to assimilate into our culture.

I’m going to tell you, I have a problem with any culture that comes into our country and refuses to become part of us!

B. Israel was in a “come back moment” nationally

They had returned from 70 years of captivity in Babylon.

They were building again.

They were: 

• • Planting crops and 
• • Starting businesses and 
• • Developing as a nation 

once again.

I think America is at a “come back moment” right now.

After more than 20 years of “captivity to left leaning politicians” (or ones who leaning to weakly to the right.)

We now have a government that wants to allow industry and business to prosper.

C. There is even some parallel between Israel’s 70 year captivity and today…

Seventy years back from today would put us in 1947.

World War II was just over and the Cold War was just beginning.

These seventy years have seen:

• • Prayer and the Bible kicked out of Public schools
• • Rise of Socialism in the United States of America
• • The Sexual Revolution and 
• • The United States of America not winning Korea or Vietnam

Speaking of government, 

D. Israel had strong leadership again

Zerubbabel was in the lineage Jesus would come from.

President Trump is confident, strong on America and appears to be unafraid of our enemies.

His “Make America Great Again” slogan seems to be his true agenda.

He has leaders working with him called “Mad Dog.”

And his deputy press secretary is the daughter of Mike Huckabee, one time: 

• • Southern Baptist Pastor
• • Governor of Arkansas and
• • Presidential Candidate

I love listening to Huchabee’s daughter take on the press.

She is a preacher’s kid – she is used to the people above her getting chewed up and spit out by people.

• • I don’t imagine she put up with it when it was the congregation criticizing her dad the pastor and
• • She sure isn’t putting up with it when it is the press writing fake news about her boss, the President!

E. Israel was under pressure because she was coming back

Joshua was attacked by Satan in the book of Zechariah, but overcame.

Zerubbabel had led a legitimate move from Babylon to Jerusalem.

• • It was sanctioned by the king and
• • It was approved by his government

But there were people in and around Jerusalem who didn’t like their way of life getting upset by these newcomer Jews and they were making things pretty miserable.

America seems to be on a comeback.

President Trump was duly elected and sworn into office.

But the Socialists have had pretty much free run in our country for a very long time.

A lot of the socialists, who voted for Clinton, would not have even been alive the last time we had a strong American President in office. 

And they are pitching a fit that they might not get the government to cave under their demands anymore.

However, I would like to point out that Haggai, though ultimately containing a positive message is not a, “Make Israel Great Again” message.

If we were going to put it in New Testament terms we would say that the message of Haggai is, “Make Church Great Again.”

I am in favor of what I have seen of President Trump’s agenda so far, but we are missing the mark because we are still missing faith as the focus of our nation.

The way to make America great again is to get America back into church again.

And I don’t mean religion.

I mean an honest to goodness, Spirit sent revival with:

• • Souls saved
• • Sinners repenting and
• • Christians dedicated to God

Four things from Haggai and I will be through:

I. CHURCH OUGHT TO ALWAYS BE A PRIORITY

Haggai 1:2 (KJV)

Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built.

They were busy about everything but not about the Lord.

Look at verse six

Haggai 1:6 (KJV)

Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

• • They were sowing and harvesting
• • They were earning and purchasing
• • They were even saving (though it was in a “bag with holes”)

I would like to point out that even if America sees an economic resurgence during our current administration, it doesn’t really mean that we are doing well.

There are all sorts of people who are

• • Successful in business
• • In need of little and
• • Secure in their retirement

but are empty inside.

God told them two things:

• • Consider your ways and
• • Build this house

America needs those who claim to be Christians to rethink what matters to them and make His house more of a priority in their lives.

Remember the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

It’s up to us to make America great again.

And we will do that by making church great again.

II. IT’S THE SIMPLE CHURCH THAT GOD WILL USE

Haggai 2:2-9 (KJV)

Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,

Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:

According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; 

And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

People then were not any different than you and me.

They equated the glory of the building with the blessing of God.

And, frankly, they were discouraged because this new Temple they had built didn’t compare to the one their grandparents told them about from before.

I want to tell you, 

I am the first one to rehearse about the faith of the founding fathers of our country.

I rejoice in the prayers of George Washington, the stories of the “back robe brigade” those preachers who served in the Continental Army, the work of Isaac Backus and the Danbury Baptists to bring freedom of conscience into our nation’s Bill of Rights.

I thrill over the accounts of the revivals of 

• • DL Moody and
• • Billy Sunday

In the 1800’s.

I would have loved to have been a Christian just a few years previous to when I was born when Fundament Baptist Churches were the largest, fastest growing and most influential in our country.

Oh to have been on one of Bro Larry Clayton’s teams when he could roll into a Midwestern American town with a group of young college students and, at the end of a week plant not one but sometimes two churches in that town.

But

I remind you that God’s glory isn’t necessarily in the largest or fastest growing or friendliest church in town.

God told Israel

Vs 8

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

God’s house doesn’t need any of that grand stuff.

It just needs to be filled with His glory.

That leads us to the next point,

III. IT’S RIGHTEOUSNESS YOU OUGHT TO SEEK

Haggai 2:11-14 (KJV)

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.

God is getting specific with the people here.

• • He has them into the house of God
• • He has them focused on His glory and not a shiny and big building

But you know a person can go to the right church where real Christians are really worshipping the Lord and still not be saved.

Great churches don’t necessarily have to have

• • A great number of people or even
• • A great kind of people

Great churches do have to have saved people.

And those saved people have to be dedicated to God and His righteousness.

Alexis de Tocqueville is reported to have said,

“America is great because America is good. And if America ever ceases to be good she will cease to be great.”

We will make America great again by making America good again.

One final lesson,

IV. IT’S GOD WHO BLESSES A NATION

Haggai 2:21-22 (KJV)

Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

Notice how many times God says in these verses, “I will…”

• • It’s not Haggai the prophet who will
• • It’s not Joshua the High Priest who will
• • It’s not Zerubbabel the governor who will
• • It’s not the people of God who will

And 

• • It’s not President Trump and his staff who will

It is God who will.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

The way to make America great again is to make church great again.