The Basement House
January 9, 1994
The Basement House
Haggai 1:1-15
I. Prayer
II. Word Picture: The Basement House - Personal Reflections
III. Historical Overview to Haggai - A Recap of Context
A. Foundation Ezra 3:10-11
B. Opposition Ezra 4:4-5, 24
C. Cyrus 538, 1st Return 536, Cambyses 530, Darius 522,
Resume Work 520, Complete Work 516.
IV. Comments on Book of Haggai - Structure and Organization.
V. Scripture Reading Haggai 1:1-15 - With Comment
VI. Foundational Principles of Application
A. We must be careful what we build upon.
1. Work of Christ:
1Corinthians 3: 10-15
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.
11. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.
15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
2. Apostles and Prophets
Ephesians 2: 19-22
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.
22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
3. Gospel
2Corinthians 11: 4
4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
4. Word of Christ
Luke 6: 47-49
47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice.
48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.
49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
5. Forgiveness
Luke 7: 40-47
40 Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." "Tell me, teacher," he said.
41 "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
43 Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled." "You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-- for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
6. Faith
Hebrews 11: 6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Isaiah 7: 9
9. --If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.
7. Fear Foundation of wisdom
Proverbs 1: 7
7. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8. Love Continuation of wisdom
1John 4: 18
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
9. Obedience Completion of wisdom
1John 5: 3-5
3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
10. Temple of H.S.
1Corinthians 3: 16-17
16. Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?
17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.
B. We must complete what we start.
1. Escape corruption of world.
2Peter 2: 20-21
20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.
2 Receive knowledge of truth
Hebrews 10: 26-27
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
3. Foundation of repentance
Hebrews 6: 1-6
1. Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,
2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3 And God permitting, we will do so.
4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,
5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age,
6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
4. Turn from wickedness
2Timothy 2: 19-21
19. Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."
20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.
21 If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
5. Count the cost.
Luke 14: 28-30
28 "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?
29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,
30 saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'
C. We must trust God to guide.
1. Not be put to shame.
1Peter 2: 6
6 For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
2. He who began a good work.
Philippians 1: 6
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
VII. Conclusion
A. Jews
1. Babylonian captivity due to sin (idolatry)
2. Freedom of return to promised land.
3. Responsibility of freedom to rebuild temple.
B. Christians Today
1. Born into sin's captivity.
2. Freedom from sin's penalty by faith in Christ.
3. Responsibility of freedom to grow in love, obedience, faith, good works - to become mature saints of God, to do Christ's work and bear fruit to build his kingdom.
C. Let us not abuse, mistake or misapply our freedom in Christ. We have the freedom, the privilege, the mandate to build on the foundation that has been laid. Let us not remain in our spiritual basement house of complacent satisfaction. We have been called to work. Don't stay on unemployment. There is a job to do. Blessings await you. The Kingdom is at hand.
D. Let us be diligent for Christ's work in our own lives, in the church and in others.
1. We have been empowered.
2Timothy 1: 7
7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
2. We have been enabled.
2Timothy 2: 15
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
E. If not me - who? If not this - what? If not now - when?
If not here - where? If not for Christ - why? If not with Christ - how?
F. Jerusalem Project; Acts 1:8
VIII. Benediction
Ephesians 3: 16-21
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.