Invest in the House

Sermon Text:  Ezra 8:30 So the priest and the Levites took over the weight of the silver and the gold and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.

Sermon Title:  Don’t Mess with (t)His House Pt 2 – Invest in the House

Point 1: It was a unified effort.  Vs. 24 Then I set out apart from the leading priests, together… 25…all Israel present there had donated for the house of our God.

Point 2: Their giving was holy and it made them holy vs 28…you are holy to the Lord and the vessels are holy, and the silver and the gold are freewill offering to the Lord…

Acts 10: 2 He and his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need… (4) Cornelius…[the angel said]Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before the Lord. Paul put it this way in 2 Cor 9: 10 ESV He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness

Point 3: They were commanded to give.  Ezra 7:21…Whatever the Ezra the priest requires of you let it be done with all diligence 

Point 4: They expected a return on their investment. They expected rebuilding the Temple to do the following:

a.  To change lives

b.  To leave a legacy

c.  To establish their culture

d.  To expand the kingdom

2.  Point 5: They learned it’s not about money its about making a difference.  Haggai 1:2 -11

3.  2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.” 3 Then the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. 7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. 9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”

Life Application:

1.  Let’s…

2.  Let’s…

3.  Let’s…