“See, I Am Making All Things New - Called to Continual Transformation: This Can Be Better” was preached at First Presbyterian Church of Allentown, PA on August 2, 2020. You can hear/watch this sermon here, starting at 31:55.
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Haggai
1:1-8, 1:15b-2:9, 2:20-23
1
In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the
month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of
Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest:
2 Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to
rebuild the Lord’s house. 3 Then the word of the Lord came by the prophet
Haggai, saying: 4 Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled
houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now therefore thus says the Lord of
hosts: Consider how you have fared. 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 you that earn wages earn wages
to put them into a bag with holes.
7
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. 8 Go up to the hills
and bring wood and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be
honored, says the Lord.
15
In the second year of King Darius, 1 in the seventh month, on the twenty-first
day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying: 2
Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of
Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, 3 Who is
left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you
now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? 4 Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel,
says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take
courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you,
says the Lord of hosts, 5 according to the promise that I made you when you
came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. 6 For thus says the
Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the
earth and the sea and the dry land; 7 and I will shake all the nations, so that
the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with
splendor, says the Lord of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,
says the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter splendor of this house shall be greater
than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give
prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.
20
The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of
the month: 21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to
shake the heavens and the earth, 22 and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I
am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow
the chariots and their riders; and the horses and their riders shall fall,
every one by the sword of a comrade. 23 On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I
will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the Lord, and
make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts.
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As
some of you may know, before starting my call here at First Presbyterian Church
of Allentown as the Pastor for Youth and Faith Formation, I served a church
called Sunnyside Presbyterian Church as one of their Associate Pastors.
Sunnyside is located in South Bend, Indiana.
Now
the South Bend area has a population of about 200,000, including the
neighboring towns of Granger and Mishawaka. And in that area, while I lived in
South Bend, there were five Presbyterian Church (USA) churches. Five churches
in our denomination. There is Sunnyside, where I served, which has about 600
members. There is First Presbyterian of South Bend, which once upon a time had
1500 members like us and now has about 300. There is First Presbyterian of
Mishawaka; they have had a consistent membership of about 100. There is
Westminster Presbyterian, on the north side of town, that five years ago had
150 members and now has about 50 members. And there is…. There was Memorial
Presbyterian Church that when I started at Sunnyside had about 20 members and
when I left Sunnyside, Memorial closed their doors for good. Memorial
Presbyterian Church of South Bend, Indiana closed their church. After 115 years
of ministry, they were no more.
For
a church to close in the PC(USA), it doesn’t just happen over night. Even this
requires the work of the Presbytery and a committee. And this committee meets
for months. Can you imagine that? To serve on a committee knowing the
heartbreaking goal is to do all that is necessary to close the church. A
place and a body in which weddings and funerals were held; a place of history
of Sunday school and choir, a place where people grew up, and a place where
families and friends were formed, a place where people gathered to worship
their Creator.
I
didn’t know much about Memorial Presbyterian when they were open as a church
except I would have to drive by their building as I would go to-and-from one of
my friend’s houses.
On
the day Memorial Presbyterian closed for good, they changed the sign on their
front lawn one last time. As I was driving to my friend’s house that evening, I
read the sign and the words made me cry. Actually shed tears. And to be honest,
when I was writing this sermon and thinking of this memory, I cried again.
When
Memorial Presbyterian closed their church, they changed their sign to these
words.
“God
has big plans for this church.”
That
was their parting message.
“God
has big plans for this church.”
I
think I get so emotional when I think about this message from a church that I
knew nothing about because I love the church – I love God’s church – and I bet
you love God’s church too… and all of us hear that God’s church is dying. But
this message – “God has big plans for this church” – from a church that just
closed its door is full of sadness… and its full of hope.
You
know, the people of Israel also at one point closed their church.
The book of Haggai is the second shortest book in the Old Testament. It’s two chapters long. In our readings from today, you heard three of our youth read the opening passage to the book, a middle passage of the book, and the closing passage of the book. Basically, you heard the entire book of Haggai. And there’s one message that Haggai the prophet preaches to the people: “Rebuild the temple!”
See,
at this point in Israel's history, the people and its cities had been taken
captive by Babylon. Jerusalem was plundered and burned. The Temple, that was
built under Solomon’s rule, was destroyed as well. Eventually in history,
Babylon fell to king Cyrus of Persia....and after some 70 years in captivity
the people were set free and allowed to return home. God then charged Cyrus to
rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
But!
Though God had made it clear that the Temple was to be rebuilt and even though
God had set things in order for this task to be completed... the people had
other plans. Instead of working on the Temple, the people went about their
daily lives and sought to fulfill their wants and desires. King Cyrus nor the
people ever rebuilds the temple during his reign. And this is where Haggai
comes in.
There’s
a new king – King Darius – and he appoints Zerubbabel as the governor of Judah
and Joshua as a high priest. Haggai goes to Zerubbabel and Joshua with a
message on his tongue from God: “Rebuild the temple!”
Now
like many prophets of old and even prophetic words today, people at first
opposed the prophet’s message. They opposed Haggai’s message. They didn’t want
to do it. They were so caught up in themselves and what they thought was best
for them that they didn’t think of each other, their community, or their God.
The question was, “Why build God’s home when we can build our own homes..?”
And
so they put it off; they put off God’s command. They actually respond by saying
“Now it not the time to rebuild the temple!” even though God has been saying
for decades “Build the temple now.”
So
to get their attention, God calls for a drought over the land, ruins their
crops, and destroys their houses. God tears the people away on what they were
focusing on so they could focus on what God intended them to focus on. And yes,
it probably brought them some pain and discomfort, and I’m sure the people were
really angry. But in their grumblings, they finally did what God called them do
to. To rebuild the temple as a home to God and a place for a community to
gather in love, grace, and worship. God had big plans for that temple, for that
church that was once completely destroyed.
But
here’s the catch. As the people begin their work on rebuilding the temple, God
promises to them that this temple will be better than the former temple. And
although these people are a new generation and never witnessed the old temple
and couldn’t compare the two temples, historians could. And when comparing the
two temples, their size and their craftsmanship, historians say the second
temple was nowhere near the former glory of the first temple… so how was it
better?
It
wasn’t in the building.. it was in the people. It was in the message. It was in
the newness. It was in the transformation. The people had returned to their Lord.
And
so God blessed them. And the people entered into a time of prosperity; in crops
and in wealth; they grew. And Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, was also
blessed. He was chosen… and from him and his offspring, generations later,
comes Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus.
I
think about us and our church.. and our world. I know addressing a global
pandemic and taking a stand on racism and the loss of a head pastor has caused
a great shift for us. I know we’re in some pain and discomfort… and I know some
of us are angry. I know this. We know this. And however you are feeling is
valid.
But
remember this: what did God through Haggai say to God’s people when they were
angry after their lives experienced a great shift? When their own homes were
destroyed? God said listen to me, do what I say, and it will be better for all
of you.
Now
more than do we need to let go of our individual ambitions and listen to God. God
is calling us to rebuild too. Ministry will not be the same as it was before
COVID; it won’t be the same now that we’ve finally taken a necessary stand on racism,
and it won’t be the same once we have an interim pastor. And that’s okay. It’s
actually a good thing! Listen to God’s promise! It will be better… even if it
looks completely different.
And
yes, there will be pain and there will be discomfort and there will be anger. But
let’s use it for good. And let’s remember that even in our pain and anger; God
is still with us.
Don’t
give up on us; don’t give up on this church; don’t give up on God. You, my
friend, are a member of this community. And you, yes you, are needed here.
This
church can be better… if we put the work in. And I know this congregation; we
will put in the work. Our church will be better.
The
building where Memorial Presbyterian called home is now home to a church called
Redemption City Church. And while that’s great, I don’t think that’s what they
meant when they put those words up on the day they closed. Rather, it was a
message of hope for all who drive by, knowing that the Church cannot die and
that a community full of history, legacy, and love will live on.
God
has big plans for our church. Thanks be to God for that. Amen.
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