“Bags With Holes”
(Haggai 1:1-6)
I. Introduction.
A. The language we use can either convey a clear message, or
impression, of what we mean to say, or can confuse people
and leave them wondering what we meant.
(Illust.) Jesus said unto His disciples, “Whom do men say
that I am?”
And His disciples answered unto Him, “Master,
Thou art the supreme eschatological manifestation of
omnipotent ecclesiastical authority, the absolute, divine,
sacerdotal monarch.”
And Jesus said, “What!?”
B. The language of the first six verses of Haggai gives us a
picture of frustration, dissatisfaction, and waste. The
culmination of all these feelings is in verse 6. RE-READ.
1. How pointless and wasteful, how foolish and
unfruitful it would be to put hard-earned money into
“a bag with holes.”
2. These verses can be applied to us, today, in learning
lessons about failure in spite of effort, and about
shortsightedness and putting physical needs and
desires above spiritual demands and obligations.
C. The prophet Haggai spoke to Israel about 18 years after the
so-called “Babylonian Captivity” had ended, and the exiled
Hebrews had returned to their homeland, in 537 B.C.
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1. Those who returned immediately began to rebuild
the Temple at Jerusalem, but as the initial
enthusiasm waned, the work had ceased in 536 B.C.
Nothing had been done for about 16 years.
2. Over that period of time, the people became
indifferent towards the matter of restoring “God’s
House.” As their own material prosperity
increased, they devoted their time and energy to
matters of more personal importance.
a. They built for themselves fine houses –
while the Temple remained in ruins.
b. Their affluence diverted their attention from
spiritual matters, as it has for people in all
generations.
3. God’s displeasure with this situation had already
been demonstrated, but, as so often before, and
after, this time, the Israelites were slow-learners
with a reluctance to change.
a. They felt the time was not yet right to
rebuild the Temple, or that they needed
some new statement of permission to do
this work.
b. Haggai makes his appearance, as a
spokesman for God, and appeals to the
people through their leaders, Zerrubabel
and Joshua, the governor and high priest.
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D. Haggai’s message to Israel is both of a religious and
patriotic nature. His was a message of the most basic kind,
but extremely urgent if the Jews were not to lose their
distinctive qualities and become a part of the pagan world
around them.
1. Haggai, and other prophets, had to guide these
people back to a willingness to be distinct from
others. The primary mark of that distinctiveness
would be their obedience to God. This had to
begin with the rebuilding of the Temple, and the
observance of the Mosaic Law.
2. Until the Temple was rebuilt, the reestablishment
of the Law of Moses could hardly be undertaken.
So, Haggai had to do four things:
a. First, he had to get people to see their
shallow spirituality. Their emphasis on their
own pleasures and comforts, ignoring the
demands of a relationship with God, really
represented failure. It was putting their
material acquisitions in a “bag with holes.”
It had no permanence, or security.
b. Second, he had to get the political and
religious leaders to undertake an unpopular
job.
c. Number three, he had to convince the people
that rebuilding “God’s House” was in their
own best interests.
d. And fourth, he had to convince the people
that God’s favor for them rested upon
obedience.
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E. Haggai’s message was designed to give Israel a new
purpose, a new resolve that would bring real success out
of their current failure. That message can still give us new
purpose and new resolve in the lessons it presents about
failure and hope.
F. When we recognize what brings failure, we can avoid it by
making the necessary changes in our lives. We, too, can
stop putting what we gain in “bags with holes.
II. What Brings Failure?
A. In these verses from Haggai, we get the message that
failure may be self-induced.
1. Look, again, at verse 2 (RE-READ).
2. It wasn’t God who’d said they couldn’t rebuild the
Temple; they’d convinced themselves that they
couldn’t; that “ . . . the time has not come. . . “).
3. We can persuade ourselves, sometimes easily, not
to do something, or that we simply can’t do
something. We can talk ourselves into doing
nothing.
4. We’ll never know what God can do for us, and with
us, if we only undertake those things we’ve
convinced ourselves we can do alone. We’ll never
realize what Jesus told His disciples (Mark 10:27):
“. . . with God all things are possible.”
5. Certainly wisdom, good judgment, and careful
planning should characterize all we do, and
especially our work for the Lord. But, we fail when
we never start what we could do because we feel
we’re not ready.
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6. Waiting for what we see as “the right moment”, or
more favorable circumstances, may mean we miss a
great opportunity and we forfeit the benefit of
God’s help.
B. In what Haggai says, we also learn that a selfish spirit
produces failure.
1. Verse 4 (RE-READ). Are we so caught up in
what we want, and need, that we forget others –
even God?
2. In putting ourselves first, we ignore that principle
of Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of
God and His righteousness. . .”
3. In II Samuel 7 we find a disturbed King David:
“Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling
in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from
all his enemies all around, that the king said to
Nathan the prophet, ‘See now, I dwell in a house of
cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent
curtains.’” (vs. 1-2) David was disturbed when he
felt his own comfort came before taking care of
God’s work.
4. The Israelites Haggai addressed seemed to take just
the opposite view. Their selfish spirit held them
back from completing God’s work.
5. Jesus taught that putting yourself first constitutes
failure: Matthew 16:24-26 (READ).
C. In Haggai we can also see that neglect leads to failure.
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1. Verse 5 (RE-READ). Do we give any thought to
what we’re not doing that’s important – or does that
kind of reflection only come as regret when neglect
brings failure?
2. To “consider [our] ways” is a call to
self-examination.
3. In Haggai we see that God will even let His own
work fail if those who undertake it are disobedient
to Him.
a. In verse 6, five (5) examples are given to
show that nothing really prospers when there
is disobedience to God.
b. There is no lasting satisfaction in what we
work to provide for ourselves apart from
service and obedience to God.
c. If you put your money in a bag with holes
you won’t even be able to keep it long
enough to get it home.
4. Like the people Haggai addressed, our gain can be
our undoing; if it ignores the commands of God.
(Illust.) On cold winter day, man visited great
Niagara Falls. Watched as birds swooped down to
drink from water flowing toward that tremendous
drop. In cold air, the mist from falls froze on their
wings and, after 2 or 3 times dropping down to the
water the ice got so heavy they could not rise fast
enough and were swept over the falls.
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We get so caught up in “making it” in this world,
we can no longer rise above its baseness and sin and
we are brought down – can no longer, “. . . lay aside
every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares
us, . . .” (Hebrews 12:1).
III. Conclusion: The Message Of Hope.
A. But, there is hope, because failure does not have to be
forever.
1. Haggai chapter 2 records the peoples’ renewed
resolve to let: “The glory of this latter temple. . .
be greater than the former. . .”. (v. 9). Haggai’s
message from God had an immediate effect.
Within 24 hours the work had begun, and within
4 years the Temple had been re-dedicated.
2. Failure need not be a permanent condition. When
we obey God, He blesses us.
B. We may feel our life has been a failure – or, that we’ve
failed in some aspect of our lives.
1. If we’ve done what we wanted to do, with no regard
for God, that may be true.
2. If we’ve been selfish and disregarded the needs and
desires of others – that may be true.
3. If we’ve neglected God’s Will for our lives – that
may be true.
4. But, as Israel turned to God and overcame past
failures, so can we.
C. My failures need not be fatal. God says “Turn to Me; let
Me direct you; and you have eternal peace, hope, success.”