TITLE: A Bag With Holes

TEXT: Haggai 1:3-6

PROPOSITION: Some of our energy is wasted effort.

QUESTION: How?

KEY WORD: Activities

SCRIPTURE READING: Same

INTRODUCTION:

1. Zerubbabel – 50,000 return to rebuild the temple
2. 16 years later – They have houses, gardens, lawns
3. God’s house not yet built.
4. Procrastination – "not the right time"
5. Picture of wasted effort, furitless labor, useless endeavor

Life Out of Christ

1. Ephesians 1:3 – all blessings are in Christ
2. Romans 8:1 – no condemnation in Christ
3. Galatians 3:27 – Baptized into = Put on Christ
4. 1 Corinthians 12:13 – Baptized into Christ = in the church

Life by Human Authority

1. Creeds, denominational dogmas
   No group has the right to "out vote" the Word of God
2. Vote of some council, convention, synod
3. Preacher, teacher – other person of influence.
4. MY opinion, desires, thoughts, views, way of thinking

Failure to Put the Kingdom First – Matthew 6:33

1. First = top priority, above all others
2. Not just in the running, top 10, top 5, FIRST!
3. God will not be second, in the top 5, in your life.

Treasure on Earth – 1 Timothy 6:7

1. Brought nothing in – will take nothing out
2. Matthew 6:19-21 Send on ahead – lay treasure in heaven

Faith without Works

1. James 2:26 – Faith without works is dead.
2. Faith MUST act, work, obey, do, move, respond

Works without Faith

1. Galatians 6:5 – Faith working through love
2. Work is required (doing spiritual things – pray, attend, give)
3. Faith must be the thing that prompts, leads, urges, motivates us.

Conclusion

1. We want what we do to make a difference.
2. Out life should count for something, do some good.
3. Am I putting my effort into a bag with a hole in the bottom?