Manuel LeBor

( 11-20-05 )

Haggai 1:7-11

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This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD.

I am not sure why we say ‘ Rome was not built in a day’ when there are more worthy places to honor. Regardless of what is used as a comparison nothing is built over night, no little shoe elves to work magic for us while we sleep. This is even true of the church.

          We have heard much over the years about church growth and how to build the community of God. It occurs to me that the early church portrayed in scripture really did not focus or preach and teach on this subject. Jesus and the Kingdom was preached, judgement and the wrath to come  well envisioned. It seems they were to busy proclaiming truth and working on transforming lives to worry much about church growth. Truth is if (I think) every thing is done as it should and peoples’ lives are being transformed by their close association to the Word; growth happens.

          They in the 1st century lived much different lives than you and I do and yet human nature and the tendencies of the flesh have not changed one tinny bit. The flesh still desires what is contrary to the will of God. (Rom.8:8; Gal.5:16-17) Sadly the flesh and its desires invite blindness. (2Cor.4:4) and slavery. (Titus 3:3) Our lives are only look different on the surface but at the core nothing new under the sun.

          At the heart of church growth  we find the key, an industrious foreigner; Manuel LeBor. No his mother was not Spanish and his father French. The center of church growth is not a foreigner, even though it may truly be foreign to some, growth takes place when work is being persistently done towards that accomplishment.

          If the church is to grow, it will require this little foreigner, manual labor to accomplish it.

            Eph.4:15  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

          Growth is a by-product of work, but growth is not the target of work, something else is the target and growth is the residual effect of. Paul in this passage shows us that as each part does its work the body of Christ is built up. Here is a question worth our consideration; what is the work of each that Paul is making reference? Earlier in verses 11-13 we find some answers. 1st – It is God who gives some the responsibility of preparing His people. 2nd – the aim or purpose of preparation is perspiration (work). 3rd – the goal or end result accomplished by this work is the attainment of  unity in faith and unity in knowledge.

          Often the end result is not what is readily apparent. Example – a mechanic may work towards the end result of repairing your car and he may accomplish just that but what is the end result of his goal? You safely going on about the normal routines of your life without disruption is the by-product of his endeavors.

          Haggai, speaking on behalf of God shows us that God has a desire for a visible presence in the world and our own personal prosperity’s is not the visible presence that brings Him the glory He deserves. This building is a part of  His reflected presence in our hearts and minds and lives.