Malcolm Cox

A practical lesson preparation resource list taken from, "Preparing Sunday Dinner: A Collaborative Approach to Worship and Preaching, by Marlene Kropf.

Focus Questions 

1. God in the text  

2. God behind the text

3. What is God's judgment? 

4. What change is demanded of humanity? 

5. What is the hope 

6. Empowerment in the text 

7. Empowerment in the larger story 

8. Identity 

9. Belief 

10. Action

11. Christology

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Today we continue with a series based on Psalm 27. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend listening to the first episode which covers some background thoughts on the context of the Psalm. 

Now, on to today's verse. 

“Hear my voice when I call, LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.” (Psalm 27:7)

A hinge point in the Psalm. He has been reviewing his challenge and God’s power to deal with them. Now he turns to the face of God. 

What are the lessons from this verse? 

We will conclude today’s podcast with the song I wrote using the words of Psalm 27 verse 4.

Next week we will proceed to the eighth verse of the Psalm. In the meantime, please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Chapter 2:10-19

Introduction

- In this section Haggai is deepening the conviction of the people of God

        - Have a look at Zech 8:9–13 as a close parallel Hag 2:15–19.

Questions about holiness

Haggai 2:11  ‘Ask the priests what the law says:

    - ‘ask the priest’ - direct engagement with the priests. Not just Joshua, but his cohort. 

    - Entering into a ‘debate’. The answer is already known, but the exchange is a drama emphasising a point. Jesus did the same thing.

Haggai 2:12 If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’ ” The priests answered, “No.”

    - ‘fold’ - “The holy flesh makes the skirt “holy” but the “holy” skirt cannot make anything else “holy.” But impurity is transferable.” WBC

Haggai 2:13 Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?” “Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.”

    - ‘dead body’ - Is he comparing the people to a dead body? They are dead as a nation, as a people, spiritually? Because they have not given God the pleasure and honour that is right?

Haggai 2:14  ‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the LORD. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.”

    - ‘there’ - at the temple site? Are they making sacrifices at the unfinished site? Or has it been finished, and the sacrifices are not acceptable because their attitudes have not changed, even though the work has been completed? 

    - ‘defiled’ - perhaps their repentance in building the temple has not been matched with a repentance of their hearts’ devotion to God. If they are not ‘holy’ of heart, God will not credit their ‘work’ as worthy in his sight. 

        - They are not guaranteed God’s blessings simply by doing the work he sets them to. 

    - If they are doing things and offering things at the site, it implies the temple is finished. Their community reform is not yet finished. Perhaps this is why he addresses the priests here, because they are to take responsibility for the reform and have not, by implication, yet done so. Are they aware and complacent or afraid? Or are they unaware? 

    - ‘whatever…whatever’ - comprehensive

The Call to Learn from the Past

Haggai 2:15 “‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on —consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the LORD’S temple. 

    - ‘give careful thought’ - vv5, 7, 18

    - ‘this day on’ - or, ‘to the days past’

        - Consider the past, learn from it and carry a different attitude into the future. 

    - Looking back at the past. Their harvests were compromised. Now they have been building for three months - Oct-Dec - (WBC) and no improvement in harvests has been observed. They need reassurance they are on the right track. 

Haggai 2:17 I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not return to me,’ declares the LORD. 

    - See Amos 4:9

    - ‘you did not return to me’ - lit. ‘and nothing to me’. Perhaps saying the people were not ‘his’ until they repented. 

    - ‘yet you did not’ - they have no excuse. God knows they should know it was him that opposed them, and that they had opportunity to repent. 

    - ‘blight, mildew, hail’ - significant? Worth looking up. 

    - ‘I struck’ - implies deliberate action by God. 

Haggai 2:18 ‘From this day on,

    - ‘give careful thought’ - vv5, 7, 15. Phrase used twice here. 

    - ‘foundation laid’ - why significant? v15. Does it symbolize the totality of the work that has been now finished in completing the temple?

Haggai 2:19 ‘From this day on I will bless you.’ ””

    - ‘in the barn’ - I.e. the seed is in the ground, but the time is not yet right for harvest. Do not fret, the time for harvest is coming. The fact you cannot see the blessing does not mean God is not already blessing you. The blessing is now, the fruit is coming.

    - ‘vine, fig, pomegranate, olive’ - significant? All trees that are in existence, standing there, visible, but not yet fruitful. 

    - Are the people impatient for God’s blessings to manifest themselves?

        - Patient perseverance is key, Gal 6:9-10

Conclusion

- God does not need our work. He delights in it - if it is wholeheartedly for him. He wants our hearts.

- We cannot ‘holy’ ourselves. It is God who does that.  We get there by honouring him above our priorities. If we treat him as holy, he will ‘holy’ us.

Questions and points for reflection:

1. What gives you confidence that God accepts you as holy?

2. What have your current or recent challenges taught you about God?

3. What helps you to ‘give careful thought’ to what is going on and to see God in it?

Next time Haggai 2:20-23

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

God bless, Malcolm

“We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.”

 1 Timothy 1:8–11 NIV11

A brief reflection on the most recent "Christian Doctrines" module of the Athens Institute of Ministry weekend for the UK & Ireland.

https://www.aimukandireland.com

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

1. The Call to Reflect - Haggai 2:2

    - We notice all parts of the community are addressed. Secular leadership, spiritual leadership and the ‘remnant of the people’. 

    - No group will achieve much for God unless all parts are determined to please God and bring him honour. 

    - Are we all aligned in this way?

- Haggai 2:3 “‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? 

    - Now 520, destruction 586 - 66 years previously

    - Three questions, all driving at the heart of their discouragement.

        - ‘Who of you’; ‘How does it’; ‘Does it not’?

    - Not all were old enough to remember, but some were, and may have been the most influential. If, when comparing the old temple with the smaller new one they were dejected, it is understandable. 

    - Perhaps he was one of those who was old enough to remember. It would lend weight to his question. Jewish tradition makes him old (1 Rabbi Eli Cashdan, The Twelve Prophets (Soncino Press, 1948), p. 254.).

    - Had the work begun to lose momentum? 

    - We can be similarly effected. The new ‘glory’ of the church may not look as ‘glorious’ to the older members. 

    - But it does not have to. It needs to glorify God, not transport us back to a former time of glory now gone, precious, but part of the past. 

    - How hopeful (faithful) are you about the future of the church? How much doubt and discouragement are you sensing, or how much excitement and anticipation? Can you be honest about any doubts and fears you are experiencing? God can handle whatever you are feeling.

2. The Call to Courage

- Haggai 2:4 “But now be strong,  

    - ‘but now’ - implies the ability to make a decision, as well as the need to do so. 

        - ‘but’ is a statement of faith. It does not matter what the past was like, how you feel about it, what you think it all signifies - what matters is what decision you make here and now as confronted with the word from God.

    - ‘be strong’ - Joshua 1:5-9. A time of a new beginning

        - Used 3 times - all parts of the community need to make the same decision. Implies that if one or two segments get on board, the other or others will derail the situation.

        - Implies strength is a decision

        - Implies they knew what it would look like to be ‘strong’ in their context. I.e. the actions that would follow from the decision to ‘be strong’. 

        - If God were to say to us ‘be strong’, would we know what that meant?

    - ‘work. For I am with you’ - ties together tightly the activity and the support. 

- Haggai 2:5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you...Do not fear.’”

    - ‘Spirit remains’ - as in ‘abides’, or as in ‘you might have thought I had abandoned you, but I am still with you despite your rebellion and apparent realities’?

    - ‘do not fear’ - fear of the king reversing his decisions? Fear of standing out by finishing the temple? 

        - They were presumably a minority in the land. 

        - Fear of compromising personal comfort if prioritise building temple?

        - Fear of God not reversing the economic curses if they take him at his word? 

        - God believes in us when we do not believe in ourselves. 

        - Point of Grace [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA3jPIHnsIc )

        - How much more we can trust God’s presence with us as we work for him, Jn 14:23

3. The Call to Trust

- Haggai 2:7 I will shake all nations

    - ‘what is desired’ - is this Messianic? 

    - ‘fill this house’ - with the treasures of the Gentiles. Is this an indication of the inclusion of the Gentiles, or of the triumph of Israel over the Gentiles?

    - God is saying he will rearrange the old order of things. Ultimately that come when Jesus entered the temple, cleansed it and brought the living water and powerful truth that would change the world.

- Haggai 2:9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’"

    - ‘glory’ here and v7 sandwich the mention that God owns the silver and gold. 

    - ‘greater’ - in God’s definition of greater. 

        - If we keep working for God the future will be better than the present.

    - ‘grant peace’ - Could it be the fear of reprisals has frightened the people? Maybe they are also afraid that their delays in rebuilding the temple have angered God. They know how God dealt with the desert rebellions and the idolatry of their past. Are they worried he will not forgive? The promise of peace could be a relational peace more than a political or social one. 

Conclusion

- Reflect; Courage; Trust

- God always has a vision

- It becoming reality does not depend on our talent level, but on our willingness to act courageously in full trust of God

Questions:

1. Could you take some time to reflect on how the work for God is going where you are? 

2. Are there any areas where fear is holding you or your group back from building something that would glorify God?

3. Do you truly believe that the future will be more glorious than the past?

1. It is a blessing to have people point us back to God

    1. Do we have the right priority? v2-4

        - Roof

        - Psalm 27:4

    2. Have we been paying attention to the way God is trying to get our attention? vv5-6, 9-11

        - Brexit; COVID; War; Energy crisis; inflation

        - Personal life: health; kids; ageing parents; jobs; 

    3. Do it for God, v8

        - His Pleasure & Honour

        - My spiritual retreat

    - Question: Who do you have in your life that points you back to God? 

     

2. It is a joy to build for God’s pleasure and honour, v7-8, 12-14

    1. Mountains - costly

    2. All involved: 

        - Are you willing to work for the LORD in this congregation?

        - Do you know what that means?

        - One of our aspirations: ‘Toiling to build the church well’

    3. God’s strength - ‘the LORD stirred’

        - Psalm 27:4. Spiritual disciplines open us up to the work of the Spirit in our lives. 

        - What spiritual disciplines are you aware of?

            - Solitude; silence; celebration; fellowship; slow Scripture reading; praying through Scripture; fasting; 

        - The spiritual disciplines are wisdom, not righteousness. But they are wise practices that train and transform our hearts. James Bryan Smith, “Good and beautiful God”

    - Question: What spiritual disciplines are you employing to enable God to give you the strength to labour for Him?

Conclusion

- “Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.” (John 2:19–22 NIV11)

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

We can only know the true nature of God as Father from the Scriptures. The Lord’s Prayer teaches prayer, but it also teaches us how to relate to God as Father, and what he is like

This series is designed to help us 

1. Understand our Father better through what is revealed in the Lord’s Prayer 

2. Come to know him better & enjoy our Father-God

3. Be a more Father-God-like father to our children (if we have them)

4. Represent Father-God more accurately to the world and thus make him more attractive for people to get to know

Introduction, Matthew 6:9-13

- ““This, then, is how you should pray:   

- Our Father in heaven 

        - Father-God is nearby

- hallowed be your name, 

        - Father-God is holy

            - “Holiness has to do with purity. Jesus is teaching us that there is nothing bad about God. God can neither sin nor participate in evil. In one word, God is pure.” The Good and Beautiful God, James Bryan Smith, p60

Our Father God is holy

Defining ‘hallowed’

        - To make holy, treat as holy, reverance, to sanctify, to consider holy.

            - “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.” (1 Peter 3:15)  

        - "The word “hallow” means to “honour” or “make uncommon”—to “make something special,” as we might say in contemporary English.” Hill, Wesley. The Lord's Prayer: A Guide to Praying to Our Father (Christian Essentials) (p. 23). Lexham Press. Kindle Edition. 

Why does this matter?

        - Isn't his name already holy? Why pray for that? 

            - ““Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”” Isaiah 6:3

            - Because his name is so often not treated as holy, even by his followers, and that is a serious problem! 

                - “I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.” Leviticus 11:44

                - "As name bearers they represent a good and holy God, and so we are praying that God keeps us from dishonouring the name by which we are called, that he would empower us to become ourselves good and holy." Timothy Keller, 'Prayer', p110  

            - We petition God that his name might be Hallowed because it is not. 

        - There is an evangelistic function. 

            - “..it is…a prayer which, when answered, means that we will hallow God’s name. In other words, Christ’s followers are asking their Heavenly Father to act in such a way that they and an increasing number of others will reverence God, glorify him, consider him holy, and acknowledge him.” Carson, p72.

            - "To pray for God’s name to be Hallowed is to ask God to preserve and display this mysteriously radiant reality. It is to ask God to keep before the eyes of the world this drama of divine majesty and mercy so that we can continue to speak it back to God in worship and cling to it in times of desperation." Hill, Wesley. The Lord's Prayer: A Guide to Praying to Our Father (Christian Essentials) (p. 23). Lexham Press. Kindle Edition. 

What does it do for us to ‘hallow’ his name?

        - It reminds us we are disciples of Jesus  - “the Holy One of God!”, Mark 1:24

        - It deepens our connection with God. Polycarp was asked to 'hallow' the name of the emperor. He would not do it. To 'hallow' God's name means to revere his name above all names. 

        - It reminds us that the centre of all things is God, not us. 

        - It deepens our awe of him. Referencing Calvin, Timothy Keller remarks, "To 'hallow' God's name is not merely to live righteous lives but to have a heart of grateful joy toward God and even more, a wondrous sense of his beauty. We do not revere his name unless he "captivate[s] us with wonderment for him."" 'Prayer' p111

Do we sense God’s holiness is a good thing or a bad thing - in the way it affects our relationship with Father God? It did not present a problem for Jesus, of course.

Is there a way of understanding Father God’s holiness that can help us have a healthy, close personal relationship with him?

Discussion about God

    1. If Father God is holy, what does this mean?

    2. If Father God is holy, how can we be more aware of this reality?

    3. If Father God is holy, how can we enjoy his holiness?

Discussion about us as fathers

    1. What does this mean to be ‘holy’ for children?

    2. How can we help our children be more aware of our holiness?

    3. What can we do so that our children enjoy our holiness?

Conclusion

“Hallowed be your name.” “…I find it helpful to reword this verse to, “may your name be cherished and loved” Location 1229, Dallas Willard, “Life without Lack”, Kindle edition

Next time: Father-God is powerful - “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as in heaven”

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

God bless, Malcolm

I am back from Tallinn. The “Learning to teach, teaching to learn” conference was inspiring, collegiate and Biblical. What are my reflections? 

I will need to keep this report necessarily brief because I'm deep in preparation for the next Athens Institute of Ministry for the UK and Ireland session starting on Saturday 24th September. 

You can watch the lessons here: https://tmc.krist.ee/. 

The next AIM module is Christian doctrine. I shall be teaching on Catholicism, the Orthodox church, Protestantism, the prosperity gospel and megachurches. Please pray I do justice to the doctrines of these groups. My terrific teaching colleagues, Douglas Jacoby and Andy Boakye, will be covering other aspects of Christian doctrines. You can find details on the website: https://www.aimukandireland.com/home 

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Today we continue with a series based on Psalm 27. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend listening to the first episode which covers some background thoughts on the context of the Psalm. 

Now, on to today's verse. 

“Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.”  (Psalm 27:6 NIV11)

Head. The head is not regarded as the seat of the intellect, but as the source of life (Mt. 14:8, 11; Jn. 19:30). Thus to lift up the head is to grant life in the sense of success (Jdg. 8:28; Ps. 27:6; Gn. 40:13), or to expect it in God himself (Ps. 24:7, 9; Lk. 21:28).” New Bible Dictionary.  

What are the lessons from this verse? 

We will conclude today’s podcast with the song I wrote using the words of Psalm 27 verse 4.

Next week we will proceed to the seventh verse of the Psalm. In the meantime, please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm

Husband and wife team Osagie and Oge shared testimony and thoughts about the Lord's supper.

Please add your comments on this week’s topic. We learn best when we learn in community. 

Do you have a question about teaching the Bible? Is it theological, technical, practical? Send me your questions or suggestions. Here’s the email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]). 

If you’d like a copy of my free eBook on spiritual disciplines, “How God grows His people”, sign up at my website: http://[www.malcolmcox.org](http://www.malcolmcox.org/). 

Please pass the link on, subscribe, leave a review. 

“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:2 NIV11) 

God bless, Malcolm