Malcolm Cox

Chapter 2:1-9

1. The Call to Reflect

– Haggai 2:2 

– ‘remnant’ – the temple remnants are the setting for the address to the national remnant. Third mention of remnant, 1:12, 14.

– We notice all parts of the community are addressed. 

– Haggai 2:3 

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

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

– Former glory; now; nothing?

– What was it like; what is it like; what is its future?

– What does it’s current state mean?

– 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.).

– Now 520, destruction 586 – 66 years previously

– Had the work begun to lose momentum? 

– How optimistic (faithful) are you about the future of the church?

2. The Call to Courage

– Haggai 2:4 

– ‘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, with a new leader who had not the same pedigree as the former.

– 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 me, perhaps through another person, ‘be strong’, would I know what that meant?

– ‘people of the land’ – not Jerusalem. Is this a reminder of the land promise God gave them through Moses and a former ‘Joshua’?

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

– Haggai 2:5

– ‘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?

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

– 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 2:6 

– ‘in a little while’ – “The expression occurs frequently in eschatological passages (cf Ps 37:10; Isa 10:25; Jer 51:33; Hos 1:4; John 14:19; 16:16, 19; Heb 12:26).” WBC

– Haggai expects God to intervene in the near future.

– Haggai 2:7 

– ‘what is desired’ – is this Messianic? Or, is it a reference to wealth. What the nations value (gold etc, v8) will come into the temple as it did in the time of Solomon.

– ‘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 2:8

– ‘gold…silver’ – Von Rad sees such wealth as on loan to humankind, but rightfully belonging to him. At some point he will reclaim full ownership.

– Haggai 2:9 

– ‘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.

– ‘house’ – “two other similar passages in which the temple plays a leading role in relationship to the nations in the eschaton (Isa 2:2–4 and Isa 60:1–22).” WBC

– ‘grant peace’ – 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

For reflection:

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? 

Next time Hagg 2:10-19.

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

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. 

“For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.” (Psalm 27:5 NIV11)

The focus is on the location of God’s presence because that is where He has promised to ‘live’, Ex 29.42-45.

““For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of meeting, before the LORD. There I will meet you and speak to you; there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory. “So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.” (Exodus 29:42–45 NIV11)The temple was a tent in David’s day. It might not have looked impressive as a place of safety against an army, but it was, as far as David was concerned, a place of shelter. The reason for that was that this was the place where God was. If he is there, what would David have to fear? Christians have the added glorious assurance of the presence of Jesus at all times. He came to ‘tent’ among us,

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John 1:14 NIV11

“…a rock outcrop would provide crevasses to hide in (Ex 33:22; 1 Sam 24:2), shade from the sun (Is 32:2), a defensible position (Ps 27:5) and a potential source of water from springs…The concept of God as rock is so apposite that Rock is actually used as a name of God (2 Sam 23:3; Hab 1:12). In this context Paul’s statement that the spiritual rock that accompanied the Israelites in the exodus was Christ (1 Cor 10:4) is a bold statement of his divinity.” IVP Biblical Imagery

Sela. Because of the distinct shape of this mountain, some would identify this to be the actual site of the biblical town of Sela, which means “rock” (2Kings 14:7; Is 42:11; Obad 1:3).What are the lessons from this verse?

1. The tent was not impressive as a place of physical strength and safety, but it was the place where God’s people were ‘safe’. We trust in a God who is invisible, but present and attentive – “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17 NIV11) Where and when do you feel most ‘safe’ with God? Do you need to cultivate more that in some way?

2. Imagine being so high above your enemies that they cannot reach you. Perhaps you cannot even hear their angry shouts. If you are standing on the rock that is Christ and building you life on the rock that is his dependable word you have nothing to fear from your enemy. Though he prowls round like a roaring lion, he cannot jump high enough to reach you on that rock. What difference does that truth make to the way you feel about your future?

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 fourth 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

‘One Thing I Do’

Last week’s lesson was on Philippians 3:13-14. Below are a few extra notes.

‘Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal’

We never get to the point where we have fully obtained all that God has in mind for our growth. Paul does not want his readers to get the impression he has ‘arrived’, nor that he is in despair at the gap between himself and Christ. He optimistically and faithfully continues to press on. What is the ‘all this’? Righteousness, resurrection from the dead, something else? ‘Paul means to say that he does not lay claim to having fully grasped the meaning of Christ at this point in his experience.’ WBC

‘but I press on’

Imagine movement, leaning forward and stretching. The word is used of the hunter going after their prey. 

‘Jesus took hold’

Jesus took hold of Paul on the Damascus road. Since then he has continued to press on towards greater Christ-likeness.  He has not fully grasped this, but he presses on to grasp what is his to grasp because Jesus grasped him.

‘I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.’

He may not be there yet, but that does not diminish his motivation. Rather, it increases it.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

He has tasted Christ and found him delightful. He wants more!

‘forgetting' is in the present tense. Not, ‘having forgotten’, but deliberately continuing to forget. Sometimes we are reminded of things we would rather forget. By faith we ‘forget’ the failures and the victories to avoid the traps of guilt and pride.

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

He keeps on running - the already but not yet of the Christian life. We are already saved, but not yet in glory. We live in this tension. Things go more smoothly when we accept this tension instead of fighting it. 

‘goal’ means ‘goal-marker’. What is this goal marker? ‘anything or anyone that kept the believer from straying from the course of the Christian life or from slackening in the believer’s moral strivings.’ WBC

‘the prize’. ‘To know Christ fully and completely was the prize for which he had been striving ever since his encounter with Christ on the Damascus road.’ WBC

‘called’ - “He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thess 2:14; “those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” Romans 8:30

Reflections

Are there mistakes you have made that you find hard to ‘forget’ and hold you back from pressing on? If so, what one action could you take this week to make progress?

Similarly, are there victories you have enjoyed that cause you to be complacent and hold you back from pressing on? If so, what one action could you take this week to make progress?

Is the ‘prize’ clear to you? If not, what would make it clearer and more inspiring?

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

I am off to Tallinn on Thursday. The “Learning to teach, teaching to learn” conference runs from Thursday to Saturday. Do you attend conferences?

Let’s consider the example of Jesus. In a sense he created his own conference – at the age of 12.

Luke 2:41-50

1. Jesus chooses the best over the good. He ‘should’ be considerate of his parents. But he chooses what is best (or, needed as he will put it to Martha later in Luke 10:38-42). He is prepared to be misunderstood and to unintentionally hurt those he loves in order to learn what he needs.

2. Jesus seizes the opportunity. Who knows when he will be in Jerusalem again? We do not know the quality of the teachers in Nazareth, but it is unlikely to have been as good as the teaching in Jerusalem. Jesus made the most of the opportunity to learn while he was in the capital city.

3. Youth is no barrier. He was not intimidated by his elders and those in authority.

4. Listening and asking. Jesus shows a healthy balance of deference and curiosity.

5. Opportunity overcame a lack of resource. We do not know where he stayed, slept, or how he ate.

Attending conferences is costly in many different ways.

– Your local ministry, friends or family might not understand

– You may not appear to have the resources

– You might think yourself too old

– You might offend people

– You will have to make sacrifices

– Your ignorance may be exposed

But, who knows how many opportunities like this you will ever have?

Please pray for me that I will speak in accordance with God’s will as I teach on Haggai.

When I return from Tallinn I will record a report.

You can find out more about the conference here: https://tmc.krist.ee/. Most sessions will be live-streamed.

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)

Keep calm and carry on teaching

God bless, Malcolm

The big question – “How can we become like Christ?” What is the way to transformation? We can only know the true nature of God as Father from the Scriptures. When you see and become familiar with someone’s face you know them. We need to ‘see’ our father-God’s face. The challenges is that we have filters. Some helpful, some not so. Jesus’ relationship with Father-God reveals his ‘face’. 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

Matthew 6:9-13

““This, then, is how you should pray:

– Jesus is teaching us not only how to pray, but, crucially, who we are talking to.

Our Father in heaven

– Father-God is nearby

– “In Jewish cosmology heaven did not refer to a place that is far away; heaven referred to the surrounding atmosphere, the very air they breathed.“

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.”

your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

– Father-God is powerful

Give us today our daily bread.

– Father-God is caring

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

– Father-God is forgiving

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

– Father-God is our protector

3. Our Father God is Nearby

“God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” (Acts 17:27 NIV11)

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:5 NIV11)

“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23 NIV11)

“while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20 NIV11)

““Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.” (John 12:27–30 NIV11)

4. Discussion about God

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

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

3. If Father God is nearby, how can we enjoy his presence?

5. Discussion about us as fathers

1. What does this mean to be ‘nearby’ our children?

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

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

Next time: Father-God is holy

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. I spoke on this Psalm’s theme, and especially verse 4, for the Watford church of Christ. We are part-way through a series based on the “one thing” phrases found in the Scriptures.

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. 

“One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4 NIV11)

“The men of one idea are irresistible. The arrowy stream will force its way through the toughest soil. See that all the prayers, incidents, and circumstances of life subserve one intense purpose. String all the beads on one thread. When the eye is single, the whole body is full of light.” Daily Homily, F. B. Meyer

 

• Hearing him say ‘one thing I want’, we would expect him to say something connected with reclaiming his status, wife, livelihood, citizenship. But no.

 

• “Figuratively, David prays that he, too, may dwell in God’s house/temple. He surely does not ask for a change in God’s law whereby he, a non-priest, could enter (indeed, dwell in) the temple. So it is a state of blessedness for which he prays, that he might always be in God’s favour.” TWOT, 493

 

• An ‘ear worm’

 

• A good quiet time could be to meditate on what is ‘beautiful’ about the LORD. Would that include His holiness, mercy, long-suffering nature, loving-kindness, integrity, justice, completeness, perfection, wisdom, .....?

 

• The Hebrew word used here (baqar) literally means to plow into.

What are the lessons from this verse? 

i. Putting our requests to God is right and proper. But the first request above all others is the desire to be with God more than receive things from God. 

ii. When our world is disturbed like David’s, our priority is to seek and gaze on God more than solve our problems.

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 fifth 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

Today a response to a message from a friend based on one of my recent Teaching Tips about communion. “Thank You” Govinda for your well considered thoughts and questions. I cannot address them all in today’s post, but I will pick out one point for discussion.

“It’s been a long time as a church … that we have got onto our knees and focused on the cross… I feel the communion sometimes does not get the reverence it deserves.”

My provocative question would be, “Is communion meant to be a time of reverence?”

I have been re-reading and taking notes on this excellent book, “Early Christian worship: a basic introduction to ideas and practice” by Paul Bradshaw. He summarises the shifts and developments in practice and theology over the first four centuries.

To answer my own question, I’ll make a few points.

1. Irreverence is a problem. Paul makes that point loud and clear, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.” (1 Corinthians 10:21–22)

2. Remembering Christ means remembering his cross. “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”” (Luke 22:19 NIV11)

3. The New Testament gives us no direction about silence, mourning or reflecting on sins of the week. The warning to examine ourselves in 1 Corinthians 11:28 is something to be done before coming to the assembly, not during it.

4. The early church may have been influenced as much by the incident on the road to Emmaus as the upper room. Jesus told his followers to remember him, and the first two disciples to break bread with Jesus after his resurrection recognised (remembered) it was him “when he broke the bread” (Luke 24:35). As Bradshaw notes, ‘Sunday was not just the occasion for a commemoration of a past event – the resurrection – but the celebration of a present experience – communion with the risen Christ.’ 77

5. The early church was eschatologically expectant. The Lord’s Day was the eighth day – the day of the LORD, the Messianic age, the lead-up to the great banquet. The church came together in expectation of Jesus’ return and the full establishment of the Kingdom. The Lord’s Supper gathered the people of God around the table to celebrate that immanent reality and strengthen hearts in the time of waiting. For this reason kneeling and fasting were prohibited in the early church on Sundays. Celebration was the tone!

When we gather as a Christian community it can, on the right occasion, be healthy to spend some time in reflection, soberness, mourning and lamenting. Whether that should be specifically tied to the communion is another question. The common practices around the idea of being sober at communion are tradition, not biblical command nor precedent. That does not in themselves make it wrong to practice such things, but they are a choice, not a matter or obedience or even ‘best practice’.

Jesus instituted a new covenant in his blood, and a new covenant is not a cause for mourning, but a cause for rejoicing. Soberness is not ruled out, but if the Lord’s Supper is not a time of celebration we are missing something vital to our spiritual health.

The Lord’s Supper is one of the most important practices in which we participate as a Christian community, but the number of specific Bible verses on the topic are few. What do you make of this?

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)

Keep calm and carry on teaching

God bless, Malcolm

You've found an upload from the Thames Valley churches of Christ. If you'd like to know more go to www.thamesvalley.church where you'll find news, information, resources and much more.

Who is Haggai?

* “His name is one of several in the Old Testament derived from ḥāg, ‘festival’: Haggi (Gen. 46:16; Num. 26:15), Haggith (2 Sam. 3:4), Haggiah (1 Chr. 6:30). He was probably born on a feast day and therefore named ‘my feast’. It is even possible that Haggai was a nickname.” Tyndale

* Zechariah was his successor. 

Setting of Haggai

    * 538 - Cyrus defeats Babylon and decrees captives can return home

    * The Persians had a new policy of returning deported peoples to their homeland and restoring the worship of their native gods.  This is not just in the Bible.  It is confirmed by the Cyrus cylinder in the British Museum. 

    * 536 - First Israelites return to Jerusalem (Ezra 1-6). Nothing done. 50,000 returned under Zerubbabel (aka Sheshbazzar) and Joshua the High Priest (Ezra 1 and 2) to found the remnant and start rebuilding the temple. 

    * 520 - After a hiatus of 15 years Haggai inspires the people to begin rebuilding the temple. This was a crisis, but did not look like it, or feel like it, because the situation was not like previous crises - invasion, exile etc. 

* Dates covered in the book. Four dates mentioned all in the second year of the reign of King Darius

    * 1:1 - 1st day 6th month, 29 August 520

    * 1:15 - 24th day 6th month, 21 September 520

    * 2:2 - 21st day 7th month, 17 October 520

    * 2:10, 20 - 24th day 9th month, 18 December 520

The setting & God speaks, vv1-2

- ‘LORD almighty’ - LORD of hosts. Angels, stars, armies of Israel? Point - greater than armies of Darius. 

    - Phrase used a total of 14 times: Hag. 1:2, 5, 7, 9, 14; 2:4, 6–9, 11, 23 

Haggai’s central challenge, v3-4

- ‘is it a time…’? Sarcasm. 

    - 'In other words, God says, "Is the problem really that you think it's not yet time for me to work? Well, it's amazing that you think it is time for me to work in helping you to build your house. How about mine?' Ray C. Stedman

- ‘panelled’ could be ‘roofed’. May not be luxury. 

Haggai’s call to soberness, v5-11

* ‘give careful thought’ = “set to heart” (used five times in Haggai 1:5, 7; 2:15, 18). It is an exhortation to think. The heart was the seat of the intellect or volition for the Hebrews. WBC

    * Reminds me of ‘he who has ears to hear’, Rev 2:7; Mark 4:9, Mark 4:23

* Were they confused because what they thought God had promised had not occurred? Isaiah 35:1 promised desert flowering, but their crops were failing. 

* They have prevented God from experiencing pleasure and receiving honour. Not a good place to be!

    * What channels do we have for giving God pleasure?

        * “So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.” 2 Corinthians 5:9

        * “so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,” Colossians 1:10

    * What channels do we have for ensuring God receives honour?

    * Struggle to put God first is one for all the ages, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”Matt 6:33–34

The people act, vv12-15

God reassures

God acts

The people act

    - “Isaiah, Micah and Zephaniah had spoken about a chastened, humble, obedient remnant that would return to be the people of Yahweh. Since these people have obeyed the voice of Yahweh and Haggai, they are now called “the remnant.”” 

    - Reiteration of promise to Moses, “And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.””Exodus 3:12 

Building a G.R.E.A.T. church

1. God-Focussed

2. Relationship-Based

3. Enabling our Children to Become Christians

4. Always Free, But Spiritual

5. Toiling to Build the Church Well

Questions and points for reflection:

1. God’s timing vs ours

2. Missing what is most important to God?

3. Anything ‘incomplete’ in my  ‘ministry’ - personal or group?

4. How please God?

5. How bring God honour?

Next time Haggai 2:1-9

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. 

God bless, Malcolm

Preview Class: Introduction and Background to “The Book of Haggai: The Glory Will Be Greater”.

Do you and your group need to assess your priorities from time to time? Have you been given a great work for God to do? Do you sometimes get off track and forget that our discipleship is about pleasing God and bringing him glory? Are there occasions when you get tired labouring for the Lord, not seeing the results you had hoped for? Do you need God’s reassurance, and a divine vision? Do you find it challenging to believe that the future will be more glorious than the past? If so, this book is for you!

Soberness; Priorities; God’s Discipline; United Work for God; Leadership; Speaking the Truth; vision of God’s glory in which we participate

Taking joy in pleasing and honouring God (1:8)

Next week is Class 1 - Background and Chapter 1

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/). 

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

God bless, Malcolm

Christian doctrine is an exploration of the way God intends us to relate to him, one another and the world. It isn’t a dry or difficult topic but an exciting and dynamic one. What could be more important?

Not only that, but the consequences of teaching and living by erroneous doctrine are serious, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16)

We, like those of Paul’s day, live in a time when “people will not put up with sound doctrine.” (2 Timothy 4:3)

What is our responsibility? “You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.” (Titus 2:1) See also 1 Timothy 1:3. Teaching what is accurate will enable us to, “encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” (Titus 1:9)

In this module we will examine common Christian doctrines held by various denominations with three aims:

We are not looking to point out faults in other groups with a view to judging them. We have enough challenges of our own attempting to review and refine what we teach to ensure its accuracy and relevance. On the other hand, we will hold up the doctrines of other denominations to the light of Scripture as an aid to help us learn, grow and please God.

Who is this for? Anyone who wants to learn. That includes men, women, the old and young (physically and spiritually), members of the churches of Christ or not, leaders or not. I have been teaching some of this material for going on 40 years and I am still learning.

What is Doctrine? It is both more and less than you might expect.

Odd Doctrines of the 1st–2nd centuries. Many of the colourful developments in Christendom aren’t exactly new.

Catholicism & Orthodoxy.  What do Catholics believe? How about their close cousins, the Orthodox? What happened to church in the Middle Ages?

Protestantism. Why was Protestant reaction so strong? Should everyone be a protestant?

Calvinism / Open Theism. If God knows the future, do we really have any choice as to whether we serve him? Or maybe God doesn’t know what will happen in the future (?)

Fundamentalism. We want and need to take the Bible seriously. Do we have to take it 'literally'? What happens when we do?

Premillennialism. Are we living in the end-times? Will God give us signs or ways to interpret current events so that we don’t get “left behind”?

The Charismatic Movement. Did gifts like prophecy and tongues and healing really die out after the apostolic age?

Miscellaneous (American) Doctrinal Systems. Why do so many whacky religions originate in the States? (What, God used to be a man? Blood transfusions displease God—huh? Just say a few words and I’m saved?)

Liberal Theology / New Age Movement. Would you like to understand this post-modern era? Grasping the approaches of the New Age movement and liberal theology will make all the difference.

Prosperity Theology / Megachurch Movement. Willow Creek, Hillsong, Saddleback (Rick Warren) and Lakewood churches (the Osteens) have shaped 21st century thinking about church. What can we learn from the megachurch movement? The blessings of God are real. We want to trust them, but in what ways do the prosperity gospel advocates go too far?

Toward a Biblical Theology. The way we think about God effects our doctrine, and the way we think about doctrine effects our view of God. We survey the lessons from 2,000 years of doctoral developments in an attempt to clarify our thinking about doctrine. 

9AM-1PM, Saturday 24th September

Address: Novotel, 25b Friar Street, RG1 1DP Reading

Attendance in person, or online.

You have the option to stay for the filming of further classes in the afternoon and evening should you wish.

The costs of this individual module is £149. Discounts are available depending on circumstances.

Savings are available if you sign up for module bundles. Details are on the website.

For more information and registration please email me: [email protected]. Either I or our administrator Michelle Cheema will get back to you within 48 hours. More information can be found here: https://www.aimukandireland.com

Please pass this on even if you are not interested or able to participate. Most likely you know someone who might benefit.

Many thanks.

From your brothers, Malcolm Cox, Douglas Jacoby, Andy Boakye