Series: N/A

Service: Sun PM Worship

Type: Sermon

Speaker: Bill Sanchez

Summary Spiritual Procrastination

Sermon: Biblical Studies / Homiletics (inferred from content)

Preacher: Bill Sanchez

Date: 2025-09-07 Sunday PM Worship

Chapter/Topic: Haggai — Spiritual Procrastination and the Call to Build God's House

🧠Key Learnings

Knowledge point 1: The consistent divine task — build and tend a dwelling for God

Summary: From Genesis through Exodus, the United Kingdom, and the post-exilic period, God’s recurring command to humanity is to build and tend a place for His dwelling. The Great Commission (Matthew 28) is a continuation of that same mission — to make disciples and build God’s spiritual house. This shows continuity in God’s purpose: He desires to dwell with people and calls them into work that requires clear instruction, provided resources, and perseverance in the face of obstacles.

Knowledge point 2: Spiritual procrastination — definition, causes, and danger

Summary: Spiritual procrastination is repeatedly deferring obedience or spiritual duties ("later," "not yet") rather than outright rebellion. Causes include:

• Good desires paired with poor spiritual work ethic (wanting change without consistent effort).
• Waiting for an ideal moment (perfectionism or timing excuses).
• Preferring instant gratification over long-term spiritual fruit.
• Minimizing the challenge with "just a little longer" (small deferrals accumulate).
• Magnifying obstacles, making tasks seem more daunting than they really are.
  Danger: The devil tolerates "later" because it results in the same practical disobedience as "never." Procrastination leads to missed opportunities (unsaved friends, unreconciled relationships) and a life of fruitlessness.

Knowledge point 3: Lessons from Haggai — God exposes misplaced priorities and calls for immediate action

Summary: Haggai 1 confronts the people who live in paneled houses while God’s house lies desolate. God calls them to "consider your ways" — evaluate priorities, recognize how life apart from God is fruitless, and begin with what you have rather than waiting for perfect resources. The cure for procrastination is immediate obedience: start where you are, bring what you have, and act in reverence and fear of the Lord.

Knowledge point 4: Blessings of beginning God’s work — presence, provision, purification, and prosperity

Summary: When the people obeyed quickly in Haggai, God promised His presence (He would dwell with them), provision (future blessing and filling the house with glory), peace (relief from the burden of self-centered building), and internal transformation (purification — God shaping people as living stones). Obedience triggers God’s work in and through us, often beyond visible immediate results.

Knowledge point 5: Practical application — begin now; obedience is the antidote

Summary: Stop waiting for a better time or a better self. God asks for willing hearts and available resources, not perfect gifts. The acceptable time is now (2 Corinthians 6:2). Begin with small steps of obedience: prayer, reconciliation, service, study, baptism if not yet a believer. Obedience now yields lasting satisfaction and spiritual fruit.

✏️ Key Concepts

Concept 1: Spiritual Procrastination

Definition: Putting off spiritual duties, growth, or obedience into an imagined "tomorrow" rather than acting now.

Key Points:

• Not outright rebellion, but persistent delay ("I'll do it later").
• Rooted in poor work ethic, perfectionism about timing, desire for instant gratification, small cumulative delays, and magnified obstacles.
• Results in missed opportunities and a life that lacks the fruit God intends.

Example / Analogy: The speaker’s “Bill of Tomorrow” — a fantasized future self who will be diligent and do today’s tasks. This figure never arrives, demonstrating how imagined future change excuses present action. —— Bill

Concept 2: The Ongoing Divine Task — Building God’s House

Definition: The biblical theme (from Eden to the temple to the Great Commission) where God calls people to create and tend a dwelling/place for His presence by obedient, communal work.

Key Points:

• Repeats across Scripture: Genesis (tend/keep), Exodus (tabernacle), Solomon’s temple, post-exilic rebuilding (Haggai/Ezra), New Testament mission (make disciples).
• God provides direction and materials; obstacles are expected.
• The work is both outward (temple/church/community) and inward (sanctification of believers).

Example/Analogy: Solomon building the temple with materials provided through David’s victories; post-exilic Jews receiving support (Cyrus) — illustration of God supplying what’s needed as people obey. —— Bill

Concept 3: Consider Your Ways

Definition: An exhortation from Haggai: pause to evaluate priorities, use intentional thought to reorient life toward God’s purposes.

Key Points:

• Self-assessment is the prerequisite for change.
• Habits and default priorities often hide a drift away from God.
• Consideration should result in concrete changes in how time and resources are allocated.

Example / Analogy: The people living comfortably in paneled houses while God’s house was in ruins — an image of misplaced priorities showing that material comfort without God leaves people unsatisfied. —— Bill

Concept 4: Begin with What You Have

Definition: Start the work God calls you to using present resources and abilities rather than waiting for perfect conditions or someone else’s gifts.

Key Points:

• God asks for willingness and what you can offer, not perfection.
• Gifts and talents are diverse; each person’s contribution matters.
• Starting triggers God’s provision and blessing.

Example / Analogy: God told the people to "go up to the mountain and bring wood" — a simple, immediate task using available resources, rather than waiting to gather everything ideal first. —— Bill

Concept 5: Blessings of Obedience — Presence, Provision, Purification

Definition: Benefits God promises to those who obey: His abiding presence, material/spiritual provision, inner transformation and eventual prosperity.

Key Points:

• God’s presence brings encouragement and sufficiency in the work.
• Provision may come in unexpected ways (God "shakes" the nations to bring wealth).
• Purification: participation in God’s work refines believers into living stones.

Example / Analogy: Haggai’s promise that the new temple would be filled with glory and that God’s Spirit would be in the midst — reassurance that small beginnings lead to greater outcomes. —— Bill

🔄 Q&A/Discussion

Question 1: Why are the people delaying building God’s house? Answer 1: They say, "the time has not yet come." Fear, discouragement from opposition (Ezra 4), misplaced priorities (comfort in paneled houses), and waiting for ideal conditions lead to delay.

Question 2: How does God confront procrastination in Haggai? Answer 2: God commands them to "consider your ways," exposes fruitlessness of life without Him, calls them to begin with what they have, and urges reverent obedience — which they promptly follow.

Question 3: What practical steps cure spiritual procrastination? Answer 3: Immediate obedience: evaluate priorities, start small with available resources, practice disciplines (prayer, reconciliation, service), and place God first now rather than waiting.

Question 4: What if I feel inadequate to contribute? Answer 4: God does not require others’ talents from you — bring what you have and a willing heart. God fills gaps; He values your willing participation more than perfection.

📚 Assignments

• Reflective exercise: "Consider Your Ways" — spend 15–30 minutes this week listing current priorities and time usage, then identify three concrete changes to re-prioritize God (e.g., specific prayer time, one reconciliatory conversation, a service commitment). — (If no group assignment was given in class, this is a suggested addition consistent with the lecture.)
• Practical step: Choose one small task you have been putting off in spiritual life (start a Bible reading plan, apologize/reconcile, volunteer for a church role) and complete it within the next 7 days.
• Read Haggai chapters 1–2 and Ezra 4; note parallels and contrast between initial enthusiasm, opposition, and renewed obedience.