Pilgrim People
July 21, 2013 | Patrick Preheim | Haggai
Since the time of Solomon pilgrims had gone up to the Holy City. They traversed the mountains surrounding Jerusalem seeking the Temple to offer their prayers. They went up from Jericho nestled in the Jordon Valley. They went up from the coastal towns of the Great Sea. They went up from the plains of Sharon. By day they braved intense rays of the sun as the elevation made the atmosphere thin. By night they endured chill mountain air as well as bandits. The pilgrims entrusted their lives to the God of Israel who neither slumbers nor sleeps, and hopefully would keep their feet from slipping as they navigated hillside trails. They made the pilgrimage for the festival of Passover, or the festival of 1st Fruits, the Festival of Booths held in the 7th month of the Jewish calendar—the season in which Haggai received his oracle (see Lev 23.33). In earlier times they might have broken into song as they crested the final range; perhaps the song we have recorded in Psalm 84. Grateful to be safely arrived; grateful to behold the grandeur of Solomon’s work; grateful to make their offering among the gathered people of God they would have sung—How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts. The Temple would have been praised “as the most desirable place in all the world” (Robert Bratcher and William Reyburn, A Handbook on the Psalms (UBS Handbook Series), p. 737) for it represented God’s presence among us—an architectural Emmanuel.
Then, in 586, it all stopped. The walls of Jerusalem came down. The Temple was destroyed. The pilgrims ceased their pilgrimages. The singers of Psalm 84 stopped their singing. The leadership ended their leading and became exiles in Babylon.
A generation later, 60 years or so, Ezra and Nehemiah begin restoration work in Jerusalem. Houses and walls were rebuilt. The long economic depression seemed to be at an end. Pilgrims were again considering a trek to their spiritual home and all they needed was a temple. To encourage the building effort the word of the Lord came to Haggai, whose name means “make a pilgrimage” or “keep a pilgrimage feast” (Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, p. 291). The word of the Lord came to “the Pilgrim”, Haggai, the “make a pilgrimage man” on behalf of all pilgrims. And he spoke with authority...
Five times in his letter he is called “the prophet” (1.1, 1.3, 1.12, 2.1, 2.10); five times he spoke with the formulaic power characteristic of prophet oracles “Thus says the Lord” (1.2, 1.5, 1.7, 2.6, 2.11). The urgency of God’s communication and the Haggai’s authority could not have been questioned. His message?
- Prioritize the Temple at least as highly as the other reconstruction projects.
- Take courage if progress is slower than you might like—note the three appearances of the word courage in 2.4. Never forget that the work is God’s work and will be accomplished in God’s time; just keep at it.
- Finally, after the Temple is built therein give witness and testimony to the reign of God.
Haggai is referenced in Handel’s Messiah. The essence of his message is musically summed up in a short recitative (res-ta-tive). John and Joanne will now share it with us.
Haggai is so rarely cited in choral music it seemed too good an opportunity to miss. I am grateful to Joanne and John for their willingness to work up the sixteenth note riddled piece. Perhaps the next time we hear this base solo at Christmas time we will think of Haggai. The presence of Haggai within Handel’s Messiah also allows us a segue-way into application of Haggai’s prophecy for our world. Haggai is a book focused on the Temple and still Handel draws from it when composing music about Jesus Christ. Handel’s linkage between the old Temple, and Jesus as the new Temple, is shared with three of the four gospel writers (Matt 26.61, Mark 14.58, John 2.19). In Christian writings, Jesus becomes the new dwelling place of God. Haggai urged his people to remember the importance of God’s dwelling place. I have a few thoughts how we might attend to the Jesus temple in our 21st century world.
Prioritization of God’s temple offers us relief from the tyranny of modern day technology. The world in which we live has 24 hour / 7 day a week access to entertainment, the internet, and work. Haggai and Christian mystics through the ages suggest attention to God’s Temple brings a security and peace these other pursuits can not deliver. In the physical temple or in the spiritual temple known as Jesus people are reminded of the love God has for each person and the world (Jn 3.16). God and Jesus love us so much that our mistakes, our sins, are not held against us. This reminder is crucial, for many of us bend and break under the weight of personal and systemic sinfulness. The temple is the place where God mediates healing. We experience this atonement as we participate in the communion found in God’s temple. The manner in which we dwell in God’s dwelling takes different forms. In his book on communicating love to your partner, Gary Chapman outlines five languages in which love is given and received (The Five Love Languages). I think his template partially fits as we consider abiding in Christ’s love and nurturing our love of Christ. Chapman’s five languages are quality time, words of affirmation, gift giving, acts of service, and physical touch. How much time do we spend with Jesus? What words of love do we hear from and speak to Jesus? What gifts have been offered to and received from Christ? How does Jesus serve us and the world, and what chores have we done out of love for Jesus? Dwelling in God’s dwelling place is about love—God’s love of us and our growing love of Christ. This is balm for our souls in a non-stop world.
Pilgrimage is a helpful image for our time in history. Students take service and learning trips to large cities, 1st Nation Reserves, the Gulf Coast. Young adults eagerly leave home to live and work in exotic settings throughout the world. Those getting started in occupations often relocate cities for promotion or for better opportunities. The financially settled take holidays in our provincial and national parks, sun soaked settings, or on cruise ships. We are people on the move. Haggai, the “keep a pilgrimage feast” man, invites us to consider the process necessary for us to be transformed from mere travelers to pilgrims. The “Haggai”, the pilgrim, departs home aware that there is something out there which can positively shape what is in here (point to heart). Pilgrims are keenly aware that some sort of illumination awaits us in the journey or in the arrival or in the worship at journey’s end. Pilgrims fully expect to encounter the light of Christ somewhere along the way. The breaking in of this light from the outside enables the pilgrim to order and re-order the interior life. The result of such a journey will be persons more settled in their living, more clear in their vocation, better able to perceive God’s love, and more willing to show God’s love to their neighbour. We are a questing people, but how do we make ordinary travel sacred?
Be attentive. God is present in the creation around us, in the people we meet, and in the circumstances that unfold throughout the day. If the magnificence of something causes feelings joy, then let that joy be translated into praise. If the burden of the day causes one to lose heart, then let that grief be translated into prayers for strength. If the uncertainties of the day cause one anxiety, let that worry find an antidote in the God who holds the future in a divine palm. Haggai invites us to approach our journeys anticipating a divine encounter. This is true if our pilgrimage is the commute to work, holiday travel, or a service and learning tour. In a highly mobile world there might be something to recasting our journeys in a pilgrimage light.
I have framed these two examples for personal application. Haggai and the scriptures, however, were written to a people. With that in mind I will also want to offer a few thoughts on what prioritization of the temple at a congregational level might mean.
Earlier this year the placards from this church’s 40th anniversary were tacked to the walls in the fellowship area and lounge. I remember reading and hearing a few interesting snippets regarding congregational finances. As I understood it, for the longest time this congregation had the informal policy of budgeting as much money for external organizations as for themselves. For example, if the church budgeted $200,000 for staff salaries, programming expenses, building maintenance, etc.,.., the congregation would send $200,000 to organizations like MCC, Mennonite Church Saskatchewan, Mennonite Church Canada, etc...,. If this was really the case, it is an informal policy with which Haggai would have been pleased. In an effort to meet this goal congregational members were asked to give generously to this local church. I think one of the 40th anniversary placards noted that congregational attenders were encouraged to donate 4% of their salary over the course of a year. Given the many different organizations we support, donating 4% of a household’s income to the local worshipping community is significant. Haggai, I think, would have thought these practices good. In an era of declining commitment perhaps formal or informal guidelines like these have merit.
As I think about congregational life, time is actually more important for me than money. Don’t misunderstand me, philanthropic support of city and denominational institutions is important. My point is that the most significant witness of the spiritual transformation on which our faith rests comes from personal contact. Taking the time to help tutor or mentor, or serve a meal or be a good neighbour creates the foundation from which we authentically give testimony to the temple known as Jesus Christ. Donated money addresses physical issues, but the spiritual concerns are often untangled in conversation. One could argue that giving money is easy when compared to giving our faith story. This congregation has demonstrated an amazing willingness to help staff Sunday School classes, the nursery, Venture Club stations, MCC sale booths, and all manner of other program. As this church becomes more deeply engaged with city wide ministry and service opportunities I am hopeful people will respond as generously with their time and their personal faith stories. We shall see how that story unfolds in the years ahead.
Much of what I have addressed in the application part of this sermon has been focused on what we can do to honour and build the temple of Jesus Christ. It is theologically essential to end my sermon with the same word of encouragement which Haggai offered his people. It is a reminder for myself and each of us. Take courage, o people, if progress in our spiritual lives or the spiritual life of our congregation is slower than we might like. Let us be faithful in dedicating ourselves to the Temple. Let us be attentive for the presence of Christ as we continue in our pilgrimages. Let us prepare a place in our hearts and this space for pilgrims returning to church after a long hiatus. Let us never forget that the work is ultimately God’s work and will be accomplished in God’s time. Keep the faith and keep at it. Amen.
