God’s people were working hard but found out they had little to show for it. Their productivity was low and they found themselves continually frustrated, expecting more from their annual harvests than they actually took home.

In this message to his people via the prophet Haggai, God points out that the people are unproductive because they are labouring under a divine curse – the covenant law code made it clear and yet they had so far failed to connect the dots and realise what was at the root of their poor output.

Despite their unholiness which tainted their work, God was determined to bless his people nonetheless. How is it that an unholy people can be blessed by God? Surely that is the wrong way around?

This message shows how through the gospel of Jesus Christ, unholy people can be blessed by God, guaranteed to each individual by faith in Christ. When we understand what Christ has done and receive it by faith, we are declared righteous by God, as unholy people we are blessed. This radically alters the way we view our work and our ministry as a church.

Main text: Haggai 2:10-19