PRAYER
Our main goal in this time together is to build relationships and learn to walk alongside one another in all that God has called us to be and do. Let’s start by praying for each other.
Does anyone have prayer requests or personal stories of how God has been moving in your life that we can celebrate together?
RETURN TO ME TOPICS
A Love That… :: A Mercy That… :: A Justice That… :: A Presence That… :: A Strength That… :: A Glory That
THIS WEEK
We’re in a new series called Return to Me: The Heart of God Through the Minor Prophets.
Each week, we’re looking at the powerful words of 12 lesser-known prophets whose messages reveal just how deeply God loves and cares for His people.
This week’s message, When The Best Is Still Ahead, comes from Haggai 2. Pastor Alvin Brown helps us see how God meets us right in our disappointment and questions, not with shame, but with a promise to bring beauty and purpose from our story.
Whether you’re a follower of Jesus or just figuring things out, this message reminds us: God is still working, still building, and still writing something good, right in the middle of it all.
To begin, let’s reflect on these questions:
What’s something you’ve been waiting on God for, and what helps you stay hopeful in the waiting?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
SCRIPTURE
Have someone read Haggai 2:1-9 aloud. As you listen, notice any words or phrases that stand out, and ask the Holy Spirit to highlight something for you.
Haggai 2:1-9
1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet:
2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say,
3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?
4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts,
5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.
6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.
7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts.
8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts.
9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’”
What is it about the glory of God that we should return to?
A Past Glory
In the opening few verses of Haggai 2, God reminds His people of the temple’s former glory. Not to shame them, but to remind them of something bigger. From the Garden to the tabernacle to Solomon’s temple, God’s desire has always been to dwell with His people in a real place, by His presence.
Even though exile made it feel like that story was over, God, through Haggai, promised that something greater was yet to come. And that promise was fulfilled in Jesus. He became the true temple, the place where heaven and earth meet. Through His death and resurrection, the way back to God was opened for all of us.
Now, because of Jesus, we carry God’s presence with us. We are His temple, and His glory is alive in us today. That’s the story Haggai was pointing to, and it’s the story we’re invited to live out together.
What comes to mind when you think about “glory”, either in your past, your faith, or your life today?
Have you ever looked at something in your life and thought, “This just isn’t what it used to be”? How did that impact your faith or perspective?
Why is it hard to believe God is still working when what we see feels small or disappointing?
How does knowing that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s glory reshape how you view your own story?
A Present Glory
Haggai reminds us that God’s presence isn’t something we left behind. His presence is here, right now. God tells His people to keep going, not because what they’re building looks impressive, but because He’s with them.
That same truth applies to us. We don’t need to chase the past or wait for something big to know God is moving. His Spirit is present in everyday moments—where we live, work, and play—as we aim to and offer our worship to Him through prayer, singing, serving, and remaining faithful to His story of glory.
So here’s something to think about: where might we be missing God’s presence just because it doesn’t look flashy or successful by the world’s standards? He’s present in our midst, still filling ordinary spaces and people with His glory.
What’s an area of your life that feels small or unimpressive right now, but might be where God is asking you to stay faithful?
When have you experienced God’s presence in an ordinary or unexpected moment?
How does knowing “I am with you” change the way you face challenges or stay committed in your day-to-day life?
A Future Glory
In Haggai 2:9, God promises that the future glory will be greater than the past, not just through a building, but through lasting peace, or shalom.
Such peace is only possible through Jesus. Yes, He walked into the rebuilt temple, fulfilling prophecy, but the real glory isn’t in the structure. It’s in Him.
And one day, when everything is made new, there won’t be a temple at all, because God’s presence will be fully with His people. That’s the future glory we’re invited to hope in: a restored world, made whole by Jesus, where peace never ends.
Jesus is described as our peace. What does that practically look like for you in the middle of your everyday struggles or questions?
When you think about the future, what kind of peace or healing do you find yourself longing for most?
How does the promise that God is making all things new shape the way you see your life right now?
What’s one area where you’re struggling that God is calling you to return to Him, and trust that He is still working toward something good?
CLOSING THOUGHT
The story of Haggai isn’t just about rebuilding a temple. It’s about God inviting us back to what matters most: His presence.
We remember the past to see His faithfulness. We look at the present and trust Him, even when things feel small or uncertain. And we hold onto the hope of a future where everything is made whole, with Jesus at the center, bringing lasting peace.
So let’s live in this reality with divine hope. Don’t get stuck in the past or wait for everything to be just right. God is with you right now, where you live, work, and play.
And one day, in our returning to Him, every quiet yes to Him will be part of a much bigger story that ends in glory.
Let’s close in prayer: God, thank You for being with us, even when life feels uncertain or unimpressive. Help us not to get stuck in the past or fear the future, but to trust that You’re working right here and now, in our present story. Fill us with hope for the day when all things will be made new in Jesus. Teach us to walk with You, day by day, where we live, work, and play. For our good, may our story be for your ultimate glory. Amen.