Build: Week 1 | 01/18/26 Pastor Jerry West

Week 1 of our Build series is a wake-up call from the prophet Haggai: “The time has not come… the LORD’s house should be built.” And God’s response is blunt—“Consider your ways.” Because when we keep postponing God to build our own comforts, we discover that more money, more stuff, and more success still can’t satisfy the hunger underneath it all.This message confronts procrastination and misplaced priorities—and then casts a clear Vision Sunday picture of what we’re building at Freedom Church DC: not property for property’s sake, but a house with purpose—a place where heaven meets earth and people encounter God. From Jacob’s “house of God” moment, to the tabernacle, to Solomon’s temple, to Jesus cleansing the temple, we’re reminded: the house isn’t defined by construction—it’s defined by purpose.And the vision is simple and strong: the church doesn’t have a mission; the mission has a church. We are here to seek and save the lost, make disciples, and multiply gospel presence across the DC metro—through small groups, preaching points, and church-planting momentum. This is a call to stop living for “my house” alone and to put on a hard hat with God’s people: it’s time to build God’s house.Scriptures referenced (as used in the sermon)Haggai 1:1–9 Romans 13:11Matthew 19:21 Exodus 25:8 Habakkuk 2:22 Chronicles 6 Psalm 127 (“unless the LORD builds…”) Key takeaways:Time moves—so what are we building with it? Self-first living always comes up empty. God’s house is about purpose, not property. We’re building people—and God builds His church.