Don't Discount Smallness
Zechariah 4:6-10
In the Old Testament book of Ezra, we read that Cyrus king of Persia makes the decree to rebuild the House of the Lord at Jerusalem. Cyrus sends out a call for any of the Jews who had been in exile yet remained faithful to God to go and to be a part of this construction project. In the books of Haggai, Ezra, and Nehemiah we learn that among those that God raised up Zerubbabel was chosen to lead the people in the rebuilding of the temple. Zerubbabel along with Joshua, the high priest, stood in the face of opposition and threats serving God faithfully. But that did not mean that they did not get discouraged in the face of the mountains of obstacles and naysayers before them. The prophet, Zechariah is given a vision and a message to deliver to Zerubbabel that God is in control and that he should not discount smallness.
I. We have been commissioned by God
A. In Haggai 2:23 God tells Zerubbabel that He has chosen him to serve God. That call would include his support in building the House of God. Zerubbabel is actually depicted in the opening verses of Zechariah 4 as one of two olive trees that continually provide oil for the golden lamp (a beautiful picture of Christ shining through His church) to be able to shine.
B. Like Zerubbabel we have been chosen by God to serve Him.
C. John 15:16 "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you."
D. We are called by God to serve God within the Body Of Christ, the church.
E. 1 Peter 2:9 " But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light"
F. The light from the lamp stand would burn only as long as the only oil would flow to fuel it. If one of the olive trees failed to be steadfast in allowing the oil to flow through its branches to the lamp stand the lamp stand would go out. God's vision allowed for no interruption of oil being supplied. But through Zerubbabel and Joshua the oil would flow. Through adversity, through smallness, through opposition, through discouragement they would not quit nor be defeated the oil would flow and the light would shine forth.
G. What a picture for us! We have been called to shine forth the light of the gospel.
H. 2 Corinthians 4:6 "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
I. The church's task, as His chosen people, is to be His lamp stand, shining forth with His glory and grace in the midst of a sin-darkened world. The light will shine within the church the Body of Christ as long as we stand allowing the oil of God's Spirit to flow through us. We must be faithful to stand in spite of adversity, smallness, opposition, discouragement or any other obstacle that the world or the devil may hurl at us ! We must yield ourselves as vessels that will not quit and will not fail to allow the oil of God's Spirit to freely flow through us to His body.
II. Obstacles like mountains will rise up and seek to discourage us.
A. The work was great and the opposition was leveled both from within and without. It was so great that the obstacles are called in Zechariah 4:7 a "great mountain"
B. When Sanballat and Tobiah heard that the Jews were going to rebuild the House of God they expressed contempt and mocked the Jews saying "What are these feeble (pathetic) Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble? Even if a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall." (Ezra 4:2-3 Paraphrased)
C. It took Zerubbabel two years to rebuild the foundation of the temple. As he started to build on the foundation, construction was delayed by the Samaritans and the Ammonites, enemies of Israel who made friendly overtures which merely masked their hidden resentment and animosity. The efforts of the opposition to the temple construction resulted in Persia withdrawing support for the project and halting the reconstruction for 17 years. As reconstruction resumed there were within the ranks of Israel older Jews who recalled the grandeur of the first temple and criticized and put down Zerubbabel’s work as a poor substitute for what once had been.
D. Christ is referred to in the Word of God as the cornerstone. He is the principal foundation stone on which the church must be built.
E. 1 Corinthians 3:11 "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."
F. When we individually as Christians and as a church seek to build upon that foundation obstacles will ensue.
G. Many Christians think once they’ve made that decision for Christ that everything will fall into place and life becomes a walk in a rose garden. Then reality sets in. Christ said in John 16:33 that "in this world you will have tribulation"
H. Vance Havner used to say, "If you are a Christian, you are not a citizen of this world trying to get to heaven; you are a citizen of heaven making your way through this world. ”
I. 1 Peter 5:8 " Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
III. We can easily become discouraged by our smallness and seemingly helplessness
A. Hostility, lack of financial and moral support along with internal criticism lead to discouragement. Zerubbabel was given a commission by God, but succumbed to discouragement and disheartenment by all the obstacles and opposition he encountered.
B. The devil, according to legend, once advertised his tools for sale at public auction. When the prospective buyers assembled, there was one oddly shaped tool which was labeled "Not for sale." Asked to explain why this was, the devil answered, "I can spare my other tools, but I cannot spare this one. It is the most useful implement that I have. It is called Discouragement, and with it I can work my way into hearts otherwise inaccessible. When I get this tool into a man's heart, the way is open to plant anything there I may desire." - copied
C. The message that Zechariah was to give Zerubbabel was a message of encouragement to not fold and quit under the weight of the enormous difficulties he was facing or to give in to discouragement but to stand fast and persevere in the work he was called to do.
D. If you are going to live for Christ and serve Him you will face mountains of trials, testings, oppositions and obstacles which will seek to discourage and defeat you in your spiritual walk and service for Christ. But we are not to give in or give up.
E. 1 Corinthians 4:6-10 " For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies."
F. Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."
IV. Neither mountains nor smallness is an issue with God
A. There is no mountain that God cannot level
1. Zechariah 4:7 "Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”
2. God's power is infinite and through Christ we can be victors over every obstacle we face.
B. There is nothing insignificant with God.
1. Zechariah 4:10 "Who has despised the day of small things ?
2. Don't discount smallness.
3. Everything Big starts with something small. All God needs from us is something to start with.
C. God uses small things to accomplish His work
1. We may be small but we can be greatly used of the Lord.
a. James 3:3 it is the small bit in the horse’s mouth that controls the mighty stallion.
b. James 3:4 it is the small helm that guides the great ship.
c. James 3:5-9 it is the tongue that can accomplish great things or cause massive destruction
2. Christ uses small things to accomplish great things for His glory...
a. In Judges 4 God used a wooden peg in the hand of a woman to defeat Israel's enemy
b. In Kings God used one stone in the hand of a young man to bring down a giant
c. He took a handful of meal and a jar of oil to feed a widow, her son and a servant of God through a famine
d. Christ took five barley loaves and two small fish to feed a multitude.
e. In an animal stall tucked away in a small insignificant village called Bethlehem, God brought our Savior into the world
V. Nothing can be accomplished apart from God
A. Zechariah 4:6 "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts."
B. Zerubbabel could not in his own strength accomplish the task before him. The work was strenuous and the opposition fierce. The work would only succeed because of the supernatural grace that the Lord would provide by His Spirit
C. If we are to accomplish anything in the service God's people and the building up of Christ's church it will not be secured by what man can do but by the Holy Spirit's work."
D. Charles Simeon (Expository Outlines on the Whole Bible [Zondervan], 10:460) said it well, “We see how dependent a little infant is on its mother; and such must we be in the arms of God. We must undertake nothing in our own strength: in no circumstances whatever may we lean to our own understanding: whatever is devised, or whatever is done, the creature must be nothing; but God must be all in all.”
E. Haggai 2:4 "Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, says the Lord, and work: for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts:"
F. Philippians 4:13 " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
VI. God work will be done
A. Nehemiah 4:7a, 9 " And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it! “ The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple, His hands shall also finish it.’”
B. Christ has laid the foundation and if we allow Him to use us He will use us in building His kingdom and His church.
C. 1 Corinthians 15:58 " Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
D. New Tribes missionaries Gracie and Martin Burnham, were held hostage for 376 days by the Islamic terrorist group Abu Sayyaf. The Burnhams, who served with New Tribes Mission in the Philippines for 17 years, had been celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary at a resort when they were kidnapped at gunpoint from their beach cabin and marched into a speedboat. For more than a year they lived on the run with their captors living under primitive conditions in the island's jungle. Initially there was hatred and distain for their captors. But God came and did something in the Burnham's hearts removing hatred for their captors and replacing it with forgiveness and love. They sought every opportunity to share the story of Christ with their captors which seemed to be fruitless. In June 2002 the Philippine military attempted to rescue Martin and Gracia from their yearlong captivity. Gracia was shot in the leg, Martin fatally shot in the chest. Martin went home with the Lord and Gracia back home to her children in Kansas. If the story ended there we might be tempted to say their efforts were a failure. However, today, several Abu Sayyaf members have come to know the Lord because Gracia chose to forgive. Four of the captors have trusted Christ as Savior. God will always get the victory when we live for Him.
E. Philippians 1:6 " Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"
F. Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."
