Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction - Burnout and Dependence

Stress and burnout plague many and many are on the look out to prevent or avoid stress and burnout.

It doesnt only plague job, home and relationships but also ministry.

Many when called by God into ministry — yes this includes pastors, missionaries and the like but also includes any calling from the LORD - worship, serving, etc — many when they are called are not really thinking about the undertaking so much - how they will go day after day and week after week.

Many of us as we get knee deep into it we feel like Peter - out of the boat and walking on water wondering how the heck did this happen, and then we like Peter begin to sink.

We begin wondering why we ever got out of the boat and begin to look back to the boat thinking I should just get back there.

We become aware of our personal inadequacy for the calling.

Our text doesnt delve into all the intricacies of the complex issues of stress and burnout but it does give us principles to offer help against spiritual burnout.

The enduring staying power.

Zechariah’s fifth vision speaks to encourage Zerubbabel to continue and finish the work God has called him to.

Not by looking around them - but by looking to God in dependence.

When we depend on the wrong things is when we get burnt out - especially doing God’s work.

God’s Work Requires God’s Spirit

The angel who was speaking with Zechariah returns now and has to rouse Zechariah from sleep.

These visions perhaps had exhausted Zechariah much like the divine visions and seeking their understanding wearied Daniel.

As the angel rouses Zechariah he asks - “What do you see?” Zechariah describes what he sees a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top.

The lampstand also has seven lamps at the top and each lamp has seven spouts.

There are also two olive trees beside it one on the right side of the bowl and the other on its left.

The vision seems to continue in a context of priestly ministry.

This lampstand possibly similar to the lampstand in Israel’s tabernacle.

The tabernacle lampstand however had to be filled with oil by the priests - constantly watched and constantly filled - but this lampstand seemed to be filled automatically - without human agency.

There was a bowl suspended over the lampstand and oil was transported by gravity from the bowl through seven channels to each of the seven lamps or lights — 49 conduits.

Fed straight from the trees themselves.

It makes sense to consider the work to be done is the building of the temple that the vision would incorporate images relating to the temple.

Zechariah though familiar with the ins and outs of the temple - asked “What are these?”

as they were foreign to his knowledge enough that he was not sure what to make of them.

The angel even asks “Dont you know what these are?” and Zechariah replies that he doesnt and so the angel gives the meaning.

This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel.

Zerubbabel tasked with rebuilding and probably quite overwhelmed in the task.

“Not by strength or by might, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Armies.”

God’s work would only and could only be accomplished by the power of the Spirit of God.

For God’s work to be accomplished it requires His supernatural power and supernatural endurance.

No amount of human resources would ever amount to anything in the work of God.

God says not the resources of many together or even one - but my Spirit and my Spirit alone.

“Oh Churches take heed lest ye trust in yourselves; take heed lest ye say, ‘We are a respectable body,’ ‘We are a mighty number,’ ‘We are a potent people;’ take heed lest ye begin to glory in your own strength; for when that is done, ‘Ichabod shall be written on your walls and your glory shall depart from you.

Remember that he who was with us when we were but few, must be with us now we are many, or else we must fail; and he who strengthened us when we were as ‘little Israel,’ must be with us, now that we are like ‘the thousands of Manasseh,’ or else it is all over with us and our day is past.”

Spurgeon

The Spirit of God is represented by oil and it is fitting.

• Oil lubricates when used for that purpose—there is little friction and wear among those who are lubricated by the Spirit of God

• Oil heals and was used as a medicinal treatment in Biblical times (Luke 10:34)—the Spirit of God brings healing and restoration

• Oil lights when it is burned in a lamp—where the Spirit of God is there is light

• Oil warms when it is used as fuel for a flame—where the Spirit of God is there is warmth and comfort

• Oil invigorates when used to massage—the Holy Spirit invigorates us for His service

• Oil adorns when applied as a perfume—the Holy Spirit adorns us and makes us more pleasant to be around

• Oil polishes when used to shine metal—the Holy Spirit wipes away our grime and smoothes out our rough edges

In God’s power the mountain that gave Zerubbabel trouble - the work, the problems, the setbacks, the discouragement — all of those mountains that stand in the way of finishing God’s work are leveled by His Spirit.

He will bring out the capstone - the final stone, the finishing piece.

He will complete the work accompanied by shouts of grace, grace to it.

God declares in His power the work will be finished and empowered by Him Zerubbabel would be the one to finish it.

God’s work invites mountains/problems.

God’s work also seems impossible or to progress extremely slowly and it requires His power if we want to finish it.

God’s Work Starts With Small Beginnings

The word of the LORD came to Zechariah to declare that Zerubbabel’s hands have laid the foundation and his hands will complete it.

With God’s Spirit not only are we able to start the work - but we are able to finish it as well.

God is a finisher of work and He accomplishes what He says He will.

Then you will know the LORD of Armies has sent me to you - when Zerubbabel finishes the work.

Not someone else -Zerubbabel.

Who despises the day of small things?

You cannot tell the size of a work by its beginning.

The answer is do not despise the day of small things.

Those small things allow to learn without large ramifications for mistakes.

Don’t despise small things, instead just consider it all as just a day.

The days of small things are a season God uses for shaping, and preparation.

It is Satan who tempts us to despise small things.

Satan doesnt despise the day of small things - Satan fears the days of small things - because he knows it is from the small things that God brings and does great things.

Bible records the history of God using small beginnings.

A nation began with Abraham, salvation started with a baby named Isaac.

When God wanted to overthrow Egypt he started with a baby in a reed basket. .

God uses small beginnings in great works because although He could do it Himself, and He could give shortcuts, His work in our life is just as important as the work He wants to do through our life.

God uses a powerful season of small things and those days are not a mistake nor are they a punishment, they are days of priceless shaping and preparation and they are not days to despise.

The eyes of the LORD - the perfect seeing eyes, the eyes of Omniscience that scan the whole earth they rejoice when they see the last piece of the project in Zerubbabel’s hands.

God rejoices at the completion of the work.

God delights in the work we are doing and delights to see it completed.

The completion of the temple is a piece to the coming of the Messiah — you see this insignificant temple - in comparison to Solomon’s is part of the ongoing triumphing work of God!

It is like the honeybees a small insignificant creature created by the LORD with the huge task of cross pollinating 30% of all crops and 90% of all plants.

This is done through the simple job of not cross pollinating the plants but of simply building a hive and making honey.

God perhaps created the bees to help us see the importance of small things doing a simple job but having a world wide effect.

When David fought Goliath he was simply taking lunch to his brothers.

The boy in the New Testament who gave his five loaves and two fish probably was upset when as he was leaving his mom made him take the meal she prepared for him - and she not knowing the meal would feed so many simply was making her son lunch.

The miracles of God are hidden in insignificant tasks, every day faith and prayer.

"She gave more" Mark 12:41-44

No sincere act of worship or service is overlooked by God.

Jesus taught us that one who can be trusted with small things can be trusted in big things also.

If you cannot be faithful for the days of small things you will never be trusted or used for the big things.

Never be influenced by evaluations of men - their eyes are not perfectly seeing and they evaluate poorly.

1 Samuel 16:7 (CSB)

...Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible...”

Tower of Babel was impressive but God despised it and confused the language of the people.

There have been big ministries and bigger ministry personalities God shined a light and exposed a truth.

Noah built the ark while others watched and ridiculed.

Nathanael almost missed the LORD because of His origins being in Nazareth.

George Mueller started with a desire and a prayer - they called him an independent, a rebel and even a fanatic.

He had built 5 orphanages and was providing for 2,000 orphans by prayer and faith.

When he was 71, he started out on a series of missionary trips to Europe, Asia, and America.

He traveled 200,000 miles, preached in 42 countries, and kept up this pace until he was 88 yrs.

old.

He died at 93.

The day before he died, he was still handling orphanage correspondence.

Hudson Taylor was laughed at when he dared to go alone to China without the guarantee of support from home.

Men have a way of despising what is small.