A vision of the character and nature of God's work

Notes from a sermon heard on 5 May 2013

2 Corinthians 10 verses 1 – 18

We can all have different views of God’s work and what should be happening in God’s work.  Need to be careful we do not overstep the mark when it comes to God’s work.  There are those in opposition to God’s work.  In Paul’s day there were those who said Paul wrote brilliant letters but he was a weak frail man when he came to speak in person.   Paul addressed those false preachers going about Corinth.  Isn’t that how God determines to work?  They were not to despise the day of small things.  In Zechariah 4 verse 6 we see a vision of the character and nature of God’s work.  Don’t get discouraged it is “not by might nor by power but by God’s spirit.”  God’s work is not driven by one person’s power, it is driven by the Spirit of God.

The scene before Zechariah verse 2.  He knew immediately what this vision was about.  It took him back into the temple of God.  It took a priest to ensure the light was burning brightly and continually.  Here was a lamp burning bright and no man’s hand is near it.  This is the scene that God wants to show his prophet.  God was going to do something and no man’s hand was near it.  God’s work is moved by men and women on their knees crying out to God to move in a special way.  If there is anything we need today it is a vision from God.  Jonah was given a commission by God but he wanted to do his own thing.  God told him to go to Nineveh and preach to them but Jonah ran away.  He got in a boat, went to the bottom of it and put his head on a pillow and slept like a baby.  There are many today perishing in their sin - in our homes and in our family circles.  We need a vision of what God can do, not what we can do.  It is “not by might nor by power but by his spirit.” 

Notice something about this scene: the simplicity of it.  Zechariah looked at this scene and he could see this lampstand with 7 lamps attached to it and there were 7 pipes running from the 7 lamps which ran down to 2 olive trees.  They were getting an oil supply from the trees.  There was no man’s work involved in it.  We live in a day of coldness and apathy.  It is a day when we need to be getting back to God again.  We want to build God’s work of our own initiative but it will never work that way.  When Paul preached he said “I preach that your faith might stand not in the ability of man but in the spirit of God.”  There are some people saved today but sadly there will come a day when that work will fall to pieces.  “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” (verse 4) 

The society Zechariah lived in.  Joshua 6, 7 and 8 tells the story of Gideon.  When he lifted up his eyes and looked out he saw the Midianites who were like grasshoppers in multitudes.  God came to Gideon and said “I am with you.”  Gideon replied “Lord if you are with me why are there so many things happening?”  That is a question on many people’s minds today – why are there so many tragedies, sicknesses, death?  In Gideon’s day the people had turned away from God yet here was the angel coming to Gideon “I want you to gather the people together and drive these people from the land.”  Gideon gathers up 32,000 but God says “you have too many I couldn’t give this victory into your hand.”  Why?  Because they would become proud and would think they had won the victory for themselves.  With one swipe God left Gideon with 10,000 men.  God was in control when he said yet again “there are too many”.  Gideon took them down to the river and he walked up out of the river with 300 men.  Today too many get discouraged at the situation in their homes.  We have to hold on to the fact that God is still in control.  Gideon was filled with the spirit of God.  God is still looking for Gideon’s today.  To stand up for this situation today.  We need to be praying and seeking God’s will and direction in what is happening all around us.  God needs people filled with the spirit of God to stand with the minority and lift up their voices in prayer, to see that evil will be removed from the land.  The lamp was doing what it was destined for – it was burning.  God wants to use you and I today.  That is the simplicity of it.  “Let your light shine before men” Jesus said “that they might see your good works and glorify God.” (Matthew 5 verse 6)  When Paul wrote to the Philippian church he referred to it as “a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2 verse 15)  Zechariah shows the simplicity of it all.  “I am the vine you are the branches”.  The person who dwells in the vine takes all its substance and source from the tree itself and it is bearing fruit all the time.  The old devil will discourage us today.  Do you think what you do for the Lord is of any use?  The boy with the loaves and fishes simply gave them to Jesus to be used by him.  What is that among so many?  We need to be careful because the work of God is not driven by thousands of people but God uses the ones and 2’s.

The situation in which Zechariah found himself in.

The scene he saw: the simplicity of it, the secrecy of it and the sufficiency of it.