DON’T DESPISE SMALL THINGS Zechariah was a restoration prophet who prophesied in 520 B.C. and in 518 B.C. It was he and Haggai who encouraged the people to complete the building of the temple in Jerusalem under Zerrubabel. His prophecy was in symbols and visions. He asked, “For who hath despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.” (Zechariah 4:10). The people seemed so small in comparison of the rest of the people on the Persian Empire but the eyes of the Lord upon them made the difference. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). The eyes of the Lord see all things and in His providence right movements and actions will be successful. Christ had a small beginning. He was born into a carpenter’s house and was virtually obscure during the first years of his life. Yet his work, words, death, resurrection, and exaltation have changed the world. One time he said, “The foxes have holes, and the fowls of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20). Yet his being the Savior of the world has even changed the way we count the years of history. Countless millions have been born again because he came and showed man the way (John 3:3-5). Dedicated lives have put tremendous marks on history because they have proclaimed him, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:26). The whole world has been changed by this “Christ the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16; 16). The church had a small beginning on the first Pentecost after his resurrection (Acts 2). Jerusalem on a world globe would be only a small dot and 3,000 people would be few in comparison to the 120 million of the Roman Empire. Yet, they worshipped, praised God, and were had in favor of the people. The Lord was adding to the church daily such as should be saved (Acts 2:42-47). “Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed: and the number of the men was about five thousand” (Acts 4:4). Also, “And believers were the more added the Lord, multitudes both of men and women” (Acts 5:14). “And the word of God increased: and the number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly” (Acts 6:7). Persecution scattered them abroad but they “went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). The results can be seen in Samaria, Ethiopia, Cyprus, Syria, Asia Minor, Europe, and in many other places not mentioned in the Bible until it was estimated that one-half the people of the Roman Empire had accepted Christianity. It was a pity that there was a great departure from the Christianity of the New Testament times taking place until if one read the Bible and then compared it to the religion of the day there would be no resemblance between the two. The need of a Restoration to New Testament Christianity was on the lips of many in Europe and in the new nation of the United States. Restoration was based on 1) The Bible being an all sufficient guide in religion (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). 2) The Bible needed “rightly dividing” which meant that there were three great dispensations in which God dealt with man; namely, the Patriarchal Age, the Mosaical Age, and the Christian Age. These are shown in Hebrews 1:1-3 and Romans 5:13, 14. 3) The Free will of man to accept the word and Jesus Christ along with the fact the he is responsible for his actions (Revelation 22:17; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:11, 12). 4) The oneness of all who are Christians as there is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one Faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all (Ephesians 4:4-6). It started in a small way – the Haldanes in Scotland, Barton W. Stone at a brush arbor revival in Cane Ridge, Kentucky, and the Campbells at Brush Run, Virginia. It grew so fast that by the time of the Civil war was fifth in size of all the churches of America. Alas, the Age of Reason came in and many wanted more fashionable worship and sophisticated services. The inspiration of the Scriptures was challenged. A few good men like J. W. McGarvey, David Lipscomb stood for truth and met the challenges of change and by 1906 there were a few churches of Christ in the land who still called for the old paths. By 1960 this small group and grown to one million, seven hundred and fifty thousand in 16,500 congregations of the church. Emphasis was shifted to scriptural worship of singing only, praying, preaching and teaching the scriptures, Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week, and giving. The New Age Movement is threatening the Bible movement again with the idea that we cannot really know what is true or false. A feel good religion instead of a true religion is the order of the day. What is exciting is at a premium and plain gospel preaching is “boring”. People either explain away the scriptures or either take the attitude of “what does it matter” as long as we have a big crowd. However there are a few that wont budge saying “speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent.” Don’t despise the day of small things. God’s people will overcome. Be faithful, be zealous, plant, water, and let God give the increase. ----C. D.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 19:57:14 +0000