Turn with me this evening to Zechariah chapter 4. Zechariah chapter 4. I did not intentionally plan things to work out this way, and yet they did anyways. This morning, we thought about that very vital, in fact, essential truth. I believe in the Holy Spirit. And we said to say that truly, fully, and biblically, we say we believe in the reality of the Holy Spirit, that we believe in the identity of the Holy Spirit as the one who is the third person of the Trinity. We believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the one whose work is essential throughout our entire Christian experience, from the new birth all the way to the resurrection. And we saw this morning, That to say I believe in the Holy Spirit is to truly say it, is to say that I believe in the necessity of the Holy Spirit. That we need the Spirit of God. That apart from His ministry in our lives, personally and corporately, we are nothing. We need the Spirit's work and power for our own walk with God. We need the Spirit's work and power for our own work as a church and as individuals striving for God's kingdom and God's glory. We need the power of God's Spirit for our witness. We come to a passage in the Old Testament that gives this exact same truth. We are in Zechariah chapter 4 and just again to orient us to what's happening in the book of Zechariah. Zechariah is written during the time of Haggai, indeed the time of Ezra and Nehemiah also. And Haggai, God had given visions through his prophet to tell his people, it's time to get building. It's time to get building my temple. Yes, I know that you were derailed by opposition, but now you're dwelling in your own paneled houses while my house lies in ruin. And Haggai had this message that the people were to seek first God's kingdom. It was not long after Haggai's prophecies came and the people began building, God brought prophecies through Zechariah. He was a young man, a young prophet at this time. And the book of Zechariah begins with confronting the people of God and encouraging them to return to the Lord. that they should not only work for God, but walk with God. Yes, there will be many obstacles, and we're going to talk about some of those tonight, but God's work must be finished as God had commanded it. God's work must be done. God then after this opening message through his servant Zechariah would give a series of eight visions in a single night. We've gone through the first four visions. The last vision we looked at was the vision of the high priest. This vision reminds us that Christ is the only hope for his people Israel and the only hope for us. that we are saved by the work of Christ, and we are saved for the work of Christ. But then the angel, the Lord Jesus, at the end of chapter 3 gave this incredible prophetic look forward, that there's a day coming when Israel will be saved. that God would, by his angel of the Lord Messiah Jesus, bring a removal of the iniquity of that land in one day, and there would be peace and prosperity as well as revival in that day. And we are reminded at the end of that vision then, that not only are we saved by the work of Christ and saved for the work of Christ, but that Christ will save his people. And that's an encouragement not only in the truth that Christ will save his people of Israel, but Christ will save his people. That is the very purpose that Jesus came. That's the reason he was given the name Jesus, or Savior. He will save his people from their sins. Now, Zechariah chapter 3, that fourth vision, speaks to the religious leader, Joshua, the high priest. Now we will see a vision for the civil leader, the political leader, Zerubbabel. And that is where we will go now. Zechariah chapter four. If you're following along in the Pew Bible, this is found on page 1093. Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me as a man who has wakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, what do you see? So I said, I am looking, and there is a lamp stand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it. And on the stand, seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left. So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me saying, what are these, my Lord? Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, do you not know what these are? And I said, no, my Lord. So he answered and said to me, this is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 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. Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me saying, the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple, His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you for who has despised the day of small things for these seven rejoice to see the plum line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth. Then I answered and said to him, what are these two olive trees at the right of the lamp standing at its left? And I further answered and said to him, what are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains? Then he answered me and said, do you not know what these are? So I said, no, my Lord. So he said, these are the two anointed ones who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth. As I mentioned this morning, there are a lot of answers that people give to the question, what does Christianity or what does the church need today? What does the church need to succeed and prevail and to go forward? There are all kinds of answers that people give to that question. Often, they fall into the less slash more category. Less of one thing, more of something else. Often we hear that the church needs less preaching and more contemporary music, or that it needs less services in a week and more programs in a week, that it needs less formalism and more casual approach. There are some who go beyond sort of the practical considerations of what should or shouldn't be done with the church to say that the church has to have a complete moral and theological overhaul. That it's moral stance on things need to completely change. And it's theological positions should be changed. We don't live in those times anymore. We don't live with those old moral values and we don't hold to those old superstitious beliefs about the supernatural. In fact, there was a book written a few years ago, well, more than a few I guess now, over 10 years ago, Why Christianity Must Change or Die was the name of the book. And in that, this author essentially said that Christianity had to get away from any true adherence to the scriptures and belief in what the doctrines of scripture says, and embrace a more liberal approach Well, brothers and sisters, I hope that we understand that whatever cosmetic changes that a church may go through and whatever stylistic changes that a church, churches may differ in, what we need is not a change away from scripture to align ourselves with the spirit of the age. What we need is faithfulness to the scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit of God. Zechariah's fourth vision spoke of the cleansing and restoration of the priesthood with Joshua the high priest, and ultimately it pointed forward to the day when God's great high priest, Jesus, would bring salvation to his people. And it reminded us of those truths that I just mentioned a moment ago, that we are saved by the work of Christ. We are saved for the work of Christ, and Christ will save his people. Having spoken to Israel's religious leader in the fourth vision, God now speaks to Israel's civil leader, Zerubbabel, in the fifth vision. At this time, the main task that Zerubbabel had as the leader of God's people was the rebuilding of the temple. And it was a very daunting mission. It was a mission that was beyond his own personal ability to coordinate, let alone to accomplish. But here God speaks a word of encouragement to him. And really to all of us. To any who sees the greatness and difficulty and even the impossibility of accomplishing God's work, this message is for you. And to any who would look at the work of God as though it is easy to accomplish as long as you have the right programs and tools, this message is for you also. Here, my brothers and sisters, is the heart of the vision. We see it in verse 6. This is the heart, this is the focus of this vision. This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. I want us to consider three related points that this passage teaches us about the power of God's spirit. First, I want us to see that God's work is sustained by the power of God's spirit. God's work is sustained by the power of God's spirit. Well, there have been many interpretations of what this lamp stand or the lamp of this vision is. I think that probably the best explanation is that this is intended to point to Israel as a people and nation. Remember that God has already spoken to the religious leader of Israel, Judah, Jerusalem. Now he has a message for the civil leader. Like the seven-candled lamp of this vision, Israel is called to be a light or a witness to the nations. There are several Psalms in the Old Testament that speak of this vision. For example, Psalm 67. Psalm 67 says, God be merciful to us and bless us and cause his face to shine upon us. Selah, that your way may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples, and that's talking about people groups, praise you, O God. Let all the peoples praise you. Psalm 96 has a similar message. Oh, sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name, proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his wonders among all peoples. Remember again that Psalms were the hymn book of God's Old Testament people, Israel. So as they sang these songs, they were reminded that they as a people were called to proclaim God's greatness and his salvation beyond just their own ethnic and national borders. We see the same truth in Psalm 117. Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles. This is the praise that is due to God from everyone, not just the Jews. Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles. Laud him, all you peoples, for his merciful kindness is great toward us. The truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord. Now, Israel was called to be a lamp or a light to the nations. Israel did not often discharge that responsibility. Israel often just was content to keep that message to themselves. But as we look forward, the Bible teaches that though Israel was called to be a light to the nations, specifically Jesus, the true and perfect Israelite would be that light to the Gentiles. Isaiah 49 verses 5 and 6. Now the Lord says, who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him so that Israel is gathered to him. So the servant is not just Israel because it speaks about the servant bringing Israel back to God. It says, for I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord and my God shall be my strength. Indeed, he says, it is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Judah. and to restore the preserved ones in Israel, I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be my salvation to the ends of the earth." So Israel of Old Testament times was called to be a light to the nations, but they failed so often to be that light to the nations. And God said, I will send Jesus who is the perfect light to the nations. As we look to the future, there is a day when Israel will be that light to the nations, as God had commanded them. There's a day coming, described in Isaiah chapter 60, where it says, Arise, shine, for your light has come. The glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth and deep darkness the people, but the Lord will arise over you and his glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your rising. Right now, as people of the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are also called to be a light. In the book of Acts, we actually see on the missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas actually applying this prophecy about Jesus to themselves. And they were not claiming that they were Jesus the servant of the Lord, but they were claiming to be his ambassadors. We also are called to be a light. Ephesians 5.8, you were once darkness, now you are a light in the world. Walk as children of light. The churches in the book of Revelation, what is the symbol of those churches? Well, in Revelation chapter one, the Bible tells us the seven lampstands that you saw are the seven churches. So, for those of you that are still with me at this point, The practical import for us is that we are like this lampstand. But what does any light or lamp or fire need to continue to put forth light? What does it need to continue to burn? It needs fuel. How can it do so? Look again with me at the description of that lampstand. In verse two, Zechariah says, I am looking. There is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it. And on the stand, seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left. So the picture is you have this lampstand in the middle. At the top of this lampstand, you have this bowl. Two olive trees, one on either side, are continually flowing. There's oil from those trees continually flowing into this bowl. From this bowl, there are seven lamps. These lamps are able to continually flow or continually burn because there's a continual flow of oil. In this passage, Oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. This is why God will say in verse six, not by might nor by power, but by my spirit. So think again with me, the weight and the weariness of the world, the attacks of the flesh and the devil are felt often so profoundly. It seems at times like the work of God within us, among us, and around the world might be stamped out by the darkness. It might seem at times that the darkness is so great, how can the light even survive? And here we have this visual image that reminds us that God's work is sustained by the power of God's spirit. Friends, we have a tendency to think that if we put the right things in place, we'll have a legacy. If we put the right measures in place, this work will continue. But the reality is it will continue only by the power of God's spirit. We read in the Psalms about the futility of doing work without God's power and plan. Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman wakes in vain. The work of God is sustained by the Spirit of God. You think about God's work in your own heart. He has saved you. How is it that he will keep you? He will keep you by the power of his spirit. God's work within churches. How will that work continue? Or how will it even be sustained in the midst of great darkness, in the midst of great unbelief? It is sustained by the power of the spirit. How great is the power of the spirit? The power of God's Spirit is so great that no darkness can extinguish God's light. And that, brothers and sisters, is very encouraging to us, but it's a reminder to us of how much we need the Holy Spirit. We thought about that this morning, and we need to think about it often. God's work is sustained by the power of God's Spirit. How we need the Spirit. But second, we must see that God's work is advanced by the power of God's spirit. God's work is advanced by the power of God's spirit. Look with me in verse four. So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me saying, what are these my Lord? And we're going to see that he's going to ask the same question again, because he doesn't get the specific answer that he's looking for. In verse four, Zacharias seems to be asking about the olive trees, and specifically the branches that are going from the trees to this bowl with the oil. The angel who talks with him, rather than telling him about the specifics of the vision, brings him to the big point of the vision. The angel who talked with me answered and said to me, do you not know what these are? And I said, no, my lord. So he answered and said to me, this is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Now look at verse seven. This is, I hope, very encouraging to us. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel, you shall become a plain. God's work is not simply on defense. We're not simply hoping that God will keep things going. Yes, we do hope in God for that. But God's work is more than that. And notice the words of God. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel, you shall become a plain. There are many intimidating difficulties that stand between Zerubbabel and the completion of the temple. There was the obstacle of the difficulty of the task itself. It would not have been an easy task for them to have completed this temple. There's that difficulty. There was the obstacle of opposition to this work. If you read the book of Ezra chapters four and five, you'll see that there was such opposition to the initial rebuilding of the temple that letters were sent by the enemies of God's people and the work actually got stopped. It doesn't resume until after the ministry of Haggai tells the people, breaks them from their lethargy, you need to get back to work. Even at that point, they face a new obstacle and that's the obstacle of spiritual decline. Reluctance. People complacent because they have things good for themselves, not putting forth first God's kingdom. This is why Haggai will speak in such very pointed words in Haggai chapter one to God's people, saying, this is why things are going so poorly for you. Yes, you're dwelling in a nice house, but everything that you're doing, it's like you're working to get money and you put it into a bag with holes. That's why in Zechariah 1, the prophet will say to the people of God, return to me, says the Lord. Return to me. So Zerubbabel and Joshua have this problem of reluctance and spiritual decline that's a great obstacle. Then there is simply the obstacle of the discouragement of the people. Even after they began building, there's a great deal of discouragement. You read in Ezra chapter three, that as the foundation is built, they began getting back to work on it. There's this mixture of joy and sorrow. The younger people seem to be really glad because they see the foundation of this temple. They're looking ahead, but the older people weep. Why did they weep? Well, they had seen its former glory. Haggai chapter 2 verse 3, God himself will lean into this and he'll say, any of you that saw this temple in its former glory know that this is nothing compared to it. But then God goes to give the prophecy of the greater glory of the temple that God will one day bring in the eschatological future. But our point before us is this, there are great obstacles before Zerubbabel. The task is too great for him. How is it possible, then, that the work of God can advance over these obstacles? When these obstacles seem like mountains in the way of accomplishing God's work, how can God's work advance? And the answer to that is by the power of God's Spirit. God's work is advanced by the power of God's spirit. How are the mountains and obstacles to be removed? How are mountains to become plains? How are the greatest of obstacles to be removed? How are the most intimidating of circumstances to be overcome? They are removed by the power of God's spirit and no obstacle can withstand God's power. This is so important. It's a reminder to us of how much we need the Spirit. How will God's work advance? By the power of the Spirit. Not because of our charm, not because of our ability, not because we put in more hours, not because we have a new program. No, it is advanced ultimately by the power of the Spirit. And we'll see in just a moment that God does use means. He'll use us. He'll work through us. but it's the power of God's Spirit. How can we set our hope upon the church being built? And I'm not here just talking about Ennerdale, although I do hope that Ennerdale will be built and established. How will God's great work advance? How is it that we can look forward with hope to a day when people of every kindred, tongue, tribe, and nation are gathered? I'll remember that Jesus said, I will build my church. How would this church be built? Well, we see it as we read the book of Acts, don't we? The church is built and established when Jesus sends the Holy Spirit and by the power of the Spirit, people go forth witnessing of the grace and glory of Jesus. This is so vital for us. We must remember that God's work is advanced by the power of the Spirit. It's not our cleverness. It's not our personality. It's not our programs. It's not us thinking that we know better than everyone else in the church and it has to be our way or no way. It's about God's Spirit. God's work is advanced by the power of God's Spirit. how we need that Spirit. So God's work is sustained by the power of God's Spirit. God's work is advanced by the power of God's Spirit. And thirdly, and vitally, God's work is completed by the power of God's Spirit. God's work is completed by the power of God's spirit. Look with me there at verse seven. Not only is it says, who are you O great mountain, before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain, it says he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of grace, grace to it. The capstone would have been one of the final stones put in place, holding it all together. Zerubbabel who began this work would also see its completion. And those who saw the completion of this temple would shout grace, grace to it. They would shout with joy in what God had done by his grace. And they had also see the beauty of what was done in that moment. As if this were not plain enough. Verse eight continues. Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me saying the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple. His hands shall also finish it. And then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you." Yes, Zerubbabel had begun this. But there were many obstacles. But God promised that by the power of His Spirit the work would advance, and now He promises that the work will be finished by the power of His Spirit. Verse 10 is for us, I hope, a very encouraging Verse, who has despised the day of small things? Who has despised the day of small things? It's easy to look at small numbers and compare it with big numbers and despise that day. To look at that day as worthless or meaningless. It's easy to look at what appears to be a meager effort and think of it as nothing. But let me remind you of our Lord's parable about the mustard seed and how that small seed can grow into this large plant that birds can come and roost in that plant. What appears to us to be small and insignificant can by the power of God's spirit be brought all the way to completion. This is why we must not despise the day of small things. This is not the same thing, brothers and sisters, of being complacent and content with littleness and laziness. It's not the same thing. Zerubbabel would be called to work. The people would be called to work. But ultimately, though Zerubbabel's hands would be at work, the Spirit of God would be at work through Zerubbabel, And thus that day that seemed to be such a day of small things was not to be despised. I said, I told this story recently, but it bears repeating. I read about an evangelist and someone had found his journal. He talked about having gone to a certain town and he said he preached and he said that those meetings were basically worthless, that nothing had been accomplished. There had only been one convert the entire week of meetings. A young man by the name of Billy Graham. How little he knew what God would do with that day of small things. How little we know of what God may do in that day of small things. Don't despise the day of small things because God's work will be accomplished, will be completed by the power of God's spirits. The way that this is described is that is words of completion. His hands shall also finish it. You will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. Verse 10, these seven rejoice to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the Lord which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth. The idea here is that God's perfect knowledge sees Zerubbabel with the instruments to measure out and work on the temple, and he sees not only the start, but its completion. God has that knowledge. We don't. We see the smallness. We see the insignificance. We don't see the big picture, but he sees the end. And it says that the seven rejoice to see that. And God finds joy in the work that he does through us. We are so weak and small, and yet God can accomplish great things through the weak and the small. that day which seems to be just a day of small things is not to be despised. Because if God is at work in that, he will bring that work to completion by the power of his spirit. There's a note here in the last verses, 11 to 14, where Zechariah is still confused and hung up about the olive trees and then specifically the branches that are bringing this oil to the lamp. to this lampstand. What are these? He doesn't get an answer to what are the trees, and then he answers specifically, what are these two olive branches that dip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains? And this angel says, you don't know what these are? He's already asked this kind of a question. He says once again, no, my lord. And he said, these are the two anointed ones. These are the sons of fresh oil. who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth. Who are these two anointed ones? Well, what is in context here, the two anointed ones would have been the religious and the civil leader, Joshua and Zerubbabel. The work of God's spirit flows through these individuals. He accomplishes his work through Joshua and Zerubbabel. And this is a good reminder to us, brothers and sisters, it is the power of the Spirit that accomplishes these great things, and yet He will use us. And thus, seeing that God's Spirit is in control and God's Spirit is powerful should not move us to laziness, to complacency, but to a willingness to be used by God's Spirit. I think there's something prophetic here, as you see these two branches that are dripping into the golden pipes. There is one who would come and who would unite perfectly the office of priest and king. And that, of course, is our Savior Jesus. And he is the one upon whom the Spirit's power fully and purely rested. And God would accomplish his ultimate and great work through the Messiah who unites those two offices in himself. And as we'll see later in the book of Zechariah, there's a greater temple that's coming. Not only the temple of God's people, but an eschatological temple that will one day be built by the Messiah. But as we think about this in our own experience, we who serve the Messiah Christ, We who serve Jesus must do so in the power of the Spirit. Our own strength is worthless. Yes, He will work through us, but it must be His power. God's work is sustained by God's Spirit. God's work is advanced by God's Spirit, and God's work is completed by God's Spirit. May God move in our hearts to be hungry for the power of the Spirit to seek Him, to not be content just to go through the motions, but to cry out that God would be at work through us by His Spirit. And may God be pleased to do that. Those are the kind of prayers that God is very happy to answer. May God move us beyond ourselves. I said at the beginning that this message is a message, number one, for those who might be discouraged by the greatness of the work that lies before us, and think it's too much for us. And this passage in effect says, yes, it is too much for us, but God will accomplish that work by a spirit. I said as well at the beginning of the service of this message and this truth is for those who think that we can do it all on our own and it confronts us in our pride and says, no, it's not by might or by power. It's by my spirit. May God give us the grace to humble ourselves and seek his face, but may God give us the encouragement that we need as we realize that God's spirit is powerful. God's work is sustained by the power of God's spirit. God's work is advanced by the power of God's spirit, and God's work is completed by the power of God's spirit. Amen. Well, friends, we're going to sing a hymn that we sang this morning.