Message

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Happy New Year! Thank God for all the grace he poured out upon us in 2009. Thank God that he preserved us and led us to step into this new year 2010. The more we live, the more we know the importance of having directions in life, especially at the starting point of a new year. It is like a road map in our hands or GPS in our cars. Can you imagine going somewhere you do not know without a map or GPS? What if it snows? It would be a terrible trip getting nowhere. At the beginning of this new year, May God help each of his people here to have a clear direction based on one word of God. The key verse of Toronto UBF in 2010 is Zechariah 4:6, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit”. We want to have the deeper and richer relationship with the Spirit. And we want to more experience the power of the Spirit in our personal lives and in doing the work of God, especially in 1:1 and raising disciples. May God bless this direction richly. Zechariah is the 11th of the 12 prophetic books of the Bible. It is one of the post-exile books, along with Malachi and Haggai. Today’s passage is the 5th vision among eight visions Zechariah saw during one night (1:8). This vision is concerning a gold lampstand and two olive trees by the lampstand and its interpretation and the word of the LORD given to Zerubbabel, the governor of Israel at that time. May God speak to us, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.” First, the vision of the gold lampstand and two olive trees by it (1-5, 11-14). Look at verse 1. “Then the angel who talked with me returned and wakened me as a man is wakened from his sleep.” It was night. After the 4th vision, there might have been an intermission, maybe a 5 minute break. So the angel went away for a while, and Zechariah rested, falling in a trance. Then the angel returned and wakened him. We need to be spiritually awakened at this beginning of the new year in order to see the spiritual things. Look at verse 2. “He asked me, ‘What do you see?’” This question is obvious and at the same time it is very important. It is easy to see only the earthly things of the world. Then we are confined in this physical limited world. But there is the invisible world, that is God’s world, and it is infinite. “What do you see?” God wants us to see what God has prepared for us. At the question of the angel Zechariah answered: “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, with seven channels to the lights. Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” It is the vision of a gold lampstand and seven bright lamps on it with the supply of the oil by the two olive trees. The supply was through 7 or 49 channels. So the oil supply was abundant, keeping the lamp burning and shining brightly. It was a glorious sight. Then Zechariah asked the angel who talked with him, “What are these, my lord?” The angel answered, “Do you not know what these are?” The prophet was supposed to know what the things he saw are, but did not know it. So he replied, “No, my lord.” What is the gold lampstand? What does it stand for? The meaning is hidden. Even the angel did not speak of it. In Revelation it is written that the lampstand represents the church (1:20). In the further conversation between the angel and the prophet Zechariah, it is disclosed that the two olive trees are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all the earth. In the book of Zechariah the two are Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor of Judah. In the Old Testament, priests, kings and prophets were anointed. Ultimately the Anointed refers to the Messiah. In the whole Bible it is clearly revealed that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. He is God’s anointed King and Priest and Prophet. And oil stands for the Holy Spirit. So in the light of the whole Bible, the meaning of the vision of the gold lampstand and seven lamps and the channels and olive trees is the abundant supply of the Holy Spirit upon the church through Christ Jesus. It is so that his people of the church may give light to the world. It is as Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” What a vision! It is wonderful. God clearly prophesied concerning this vision in the Old Testament. God said in Joel 2:28-29, “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.” In the New testament Jesus promised his disciples again and again that he would send them the Holy Spirit after his ascension (Jn 16:7). Right before his ascension after his resurrection he said to his disciples to wait for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. He wanted them to greatly anticipate the coming of the Holy Spirit. He said in Acts 1:8, “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” According to Jesus’ promise, the disciples awaited and awaited, and prayed and prayed together. Then indeed the Holy Spirit came upon them. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit became reality, and they became powerful witnesses of Christ Jesus. It is a spiritual secret that the Holy Spirit dwells in the hearts of those who repent and accept Jesus as the Saviour and Lord. But it is a command of the Bible to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18). As worldly people get drunk on wine, Jesus’ people must be filled with the Holy Spirit. “Be filled with the Holy Spirit.” This is a command, not an option, for normal Christian life. It requires our efforts as Christians. In the anticipation for the filling of the Holy Spirit, our Lord Jesus wants us to pray. He said in Luke 11:11-13, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” At the beginning of a new year, we can have many expectations. But may God help us to expect a great thing from God, that is the filling of the Holy Spirit. May we repent of our sins, disobedience, unholiness, self-centredness at each moment and ask God for the Holy Spirit until God indeed hears us. Through constant earnest prayer, we can commit our hearts to him. God surely blesses those who hearts are fully committed to him. Second, the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel (6-10). What did the angel say at the question, “What are these?” He did not say these were such and such. Look at verse 6. “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.” This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel. This is what the LORD Almighty says to him. It is emphasized that this word is not human word, but the LORD’s. God really wanted Zerubbabel to believe this word of the LORD Almighty. It is because the angel knew so well the situation of Zerubbabel and his people the Israelite returnees. After returning from 70 years of Babylonian captivity, they began to rebuild the ruined temple of Jerusalem. It was pleasing to God. At the start they were full of joy, hope and vision. But there were difficulties and the enemies who did not like the rebuilding work of God’s temple. The obstacles looked too big to overcome. In the obstruction of the strong enemies and many difficulties the work was almost stagnant. 1 year, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, and then 15 years passed. But there was still no progress. Completing the temple of God seemed impossible. Who could understand the disheartened Zerubbabel in this world? Who could encourage him? No one but the Almighty God. The God Almighty gave him one of the most glorious and revolutionary words in the Bible. According to this word of the LORD, by the Spirit Zerubbabel would challenge again the rebuilding work of the temple to the completion. What could not be done by human might and power could be done by his Spirit. Here “might” refers to the might of man’s wealth or army or organization. And “power” refers to all skills and strategies that come from man’s brain. Those human power and might would not do this impossible task. But the Spirit of God would enable him to make what is impossible possible. God assures this awesome work with the following words. Look at verse 7. “What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’” The mountain is the symbol of immorality and loftiness and might and silence. No one even dares to speak to the mountain. But God spoke to the mountain, “What are you, O mighty mountain?” Then he said, “Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground.” Wow! God did not say, “Before me you will become level ground.” No. He said, “Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground.” Zerubbabel would be empowered and exalted when the Spirit of God came upon him. Before him the mighty mountain would become level ground, ground zero with no height at all. It means that all the mountain-like hindrances would be gone and Zerubbabel would complete the work of rebuilding the temple. He would place the capstone, the finishing stone on the top of the temple. Then he would shout, “By God’s grace and blessing we did it. Praise God for his immeasurable blessing.” This work of God is assured again with the oracle. Look at verses 8,9. “Then the word of the LORD came to me: ‘The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.” As you know, the hands are the symbol of labour and hard work. By the Spirit of the LORD Almighty, Zerubbabel’s hands would powerful enough to complete the work of temple-rebuilding. Indeed the work was completed in 4 years. The concept of God’s temple in the Old Testament is changed into that of the church in the New Testament. The church was born through the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and his people at the Pentecost in Acts. The church could function powerfully through the power of the Holy Spirit. When Apostle Peter delivered the message of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, people repented of their sins and became believers. The church members increased rapidly. It was the work of the Holy Spirit. In one occasion, when Apostle Peter was put in prison in chains after preaching the gospel, the whole Jerusalem church prayed. Then he was miraculously rescued (Acts 12). Roman power could not extinguish the power of the church through the Holy Spirit. The church grew and grew. When persecution arose, the believers were scattered and established new churches in Samaria, Antioch, and many other places wherever they went. Through his mission trip, Apostle Paul established the churches in Galatia, Colosse, Philippi, Ephesus, many more and even in Rome. As Jesus promised, the gate of Hades would not overcome the church, (not prove stronger than it). The church is to rely on the work of the Holy Spirit through studying and teaching the word of God and paying unceasingly. Our church is University Bible Fellowship church. Our mission is to lead campus students to Christ and raise them as disciples through Bible teaching and shepherding. I thank God for the church of University Bible Fellowship in Toronto to pioneer U of T campus. When I think of God’s work last year, I am so thankful to God that he enabled us to lay a foundation of disciple-raising ministry through our student leaders. Now 2010 can be the year of great challenge in raising disciples from among the students of U of T. Many mighty mountains lie before us. We have external mountains. The mountains of intellectual power, secular humanism and pleasure-seeking seem particularly mighty and lofty. We also have internal mountains, such as negative thinking and despair. But we want to hold to the word of the LORD God Almighty, “Not by might nor power, but by my Spirit.” We may truly believe this. By human power and might, God’s work cannot be done. But by the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, we can expect the work of repentance and faith in us and in our Bible students, and raise Jesus’ disciples. By the power of the Spirit the mighty mountains will become level ground before us, and we will see the work of regeneration and disciples’ standing one by one from among U of T students. We can also think of personal mountains, school study, job, company work, financial situation, etc. As for me, deep Bible study, reading necessary books, fruitful 1:1 are mountains. But what is impossible by human power and strength is possible by the Spirit of God. Look at verse 10. “Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.” At that time the starting of the temple-rebuilding was so small that some people despised the work itself. To them it looked too humble, and they thought the work could not be accomplished. And the temple itself would be a small and trivial one compared to the glorious former temple of Solomon. They could not see the glory of God hidden in small things. But as they saw the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel and the actual work of his hands according to the plumb line, they would rejoice seeing the vision of God. We must know that without the day of small things there will be no day of great things and no glorious day. We should not despise small things, such as daily devotion, living by the Spirit each day, one time of visiting campus, one 1:1, raising one ancestor of faith. Many days of small things done in faith will be followed by the great and glorious day, the day of rejoicing. Thank God for granting us a new year, 2010. May God help us to have the anticipation of the filling of the Holy Spirit through devoted Bible study and prayer in the vision of a solid gold lampstand and two olives trees by it, and be able to move the mountain of raising disciples by the Spirit. We may deeply believe this work of the LORD, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.”

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