The Day of Small Things

"The Day of Small Things." To all outward appearances, the incipient stages of Christ's kingdom was a time of "small things" (Zech. 4:10). It was as Daniel's "stone cut out of the mountain without hands" (Dan. 2:45), or as Jesus' "grain of mustard seed" (Mk. 4:31), observed Ken Smith in his sermon for us on October 14. It was designed by God to be like that, to demonstrate the exact opposition of His ways to those of men (Isa. 55:8-9), and to glorify His wisdom and power (I Cor. 1:18-31). 

Our Lord's first coming was unprecedentedly unpretentious and unassuming. His earthly life completely disregarded, if not disdained, that carnal pride and pomp which the world associates with exaltation and success. The twelve men He gathered about Himself, to whom He would commit the founding and nurture of His kingdom, were, by accredited standards, incapable of great and important work. To cap it all, Jesus' earthly career ended in a criminal's death upon a shameful Roman cross. He was, indeed, "crucified through weakness" (II Cor. 13:4). 

All this would be classified by the wisdom of earth as "small things"—a "mustard-seed" kind of beginning. Brother Ken noted. Yet, from it God, by raising Jesus from the dead and setting Him at His own right hand in heaven, has given it the power and efficacy to accomplish His full purpose, causing the Father's pleasure to "prosper" in Christ's hand (Isa. 53:10). will the stone cut from the mountain "without hands" ultimately "break in pieces" all the kingdoms of this world, causing them to become "like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors" which the wind carries away, and itself fill "the whole earth (Dan. 2:34-35). And the mustard seed shall become "greater than all herbs," shooting out "great branches" (Mk. 4:32). 

In this confidence, we preach the gospel, which is the seed of the kingdom, it was concluded, knowing that our labors are "not in vain in the Lord" (I Cor. 15:58). "Who hath despised the day of small things?" well asks the Word of the Lord (Zech. 4:8, 10). Not we, replied the preacher, since God's Presence and purpose make it the day of great and marvelpus things. "The zeal of the Lord of hosts," combined with His divine power and wisdom, will make the day of "small things" one of marvelously great things (Isa. 9:6-7).