Give Us This Day - 8

Give Us This Day - 8

Subject – Valuing Small Beginnings

by Rick Welborne

Matthew 6:9-15 (NKJV)
⁹  In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
¹⁰  Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹  Give us this day our daily bread.
¹²  And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
¹³  And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
¹⁴  "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
¹⁵  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

--Last week we talked about “Give us this day” and we talked about the power of forgiveness.

--We talked about how important it is to recognize what God is doing in us as we choose to forgive people who may not, in our opinion, deserve it. Forgiveness is such a big issue in God’s Kingdom and His House.

--Today we are going to look at maybe the total opposite end of the spectrum, recognizing the importance of small things and small beginnings. Let’s look at Niagara Falls.

--Niagara Falls is the wedding capital of the world. It consists of three waterfalls—The American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Horseshoe Falls. These three combine to produce the highest flow rate of any waterfall on earth.

--There are 3,160 tons of water flowing over the falls every second and falling at a speed of 32 feet per second. It is definitely a beauty to behold especially for honeymooners. 

--In the mid-eighteenth century, the only way across Niagara Falls was by boat. On November 9, 1847, a civil engineer named Charles Ellet Jr. was commissioned to build a suspension bridge across the chasm. 

--He found the narrowest place to attempt this seemingly impossible challenge. How do you stretch the first wire across an 800-foot gorge with 225-foot cliffs on either side and rapids that rush toward a waterfall?

--His team presented ideas…a rocket, a cannon but finally an interesting character by the name of Hulett came up with an ingenious idea of having a kite flying contest. Say what?

--To make a long story a little shorter, kids began attempting to fly a kite across Niagara Falls in January 1848. On Jan. 30, 1848, a kid by the name of Homan Walsh was successful and he won the huge prize of $10.

--A stronger string was connected to the kite string, then another one, then a rope, and then a cable consisting of 36 strands of ten-gauge wire. The impact of the suspension bridge has obviously been huge.

Zechariah 4:9-10 (NLT2)
⁹  “Zerubbabel is the one who laid the foundation of this Temple, and he will complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has sent me.
¹⁰  Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” 

--Whether it is a plumb line or a kite string in the sight of God, it is the same difference. 

1. God does delight in our accomplishments…even our small ones. 

--How do you know that, Pastor Rick? Zech.4:8 says 

Zechariah 4:8 (NLT2) ⁸  Then another message came to me from the LORD:

--What was His message: Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin. The Lord, like a proud parent, delights over our accomplishments. Not just the big ones. The small things too.

--The Israelites had not even broken ground on the temple yet. All they had done was measure what they were doing and God was already giving them a standing ovation.

--Our Heavenly Father celebrates the little steps of faith, the small acts of generosity, and he is keeping really good records of everything we do. Not just the big stuff.

Mark 9:41 (NIV)
⁴¹  I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

--God is great not just because nothing is too insurmountable to Him. God is great because nothing is too small.

Batterson – I know people who say they’ll give more when they make more. I’m not buying what they are selling. I know people who say they’ll serve more when they have more time. We’ve already debunked that myth. You don’t find time; you make time! And I know people who think they’ll be ready to step up when the big opportunity presents itself. Not if they aren’t taking advantage of little opportunities right here, right now!

KEY: How you do anything is how you will do everything.

--We want to do amazing things for God, but that isn’t our job. Our job is to set ourselves aside to God. Then God does amazing things for us. It’s like flying the kite. It’s doing little things like they are big things.

--It’s okay to dream big but start small; here’s the good news. If you do the little things like they are big things, God will do the big things like they are little things. That’s how kite strings turn into suspension bridges. 

--If you aren’t making little sacrifices right now, you aren’t ready to do the big things. If aren’t willing to take the small risks right now, you are not ready to do take the big risks for God.

--If you are not willing to be faithful in the small areas of obedience, tithing and missions, please do not think you are going to build orphanages in Africa debt free. 

--If you are not willing to serve at your local church and be faithful to do whatever your leadership asks of you, do not believe you are ready to be in full time ministry.

--When we choose to be faithful in the small things, even if it is serving a cup of water or a glass of tea at a funeral luncheon, God will find us faithful to do bigger things in His Kingdom. 

Luke 16:10-12 (NLT2)
¹⁰  “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.
¹¹  And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?
¹²  And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?

2. The Great Commission – Starting with the Small.

--Jesus and the disciples. How can it be possible for one man, a God man, to come to this planet and build His Kingdom? Yes, He did say He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. How?

--He started small. He and the Father started with a plan, a dream to save all of us. I am sure Jesus prayed the way He taught us to pray. Father, give me this day my daily bread. Give Me what I need to build your Kingdom

--He decided to go to the people He wanted to reach and lay down His life for them. For His plan to be complete, He invited others to go along with Him to also lay down their lives. What an invitation.

--The disciples did not fully understand what they were getting themselves into but they considered the One Who was calling them to be trustworthy and true. They started small. Don’t despise small beginnings.

--Jesus and the twelve, a house church, a startup, a beginner campus (minus a building), a handful of misfits who truly were not qualified to carry out God’s plan. 

--Were there setbacks, yes? The multitude became 12 again. The 12 became 11. The 500 who saw Jesus after His resurrection became 120. Sometimes when you start small, there are many complications. 

--Jesus laid down His life for the Church, actually for the world and so did the disciples. All but one died a martyr’s death and they tried to kill him by boiling him in hot oil. 

--You have to ask yourself a couple of questions when you decide to start small. Is it God’s will? Is it His plan? Remember Jesus said He would build His church. Look at the result:

Acts 17:6 (NKJV) ⁶ "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.”

3. Life Church and the Great Commission

--I know a few people get tired about hearing about missions here at Life Church but usually it is the people who are not faithful in their giving including tithes and missions. They haven’t caught the vision. The Word!

--We have to ask ourselves a couple of questions when we decide to start small in fulfilling the Great Commission. Is it God’s will? Is it His plan? Remember Jesus said He would build His church. Did He say?

Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV)
¹⁹  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
²⁰  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

--We started small here at Life Church (about 15 missionaries at $25-$50 a month). We had a few people with a vision and a willingness to lay down their lives and finances to reach the world. Margaret Belew and others.

--Just months after I became pastor we had our first mission’s banquet and started adding more missionaries. Were there challenges, of course, did we persevere, yes? Every year we added more missionaries by His grace.

--For 30 years what had started small has turned into a wonderful mission’s program. We have averaged adding 6-7 missionaries per year for 30 years. To God be the glory for the great things He has done. 

--What God and you guys have done is incredible. No longer do we give Missionaries $25-$50 dollars a month but all of them get between $100-$150 dollars a month plus special offerings as needed. Impressive. Duvalls.

--Many of you started small but look at what God has done. It is amazing what God can do through individuals or even a church who are willing to begin small and trust Him. So what’s the point, Pastor Rick?

Zechariah 4:9-10 (NLT2)
¹⁰  Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin…

--What you have may only seem like a kite string but it can turn into a suspension bridge with faith and perseverance. Lord, give me this day…No matter how small it is.