Thursday, August 17, 2017

Sermon: Clean and Unclean Meats, Tom Hamilton



Sermon Clean and Unclean Meats
 Tom Hamilton

As I grew up, my father had a heart attack at about 50 yrs of age.  He was ordered onto a strict diet which banned all pork products.  When I first heard about the fact that the Bible teaches that only some animals were to be eaten, it was no big thing for me because I was already eating that way.  But for many people, the dietary laws taught by the Bible are a big change.

What does the Bible teach about clean and unclean meats?  Is it still applicable to Christians today?

Old Testament

Deu. 14:1-21 Goes through and lists the animals, birds, and fish that may or may not be eaten.  Lev. 11 also goes thru these in more detail.
Note v2 of Deu. 14, “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God…a special treasure above all the people on the face of the earth.  (V3) You shall not eat any detestable (abominable) thing.”  Ancient Israel was to be special to God.  This required them to go above and beyond what might be required of others.  Note v21 They were not to eat of anything that dies of itself but you could sell it to the foreigner, “for you are a holy people to the Lord your God.”  How much more special are we today to God as Christians? 

Going back to the beginning in Genesis, what did God say about eating?
Gen. 1: 28-30,  v29  “See I have given you every herb that yields seeds which is on the face of the earth and every tree whose fruit yields seeds to you it shall be for food.”  Clean and unclean
meats are not addressed here.  This is an indication that prior to flood of Noah, people may    have been vegetarians.  Note that even though the phrase “every herb that yields seeds” is used, some plants, such as poison ivy, poison sumac, holly, etc. were still not fit for people to  eat.  Acorns still had to be treated before becoming edible. (removing tannin).  Adam  and Eve were still in the Garden of Eden at this time.

Gen. 4:2 Able was a keeper of sheep.  This is after man no longer lives in the Garden of Eden and   indicates that the sheep were being raised for food.  Note that the Book of Genesis covers large           spans of history, often with only a few sentences.  We often end up with a just a glimpse of
what is going on.  While we can make some logical conclusions, it is not possible to know                 everything for certain. Perhaps they were being raised just for wool.

Gen. 7 This is the time God tells Noah to go into the ark.
   v2  Take 7 of every clean animal…2 of every unclean animal.  God talks to Noah in such a waythat assumes Noah already knows the difference between clean animals and unclean animals. This is long before the Levitical laws given to Moses, and while it is incorporated into them, likethe 7th Day Sabbath, it predates the “Law of Moses”.  This indicates men were meat-eating atthis time.

Gen. 9  v2  “fear of you and dread shall be on every beast….they are given into your hand.”
V3  “every moving thing that lives shall be food for you.  I have given you all things, even as     the green herbs” (yet poison ivy berries are still poisonous).  God now allows us to eat certain   of birds, beasts, and bugs as well as fish.  Perhaps animals were still not naturally scared of                     Mankind up to this point.  We have a snapshot into what is going on, but not the full picture.
It does not make sense that God would first teach man about clean and unclean meats in the time of Noah, and then tell man he can eat any creature that moves after the Flood, and then   once again restrict what animals one can eat in Lev. 11 in Moses day.  Heb. 13:8 tells us that         “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  What is more logical here is that God        is reiterating to them that animals (clean ones), can be eaten as food.
V4  “do not eat the blood”.




Isa. 11:6-9  “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb…”
V7  “…the lion shall eat straw like the ox.”
V9  “They shall not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain for the earth shall be full of the
Knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”
This is a glimpse into the future and we see the whole world is at peace, even the animals. 
It may be that Mankind shall also become vegetarian once again.  Regardless, it will be a
wonderful time to be alive.

New Testament

Jesus :
Mat. 15: 1-20
“It is not what goes into a man, but what comes out that makes him unclean.”
The apostles and Jesus were not doing ceremonial washings before eating.  Jesus remained 100% compliant to God’s laws.  He did not always follow the customs of men that added to God’s laws, but he always kept God’s laws perfectly.
(Mark 7:14-23).

Acts 10 & 11  Peter’s dream “… now I see than no man is unclean in the eyes of God.”  This is what the dream was about, not you can eat anything that moves.  Note that Peter was still eating only clean meats at this point several years after Christ’s death.   Nothing in this scripture changes God’s dietary laws.   
Acts 10:17, 28, 34
Acts 11:8 & 9, 18

Rom. 14 : 17 “… for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  (v2 vegetarianism seems to be addressed here)
Here we have an important pronouncement about what is important in God’s kingdom.  The emphasis is on spiritual not physical matters.

I Cor. 8:8  “But food does not commend us to God, for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.”
(food offered to idols talked about here; Paul was having to deal with situations that weren’t as much a problem in Judea).  This is very important to remember, eating or not eating foods does not commend us to God.  God is concerned with character and righteousness.

Col. 2. 8-16  v16 “ …let no man judge you in food or in drink…”  (God judges you in respect to both.)

I Tim. 4: 3-5.    v4 nothing is to be refused - will you eat roaches, rats, poison ivy berries, etc. if set before you?


Mountain man diet : these men ate meat for breakfast, meat for lunch, and meat for supper with little else to supplement it about 10 months of the year.   For snacking : dried meat - jerky and pemmican.  There were times when game was scarce and the men were reduced to eating whatever they could find.  Twice the results of living on unclean animals was noted.  The men began wasting away/losing weight/loss of vitality.  The animals they usually ate were clean : buffalo, elk, deer, antelope, mountain goat, mountain sheep, geese, duck, turkey.  The unclean ones mentioned that they wasted away on were : squirrel, rat, rabbit, etc.  The results of eating a diet of strictly bear or beavertail (these were unclean meats they seemed to like) was not addressed.

There are some known dangers of Unclean Meats
Pork - tricinossis/tape worms, very fatty meat.
Rabbit -

You are to be a holy people to Me.  Not to eat blood.  Not to eat things strangled, dead, torn by beasts, etc.  We are to be set apart for God.

To obey is better than sacrifice I Sam. 8:7.
God doesn’t declare something an abomination and then changes His mind.

So you think you’re eating “kosher” do you?  Some items from the List (below) that contain unclean meats.


Conclusion

Mat. 5:17-18  “Think not that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
For assuredly I say to you, til heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

Heaven and earth have not yet passed away.  The law of God therefore remains effective for us. This includes the knowledge of clean and unclean meats which even predates the law of Moses (Levitical law/priesthood).  It is still in effect and we should follow it.  Nevertheless remember that food does not commend us to God.  It is a physical thing.  We are to look to the spiritual, “… for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  Do the best you can to follow these teachings but concentrate on the “weightier matters” of God (Mat. 23:23).



The List - obtained from “Clean and Unclean List Products” at “theisraelofgodrc.com” website.  We do not know the accuracy or date of this information.  It is given as an example only. Companies are always changing products, so checking the ingredients yourself is always a good idea.

Item                       
Guiness Beer - contains an ingredient from catfish
Marshmallows - most brands - pork gelatin
Pillsbury - all can refrigerated biscuits - beef or pork
Sarah Lee - classic french cheese cake - pork gelatin
Kraft - Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts - pork gelatin
Welch’s - fruit snacks - pork gelatin
General Mills - Lucky Charms - pork gelatin
Eckrich - Smoked Beef Sausage - pork casings
      - Turkey Sausage - pork casings
Sarah Lee - Ballpark - all products - made on same equipment as pork products - possible cross-contamination.

Note : one church member stated that Ballpark now cleans their equipment with pressurized steam.  The equipment is then meticulously inspected by a Rabbi before changing to turkey or beef products.  The likelihood of any cross-contamination would seem therefore to be limited to a molecular level at worst.


Sermon Haggai Ben Mauldin III (7-22-2017)

7-22-17 Ben Mauldin III

Haggai

Has a past mean, current and future mean. The rebuilding of the Temple 

We are the Temple of God. As was Christ. God is building his temple in us. Not a corporate entity or building. It is the body of believers called out to do his work. We are a part time of his temple. We are not only a part of the building but working on it. 

Everyday we need to ask am I building on to Gods temple. 

Temple representing Jesus Christ. 

“And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.” So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.”
‭‭John‬ ‭2:16-22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭6:19-20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:19-22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We are being built together by the master builder with Jesus Christ as the corner stone. Or the cap stone. You have to have a good fountain but also a good covering. Bout as a spiritual dwelling place of God. 

Reference timeline. 

“In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, “Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the LORD’s house should be built.” ’ ””
‭‭Haggai‬ ‭1:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Do we feel this way sometimes?  That our house is not being built?

“Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “ Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!”
‭‭Haggai‬ ‭1:3-5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Get your ways right. 

““You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.” Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the LORD. “ You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the LORD of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house. Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.””
‭‭Haggai‬ ‭1:6-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

If we're not working on the right things it can be a drought to us 

“Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him; and the people feared the presence of the LORD. Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, spoke the LORD’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the LORD.” So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.”
‭‭Haggai‬ ‭1:12-15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

““If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.”
‭‭John‬ ‭14:15-18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

““I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.””
‭‭John‬ ‭17:20-26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

If we follow Jesus Christ he will dwell with us as well the Father

“In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying: “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: ‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing?”
‭‭Haggai‬ ‭2:1-3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Some of them had seen the original Temple. Maybe not in the same Glory as when first built by King Solomon. Now they are seeing the burnt out frame. 

We can see this in another way. We once saw a beautiful Church with buildings, TV shows and corporate jets. Back to those at the temple, some who had seem before saw it differently than God. 

“Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the LORD; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the LORD, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘ According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’ “For thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of hosts.””
‭‭Haggai‬ ‭2:4-9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Why it might not seem as big or important in the past, all hat matters is how God sees it. 

“On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, “If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?” ’ ” Then the priests answered and said, “No.” And Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.” Then Haggai answered and said, “ ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the LORD, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.”
‭‭Haggai‬ ‭2:10-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

You can't make something Holy by touching it but you can make something unclean. 

“Then Haggai answered and said, “ ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the LORD, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. ‘And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the LORD — since those days, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty. I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,’ says the LORD. ‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid—consider it: Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you. ’ ” And again the word of the LORD came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying: ‘I will shake heaven and earth. I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots And those who ride in them; The horses and their riders shall come down, Every one by the sword of his brother. ‘In that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the LORD, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the LORD of hosts.””
‭‭Haggai‬ ‭2:14-23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Zerubbabel and Joshua both represent Christ. 

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭3:9-17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We have a responsibility to not defile this temple. We need to build on it through study. 

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4:11-16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Edifying is building up. That's the goal. 

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:3-21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”
‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭12:4-31‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Everyone has his work, his job and it's not the same job. 

“Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
‭‭I Peter‬ ‭2:1-17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.” And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the LORD stood by. Then the Angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘If you will walk in My ways, And if you will keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house, And likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk Among these who stand here. ‘Hear, O Joshua, the high priest, You and your companions who sit before you, For they are a wondrous sign; For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH. For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,’ Says the LORD of hosts, ‘And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. In that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘Everyone will invite his neighbor Under his vine and under his fig tree.’ ””
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭3:1-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, “What do you see?” So I said, “I am looking, and 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 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 plumb 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 lampstand and 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? ” And I said, “No, my lord.” So he said, “These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.””
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭4:1-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Sometimes we think anything we do is a small thing. God sees it amplified by Gods Spirit.  God sees the plumb line in the hands of his King. 

“Even those from afar shall come and build the temple of the LORD. Then you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. And this shall come to pass if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.””
‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭6:15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

If we are following his plan it's no small thing.