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Show THE VALUE OF SMALL THINGS Numbers 16: 9 thing unto you, that the God ofIsrael hath separated you from the congregation ofIsrael, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation of ministry unto "Seemeth it but a small th em.?" One of my mentors Dr. Howard Thurman who started a congregation in San Francisco call the CHURCH FOR said, "Little things make big differences." Jesus had said, "And ALL PEOPLE whosoever shall these little in the give to drink unto one cup of cold water only disciple, verily I say ones a name of a of unto you, he shall in no 1 wise lose his 42) Far too often, we identify something small and insignificant, then we put it reward." as on (Matthew 1 0: the back shelf and so we can discount guilty of taking too much for granted. We just go on as if some things just do not matter. We don't even bother it. Weare to think about them. In this text, Moses was Korah, the great grand son talking to of Jacob's son Levi about service in the house of the Lord. Korah and his brothers had been around for years and nothing seemed to be working out. So Moses wandering writes these words to caution them about their focus. He caution them about trying to do too much, about focusing only on the big things, and discounting the small things. Listen at how he evaluated their 2 thinking and behavior, "Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto th em.?" by to remind us of two or three things. First, what seems small in I've come human eyes is often great in the eyes of God. The sons of Korah had been set apart to render service unto the other They would receive no land in the promised land. They would be "separated from the congregation of Israel." Like the man given one talent, he buried it and did nothing with it until tribes. .. the master returned. 'ti. IS-!-- sow 3 A-ff,J, r» a- k1e..> d- (, J_f frdv/L 1- r+-G\ G0 tJ 5/-1 Jd- -1-v drr L 011'1 q.;J-- C-t:(,J M9 C-Pt r<LJ f ""=?'" Second, foundations were things may be the of great purpose. They small to "do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord." The service of the tabernacle is many fold. The leaders are to instruct the people in the word of the They are to bring the people together in unity. They are to build a testimony for the Master. They are to change the world in which they live. They are to bring glory to God. More than that, they are "to stand before the congregation to minister unto Lord. them." That is to say, the ministers are to teach by word and example. They are to good news and to walk the new They are to lead in word and in share the walk. walk. James said about teaching. we are It may 4 to be careful seem a small thing but it determines the destiny of the soul. Your example is not a small thing. It either demonstrates the way of the Lord or the stumbling of the hypocrite. Little things Jacob used do make a a stone for Moses' mother had a difference. a pillow. home made basket made of bulrushes and with slime. .Goliath had a pitched lot of armor and weapons but all David had and five smooth stones. was a fight, all Samson used was jawbone of a donkey. To To let safety, a man down all Rahab used over a was a Aaron used a rod. Dorcus had a needle. The widow had a sling a wall to string. penny and gave 5 more than anybody Mary had a else. bottle of ointment and Jesus said what she did with it greater than anybody else. With a barley men not counting lad's two fish and five loaves, Jesus fed 5000 the was women and children. 6 |
