Stewarding The Dream
This sermon emphasizes the importance of faithful stewardship in bringing God-given dreams to fruition. Drawing from Zerubbabel's seemingly impossible task of rebuilding the temple, the message teaches that God rejoices in small beginnings and expects us to faithfully steward what He has given us—our time, talents, finances, and resources.
The sermon challenges believers not to despise humble starts but to manage well what they have, trusting that God will bring increase. Pastor Kerrick emphasizes that productivity and faithful stewardship are expectations of the Christian life, and that how we manage small things determines whether God will entrust us with greater responsibilities.
Pastor concludes the message with practical application about financial stewardship, generosity, and the importance of seeking God's wisdom in managing the resources He provides.
Key Points:
- Do not despise the day of small beginnings; God rejoices in them even when we don't see their significance
- Zerubbabel was promised he would both start and finish the temple—God completes what He starts in our lives
- Faithful stewardship of small things leads to greater responsibilities and blessings
- We must steward our time, finances, abilities, and resources with excellence and wisdom
- Those who use well what they are given will receive more; those who do nothing will lose what little they have
- Money should serve us, not master us—we must not serve money but use it according to God's purposes
- God wants to give us things to enjoy, not just meet our basic needs—He is a good Father
- Generosity and helping others position us to receive help and increase in our own lives
- We must change our thinking from a scarcity mentality to abundance, even when currently in tight circumstances
- Dreaming is free and helps us move beyond current struggles to envision God's better future
- Consistency in small daily disciplines (prayer, reading, learning) produces powerful long-term results
- We should ask God daily: What habits to change? Who has my ear? What's my next step? How should I give? Who should I help?
Scripture Reference:
- Zechariah 4:6-10 (primary passage about Zerubbabel and not despising small beginnings)
- Luke 19:11-26 (Parable of the Ten Minas/Pounds)
- Luke 16:10-13 (Faithful in little, faithful in much; cannot serve God and money)
- 1 Timothy 6:9-10, 17-19 (Love of money; instructions to the rich)
- Proverbs 11:24-25, 28 (Generosity leads to prosperity)
- Proverbs 27:23-27 (Know the state of your flocks; stewardship wisdom)
- 2 Corinthians 9 (God's grace abounding toward us)
- John 6 (Multiplication of loaves and fishes)
Stories:
- Zerubbabel's task of rebuilding the temple after Solomon's magnificent temple was destroyed—a seemingly impossible mission that appeared small but would later house Jesus Himself
- The parable of the nobleman (representing Jesus) who gave his servants money to invest while he was away, rewarding those who were productive and judging the one who did nothing
- The account of Ananias and Sapphira lying to the Holy Spirit about their giving, demonstrating that generosity must be genuine and led by the Spirit, not by greed for recognition
- Jesus feeding the 20,000 with a small boy's lunch—what wasn't enough multiplied in grateful hands
- Joseph storing up during seven years of prosperity to prepare for seven years of famine, demonstrating wise stewardship
- Illustration of people who lived through the Great Depression keeping ketchup packets despite later prosperity—showing how past struggles can create limiting mindsets we must overcome
- Reference to the Israelites getting out of Egypt but not getting Egypt out of them—freed physically but still slaves mentally