“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17

Prayer of the Day: Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

For who has despised the day of small things?

DO NOT DESPISE THE DAY OF SMALL THINGS
One Small Step with the Spirit, a Giant Leap for the Kingdom of Heaven

Artemis—no, I am not referring to the Greek goddess of the moon, nor to Aramis, one of the three Musketeers—but to the NASA mission orbiting the moon in April of this year, 2026. In 1968, almost 60 years ago, when Apollo 8 orbited the moon, the three astronauts read from Genesis 1: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” and they read on. Victor Glover, the pilot of Artemis II, viewing from space the amazing blue marble of Earth also spoke of the unique home God has created for us and shared his faith in Jesus. Some would probably say those were small things compared to what man accomplished in these missions. They might even cite Neil Armstrong and his words upon stepping onto the moon: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” But our text suggests a revision: ONE SMALL STEP WITH THE SPIRIT, A GIANT LEAP FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

THE ACCUSATION

“For who has despised the day of small things?” Is this an accusation, a promise, or a challenge? Well, it is an accusation, is it not? How often have we despised the day of small things? Coming to church, studying our Bible, having home devotions, being fervent in prayer can seem like small things compared to the necessary work that must be done or the exciting pleasures of life in this world. And how often does it seem like those spiritual things are not really accomplishing anything anyway, so that we sometimes skip them or just go through the motions? That is despising the day of small things.

Titus 2:11ff. tells us that when the grace of God is dwelling in our hearts, the power of the Spirit will lead us to say, “No to ungodliness and worldly lusts.” Yet such lusts so easily enter our hearts, do they not? And what about ungodliness? When we are ridiculed, we want to strike back even harder. When we are rebuked, we want to zap them back even harder. Ungodly! Why, then, does the Spirit not lead us in an uninterrupted march of triumph over sin? Why do we find ourselves lurching and staggering with little forward spiritual progress? And when we do make a little spiritual progress, how easily we exalt our own commitment: “Look at me and what I have done! Here is the neon advertisement that I am aglow with the Spirit.” So how often are we more concerned with glorifying ourselves rather than glorifying Jesus above all? Both our falling down and our lifting ourselves up are often a result of despising the day of small things.

At the time of our text, the obstacles to building the temple seemed overwhelming, the leaders were failing, the criticisms were unflagging, and the excuses were abounding. It often seems the same today, does it not? So, we may presume, “God is not helping us, so we cannot do anything.” Or we may think, “I cannot do anything important to serve the LORD, so I will do nothing and leave it to others.” Or we may assume what God wants just is not feasible or desirable, so we turn to the “big things” of the world and do what is right in our own eyes.

Consider this in the days of Martin Luther. Luther himself was convinced that such a small thing as just having repentant faith in Christ could not save him from the terrors of hell. No, there had to be a magnificent, meritorious sacrifice. So, when the lightning struck he cried, “St. Anne, help me and I will become a monk.” Starving and beating himself, he was relying on his own sacrificial commitment to win God’s favor.

Pope Leo X made it his purpose to make St. Peter’s Basilica so magnificent that all the kingdoms of the world would glorify him. Some of our family just had the privilege of traveling to Germany. Beauty and majesty are certainly fitting ways to praise God. Yet to me the extreme gaudiness of the Catholic cathedrals with all the dedications to men screams with the claim of Babel: “We can build a tower to gain entry into heaven.” In one cathedral I found seven different inducements to worship and pray to Mary. All of this declares, “Jesus is not enough.” And why would the common people of the time, often starving, spend millions of dollars buying indulgences? Because they relied on their sacrifice rather than upon Christ alone. All of the above were despising the day of small things. Yes, it is a valid accusation against mankind in general—and how often against us! Yet graciously, God is not abandoning us. Rather, He is raising the question to call us to take ONE SMALL STEP WITH THE SPIRIT, A GIANT LEAP FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

THE PROMISE

“For who has despised the day of small things?” It is also a promise, is it not? This question is preceded by a startling description of a seven-branched lampstand. We may not have a seven-branched lampstand, but the candles on our altars carry forward the same symbolism. The Holy Spirit shines with the light of Christ through His Word and so provides us with the oil of faith so that we might be the light of the world (Matt. 5:14-16). Thus, in Revelation each congregation is represented by a lampstand (Rev. 1:20). In Jesus’ parable we are warned not to be like the five foolish virgins who ran out of oil for their lamps. Only as the Spirit leads us through the Word, one small step at a time, can we remain aglow with the light of Christ.

Zechariah was a priest in the temple where the priests refilled the Lord’s seven-branched lampstand. He was struck by the difference between this lampstand described in our text and the temple lampstand, so he marveled in verse 4, “What are these?” The seven lamps in the vision were connected to a large reservoir of oil and seven channels provided a continual and abundant supply of oil directly from the olive trees, so there would be no need for the priest to fill it twice each day. The very difference was intended to drive home the lesson in verse 6: “Not by might nor by power”—namely, the might and power of men—“but by My Spirit.” Your light will continue to burn, not because of the charisma of your pastors or teachers, nor because of the prestige of your sacrifice. The Lord is promising a continual and abundant supply of His Spirit through His Word.

Consider how the Lord fulfilled that promise in the day of Luther. He was lost in a dark cage of spiritual torment. But when he was turned to the Scriptures to find his answers, the Holy Spirit opened the door. He had been taught that the righteousness of God in Romans 1 that saves referred to our supplying that righteousness in ourselves. But the Holy Spirit revealed from Scripture that it is, rather, the good news of God giving Christ’s righteousness to us through faith in Him. In the midst of all that man has written about the Bible, that is certainly just one small sentence. Yet it is A GIANT LEAP FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Like Luther, God’s promise to abundantly supply His Spirit through His Word calls us to take ONE SMALL STEP WITH THE SPIRIT, A GIANT LEAP FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Yet, is there a further promise here? From being born in a manger to washing His disciples’ feet in the very night of ignominy, Jesus never despised the day of small things. He spoke an absolute “no” to every temptation of Satan to glorify Himself and an unbroken “yes” to glorifying the will of His Father. He fulfilled all righteousness for us. He came to His own but His own did not receive Him. The very night of the sacrifice of His life for the world, even the twelve closest to Him betrayed and deserted Him. How often have we done the same? Still, for their sakes and ours, Jesus said, “Yes” to the love that willingly bore the cross for our sins, and yes to the love that prayed, “Father, forgive them,” namely, every one of us whose sins nailed Him to that cursed cross. Every small step of Jesus’ perfect “yes” to the will of His Father was a giant leap for us, giving us the kingdom of heaven. Here at Jesus’ cross is the continual and abundant supply of His Spirit to wash us clean in the blood of Jesus; your sins have been forgiven. Here is the ultimate promise calling us to take ONE SMALL STEP WITH THE SPIRIT, A GIANT LEAP FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

THE CHALLENGE

“For who has despised the day of small things?” is also a challenge. The Spirit is calling us to the riven side of Jesus, leading us to forgive as we have been forgiven—not to hold back thinking, “I cannot take a giant step, so I will not do anything,” but rather to serve as we have been served.

Think about it: in the whole history of mankind, the actions of the sixteenth-century Lutheran Reformers were also small steps. Yet here is a striking demonstration of how the Spirit used the small steps of men to produce giant leaps for the Kingdom of Heaven. Yes, Luther was at the springboard. But the “Birthday of the Lutheran Church” is not Luther’s confession. Rather, it came nine years later, when a multitude of believers risked their lives and princes risked their kingdoms. They stood up before Emperor Charles V with intrepid hearts and said, “We believe we are saved by grace alone through faith, with God declaring us righteous in Christ. We will follow all the teachings of Scripture and not bow to any other teaching.” Chancellor Christian Beyer read the Augsburg Confession so clearly that the crowds out in the streets heard every word. Chancellor Brück presented copies to the emperor claiming Jesus’ promise, “Most gracious emperor, this is a confession which, with the grace and help of God, will prevail even against the gates of hell.” That these small steps were indeed a giant leap for the Kingdom of Heaven is demonstrated, for example, by the following exchange. Catholic Duke William of Bavaria asked his professor, “Dr. Eck, can you refute this Lutheran doctrine?” Dr. Eck responded, “With the Church Fathers I can, but not with the Scriptures.” And William replied, “I see that the Lutherans are within the Scriptures, and we without.” Do not despise the day of small things. Those small, often unseen steps led by the Spirit are a giant leap for the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mankind may make giant leaps to reach great mountain peaks, but only by taking one small step at a time; and from those man-built peaks man always falls. Too often the accusation is true: we have despised the day of small things. But despite our failure, this chapter unfolds God’s promise. Verse 6 assures us that God has sent His Spirit to create faith in us to take one small step with Jesus. Verse 10 assures us that His eyes search the whole earth, looking with favor and blessing upon those who are trying to take that one small, embattled, Spirit-powered step, saying “yes” to Jesus. Our heavenly Father never despises the day of small things done for Jesus. The LORD promises a continual and abundant supply of His Spirit through His Word so you may take ONE SMALL STEP WITH THE SPIRIT, A GIANT LEAP FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. Amen. To God alone be glory!

—Professor John Ude

Eau Claire, WI

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