Maybe its just me but I seem to hear a lot of camp speakers telling kids to dream big dreams, GOD SIZED DREAMS, but they sometimes miss the fact even huge visions have humble beginnings that require the work of the Holy Spirit.
So in a world where bigger is better, and business says go big or go home it is sobering to return to the story of the rebuilding of the temple. Sure it wasn’t Solomon’s temple, and people whined for the old days, but it was God’s plan and God’s Spirit that directed the project.
As you do this Bible Study have kids list great things that they would love to see God do in the world. Maybe even follow up on some of the big dreams they have be challenged to dream. List them and leave them on the board, white board, or power point screen.
Then read this scripture from the message from Zechariah 4 (you might want to provide some brief background on the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple)
Then he said, 6″This is GOD’s Message to Zerubbabel: “You can’t force these things. They only come about through my Spirit,’ says GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies. 7″So, big mountain, who do you think you are? Next to Zerubbabel you’re nothing but a molehill. He’ll proceed to set the Cornerstone in place, accompanied by cheers: Yes! Yes! Do it!'”
8 After that, the Word of GOD came to me: 9″Zerubbabel started rebuilding this Temple and he will complete it. That will be your confirmation that GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies sent me to you. 10Does anyone dare despise this day of small beginnings? They’ll change their tune when they see Zerubbabel setting the last stone in place!”
The Day of small beginnings
Share with the group something along the lines of … God has given us some big ideas but we have no right to despise the little things that God wants us to do. God’s greatest feats have begun very small and then they grow very large..
You may want to do a bit of an object lesson here with seeds of different sizes, a penny, and/or a grain of rice. (you could tell the story of the peasant who asked the emperor for a small gift. All he asked was that the emperor would double the rice on each square of a chess board until it reached the last square. The Emperor could not grant the request because by the time it reached the last square it would require all of the rice in china)
Have student suggest other things that start small but become very large, like a human embryo, or a virus epidemic.
Zerubbabel’s trouble was that as he lay the corner stone there were probably those standing around saying –It won’t amount too much –You need to go big or go home..
God had another plan– from these humble beginnings God would rebuild the temple as a sign that he would revive his people.
Faithful in Little Faithful in Much
When the first three students in Texas met at their flag pole to pray they had no clue that it would grow into an international movement called See You at the Pole. They just met to pray because someone had to do it.
With all of this talk of grandiose dreams we cannot sit and wait for our ship to come in. Instad like the setting of the first stone in that temple we need to begin with the basics of our Christian life –the foundaion for all future success. If we try to walk before we can run we fall flat on our face.
EGAD! Ideas began as a college assignment and grew into one of the most popular youth sites on the internet.
The Bible study can end with a challenge, possibly have students plant their dreams somewhere on the church property. Not allowing them to die, but sewing them in faith. Have students share what foundational things they will need to plant in their lives to build the kind of foundation that will support a future of service to Christ