May 27, 2026
TEXT:  Zechariah 4 & 7

I. Our humanness is limiting for us all (4:1-5)
A. The candlestick does not produce the light; it holds the bowls holding the source of light
B. The bowl does not produce the light; it holds the source of light that feeds the light
C. The tubes do not produce the light, but they are channels of the source that feeds the light
D. The lamps do not produce the light; they hold the light that is being produced in them
E. The two olive trees do not produce the light; they produce what feeds the light to burn
1. Might is needed and valuable, but it is not sufficient of itself
2. Power is necessary and useful, but it is not enough on its own

II. God’s Spirit is essential to us all for producing light (4:6-7)
A. We do not succeed by our capacity of strength alone
B. We do not succeed by our ability of control alone
C. We are fully dependent on the Spirit of God to accomplish His work
D. We are desperately in need of God’s grace to be used by God to accomplish His will

III. God’s Spirit helps us do what we do for God’s glory (7:4-7)
A. We can do the right thing for the wrong reason
B. We can do the right thing the wrong way
C. We can do the right thing for God’s glory
1. God’s Word was given to us by God Himself
2. God’s Word was given by God’s prophets
3. God’s Word was given to help us honor God

IV. God’s Word helps us benefit from God’s Spirit (7:8-14)
A. God spoke His Word to be recorded for our benefit (vv. 8-9)
B. God gives us His Word to help us benefit from living His way (vv. 9-10)
C. God has given us a will to choose to benefit from His Spirit (vv. 11-13)
1. We can refuse to choose to listen to God’s Word (v. 11)
2. We can harden our hearts against God’s will (v. 12a)
3. We can choose to benefit from God’s Spirit (v. 12b)
4. We can choose to suffer God’s judgement (v. 13)