[Preached at a Prayer Meeting]
Read Exodus 35:1-10
The people are now in the wilderness.
• The Lord wants the people to worship Him – set aside a day and place.
• The people are to seek God through the Tabernacle.
• God has given Moses the instruction how to build it.
In Exo 35 Moses gathered the people and tell them what the Lord has commanded.
• 35:5 “From what you have, take an offering for the Lord…”
• Everyone is given the change to participate.
• Whatever you have, you can offer it to God.
• You can offer gold, silver and bronze; linen, animal skins, spices and oil; stones and gems.
And then 35:10 “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded…”
• Those with things can offer things; those with strength can offer that.
• 35:11-19 - they need the skills to make poles, tables, lampstands, curtains, and garments for the priests.
• Some works are for the male, others may be done by females.
God has a plan. He has given Moses the plan in his mind.
• But to build the Tabernacle, everyone gets involved.
• Some offers things, others offer skills.
Although this is what needs to be done, Moses did not force them to give.
• Exo 35:5 “From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering…”
• Exo 35:20-21 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.
• Exo 35:22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewellery of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD.
• Exo 35:29 All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.
It seemed like the author Moses wanted to emphasize this point, to let us know that God did not force them to do it. It was an offering to the Lord by the people.
When the people response to His call, we see God blesses them.
• Read 35:30-35
• They needed some supervisors and we see God fills them with the Holy Spirit and enables them.
The people kept bringing their gifts for the building of the Tabernacle.
• It reached a point Moses had to stop them.
• Read Exo 36:4-7
Spiritual Lessons for us today:
1. God’s plan needs the involvement of the people.
His plan is good but we need to response.
2. God wants us to offer what we have, not what we do not have. For some, it’s things. For others, it’s skills.
3. We are to offer to God willingly.
Even though God has a task, He will not force you into it. Not once in the Bible.
4. God fills us with the Holy Spirit and enable to do more. He adds on to what we have.
5. God’s plan will be accomplished.
We want to experience this joy and blessing.
If we fail to response, others do the job and they will be blessed.
Let’s offer what we have, and work together to see God’s will be done this year.
