All Who Are Willing

“All Who Are Willing”
Exodus 35-36.

Sermon Summary

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Winston Churchill

How does one manage the resources that one has acquired? The older you get the more time you have to build a mountain of stuff. It seems that we spend the first half of our lives acquiring and the second half trying to get rid of it.

In Exodus 35 we are pick up the middle of the story where Moses has just returned from Mount Sinai with the second set of the Ten Commandments along with plans for the Tabernacle. Moses has spent much time with the Lord in the “tent of meeting” and now the Lord called the Israelites to build a more permanent structure. After the instructions were given to the people all who were willing brought more than enough to do the work for the building of the Tabernacle (Exodus 36:5).

A stirring of God provides resources for the work by understanding who God is (Isaiah 45:5-6). The Israelites had a proper understanding that God owns everything (1 Chronicles 29:11-12). Out or reverence and worship those who were willing provided all that was needed in both materials and skills (Exodus 35:20ff).

A stirring of God provides resources for the work by communicating the needs clearly. Moses made it very clear about what was needed (Ex. 35:4-35).

A stirring of God provides resources for the work by wiling hearts responding. Not everyone was moved or gave. But, those whom the Lord stirred and moved provided more than enough for the building (Ex 35:20-21).

Who is the God you worship?

Will you pray for those entrusted to care for our physical worship center?

Are you willing to support the work of Emmanuel with your time, skill, finances and resources?

Although Emmanuel is not a physical building God has endowed us with a property that we serve the world from. Just as the Israelites cared for a Meeting House, I believe God would have us care for one too.