West Greeley Baptist Church
February 3rd 2002
Exodus 36: 3-7
Can you give too much?
Pastor Mark Hensley
“They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
6 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.” Exodus 36:3-7
Introduction: Tony Campolo tells of being invited to speak at a ladies meeting. There were 300 women there. Before he spoke the president of the organization read a letter from a missionary. It was a very moving letter.
In the letter the missionary expressed a need for $4,000 to take care of an emergency that had cropped up. So the president of the organization said, "We need to pray that God will provide the resources to meet the need of this missionary. Bro. Campolo will you please pray for us?"
Tony Campolo, who is very outspoken said, "No." Startled, she said, "I beg your pardon." He said, "No, I won’t pray for that." He said, "I believe that God has already provided the resources & that all we need to do is give. Tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to step up to this table & give every bit of cash I have in my pocket. And if all of you will do the same thing, I think God has already provided the resources."
The president of the organization chuckled a little bit & said, "Well, I guess we get the point. He is trying to teach us that we all need to give sacrificially."
He said, "No, that is not what I am trying to teach you. I’m trying to teach you that God has already provided for this missionary. All we need to do is give it. Here, I’m going to put down all of my money I have with me."
He wrote, "I only had $15 in my pocket so I wasn’t too worried about that." So he put down his $15 & then looked at the president of the organization. Reluctantly, she opened her purse & took out all of her money, which was about $40, & put it on the table. One by one the rest of the ladies filed by & put their money on the table, too. When the money was counted they had collected more than $4,000."
Tony Campolo said, "Now, here’s the lesson. God always supplies for our needs, & he supplied for this missionary, too. The only problem was we were keeping it for ourselves. Now let’s pray & thank God for His provision." MELVIN NEWLAND
Transition: It’s been said that where God guides He provides! Exodus chapter 36 is a thrilling example of that truth! Fifty chapters of the word of God are given to the details and craftsmanship that God wanted in the construction of the Tabernacle!
*The tabernacle or Sanctuary was the most important religious shrine of Israel prior to the construction of the Temple of Solomon. It was portable and would always be placed in the center of the camp as a symbol of God being the center of the lives of the people of Israel. The entire tabernacle was completed in seven months. The contributions for its construction came from willing hearts. These free will offerings were so generous that Moses had to tell them to stop bringing them! *From the book Education in the Bible by Dr. Norma S. Hedin page 16.
Can you give too much? Let’s find out.
Exodus 36: 3-7: “They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
6 Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7 because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.”
I. Our Giving should be habitual
II. Our giving can be influential
III. Our giving should be in response to need
I. Our Giving should be habitual “They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.
When God expressed His desire to the people of God they responded! It’s apparent that everyone wanted to be apart of the new sanctuary. As the sun rose each day their thoughts would turn to meeting the needs of Gods work! I can see them with my minds eye eagerly greeting a new day, a day God had given them, and wanting, desiring to give what ever they had to God! Their giving was habitual! “They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.
Contrast their devotion with our own! Does each new day find you ready for the challenge of service and the opportunity to give on behalf of your King?
It’s so important to begin immediately to give to the work of the Lord! Believers must get into the discipline and the joy of stewardship! It seems that many are always waiting to give, thinking I will give when I do this or that etc. We wrongly assume that there will come day when we finally have all our obligations met and then we can begin to give. That day my friend will never come, for even if you reach distant financial goals you won’t give anymore then than you do now!
You say pastor they were giving to the construction of the Tabernacle, God was very direct in expressing His desires. I have a mortgage to pay and teenagers to feed and each new day greets me with a rush of activity and a crammed calendar! What does God expect of me? With all my heart I believe God wants us to “to bring freewill offerings morning after morning”
Not always financial, but ourselves each new day habitually giving our very lives a fresh to our King…day after day!
"What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would give Him a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part.
But what can I give Him?
Give Him my heart!"
Have you made that gift to God? Do you make it each day…habitually?
“They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.
Our Giving should be habitual
II. Our giving can be influential “They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
The faithful giving of the people of God so influenced the skilled craftsman that they had to leave their work! Response to the request of God altered the work of the very people involved in getting it done! Make no mistake about it, when Gods people determine to be habitual in their giving (Day after day) it has far reaching affect!
Some one has said, there are three kinds of givers -- the flint, the sponge and the honeycomb. To get anything out of a flint you must hammer it. And then you get only chips and sparks. To get water out of a sponge you must squeeze it, and the more you use pressure, the more you will get. But the honeycomb just overflows with its own sweetness. Which kind of giver are you? Evie Megginson
Can you see the Sanctuary slowly taking shape day after day skilled craftsman giving their best to the house of God? Before construction the people begin habitually bringing what they had…the building materials coming from the heart of people who knew what it was to have their own needs met by God, and when the opportunity to give something came to them they acted!
They responded in such an overwhelming way that the work grinded to a halt! This work stoppage didn’t come from a labor dispute or an argument over the plans…or failed financial backing…no it for a moment in time came to a halt because of the sweeping generosity of the people of God!
As I have pondered this passage this week, I couldn’t help wander when will we respond like that? When will we be so in love with God and committed to His plans for this Sanctuary, this city that we will give?
It seems that most Christians are forever getting ready! We attend this conference and study the latest discipleship courses which is all well and good. Yet if we never take the logical step and apply that knowledge we will discover that in some ways were quite similar to the Children of Israel…wondering in the desert, so close to the land that God has promised, yet sadly distant in attitude trust and Faith!
“They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
I. Our Giving should be habitual/ do you give like that?
II. Our giving can be influential/ When was the last time , that your sweeping generosity influenced someone, and changed their lives? Notice:
III. Our giving should be in response to need “They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
God has shown them clearly what was to be done, and how they responded!
"The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
When they knew the will of God, they responded with what they had! I believe that wherever God guides He provides!
I remember being in a rural church while in College and during the financial report a man remarked that “The $11,000 dollars in savings sure looks good in there”
That cut right through me! We are not to stock pile money! There are times in a church when you will have a large sum of money in an account for a reason. Building a new building etc. We are never to trust our accounts no matter how large or small God will provide! Our attitude must be one of good stewardship…saying Lord everything we have is yours and has come from you, please give us wisdom in the use of these resources!
May I ask you several questions this morning?
Is your giving to God habitual? Are you faithful in supporting the work of the Lord?
Have you had the joy, of observing the influence of your giving? That is your faithfulness in meeting a need affected someone positively?
When God points out a need, do you respond, or are you quick to say…someone else will take care of this…I can’t?
Conclusion: Stephen Olford is without question one of the great Preachers of the World:
Son of a missionary to Africa
Did not want to go through the trials and tribulations of a missionary.
Was mistreated by Christians in England and rebelled against God.
Studied to become an engineer.
Developed a new carburetor and got into racing motorcycles.
Remembers his mother praying and weeping for him.
Injured in a motorcycle accident and was given two weeks to live.
Refused to see the pastors who visited him – still rebellious.
Received a letter from his dad sent three months earlier with the following message: “Only one life ‘twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Stephen’s response: “Lord, if You will heal my body, I will serve You anywhere, any time, and at any cost!”
God healed Stephen!
And his life, has been used by God all because of a sincere prayer I will serve You anywhere, any time, and at any cost!”
“They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4 So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord commanded to be done."
Appeal: Will you offer your life to God, without limitations?
