I was a sophomore in high school when the walls of our new church building began to rise from the solid foundation laid.  Our church had been renting a building until enough funds were available to buy property and build.  I was a baby in arms when the vision began in the hearts of humbled leaders. God set the time, provided what was needed in all kinds of ways, along with skilled men and women to finish this project from the inside out outside in!  How exciting those days were for all who had poured their time, finances, labor, and most of all prayers for wisdom from God into His work He called us to accomplish.  His Word, His Way, His Time led us to experience the glorious and miraculous ways of God’s provision and help throughout this process of building His church.  

Willingly surrendering to what God wants is the key to opening the doors to new opportunities of pointing the way to salvation in Jesus to the lost from hearts who love and worship God supremely.  The first Sunday of worship is one I will never forget.  God’s vision brought us together and His Holy Spirit unified us in grateful praise for all that God had done in and through us for our good and His glory.  To God be the glory!

However, through it all, I don’t recall the leaders ever saying to the congregation; “Stop giving, we have more than enough to build.”  Wait, what?  This is want happened when the Israelites willingness to surrender all was more than what God needed to build His sanctuary!  These are but a few of the miracles God loves to provide as our willingness to surrender meters go over the top!

Exodus 36

¹ So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.”

² Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. ³ 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 workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing 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.

The Tabernacle

⁸ All those who were skilled among the workers made the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim woven into them by expert hands. ⁹ All the curtains were the same size—twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide. ¹⁰ They joined five of the curtains together and did the same with the other five. ¹¹ Then they made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and the same was done with the end curtain in the other set. ¹² They also made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. ¹³ Then they made fifty gold clasps and used them to fasten the two sets of curtains together so that the tabernacle was a unit.

¹⁴ They made curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. ¹⁵ All eleven curtains were the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide. ¹⁶ They joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another set. ¹⁷ Then they made fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in one set and also along the edge of the end curtain in the other set. ¹⁸ They made fifty bronze clasps to fasten the tent together as a unit. ¹⁹ Then they made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of the other durable leather.

²⁰ They made upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. ²¹ Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide, ²² with two projections set parallel to each other. They made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way. ²³ They made twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle ²⁴ and made forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. ²⁵ For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, they made twenty frames ²⁶ and forty silver bases—two under each frame. ²⁷ They made six frames for the far end, that is, the west end of the tabernacle, ²⁸ and two frames were made for the corners of the tabernacle at the far end. ²⁹ At these two corners the frames were double from the bottom all the way to the top and fitted into a single ring; both were made alike. ³⁰ So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

³¹ They also made crossbars of acacia wood: five for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, ³² five for those on the other side, and five for the frames on the west, at the far end of the tabernacle. ³³ They made the center crossbar so that it extended from end to end at the middle of the frames. ³⁴ They overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. They also overlaid the crossbars with gold.

³⁵ They made the curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker. ³⁶ They made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold. They made gold hooks for them and cast their four silver bases. ³⁷ For the entrance to the tent they made a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer; ³⁸ and they made five posts with hooks for them. They overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold and made their five bases of bronze.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Moses gave the Israelites instructions on how to build the tent of meeting. Those specific instructions came from God.  God designed each detail.  Skilled workers with God-given abilities were summoned to complete the work.  We learn that God always finishes what He starts. God, Master Architect, designed his house. Skilled people, such as Bezalel, worked to accomplish God’s plans. They wanted to honor and please God by their efforts.  The people gave—as a response to being part of God’s plan.  To God be the glory!

The Miracle of Giving was prompted by the surrender of His people!  God provided all that was needed to build when he told His people to gather the needed items from their Egyptian neighbors upon leaving Egypt.  They willingly obeyed God then and now they are giving back what was given to them which was more than enough to build. 

In fact, the willing hearts of surrender to the work of God caused them to give back more than was needed!  Moses had to make a announcement to the people—stop giving!  We have more than enough!  What a miracle of God whose plans do not fail—because He knows before we know exactly what is needed. 

What a lesson for the people to learn that their willingness to surrender what God had given to them on that last night of their rescue, would be more that enough now to build God’s sanctuary!  To God be the Glory!

I grew up with an old story repeated many times by preachers; 

There once was a preacher who announced one Sunday— “We have more than enough to build to build our new church!”  With the news, the people shouted, “Praise God!”  The preacher then said, but there’s one problem; “All that is needed is in your pockets.”  Silence.

What is our response to the goodness of God in our lives? 

Who do we praise with our first breath each day? 

Who gets the credit when a plan comes together that you have been working on for a long time? 

Will there be a time when God says to us—stop giving now, you have more than enough?  Mm.  Can we ever outgive God?  Nope.

We know that God as given more than enough to complete His Ultimate Plan to save the world.  Jesus, His One and Only Son was more than enough to free every person in this world from the bondage and hold that sin has on us.  God loves.  God loved then and God loves know.  His love never changes, never gives up, never runs out.  While were yet sinners, unwilling to surrender yet, God loved us and sent His Son to die for our sins and rise again to give us Hope for an eternal future with Him.  God gave.  We give ourselves in willing surrender back to Him. To God be the glory!  

I pray we who believe and are reading this today would live in ways that God will be seen and known as One who deserves all the credit, glory, and praise for all that is accomplished.  Peter, the disciple upon whom Jesus builds His church, writes;

“Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!” 1 Peter 4:7-11, MSG

As our response, may we exhibit God with our uniqueness. When we magnify our Creator with our strengths, when our contribution enriches God’s reputation, our days grow suddenly sweet. May we talk of our problems less and our Mighty God more. 

And to really spread the sweet fragrance of Christ to our world, may we use our uniqueness to make a big deal about God . . . every day of your life.  To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Lord,

Thank you for this lesson of willing surrender to you.  I give you my life today as an offering to you.  Cleanse my heart by removing all that does not belong. Renew my mind, transform my behaviors. Refresh my soul with your tender mercies.  Restore the everlasting, indescribable joy of your salvation at work within me always.  To you be the glory!

In Jesus Name, for our good and YOUR GLORY, Amen! Yes!