Getting the
Spiritual Blessing by Giving
Exodus 35,36
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
DATE: 16 Nov, 2008 AM
PLACE:
I.
Introduction
A.
Giving is A Biblical Command
1.
Old Testament (Exodus
25:2)
2.
New Testament (Acts
20:35)
B.
Giving is A Hard Command
1.
We are TAKERS by
nature - We are covetous and greedy
2.
We are
3.
Giving good things
away does not happen easily among humans!
C.
Giving is A “Freeing” Command
1.
We are enslaved by
selfishness that cannot be broken until we surrender control of our
possessions over to God
a.
Surrender our time,
our wallets and purses, our bodies, our hearts
b.
He owes everything
anyway, including us!
2.
Some of you are in
serious debt – credit card spending, loans, etc
3.
The right way to get
out of debt is to put GOD first in your finances – that is the
4.
“Giving” is God’s way
out of debt – it frees you from having to buy, buy, buy, spend, spend, spend
5.
It transforms you into
a being blessing to people, instead of a burden
D.
Giving Comes from God
1.
He is the original
giver! He gives and gives and gives – there has
2.
He is only abused and
taken advantage of by this world: gives us
life, and
health, and
rain, and
crops, and
success, and
families, and
jobs, and
Jesus, and
forgiveness, and
eternal life, and
heaven, and
sanity, and
joy…
3.
Yet, He is rarely
appreciated or thanked
4.
He never accepts
payment for His gifts – or else they would not be gifts!
5.
He does however, call
us to put Him first – to honour HIM before we honour our bills, our desires
and lusts, and before we honour ourselves
E.
This message will be a
challenge to everyone in this room this morning. A challenge to become more
blessed by giving than by receiving. I will be presenting several truths
about giving as we approach Christmas
F.
But it will
II.
Background to Exodus 35 and 36
A.
The entire nation of
B.
All by the shed blood
of an innocent lamb in every home
C.
Now they were free,
headed to a place called “the Promised Land”
D.
They had collected
their meagre belongings when they left, but were showered with gifts and
possessions of the
E.
They were given rings,
bracelets, ear rings, necklaces, clothes, shoes, gems
F.
Well, the church in
the wilderness, as it was called…
1.
Had a pastor, Moses
2.
Had the word of God –
from Mt Sinai
3.
Had each other for
fellowship
4.
But they had no temple
or tabernacle
5.
So, it was time to
build something special, something that would honour God, and reflect His
presence among His people (Exodus 25:8)
G.
So, it was time to
take up a special offering
H.
And by the way, it was
no easier for them than it is for any of us!
III.
Message (Exodus 35:4 - 36:7)
What is a Giving Heart?
A.
An Informed Heart
(Exodus 35:4-10)
1.
Many people don’t
know what God expects, or what they need to do in relation to giving
2.
God has a lot to say
about money in the Bible – ultimate financial advisor
a.
God wants you to
prosper, to succeed – He does not design us to fail, or want you poor – just
poor in spirit!
b.
God shows how to be
rich – He doesn’t guarantee it, but shows the best way – through HARD work!
c.
God shows how to ride
out the tough times – by saving, not spending
d.
He has a lot to say
about the acquisition of money and the management of money
3.
And He has a lot of
warnings about money becoming our “god” – protecting us from becoming
enslaved to debt, and from being controlled by the love of money!
4.
So God takes the time
to explain about the fundamental truth about money – He starts with GIVING
a.
Explained WHAT to give
(Exodus 35:5-9)
1)
Not the refuse, or
rubbishy stuff
2)
But our best (God
ALWAYS gives us HIS best)
3)
The best of our money
4)
The best of our
abilities
5)
The best of our time –
not the leftovers at the end of a day
6)
The best of our health
– not the last of it when we are old and too tired to sin and rebel and
drink and drug
7)
Your rubbish bags are
not “gifts” to the waste collection guys!
b.
Explained what the
gifts would be used for (Exodus 35:10-19)
1)
For the building of
the Tabernacle
2)
For all the contents
of the Tabernacle – the
3)
For the supply for the
priests
4)
Always as to the Lord,
and not to people!
c.
Explained WHO the gift
is TO (Exodus 35:5;
1)
To the Lord “an
offering UNTO THE LORD” (35:5)”
2)
Every gift you give in
Jesus’ to someone, or to some need, or to your church, is a gift of love
from your heart to God
3)
You do not give on the
basis of the worth of the receiver – but on the worth of the Lord Jesus!
5.
There are three kinds
of “giving”
a.
The Tithe (Malachi
3:10; Proverbs 3:9,10)
1)
10% of income, every
time we get paid. No matter how we get paid. Me it’s
2)
It pays for the
operation and expenses of the Church: Rent, Utilities, Insurance, Church
Bus,
3)
It also pays the
4)
It also pays for staff
– which we have one person so far on staff
b.
The Offering
(2Corinthins 9:6,7)
1)
Above our tithe. A tip
2)
Pays for helping
c.
Almsgiving / Charity
giving (Deuteronomy 15:7,10)
1)
Honours the Lord in
the lives of people who cannot work
2)
Helps widows and
fatherless
3)
Meets needs among our
own folks when disaster strikes
B.
A Soft Heart
(Exodus 35:20,21a; Ezekiel 36:26)
1.
They heard what Moses
said and then went home, pondering, and thinking about what was said.
2.
And they came back to
Moses. Their hearts were soft towards the things God asked for
a.
Soft towards needs
around you
b.
Soft towards God’s
whisper
c.
Compassionate, pitiful
d.
This kind of heart
only exists in a humble believer – not “too busy” or frustrated
e.
It is a heart that has
replaced what used to be a hard, uncaring, rebellious, selfish heart
(Ezekiel 36:26). Happens when you get born again
3.
How to tell if you
have a HARD or SOFT heart towards the things of God
a.
If you get upset about
God talking about money, or about your need to go soul-winning, or your need
to humble yourself to your family or wife or husband when you have ignored
them and hurt them, then YOU need a new heart!
b.
If you find yourself
listening and agreeing with what God says in His word, then you have a soft
heart
C.
A Stirred Heart
(Exodus 35:21)
1.
These people were
excited, motivated to give
2.
Not by a motivational
speech by Moses, but by the Holy Spirit of God whispering in their
conscience that this was a good thing!
3.
Stirred means: roused,
awoken, revived, motivated, excited, fired up, driven! Something was
bringing these people back to Moses with gift after gift
4.
Some people get
stirred when they see a great need
5.
Christians get stirred
when we hear God’s word calling us to give by faith for souls and for a
vision of our church growing and turning our world upside-down
D.
A Willing Heart
(Exodus 35:22)
1.
Oh, there are people
in this room whose hearts have been made soft (born again), and have been
stirred, but who are not willing
– they hold the final say, and they say NO
2.
Giving is an act of a
free-will
a.
That’s what makes it
so precious to the Lord
b.
It is directly
connected with LOVE
c.
When you love, you
easily give
d.
How sad if this
congregation refused to give
3.
But these people,
gave, and gave, and gave
a.
The giving was their
choice
b.
Don’t you love it when
someone goes out of their way just to do something just for you just because
they wanted to?!
4.
Worship begins ONLY
when it is out of a willing, longing heart
a.
Whether a person could
give little or much matters nothing – it was the fact they just
gave!
THAT’S what worship is!
b.
Do you have a terrible
singing voice? Sing loud and clear
c.
No money? Give the
Gospel to someone (Acts 3:5,6)
d.
Not much time? Not
able to do much for the Lord because in debt, and working all the time? Well
give your Sundays!
e.
Not much by way of
intelligence? Just love people, and give them your patience, and prayers and
testimony about the God who takes such good care of you!
5.
A willingness will
make up for a lot of lack (2Cor 8:1-5)
E.
A Wise Heart
(Exodus 35:25-35)
1.
Thoughtful about
“what” to give
2.
Thoughtful how they
might do something just for the Lord’s glory
3.
They used their
talents for God. Too many use their talents for the devil
a.
Many of the Rock Stars
of the 60’s and 70’s started singing in church choirs, and then went on and
sang in hell-holes
b.
God gave you a talent
to play the piano or guitar – use it
c.
God gave you an
ability to gab? Use it for the Gospel
d.
God gave you an
ability with numbers, computers, design?
e.
Work your job, yes,
and pay the bills, but use your talents as a GIFT back to God!
4.
Bezaleel
5.
What talent do you
have? Develop it for the glory of GOD, not of yourself
a.
Musical talent
b.
Managerial talent
c.
Money talent
d.
e.
Ministry talent – just
serving, and helping in any way needed!
F.
A Blessed Heart
(Exodus 36:1-4)
1.
Every giver ended up
with more than they started with. You can never give, that you won’t receive
back more from God (Luke 6:38)
2.
The people enjoyed
giving so much that they just kept giving (36:3)
3.
The workers enjoyed
working for the Lord so much that they just kept working, and working, and
working (36:4)
4.
These folks were being
made free from covetousness, from greed, from the bondage of the love of
money, and the debt it creates… How?
5.
By just giving to the
Lord!
6.
Not just once or twice
either
7.
It became a habit –
just like drinking used to be, or smoking
8.
Wouldn’t it be
wonderful if you gave to GOD what you used to waste on drink and smokes?
9.
How many thousands of
Euros have you spent on drugs and on porn and on gambling?
10.
Well, you got in the
habit (addiction) of throwing that money away… it’s time to get into the
habit of investing it in eternal things (Matthew 6:19,20)
G.
A Sufficient Heart
(Exodus 36:5-7) This is awesome!
1.
Could there really be
enough among this travelling group of people to meet the need?
a.
The people gave, and
they loved giving
b.
They gave as part of
their worship and love for God, and for their church
c.
They got into the
habit of giving – to the Lord, to people’s needs – that they didn’t know
when to stop
2.
They had to be told
“ENOUGH!” You can stop giving now!
a.
Some people give until
it hurts – God’s people give until it feels good!
b.
Sometimes we have a
need, like the cost of the printing of the Christmas Tract in the Evening
Echo… wouldn’t it be amazing to have to tell folks, to STOP giving towards
that need?
c.
Sometimes we hear of a
Church Planter needing some help with purchasing Bibles, or renting a
building, or a medical emergency… it should be normal, in a Christian church
to have to tell folks STOP, instead of having to BEG them to START!
3.
When God’s people
start to live by faith, and giving from their willing heart, there will
always be enough to meet the needs – not the wants, but the needs!
a.
Long before the
governments started to take over welfare and poverty, God’s people were
doing it, and only failed when they started to think more about this life
than the world to come, and started to back away from reaching our
generation with the Gospel
4.
Folks, we have all it
takes, if we have this kind of a heart beating in every one of us!
IV.
Application
A.
If everyone had a
Giving Kind of a Heart, instead of s stingy, miserly heart
B.
We could afford
whatever we need… when we ALL participate
C.
Every week, about a
€1,000 is given into that little green offering box
D.
Without knowing how
much anyone makes in our church, I can still pretty easily figure out that
half of you don’t tithe at all
1.
And yet you claim to
be saved, born again, headed for heaven because you have received the
precious gift of eternal life
2.
And you come to church
and sit in a very comfortable facility
3.
You probably are
holding a Bible that was given to you at no cost to you
4.
You probably were
invited by someone who freely gave you a Gospel leaflet
5.
You have
6.
You rarely even ever
hear me even mention money
E.
Well, now you know
what God expects, and why, and how to give
F.
If every person in
this room who gets any form of income, if every one of us tithed, JUST
TITHED, we would double our weekly offerings, instantly, and have enough to
purchase a 6,000 square foot building for use as our very own church
building
G.
If everyone just gave
an offering, a tip on top of their tithe, we would be able to double the
number of church planters that we currently financially support from 8 to 16
– all in an instant! Just because every one of us participate
V.
Conclusion
A.
I cannot motivate you
1.
The need won’t
motivate you
2.
GOD has to be the
motivator in your life
B.
Giving is a necessary
ingredient of the Christian life
1.
Giving is A Biblical Command
2.
Giving is A Hard Command
3.
Giving is A “Freeing” Command
4.
Giving Comes from God – the
original Giver!
5.
And it produces a kind of a
heart that rises to the need, that honours and blesses the Lord, that gives
when there is little, and gives its best!
C.
What kind of a heart
GIVES like these people in Exodus 35 and 36?
1.
An Informed Heart
(Exodus 35:4-10)
2.
A Soft Heart
(Exodus 35:20,21a; Ezekiel 36:26)
3.
A Stirred Heart
(Exodus 35:21)
4.
A Willing Heart
(Exodus 35:22)
5.
A Wise Heart
(Exodus 35:25-35)
6.
A Blessed Heart
(Exodus 36:1-4)
7.
A Sufficient Heart
(Exodus 36:5-7)
D.
Begins with
a New Heart – given to you by the
Lord Jesus Himself