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Everything We Have Is From Him (Exodus 35, 36, 37, 38, 39) · Prodigal Hope

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: We're in Exodus 35,
• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: but actually that's somewhat of a misnomer,
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: only in the sense that I hope,
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: and you may already think that this is embarrassingly optimistic,
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: but I hope to cover chapters 35 all the way through chapter 39.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: If you're counting, that's roughly five chapters of Scripture.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: That's a lot of scripture to go over.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: But I'm hoping that we can get through all of this,
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: only to say that there is much here for us to glean,
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: much here for us to put into our hearts and souls as we approach the end
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: of this wonderful series that we started roughly last week.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: I think it was around this time that we started this series,
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: walking through the book of Exodus,
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: seeing the ways in which God not only forms his people,
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: the people of Israel,
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: but seeing that as a window into a way that he forms us, his church.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: Although it might not appear that way at first,
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: these chapters that we're going to cover this morning,
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: chapters 35 through 39,
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: this section is a section of scripture that can keep pastors up at night.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: It's one of those sections that can make them wrestle, make them question.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Reading through all of these chapters,
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: if you read through them from start to finish,
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: you're going to find that there's a lot of redundancy.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Preaching and studying and reading about all of the particulars of every single seam
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: and every single garment to every single rivet that was put in the tabernacle
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: to hold it secure.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: It can leave pastors wondering how in the world am I going to preach this
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: so I don't sound like I'm repeating myself.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: If you remember,
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: we just talked about a lot of this stuff a couple weeks ago
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: when God was giving Moses all of the blueprints for this very structure called
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: the tabernacle, the tent of meeting.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: So what's going on here?
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Why is almost all of this repeated again?
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: Well, one of the things,
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: one thing that's super helpful whenever you're coming across something
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: in scripture is this little fact, which is repetition means emphasis.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: If you see something,
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  SPEAKER_00: you know something that's repeated over and over again,
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  SPEAKER_00: odds are God is trying to say, hey, don't miss this.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: It's kind of like when you're reading something online and if you want
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: to make someone really remember it, you put it in bold.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: You put it really bold letters in bold font.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: Well, this is sort of the Bible's version of putting something in bold.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: And if we had to say,
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: if we want to carry that metaphor a little bit even further,
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: the tabernacle instructions are almost in like extra bold font.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, God is telling them, don't miss this.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: Don't gloss over what's happening with this whole thing.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: Remember what the tabernacle structure is about.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: God, the holy God, is drawing near to his people.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: The very people,
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: by the way,
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: that we've spent a couple weeks learning that they turned their backs on him.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: They turned away from him, dancing around a golden calf.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: And yet still here we are seeing that God is still desirous to meet with his people.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: In a sense, we're seeing the way in which God is saying, hey, this is my intention.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: This is my heart.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: This is something that God was serious about.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Dwelling with and abiding with his people was not sort of on a whim sort of idea.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Something he just kind of came up with.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: No, this is something that's deep from deep within him.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: It's from who God is.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: He's a God who delights in his creation and his creatures and he draws near to them.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: And here what we're going to find...
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: Is the actual building of the thing.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: The actual construction of this thing called the tabernacle.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: Look at chapter 36.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Look at how many times this motif is repeated.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 8.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: It says, And all the craftsmen among the workmen made things.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: The tabernacle with ten curtains.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 14.
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  SPEAKER_00: He also made curtains of goat's hair for a tent over the tabernacle.
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  SPEAKER_00: He made eleven curtains.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: Verse 20.
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  SPEAKER_00: Then he made the upright frames for the tabernacle of Acacia.
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  SPEAKER_00: And on and on it goes.
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  SPEAKER_00: He made this and he made that.
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  SPEAKER_00: He made this thing and he made that thing.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's talking about the actual putting together of this thing that God had given
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  SPEAKER_00: to Moses the designs of.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: Remember...
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  SPEAKER_00: We said that there was some sort of,
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_00: we could say, embargo put on this project after the golden calf fiasco.
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  SPEAKER_00: They weren't allowed to build it.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: And now actually they are allowed to build it.
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  SPEAKER_00: And things pick up speed.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: If you read these chapters,
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_00: one of the things is almost going to feel like this snowball effect.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: Once everything was getting underway, it just picked up speed rapidly.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: The people of God rally around Moses,
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: rally around Aaron,
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  SPEAKER_00: and they start pooling all of their resources,
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  SPEAKER_00: everything at their disposal to give, to build the place of God's presence.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: And what is rising to the surface throughout this section is,
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  SPEAKER_00: Is the way God uses his people to accomplish that.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: I think one of the things that was so striking,
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  SPEAKER_00: if you read this section,
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  SPEAKER_00: is pausing to note just how interested,
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: just how keen God is to use fragile human beings like us
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  SPEAKER_00: to glorify him.
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  SPEAKER_00: To glorify his name and his purpose and his nature and his word.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: Think about this.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of sending down a team of angels to build the tent of meeting perfectly.
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  SPEAKER_00: No seam out of line.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: No nail having to be re-nailed because you missed it the first couple times.
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  SPEAKER_00: No, what does he do?
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  SPEAKER_00: He doesn't send an angel down to build it.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_00: No, he sends and he calls and he fills.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: And actually,
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  SPEAKER_00: as we're going to see,
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  SPEAKER_00: he stirs the whole camp,
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  SPEAKER_00: but especially two men to accomplish this all important task.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Verse 31, again,
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: as Pastor Eric read of back in chapter 35, says,
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  SPEAKER_00: or verse 30,
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  SPEAKER_00: Then Moses said to the people of Israel, See,
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: the Lord has called by name Bezalel,
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  SPEAKER_00: the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: And he has filled him with the spirit of God,
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: with skill and with intelligence,
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  SPEAKER_00: with knowledge and with all craftsmanship to devise artistic designs.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: Verse 34.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: And he's inspired him to teach both him and Aholiab, the son of Ashmiak, of the tribe of Dan.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: These two guys he calls.
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  SPEAKER_00: To head up this whole project from start to finish.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: And there's something so powerful and so profound to me that he assigns this task
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: to human beings.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: I think maybe because these two guys,
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  SPEAKER_00: especially the whole camp,
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  SPEAKER_00: but these two men,
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  SPEAKER_00: I think they understood the significance of what the tabernacle represented.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_00: The place of God's presence is the place of atonement.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: You see,
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: human beings who know what it is to sin and then be forgiven have
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: a way different tenor to their worship.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: Because they know what it is to be brought back, to be restored.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_00: It's not an accident that before and after the golden calf fiasco
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: in Exodus chapter 32, we have the same calling of these two guys.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: Jump back, chapter 31.
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  SPEAKER_00: Look at what God says to Moses.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: See if these words sound familiar.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: Exodus 31,
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  SPEAKER_00: look at verse 1,
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  SPEAKER_00: the Lord said to Moses, see,
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  SPEAKER_00: I have called by name Bezalel,
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  SPEAKER_00: the son of Uri,
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  SPEAKER_00: the son of Hur,
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  SPEAKER_00: of the tribe of Judah,
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  SPEAKER_00: and I have filled him with the spirit of God,
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  SPEAKER_00: and with ability and intelligence and knowledge and all craftsmanship,
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  SPEAKER_00: to devise artistic designs,
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  SPEAKER_00: to work in gold and silver and bras and cutting stones for setting and carving
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  SPEAKER_00: of wood, to work in every craft, and behold, I have appointed with him a holyab.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: He's repeating himself, at least he is in chapter 35.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: You're getting the sense that nothing can thwart God's blessing.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: Nothing can thwart God's plans.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: His plan was to use these men to accomplish his purposes.
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  SPEAKER_00: To construct the tabernacle proper.
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  SPEAKER_00: And nothing is going to stop that.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: Nothing is going to prevent that.
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  SPEAKER_00: His purposes prevail.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: And these men, they knew what it was to sin and be redeemed.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: We're not told...
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  SPEAKER_00: Where Bezalel and Aholiab were when everyone else was dancing around the golden calf.
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  SPEAKER_00: Whenever that horrible worship service was happening.
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  SPEAKER_00: But at least we have to imagine that they were at least privy to it.
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  SPEAKER_00: They at least saw it going down.
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  SPEAKER_00: And yet now,
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  SPEAKER_00: now at this juncture they're co-leading the most important construction project
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  SPEAKER_00: in Israel's history up to that point.
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  SPEAKER_00: And again,
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  SPEAKER_00: I have to imagine that as Bezalel and Holiel were there,
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: you almost get the sense that it was almost like these two guys.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: Can you believe where we are right now?
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: Can you believe what we're doing?
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  SPEAKER_00: We're actually building this thing.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: And God is going to fill this place with his glory and his presence.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: You see, every aspect of this project that you're seeing unfolds.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: Was meant to drive everyone's attention to the Lord alone.
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  SPEAKER_00: To worship Him.
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  SPEAKER_00: All the craftsmanship.
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  SPEAKER_00: All of the artistry that's on display.
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  SPEAKER_00: It was meant to turn everyone's gaze back to God.
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  SPEAKER_00: To Yahweh.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: And this brings to mind the question that I want to answer this morning.
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  SPEAKER_00: Which is this.
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  SPEAKER_00: What kind of worship does God most delight in?
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  SPEAKER_00: What's the worship that he delights in?
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I think there's three things that you're going to find here this morning.
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  SPEAKER_00: Three ways,
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  SPEAKER_00: three movements,
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  SPEAKER_00: three ways to understand the type of worship that God delights in most.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: First of all, number one, worship that is willing.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: Worship that's willing.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: Worship.
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  SPEAKER_00: One element,
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: by the way,
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: that you're going to find both consistent,
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: both before and after that golden calf incident,
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: is this notion of the unforced,
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_00: or we could say the uncoerced worship that God calls for.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_00: Flip back with me to chapter 25 for a moment.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: Look back at chapter 25.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_00: This is when the Lord is speaking to Moses.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: Moses is up on the mountain and he's receiving these instructions from the Lord.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: And he's receiving all of the ways in which God has in mind this design for
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_00: the place where God is going to meet with them.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: And notice what he says.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: Look at chapter 25, verse 1.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: The Lord said to Moses,
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: Speak to the people of Israel that they take for me a contribution from every man,
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: notice, whose heart moves him.
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  SPEAKER_00: You shall receive the contribution for me.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: There was no pressure.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_00: There was no force.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: There was no, you have to do this or else you're not a good follower of Yahweh.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: No, if your heart is moving you,
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  SPEAKER_00: yes, please give and give and contribute to this thing that we want to accomplish.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: The willing were the ones who were invited for this express purpose to build God
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: a dwelling place.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: And notice, back in chapter 35, the same pattern emerges.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: Look at chapter 35, look at verse number 5.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: Lord says,
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  SPEAKER_00: which Moses,
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  SPEAKER_00: speaking on behalf of the Lord, take from among you a contribution to the Lord.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: Whoever,
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: notice this phrase,
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord's contribution.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: Gold, silver, bronze,
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_00: blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twines,
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: linen, goat's hair, tanned ram skins and goat skins, acacia wood, and on it goes.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: Jump down to verse number 20.
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  SPEAKER_00: Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: of Moses and they came.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him and brought
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_00: the Lord's contribution to be used for the tent of meeting and for all its service
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: for and for the holy garments.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: And on it goes.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: This wasn't for us.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_00: You didn't have someone pressuring other people.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: This was not a guilt trip.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_00: No one was guilt tripped into contributing to this awesome project.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_00: No, instead there was this willingness that was springing, that was emerging out of them.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: A willingness that came from realizing what was necessary.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_00: And it was realizing what God had already accomplished for them.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: Over and over again, Moses,
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  SPEAKER_00: who's writing these words,
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  SPEAKER_00: recalling these moments,
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  SPEAKER_00: he recalls this stirring that washes over everyone, the whole entire camp.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 26.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: Same chapter.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: And all the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skills spun the goat's hair.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_00: Verse 29.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_00: Verse 29.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_00: And all the men and women,
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  SPEAKER_00: the people of Israel,
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_00: by Moses to be done, brought it as a free will offering to the Lord.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone, this is seeming, everyone has been sort of swept up.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: They're swept up.
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  SPEAKER_00: They're captured by this unmistakable display of mercy and grace and patience.
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  SPEAKER_00: They've all seen it.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_00: They've all seen it.
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  SPEAKER_00: And the byproduct,
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: the result of that stirring that was moving all
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  SPEAKER_00: of these hearts was now these hearts.
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  SPEAKER_00: They couldn't wait to give what they had back to God.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: They couldn't wait for it.
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  SPEAKER_00: Now remember, this is the same congregation, by the way.
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  SPEAKER_00: The same group of people who just a few moments ago were dancing and hooting
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  SPEAKER_00: and hollering around a golden image.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: A golden image, by the way, that they said, here's our deliverer.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: And now they're surrendering what they have,
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_00: whatever stuff they had for the glory of Yahweh, willingly, without compulsion.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: So what's the difference?
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_00: The difference is mercy.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: It was the Lord, the Lord, as revealed to Moses.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_00: The Lord, the Lord, gracious and merciful.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_00: That's what made all the difference.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: It's mercy.
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: Mercy is stirring them up.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: It's not a whip on their back.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, you better give more.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_00: No, it's a thought.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_00: It's a gaze.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's a recognition of mercy alone.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: This is what makes them willing.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_00: You see, forgiven people don't have to be dragged to worship the Lord.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_00: Worship is what happens when we realize how much we've been forgiven.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_00: Whether it's the one leper who comes back to Jesus' feet.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: Or the pitiful woman who washes Jesus' feet in the middle of a dinner party.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: If you remember that story.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: Either way, worship is always preceded by a prior gift.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: A gift of forgiveness.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_00: And the same is true here.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: Moses in this moment doesn't congratulate the people for their willingness.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_00: It's awesome to see it, but he's not patting the back.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: Look how willing you are.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_00: No, he's stressing what?
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_00: How something outside of them, something beyond them was moving them, was stirring them up.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: Look again.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: Look at 35.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 21.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_00: We've read it, but notice this word.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_00: And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: And everyone whose spirit moved him and brought the Lord's contribution to be used
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: for the tent of meeting.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: And look at chapter 36 verse 2.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_00: And Moses called Bezalel and Holiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_00: And everyone whose heart stirred him up to come do the work.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_00: Before anything was done by the people, something was done to them.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_00: God was working in them.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_00: So now we can step back and realize that from the very want to,
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: the urge to make this happen,
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: to the very skills,
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_00: the faculties, to bring about what God had in mind, it was all a gift.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_00: All of it came from him.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_00: Verse 31 again.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_00: Talking about Bezalel, he has been filled, notice this phrase, with the spirit of God.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: Something so fascinating about this is that it might surprise you.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: That this is the very first explicit mention,
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: the place in scripture where we find that someone is being filled with the spirit
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_00: of God.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_00: Not Abraham, or Moses gets that recognition, or a prophet, not even John.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_00: None of those guys were the first.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: The first one is this engineer, part-time artist, occasional woodworker, Bezalel.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_00: God fills him up with his spirit and skills and abilities to take all
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_00: of God's designs and to bring them to life.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: Bezalel's hands are filled to the brim with insight and wisdom to know what God was
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: after, whatever that involved.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_00: If you read those verses that Pastor Eric read, it's anything.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_00: Textiles,
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: embroidery,
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: engraving, carpentry, the intricacies of architecture and design, even teaching.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_00: He passes on all of this knowledge to Aholiab and a ton of other people.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_00: What is this telling us?
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I think sometimes we fall into this bad habit of putting our jobs,
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_00: our vocations, our occupations onto some sort of spiritual ranking scale.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: As if God is really only interested in people and ministry roles.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, he cares about plumbers and farmers and painters,
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_00: but we all know he really cares about pastors more, right?
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_00: Of course not.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_00: Of course not.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_00: That's not true at all.
• 19:08
  SPEAKER_00: An artist filled with the Spirit of God right here renders that theory null and void.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: Right?
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_00: God's spirit fills prophets and carpenters alike to do his will to accomplish his purposes.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_00: And Bezalel's filling leads others to being filled until
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_00: the whole camp is stirred up and moved and a whole host of artisans
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: and craftsmen are stirred to glorify God by working with their hands.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: And the point is this,
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_00: that none of us are blessed and filled with the exact same gifts or skills.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: And that's a great thing.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_00: Some of you I'm not going to call names.
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: Some of you sound like angels when you sing.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_00: Some of you maybe can't carry a tune in a bucket.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: Again, I'm not pointing at anyone individually.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_00: Some of you, you can teach a crowd at a moment's notice.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need any prep.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_00: You can just get up, do it.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_00: Some of you turn beet red if you're asked to pray.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_00: For the God to whom you belong fills you with his spirit no matter what he's called you to do.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_00: And he's stirring you,
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: maybe even stirring you right now to bring him glory with what he has filled you
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_00: to do in unique ways, diverse ways.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: This is the same point, by the way.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: We don't have time to go there.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_00: This is the same point,
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_00: by the way,
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_00: that Paul makes in 1 Corinthians 12 where he's talking about all the different gifts
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: and all the different parts of the body of Christ.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_00: And we can't all be hands and we can't all be heads.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_00: We're different parts of the same body called to glorify God in unique and diverse ways.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: And no matter what God has gifted you with,
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: no matter what it looks like,
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_00: the question that this arises, are you going to worship God with a willing heart?
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: He isn't looking for worship that's perfect.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_00: He's looking for worship that's willing.
• 21:07
  SPEAKER_00: That's what he's after.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_00: Worship that's willing.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_00: Number two, I have to hasten.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_00: Worship that's generous.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_00: Worship, that's generous.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_00: Moses, we already read these verses.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: Moses summons those of a generous heart to contribute what they can to
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_00: the tabernacle construction project.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_00: And no one, I think, could have anticipated what happened next.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: Look at verse number 4 of chapter 35.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: And Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel...
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_00: This is the thing that the Lord has commanded.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_00: Take from among you a contribution to the Lord, whoever is of a generous heart.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_00: And of course,
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_00: as you know,
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_00: as soon as Moses' speech was over,
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_00: he goes in the speech,
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_00: he talks about everything that they're going to need,
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_00: all of the materials, all of the supplies.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone hastens back to their tents and they start bringing stuff, all kinds of offerings.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_00: Verse 21, and they came, everyone whose heart was stirred.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_00: From jewelry, read on the list, down through verse 28.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_00: Jewelry, fine linens, animal skins, lumber, precious stones.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_00: To me, this raises a question.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_00: Where did they get all this?
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, this is a nation of former slaves.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_00: They don't have much to their name.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_00: It's not like a bunch of brick kiln slaves have jewelry just to spare.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah, here, take my grandma's ring.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: No, this is just to say that all of these offerings that are being given to
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_00: the Lord's service were given to them first.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_00: Flip back.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_00: This is going to go way back in our study.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_00: Flip back to chapter number 12 really quick.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_00: Just to see how all of this connects.
• 23:18
  SPEAKER_00: Look at chapter number 12 and look at verse number 35.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_00: Just to recall...
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_00: This moment,
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_00: this is when God is actually bringing them out of bondage,
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_00: bringing them out of the walls of Egypt.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_00: And look at what happens.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_00: Chapter 12, 35, the people of Israel had also done...
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_00: As Moses told them, for they asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_00: And the Lord had given the people favor,
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_00: grace in the sight of the Egyptians so that they let them have what they asked.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_00: Thus they plundered the Egyptians, the most peaceful plunder ever.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_00: There were no swords.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, give me your bracelet.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_00: No, it was just, hey, can we have that?
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_00: Sure, here you go.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: And they lashed them to leave.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: Egypt's gold.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_00: Strolled out of Egypt in the hands of Egyptian slaves.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_00: And not a single Israelite had done anything to earn any of it.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_00: The Lord just put it in their hands.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_00: Which is to say,
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_00: back in our text,
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_00: every single brooch and bracelet that they give to God is a testament of what?
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: God's prior grace.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_00: What they gave had been given to them by God first.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_00: And of course,
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_00: what makes this all the more surprising is
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_00: when you remember what happened last time.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone in the community was asked to give their earrings for a religious ceremony.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_00: Well, according to Aaron, a golden calf just popped out of the flames.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know where it came from.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_00: All of that,
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_00: all of the gold that was given,
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: most of the gold that was given to them in Exodus 12 was used for what?
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_00: It was wasted on a God that couldn't do anything for them.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: It couldn't speak.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_00: It couldn't hear.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_00: They just danced around it.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_00: And of course...
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: As we know from the story, that should have been the end of their story, but it wasn't.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: Moses pleads,
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_00: God relents,
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_00: and the people are restored,
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_00: which means back in this moment,
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_00: they are still,
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_00: the people are still holding gold that they did nothing to earn in hands
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_00: that had no claim on God's mercy.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_00: Both their pardon,
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_00: their forgiveness,
• 25:39
  SPEAKER_00: and the treasure that they're offering to the Lord are completely,
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_00: entirely unearned.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_00: Was just to say that generosity is what happens when we realize what we've been given.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's contagious.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_00: It spreads.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: This stirring spreads throughout the whole camp.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_00: So much so that they had more than what they needed to do what they needed to do for
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: the tabernacle.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: Look at chapter 36.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_00: These are incredible verses.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_00: Look at chapter 36.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 3.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_00: It says...
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_00: And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_00: of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_00: They still kept bringing him free will offerings every morning.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_00: So that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came.
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_00: Each from the task that he was doing.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_00: And said to Moses,
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_00: the people bring much more than enough for doing the work that
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_00: the Lord has commanded us to do.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_00: And so Moses gave a command and the word was proclaimed throughout the entire camp.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_00: Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_00: So the people were restrained from bringing.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_00: For the material they had was sufficient to do all the work and more.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_00: Too much stuff.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_00: Stop bringing it.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_00: You know...
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_00: You know something unprecedented is happening
• 27:11
  SPEAKER_00: if religious leaders are telling their people to stop giving.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: That doesn't happen all the time.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I guarantee you the list of preachers who've had to tell their congregants
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_00: to stop putting their hands in their wall, it's few and far between.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_00: But this is exactly what happens when God's people worship God in the way in
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_00: which he wants to be worshipped.
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_00: They are generous people.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_00: With what they have.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_00: Why?
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_00: Because they know it's not theirs to begin this.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't theirs in the first place.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_00: We give only as the Lord has already given to us.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_00: Everything can be traced back to his grace.
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_00: Everything.
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_00: David, by the way, says the same thing.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_00: I'll just read the verse.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_00: It's 1 Chronicles 29, 14.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_00: King David, what does he say?
• 28:06
  SPEAKER_00: He says this awesome line.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_00: All things come from you, he says about the Lord.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_00: And out of your own, we have given you.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_00: Out of what you have given us, we have given back to you.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_00: God is worshipped.
• 28:20
  SPEAKER_00: He's ascribed worth and honor and glory and praise.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_00: Whenever God's people give of what they have received.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_00: Again, not because they're guilt tripped into it.
• 28:33
  SPEAKER_00: But because they can't get over what grace has given them.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_00: They just can't get over it.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_00: They're stirred and they're moved to worship God with generosity in their hearts.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_00: Worship that's willing, number one.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_00: Worship that's generous, number two.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_00: Lastly, number three.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_00: Worship that's obedient.
• 28:55
  SPEAKER_00: Another feature.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_00: Of these somewhat tedious chapters at the close of the book
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_00: of Exodus is this refrain of obedience.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_00: From beginning to end,
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_00: the actual building of this structure is done always according to what
• 29:12
  SPEAKER_00: the Lord had commanded Moses.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_00: Look at chapter 35 again, look at verse 1.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_00: Look at that phrase as it appears.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_00: Moses assembled all the congregation of the people of Israel and said to them,
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_00: These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_00: He's going to list, here's the blueprint, here's the instructions that we're to follow.
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_00: Verse 10.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_00: Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded.
• 29:42
  SPEAKER_00: Flip over to chapter 38.
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_00: Chapter 38, look at verse 22.
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_00: Bezalel,
• 29:48
  SPEAKER_00: the son of Uri,
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_00: the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the Lord commanded Moses.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_00: This emphasis gets even louder as this whole thing comes to a close.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_00: In fact,
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_00: in chapter number 39,
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_00: we don't have to read every moment,
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_00: but there's 10 times in one chapter we are told what the people did.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_00: They did all as the Lord commanded.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_00: Chapter 39, I'll just read verse 1.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_00: From the blue and the purple scarlet yarns,
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_00: they made finely woven garments for ministering in the holy place.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_00: They made the holy garments for Aaron as the Lord had commanded Moses.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_00: Remember what we said.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_00: Repetition means emphasis.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_00: God is emphasizing what happens when his people follow and obey and what he has said.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_00: It's the heartbeat of this whole section.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_00: It's obedience worship that's being put on display by those
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_00: who can vividly remember what happened when they didn't obey.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_00: What happened last time?
• 30:53
  SPEAKER_00: Golden calf.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_00: The golden calf is the almost exact opposite of this moment.
• 31:00
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of doing what the Lord is commanding, what are they doing?
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_00: They're doing what we feel.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_00: We're doing what we want.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_00: We're doing what is actually making us gratified in the moment.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_00: The golden calf in Exodus 32 is the epitome of do-it-yourself worship.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_00: Had nothing to do with pleasing God.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_00: Had nothing to do with bringing glory to his name.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_00: Had nothing to do with bringing honor to Yahweh for who he is and his holiness
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_00: and his grace and his mercy.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_00: No, it was all about what felt right to them.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_00: It was all self-absorbed, self-interested worship, if you can even call it that.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_00: And now things are much different.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_00: They are adhering to all of God's instructions with every last thread
• 31:44
  SPEAKER_00: and every last clasp Look at chapter 39, look at verse 42.
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_00: According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the people of Israel had done all the work.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_00: They're not going their own way this time.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_00: No DIY golden calf worship service this time.
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's because I think Israel knew.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_00: They weren't just following some suggestions.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, take this We're not.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_00: No, they're following the words of Yahweh.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_00: At least for the moment,
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_00: they seem to have learned the hard way,
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_00: just how destructive it is,
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_00: just how ruinous it is,
• 32:33
  SPEAKER_00: that when they go their own way,
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_00: and yet how joyous, how filling, how life-giving it is when they follow God's ways.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_00: And the point is that worship of God Isn't it something that we invent?
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_00: It's not something that we can just do our own way.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_00: No, worship is something that we receive and that we are invited to participate in.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's an act of obedience and it leads to blessing.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_00: Look at the verse right after that, verse 43.
• 33:03
  SPEAKER_00: And Moses saw all the work and behold, they had done it.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_00: As the Lord commanded, so had they done it.
• 33:10
  SPEAKER_00: Then Moses blessed them.
• 33:14
  SPEAKER_00: Worship, you see, is the glad, true worship, is the glad submission to God's words.
• 33:22
  SPEAKER_00: Not out of a sense of we're being fenced in by this God who doesn't want us to have joy.
• 33:26
  SPEAKER_00: No, this is the way that God has designed life to work best.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_00: We've seen this.
• 33:31
  SPEAKER_00: This has always been God's heart.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's the glad worship, glad submission to God's words, which I think is often, so often missing.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_00: And so many churches.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_00: I don't have, I'm not going to, I see the stories.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure you see them too, depending on what website you go to.
• 33:53
  SPEAKER_00: You're going to find those stories.
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_00: Look at what this church did in their Sunday service.
• 33:59
  SPEAKER_00: What passes for worship nowadays isn't that different from what Israel offered at
• 34:07
  SPEAKER_00: the base of Sinai.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_00: And no, at least I haven't seen it yet.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_00: No one I know of is melting earrings into golden cash.
• 34:16
  SPEAKER_00: And yet the same principle applies.
• 34:21
  SPEAKER_00: We are still committed to curating a worship service until it doesn't really cost us anything.
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_00: Until it's all about us and how we feel and how we can have an experience.
• 34:36
  SPEAKER_00: It's focused on you.
• 34:40
  SPEAKER_00: Worship that's focused on you is not worship.
• 34:43
  SPEAKER_00: It's just self-glory.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's just self-interested pleasure.
• 34:48
  SPEAKER_00: So, where does the kind of worship that God delights in, where does it come from?
• 34:55
  SPEAKER_00: To answer that question, we have to go to one more place, and I promise we'll be done.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_00: 2 Corinthians, chapter number 8.
• 35:02
  SPEAKER_00: Watch what happens.
• 35:03
  SPEAKER_00: This connection, I think, is so amazing.
• 35:07
  SPEAKER_00: 2 Corinthians 8.
• 35:08
  SPEAKER_00: What is Paul doing?
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_00: Paul's writing this letter.
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_00: As I've said before, this letter is one of the most personal letters Paul writes.
• 35:15
  SPEAKER_00: He's defending his ministry in so many ways.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_00: And now in this section,
• 35:18
  SPEAKER_00: he's explaining because he was accused of basically,
• 35:21
  SPEAKER_00: Paul was basically accused of putting his hand in the offering plate.
• 35:26
  SPEAKER_00: So he's kind of explaining a little bit about what this gift was.
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_00: Notice what happens.
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_00: Paul is going to inform the Corinthian church.
• 35:37
  SPEAKER_00: About some Macedonian churches that were struggling to say the least.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_00: Look at chapter 8.
• 35:43
  SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 2.
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_00: Or I'll read verse 1.
• 35:45
  SPEAKER_00: We want you to know,
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_00: brothers,
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_00: about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia.
• 35:49
  SPEAKER_00: For in a severe test of affliction,
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_00: their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_00: of generosity on their part.
• 35:59
  SPEAKER_00: Despite their affliction...
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_00: They were generous.
• 36:03
  SPEAKER_00: They gave willingly.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_00: Their trials didn't keep their hands in their pockets to secure what they had.
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_00: No, they're giving of what they had.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_00: Verse 3.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_00: For they gave according to their means.
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_00: As I, Paul says, can testify.
• 36:19
  SPEAKER_00: And beyond their means of their own accord.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_00: Willingly.
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_00: Begging us earnestly for the favor, for the grace of taking part in the relief of the saints.
• 36:29
  SPEAKER_00: And this,
• 36:29
  SPEAKER_00: not as we expected,
• 36:31
  SPEAKER_00: but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
• 36:36
  SPEAKER_00: You see, all the themes are right here.
• 36:38
  SPEAKER_00: They gave generously.
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_00: They gave willingly.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_00: They gave obediently of what they had.
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_00: There was no coercion on Paul's part.
• 36:44
  SPEAKER_00: Paul didn't lock the doors and say,
• 36:46
  SPEAKER_00: hey, we're going to raise an offering and no one can leave until we get $10,000.
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_00: That didn't happen.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_00: He's not coercing them.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_00: He's not manipulating them.
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_00: No, they saw the needs and out of the abundance of grace that was in their hearts,
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_00: they wanted to participate in the grace of relieving these who were in need.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_00: And so they gave accordingly.
• 37:07
  SPEAKER_00: Within their means.
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_00: And beyond them, they stretch themselves.
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_00: Always though, as Paul says, giving to God first.
• 37:15
  SPEAKER_00: Obedience.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_00: And they practically are begging Paul.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_00: Paul, let us have a part in this.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_00: We want to have a part in the relief of these other churches and believers.
• 37:26
  SPEAKER_00: But then Paul makes this amazing move.
• 37:29
  SPEAKER_00: Because Paul is very aware.
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_00: Paul knows that as amazing as a testimony, as this is, just sharing...
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_00: The testimony of the Macedonian churches is not going to stir.
• 37:41
  SPEAKER_00: It's not really going to move hearts.
• 37:44
  SPEAKER_00: Not for long.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_00: It will inspire them for a little bit.
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_00: But it's not going to actually move them.
• 37:48
  SPEAKER_00: It's not going to change them.
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it will make them admire these other people who gave.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_00: But it's not going to actually inspire willingness and generosity and obedience.
• 37:57
  SPEAKER_00: And this is why Paul does something amazing.
• 37:59
  SPEAKER_00: He anchors this whole message about offerings and giving and willingness.
• 38:04
  SPEAKER_00: He anchors it in the person of Jesus Christ.
• 38:07
  SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 9.
• 38:08
  SPEAKER_00: Watch what he does.
• 38:11
  SPEAKER_00: Or I'll read verse 8.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_00: I say this not as a command.
• 38:15
  SPEAKER_00: Again, he's saying, I'm not forcing any of you.
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_00: I'm saying this.
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_00: I say this not as a command,
• 38:19
  SPEAKER_00: but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love is also genuine.
• 38:25
  SPEAKER_00: For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
• 38:30
  SPEAKER_00: that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor.
• 38:34
  SPEAKER_00: So that you by his poverty might become rich.
• 38:39
  SPEAKER_00: There's the gospel in a sentence.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_00: If you want to stir people up to willing worship,
• 38:49
  SPEAKER_00: to generous worship,
• 38:50
  SPEAKER_00: to obedient worship, don't just give them a good example to follow.
• 38:55
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, now go and do likewise.
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_00: Do that.
• 38:57
  SPEAKER_00: No, give them Jesus.
• 39:01
  SPEAKER_00: The one who didn't just give of what he had, he gave everything, even his very self.
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_00: You see,
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_00: in Christ,
• 39:11
  SPEAKER_00: in him alone,
• 39:12
  SPEAKER_00: we're made to see the worship that the Father delights in,
• 39:16
  SPEAKER_00: and the worship that brings God the most glory.
• 39:20
  SPEAKER_00: Christ worships willingly.
• 39:22
  SPEAKER_00: What does he say throughout his ministry?
• 39:24
  SPEAKER_00: Not my See, Jesus doesn't just show us what worship looks like.
• 39:26
  SPEAKER_00: He gives us the grace that makes worship possible.
• 39:55
  SPEAKER_00: Became worse than poor.
• 39:58
  SPEAKER_00: So that we who are worse than dead might become more than rich.
• 40:01
  SPEAKER_00: That we might become alive.
• 40:06
  SPEAKER_00: And the point is, the point isn't for you to go out and just try harder at being more willing.
• 40:12
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to be more willing today.
• 40:15
  SPEAKER_00: No, that's not really something that you can just muster up.
• 40:18
  SPEAKER_00: That's going to fizzle.
• 40:21
  SPEAKER_00: Nor is the point.
• 40:22
  SPEAKER_00: Necessarily to give more.
• 40:25
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it is.
• 40:26
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe God's stirring that on your heart.
• 40:28
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe not.
• 40:30
  SPEAKER_00: The point is this.
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_00: Both Israel and the Macedonian churches gave back what they were given.
• 40:36
  SPEAKER_00: Willingly.
• 40:39
  SPEAKER_00: Willingly.
• 40:41
  SPEAKER_00: Generously, obediently.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_00: And so shall we do likewise.
• 40:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's like that hymn says.
• 40:46
  SPEAKER_00: What did the hymn say?
• 40:47
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus paid it all.
• 40:49
  SPEAKER_00: All to him I owe.
• 40:51
  SPEAKER_00: That's not a guilt trip.
• 40:54
  SPEAKER_00: That's not a hand forcing your hand.
• 40:56
  SPEAKER_00: No.
• 40:58
  SPEAKER_00: It's the good news.
• 41:00
  SPEAKER_00: That stirs us, that moves us, that moves us to worship God with all that we have.
• 41:07
  SPEAKER_00: Knowing that our offerings, whatever we offer Him, we're just gifts first.
• 41:13
  SPEAKER_00: It's just grace.
• 41:16
  SPEAKER_00: We don't worship God to get His blessing.
• 41:19
  SPEAKER_00: We worship because God in Christ has already given Himself to us.
• 41:24
  SPEAKER_00: So yes, church, worship him.
• 41:28
  SPEAKER_00: Open your hands to serve, open your mouth to praise, and open your heart to obey.
• 41:35
  SPEAKER_00: Why?
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_00: Because God has already given you, what does Paul say?
• 41:39
  SPEAKER_00: His inexpressible gift.
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_00: 2 Corinthians 9, 15, and I'll end here.
• 41:44
  SPEAKER_00: 2 Corinthians 9, verse 15, what does he say?
• 41:48
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks be to God.
• 41:50
  SPEAKER_00: For his inexpressible, or as the King James has it, his indescribable gift.
• 41:56
  SPEAKER_00: You can't even put words to it.
• 41:58
  SPEAKER_00: What is the indescribable gift?
• 42:00
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus.
• 42:02
  SPEAKER_00: Who though he was rich, became poor for your sake.
• 42:05
  SPEAKER_00: That by his poverty, you might be rich.
• 42:12
  SPEAKER_00: Everything we have is from him.
• 42:15
  SPEAKER_00: Who delights to give us himself.
• 42:18
  SPEAKER_00: Praise be to God for his inexpressible gift.
• 42:24
  SPEAKER_00: Let's pray.