Exo 36:5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.
Exo 36:6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
Exo 36:7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
The difference between the situation in Exodus 36:7 and today is that enough of the people had their hearts stirred up and they gave of their sufficiency of stuff. The question is not the sufficiency of resources to accomplish a task but the response of those who hold those resources to use them for that task.
We have enough stuff. There are enough Christians with enough spiritual gifts who possess enough technology, enough wealth and enough knowhow to reach this world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have the Spirit to lead, the Bible to guide, history and wonderful examples to learn from and unsurpassed freedom with which to get the gospel to these areas. We have a world filled with enough war, famine, tsunamis, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, volcanos, crime, disease and other difficulties and uncertainties that whereever we go there are reasons for people to consider their ways and beliefs. Rapid and diverse communication, transportation advancements and cross cultural influences around the globe are loosening the once unshakable traditions that have for so long hardened people from considering anything but what they have always known. Walls are being broken down but we are the ones that God has chosen to bring the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to these people.
Our task today is not to build a tabernacle in the wilderness as the children of Israel had been commanded. Rather, as the tabernacle (the church, the body of Christ) we are to be portable (ready to move at the command of God), built up to the exact specifications of God (not our methods and reasoning, but His), filled with the glory and Spirit of God and following our cloud by day and pillar of fire by night (the Bible and Holy Spirit direction). Half of this world have still never even heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and countless others in "reached" areas have not heard it clearly, seen the demonstration of sincere Spirit-filled Christians and been invested in the way that they should. There are areas, like here in Greece, NY where there is a gospel preaching church seemingly around every corner and a thousand outreach programs trying to reach this proud, affluent and humanistic society. Praise the Lord for it, but not all societies are this fortunate.
Compare Greece to Manila, Philippines or Cebu City where there are 22-24 million people combined between the two cities and maybe (MAYBE) 50 or so solid gospel preaching churches.
Any day of the week in either of these two cities there are schools with tens of thousands of children that will allow a missionary to walk in and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ while teaching things like character building, drug avoidance and crime prevention.
Exo 36:6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
Exo 36:7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
The difference between the situation in Exodus 36:7 and today is that enough of the people had their hearts stirred up and they gave of their sufficiency of stuff. The question is not the sufficiency of resources to accomplish a task but the response of those who hold those resources to use them for that task.
We have enough stuff. There are enough Christians with enough spiritual gifts who possess enough technology, enough wealth and enough knowhow to reach this world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have the Spirit to lead, the Bible to guide, history and wonderful examples to learn from and unsurpassed freedom with which to get the gospel to these areas. We have a world filled with enough war, famine, tsunamis, earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, volcanos, crime, disease and other difficulties and uncertainties that whereever we go there are reasons for people to consider their ways and beliefs. Rapid and diverse communication, transportation advancements and cross cultural influences around the globe are loosening the once unshakable traditions that have for so long hardened people from considering anything but what they have always known. Walls are being broken down but we are the ones that God has chosen to bring the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to these people.
Our task today is not to build a tabernacle in the wilderness as the children of Israel had been commanded. Rather, as the tabernacle (the church, the body of Christ) we are to be portable (ready to move at the command of God), built up to the exact specifications of God (not our methods and reasoning, but His), filled with the glory and Spirit of God and following our cloud by day and pillar of fire by night (the Bible and Holy Spirit direction). Half of this world have still never even heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and countless others in "reached" areas have not heard it clearly, seen the demonstration of sincere Spirit-filled Christians and been invested in the way that they should. There are areas, like here in Greece, NY where there is a gospel preaching church seemingly around every corner and a thousand outreach programs trying to reach this proud, affluent and humanistic society. Praise the Lord for it, but not all societies are this fortunate.
Compare Greece to Manila, Philippines or Cebu City where there are 22-24 million people combined between the two cities and maybe (MAYBE) 50 or so solid gospel preaching churches.
Any day of the week in either of these two cities there are schools with tens of thousands of children that will allow a missionary to walk in and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ while teaching things like character building, drug avoidance and crime prevention.
There are hundreds and hundreds of communities that you can enter into and gather kids around you in swarms to teach the Bible to in extension classes. Best of all, as you are ministering to kids, the parents will either gather to you or you can go to their hut and have a warm reception because you have shown love to their kids.
There are jails and prisons all over the country that are wide open for preachers of the gospel.
There are children and families all over the streets who are homeless and hopeless unless someone brings them the message of hope through Christ.
There are men that need to be be trained to go preach and teach their own people and to go to other countries as missionaries themselves, their are hospitals to visit and government agencies everywhere that desire for someone to teach them character building and messages against corruption - and we know just the Book to teach from! Not only that but there are unreached tribal peoples and muslim people groups that need the Bible in their language and people to bring the gospel to tham in the Philippines as well. The possibilities are endless, God is willing and desirous for it to happen but like the children of Israel in Exodus 36, God is looking for people to give and to go as their hearts stir them up - for surely the STUFF we have is sufficient for the task. After all, God will always have the provision to ensure that the mission is accomplished.
No where in these chapters of Exodus do I read that everyone was on board. I dont read that it was 100% participation in the cause; but even without it - the stuff they had was sufficient...and too much! It is time for us to take the provisions that God has put in our hands through no merit of our own but in His soveriegnty and like the children of Israel with their borrowed goods from Egypt, dedicate our goods, our gifts, our lives and our every energy to spreading the gospel. If no one else will respond with a willing heart, won't you?
No where in these chapters of Exodus do I read that everyone was on board. I dont read that it was 100% participation in the cause; but even without it - the stuff they had was sufficient...and too much! It is time for us to take the provisions that God has put in our hands through no merit of our own but in His soveriegnty and like the children of Israel with their borrowed goods from Egypt, dedicate our goods, our gifts, our lives and our every energy to spreading the gospel. If no one else will respond with a willing heart, won't you?
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