God not only knows what we have given him, he knows the heart with which we have given it.
Sermon Title: WORSHIP: A HEART RESPONSE TO GOD
Sermon Text: EXODUS 35(NIV)
Sermon Series: MOSES: LIFE LESSONS FROM THE HESITANT HERO
By: PTR NESTOR SY
Sermon Notes:
EXODUS 35:20-29 NIV
20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses' presence,
21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.
22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD.
23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them.
24 Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the LORD, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it.
25 Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun--blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen.
26 And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair.
27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.
28 They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.
29 All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.
The destination of worship is to encounter God.
I. THE CALL OF WORSHIP
EXODUS 35:1-2 NIV
1 Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, “These are the things the LORD has commanded you to do:
2 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death.
God begins this section on worship by reminding Israel that their relationship with him will always be visibly evident by whether or not they keep the Sabbath.
COLOSSIANS 2:16 NIV
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
MARK 2:27 NIV
27 Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
1. REST
EXODUS 35:2 NIV
2 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death.
HEBREWS 4:9-10 NIV
9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.
2. WORSHIP
EXODUS 35:2 NIV
2 For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death.
holy | Hebrew: kodesh
“to be set apart for a specific purpose”
Keeping the Sabbath involves giving our time.
If God asks you today to give your time to him, what would that be?
Reflection
II. THE OFFERING OF WORSHIP
EXODUS 35:4-5 NIV
4 Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the LORD has commanded: 5 From what you have, take an offering for the LORD. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the LORD an offering of gold, silver and bronze;
Worship involves sacrificial giving.
MATTHEW 5:44-45 NIV
45 … He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
EXODUS 36:3-8 NIV
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 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.
2 CORINTHIANS 8:1-2 NIV
1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
Generosity is not dictated by our ability to give but by our willingness to give.
“The motive behind what you do is more important
Andrew Wommack
than the action itself.”
Is your giving characterized by genuine cheerfulness?
Reflection
III. THE WORK OF WORSHIP
EXODUS 35:10 NIV
10 All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the LORD has commanded:
What we do with the skills and abilities, the talents God has given us, demonstrates our worship.
EXODUS 35:30-35 NIV
30 Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,
31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-- 32 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze,
33 to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship.
34 And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.
35 He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers--all of them master craftsmen and designers.
Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.
God won’t hold you accountable for how much you have done, but for how you have done what God asked you to do.
Are you a spectator in the kingdom of God or are you a participant?
Reflection
Dear God,
This vase has been the biggest honor of my life.
Sarah
offering | Hebrew: terumah
“to heave, or to wave.”
EXODUS 40:33-35 NIV
33 Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work.
34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.