Abounding Grace

Guest (Male): God wants us to be generous. Here's Pastor Ed to add to that.

Pastor Ed Taylor: There is a purpose for your salary. There is a purpose for the gift cards. There is a purpose for everything that's an increase in your life. And God says, listen, I want you to give it back to me.

That's his heart for us. I want you to give it back to me. Or you could say, I want you to hold on to my stuff, God would say, with a loose grip.

Music: This is amazing grace

This is unfailing love

That you would take my place

That you would bear my cross

You laid down your life

That I would be set free

Oh Jesus, I sing for

All that you've done for me

Guest (Male): God has been so good and gracious to us. He's given us his very best. And with Good Friday right around the corner, that's on our minds right now.

But today on Abounding Grace, we want to consider the privilege we have to be generous in giving back to him. Yes, with Exodus chapter 25 in view, we bring you today's Abounding Grace. Here is Pastor Ed Taylor with his message, God Wants You to Be Generous.

Pastor Ed Taylor: Open your bibles, Exodus chapter 25. Exodus chapter 25, we've come to a very high point in our study through Exodus. I've entitled our Bible study God Wants You to Be Generous. Our topic today will be generosity.

In this high point in the book of Exodus, this covenant that God is making with the nation has been received, it's been ratified, it's been agreed upon by the people. They want to be ruled by God. This is their heart of hearts, their desire. They say, yes, everything that God has said we say yes and amen. They desire to be ruled by God, which we would call today a theocracy. A theocracy.

Their desire to follow him is powerful. It reminds me of when a person comes to know Jesus Christ personally for the first time. It's a high point in their lives. They come to a place, you come to a place, where you say, I want a theocracy in my life. I want to be ruled by God. I don't want to be ruled by my past. I don't want to be ruled by my habits. I don't want to be ruled by my sinful proclivities or the bondage or the besetting sins or all the things that have been holding us back.

As a born-again woman, as a born-again man, as someone who's a new creation in Christ, you're like, God, rule my life. Rule my life. That's my desire. A high point. It's really the highest point ever in my life. It's the highest point ever in your life, the day you responded to the love of Jesus Christ in repentance and chose to follow him.

In Colossians chapter 1 verse 13, jot it down, I love this. The Bible says, speaking of that day, the high point in your life, as much as you enjoy whatever God has for you in the future, the next high point in your days is when you see Jesus. In your life, it's when you see Jesus face to face. So you go from high point to high point.

The next high point is seeing Jesus, but notice it says in verse 13, he has delivered us, looking backwards, from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. That was the beginning of your theocracy, God ruling your life.

You came to the place, whether you voiced it or not, oh Jesus, whatever you want, you can have it all. I turn my back on everything. Whatever you say, I'll do. Whatever you have for me, I want. I want to know you. I want to know your word. I want to talk to you. Now you developed a prayer life.

I can't think of any, well, I mean I guess I could, but before I was born again, I couldn't think of any time I would pray to God unless I got in trouble. I talked to God a lot when I got in trouble. I was one of those guys, if you get me out of this, then God I'll give you my life. That kind, and then he'd get me out of this and I wouldn't give him anything. It would get worse and worse and worse.

But it's nothing like my prayer life today or my desire for fellowship or to be with other believers or just to give my life and to go a little bit extra, just a little bit extra, just a little to test the limits of my own humanity to serve the Lord with my life. It's a great place to be, to be in tune with a God who loves you.

It's also a place that if we're not cautious, we'll stray away from. You go to that place where it's the highest point in your life, the day you were born again, and you just run, run, run, and then the first trial comes, and then the first temptation comes, and then the pressure comes, and then the fear comes, and then the flesh rises up. If you're not careful, you will come down instead of continuing on in that upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

The scary thing about it is that we can still be very active in Christian activity and be far from the Lord. We can still be very active in an outward show of a relationship that once existed. You can read for homework in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, churches that lived that same way. They had a name that they were alive, but they were dead inside. They had once, the church in Ephesus once had an amazing relationship, but Jesus said, you left your first love.

We have to be careful not to be busy for busy's sake, but to be active in the things of the Lord as he leads us. That's where this new nation is. It's a very important time in their lives. They've been delivered from the bondage of Egypt. They've been delivered literally from slavery. They are no longer slaves, even though their mind has been conditioned in slavery.

They have a lot to change in their minds, a lot to learn. This is one of the areas we have to be careful because the older we get, and it's not even necessarily like super old or super young, just as you continue to grow older in the Lord, you go from 18 to 19 or 40 to 41 or 60 to 62, whatever it might be. That progression in age can sometimes send the wrong message to you and me that we don't have anything else to learn. Like we've arrived.

But there's two parts of learning, especially as believers. And by the way, just in case that gets taken out of context, nobody's arrived. Can I get an amen on that? I just want to make sure none of us have arrived. But here's the thing. You have on the one side of the coin something to learn, but you also on the other side of the coin may have something to unlearn.

That's what pricks your pride, especially the older you get, where you're in a place where you're like, oh, I don't know, maybe I, and you have habits and you have behaviors and you have these things that need to be unlearned. You may have grown up in a certain place in a certain condition, and it's just the way you've learned how to live, and the Lord says, no, I have more for you. But you have to think differently.

You have to unlearn that behavior, set it on the altar. You're no longer a slave to sin, church. You're no longer in subjugation to sin. It no longer has power over you. You have been delivered. You have been delivered from the power of sin in your life. You want to come in line with the purpose and the truth of God's word.

Now, chapter 25 begins a new section of Exodus. A section that will describe the building of the tabernacle of God. The tabernacle was a temporary tent structure, a place of worship that was designed to be used and then picked up and carried and taken to the next place, the tabernacle. The construction of the tabernacle covers chapters 25 to 40. 15 chapters dedicated in Exodus to the design, the construction, and the care of this important worship center for the nation of Israel. It's their first one coming out of Egypt.

Why so much attention? I'm giving you some heads up because we're only going to cover a few verses today. So I'm giving you some things, and we'll repeat over time, but things to write down, things to look forward to, how important the tabernacle is. Why 15 chapters for the tabernacle? Because it's a picture and a type of Jesus Christ.

All the pieces and the parts, those living in the days of the Old Testament and the old covenant were given a sneak peek into the coming of Messiah. For those of us on this side of the cross, we look back and we can see clearly the character and nature of Jesus in the tabernacle. It's my prayer that as we're studying these chapters, that you'll be overwhelmed with God's love and care for you, that his word is sure and steadfast. Not one word of God is wasted. There is purpose in it all.

For those of you that want to dig a little deeper, I encourage you to study through Hebrews, which we just finished, as we're going through this section. Now, hold your place in Exodus and turn over to John very quickly. I want you to tie these two together, John chapter 1. John chapter 1. I want you to see this and you'll tie it together with the beginning here in Exodus as the tabernacle's being revealed as a picture and a type of Jesus Christ.

Notice in verse 14 of John chapter 1. It says, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father, full of grace and truth. The word became flesh and dwelt among us. That can be read literally that the word became flesh and tabernacled among us. Don't miss this as you walk along.

The God became human flesh, the eternal God, the eternal son of God, took on a human body and came and lived among us temporarily. So for those of you who are note-takers, let me give you a few things. Again, we'll review them over time, but here as we're getting into the tabernacle, and actually we won't really get much into the tabernacle until our future study, but I want to give you some things you can think about.

Consider the similarities between the tabernacle, the structure, and Jesus Christ. Number one, the tabernacle was temporary. The tabernacle was temporary. It served a specific purpose for a specific time. Later the temple would come, a more permanent worship structure. Jesus, he dwelt among us for a very short time, 33 years. Jesus in his earthly ministry, tabernacling among us, some 33 years was temporary on the earth. There was a purpose.

Number two, the tabernacle was in the wilderness. So too Jesus our Lord as he dwelt in the wilderness, his life having nowhere to lay his head. And you could even say if you want to broaden this scope, he dealt among us, tabernacled among us in the wilderness of sin, even though he never experienced sin himself.

Number three, the tabernacle was humble in appearance. Humble in appearance. When you saw the tabernacle, it looked like a beat-up tent. There was nothing beautiful about it. It was covered in animal skins, looked very similar to the tents of the day. Jesus, the Bible says, was also humble in appearance. He took on the form of a servant.

Again in Isaiah 53:2 it says, for he, speaking of Messiah, shall grow up before him as a tender plant, as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness, and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Again, comparing the tabernacle with Jesus Christ.

Number four, the tabernacle was God's dwelling place among men. Again in Exodus 25 and verse 8 it says, let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them. Exodus 25:8. It was a place where God would dwell. Jesus, Emmanuel, which means God with us. God with us, dwelling among us in the person of Jesus. Jesus, the only mediator between God and man, the touchable, huggable, lovable God wrapped in human flesh.

Number five, the tabernacle provided the sacrifice place for sin. It was in the tabernacle where daily offerings for the sin of the nation were offered, even as Jesus on the cross was the sacrifice place for the sins of all mankind as Jesus was nailed there and died for us. Jesus, the mercy seat.

Keep these in the back of your mind, the tabernacle, a picture, a type, a grand illustration of coming Messiah. We will get there in our next study, but today I want you to draw your attention in verse 1 of chapter 25.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, speak to the children of Israel that they may bring me an offering. From everyone who gives it, mark this word, willingly. Let's say that together. Everyone who gives it willingly with his heart, you shall take my offering.

And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple, scarlet yarn, fine linen thread, goat's hair, ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood, oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense, onyx stones, stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate, and let them make me a sanctuary that I will dwell among them.

The first thing you'll notice in our current cultural climate is how God gives instruction through Moses is far different than many of the offerings demanded by pastors and preachers today. Very different. Right here in Exodus 25 is the heart of God for your giving and mine. It's the heart of God for how we use those things that he has given to us.

By the way, you noticed the list. We'll get into the list one by one, but gold, silver, scarlet, these guys have spent generations as slaves. Where are they going to get all this stuff? Or where did they get all this stuff? God gave it to them as they left. They plundered the Egyptians. It all came from God. They started with nothing. Now they're in the wilderness with everything and God says, now there's a purpose for what I've entrusted to you. You've got to jot that down.

There is a purpose for your salary. There is a purpose for the gift cards. There is a purpose for everything that's an increase in your life. And God says, listen, I want you to give it back to me. That's his heart for us. I want you to give it back to me. Or you could say, I want you to hold on to my stuff, God would say, with a loose grip.

That's what he tells them. Tell the children of Israel that I have a project for them. The project is this sanctuary. But before he ever gets there, he says, hey, just bring me an offering. And make sure you have a willing heart and anyone that gives willingly with his heart, you shall take it. If they don't give willingly with their heart, then don't take it. Let them keep it.

Because it's a very special offering I'm inviting people to be a part of. I'm inviting them. I mean, when was the last time you heard someone take an offering and say, hey, look, we only want those to give if they have a willing heart. Well, I mean, that's our approach here. So if you go back through the archives, that's exactly how I'll teach you because that's what the Bible says.

The Bible says that we're to give cheerfully, with a willing heart. And that if you can't give cheerfully or with a willing heart, then don't give. Just keep it. Spend it on yourself, do whatever you want with. Now, don't take that as advice to go, well, Pastor Ed said, I'm just telling you if that's what you want to do, then you're going to have to do that unto the Lord.

In your prayer time you'll go, you know what, God, you've blessed me with so much and I really don't care. I'm not even giving willing, I'm just going to spend it all on myself. Bless me, Lord, bless me, Lord, bless me, Lord. You're going to lose it all. That's what's going to happen. You'll lose it all. God says, give to me. Have a generous heart.

It's interesting I didn't pull this bible study out at a time where we have any big project. We don't. We don't have any big thing moving on, you know, we don't have, but believe me, it is my desire that we did. A much bigger building, a much bigger property, it would be so wonderful and so great. But that's not the timing.

You know what the timing of this message is? Exactly when God wants it, to exactly the group that he wants to give to. And he says to you today, just like he says to the children of Israel then, nothing has changed. Bring your offering with a willing heart. You have to want to do it.

Instead today you'll hear this nonsense. I just read another article recently, either yesterday or the day before, of a very popular woman preacher that is very popular today talking about giving the 133 offering. And I don't even know if she means $1,000, $1 million, I don't know what, but she's tying it in with something so that God can give you double and God can give you triple. That is never a motive to give. Never.

Don't expect anything back from the Lord. He's given you his best, his son. Don't ever invest, you know, we use the word investment, but you're not investing like the bank. When we give, we're investing in eternity. God controls the returns. And the returns don't come back in money. The returns come back in souls and lives changed and families saved and rescued and homes cleaned.

And with not too long ago with the Matthews, you as a church, you provided a used trailer that they refurbished that they now use as the mechanism by which they do their ministry. You're not going to get any, well, you know, I gave, can I at least get a couple hamburgers out of it? No, you can't get anything out of it. You gave it as unto the Lord. It's not about getting hamburgers or a 133 offering.

Just, look, if that's why you give, you have responsibility on that too, you know. It's not just the false teachers. You have responsibility. Why would you present yourself to that? I'll tell you why. Greed. Greed. These false teachers play on your greed. Well, what do you mean if I give a dollar I'll get 133 back? No. Never. It will never happen.

Well, you know, I see that testimony. I gave my offering and I sent it in and wouldn't you know it, there was a check in the mail for $133. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. Why did I, if that's false teaching, Pastor, then how did I get that check? I'll tell you how you got that check. By the grace of God. That's how you got it.

You got that check because God had it coming to you all along. If it came in the mail, it was probably on its way for a long time anyway. Because God's going to take care of you. Do you know God's going to take care of you if you give or if you don't give? He's going to take care of your life. You're going to enjoy the grace of God in your life if you give or you don't give. He's gracious.

This stuff is one of the areas of the church that so greatly frustrate me. I get personally offended by this because it really takes advantage. I think of before my mom passed away, alone in the house with a television. She wasn't really mobile, especially the time she spent in assisted living, she wasn't mobile at all. And flipping through the channels and somebody catches her eye and grabs attention and she's in a very vulnerable place. Listen, we give because God has been so gracious to us. He's been so good to us.

Not only are believers taken advantage of, but unbelievers have yet one more reason to mock the church. Even unbelievers can see through this. And just like, what? That's not how it works. If your God is so good and so gracious and gave his best, why do you need that manipulative dishonesty to fund whatever's going on? To fund the latest airplane or helicopter or big house? Why do you need, why are you begging and why are you making things up?

And maybe I'm just talking to someone listening on the radio coming home from a service that just did that to a group of people and the Lord's going, stop it. Repent. Repent from that type of behavior. We can do better than that, church. We can trust the Lord. We don't need to manipulate.

Guest (Male): This is Abounding Grace with Pastor Ed. To give this a second listen, just go online to aboundinggraceradio.com or oneplace.com or listen through the Calvary Church app. You can search for Ed Taylor to download that today.

Pastor Ed, in light of today's talk, I think it would be good to explain why we don't employ arm-twisting, guilt-driven methods to encourage people to give here at Abounding Grace, but we do invite them to be a part of what he is doing here at the ministry.

Pastor Ed Taylor: We do invite people to be a part of the Abounding Grace family, yes. And we don't use guilt or manipulation or any of those tools that might be used and employed to try to trick you or move you into giving and supporting. We just want you to be led by the spirit.

And really the direction of our raising of support financially for Abounding Grace has everything to do with living by faith. I believe if I'm going to teach anything and I'm going to have the kind of credibility that I need as a representative of Jesus, then I have to live what I teach. And because we teach to live by faith, then we want our ministries to also live by faith.

So we ask and we invite, but that's it. And we just trust the Holy Spirit to provide and he always does. He provides just enough, sometimes a little more, but just enough to keep Bible teaching on this radio, to expand it, to do all that he wants to do through our lives. And so I want to thank you for supporting, and if you want to join, please do. Share in the fruit of the ministry. God, he uses simple Bible teaching like here on Abounding Grace for great things and we'd love you to be a part of it. Join us, pray for us, give financially. Don't forget us as you think about important ministries that God is using in these last days.

Guest (Male): Thanks again, Pastor Ed. And friend, if you'd like to get behind what we're doing at Abounding Grace, there's a place to donate at aboundinggraceradio.com. What is real worship? Is it a playground, a battleground, or holy ground? Warren Wiersbe looks into this in his book titled Real Worship.

There are no shortage of books dealing with how to worship, but few that give a definition of true worship. Wiersbe has noticed four elements in true worship that involve wonder, witness, warfare, and wisdom. And we'll gladly send you a copy for a donation of $25 or more to Abounding Grace.

Thank you for remembering us in your prayers and your giving to the Lord. Your gift, whatever the size, will serve to help us reach thousands with the message of Christ. You can reach us toll-free at 877-30-GRACE. Again, 877-30-GRACE. Don't forget to ask for Real Worship as you give. You can also order it online at calvaryco.store.

There's another great study in Exodus to look forward to tomorrow on Abounding Grace with Pastor Ed. May God richly bless you with his abounding grace.

Music: This is amazing grace

This is unfailing love

That you would take my place

That you would bear my cross

You laid down your life

That I would be set free

Oh Jesus, I sing for

All that you've done for me

Guest (Male): Abounding Grace is brought to you by Calvary Church in Aurora, Colorado and online at aboundinggraceradio.com.