Many of you know I enjoy fishing. Here are two photos of my latest catches from the few opportunities I have had to fish this year!
If I was to ask myself why I like fishing, I would have to say it is because my father built his own boat at our house, and took me fishing. We lived in Nelson, and that part of NZ was very good for fishing. The fish in the photo of me and my grandson are small, compared to what we used to catch.
PP - My father taught me in such a way, that I too, had the skill to catch fish like he did. My father used three methods to teach me:
He would tell me what to do.
Secondly he would show me what to do be demonstrating the particular skill required,
Thirdly he would let me fish and then explain what went wrong if I made a mistake.
Thankfully he encouraged me when things did go wrong.
He would wake me early in the morning, very early, because that was the best time to catch fish and the sea was normally flat.
He taught me how to tie knots on fishing lines, what rig to use for different fish and how to hook the fish.
He taught me patience when the fish were not biting and when they did, how to let them bite before trying to hook them.
The one thing he did not teach me was how to fillet fish, so even to this day it is not my favourite part of fishing. I think one of the reasons for that was that knives are sharp, and as I was young he did not want me to injure myself.
At times it was hard, but in the end really enjoyable and something I am thankful for.
PP - In the time of Jesus, fishing was a family business and fathers would pass on the skill to their sons. So in our text today it is no surprise to read comments like v 22. “They immediately followed him (Jesus), leaving the boat and their father behind.”
It may seem strange that these fishermen left their fishing so suddenly to follow Jesus. However we need to realise they would have already heard of Jesus and seen him as a great teacher.
Understanding the background of Jewish culture is important here.
PP - If a rabbi (teacher) allowed a Jewish young man to become a disciple, the disciple must agree to totally submit to the rabbi’s authority in all areas of interpreting the Old Testament for his life. This was a cultural given for all Jewish young men – something each truly wanted to do.
As a result, each disciple entered a rabbinic relationship with a desire and a willingness to do just that - surrender to the authority of God’s Word, as interpreted by his chosen Rabbi’s view of Scripture.
For example, everyone knew about the broad “no work” injunction regarding the Sabbath. But how should that command work itself out in specific terms? Thus, a real-life question regarding Sabbath observance might be, “May I light a candle on the Sabbath?” Or, “How many candles may I light on the Sabbath?” A real-life question regarding marriage might be, “Can I divorce my wife if…” A real-life question regarding tax collectors would be, “If I know my taxes are going to oppress our people, should I pay them?” The rabbi would authoritatively address such daily practical questions concerning righteous living and that response was understood as coming through Scripture as defined and interpreted by the rabbi. So disciples lived their lives in obedience to their Rabbi's understanding of the Old Testament.
It was a radical, willing, and totally conforming submission to the interpretive authority of the Rabbi.
In the 21st century discipleship is still one part of a Christian's lifestyle.
A disciple of Jesus is one who totally surrenders to Him, and His way of seeing and doing things. As such, a disciple comes with a willing desire to conform all aspects of his or her life to the authoritative Lordship of Jesus Christ.
A person is really only discipled when they can fulfil all the desires of the person discipling them. In NZ we have what we call apprenticeship programs and these last for 3 to 6 years depending on the skills being learned. I did an apprentice of 4 years to become qualified as an Electrical Fitter and Electrician. In an apprenticeship program there are many stages and tests. In the same way Jesus selected his disciples and put them all through a 3 year discipleship program.
Today we have 6 friends being baptised. This ceremony is an outer witness of an inner change of life that has begun. Each person has already become a disciple of Jesus and Baptism is one of the things that a disciple does in obedience to his or her master, the Lord Jesus Christ. As we know even Jesus was baptised in obedience to his heavenly father.
The calling of the first disciples came at the beginning of Jesus preaching ministry. In verse 17 of Matthew chapter 4 we have a summary statement of Jesus message just before he called these fishermen to follow him.
PP - “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of God is near”
Repentance is a change of direction from facing away from God to facing God. Kingdom ministry for a disciple is all about a change of direction for both the disciple and the one being discipled.
Now with this understanding let's look at today's passage.
PP - (Read) Verse 18 to 22 - we have the record of the calling of two sets of brothers.
v 18 Simon and Andrew
v 21 James and John
In both cases v 20 and 22 tell us that immediately they left something behind and followed Jesus.
Simon and Andrew = nets
James and John = their boat and their father
PP - In both cases Jesus called out to them. In the case of Simon and Andrew we know exactly what he said. “Come follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” This was a call to a new and radical form of discipleship.
A disciple is someone who needs to learn new skills.
Fishing for fish, they knew how to do, but 'fishing' for people, was a completely new activity. For Jesus's disciple this was the start of a steep learning curve. They would make mistakes, and have to start again, but in the end the world was turned upside down by the work and power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus 12 chosen disciples.
From today's passage let me answer two questions. The answers to these two questions are very important and they fit with seventh core value of MBCC. This core value was actually written in last week's newsletter.
PP - Personal growth and discipleship that trains and equips to live, act and breathe God's Kingdom and equips others to do the same.
What things did these men have to learn to be good disciples?
What did Jesus do to train these fishermen?
PP - 1. What things did these men have to learn and do to be good disciples? Here are just four.
Trust Jesus and give up their present income from fishing v 18 “for they fished for a living”
Strongest focus on Jesus, and not fishing or family.
Acknowledge and follow Jesus as their Rabbi - teacher and spiritual guide.
Be willing to make changes to their lifestyle and learn new skills.
Remember that in Jewish thinking the disciples were able to discuss matters with the Rabbi but in the end they had to agree to His interpretation of scripture. For Jesus disciples this would be a wild ride for Jesus view of the OT was nothing like the normal Rabbi. Jesus teaching was new, fresh and challenging to the status quo of his day.
Jesus put it this way:
“Not everyone who calls out to me 'Lord! Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in Heaven will enter.”
Just as Jesus learned obedience to His Heavenly Father these new disciples had to learn obedience to Jesus. Jesus put it another way in John 15:16 - 17.
PP - “You didn't choose me, I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my commandment: Love each other.”
PP – Counting the cost, carrying the cross and following Christ in cross-cultural mission is all part of the joy and challenges of being made into fishers of men.
# The story of my struggle in Nelson to return to Japan after 20 years in Japan. It was during the Lord's Supper.
First time in 1974 all new and exciting but the second time, 20 years later we had a fuller understanding of the cost of following.
- Leaving family and friends.
- Schooling issues for Julie and Susan.
- Slow results in Japan.
- Good job at Honda.
- Financial support challenges.
- Experience made it harder not easier.
So what experiences did Jesus put the disciples through, in order to train them to do the will of his Father in Heaven?
2. What did Jesus do together with these fishermen to train them?
PP - Read verses 23 – 25
PP - Travelling and Teaching V.23
When you travel with others you soon get to know them very well. When you hear what they teach almost every day you begin to understand the message. As a disciple you would be learning the power and importance of teaching God's Word in a new and creative way. An example would be Jesus use of parables and completely different interpretations than the normally accepted.
Here is an example: Matthew 5: 43 – 44 (Read) “You have heard the law that says, Love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you!”
These new disciples would have constantly heard Jesus say “You have heard the law that says..... but I say..”
As a disciple you too must be able to teach those who don't know Jesus Christ new ways of thinking and about life and who Jesus really is.
Heralding and Healing V.23-24
These disciples not only heard the announcing of the good news but they also saw people healed of every kind of disease and illness. Verse 24 gives three kinds of healings – demon possessed, epileptic, paralyzed. Just imagine what they experienced. This was not just head knowledge but real hands on experience that later they too would be commissioned to do. If you are my disciple you will do what I do! Discipleship is not just head knowledge but in a real sense the practical outworking of the Gospel through weak human beings like you and I.
People and Places V.25 (Map)
For Jesus and his disciples, people and places mean no rest from the crowds and very often dealing with people of other cultures. Galilee, Ten towns, Jerusalem, Judea and East of the Jordan River.
Galilee, Jesus' homeland where he is preaching at this time
The Decapolis, literally "the Ten Towns", largely Gentile Greek cities
Jerusalem, the political and spiritual capital of the region – city dwellers
Judaea, the heartland of the Jews to the south of Galilee
East of the Jordan River. This area was inhabited by the Israelite Tribes Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh
Discipleship training meant cross cultural training. It was people focused and involved the word of God and the power of God
As Jesus disciples how are we doing?
It is not our ability that Jesus looks for but our availability.
Are we doing what Jesus teaches us each day, and sharing God's love with those who don't know it?
Are we seeking to disciple young Christians? People see Jesus through us. (Allan Knight's story when in Hachinohe. Corner house - “That's where Jesus lives!”)
Maybe God wants to heal someone through your prayer of faith? Maybe He just wants you to reach out in love and assist someone who is needing care and healing.
Are we willing to sacrifice our time and energy for people from other countries?
Are we loving each other as Jesus commanded us?
Each day, are we walking in close fellowship with Jesus by reading the Bible and prayer?
From Luke 5:16 we see one more very important activity the disciples needed to know about and practice.
PP - V16 “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.”
So by the time we get to Chapter 11 the disciples are very motivated to learn how to pray and ask their teacher to teach them how to pray. “Lord teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1)
The foundation of discipleship is prayer. It is a life that humbly recognises total dependence on Jesus for power and wisdom so daily asks him for help in prayer.
One aspect of prayer is asking God to show you how to fish for people.
Read Matthew 4:19 “Come follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people”
A true disciple is a person whose life has been so transformed by their encounter with Jesus, that this encounter transforms not only the disciples values, thinking and lifestyle, it also fills their soul with a deep need to pray. To pray that they will be used to make disciples for Jesus.
PP - Jesus put it this way “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Teach these disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.
AND I WILL BE WITH YOU!!! Matthew 28:19 – 20
WEDDING CLOTHES
Matthew 22:1-14
I guess most of you here have been to a wedding at some time in your lives and for many, of course, it was your own wedding. When we got married in Japan, a very long time ago now, I had never been to a Japanese wedding so I had an image in my head of a Kiwi wedding. So, I made my own dress because that is what most people in NZ did in those days, just used my every day make-up and actually forgot to organize a hairdresser to do my hair until the very last moment. We had both the wedding service and the reception outside so it was a very casual arrangement. It wasn't until some months later when I went to a Japanese wedding that I realized just how far off the mark we had been compared to a true Japanese wedding. For those of you who don't know about a Japanese wedding, the bride and groom often change their clothes 2 or 3 times from one gorgeous outfit to another. Some, I hear, even change their clothes 5 times. This, of course, costs a lot of money and some families have to take a loan in order to pay for it all. Our wedding, by the way, was probably the cheapest ever held in Japan! Probably most of us think more about what we are going to wear when we go to a wedding than at other times.
The passage we had read to us earlier is about a very different type of wedding feast. This is a parable which is a made-up story to illustrate some point. Jesus used this tale to show what God's kingdom, heaven, is like and how we can enter it. “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for His Son.” The King of course is God the Father and the Son, Jesus. Imagine what the wedding feast will be like for the Son of God! When parents are arranging details of a wedding for their children one of the first things they consider is the cost and the amount of money they have available will determine to some extent what kind of feast they will have. Some film stars spend obscene amounts of money on their weddings. It has been estimated that the Brad Pitt / Angelina Jolie wedding cost is $10 million! Think for a minute of the father, God, in this story – Psalm 50 God says “Every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills….. for the world is mine, and all that is in it.” Everything that is, comes from Him and belongs to Him. What kind of wedding feast then do you suppose it might be when it is put on by a Father who has no limit to His resources? Think of the most amazing, most gorgeous meal, wedding or feast you have ever been to or heard about and realize that God is putting on a wedding feast far superior to anything we could ever imagine and it will be the biggest feast ever held with more people attending than has ever been recorded. The wedding feast God is planning will be far better than anything ever filmed by any paparazzi anywhere. And the most amazing thing is that we are all invited to it!
It is rather a shock when reading this parable to get to verses 11 and 12 and find how the King treats a guest who is not suitably dressed. He first of all asks the guest how he managed to get in without the correct attire but then, instead of quietly asking the intruder to leave, He calls the guards, has him tied up and thrown outside. That's what the parable says “thrown outside.” Not just gently escorted outside but literally thrown out into the darkness. What a terrible picture! Have you ever been to a wedding or some formal occasion and seen someone who has not got the right type of clothes being asked to leave? When we were on the Sunshine Coast in Australia earlier this year we went to a restaurant which, even though it was located right by the beach had a big notice stating that people with jandals on were not welcome. There are times when it is important to wear the right clothes for that occasion. If a guest arrived at a formal wedding in a T-shirt, old jeans and jandals I wonder what would happen! Would they be allowed into the venue? It would certainly create a problem in Japan. It is clear that it is necessary to have the correct clothes on for a wedding.
Why is it necessary to have the right clothes for the wedding feast God is planning? This is because our holy, righteous God cannot welcome sinful people into His house. In Habakkuk 1:13 it says, of God, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil.” Remember, when Jesus was on the cross He said, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me!” Jesus was paying the price for all of our sins so they were placed on him and because of that, God could no longer look at Him even though Jesus was His beloved Son. This wedding feast is going to take place in God's home, heaven and He cannot have sin present in His holy place. The only way we can get into His home is to tell Him we are sorry for things we should not have done, ask for forgiveness and decide to follow Jesus the rest of our lives. It doesn't matter how 'good' we might be, from God's point of view, “all our righteousness is as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6 As humans, we often have a scale of evil which is formed in our heads by our experiences and our culture. By this I mean that we have an unwritten list which says that perhaps murder is the worst sin, stealing is not quite as bad as long as nobody gets hurt, and telling little lies is not so bad and really can't be classified as 'sin.' But that is not how God looks at 'sin'. Psalm 53:2,3 “God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned away, they have become corrupt: there is no one who does good, not even one.” What a shocking verse! Surely there is a mistake here – even if I'm not good enough surely God thinks the pastor is a 'good man.' However, God does not keep the same scale of sin that we do. James says “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” James 2:10. Probably we have not committed murder or burgled someone else's house but maybe we have told a little, wee lie. In that case, we have broken God's law and cannot enter God's presence without having that lie covered. You will have read about what Jesus thought of the religious leaders of the time when he was on earth. The general public looked at the leaders and thought how amazing and 'good' they were. They were given the best places in restaurants and weddings and were always treated with respect. And, they themselves thought they were very good and holy. However, Jesus said to them “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.” Matthew 23:27 They, the religious leaders, looked good and clean on the outside but Jesus said that actually they were stinking. The leaders of that time spent a lot of time keeping rules and thought by doing that they could be righteous but they ignored the sin on the inside. When Jesus looked at them their rule-keeping efforts were just a bunch of “filthy rags.” Even our best efforts are not good enough for us to attend the wedding feast prepared by the King. This is why we must have the clothes acceptable to the King in order to attend the wedding feast He is putting on for His Son, Jesus.
Where are we going to get clothes that are acceptable to the King? Apparently, in Middle Eastern cultures in those days a king who was putting on a wedding might supply clothes for the feast. If that is the case here then the man had no excuse to be improperly attired. Also, when you consider the previous verses where the servants went out in to the village to invite everyone to the feast, because the preparations were already complete, the people who then decided to accept the invitation would not have had time to go out and buy suitable clothing so it is safe to presume that the king actually supplied all of the necessary clothes. The King had wedding clothes already prepared for this man so why did he not put them? Did he think he was good enough just as he was? Was he just too lazy or too proud? No reason is given in the story. All we know is that he did not have on what had been prepared for him by the king and therefore he could not stay for the celebrations. God has prepared wedding clothes for every one of us but we are the ones who have to accept them and put them on. The man mentioned in this story missed out on taking part in the feast. Does this mean that God purposely leaves some people out? No, it is not God's will that anyone should miss out on the wedding feast He is preparing. He has given an open invitation to every person without exception. I'm not sure whether many of you follow rugby, in particular, the All Blacks here in NZ. When the selectors are going to pick a team, the players let the selectors know whether they are available or not. Some may have signed a contract with a team in another country, or have health issues or for some other reason may say that they are not available. In that case they will not be chosen. In the same way, if we show God we are available and interested He will pick us for His team. His team is not just for the rich or famous, the talented or good-looking but it is for anyone who acknowledges Jesus as their Lord. It is up to us to accept God's invitation and by doing that we receive the clothes He has prepared for us.
What are the clothes that have been prepared for me? Isaiah 61:10 “He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness.” Notice the first word in this verse, “He.” This refers to God, the King, who, at the moment we become a Christian, gives us something to cover up the 'dirty rags' we're dressed in. We are covered with the righteousness of Jesus. This means that when God looks at us He doesn't see all the dirt. Instead, he sees pure, white robes which He has given us. It doesn't matter what you may have done in the past, it's all covered up by the new robe of salvation which we have received from God. I'm sure most of you remember the famous story which Jesus told of the prodigal son. He wanted to leave his home and his father and go out on his own instead of depending on his father. He received the money that would have come to him when his father died and went far away. While he had money, so-called 'friends' helped him spend it all and when he had nothing left he ended up looking after some farmer's pigs. What a long way he had fallen from the wonderful life he had in his father's house. At last, he realized how stupid he had been and started back to his father's house intending to work for his father as a servant. Even before he got to the door his father saw him and ran to him to welcome him back. Do you remember what the first words were that the father said to his returned son? The story is found in Luke 15. Verse 22 says “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him.” Can you imagine the kind of clothes the son would have been wearing? He had been working with pigs, probably living in the barn with them and wishing he could eat the food they were eating. I'm not sure whether he would have had access to a shower or a washing machine so his clothes would have been dirty, probably with holes in them and what a smell! That is exactly how we look to God when we go to Him. But He says “Quick! Bring the robe and put it on him. Quick! Bring the robe and put it on her.” In this way, the dirty clothes of our efforts and our sins are covered over and God sees only the pure, clean garment which He has donated to us.
Some of the men may not understand this but, when you receive an invitation to a wedding, one of the first things a woman says is, “But I've got nothing to wear!” Yet when you look in their wardrobe there seems to be heaps of clothes. We worry about whether we are suitably dressed. Some worry about whether they will be outclassed by someone else there. Or worse still, that someone else might be wearing the same dress as we've bought. These are all very important things. But, for the wedding banquet arranged by the King of Kings we all have the same clothes, the clothes of salvation, so we do not have to compare ourselves with anyone else or worry that we may not be dressed right. He has provided all we need. These garments are not something that we can buy or make ourselves. When we read in Genesis the story of Adam and Eve we see that after they had sinned by not obeying God, “The Lord God made them garments.” They could not cover up their sin by themselves but needed God to do it for them.
Thinking back to the story of the prodigal son in Luke15 we see that the father not only gave the returned son the best robe but also put a ring on his finger. I don't know how many of you have watched the movie “Ben Hur”. It's a great classic with a number of spiritual truths hidden in it. Judah Ben Hur was a rich Jewish prince whose best friend, when he was young, was a Roman boy. When they grew up the Roman boy became governor of the area Ben Hur was living in and because they had different political views he sent Ben Hur to prison. Ben Hur was eventually adopted by a famous Roman senator. The scene of the adoption is particularly moving. The Roman man legally adopts Ben Hur and during the ceremony gives him a ring. This ring is not just any ring but it has a seal imprinted on it which was used instead of a signature. It gave Ben Hur the same authority, the same power as his Roman adopted father. As a result of this Ben Hur becomes a citizen of Rome and as a son will inherit all of his father's wealth. This is an amazing picture of what God has done for us. Not only did He give us a robe of righteousness He has also adopted us and given us the right to be called a son or daughter of the Most High King. He has put his ring on our finger to show that we have an inheritance coming to us.
As well as the “robe of righteousness”, God has provided other garments for us. In Psalm 30:11 “you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.” Sackcloth was a material made of coarse, black goat's hair which was woven to make material which, as the name suggests, was used for sacks. It was very rough material so would have been very uncomfortable to wear. People used it when they wanted to show deep repentance. When we have done something that we know was wrong, we feel remorse and regret what was done. We have a bad feeling as though we were clothed in rough sackcloth. However, if we take our sorrow to God and truly repent saying that we really are sorry for what we did, He forgives us and exchanges the rough, heavy sackcloth-like feeling for one of relief and joy that we have been forgiven.
As soon as we acknowledge our sin to God and ask for forgiveness He gives us the robe of righteousness. After that, is it okay for us just to do whatever we like? No, not at all. Revelations 22:14 says “Blessed are those who wash their robes.” God has given us the robe but we have a responsibility to keep it clean. In our everyday lives we do things, say things, think things that are not pleasing to God which cause our robes to become soiled and it is our responsibility to clean them. How do we do that? When we sin we go to Jesus in prayer for cleansing knowing that “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is something that we need to do frequently. Of course, when we pray, we talk to God about anything that is troubling us and ask God for His help as well as for His forgiveness. Also, in Ephesians 5:26 Paul talks of “the washing of water through the Word.” Another way that we keep our wedding garments clean is by reading the word which is the Bible. How often do you wash the clothes that you have on now? Once a year? Once a month? With a lot of the clothes we wear we wash them every day. In the same way, we need to wash our wedding robes by reading the Bible every day. Imagine how dirty the clothes would get if we only wash them once a month! As we read the Bible, sometimes it feels as though nothing is happening but it is still washing us. Sometimes, the dishes you have used after eating don't look very dirty but you still wash them just to be sure. In the same way, we may not 'feel' that our 'clothes of salvation' are dirty but they still need a wash.
You and I have all received an invitation to the greatest wedding feast ever. If we've told God that we want to be on His team then we have already received our wedding clothes. All we have to do now is to keep them clean – to spend time with Jesus every day by praying, confessing our sins and by reading the Bible. My prayer is that everyone here will be at the greatest wedding feast ever.
Reading (Exodus 31: 1-6) (John 14: 26)
Background: God wants to live among us.
In previous chapters Exodus, we read God led Israelites out of Egypt. He performed many miracles, so that Pharaoh agreed to let Israelis leave. Exodus chapter 13, “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people”(21-22). God was guiding his people, led them out of slavery, running to the land that He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
In the desert, God has a job for Israelites to do, that was to make the tabernacle—not a permanent building, but rather a big tent which can be easily dismantled and carried away by Israelis to the next camp site.
Why did God want a tabernacle? Was it because He had no place to live, so that He had a shelter from the Sun, the sandstorm?
In chapter 25, verse 8, the LORD said” 8Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them.” The reason to build the tabernacle is because, God wanted to dwell among his people. Please note, it was not Moses or Israelis asked God to live in them, it was God Himself took the initiative action, “I want to live among you”.
God didn’t dwell in people at beginning, because he was busy leading the people out of Egypt to a safe place. He performed all super natural miracles to establish his absolute authority over his creation, to show and convince Egyptians and Israelis that He is the LORD, the sovereign God.
Now after they crossed the red sea, the threat of Egyptian army resolved, God had a new plan for his people, a plan to train and teach his people to know more about Him. To achieve this, Lord wanted to dwell among his people, so that they could knew him first hand. After about 400 years after Joseph’s time, most Israelites didn’t know God as the way Jacob or Joseph did. To most of them, the LORD, YHWH, was a name they only heard of but never ever had a chance to have intimate relationship with. Who is the LORD, what are the things he likes, or not like; what shall we do or not to do to please him? How can we do to worship him? So God decided to live in Israelites so that they could start to learn more about Him.
Interesting fact is that God didn’t speak to Israelis for 400 years before Jesus came. God decided to became flesh to dwell among his people. This time, He is going to live the life that his people could see and witness, so that they would have no excuses to say they didn’t know God.
Do you see God’s heart here? It has always been God’s desired to meet his people ever since He created Adam. God hasn’t changed. His passion for his children never changes—that is lead us know Him more, to lead us to be more like him.
God gives gifts
So God asked Israelites to build this tabernacle, the ark of covenant and all utensils in the tabernacle . Problem is no one had seen these thing before, so no one knew how to build them.
Here we read
“ Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.”
God had chosen Bezalel son of Uri. Pay attention to this. It is God who chose Bezalel. If God asks you to do something, he will give you gift to get it done. He always equips his people to do his work.
Example. (Peter)—Peter didn’t pastor a church before.
Today we are called to build temple in where? In our heart. Paul said “don’t you know your body is the temple of Lord”. Today God command us to build his temple among the people. How? Will God equip us? Yes.
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.(John 14: 26)
As God gave Bezalel skills and talent to build tabernacle, same way today, God gives us Holy Spirit to build His kingdom among us.
Remember, we are here today is not by chance, today we are sitting here, not elsewhere is because God has chosen you to build his temple, and He will equip you, He will give you wisdom, power, strength, and the Spirit to help you build his temple.
Maybe you think, who am I, how can God use a small person like me? Hudson Taylor said “All God’s giants have been weak men, who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them.”
God builds His team
6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you.”
God doesn’t send you to do the work alone, He knows you need help. He Knows you can’t do things by yourself.
A rope has greater strength than the combined individual strength of the strands that make it up? Why is this? The answer is quite simple. Individual strands have weak spots along them, points at which they easily break. But in a rope, the weak spots are randomly distributed along the length of the rope and the twist in the rope allows the surrounding strands to cancel out the weak spots of the individual fibres.
It’s the same with people. We all have strengths and weaknesses. On our own our weaknesses can break us, but together we work to achieve strength for all.
When US built the Pacific Railroad, which was the first transcontinental railroad in USA, a lot of Chinese Labours were recruited to do the job. So the management found out despite the fact Chinese were physically not as strong as Europeans, they worked far more efficient than Europeans. Chinese seldom got sick, because they drank boiler water, they didn’t go to pub so there was no hungover. He then found out Chinese were very quick and accurate to get the nuts and bolts on rails. So he divided his team, Europeans, physically stronger, were in charge of laying the rails, Chinese were in charge of put on the nuts and bolts, and boiling water. So in the end, his team had less sickness, and work much more efficiently than before. During a competition between west and east team, they beat the eastern side team by far.
So God gathered all kinds of people to work together building his tabernacle.
God has a heart for us not just living among us, He also wants build us together as a team. A good leader knows how to build his team, he will diligently delegate work to his team, give them a vision, motivate them, encourage them, bond them together, driven them to achieve the vision.
God gave Israelis different skills, Bezalel, Oholiab and all other workers, they all had their small part of job to do. Though they didn’t know what the final product would be, what they needed to do was to obey God’s command. Because God had the blue print.
In the same way, Jesus asked us to build the temple, and He gives us spirit to help us.
In Ephesians 4, Paul said there is one Lord, one father, one spirit, one body, but to each one of us, God gives us different gifts, he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers so that we can build one body, one church, one tabernacle for Jesus to dwell among us.
When you are given the task from God. All you need to do is being good at it. All of us are delegated work by God in some respect. If God asks to be a builder, then be good at it; if a teacher, be good at it; if a husband, be good at it, a wife, be good at it. Because by being good at what you do, you give honour to the LORD, because he puts you at this position. Together we can build God’s team.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.(Romans 8:28）
Equipment from God
Let’s have a look how many skills are required to build the tabernacle.
4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts …7 the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— 8 the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, 9 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand— 10 and also the woven garments, both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests, 11and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. They are to make them just as I commanded you.”
Our God is a very detailed God, here He listed all the detailed works the Israelis needed to do and He gave them skills accordingly. In chapter 35 to 40, Moses recorded in details how the tabernacle was built according to God’s demand. Well in the Old Testament time, the tabernacle and the temple were physical buildings, today God give us ability and gifts to build temple in peoples heart, this building is no longer a physical building, so we need different skills and gifts.
Gifts of holy spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7-11),
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”
Note this, these gifts are not obtained by yourself, these are gifts given by the Spirit. Same way as God gave knowledge and skills to Bezalel, Oholiab and all other workers in the desert. God is still busying working today
In Romans 12 (to build the body)
6We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
We are serving a living God, His heart never changes. He still wants to live among us today. We need to build a temple so that He can live among us .
Will God give us gifts to build the Temple? Of course, same as in Moses time. Now comes the question, do you know your gift? Are you aware what kind of gifts you have? If you don’t know your gift how can you build the temple of the Lord.
In the coming new year, I pray we all have deeper knowledge of God. The more you know about God, the more you know about yourself. The more you serve God, the better your life will be.