Doing the Work of God

Exodus 31:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. 6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee; 7 The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle, 8 And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense, 9 And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot, 10 And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office, 11 And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.

12 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. 14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed. 18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

1. God gifts people to do the job

2. God wanted the tabernacle built, the ark, and the furniture that would go in the tabernacle 7 The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle,

3. The tabernacle had many needs for its construction 8 And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense, 9 And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot,

4. There were clothes that needed to be made 10 And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office,

5. There were needs for different articles, oils, and incenses to be used in worship 11 And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.

6. God prepared a special man to lead this ministry.

7. It wasn't Moses, Aaron, or Joshua so God has lots of people that He uses

8. He chose Bezaleel 31:1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:

9. God filled him with His spirit 3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

10. Many pastors may have made you feel that God gave the pastor the special dose of the Holy Spirit

11. Here you see God giving His spirit to a man that is going to be an artisan, a worker with his hands

12. God filled him with His spirit but gave him special abilities 3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,

13. He could see and understand

14. He knew what he was doing

15. He understood the job

16. He literally was gifted by God with special abilities to do this work 4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.

17. He may have thought I just like to do this work

18. He may have thought this is the way I can make a living

19. He may have considered that he was just lucky and blessed to be able to do what he could do

20. But God had a special plan for Bezaleel’s life

21. God gave Bezaleel special people to work with him 6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

22. Aholiab was also very gifted

23. He was able to do all that God wanted and needed to be done

24. His purpose was much greater than caring for his family or making money

25. Apparently with Aholiab God also gave several others to work with them and gifted them as well 6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

26. These men would only carry out what God wanted to be done.

27. They were not men with a personal agenda but rather men who would do God’s will

28. They would discover their purpose for being alive in the tabernacle

29. The question then is

30. Does God have a work for us to do here and now at Vision Baptist Church and around the world?

31. Does God still gift men to do His work?

32. Are you gifted with special abilities?

33. You can see what needs to be done

34. You don’t just talk about it but you get it done

35. You have the ability to help others get the job done

36. You actually use your abilities in your own life and work but haven't considered that maybe God blessed you to do His service

37. Have you wondered why God made you like you are and with your special gifting?

38. Will you surrender your gifts to the Lord?

39. Consider how we are taught to do the work in the New Testament

40. God gives gifted people to the church to train and equip so that all are involved in the work of the Lord Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

41. No one is to keep to himself what the Lord has shown him II Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

42. Will you get in and get the training you need?

43. Will you share with others what God is teaching you?

44. Will you do the work in the church of God that you were made and prepared to do?

45. The sabbath day

46. The sabbath day means seventh day and is on Saturday 15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

47. Violating the sabbath day brought the death penalty 14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.

48. The nation of Israel was to always keep the sabbath 16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

49. The sabbath day was really a sign between God and Israel 13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctify you. 17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

50. So some truths that I want to remember

51. Saturday was the day of rest

52. It was the day for the Jews

53. It was a sign and covenant between God and the Jews

54. It was a death penalty offense to violate it

55. The church does not nor has the true church ever exercised the death penalty

56. Many Christians have brought over much of the law to the church

57. They think it works in the New Testament but it doesn't

58. Keeping the sabbath, the day of rest, is on the same level as requiring Christians to be circumcised

59. There is nothing wrong with trying to honor Sunday and not work then but you are under no commandment

60. We are not the nation of Israel. Israel and the church are not the same entity

61. God wrote the commandments with His finger 18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

62. The ten commandments are also called the tables of testimony

63. They are on stone tablets II Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: 9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

64. The letter kills

65. It is the ministry of death

66. Engraved in stones

67. Ministry of condemnation

68. The beauty is that you have seen that they are under the mercy seat Exodus 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

69. So God gave them the law, the testimony to drive them to the mercy seat. That is where He meets with His people

• So we learn that God has shown us His law

• He has driven us to the mercy

• We realize that we were saved for a purpose

• We want to realize that purpose and so give our lives to do the work of God