Imagine if you were sitting in church one Sunday listening to the sermon. The topic is stewardship, and you are thinking, “They are getting ready to ask me for money.” Then, to everyone’s surprise, the pastor said, “You have given more than enough! Please stop giving.” What would you think? How would you feel? Perhaps you would say to yourself, “In all my years I have never heard a preacher say that before!” Well, what if I were to tell you that this has happened before? Read more to find out . . .
Over the years, I have been part of several stewardship campaigns, both as a church member and as a pastor. For example, during seminary, Melanie and I were members of Richmond’s First Baptist Church. They were involved in a multi-million-dollar campaign to pay off debt and to renovate and expand their campus. Later, as pastor of New Highland Baptist, where I served before HRBC, we led three different capital stewardship campaigns: the first to purchase ten acres of land and to build phase one — the sanctuary, fellowship and education space; the second campaign was to expand our educational space; and the third was to build phase two, the Christian Life Center, commercial kitchen, music suite, and more classroom space. In all those years, I never said or heard it said that we had given more than enough and for folks to stop giving.
However, this vision is possible when God’s people come together in faith, obedience and unity. Why? Because it’s in scripture and what God has done before, God will do again!
Let’s go back to Exodus. In chapter 35, God gave Moses instructions to build the Tabernacle. This was to be the portable tent-like structure where the Israelites would worship throughout their journey in the wilderness. Later God would instruct the building of the Temple. The Tabernacle preceded the Temple, but the reverence, design and implements in both were very similar.
God’s people were instructed to give sacrificially (see Exodus 35:4-9). God also called people who had the spiritual gift of craftsmanship to fabricate and construct the Tabernacle (see Exodus 30:30-35).
In chapter 36, the narrator reports what happened next:
1 So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.”
2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 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 workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing 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. (emphasis mine)
The people were so faithful in their giving that there was more than enough! And God told Moses to restrain the people from giving further! What an amazing story! Now, we know that this was not a “one and done.” God’s people would continue to give as a regular part of their worship. But the “building campaign” had received ample gifts and they could then focus on other things that God wanted them to do. Perhaps there’s a message in this for us: We cannot outgive God; When God gives an assignment, God will always supply the means; and ultimately, God is MORE THAN ENOUGH!
In Christ’s service,
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