Participants:
Series Code: BOLS
Program Code: BOLS000021S
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00:09 Sermon #S012 - (The Unrealistic Church - Part 1)
00:20 Pastor Snell: Exodus 36 and verse number one is a very powerful story for our consideration as we talk today on how faith impacts 00:32 the body of Christ. Exodus 36:1, when you get there just say, "Amen." 00:35 The Bible says, "And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whom the LORD has put wisdom and understanding, 00:48 to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, 00:51 shall do according to all that the LORD has commanded. Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, 01:01 and every gifted artisan in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, every one whose heart was stirred, 01:08 to come and do the work." Do the work. 01:11 "And they received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had 01:17 brought for the work of the service of making the sanctuary. 01:20 So they continued bringing to him freewill offerings every morning. 01:25 Then all the craftsmen who were doing all the work of the sanctuary came, each from the work he was doing, 01:33 and they spoke to Moses, saying, 01:35 'The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded us to do.' 01:43 So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, 01:49 'Let neither man nor woman do any more work for the offering of the sanctuary.'" 01:55 And watch this, the Bible says, "And the people were restrained from bringing, 02:00 for the material they had was sufficient for all the work to be done─indeed too much." 02:09 But I want to read for emphasis Verse 5, the Bible says, "And they spoke to Moses saying, 02:14 The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the Lord has commanded us to do.' 02:23 " Today, saints, for a little while, I want to talk to you under the subject - The Unrealistic Church. 02:30 The Unrealistic Church. 02:31 Let's pray together. Father, you have brought about a revival in the body of Christ. 02:43 Now, I'm praying that that revival would express itself in a reformation that changes the trajectory of history, 02:52 that allows us to complete the work that you've given us to do so Jesus can come. 02:57 So, Father, we need your Holy Spirit to rain down so that the Word can be preached. 03:02 But, Lord, we need an even greater anointing so that the Word can be received. 03:07 So, Lord, would you allow faith to be multiplied exponentially in this place. 03:12 And, Lord, may your spirit be so dense that it smothers every other alternative principality. 03:19 This, Father, is our prayer and our plea, we ask it in the wonderful name of Jesus. 03:23 Let them that believe say together, Amen. And, Amen, you may be seated in the house of the Lord today. 03:32 Again, we're talking today about the unrealistic church. You know, saints, 03:47 our text today is one of the few bright spots in Israel's wilderness narrative. 03:55 And in many ways, this story is a microcosm of what the church should and could actually be. 04:05 In the building of the temple, God's people were so liberal with their ministry gifts 04:10 and with their financial gifts that they actually had to be restrained from giving 04:17 because what they gave was more than enough. And perhaps this particular story is interesting. 04:25 It's one that we hardly reference. In fact, if you are not a student of the Bible, 04:31 you've probably never heard this story preached. And what we tend to do, 04:36 my friends is to highlight Israel's failures. We're very familiar with the fact that they murmured and complain. 04:44 We are all aware that they did not have gratitude for the manner that was supplied. 04:50 We are very aware of how they fashioned a molten calf. 04:55 We have all taken note of their meltdown once they got the report of the twelve spies. 05:01 But the miracle of generosity and committed service is way too often overlooked. 05:08 And, see, there is this emphasis on what Israel did wrong 05:13 but there was always an omission of the things that they actually got right. 05:19 And let me pause to say this, friends, that there is always an emphasis on what the church is doing wrong, 05:27 but we are quick to omit the things that the church actually does correct. 05:33 You see, friends, there is the emergence of what I call gripe culture in the church where we accurately point 05:42 out everything that is wrong in the church. And that's not a problem because the church, in fact, 05:48 needs some correction, but the problem with gripe culture is that it is quick to make a criticism 05:55 but it is slow to make a contribution. In fact, saints, 06:00 let me say it this way that I've been around long enough to know criticizing people 06:06 and I know contributing people and I need you to know that they are never ever the same people. 06:13 In fact, I saw someone put on Facebook this week that there is more love in the club than there is in the church, 06:22 but I need you to know the devil is a liar. 06:26 In fact, the community will attest by where they go to have their needs met. 06:32 In fact, when somebody needs a light bill paid, they ain't sitting outside the club 06:38 because they know there's no compassion there. They're going to make their way to wherever God's people are 06:45 because that's where the mercy is. When somebody's hungry and needs something to eat, 06:50 they're going to wait outside of a church service, they're not going to happy hour. 06:55 They're going to find a Dorcas Ministry because that's where the love actually is. 07:00 And, see, the problem is that we are uneven in our assessment and somewhat forgetful. 07:07 See, we're quick to remember the old lady that talked about how short your skirt is 07:12 but we forget about those old ladies that fill cards with money when you graduated from school. 07:19 Isn't it amazing how we are quick to say how the church has failed the young people, 07:27 but we forget about all the AYM pathfinder leaders that drove church vans at the midnight 07:34 hour to make sure that you got to a federation or to your game? 07:38 We are quick to highlight those that corrected us harshly but we forget those that interceded for us fiercely. 07:47 And, see, the problem with gripe culture is that we only notice what is wrong. 07:53 Ain't that crazy how loud we get when the church school is struggling 07:59 but we ain't got nothing to say when the principal brings forth a good report? 08:03 We noticed whenever the usher has an off day but we never say thank you for all of the gracious days. 08:12 We are quick to notice the young person wearing jewelry in the choir 08:17 but we forget to notice that there's a young person actually singing, are y'all not with me, in the choir. 08:24 And what I want to just pause and say, saints, 08:27 is you ought to get to a place where you become weary of those whose spiritual gift is criticism. 08:35 You ought to be aware of those who feel like they've been anointed to point out and tear down 08:42 and call out everything that is wrong in the church. 08:45 In fact, the problem is that we don't have a strong enough harvest in the church 08:51 because we've got too many church weeds. 08:55 You always are anxious whenever you see weeds in your grass or in your garden because what weeds do is 09:04 they kill everything in sight because they hoard all the nutrients from the soil. 09:10 They hoard all the water or hydration from the soil. 09:14 They'll even block the sunlight from getting to other plants. 09:18 And how many of us know that we got some weeds in the church? 09:21 And, see, be careful because they think they're coming to befriend you 09:26 but they're actually taking all of your hydration. They're robbing you of all your nutrients 09:32 and the crazy thing about some is that they will drive everybody out of the church 09:37 but still be sitting up here every Sabbath and you've got to be careful of the weeds so they don't steal your joy. 09:46 Can the church say, Amen? 09:48 [Congregation: Amen] 09:49 Pastor Snell: And so go back with me if you don't mind to Exodus 09:52 and I want you to go over one chapter to Chapter 35 09:55 and I want you to look at verse 30 as we quickly unpack the word today. Exodus 35:30. 10:03 When you get there say, Amen. 10:04 Exodus 35:30. The Bible says, "And Moses said to the children of Israel, 10:11 "See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, 10:17 the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, 10:23 in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, 10:33 to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, 10:42 and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship." 10:47 Now, saints, there are just again a few things I want to share with you today 10:51 but I need you to understand that in an unrealistic church, the members understand the purpose of their gifts. 11:01 See, I need to know that there's a formula. In an unrealistic church, they have excessive people who give 11:11 and they've got an excessive number of people who serve. 11:16 And, see, the reason we don't have an excessive number of people who serve is 11:21 because we don't understand the purpose of our gifts. You see, I need you to notice something, saints. 11:28 Did you notice that in the text that these men that the spirit falls on that they are not Levites? 11:38 In other words, these are not priests. They are not prophets. They are not a part of the ecclesiastical order. 11:47 But the Bible says that the spirit falls upon men that have the gift to be able to engrave and embroider, 11:55 to design and build and understand that the same spirit that comes upon Moses to 12:03 prophesy is the same spirit that comes upon them to build and to put things in place. 12:10 Now, I need you to get this because a surface reading of the text makes 12:16 it look like the spirit just came on them in their sleep 12:20 and equipped them with these gifts that they first put in use when they begin to build the tabernacle. 12:27 That's not true. In fact, up until this point, 12:31 the only time they've had a chance to use their gifts was to design and engraved buildings 12:39 and temples in the land of Egypt. 12:42 But the word says that it was the spirit that put in them the ability to perform this workmanship, 12:50 and what is being revealed is that even though they've only use these gifts in Egypt, 12:57 the gifts were actually given to them by God. 13:02 So, in other words, these gifts may have been honed in Egypt. They may have been developed in Egypt. 13:09 They may have been perfected in Egypt, 13:12 but the scripture is teaching us that the gifts were ultimately given to them by God. 13:18 In other words, friends, the purpose of this is to make an acknowledgement that all of the gifts are given to us 13:26 by Jesus. It is why the Book of James says that every good and perfect gift comes from above 13:36 and it comes down from the Father of Lights. 13:39 See, we think that the only spiritual gifts are the gifts to be able to preach and to sing. 13:46 But the Bible says that the spirit gave ability to people to do design work and engraving, 13:53 to teach and to do tapestry, 13:56 and I guess what I'm asking today - do I have at least seven or eight folk in the building 14:02 or online that understand every gift I have and every gift I manage centrally comes from God? 14:11 In other words, I need you to know, saints, that every gift you demonstrate has been given to you from above. 14:20 Is there anybody that understands that the ability to cut wood with skill is a gift from God? 14:29 That the ability to be patient with young people is a gift from God? 14:35 That if you have the stomach to handle the scent of a nursing home or ICU, it is a gift from the Lord? 14:44 The ability to design a room from top to bottom is a gift from God. 14:50 And what I need to say to somebody is that your gift may have been honed in University, 14:56 your intellect may have been trained through study, your gift may have been developed in trade school, 15:02 you may have been established in medical school, but the steady hand of the surgeon came from God. 15:10 And what I want to be clear on today is that I'm not anti-education 15:15 but too often what we do is we credit our alumni status, as if somehow, the ivy league is what produced you, 15:26 or somehow the trade school is what produced you, 15:30 or somehow your mentor is what produced you or somehow it is your HBCU that actually produced you. 15:38 And let me be clear, friends of mine, that I thank God for all of my teachers 15:43 but I give the praise to God who is my supplier. Is there anybody that knows that all they could do was train 15:52 and hone the gifts that have been given to you by God? In other words, let me say it this way. 16:00 I remember I was at a very important business meeting with some men who are people of some means, 16:07 and it's crazy because after we had eaten our good meal, one of the men said, I want to call for the chef 16:14 because what he wanted to do was compliment the chef. Now, I need to know I've seen that on television, 16:20 but I've never seen it happen in real life. And so when the chef came out, 16:25 he affirmed the food that has been prepared 16:28 and he talked about what a great job had been done then he took a very generous gift financially 16:34 and put it in the chef's hands. 16:36 And it's amazing because, after a while, the server got all in their feelings 16:42 and the server says, "I'm the one that plated the food and I'm the one that delivered the food 16:48 but you gave the gift to the chef," and the man quite bluntly said, 16:53 "I'll never put the one that delivered the food on the same level as the one that created the food." 17:00 And I guess what I'm saying is that when you've been gifted by God, 17:04 you never give the same credit to the one that honed the gift as you do to the God that produced the gift 17:12 and gave you the gift and developed it inside of you. Are you hearing what I'm saying, church? 17:22 And, see, the one thing I need us to understand is one of the mistakes that we make is we make a distinction 17:27 between spiritual gifts and secular gifts. 17:32 See, the problem with that is that it connotes the idea that there are certain gifts that are given by the spirit 17:39 and then there are certain gifts that emerge out of my own natural ability. 17:45 But how many of us know that every gift you have is spiritual 17:49 because they're all assigned and authored by Jesus Christ. 17:55 In fact, the only thing that makes certain gifts secular is where you actually employ them. 18:03 You see the miracle here in Exodus chapter 36 is essentially where God is reclaiming his gifts. 18:12 He's saying to his people, you have used my gifts to build Egypt, now, I need you to use my gifts to build my work. 18:25 See, one of the problems with the church as we have emerged 18:28 from the pandemic is that we use our gifts to build Egypt but we withheld them from building up God's work. 18:43 Can I just say it like I feel it today? I'll be honest with you, as we've come from the pandemic, 18:49 the only thing COVID is keeping us from doing is serving God. Come on and say, Amen, today. 18:55 The truth is COVID is not keeping us off planes, it's not keeping us from going to work, 19:02 it's not keeping us from going out of the country, it's not keeping us from going to the game, 19:08 it's not keeping us out of stadiums. The only thing it's keeping us out of is the ministry 19:14 and the work of Jehovah. And, see, I need us to hear me on this, saints, 19:19 because how many of us have been on this journey of unrealistic faith? 19:23 Has anybody been blessed by God in an unrealistic way, 19:27 but what I want to caution us is to not make the journey selfish where we're only believing for my work. 19:35 I only believe for my dreams. I only believe for my brand and I do it at the expense of God's work. 19:44 See, how many of us know that God doesn't want you to have to choose between doing His work and doing your own? 19:52 But he wants as you grow his work, I need you to know that he's going to bless and grow your work. 20:00 See, I need you to get that this text is so critical because some of us are using our gifts to grow Egypt's work, 20:07 but we're withholding them from God's work. Do you realize that 1 Corinthians 12 literally says, saints, 20:14 that your gifts were given to you for the edification of the body, which is the Church of God and, see, 20:23 you will never be able to give your gifts until you understand why you have been given your gifts 20:30 and, see, the problem is that we give our gifts to Egypt but then we lease them to the church. 20:40 See, we're at a place where we're giving Egypt the first fruits and we're giving Jehovah the leftovers 20:48 or the remnants. And, see, this is why, friends, you to to understand the purpose and the reason for your gifts. 20:55 See, when I understand the purpose of my gifts and I understand who's given me my gifts, 21:02 I then understand who I'm under obligation to. Okay? Let me say it again. When I understand who gave me the gift, 21:15 it becomes clear who I'm under obligation to. 21:20 So, I need you to understand that you're not under obligation to the one who pays you for your gifts, 21:27 your under obligation to the one who supplied your gifts. 21:32 See, and that's why friends of mine when you come to serve in the church, 21:37 this is why you don't come in here like a volunteer who's doing God or doing the church or doing the pastor a favor. 21:46 When you come, you serve no matter whether or not you like the pastor. 21:51 You serve whether or not the folk get on your nerves. You serve even if nobody else comes. 21:56 Why? Because your obligation is not to the team, it's not to the people, 22:01 your obligation is to the one who gave you the gifts. 22:06 And I'm going to just say something because I'm feeling controversial today. 22:10 This is why we need to eliminate the whole concept of ministry volunteers. 22:18 See, I need us to understand the reason we've embraced the idea of being a ministry volunteer. 22:26 Why? Because what that means is that I'm not under any real obligation. 22:31 You see real volunteers show up when they feel like it, they go home when they feel like it. 22:36 They serve when it's convenient and then they quit when it's not convenient 22:41 and see they act as if they are making a donation to something that is optional for them. 22:47 But how many of us know that if your gifts have been given to you by God that you're not, 22:52 I volunteer at the church, you are under an obligation to the God who actually gave you the gifts. 22:59 Let me say it how I feel it. You are volunteer at the YMCA. You volunteer at The Parks and Recreation. 23:07 You volunteer at the Community Reading Club, but when you come to the house of God, 23:13 you are a soldier that has enlisted in the army of Christ. You realize that he is your commanding officer 23:21 and because he gave you the gifts, you've got an obligation to give them back to him 23:29 and you feel like this is just your reasonable act of worship. 23:36 See, friends of mine, when you understand that your gifts come from God, when you're asked to serve, 23:42 the first question is not how much does it pay? Oh, God. 23:47 And let me be clear that I don't have a problem paying 23:50 or blessing those who serve in the church but how many of us understand that when your gifts come from God, 23:57 there is a different currency that you seek. 24:00 You seek a currency that is unto the God who gave where you live to hear him say 24:07 because you've been a good steward of your gifts. You just want to hear him say, "Well done, good 24:13 and faithful servants." 24:20 Do you understand, friends of mine, that the word Minister doesn't mean Pastor? 24:30 See, a pastor is just one of many types of ministers that actually help to grow the body of Christ. 24:37 Are you with me? But see the problem is because we have outsourced all of the ministry responsibilities, 24:44 when we say Minister, you only look for somebody that's been to Oakwood or the Seminary. 24:53 And see what we got to do, friends of mine, is we've got to reinstitute the formula for success. 25:08 See, I need somebody to understand this principle. The reason why your work isn't blessed as it should be is 25:17 because you've done it at the expense of his work. 25:23 See, God never designed you to have to choose between the growth of His kingdom and the growth of your work, 25:31 but see the issue is that we've got to prioritize it the correct way. 25:35 See, remember, go home and read Matthew chapter 6. There's some things Jesus told us not to even worry about. 25:44 Jesus says, stop worrying about pagan things. He says, don't worry about what you're going to eat 25:51 and what you're going to wear and where you're going to live. While Pagans chase after that kind of stuff, 25:57 your heavenly father knows what things you have need of 26:00 and he summarizes the whole thing in Matthew 6:33 when he says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God 26:08 and its righteousness." Watch this, "All other things will be added unto you." Do y'all hear me today, saints? 26:16 Do I have at least seven saints in the room that can testify that when you put God first that you will not go 26:24 lacking in any good thing. I need you to know that when you put God first, God will bless you in an unrealistic way. 26:33 When you put his work first, he'll bless you in a way where the math doesn't even add up. 26:39 That's why God said if you give, it'll be given back to you. Press down, shaken together, and running over. 26:48 It's why the word says, "If you give a faithful tithe and offering, 26:53 he'll bless you in a way that you don't have room enough to be able to receive it." 26:58 That's why the Bible in Deuteronomy 28 says that if you obey the Commandments of the Lord, 27:04 he says I'll make you the head and not the tail. I'll put you above and not beneath. 27:12 I'll make you a lender and not a borrower. Is there anybody that knows that when you put God first, 27:20 you'll be blessed in the city, you'll be blessed in the field, you'll be blessed when you go in, 27:27 you'll be blessed when you come out? Your body is going to be blessed. Your children are going to be blessed. 27:35 Your enemies may come in a fist, but they don't run out like some fingers. 27:41 I need you to know that God will take care of those that prioritize his business. 27:52 Pastor Snell: Hey, hey everybody! Listen, we were blessed there in the house. 27:57 I pray you were blessed there, rigth there in your home. 28:00 I want to encourage you to make sure you to come back 28:02 and join us same time same place as i share with you part two of the message 28:07 entitled "The Unrealistic Church". It's going to bless you and it's going to grow you 28:11 Don't miss it!. I look forward to seeing you next week. 28:15 (Breath of Life Theme Music) 28:39 Pastor Snell: Breath of Life is so exciting to be preaching the gospel this summer in the Queen City in Charlotte, 28:45 North Carolina, From July the 10th through July, the 23rd, 28:49 we are going to be preaching the gospel and the Trinity Worship Center. 28:53 We'll be blessed in song by gospel recording artist Kirk Carr and the Kirk Carr Singers. 28:59 We'll meet each night at 7 p.m., with the exception of Tuesday and Thursday night. 29:04 For more information, go to our website at breathoflife.tv. 29:09 [End] |
Revised 2022-06-17