Lavish Giving - Exodus 36:3-7

"But the people continued to bring additional gifts each morning. Finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work. They went to Moses and reported: The people have given more than enough materials to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do! So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough! So the people stopped bringing their sacred offerings. Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project."

Suppose you went to church one Sunday morning and when it came to the end of the service the pastor announced no offering would be received because people had given so much the church had more than enough money!

That's what happened when the Israelites started to build the Tabernacle.

The Israelites were so eager to build the Tabernacle that they brought more than enough materials to complete the project.

They lavished their gifts on the Tabernacle project and Moses had to command them to stop bringing gifts!

In the Second Commandment God promised to lavish His love on the Israelites if they did not commit idolatry and would love Him and obey His commands: "But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands" (Exodus. 20:6).

And after the Israelites did commit idolatry in the wilderness, God renewed His covenant with Israel and again promised to lavish His love on them: "I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin" (Exodus 34:7).

Then God lavished His love on us by giving His own Son to purchase our eternal salvation.

What would happen in our churches if we were so eager about God's work that instead of giving almost enough we gave more than enough?

And, what would happen in our lives if our goal was lavish giving rather than lavish living?

"Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap." (Luke 6:30, NLT)