“The Ability, Intelligence, and Knowledge”

Exodus 31:1-11        2 Timothy 3:14-4:4  2014

 

Exodus 31:1-11

            The Lord spoke to Moses: See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with divine spirit, with ability, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every kind of craft. Moreover, I have appointed with him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have given skill to all the skillful, so that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of the covenant, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand, and the finely worked vestments, the holy vestments for the priest Aaron and the vestments of his sons, for their service as priests, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the holy place. They shall do just as I have commanded you.

 

2 Timothy 3:14-4:4

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.

 

            Try for a moment   to think of a time

                when a huge task suddenly became   yours to accomplish.

Do you remember feeling an overwhelming sense of panic or dread

    that it was something way beyond what you could possibly do,

                             and there was no way

                                    you could fulfill all that was being expected of you?

 

In Exodus, somewhat reluctantly Moses had taken on the project

            of getting Pharaoh to let the Hebrew slaves go free,

                    and through a series of plagues God forced Pharaoh to comply.                                  

So imagine that you are Moses, in the middle of the Sinai Desert,

            with thousands of former slaves redeemed from Egypt in bondage,

                        who have toiled for generations making bricks for Pharaoh.

 

            And beyond worries about enough food and water,

                        now God demands a religious place suitable for worship,

                                    a place and furnishings worthy of the presence of God;

 

               then, for the next 5 chapters, God describes in great detail,

                        all the stuff they are supposed to make and get ready.

 

This includes the Ark of the Covenant to hold the 10 Commandments,

            the Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting, with all the furnishing…

                        and it’s supposed to be made with rare and costly materials,

                           with creativity, artistically beautiful and well crafted.

 

I picture the scene of Moses trying to keep up with God’s instructions

                as being like some lost and hapless college student

                        trying to take notes during a long and complicated lecture…

 

            … and just as Moses is ready to give up

                        and complain that there is no way he can accomplish all that,

God explains in chapter 31, 1~11

            The Lord spoke to Moses:

                        See, I have called by name Bezalel … and I have filled him with divine spirit, with ability, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every kind of craft.

            Moreover, I have appointed with him Oholiab … and I have given skill to all the skillful, so that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of the covenant, and all the furnishings of the tent, the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand, and the finely worked vestments… They shall do just as I have commanded you.

 

How many times has it been that we break into worry and panic mode

            over some challenge, trouble or difficulty,         

                        only to realize

                                    that God already had it perfectly covered all along?

 

It’s not up to Moses, for God has already got all worked out.

            Yes, it is a huge and complicated project to provide for worship,

                            but God has already called and equipped

                               skilful artists and craftsmen to accomplish it well…

            … Moses just has to stay out of the way, not interfere,

                        and let those equipped by God fulfill their calling.

 

The lesson for us in this story

            is that when a need or something God wants accomplished comes up,

                        surely the Lord has already figured it out and is already

                                    calling and equipping capable servants for the work…

   … all of which reveals

            the awesome wonder, wisdom, perfection and glory of the Lord.

 

One of the details that I find most interesting in this story,

            is that Bezalel is the first person mentioned in Scripture

                        about whom God says, “I have filled him with divine spirit”.

It wasn’t to inspire a preacher or great leader,

    but it’s craftsmen and artists gifted by God to make beauty.

 

Beyond the basic   of just enough to function,

            we serve a God of glorious abundance and beauty,

                        which can be seen in amazing wonder of creation,

                                    or in God’s Spirit delightfully present among us.

 

As I thought about this Exodus passage this week,

            I noticed how it connects with Vacation Bible School,

                        which has been a wonderful blessing and joyful experience.

 

Several months ago it was clear that we were not able

            to find and hire the right staff person we thought we needed

                        for our Christian Education programs, including VBS.

 

When the already overworked CE committee discussed VBS,

            they decided to take on the whole task themselves as a committee,

                        without the help and guidance of paid staff.

 

The two elders who lead the CE committee were concerned,

            and well aware of the overwhelming responsibilities they faced,     

                        and yet with prayer and support from the committee,

                                    they charged ahead, made good decisions, asked for

                                                the help they needed and trusted God to provide…

                        … and provide in joyful abundance, the Lord has done.

 

It has been a true and hopeful delight and wonder

            to see the skill and dedication of the many volunteers,

                        to catch the energetic enthusiasm of all our youth helpers,

                                       and to see and hear all the children experiencing

                                                God’s grace and truth, here in our midst.

 

The folks preparing the meals

            have seasoned their cooking with love, joy and laughter.

The leaders and our many youth helpers brought fun and enthusiasm

            to our worship-times in the sanctuary.

The skill and warmth of the teachers, helpers and recreation leaders           

            created a true sense of welcome, caring and Christian community.

 

Just as surely and wonderfully as Bezalel, Oholiab and the others

            were called, filled with divine spirit,

                        and equipped in every way to build skillfully, à

            so too our amazing VBS volunteer workers

                        were called, filled and equipped to serve incredibly well …

 

            … and we have seen the hand of the Lord at work this week…

                            and like the work of Bezalel and Oholiab,

                                    not just basic function, but with beauty and artistry.

 

I am thrilled and amazed by all the wonderful gifts for ministry

            that I have seen work together so effectively this past week …

                        … and I will miss the joy and laughter of VBS this next week.

 

What a great lesson and demonstration of how the Lord our God

            blesses people to accomplish well the work of ministry, withà

                        signs of grace, and the great projects pleasing to the Lord.

 

I am reminded of the story of a young boy named Antonio

            who lived in Cremona, Italy --  a city famous for its music;

                 but he couldn’t sing or play any musical instrument very well.

 

His high squeaky voice was not welcome at the Cremona Boys Choir

            and his neighbor’s complaints finally persuaded his parents

                        to dissuade him from practicing his violin …

                                                …  yet Antonio desperately wanted to make music.

           

In time he persuaded a violin-maker to let him become an apprentice.

            Antonio put in long hours and poured himself into developing

                        and striving to make the very finest violin that he could.

 

Over the years,  Antonio improved his craft

            as violin by violin   he perfected his gifts and abilities,

                         and he made more than 1500 violins during his lifetime.

 

Antonio never did learn to sing or even play the violin very well;

               Nevertheless, more than 300 years later,

                        his violins are still the most sought after;

                                                 for the world's finest violins bear his label---

                                                                        'made by Antonio Stradivarius' …

           

The truth is, every one of us   is capable of something magnificent…

       …doing something that matters, that is wonderfully fulfilling,

                   and that uses the best & finest of our gifts to glorify God…

            … as we are all called and equipped to serve our Lord well.

 

Every person who has ever been created by God has also been

            uniquely and purposefully gifted with abilities to bless others

                        so we can please and serve God for all the days of our lives.

 

There is “Stradivarius-maker” of some sort in all us---

            -- as long as we live, God allows us some way that we can bless,

                        that our lives can proclaim God’s grace, love, joy and hope.

 

We all    have something to offer that is precious, useful and needed--

            and how tragic and sad for those who waste, or those who withhold

                        their gifts given by God , and whose lives

                             never become the incredible blessing and joy God intends.

 

One of our most fundamental and essential task as a congregation,

            is that through the fellowship and the ministry we share,

                        we are called to notice and affirm the giftedness of others,

            and bless this church by offering our uniquely wonderful gifts

                as a celebration of God’s gracious love and purpose among us.

 

As a community of faith, it is our joyful responsibility and task

            to help discover, discern, develop and share all of God’s gifts

                        as an expression of God’s grace, purpose and goodness

                                    in faithful service within the church body

                                                and by reaching out into the world around us.

 

                        Our call is to rediscover continuously

                                    how we can fit the needs around us by willingly

                                                presenting our gifted uniqueness   back to God.   

 

From the Exodus text, we notice that,

            Moses doesn't try to construct the tabernacle himself. 

Moses did what he was called to do, using his gifts,

            and he got out of the way for Bezalel and Ohaliab to use theirs.

 

            Even among those fleeing former slaves in the barren wasteland

                        God provided more than enough – an abundance of skills

                             and resources necessary for all of the work to be done.

 

So too, I am certain   that God has already also made ample provision

            for the work to be done well, here at First Presbyterian;

                        that right here and now --- among the people in this room.

 

-there are plenty of people, sufficient talents & resources enough

            for this church to grow and meet all the that is needed

                        for our church to serve usefully out in our community…

 

            … to reflect the light of God's love and joyful abundance

                 to our hurting world still stumbling about in the darkness.

 

God gives to us, and we respond  by giving ourselves back to God,

            by presenting ourselves to God, we surrender to God

                        and so we are transformed by God's indwelling presence

                            as we re-learn to think and live in new & faithful ways.

 

Our call is that more and more, our lives and everything about us,

            is lived in grateful response to God's blessings in us,

                        in recognition that all of my life   is God's gift and grace…

 

… so we express and reflect this truth of God's presence and love

            by making a difference and not wasting our lives,

                        for surely we can do better than just get by and survive.

 

- by being available to other people, open to the needs around us

            and being willing to offer our gifts to accomplish God's good.

           

- by being active in our church, serving where and how we can,

            by participating and sharing in our common life together,

                        giving and seeking to grow in our faith walk with God.

 

- by getting involved in our local community and out in the world

            by touching and sharing our gifts into the lives of others

                        and helping to meet the needs and hurts of our neighbors.

 

Our call is to use the gift of our lives to make a real difference,

            for that is where we derive satisfaction and our deepest joy

                        as our lives meet and connect with

                               the needs and concerns   to the glory of God.

 

As the Apostle Paul urged his young friend Timothy,

            But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, … and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. … so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.