Rythyms in a new year: sabbath rest rythym. Make church your rest day. come to church. Serve at church. Bring your family to church. Create a routine that blesses you. Fathers, make it fun. Make it awesome. Make it memorable.

Commitment Sunday is next weekend. You will be given materials to take home or you can submit them this weekend or next.

Exodus 35:4–25 ESV

4 Moses said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “This is the thing that the Lord has commanded. 5 Take from among you a contribution to the Lord. Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord’s contribution: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen; goats’ hair, 7 tanned rams’ skins, and goatskins; acacia wood, 8 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, 9 and onyx stones and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece. 10 “Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded: 11 the tabernacle, its tent and its covering, its hooks and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; 12 the ark with its poles, the mercy seat, and the veil of the screen; 13 the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; 15 and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin and its stand; 17 the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; 18 the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; 19 the finely worked garments for ministering in the Holy Place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests.” 20 Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. 21 And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. 22 So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the Lord. 23 And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or goatskins brought them. 24 Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the Lord’s contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it. 25 And every skillful woman spun with her hands, and they all brought what they had spun in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen.

Exodus 35:26–29 ESV

26 All the women whose hearts stirred them to use their skill spun the goats’ hair. 27 And the leaders brought onyx stones and stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastpiece, 28 and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.

“A call to contribute”

Make Room Summary this far: God is speaking to us through his word / Luke 5 and Exodus 35.

“….. a call of the heart / God wants your heart & invites your hands. But it s your heart that He desires.

“……..a call to prayer / What’s the distance from my knees to the floor? 21 Inches that could make all the difference. Pray for PLANNING, FOR PROTECTION, FOR PROVISION

“………. Today… a call to contribute

Exodus 35:20–21 ESV

Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments.

Making Room means sacrifice. But sacrifice has always been the mechanism by which God calls his people to himself, and the way in which he always shows himself to be faithful. namely and most importantly the ggiving of His son. It was heavens sacrifice. the Will of the Father. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice, to bear the sin of the entire world.

Sacrifice is necessary in the kingdom of Gods eternal reality.

Sacrifice is something God establishes, God uses.. and God responds to

There is a saying “everything costs, something” but for us - Everything we have, cost him dearly”. We get it for free - But it will cost you everything to follow JEsus….Did you know that? That all the comforts of the Christian was all bought at a significant price? That so much of what we enjoy as believers is and has been purchased at a significant price by someone.

When it comes to our right standing - thats found only in the precious blood of Christ. thats why John said when Jesus came to the Jordan for Baptism he declared in John 1:29

John 1:29 ESV

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

But what about other things? What about things like the church? What about going to church?

The reality is this.. often, there was a price.

Price was paid

People had given

Sacrifices were made

For us too enjoy the reality of what we enjoy today.

…. Well before you ever arrived - someone had the heart to make the sacrifice to God, to make a way… for there to be room for you. That was certainly the case for me. 2002, in Sydney Australia, I was living my life as a 19Yo young adult in suburban Sydney but my life was at a significant crossroads. I was lost. I was searching…. And via the sovereign hand of God… I made it to a church. A church that had a building… a large company of people…

They had passionate presence filled worship

Preaching from the word of God was real. that inspired and helped me understand The gospel and Gods love for me….

But most of all…. God was there. It’s where it met with god

That church had a building, the place was packed…. I remember… but I remember they had room. And Jesus was in the midst… and I was able to hear the Gospel. That I was a sinner and I needed a savior and that if I was to open my heart to Jesus - through that prayer of faith - I could have a personal relationship with God. That he would give me a brand new life. That I would go to heaven. That my eternal destination had changed.

It was in that place, my miracle happened. I was saved.

Now over 20 years later… I am no only still a Christian but I am married to a Christian. I have Christian children. I am part of a global family of Christian’s. Connected through the church of the Lord Jesus Christ… I have now been called to ministry. I’m now the pastor a local church in a beautiful part of the world id never heard of… but now I love. That God has called me to build a building. Where room can be made for someone just like me.

You may have a story like that - with an incredible testimony - im sure its amazing

but in this season here is what’s raining down hard in my heart and my spirit….

…. Someone I probably don’t know. I never will even get the chance to meet. In fact a group of people. A company of believers. Decided to make room for me. Not knowing who I was. Not getting a thank you. Not getting assurance they would get th credit…But trusting God that i would show up one day.

I believe this is the spirit of Make Room. Our new movement. Our Vision Sunday project. The future of our church.

I wonder if that stirs something in you. I don’t know your journey but my guess would be, now that I do this, and I speak to so many people about their journey they start in the kingdom how they came to know Christ.. my guess would be this.

Someone Sacrifieced and MADE ROOM for you also.

*** but here is where this differs from charity, philanthropic work an any kind of “donation”. This is all done for and to the Lord. The reason no one is tracking me down wanting to know how it’s all going, is because they didn’t do it for me! They did it for God. Because he Saved them, Because He Loved them, Because they love him.

this is the way God and His people have always done things as long as god has had a people.

1.Covenant

Covenant is established…..God doesn’t do contracts. He does covenants. He makes TREATY’s. He welcomes people to “come and make covenementy” or agreement with us.

He has always done this. The Bible is filled with a series of covenants.

He made a covenant with Abraham,

He made another one with Noah

He made covenant with Moses

He made one with David

He established it forever through the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our lord. His son.

WE HAVE A BETTER COVENANT Hebrews 8:6 “But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.”

God established a covenant With Moses before he does anything else with the people. The law. Is what Moses gets on the mountain and its what God does

Exodus 34:10 ESV

And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

You better believe we are in an awesome thing that God is doing. I feel like nearly ten years ago I stepped into a cloud and have never come out and I say that in a good and grateful way - what God has done in our midst is nothing short of phenomenal.

God has established his presence here: and people have come to know JESUS

Covenant relationship has been established>: 3652 Decisions for Christ that we have recorded as salvation decisions since we have been going here at Colonial Church.

Its a covenant of relationship that then brings forth what we see next which is

2.Contribution

Contribution is called for ….. a HOLY Contribution from Gods people…. But with a stipulation - which is amazing - watch this:

The people of God are welcomed to make a contribution to the Lord:

Exodus 35:20–22 ESV

Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the Lord.

A few observations here you can’t miss:

They first were introduced to covenant relationship = The law of Moses.

They then were encouraged by God through Moses, their leader

They departed from Moses presence…. but it says……And came back

They came back to what?

Do you know how much of a blessing it is that you all come back, each week, to church??? I honestly can say, to me, maybe not to you - That’s a miracle.

So they came back

So that they could respond with a heartfelt contribution to the Lord through offerings to make the tabernacle

Exodus 35:20–22 ESV

Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses. And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments. So they came, both men and women. All who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and armlets, all sorts of gold objects, every man dedicating an offering of gold to the Lord.

They came

With hearts that were stirred

And everyone who’s spirit moved them

All who were of a WILLING HEART.

God doesn’t need your money - But he loves your heart. Especially a heart that has its entirety SET/FOCUSED/GIVEN OVER…. To the Lord.

**here is the kicker***

Note here they Didn’t have to give… nor did they give because they were guilted into it, shamed into it and definitely not FORCED into it. It says

they Gave what the could

Out of what they already had

Exodus 35:23 ESV

And every one who possessed blue or purple or scarlet yarns or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or goatskins brought them.

They gave what they already had

They gave what they could:

Exodus 35:24 ESV

Everyone who could make a contribution of silver or bronze brought it as the Lord’s contribution. And every one who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work brought it.

God isn’t going to ask you to give something that

1 you don’t have

And 2 he hasn’t already given you to possess.

And 3 that you wont give him with all your heart. he wants you to be glad to do it! He wants you to experience the Joy of what it looks like to join him in his work. This isn’t your work. This is HIS work, that supernaturally becomes our work as we co-labor with God to do the work of reaching a lost world with the Gospel of peace.

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Some of you may be thinking well what about the New Testament isn’t this OLD testament? Well I’m so glad you asked &

I love the Bible when it connects - Because when I was reading this the first time I thought my heart tug a little and remind me that this sounds eerily similar to something I’ve heard many times in church that is often used in the giving section of a service and for the very first time it connected to me, I saw the root of where this came from…. Because the apostle Paul knew the scripture pretty well. And when He went about planting, building and leading the church who knows how they were WELL taught.

And there was a moment in the early church when funds were being raised and given and

Paul writes to the church in Corinth about this very thing: and the same phrasing is used: that this giving now, just like it was THEN… is a matter of the HEART.

2 Corinthians 9:1–10 ESV

Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, 2 for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. 6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

Giving to the Lord isn’t a have to. It’s a GET TO. When this hits at the level of your heart there isn’t a fiber within your being that wants to withhold anything from the Lord because you know this:

God loves me

He has moved me

And He has supplied me

… So I gladly give - not because I have to (compulsion), not because I’m scared if I don’t (reluctance) but because I gladly give what God puts on my heart to give.

So the covenant relationship brought forth a contribution of the heart that was willing….. Which made way for:

3.Construction

The construction of Gods purposes… His will is done. Is constructed.: God doesn’t want anything built in his name, by his people if its simply a heartless spirit-less excercise.

But when His people are in relationship, moved by the spirit and stirred up to be apart of it all - That’s when miracles take place. That’s where Faith in God resides… thats where miracles take place

….

What does God do here?

He make covenant relationship with His people

He invites them to contribute to what he has commanded he would do

And through Spirits that are stirred and hearts that are moved…. People come. They give what they can, what they have & god blesses it

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Phase 1: $1.6m - we are about half way there

Phase 2: $15m. This is what will get us construction of the Main Auditorium, Colonial Kids, Parking lot.

This is what is before us. In terms of construction. How long will it take for us to see the resources come in? I have no idea. But I’ve been told it can be built in less than 2 years.

*****

…… And watch what happens next:

Construction takes place

But it isn’t some ordinary thing: what happens is quite extraordinary in what takes place

Exodus 36:2–7 ESV

2 And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. 3 And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, 4 so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, 5 and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” 6 So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, 7 for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.

Why does God like a building built?

The same reason now as He did then.

He wants to dwell with his people.

But here is the best part

When He comes and dwells, it’s not in a tent. or a temple or a building - It’s in our HEARTS.

It’s the same word John used… When he opens up his gospel.

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

God wants to dwell

To tabernacle in the hearts of His people.

When we make room, room is made for hearts to be changed… and those hearts become the place where God dwells forever.

Next weekend were going to commit as a church: and I am believing for 100% participation as a church

Some people I believe will be able to give Millions of dollars to Make Room.

Some people will be able to give hundreds of thousands to it

Some people tens of thousands

Some people only a few hundred dollars.

But here is the point: when we come… and we contribute to the Lord: He supernaturally blesses that which is brought to him with a cheerful, heart thats decided: this is what I am bringing to God.

I’m telling you church: get ready for a miracle. God is moving: Let’s gin him some praise.