What if Everyone Did It?

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What if Everyone Did It?

“Enough! The Power of Everyone’s Prayer, Giving, and Service”

1. Introduction: A Vision of Overflow

Hook

“Imagine a church so generous, so involved, so prayerful, that we actually had to say, ‘Stop! There’s more than enough!’”

That’s exactly what happened in Exodus 35–36 when Israel built the tabernacle.

Context

We’re following the Bible in a Year plan; we now arrive at Exodus 35–36, where God’s people unite with hearts stirred, providing beyond what was needed.

Transition

Connect this ancient example to the modern church: “What can we learn about serving, giving, and praying when everyone’s heart is willing?”

In today’s reading we’ll see an example of what is possible...

2. Background: Building the Tabernacle

Exodus 35:4–9 (CSB)

4 Then Moses said to the entire Israelite community, “This is what the LORD has commanded: 5 Take up an offering among you for the LORD. Let everyone whose heart is willing bring this as the LORD’s offering: gold, silver, and bronze; 6 blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; fine linen and goat hair; 7 ram skins dyed red and fine leather; acacia wood; 8 oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 9 and onyx with gemstones to mount on the ephod and breastpiece.

Exodus 35:20–21 (CSB)

20 Then the entire Israelite community left Moses’s presence. 21 Everyone whose heart was moved and whose spirit prompted him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its services, and for the holy garments.

Exodus 35:22–23 (CSB)

22 Both men and women came; all who had willing hearts brought brooches, earrings, rings, necklaces, and all kinds of gold jewelry—everyone who presented a presentation offering of gold to the LORD. 23 Everyone who possessed blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, fine linen or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or fine leather, brought them.

Exodus 35:24–26 (CSB)

24 Everyone making an offering of silver or bronze brought it as a contribution to the LORD. Everyone who possessed acacia wood useful for any task in the work brought it. 25 Every skilled woman spun yarn with her hands and brought it: blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen. 26 And all the women whose hearts were moved spun the goat hair by virtue of their skill.

Exodus 35:27–29 (CSB)

27 The leaders brought onyx and gemstones to mount on the ephod and breastpiece, 28 as well as the spice and oil for the light, for the anointing oil, and for the fragrant incense. 29 So the Israelites brought a freewill offering to the LORD, all the men and women whose hearts prompted them to bring something for all the work that the LORD, through Moses, had commanded to be done.

Moses announces God’s command: gather materials for the tabernacle from “everyone whose heart was stirred” (35:5). CSB

The people respond with various gifts—gold, silver, bronze, fabrics, and more. $75M

Women skilled in spinning, artisans gifted by God, all come together.

Hearts Moved, Spirits Stirred

The text emphasizes willingness and generosity—“Let those with generous hearts…,” “All whose hearts were stirred and spirits moved,” “All who were willing…”

This was not forced giving but voluntary passion for God’s dwelling place.

Freewill - ready, willing, voluntarily

Exodus 36:2–7 (CSB)

2 So Moses summoned Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person in whose heart the LORD had placed wisdom, all whose hearts moved them, to come to the work and do it. 3 They took from Moses’s presence all the contributions that the Israelites had brought for the task of making the sanctuary. Meanwhile, the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.

4 Then all the artisans who were doing all the work for the sanctuary came one by one from the work they were doing 5 and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than is needed for the construction of the work the LORD commanded to be done.”

6 After Moses gave an order, they sent a proclamation throughout the camp: “Let no man or woman make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” So the people stopped. 7 The materials were sufficient for them to do all the work. There was more than enough.

Skillful workers, led by Bezalel and Oholiab, use the offerings.

Financial offerings, and resources, brought by the non-skilled people.

The Lord gave them the skill, but it was their heart that moved them to do the work.

The people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning!

The work was done and the people kept coming! Finally the workers tell Moses.

Moses has to make a proclamation. (sends a message)

There is more than enough!

3. Key Lessons from Exodus 35–36

A. Everyone Contributing

Giving

“All whose hearts were stirred and spirits moved… gave…” (35:21)

Application: God’s work is fueled by collective generosity—no gift is too small when given willingly.

One or two could not have done it. It took the whole community to fund the project.

Serving (Using Skills)

“All who were willing used their skills…” (35:26)

Some spun yarn, some crafted metal, some constructed.

Application: Everyone has a part to play; if God gave you a skill, you can use it for His kingdom.

What can you do for the Church, for a ministry, for a mission?

We’ve all got some sort of skill some church, ministry, or mission needs.

Praying (Implied in Overarching Devotion)

Though the text focuses on giving and skill, the entire action is an act of worship.

Using our resources, the very resources, and abilities He has given us, for His Kingdom is an act of worship.

Prayer is the most important, but don’t stop there.

When our heart is in communion with God, our heart will lead us to respond joyfully in generosity and service.

B. God Equips and Inspires

Exodus 35:31

“He has filled him (Bezalel) with the Spirit of God, with skill…”

Application: If God calls you to a task, He’ll equip you with the skill or resource you need.

Willing Hearts, Eager Spirits

Multiple times the text says “all who were willing,” “all who were eager.”

This repeated phrase highlights genuine enthusiasm—nobody is coerced.

C. The People Gave More Than Enough

Exodus 36:5 – “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work…”

Exodus 36:6–7 – Moses must tell them to stop bringing gifts.

Application: Imagine if Christians today responded so wholeheartedly that leaders had to say, “We have enough volunteers, enough finances, enough resources—use those blessings elsewhere!”

4. Applying This to Our Church Today

Prayer: Fuel for the Heart

Before giving or serving, we seek God’s direction in prayer.

Pray and ask God how He wants and where He wants you to contribute—time, talent, or treasure.

Giving Generously

We don’t give out of compulsion but from a willing heart (2 Corinthians 9:7).

2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV)

7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Dream with me, “What if we gave so much—of our finances, resources, or attention—that we had to be told, ‘It’s more than enough!’?” What kind of world would we see?

Serving with Skills

Everyone has a skill or gift: teaching, encouraging, organizing, creating.

Encourage a “Try Something” approach—see what resonates with your passions and God’s leading.

Community Impact

The tabernacle was about God’s presence in the midst of His people. Today, the church is God’s dwelling (Ephesians 2:19–22).

When everyone participates, the church becomes a beautiful testament to God’s reality and love.

5. Call to Action: Envisioning the Overflow

Reflection

Ask: “Where is my heart stirred? Where might my prayer, giving, or skills be used?”

Invite each person to identify at least one area—praying for specific ministry, giving a special offering, or volunteering with a gift they haven’t offered before.

Challenge

Imagine if every of you gave or served in some capacity this year. Could we see a moment where we actually say, “Enough, we have more volunteers and resources than needed!”?

Take a step this week—sign up to serve, donate a resource, or devote time in focused prayer, for our church or some other ministry or mission.

What is it, or who is it, that God has laid on your heart? Maybe He’s calling you to get involved.

Affirming God’s Provision

Hebrews 13:20–21 – God equips us with everything we need to do His will.

Remind them that God multiplies our willing hearts—He’s the ultimate source.

6. Conclusion & Prayer

Inspiration

“If God’s people come together, everyone praying, everyone giving, everyone serving, we’ll experience an overflow—just like in Exodus, where they had to say, ‘Stop, we have enough!’.”

Prayer

Closing Song

7. Final Encouragement

“Imagine a church so generous, so involved, so prayerful, that we actually had to say, ‘Stop! There’s more than enough!’”

Remember to pray about how you can get involved, through prayer, resources, or skills for the glory of God.

Post Service

From Discernment to Epiphany

The community surrounding Atlanta’s First Presbyterian Church has changed drastically since the church was founded nearly 170 years ago. What was then suburbia is now the heart of the metropolitan city. But many who found a spiritual home at FPC wondered if God was calling them into something new.

The arrival of a new pastor in 2018 presented the opportunity to create a strategic plan and thus kicked off a period of discernment. Lay leaders and pastors felt called to explore ministry possibilities “beyond old models of mission and service.” They began trying to see their community with new eyes.

They asked: “What needs are we missing? What resources do we have that we’re not using?” Among these resources, they considered funding, space, material assets, and the congregants’ gifts and expertise.

With a fresh perspective of God’s work in the community and the congregation, the discernment committee identified a new ministry goal: “to promote individual economic empowerment.”

Lay leader Ellen Adair learned of a social entrepreneurship program run by a Houston congregation. Social entrepreneurship is the process of developing a business that addresses a social problem. 

Ellen Adair was energized by this new ministry model and arranged a meeting between the program’s creator and FPC leaders. What was calendared as a thirty-minute lunch stretched into two hours. After more conversation, extensive research, logistical planning, and recruiting of volunteers with passion for and expertise in business development, FPC launched its own social entrepreneurship program called Epiphany.

Epiphany solicits applications from aspiring and early-stage social entrepreneurs with business ideas that will be both financially sustainable and address challenges facing the community. They’re seeking proposals that address “homelessness, housing, refugee resettlement, criminal justice reform, racial equity, poverty, human rights, employment, health care, community development, or education.”

After thoughtful consideration of the proposed business models, Epiphany leaders select finalists who then receive assistance from experienced mentors and coaches, recruited from the congregation itself, in refining their business plans. After this period of collaborative and hands-on development, Epiphany leaders choose a small number of applicants to become Epiphany fellows and receive funding. Funding amounts vary by year and are dependent on the generosity of the congregation and the needs of the venture. The 2022 cohort received grants from a $200,000 funding pool.

Epiphany’s first round of grants helped launch a coffee company that provides job training and a living wage to resettled refugees; a mobile app that provides basic information about housing court to reduce evictions; a candied pecan business that helps fund Meals on Wheels, and more.

One of the program’s most unexpected positive outcomes is how it’s engaged and empowered the congregation. Some church members, who had not yet participated in mission projects but who had professional expertise to coach and mentor these entrepreneurs, stepped up to volunteer. Epiphany, then, not only identifies and affirms the potential within social entrepreneurs but also that of volunteers.

Leaders named the program Epiphany, in part, as a testimony to how an established church began to see itself and God’s work in the world in new ways. Through faithful discernment—or “being led by the Spirit,” as Ellen Adair describes it—they discovered and stepped into a new way of doing ministry. To FPC lead pastor Tony Sundermeier, this is the epitome of the journey to Epiphany: “Being surprised by God, inviting us to participate in what God is doing in ways we couldn’t have fathomed or imagined.”

“What needs are we missing? What resources do we have that we’re not using?”

“If you have money, power, and status today, it is due to the century and place in which you were born, to your talents and capacities and health, none of which you earned. In short, all your resources are in the end the gift of God.”- Timothy Keller, Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just

In an article titled “When Wasting Your Life Is Worship,” Jon Bloom compares how Mary and Judas each responded to Jesus in John 12. In our lives, we have to either choose the Pearl (earthly wealth; Matthew 13:45) or the puddle (a life of sacrifice for God).

“If we choose the Pearl, we hear in Judas’s objection the world’s appraisal of us. They watch as we pour our valuable time, intellects, money, youth, financial futures, and vocations out on Jesus’s feet. They watch them puddle in the bowls of churches, mission fields, orphanages, and homes where children are raised and careers are lost. And what they see is foolish waste. Expect their rebuke, not their respect. Jesus wants you to waste your life like Mary wasted her perfume. For it is no true waste. It is true worship. A poured out life of love for Jesus that counts worldly gain as loss displays how precious he really is”

The story is told that one day a beggar by the roadside asked for alms from Alexander the Great as he passed by. The man was poor and wretched and had no claim upon the ruler, no right even to lift a solicitous hand. Yet the Emperor threw him several gold coins. A courtier was astonished at his generosity and commented, "Sir, copper coins would adequately meet a beggar's need. Why give him gold?" Alexander responded in royal fashion, "Cooper coins would suit the beggar's need, but gold coins suit Alexander's giving."

Generosity devotional multiplies like 5 loaves and 2 fishes

Do you remember the little boy in the Bible who tried to give Jesus his lunch to feed the 5,000, and the disciples thought it wasn’t enough? When I first wrote the 40 Day Spiritual Journey to a More Generous Life Bible devotional, I contacted seven Christian publishers to see if any of them would want to publish it. They all told me no one would ever want a generosity devotional. But my wife and I still felt Jesus could use this devotional to bless thousands. So, we took some inheritance money and printed the first 15,000 copies. Within 2 years, we had to print over 300,000 more copies to keep up with the demand. We also got requests from around the world to translate the book into 43 foreign languages. We feel just like the little boy that gave Jesus his lunch and stood in amazement as Jesus kept multiplying it to feed thousands.