The work of God is shared by many different people with many different gifts ...

Exodus 35:1-36:7

The work of God is shared by many different people with many different gifts. The work is done according to (a) the Lord's command (35:1,4,10; 36:1,5); (b) heartfelt obedience (21; 36:3,5-7); (c) the God-given abilities (24-25; 36:2,4,8). There is something for 'everyone' to do - everyone 'whose heart is stirred whose spirit is moved' (21). Many gifts are needed (31-35). Underlying them all, there is this: 'filled with the Spirit of God' (31). In God's work, there is to be 'full' obedience. When we are fully obedient, there will be 'an overflowing blessing' (Malachi 3:10). 'The people bring much more than enough...'. There 'was sufficient to do all the work, and more' (36:5,7). God is ready to bless. Are we ready to obey? 'If my people...I will...'(2 Chronicles 7:14). 'Always abounding in the work of the Lord' (1 Corinthians 15:58)!

Exodus 36:8-38

Moses may have been the leader among God's people, but he could not do all the work by himself! Two of his helpers - Bezalel and Oholiab - are named (1-2). Most - 'all the able men' - remain anonymous (8). Anonymous yet indispensable - Without them, the work of God would have been left undone! To those who are full of their own importance, God says, 'No-one is indispensable. I will find someone else to do My work'. To those who, without fuss, get on with doing His work, God says, 'You are my servants, through whom My work will make good progress'. Building Christ's Church is a long process, involving suffering and disappointments as well as hard-fought victories. In so many ways, the tabernacle pointed to Christ: 'God with us' (Matthew 1:23). May God help us to lead many people to Christ!

Mark 14:53-15:5

Jesus is 'the Christ, the Son of the Blessed'. He is 'seated at the right hand of Power'. He is 'coming with the clouds of heaven' (61-62). He is 'the King of the Jews': His Kingdom is greater than Herod imagined - it is 'not of this world' (2; John 18:36). Why, then, did He remain silent when false charges were brought against Him? He was bearing our sin - That is why 'He did not open His mouth' (Isaiah 53:4-7; 1 Peter 2:22-24; 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21). He knew that He was going to the Cross - for us (John 10:11,15,17-18). Jesus did not deny us: His silence was a godly silence - 'He bore the sin of many', making 'Himself an offering for sin' (Isaiah 53:12,10). Will we deny Him? Our silence is a guilty silence (66-71). May Christ's Word, and His look of love, cause us to weep - and repent (72; Luke 22:61-62; 2 Corinthians 7:10).

Exodus 37:1-29

Pure gold (2,6,11,16-17,22-24, 26); Jesus Christ is 'pure gold'. He is 'God with us'. His body was broken for us. We feed on Him, the living Bread. His light is shining. He spreads the fragrance of His holiness, and the aroma of His love (Matthew 1:23; Luke 22:19; John 6:35; 8:12; 2 Corinthians 2:14-16). Read about the ark, the mercy seat, the table, the lampstand, the altar of incense, the holy anointing oil...Think of Christ: He is the 'mercy seat of pure gold' (6). 'The Lord is merciful and gracious...': In mercy, He withholds His judgment from us - He is 'slow to anger'. In grace, He pours His blessing on us - He is 'abounding in steadfast love' (Psalm 103:8). We deserve judgment. We receive salvation. Why? Christ took our judgment that we might receive His salvation. This is the Gospel - and it is 'pure gold'!

Exodus 38:1-31

We read, in verse 8, of 'the ministering women...'. See also 35:25-26,29 - 'all women ...all the women... All the men and women...'. Male and female - We need each other. We are 'one in Christ Jesus'. In Him, 'there is neither male nor female' (Galatians 3:28). There should never be a competitive spirit. We are to complement each other. In verse 25, we read of 'the silver from those of the congregation'. God's work does not depend entirely on those who have been called to be leaders. Each of us must play our part. There should be no pulling in different directions. We belong together. We are to work together. Let's pull together, pooling our resources, pulling our weight. Among God's people, there is 'gold' - but it must be 'used for the work' (24). Will you be worth your weight in gold - for God?

Mark 15 6-41

Jesus did not 'save Himself'. 'He saved others' (31). He sacrificed Himself for our salvation. His was the sacrifice. Ours is the salvation. He 'put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself' (Hebrews 9:26). Barabbas was 'released'. Jesus was 'crucified' (15). This is the Gospel - He took my place, He died for me. He was 'forsaken' by God (34). We are reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:19,21). We rejoice that Christ ignored the mocking call from 'the chief priests' and 'scribes': 'come down now from the Cross' (32). He paid the full price of our salvation. For us now, there is full salvation. His suffering was complete: 'It is finished' (John 19:30) was not a whimper of defeat. It was the declaration of victory. All that was needed - He has done for us. Now, He invites us to receive salvation: 'Come; for all is now ready' (Luke 14:17).

Exodus 39:1-43

'As the Lord had commanded...' (1,5,7,21,26,29,31-32,42-43): Obedience to God - this is the most important thing. 'And Moses blessed them' (43): Where there is obedience, there is blessing - there's a vital connection between the two. In Jesus, we see perfect obedience: 'My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish His work' (John 4:34). Jesus was fully obedient to the Father's will: 'He became obedient unto death, even death on a Cross' (Philippians 2:8). Through His obedience, there is blessing for us: 'by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous' (Romans 5:19). We look beyond the Old Testament priesthood to Christ, the 'High Priest of the good things that have come' - By 'His own blood', He has secured for us 'an eternal redemption' (Hebrews 9:11-12).

Exodus 40:1-38

Here, we highlight three lessons: (a) The work of God begins with the Word of God: 'The Lord said to Moses...' (1). Before we can do anything for God, we must be taught by God. (b) The work of God must proceed in the way of God: 'Thus did Moses; according to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did' (16). If we are to accomplish anything for God, we must do God's work in God's way. (c) The work of God must lead to the worship of God: 'The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle' (34). If we are really seeking to work for God, we must seek to give Him the glory for all that is accomplished. Making these our priorities - the Word, way and worship of God - , we will look for 'the cloud and fire', the presence and power of God among us: He will be our Guide 'throughout all our journeys' (38).

Mark 15:42-16:20

Dead and buried (44-46) - 'The End'? No! There is more. An 'Appendix'? No! A whole new beginning - For Jesus, for us! He is 'the first fruits (1 Corinthians 15:20,23). The full glory is still to come (1 Corinthians 15:24). He has risen (6). 'At His coming, those who belong to Christ' will be raised - with Him and by Him - to everlasting life (1 Corinthians 15:23). This is the glory of the resurrection. It is not simply a thing of the past. It is our glorious future - we 'will be raised imperishable' (1 Corinthians 15:52). There is a Gospel to be preached - the Gospel of salvation (15-16). May God help us to preach the Gospel 'everywhere' - This will involve all of us, not just a few of us! May He give us the joy of seeing Him at work, confirming the message by the signs that attend it (20).

Psalm 10:1-18

Wickedness seems to be so prevalent. Many 'renounce the Lord', saying 'There is no God' (3-4). It seems that the wicked 'prosper at all times', while the innocent victims of oppression feel that 'God has forgotten' (5-11). When it appears that God 'has hidden His face', when we feel that He has forgotten us, we must remember this: 'The Lord is King for ever and ever' (11,16). Do not judge by appearances. Do not trust your feelings. Everything changes. Nothing remains the same. Everything changes - except God. He is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable in His faithful love for us. We rejoice in this: 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever' (Hebrews 13:5). Whatever circumstances and feelings may suggest, never forget this: 'He loved us from the first of time, He loves us to the last' (Church Hymnary, 293).