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<v Speaker 1>Good morning, good morning, welcome on this first day of Daylight Savings Time.

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<v Speaker 1>How many people forgot Anyone?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, at least you're all here Now.

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<v Speaker 1>Traditionally we're supposed to begin with a joke, but I'm sorry I didn't prepare one so you can listen to your neighbor's stomach growling as the sermon goes on saying OK, it's lunchtime, what are you doing?

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<v Speaker 1>But today we're going to be looking at Exodus 35.

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<v Speaker 1>And the ushers are coming forward to give you an outline If you've not received that.

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<v Speaker 1>There are no slides today, so the outline will be helpful.

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<v Speaker 1>They also have Bibles.

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<v Speaker 1>If you don't have one, it's also helpful to open your Bible to Exodus 35, which is the second book of the Bible, genesis Exodus.

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<v Speaker 1>Towards the beginning.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's sermon is about a willing heart and I'm going to read this passage from Exodus.

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<v Speaker 1>It's fairly long, so bear with me, but listen.

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<v Speaker 1>And if you have a NASB translation, you'll see that some of the willing words are not said willing like they are in the NIV, but it essentially means the same thing.

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<v Speaker 1>So let me go ahead and read this Exodus 35, starting with verse 4.

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<v Speaker 1>Moses said to the whole Israelite community this is what the Lord has commanded.

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<v Speaker 1>From what you have, take an offering for the Lord.

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<v Speaker 1>Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather, acacia wood, olive oil for the light spices, for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense, onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastplate.

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<v Speaker 1>Skipping to verse 20, then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses' presence and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for all the work of the tent of the meeting, for all its service and the sacred garments, and all who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold, jewelry of all kinds brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments.

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<v Speaker 1>They presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord.

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<v Speaker 1>Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn and fine linen or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or other durable leather brought them.

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<v Speaker 1>Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it.

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<v Speaker 1>Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen.

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<v Speaker 1>And the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair.

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<v Speaker 1>The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breast piece.

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<v Speaker 1>They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.

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<v Speaker 1>All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord, through Moses, had commanded them to do.

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<v Speaker 1>Then we skip down to chapter 36, verse 2.

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<v Speaker 1>Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Olahab and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given the ability and who was willing to come and do the work.

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<v Speaker 1>They received from Moses, all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary.

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<v Speaker 1>So you may have heard, if you were listening, everyone who was willing, everyone who was willing.

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<v Speaker 1>The first part to look at is verse 5.

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<v Speaker 1>This is the call of the willing, where Moses says everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering.

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<v Speaker 1>Interesting isn't it that here are the people of God who had been redeemed from, brought from Egypt out into the wilderness to meet the Lord at Sinai.

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<v Speaker 1>We're now given the chance to bring an offering, but God doesn't say everybody brings it.

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<v Speaker 1>He says everyone who is willing, please do it.

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<v Speaker 1>And then, in verses 21, 22, 26, we see what some of these gifts are.

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<v Speaker 1>They're physical things, aren't they?

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<v Speaker 1>Verse 21, these were gold jewelry of all kinds.

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<v Speaker 1>Verse 22, gold jewelry of all kinds.

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<v Speaker 1>Verse 22,.

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<v Speaker 1>Verse 26, we see that there were goat's hair that was spun.

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<v Speaker 1>Verse 29, we see that these were other things that they had brought oil Well, that's actually verse 28.

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<v Speaker 1>Olive oil spices.

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<v Speaker 1>So God was asking them to bring gifts, things that they had.

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<v Speaker 1>And where did those gifts come from?

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<v Speaker 1>Think about that for a moment.

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<v Speaker 1>Some of those gifts came from the sweat of their brow, because, no doubt, even though they were slaves, some of those gifts came from the sweat of their brow Because, no doubt, even though they were slaves, they were building up some kind of resources.

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<v Speaker 1>They were working, they were doing something while they were in Egypt, before they were released.

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<v Speaker 1>They worked by the sweat of their brow to store up things, and those were things that they had built for themselves through their own skill, through their own labor.

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<v Speaker 1>But they weren't just the things that they brought by the sweat of their brow.

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<v Speaker 1>There were also things that were given them by the Egyptians, if you remember the story of them leaving Egypt.

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<v Speaker 1>They finally left with great haste and Pharaoh said time to get out, go.

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<v Speaker 1>But all of the Egyptians were glad to give them gifts and tell them go, take these things, get out of our presence.

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<v Speaker 1>We don't want to see you anymore.

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<v Speaker 1>We want to send you on your way because of the great judgment that the Lord brought on them.

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<v Speaker 1>So some of these things that they brought were things that they were given and some came from the sweat of their brow.

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<v Speaker 1>So isn't that interesting that we have both the things that we bring God, that are our things, that we worked for, and both the things that we bring God that are things that we worked for and all the things that we were given?

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<v Speaker 1>And yet one can say that almost everything we have is something we've been given.

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<v Speaker 1>What do we have that we were not given?

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<v Speaker 1>You grew up in a family, you were given education, you were given love.

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<v Speaker 1>There are many things that, even though we work for them, god has graciously given to us and he's asking us to have a willing heart to give those things back to him.

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<v Speaker 1>But it wasn't just material possessions.

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<v Speaker 1>When we look at chapter 36, verse 2, we see that Moses summoned these two workers and every skilled person to whom the Lord had given the ability and was willing to come and do the work to build the tabernacle.

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<v Speaker 1>So God asks us to bring him things, but he also asks us to bring our abilities, our skills, and yet the call is still for everyone who is willing.

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<v Speaker 1>So what was his purpose?

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<v Speaker 1>His purpose was to call people to himself, and we're going to take a look at Genesis 12, 1 to 3, the call of Abraham, where God had called Abram to serve him.

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<v Speaker 1>God said to Abram go from your country and your people, your father's household, to the land I will show you.

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<v Speaker 1>I will make you into a great nation and will bless you.

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<v Speaker 1>I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.

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<v Speaker 1>I will bless those who bless you and curse those, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you.

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<v Speaker 1>So God's purpose was to call people for himself, and he started by calling Abram, and that kind of call extends not just to Abram and his descendants, but to each one of us today.

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<v Speaker 1>There is a call to serve him.

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<v Speaker 1>The second purpose he had was to create for himself a new people.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's look at Exodus 19, verses 4 through 6.

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<v Speaker 1>This is the Lord speaking to Moses on the mountain.

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<v Speaker 1>You yourselves, oh, this is what you're to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you're to tell the people of Israel.

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<v Speaker 1>You yourselves have seen what I did in Egypt and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.

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<v Speaker 1>Now, if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations, you will be my treasured possession, although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

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<v Speaker 1>These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.

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<v Speaker 1>So God's purpose was also to call them and to create for himself a holy nation, a kingdom of priests, the people who would serve him.

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<v Speaker 1>And yet that wasn't the only purpose that God sought them.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's look at Exodus 40.

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter.

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<v Speaker 1>Let's look at Exodus 40.

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter 40, verses 34 through 38.

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<v Speaker 1>I'll read that for us.

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<v Speaker 1>This is the conclusion of the tabernacle when it was built.

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<v Speaker 1>Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

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<v Speaker 1>Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

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<v Speaker 1>Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

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<v Speaker 1>Then, in all the travels of the Israelites, wherever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out.

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<v Speaker 1>But if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out until the day it lifted.

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<v Speaker 1>So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day and the fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all of their travels.

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<v Speaker 1>So you see, really, god was creating a place for him to dwell with his people.

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<v Speaker 1>We're reminded in Genesis that God dwelt in Eden with his people, with Adam and Eve, but sin separated them.

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<v Speaker 1>And here he is doing a restoration, a bringing back.

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<v Speaker 1>He brought his people, he called them, he created a special people for himself and he made a place for them to dwell with him.

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<v Speaker 1>That's what the tabernacle was all about.

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<v Speaker 1>And yet God still extended that call for people who were willing to come and take part in this, that call for people who were willing to come and take part in this.

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<v Speaker 1>Now we kind of I dropped in on this passage and I think most of you know where it fits in the timeline.

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<v Speaker 1>But I want to step back and before we try to apply this to ourselves, I want to understand where this fits in redemption history and God's sovereign timeline.

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<v Speaker 1>So I'm going to make I don't have a slide, but I'm going to make this as our timeline.

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<v Speaker 1>Here's the beginning, over here on your left side, and there's the ending, and this is a timeline I'm calling it God's sovereign timeline, which we'll talk about in a minute.

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<v Speaker 1>So the purpose of this is to find out where this story fits in God's story and then where we fit in that story.

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<v Speaker 1>And then how do we apply this story from a time to our time?

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<v Speaker 1>That's always a good practice.

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<v Speaker 1>When you're looking at something from the Old Testament, how do we make that apply to us?

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<v Speaker 1>We're in a different time plane.

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<v Speaker 1>So creation starts, god's sovereign timeline.

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<v Speaker 1>In the beginning, god created and then, as we move, of course, there was the fall.

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<v Speaker 1>Adam partook of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and sin entered the world.

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<v Speaker 1>But it doesn't stop there.

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<v Speaker 1>There was a promise given to Abraham.

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<v Speaker 1>God called Abraham.

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<v Speaker 1>We read that passage.

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<v Speaker 1>But there was a promise in the garden, in Genesis 3.15,.

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<v Speaker 1>God said I will put enmity between you and the woman talking to the serpent and between your offspring and hers, and he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.

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<v Speaker 1>So there was a promise given in the garden, right after sin entered the world, that God would reestablish things, that he would bring order.

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<v Speaker 1>This is spoken of as the pre-gospel, the promise that God gave even at that moment.

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<v Speaker 1>Then God called Abraham.

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<v Speaker 1>We read that passage.

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<v Speaker 1>Then Abraham had a family, descendants, jacob, israel, we call them.

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<v Speaker 1>They went into Egypt where they were slaves.

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<v Speaker 1>God called them out of Egypt into Sinai where he met with them and that's where this discord takes place.

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<v Speaker 1>And then he delivered them into the promised land.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm running out of room, sorry.

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<v Speaker 1>And then the story changes, that there is a period of exile.

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<v Speaker 1>God's people turn from him and then they go into exile, they return, they're brought back.

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<v Speaker 1>That process goes forward times and then in the center of history, there is the climactic moment when the Messiah comes.

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<v Speaker 1>So I'm standing here in the middle because I want you to know that that is the cross, is the center of all history.

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus' entry into the world as a baby incarnation becomes a human incarnation becomes a human lives, a perfect life for us, dies in our place, pays the price through his blood to redeem us, to buy us back, to cover our sins.

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<v Speaker 1>He rises from the dead.

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<v Speaker 1>That is the crucial part of history, the center of all history.

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<v Speaker 1>But history doesn't stop there.

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<v Speaker 1>We know from the Bible that the story goes on.

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<v Speaker 1>What's the next event that's about to happen sometime?

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<v Speaker 1>That's Jesus' return.

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<v Speaker 1>He is coming back.

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<v Speaker 1>Titus 2.13 says we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, jesus Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>He is coming physically to be with us and at that time there will be resurrection.

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<v Speaker 1>Now, this is the part that is our great hope.

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<v Speaker 1>Corinthians tells us.

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<v Speaker 1>The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed, for the perishable must close itself with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality.

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<v Speaker 1>That is the time when Jesus returns, the second time that he brings to us the new body.

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<v Speaker 1>That is our great hope that we look forward to.

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<v Speaker 1>And then history has another page the new heavens and new earth where God restores all things.

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<v Speaker 1>I have to read for you Revelation 21, because this is such a wonderful passage 21, verses 1 through 4.

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<v Speaker 1>Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and there was no longer any sea.

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<v Speaker 1>21, verses 1 through 4.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's the timeline of God's sovereign plan.

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<v Speaker 1>There's something I don't want you to miss.

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<v Speaker 1>Don't miss this God invites us to become part of his plan.

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<v Speaker 1>He has planned it and will carry it forward, and this will take place.

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<v Speaker 1>And yet he calls us to follow him, to join him, to be part of that plan.

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<v Speaker 1>He's extended to us a great grace to be part of him and his work and therefore the call is to those who are willing.

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<v Speaker 1>Those who are willing, the great King, the Creator, is coming back and he invites us to join with him if we're willing.

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<v Speaker 1>Now back to our text.

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<v Speaker 1>So we're over here in the early part of the story, and God is calling people who are building this temple, this tabernacle, this place where God will dwell with his people, to participate.

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<v Speaker 1>And he says everyone who was willing, bring your gifts, bring your talents, come and join the work.

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<v Speaker 1>Why do you think he does that?

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<v Speaker 1>He already knows the plan from beginning to end.

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<v Speaker 1>He will bring it to pass, but yet, in his great love for us, he wants us to be part of that.

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<v Speaker 1>He invites us to join him.

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<v Speaker 1>He invites us to know him, to know him through experiences, to come to have a walking, loving relationship.

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<v Speaker 1>So God will accomplish his purposes.

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<v Speaker 1>There is a verse in Isaiah 46 that I want to read to you that testifies to this.

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<v Speaker 1>Isaiah 46, 9 through 10.

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<v Speaker 1>Remember the former things, those of long ago?

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<v Speaker 1>I am God and there is no other.

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<v Speaker 1>I am God and there is none like me.

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<v Speaker 1>I have made known the end from the beginning, from ancient times.

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<v Speaker 1>What is still to come, I say my purpose will stand and I will do all that I please.

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<v Speaker 1>God's purposes will stand.

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<v Speaker 1>God will do everything, but he invites us, in his great love, to join him, to be part of that plan.

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<v Speaker 1>So now the question becomes well, how does this apply to us?

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<v Speaker 1>Where are we in the timeline?

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<v Speaker 1>We're over here, right?

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<v Speaker 1>We're waiting for the Lord to return.

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<v Speaker 1>He hasn't come yet, but he will come.

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<v Speaker 1>So for the willing, there are two ways that actually there's three ways.

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<v Speaker 1>I have down that we should look at this and I want to read to you Revelation 22, 17.

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<v Speaker 1>The spirit and the bride say come, and let the one who hears say come, let the one who is thirsty, come and the one who wishes to take the free gift of the water of life.

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<v Speaker 1>So this is Jesus talking.

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<v Speaker 1>He's extending to us, those who are willing, come and join me, become part of God's kingdom, accept the forgiveness, accept me as your Messiah, what I have done, and become part of God's kingdom.

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<v Speaker 1>So that call is to every one of us.

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<v Speaker 1>Now I know many of us have made that decision, have followed him, have joined ourselves in Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>But if you haven't done that, dear friends, I encourage you.

00:21:31.098 --> 00:21:34.652
<v Speaker 1>This is the time of salvation, this is the day.

00:21:34.652 --> 00:21:36.175
<v Speaker 1>Don't wait any longer.

00:21:36.175 --> 00:21:50.717
<v Speaker 1>Follow the Lord in faith, trust him as your savior and then, for those of you that have done that, are you willing to take the next step?

00:21:50.717 --> 00:21:55.855
<v Speaker 1>Are you willing to follow Jesus and his kingdom?

00:21:55.855 --> 00:21:59.173
<v Speaker 1>Well, james talks to us about this.

00:21:59.173 --> 00:22:04.057
<v Speaker 1>We'll look at James 4, verses 7 and 8.

00:22:04.057 --> 00:22:09.111
<v Speaker 1>And I'll read that for you.

00:22:14.244 --> 00:22:15.288
<v Speaker 1>James says submit yourselves, then, to God.

00:22:15.288 --> 00:22:19.505
<v Speaker 1>Speaking to those who have already made a commitment, who have joined with him Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

00:22:19.505 --> 00:22:22.910
<v Speaker 1>Come near to God and he will come near to you.

00:22:22.910 --> 00:22:40.930
<v Speaker 1>The same call for the willing to follow in faith is also to us as believers, as members of the body, to follow Jesus with our lives, to bring our gifts, to bring our talents, to bring the things that we have, to offer those to him.

00:22:43.865 --> 00:22:47.115
<v Speaker 1>Now, the first word there, submit, is very unpopular in our culture.

00:22:47.115 --> 00:22:56.353
<v Speaker 1>We won't go in depth in that, but I do want to mention that submitting is sort of a military word.

00:22:56.353 --> 00:23:00.286
<v Speaker 1>It was used at that time in the Roman armies.

00:23:00.286 --> 00:23:05.979
<v Speaker 1>Okay, you submit, you get in line, there's a leader and there are the under soldiers.

00:23:05.979 --> 00:23:16.526
<v Speaker 1>Are the under soldiers?

00:23:16.526 --> 00:23:17.127
<v Speaker 1>You line up, you get an order.

00:23:17.127 --> 00:23:18.171
<v Speaker 1>It has to do with order, it has to do with structure.

00:23:18.191 --> 00:23:19.054
<v Speaker 1>Who are we following?

00:23:19.054 --> 00:23:20.337
<v Speaker 1>Are we following the devil?

00:23:20.337 --> 00:23:23.826
<v Speaker 1>Are we following the ways of the world?

00:23:23.826 --> 00:23:28.153
<v Speaker 1>Are we following God himself?

00:23:28.153 --> 00:23:37.133
<v Speaker 1>He calls us to follow him if you have a willing heart, and that's the great challenge to each one of us.

00:23:37.133 --> 00:23:41.115
<v Speaker 1>That's a challenge for myself, it's a challenge for us as brothers and sisters.

00:23:41.115 --> 00:23:42.371
<v Speaker 1>How do we follow the Lord?

00:23:42.371 --> 00:23:48.136
<v Speaker 1>The answer to that is going to be different for you than it is for me.

00:23:48.136 --> 00:23:50.973
<v Speaker 1>The answer to that is going to be something that you work out with him.

00:23:51.664 --> 00:23:56.457
<v Speaker 1>But God still calls those who are willing to come to him.

00:23:56.457 --> 00:23:58.632
<v Speaker 1>He doesn't call us against our will?

00:23:58.632 --> 00:24:01.369
<v Speaker 1>And why does he do that?

00:24:01.369 --> 00:24:03.276
<v Speaker 1>Why does he do that?

00:24:03.276 --> 00:24:17.977
<v Speaker 1>Well, I don't know all the answers to that, but I do want to read to you from Psalm 145, verse 18, a partial answer and make a suggestion.

00:24:20.006 --> 00:24:26.792
<v Speaker 1>Psalm 145, verse 18, the Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

00:24:26.792 --> 00:24:30.613
<v Speaker 1>And in that is a partial answer.

00:24:30.613 --> 00:24:33.030
<v Speaker 1>God is calling us to be near.

00:24:33.030 --> 00:24:34.114
<v Speaker 1>Near.

00:24:34.114 --> 00:24:37.814
<v Speaker 1>We can't be near to someone that we're not following.

00:24:37.814 --> 00:24:53.570
<v Speaker 1>We can't be near to someone that we're not willing to follow, but we can be near to the Lord, who loves us, who's given himself for us, who's called us, who's included us in his great eternal plan because who loves us, who's given himself for us, who's called us, who's included us in his great eternal plan because he loves us.

00:24:53.570 --> 00:24:56.358
<v Speaker 1>He wants us to have a relationship with him.

00:24:56.358 --> 00:25:00.970
<v Speaker 1>He's calling us into a relationship, each person who belongs to him.

00:25:00.970 --> 00:25:03.154
<v Speaker 1>He wants you to walk with him.

00:25:03.895 --> 00:25:09.077
<v Speaker 1>The scriptures use that analogy about walking, walking with the Spirit, walking with the Lord.

00:25:09.077 --> 00:25:18.789
<v Speaker 1>That's what we're called to do, and again, how that looks for everybody is going to be a little bit different, but yet the call is there to the willing.

00:25:18.789 --> 00:25:35.234
<v Speaker 1>So my prayer for you is that God will give us willing hearts, willing to receive him, willing to walk with him, willing to trust him, willing to receive him, willing to walk with him, willing to trust him because he is worthy, he is a great king.

00:25:35.234 --> 00:25:36.968
<v Speaker 1>Let's close with prayer.

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<v Speaker 1>Lord God, you are great and your purposes are eternal and sovereign, and we just thank you that you have chosen to lovingly include us in that plan, to call each one of us from eternity past to know you, and that you extend that gift to us, to all who are willing to come to know you, to follow you, to love you, to walk with you.

00:25:58.354 --> 00:26:08.698
<v Speaker 1>Give us hearts that are willing, give us hearts that are close to you, give us hearts that are open to your work, and we ask this in Jesus' name, amen.