Exodus 35:29 (NKJV) The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to the Lord, all the men and women whose hearts were willing to bring material for all kinds of work which the Lord, by the hand of Moses, had commanded to be done.
God has given mankind free will to make choices. Before we were saved, we used to make decisions based on our preferences and what we believed was best for us. However, after we have been saved through the redemptive blood of Jesus, we are under the Lordship of Christ and are stewards of all the resources that God has entrusted to us, including our finances.
Whether we are full-time ministers or serving and worshipping God through our work in the marketplace, we must trust and depend on God for everything we do.
If we want to walk out the lifestyle of faith, we need to have absolute dependence on God and faith in Him. We need to seek His face, receive a word of confirmation, and have a witness in our spirit before we step out on our journey with God. Then, we need to live the consecrated life by walking in His will.
The difference between tithing and freewill offering is that tithing is a payment required by the Lord for a twofold purpose—a form of worship and to provide for the livelihood of the Levites, whereas freewill offering is based on our decision and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when it comes to giving freewill offerings, we need to respond to His leading. Often, these promptings are tests of our willingness and obedience so that we are proven to be faithful, dependable, and willing channels of His blessings.
The Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the promised land parallels ours from being saved to taking hold of our abundant life. While their greatest challenge was to get “Egypt” out of their hearts, ours is to get the worship of mammon out of our hearts.
There was a practice by the children of Israel to bring freewill offerings to the Lord for the building of the Tabernacle. They could bring anything as long as it was from a willing heart. Likewise, in the New Testament, we are expected to give freewill offerings for the development of the church and the preaching of the Gospel.
Because we are the body of Christ, He would use us to express His love to people within and outside the church. Jesus has love and compassion for the lost, the sick, the little ones, and the poor and needy—He wants them to be saved. As individuals and as a church, we can give towards all these causes including supporting preachers and missionaries on the field.
Although the Gospel was given to us freely by the love of God through Jesus’ death on the cross, the ministry of the Gospel needs money. While the Old Testament saints were building the Tabernacle, a temporary place of worship, believers today are called to give freewill offerings to build the Church of the Living God.
Sermon Series: Freewill Offering
建造教会
出埃及记 35:29 以色列人，无论男女，凡甘心乐意献礼物给耶和华的，都将礼物拿来，作耶和华藉摩西所吩咐的一切工。
上帝给予人类自由意志做出选择。在我们获得拯救之前，我们习惯按着自己的喜好和相信哪个对我们最好来做选择。然而，就在我们因衪宝血的救赎大能得救后，我们就在耶稣基督的主宰之下，我们就是上帝所托全部资源的管家了，包括我们的财富。
无论是全职传道人，还是通过职场工作来侍奉和敬拜神的人，我们要在一切事上信靠和倚赖神。如果我们要行出信心的生活方式，我们就必须对神有绝对的依靠和信心。我们需要寻求他的面，领受确认的话语，并且在我们启程与神同行之前，灵里有了见证。然后，我们需要藉着行在祂的旨意中来活出成圣的生命。
什一奉献和自由奉献的区别在于：什一奉献是主要求我们缴纳的，为了两个目的—既是一种敬拜形式，也用来为利未人提供生计，而自由奉献则是基于我们的决定和圣灵的感动。因此，我们也会回应神的带领，献上自由奉献。有时，这些提示也是考验，考验我们是否愿意和顺服祂，从而证明我们是忠实、可靠、愿意让祂的祝福流淌出去的管道。
以色列人从埃及到应许之地的旅程与我们从得救到获得丰盛的生命是相同的。以色列人的最大的挑战是把“埃及”从他们的心中除去，而我们的最大挑战是把对玛门（财富）的崇拜从我们的心中除去。
以色列子民有一个惯例，就是为建造会幕向耶和华献上自愿的奉献。只要是出于自愿的，他们可以献上任何东西。同样，在新约中，我们也应该为教会的发展和福音的传播而献上自愿的奉献。
因为我们是基督的肢体，祂会使用我们向教会内外的人表达祂的爱。耶稣对失丧的人、病人、幼小的人、贫穷和困顿的人有爱和怜悯，祂希望他们得救。作为个人和教会，我们可以为所有这些事工捐献，包括供养禾场上的传道人和宣教士。
虽然福音是神因着爱藉着耶稣在十字架上的死白白赐给我们的，但福音的事工需要经济支持。旧约的圣徒们所建的会幕是临时的敬拜场所，今日的信徒蒙召作自由奉献，建造的是永活真神的教会。
讲章系列：自由奉献