Stirred Hearts
Building the Tabernacle
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; - Exodus 35:4-5
10 “Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded: - Exodus 35:10
30 Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, - Exodus 35:30-31
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. - Exodus 36:2
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,... - Exodus 36:3-4
32 Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished, and the people of Israel did according to all that the LORD had commanded Moses; so they did. - Exodus 39:32
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. -Exodus 40:34-35
Question to Answer Today
How do we build the church in a way that invites and sustains the powerful presence of God’s Spirit?
Our Roadmap to Experiencing God’s Presence in Church
1) The Foundation: Christ as the Cornerstone
Everything must be centered on Jesus
Tabernacle Application
The tabernacle was built according to God’s precise instructions (Exodus 25:9).
Nothing was arbitrary.
Everything in the Tabernacle was founded on and pointed to Jesus
From the outer court to the Holy place to the veil to the Holy of Holies, Jesus is both foreshadowed and represented as being the focal point of this structure.
Church Application
The church is built on Christ alone
The church must be built on Christ alone, who is the true foundation:
“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)
Jesus is the cornerstone that aligns everything else:
“Jesus Christ himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” (Ephesians 2:20-21)
Tabernacle-Church Parallel
The church is built on Christ alone who came to fulfill what the tabernacle was for
God Dwelling Among His People – The tabernacle was where God’s presence dwelled among Israel (Exodus 25:8-9).
The Only Way to Approach God – The tabernacle was the only place where Israel could meet with God. Jesus is now the only way to the Father: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God dwelling among us: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).
The Greek word for "dwelt" literally means “tabernacled.”
Again, what’s the end result of the tabernacle being built?
It’s for God’s Spirit to reside and manifest there
What is the result of Christ being our tabernacle (John 1:14)?
The Holy Spirit was sent to live in believers
Do you see the correlation?
God has the Israelites build a tabernacle (to dwell) so His Spirit could be with them.
That physical tabernacle points to Jesus
Jesus then comes to tabernacle (dwell) with His people and the result of that is God’s Spirit now dwells in us
Practical Step
Ensure that everything in the church—teaching, worship, mission—is centered on Jesus and His gospel.
2. Sacrificial Giving: Making Space for God’s Presence
Sacrifice makes way for God’s glory
Tabernacle Application
Moses called for a freewill offering from the Israelites: “Whoever is of a generous heart, let him bring the Lord’s contribution” (Exodus 35:5).
The people responded so generously that Moses had to tell them to stop giving (Exodus 36:5-7).
Their giving was not forced but came from willing hearts, demonstrating their love and obedience to God.
Church Application
The early church exemplified this in Acts 2:42-47—believers gave generously, and as a result, the Spirit moved powerfully.
Tabernacle-Church Parallel
The people willingly gave their resources for the tabernacle’s construction
Exodus 35:5 - 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;
The church today is built through sacrificial giving, not under compulsion, but from joyful hearts: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
There was a generous heart was required to build the tabernacle and a generous heart is required to build Christ’s church
The result of the tabernacle and implications for today
Exodus 36:5-7 - 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.
What if we as believers had such a generous heart I had to say stop, we’ve got all we need and more. For this project in church, we’re good to go.
Practical Step
Foster a culture of generosity and dedication to God’s purposes, knowing that sacrifice makes way for God’s glory.
3. Obedience: Preparing a Place for His Presence
God is calling you to build His church
Tabernacle Application
Before the glory of God’s presence filled the tabernacle there was an obedience to the work
Exodus 39:43 - 43 And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it; as the LORD had commanded, so had they done it. Then Moses blessed them.
Church Application
Each person who has called Jesus Christ their Savior has submitted to Him as Master and Lord for building His Kingdom
1 Corinthians 3:9-11 - 9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Tabernacle-Church Parallel
Without people willing to serve God by putting in their time and talent, the tabernacle would not have been built
In the same way, God’s church will not be built unless we labor for it
Paul said he laid down a foundation, which was Christ, then others built on that
A challenge we must overcome
Exodus 36:2 - 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.
There was a stirring in their hearts to do the work.
Stirring means an eager willingness.
There’s a mention of both skill and stirring.
This suggests that some of the specially gifted people may not have been willing.
Practical Step
Here’s a big problem with the lack of growth in church today.
There are people who are skilled, but they’re sitting on the sidelines.
We need people to come off the sidelines
4. Spirit-Empowered Workers: Building by the Spirit, Not Human Strength
God’s Spirit Empowers Us
Tabernacle Application
People were required to build the tabernacle
Exodus 35:10 - “Let every skillful craftsman among you come and make all that the LORD has commanded:
It wasn’t just people, but skillful people
But notice the skill was from God
Exodus 35:30-31 - 30 Then Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 31 and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship,
Church Application
The church is built not by human effort, but by the Spirit’s empowerment
Each believer is gifted by the Spirit to build up the body
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 - 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
Tabernacle-Church Parallel
God filled people who were building the tabernacle with His Spirit for the task required at hand
In the same way, God has deposited in every single believer an ability to building His church
Practical Step
We need to stop being hesitant because we think we’re not qualified or have anything to offer.
By the power of God’s Spirit, you are enabled to build His church
5. Unity: Creating a Dwelling for the Spirit
Unity must prevail over division
Tabernacle Application
The entire community worked together, unified in building the tabernacle
They understood they had a part to play
Whether is was contributing financially, material wise, labor wise
They were of one mind and had one goal - create a place for God to display the glory of His Spirit and presence
Church Application
The early church understood the power of unity for the church
Acts 4:32 - 32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.
This speaks of perfect unity and harmony working together as one body
Tabernacle-Church Parallel
When the tabernacle was being built, there were many people, but one nation
Likewise in the church we are many parts, but united as one
1 Corinthians 12:12 - 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
Practical Step
We must not be divided, each wanting or going after our own ways, but united under the mission God has given us as a church as pursuing that, everyone together.
6. Response: God’s Spirit Filling the Church
The point is to experience God’s presence
Tabernacle Application
After everything was completed according to God’s design, the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle
Church Application
Understand first and foremost that God’s tabernacle is you
The tabernacle turned into a permanent structure in the temple, but both were temporary housing places for God
His ultimate purpose was to tabernacle, dwell, in us
1 Corinthians 3:16 - 16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
So we are each, individually God’s temple, but we were not created to exist individually
1 Corinthians 12:27 - 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
We are called, as God’s people, indwelt by His Spirit, to come together to encounter the presence of God
Tabernacle-Church Parallel
God wanted the tabernacle built to dwell among His all His people together
Exodus 40:34 - 34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
God wants to display His glory, by the power of His Spirit, in His church today
Jesus said in John 4 - 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
We see the Spirit of God showing His glory in the early church in Acts 2 - 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
We see the glory of God transforming believers today
II Corinthians 3:17-18 - 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Practical Step
We must gather in unity, God’s Spirit moves in power.
Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20)
In Acts 2, the Spirit filled the entire room where they were together.
Closing Thoughts
How do we build the church in a way that invites and sustains the powerful presence of God’s Spirit?
We all must be willing to engage together
Ephesians 2:22 - 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Reflective Questions
“Do we want to be part of a church where God’s Spirit moves in power, or are we content with just showing up?”
“If God’s presence moving powerfully in our church depended on your willingness to give, serve, and obey, what would that look like?”