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Calvary Church
Expansion Offering Sunday - Ps Dustan Bell
‘We see a growing church, meeting in many locations around the world, helping people to know Jesus, find community and make a difference.’
Locations & Times
Calvary Port Moresby
7 Mile, Jacksons Parade, Port Moresby 121 National Capital District, Papua New Guinea
Sunday 10:00 AM
Expansion Offering Sunday
It’s what our church has done together on these special offering days over many years that has empowered us to build campuses that become a spiritual home for many people.
1 Chronicles 21:20 – 22:1
Now Ornan was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David and went out from the threshing floor and paid homage to David with his face to the ground.
And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the LORD—give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.”
Then Ornan said to David, “Take it, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. See, I give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for the wood and the wheat for a grain offering; I give it all.”
But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”
So David paid Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site. And David built there an altar to the LORD and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. Then the LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.
At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time in the high place at Gibeon, but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
Then David said, “Here shall be the house of the LORD God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
2 Chronicles 3:1
Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
Six things I see that are relevant for us on this Expansion Offering Sunday.
1. GOD IS WILLING TO WORK HIS PLAN THROUGH IMPERFECT PEOPLE
We can think that because of our shortcomings and flaws, there’s no way God could work through us.
· I’m not sure God would want to use me.
· I don’t know that God could work through my life.
If God would use David and Ornan to establish the place on which His house would be built – surely God could use us today as well!
God is so redemptive that He’ll take our mistakes and missteps and work them together to advance His plan on the earth.
2. WHEN WE OFFER IT TO GOD, HE WILL DIGNIFY OUR PLACE OF WORK
There was nothing particularly special about Ornan’s threshing floor.
Imagine his surprise that day when King David pulls into the driveway at his workplace.
“Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the LORD.”
Ornan responded:
· You’re the King, not me.
· If you want to take my work place make it an altar to the Lord, go right ahead!
· It all belongs to the Lord anyway.
If we will offer it up to the Lord, God will take our workplace and make it a holy place.
· God cares about your business.
· God cares about the work of your hands.
· It’s not secular, it’s not lesser, it’s not a necessary evil.
When you take the gifts, the energy, the time and the opportunities God has given you, and you offer them back to Him – your work becomes worship.
Romans 12:1 (Message)
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.
Don’t diminish your work – it might feel bare and unglamorous – but if you offer it up to the Lord, it’s a holy thing.
An Expansion Offering day like today further dignifies our work.
3. GENUINE WORSHIP IS COMMITTED AND COSTLY
David had been directed to raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Oman.
David is aware – there’s a power imbalance at play here; Ornan will feel the right thing to do is to offer the site to David free of charge.
It’s the temptation to worship at another man’s expense.
1 Chronicles 21:22
And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the LORD…”
“… give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.”
Ornan was willing to give, but David was determined to buy. David would not worship off the back of another man’s sacrifice.
What we do today calls for personal commitment and cost – and that’s the exact type of worship that King David commends to us.
4. GOD WORKS GENERATIONALLY THROUGH WILLING HEARTS
Genesis 22:1–2
God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
1,000 years later, David comes to Ornan’s threshing floor.
David says, “I will not offer the Lord that which costs me nothing. I’m willing to sacrifice.”
About 15 years later, Solomon, in the 4th year of his reign, starts construction of the temple on Mount Moriah.
· Abraham’s sacrifice set apart that place.
· David’s sacrifice secured that place.
· Solomon’s sacrifice established the place.
Where there are people of faith, with a willing spirit, prepared to sacrifice, you can set apart, secure and establish a generational work of God.
King David said:
· I’m not looking for the cheap and easy route.
· I’m willing to pay for it.
· In that act, he consecrated ground which established a house of God that stood for generations.
The ripple effect of sacrificial generosity can last for generations.
5. WHERE GOD SEES SACRIFICE & FAITH, HE PROMISES TO PROVIDE
The ram dies in place of Isaac, foreshadowing Jesus, the sacrifice God would provide for our debt of sin.
Genesis 22:14
So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
If Abraham had not been willing to bring the offering in faith, he’d have never learned that dimension of God’s character.
When we trust God with our offerings, we learn first-hand He’s faithful to provide.
The house of God was built in the place where a person of faith believed two things:
· I’m willing to step out in faith
· And I know the Lord will provide
6. THE HOUSE OF GOD IS A HARVEST PLACE
Harvested grain would be hauled up to the threshing floor - the kernel and the husk were separated - the chaff blown away.
God tells David - build the temple in the place of harvest.
John 4:35
“… lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.”
Calvary Townsville
· Place where people of faith paid the price in 1978
· House of God established
· Harvest place for four decades
Calvary Cairns
· A cinema
· Now a place of harvest
Why are you people at Calvary so committed to building ministry centres?
· There is harvest work to be done!
It’s what our church has done together on these special offering days over many years that has empowered us to build campuses that become a spiritual home for many people.
1 Chronicles 21:20 – 22:1
Now Ornan was threshing wheat. He turned and saw the angel, and his four sons who were with him hid themselves. As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David and went out from the threshing floor and paid homage to David with his face to the ground.
And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the LORD—give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.”
Then Ornan said to David, “Take it, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. See, I give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for the wood and the wheat for a grain offering; I give it all.”
But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”
So David paid Ornan 600 shekels of gold by weight for the site. And David built there an altar to the LORD and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings and called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him with fire from heaven upon the altar of burnt offering. Then the LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.
At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time in the high place at Gibeon, but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
Then David said, “Here shall be the house of the LORD God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”
2 Chronicles 3:1
Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
Six things I see that are relevant for us on this Expansion Offering Sunday.
1. GOD IS WILLING TO WORK HIS PLAN THROUGH IMPERFECT PEOPLE
We can think that because of our shortcomings and flaws, there’s no way God could work through us.
· I’m not sure God would want to use me.
· I don’t know that God could work through my life.
If God would use David and Ornan to establish the place on which His house would be built – surely God could use us today as well!
God is so redemptive that He’ll take our mistakes and missteps and work them together to advance His plan on the earth.
2. WHEN WE OFFER IT TO GOD, HE WILL DIGNIFY OUR PLACE OF WORK
There was nothing particularly special about Ornan’s threshing floor.
Imagine his surprise that day when King David pulls into the driveway at his workplace.
“Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the LORD.”
Ornan responded:
· You’re the King, not me.
· If you want to take my work place make it an altar to the Lord, go right ahead!
· It all belongs to the Lord anyway.
If we will offer it up to the Lord, God will take our workplace and make it a holy place.
· God cares about your business.
· God cares about the work of your hands.
· It’s not secular, it’s not lesser, it’s not a necessary evil.
When you take the gifts, the energy, the time and the opportunities God has given you, and you offer them back to Him – your work becomes worship.
Romans 12:1 (Message)
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.
Don’t diminish your work – it might feel bare and unglamorous – but if you offer it up to the Lord, it’s a holy thing.
An Expansion Offering day like today further dignifies our work.
3. GENUINE WORSHIP IS COMMITTED AND COSTLY
David had been directed to raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Oman.
David is aware – there’s a power imbalance at play here; Ornan will feel the right thing to do is to offer the site to David free of charge.
It’s the temptation to worship at another man’s expense.
1 Chronicles 21:22
And David said to Ornan, “Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the LORD…”
“… give it to me at its full price—that the plague may be averted from the people.”
Ornan was willing to give, but David was determined to buy. David would not worship off the back of another man’s sacrifice.
What we do today calls for personal commitment and cost – and that’s the exact type of worship that King David commends to us.
4. GOD WORKS GENERATIONALLY THROUGH WILLING HEARTS
Genesis 22:1–2
God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
1,000 years later, David comes to Ornan’s threshing floor.
David says, “I will not offer the Lord that which costs me nothing. I’m willing to sacrifice.”
About 15 years later, Solomon, in the 4th year of his reign, starts construction of the temple on Mount Moriah.
· Abraham’s sacrifice set apart that place.
· David’s sacrifice secured that place.
· Solomon’s sacrifice established the place.
Where there are people of faith, with a willing spirit, prepared to sacrifice, you can set apart, secure and establish a generational work of God.
King David said:
· I’m not looking for the cheap and easy route.
· I’m willing to pay for it.
· In that act, he consecrated ground which established a house of God that stood for generations.
The ripple effect of sacrificial generosity can last for generations.
5. WHERE GOD SEES SACRIFICE & FAITH, HE PROMISES TO PROVIDE
The ram dies in place of Isaac, foreshadowing Jesus, the sacrifice God would provide for our debt of sin.
Genesis 22:14
So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
If Abraham had not been willing to bring the offering in faith, he’d have never learned that dimension of God’s character.
When we trust God with our offerings, we learn first-hand He’s faithful to provide.
The house of God was built in the place where a person of faith believed two things:
· I’m willing to step out in faith
· And I know the Lord will provide
6. THE HOUSE OF GOD IS A HARVEST PLACE
Harvested grain would be hauled up to the threshing floor - the kernel and the husk were separated - the chaff blown away.
God tells David - build the temple in the place of harvest.
John 4:35
“… lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.”
Calvary Townsville
· Place where people of faith paid the price in 1978
· House of God established
· Harvest place for four decades
Calvary Cairns
· A cinema
· Now a place of harvest
Why are you people at Calvary so committed to building ministry centres?
· There is harvest work to be done!
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