070506 Godly Crafts

The following Steeple article was originally intended as a sermon entitled "Post Easter Resurrection" for April 29, 2007, based on Acts 9:36-46. But as the linked audio digital recording reveals, Pastor Ron was moved to speak more directly to the 301 club members and building contractors in attendance. There have been some minor alterations made from the original transcript that Pastor Ron intended to use as a guide, but otherwise this is the originally intended sermon:
Last Sunday at worship service and a cover dish luncheon we hosted many 301 Club members and professional craftsmen who helped us renovate our church kitchen. This was Thanksgiving in Spring-time. We were reminded how Dorcas in Acts 9:36-43 had many friends who loved her, partly because of the wonderful work she did with clothing as a seamstress and dye maker.
Just about every Tuesday breakfast and Friday lunch Dexter is a place where people like the friends of Dorcas meet to eat and enjoy each other’s fellowship. 301 Club on Friday nights gives us clean fun and dancing – full of enthusiastic greetings and reverberating dance music. It takes members and volunteers to make this community swing. The talents of many workers and financial contributors over a six month period made it possible to unselfishly revive an “as-good-as-dead” kitchen into a new center to feed our hungry community members.
Without fanfare, many people who read our Steeple newsletter each week have made sure that we can renew our efforts to feed the community and provide meals as our service to God. Your testimony of giving is not going unnoticed by those who share in Dexter’s fellowship of nourishment.
By keeping this house of worship and its many services like the kitchen open and operational with love, comfort, and food, you have become kitchen angels who share your faith in the true spirit of the gospel, without expectations or recognition. The Lord will recognize you by preparing a place for you at the banquet table set for all those who labor in God's love.
It took metal workers, jewelers, weavers, seamstresses and many craftsmen and artists to build the tabernacle -- the movable worship center -- when the people of Israel were living in the Sinai wilderness. In a recent Upper Room article Maureen Baird of California says that it is really important how skillfully you or I hammer a nail or sew a straight seam. In fact, it’s such a big deal that the Bible honors craftsmen like Bezalel and Oholiab for all of eternity (Exodus 31:1-11). God inspired them with skill and know-how and expertise in every kind of craft to create designs and work in gold, silver, and bronze; to cut and set gemstones; and to carve wood. They were all-around craftsmen. Dorcas received similar praise in the New Testament for her helping others with her sewing ability.
Our talents and skills are gifts from God like those named in the Bible. Some of us have chosen to help rebuild our kitchen. Others will help us repair the fellowship hall and exterior windows to the church buildings or finally install a water tower for the air conditioning system before summer comes. Still others may help build a Habitat for Humanity home for a poor family, perform landscaping for the church’s grounds, work with our youth in the community, teach an art or craft or volunteer at a local relief mission or food bank.
Dear Heavenly Father, bless us with the wisdom, insight and vigilant service to use our talents like Dorcas, Bezalel or Oholiab to honor You. Thank you for enabling us to do good works and support healthy and enjoyable fellowship here at Dexter and where ever we may be - In the precious name of Jesus Christ who is still in the business of building and rebuilding lives, Amen.