Lord, Gimme This, Gimme That, Gimme, Gimme
An all-creatures Bible Message

Lord, Gimme This, Gimme That, Gimme, Gimme

A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
15 October 2017
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References

Exodus 32:1-14
Philippians 4:10-23

Lord, gimme this, gimme that, gimme, gimme is unfortunately the way that the majority of the people pray; they want what God can give them, and are not really thankful for all that the Lord has done for them, and how they can use His unconditional love and empathy to help Him free creation from its present corruption.
 
They want God to bless them with the things they want, and not necessarily what they need.
 
Instead of having a loving relationship with the Lord, they have a selfish relationship with Him.
 
Our real blessings come from what we freely give in true love without expecting anything in return.
 
As we look at Exodus 32:1-14, let’s think about the heart attitude of the people…

1. When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."

This is a problem with a lot of people in the world, and perhaps most of them, for they fail to see the real miracles of God that have been right before their eyes and, as a result, they don’t believe, so they begin building idols before God, as we talked about last week.
 
These are the kind of people who are constantly saying Lord, gimme this, gimme that, gimme, gimme, and no matter how much they get, they are never satisfied.
 
They didn’t like it in Egypt and God had Moses lead them out, but when they entered the wilderness they wanted to go back.
 
They complained about not having water, so the Lord gave them water, but they were not satisfied.
 
God gave them manna from heaven, but they weren’t satisfied and wanted meat which went against the heavenly will of God; they are the “Lord, gimme this, gimme that, gimme, gimme” kind of people.

2. Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me."

We have never understood why Aaron went along with the people’s ungodly request, but he did, which makes him just as much of a person building idols before God as the people.

3. So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.
 
4. He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."

They said this knowing full well that it was a lie.
 
They knew that God and Moses brought them out of Egypt; they knew the truth.

5. When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD."

Just because the people were saying Lord, gimme this, gimme that, gimme, gimme, is not an excuse for Aaron to go along with them, for he knew the truth.

6. So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.

They made a calf to worship as their god, and at the same time they kill others animals to offer as a sacrifice to that god.
 
We hope we all see the hypocrisy here.
 
All of these things are against the heavenly will of God; the people are really serving the ways of the devil who is the father of lies.

7. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.

This is because they didn’t really believe in God, and since Aaron went along with them, we wonder if Aaron really believed, for if he really did believe, he couldn’t have gone along with the people...and God was angry.

8. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'
 
9. "I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people.
 
10. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."

God was extremely angry, but He still said this to Moses because He knew that Moses would intervene on behalf of the people, even though they didn’t really believe in God.

11. But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. "O LORD," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?
 
12. Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people.
 
13. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.' "
 
14. Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
NIV

This is an example of proof that God really is a loving God, and that Moses was also trying to set a loving example and was not asking anything for himself, which is the way that all of us should be.
 
Let’s now turn our attention to Philippians 4:10-23…

10. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.
 
11. Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

See how different Paul is from the people that Moses had to deal with.
 
Paul has faith in God, and is thankful for what God had given him, unlike the greedy self-centered people whose so-called prayers are, Lord, gimme this, gimme that, gimme, gimme.
 
So Paul goes on…

12. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

Can we say the same thing?
 
We sure hope so, because this is all part of living in the heavenly will of God.

13. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Our faith in Jesus Christ gives us this strength, but do we really realize it, for this is all part of being born again.
 
Think about it; does this strength help us to be compassionate and empathetic toward animals so that we would never even think about harming them and take a stand against the world that wants to kill and eat them?
 
This is living in the heavenly will of God and not in the world of the people who are never satisfied and who say, Lord, gimme this, gimme that, gimme, gimme.

14. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.

Do we feel the pain and suffering of others, whether humans or animals?
 
We should if we say we know the Lord and His heavenly will.

15. And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone;

The Philippians seem to hold a special place in Paul’s heart because of their faith and service to the Lord.

16. for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.
 
17. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
 
18. But I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

Their sacrifice is the gift they send to Paul, for in the heavenly will of God, we do not sacrifice any animals.

19. And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Notice that Paul is not talking about worldly riches that the “Lord, gimme this, gimme that, gimme, gimme” people seem to always want. Paul is talking about heavenly gifts.
 
With this, Paul closes with a prayerful blessing…

20. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
 
21. Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you.
 
22. All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.
 
23. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
NASB

Amen.

Return to: Sermons Archive