May 5, 2019
It’s week 14 in the book of Exodus at Park Church. The book of Exodus is all about God’s mission to redeem a people for His Kingdom in the world.
This is also week three of Eastertide, the 50 days after Easter where we celebrate Jesus’ victory over the grave and explore its implications for the redemption of all things. Learn more and find resources for Eastertide worship and prayer over at The Christian Year.
Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday:
1. Read through our text, Exodus 12:33–14:31.
After the last plague, the Israelites were finally freed from their 430 years of oppression in Egypt: Free from Pharaoh’s tyranny. Free from the pain of their daily burdens. Free from the brutality of their taskmasters. They were finally free.
But there the story takes a surprising turn. The Lord was leading them with a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night, but Instead of leading them north around the Red Sea, He led them through the wilderness straight toward the Red Sea. When Pharaoh saw an opportunity to overtake the Israelites who seemed to be pinned between the wilderness and the Red Sea, he took his army out to attempt to defeat them by the sea. When Israel saw the Egyptian army, they assumed the worst and immediately began regretting their trust in Moses and the Lord. But God was preparing them for a powerful display of His power for salvation and judgment. Moses, trusting in the Lord, stretched his hand over the waters of the Red Sea, and the sea parted, allowing the Israelites to pass through on dry land. The Egyptians went in after them, but after the people of Israel came through the Sea, the Lord told Moses to stretch his hand back over the Sea, and the waters swept over the Egyptian Army, drowning them in the sea. The Lord redeemed His people from their slavery through mighty acts, and they feared and trusted in Him.
2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:
CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 77:13–14, 19–20; Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):
To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners,
the Conqueror of the grave, the resurrection and the life.
Welcome!
Man Of Sorrows (Matt Crocker, Brooke Ligertwood)
Praise To The Lord The Almighty (Joachim Neander, Catherine Winkworth addl. verse Joel Limpic, JD Raab)
CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:
Lord, bring new life where we are worn and tired, new love where we have turned hard-hearted, forgiveness where we feel hurt and where we have wounded, and the joy and freedom of your Holy Spirit where we are prisoners of ourselves.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 Corinthians 15:54–57
Break Every Chain (Will Reagan arr. Tasha Cobbs Leonard)
GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE & COMMUNION
No Condemnation (Anthony Evans, Danielle Munizzi, Martha Munizzi)
No Longer Slaves (Joel Case, Jonathan David Hesler, Brian Johnson)