November 17, 2019
It’s our eleventh week in the book of Exodus—next week will be our last! The book of Exodus is about God’s mission to redeem a people for His Kingdom in the world. We’re in Part Two of this series. You can always go back and listen to sermons from Exodus Part One starting here!
Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday:
1. Read through our text, Exodus 35:1–39:43.
After the Lord showed incredible mercy and renewed His covenant with Israel, the people begin to carry out His instructions to build the tabernacle. First Moses gathered the people, calling them to make generous contributions to supply the materials for the tabernacle, and commissioning them to use their God-given skills and energy to construct the various elements of the tabernacle. The Spirit of God moved in their hearts in remarkable ways. The whole community was stewarding their material resources, their God-given skills, and Spirit-empowered abilities to accomplish this work together. The generosity was so great that Moses eventually had to stop them from giving more. The people responded to God’s mercy with faithful obedience, generosity, and worship, and they built the tabernacle according to God’s design.
The tabernacle, like the temple, was not merely a place for priests to make sacrifices. It was the place where people could come to engage with the presence of God and where God would radiate His presence to the world. When the Messiah would come, He would embody the tabernacle as the personal presence of God on earth and the radiance of His glory. Then, after His death and resurrection, He would fill His people with His Holy Spirit, calling on us to generously contribute our resources, skills, and spiritual gifts in order to spread the glory of His presence across the face of the earth.
2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:
CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 62:5–7, 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,
Welcome!
On Christ The Solid Rock (William Batchelder Bradbury and Edward Mote, arr. Austin Stone)
Better (Pat Barrett, Ed Cash, Chris Tomlin)
CONFESSION OF SIN: From Thou, Dear God by Martin Luther King, Jr.:
Our Holy Father, we confess the weakness and sinfulness of our lives. We have often turned away from thee to seek our own desires. And often when we have done no evil, we have undertaken nothing of good, and so have been guilty of uselessness and neglect. From this sin of idleness and indifference set us free. Lead us into fruitful effort, and deliver us from profitless lives. We ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 5:6–8
Jesus Paid It All (Elvina Hall, Kristen Stanfill) / Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) (Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Salomon Ligthelm)
GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE & COMMUNION
Fall Afresh (Jeremy Riddle)
Great Are You Lord (Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan, David Leonard)