October 6, 2019

It’s week five of Exodus at Park Church. 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, and you can listen to sermons from Exodus Part One starting here.

Last week in Preparing for Sunday, we published a couple of things in error. First, we gave you the Scripture from the previous week, Exodus 21:1–23:9, in the email. By now you’ve probably realized that was supposed to be Exodus 23:10–17; 31:12–18. Second, last week we also gave you the title and intro for this week’s message, Instructions for Holiness. That was supposed to be Instructions for Freedom, Rest, & Celebration. We made that as confusing as possible. But now that we’re up to speed—here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday, which is actually called Instructions for Holiness:

1. Read through our text, 23:20-24:18.

One of the key themes of the Mosaic Law is holiness. In the Law, the Holy God of Israel calls His people to conform their lives to His holiness. The word “holiness” has varying connotations for different people, but in the Bible it primarily refers to something’s “uniqueness” or “distinctiveness.” As the people live according the Lord’s instructions, they will be set apart from the other nations and set apart to the Lord. If they obey His instruction, they will be a holy nation, His treasured people who represent and spread His glory and righteousness to the world. However, three things will threaten their holiness: 1. Their own internal disposition to turn away from God; 2. Their own fear of the surrounding nations; and 3. Temptations from spiritual powers of darkness. The people of God are called to resist these threats, to draw near to God, and to trust in His word so that they will enjoy the blessings of life in His presence.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 99:1–5, 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!

Holy, Holy, Holy (Reginald Heber, John Bacchus Dykes)
In Tenderness (Garvey, Gordon, Walton)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

Almighty and merciful God,
we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much
the devices and desires of our own hearts.
We have offended against your holy laws.
We have left undone those things which we ought to have done;
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.

O Lord, have mercy upon us.
Spare those who confess their faults.
Restore those who are penitent,
according to your promises declared to the world
in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
And grant, O merciful God, for his sake,
that we may live a holy, just, and humble life
to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 Peter 2:9–10

King Of Kings (Jason Ingram, Brooke Ligertwood, Scott Ligertwood)

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE, & COMMUNION

Like Incense / Sometimes By Step (Brooke Ligertwood, David (Beaker) Strasser, Rich Mullins)
Build My Life (Barrett, Kable, Martin, Redman, Younker)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

September 29, 2019

We’re in week four of Exodus. 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 the series, and you can listen to sermons from Part One starting here.

Here’s how you can prepare this week, Instructions for Holiness:

1. Read through our text, Exodus 23:10–19.

One of the key themes of the Mosaic Law is holiness. In the Law, the Holy God of Israel calls His people to conform their lives to His holiness. The word “holiness” has varying connotations for different people, but in the Bible it primarily refers to something’s “uniqueness” or “distinctiveness.” As the people live according the Lord’s instructions, they will be set apart from the other nations and set apart to the Lord. If they obey His instruction, they will be a holy nation, His treasured people who represent and spread His glory and righteousness to the world. However, three things will threaten their holiness: 1. Their own internal disposition to turn away from God; 2. Their own fear of the surrounding nations; and 3. Temptations from spiritual powers of darkness. The people of God are called to resist these threats, to draw near to God, and to trust in His word so that they will enjoy the blessings of life in His presence.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 62:5–8, 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!

Come Thou Fount (Robert Robinson, John Wyeth arr. Charlie Hall)
Heart Won’t Stop (John Mark McMillan)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From Thou, Dear God: Prayers That Open Hearts and Spirits by Martin Luther King, Jr.

O Thou Eternal God,
out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence
the whole universe has come into being.
We humbly confess that we have not loved Thee
with our hearts, souls and minds,
and we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us.
We have all too often lived by our own selfish impulses
rather than by the life of sacrificial love as revealed by Christ.
We often give in order to receive,
we love our friends and hate our enemies,
we go the first mile but dare not travel the second,
we forgive but dare not forget.
And so as we look within ourselves
we are confronted with the appalling fact
that the history of our lives is the history
of an eternal revolt against Thee.
But Thou, O God, have mercy upon us.
Forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be.
Give us the intelligence to know Thy will.
Give us the courage to do Thy will.
Give us the devotion to love Thy will.
In the name and Spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 8:1–3

Man Of Sorrows (Matt Crocker, Brooke Ligertwood)

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE, & COMMUNION

King Of Kings (Jason Ingram, Brooke Ligertwood, Scott Ligertwood)
Great Are You Lord (Jason Ingram, Leslie Jordan, David Leonard)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

September 22, 2019

This week will be the third week of Exodus part two. The book of Exodus is about God’s mission to redeem a people for His Kingdom in the world.

Here’s how you can prepare this week, Instructions for Pursuing Justice:

1. Read through our text, Exodus 21:1–23:9.

In this section, the foundational instructions given in the “ten words” get developed and applied to Israel’s context and cultural situation. In the ancient near eastern context, these instructions wouldn’t have been understood as exhaustive statutory law (a written law code that governs all aspects of civil life). They would have been understood as instructions that set paradigms to guide the values, behaviors, and civil life of Israel. The overwhelming thrust of the Mosaic Law is a push toward the values of human dignity, justice, compassion, and mercy.

For the modern reader, many of these laws—especially regarding slavery and the treatment of women—feel like archaic expressions of unjust systems and practices. To be sure, these laws are situated in a broader society that was marked by dehumanizing values and unjust systems. At the same time, it is important to understand that these laws—in their original context—were revolutionary advancements in human rights and civil and social justice.

Even so, the Israelites continued to turn from God’s instruction toward autonomous self-preservation. Their perpetual rebellion is highlighted to help all future readers identify with the Israelites, and to point all humanity to our need for grace and heart-level transformation.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 3:1–4, 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!

The Lion And The Lamb (Brenton Brown, Brian Johnson, Leeland Mooring)
Break Every Chain (Will Reagan)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against You
in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved You
with our whole heart and mind and strength.
We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
In Your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are,
and direct what we shall be,
so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways,
to the glory of Your holy name.
Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 Peter 2:24–25

Is He Worthy? (Andrew Peterson, Ben Shive arr. Shane & Shane)

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE, & COMMUNION

Like Incense / Sometimes By Step (Brooke Ligertwood, David (Beaker) Strasser, Rich Mullins)
Take My Life And Let It Be (Frances Ridley Havergal Henri Abraham Cesar Malan)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

September 15, 2019

We’re in Exodus part two, week two. The book of Exodus is about God’s mission to redeem a people for His Kingdom in the world.

Here’s how you can prepare for Sunday:

1. Read through our text, Exodus 20:1–26.

The opening of God’s instruction to Israel comes in the form of ten “words” from God to His redeemed people, often referred to as the “ten commandments.” These ten words give a summative and foundational expression of how God calls His redeemed people to act in relationship to Him and to one another. The instructions are given in a way that would remind the Israelites of the opening story of the Bible where God speaks to creation. When creation listens to His voice, the world flourishes. When the created humans reject His voice, they experience death and destruction. Here again, God’s newly created people are hearing the words that lead to a flourishing life with God.

In the first several words, God’s calls His people to show Him undivided love and allegiance. This is not an oppressive command, but a command from a God who rescued them from a kingdom of slavery and death, and has called them into a kingdom marked by rest and life. The next set of words flows from the first. God calls His covenant people to show love and justice toward one another. This is to be a kingdom where people respect the life and dignity of all of those whom God created.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 100, 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!

Doxology (Amen) (Bourgeois, Ken, Owens, Wickham)
How Deep The Father’s Love For Us (Stuart Townend, Charlie Hall arr. Chichi Agorom, The Christian Year)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From Every Season Prayers by Scotty Smith

Heavenly Father, for your steadfast love, we bless You.
For your daily mercies, we trust you.
Forgive our sins, for they are real and many.
We confess loving relief from our pain more than change in our hearts.
We confess thinking too often of ourselves and too seldom of You.
We confess that it’s easier to be cynical than to be hopeful.
We confess under-trusting the Gospel and over-honoring our fears.
We confess seeking our kingdoms first and Your kingdom last.
Have mercy on us Lord; have mercy on me.
In Jesus’ name and for His glory, we offer our prayer and ask for forgiveness. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Colossians 2:13–14

Jesus We Love You (Kalley Heiligenthal, Hannah McClure, Paul McClure)

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE, & COMMUNION

Come Thou Fount (Above All Else) (Shane Barnard, Robert Robinson, John Wyeth)
The Lion And The Lamb (Brenton Brown, Brian Johnson, Leeland Mooring )

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

September 8, 2019

We’re back into the book of Exodus this week at Park Church! As a refresher, the book of Exodus is about God’s mission to redeem a people for His Kingdom in the world. Part One of the series happened January–June of this year (you can listen to those sermons here). We now begin Part Two of the series with the question, “Why the Law?”

Here’s how you can prepare for Sunday:

1. Read through our text, Exodus 19:1–6.

The people of Israel had lived for 400 years in bondage in the kingdom of Egypt. Their lives were being destroyed, and they could not free themselves. Then God, in His great mercy and by His incomparable power, set His people free. He brought them through the wilderness and to Mount Sinai, the Mountain of God. This is the setting for the rest of the book of Exodus. Here, God will meet with His people to give them the instructions for life as His people in His Kingdom. These instructions, traditionally called the “Law of Moses,” have at least two functions: First, they show what is required of Israel in their covenant relationship with God. If the people listen to God’s voice and obey His words, they will enjoy a long life in the land with their God, and they will be God’s representative on earth—displaying and spreading the blessing of His presence to the world (Exodus 19:1-6). If they refuse to listen to His voice and rebel against His words, they will be separated from His presence and experience destruction and death (Leviticus 26:14–39). This brings us to the second function of the Law: the Law serves to expose rebellion (Exodus 32; Romans 7; Galatians 3) and to point Israel—and ultimately the rest of the world—to our need for a Savior who can forgive us for our rebellion and transform our rebellious hearts.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 107:1–3, 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!

Praise To The Lord The Almighty (Joachim Neander, Catherine Winkworth addl. verse Joel Limpic, JD Raab)
Joy (Pat Barrett, Tony Brown arr. VaShawn Mitchell)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Almighty God, who sent the promised power of the Holy Spirit to fill disciples with willing faith: We confess that we resist the force of Your Spirit among us, that we are slow to serve You and reluctant to spread the good news of Your love.

God, have mercy on us. Forgive our divisions and by Your Spirit draw us together. Inflame us with a desire to do Your will and be Your faithful people for the sake of Your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Ezekiel 36:25–27

Fall Afresh (Jeremy Riddle)

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE, & COMMUNION

In Tenderness (Garvey, Gordon, Walton arr. Brian Eichelberger)
Living Hope (Brian Johnson, Phil Wickham)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

New Staff at Park Church

We’re excited to introduce five new staff members to you this week. We’ve asked them each to share a little about themselves:

Christopher Frierson: Director of Strategic Development

I’m a husband-in-training to Jerusalem and a gushing father to Selah, both an Air Force brat and veteran, and discipleship is my jam. On the Enneagram, I’m a 7 (Enthusiast) with an 8 wing (Challenger). I love all things related to culture (especially food, travel and language), was a Human Resources Business Partner in my last role, an alumnus of Colorado Christian University, a performing arts junky, and I serve on the board for the Issachar Center for Urban Leadership. Fun Fact: I’ve never experienced a brain freeze!

Ryan Gannett: Director of Operations

I love journeying through life with my wife and best friend, Erica. We live in the Athmar Park neighborhood and spend our time exploring the mountains and hanging out with friends around Denver. I grew up in a suburb of San Francisco and graduated from Notre Dame. I’m thankful we don’t have to suffer through midwest winters living in Denver. In my previous role, I worked to help patients with chronic illness live healthier lives. I have a passion for building and creating both relationships and organizations that help people grow. My hidden talent is that I’m decent at making pottery and always looking for an excuse to practice and get better.

Margie Keith: Office Manager

My name is Margie, and I’m the new office manager and Community and Formation admin! I have attended Park since I moved to Denver in June of 2018 and I’m delighted to have a place on staff. A couple of fun facts about me: I was born and raised in Vermont (although I haven’t lived there in a long time), I love to travel internationally, and I can almost always be found with a cup of coffee close at hand. Looking forward to ministering alongside you all!

Josh de Leon: Connection Coordinator

Hey, my name is Josh and I was hired as the Connection Coordinator at Park and I am pumped to engage new congregants into the life of the Church! When I’m not at work, I’m usually found with a nice book, a cup of coffee and an itch to get outside. I look forward to what is to come!

Zach Foster: Park Teens Coordinator

Hey all! My name is Zach Foster and I’m excited to be the new Park Teens Coordinator! I am a Denver native who came to know Jesus while on a mission trip to Juarez, Mexico my freshman year of high school. Ever since, I have been passionate about revealing the beauty of Christ to teenagers just as my youth pastors did for me. I believe that winning our youth to Christ is crucially strategic for growing the Church and making a greater impact for the Kingdom in our city and our world. I am currently pursuing my Masters of Divinity with a concentration in Leadership at Denver Seminary. Important things you should know about me: 1) I love the Denver Broncos, Chipotle, Parks & Rec, and Nacho Libre a little too much. 2) My spirit animal is a combination of Jack Black and Ron Swanson. 3) As a part-time handyman, I can fix anything, except a broken heart. I look forward to getting to know you all in in the coming months and years!

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