It’s week six 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.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday, Instructions for the Tabernacle:

1. Read through our text, Exodus 25:1–27:21; Exodus 30:1–31:11.

After the covenant ceremony in chapter 24, The Lord gives Israel seven chapters of detailed instructions for building the tabernacle. The tabernacle is essentially a portable temple, and a temple represents the sacred space where God’s presence dwells among His people—it is a place where heaven and earth meet. For Israel’s journey through the wilderness, the mobility of this sacred space is significant because it shows that God will be with them throughout their complicated journey.

Detailed instructions are given for the measurements and materials of the tabernacle. The instructions designate three different areas. First there was an outer courtyard around the tabernacle. Then the tabernacle itself would be divided into two rooms by a pair of large curtains. The first room was called the Holy Place which housed the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, and the altar of incense. Through the curtains was the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctuary where the Ark of the Covenant sat as the footstool of God’s heavenly throne.

The dimensions, materials, furnishings, and decor of the temple symbolically point to the Garden of Eden, the prototypical paradise where God dwelt among His people (see Genesis 2:9; 3:8). This tabernacle represents a new—though incomplete—place of God’s presence with His people. Even in its incompleteness, the tabernacle points forward to the time when the God Himself would come and make His home among us in order to redeem humanity, and lead His people to the joy of the new creation. In the new creation, heaven and earth will be one, God will dwell with His people in paradise, and the glory of the Lord will fill the earth like the waters cover the sea.

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

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 27:1, 4, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

Come Thou Fount (Robert Robinson, John Wyeth arr. Charlie Hall)
Build My Life (Barrett, Kable, Martin, Redman, Younker)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Book Of Common Prayer:

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Based on Revelation 5:5; 9–10:

Is He Worthy? (Andrew Peterson, Ben Shive arr. Shane & Shane) / O Praise The Name (Anástasis) (Sampson, Hastings, Ussher, Equipo de Traducción de Hillsong)

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE

Walk Among Us (Joel Limpic)

COMMUNION

Holy Spirit (Bryan Torwalt, Katie Torwalt arr. Jesus Culture) / Not In A Hurry (Michael Ketterer, Will Reagan)
Establish The Work Of Our Hands (Cunningham, Keyes, McCracken, Palmer, Vice, Wardell, Zach)

BENEDICTION

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):

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

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

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

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):

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.

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

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):

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

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

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

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):

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

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

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):

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

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

This week is our third and final week of this year’s Mission series, an annual overview of who we are and what we do as a church. This year, we’ve focused on a particular aspect of spiritual growth each week. This week’s topic will be spiritual disciplines—here’s how you can prepare:

1. Read through our text, Colossians 2:16–3:4.

Personal renewal precedes corporate renewal. Our longing for the Spirit to move through our church and city must be met with rhythms that actively orient individual lives around Christ. This is not dutiful moralism or the seeking of mere emotional highs, it is following the way of Jesus. Rejecting the cultural allurements of the inflated self and microwaved satisfaction, we instead seek after God: hearing from Him, speaking to Him, and enjoying His delightful presence. No great move of the Spirit has been absent these rhythms. And the invitation remains open for us to enter in.

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

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 103:1–5, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

Be Thou My Vision (Mary Elizabeth Byrne, Eleanor Henrietta Hull, Reuben Kendall, arr. Ascend The Hill)
God I Look To You (Ian McIntosh, Jenn Johnson)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Colossians 2:13–14

Build My Life (Barrett, Kable, Martin, Redman, Younker)

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE, & COMMUNION

Set A Fire (Will Reagan)
Jesus Is Better (Aaron Ivey, Brett Land)

BENEDICTION

It’s week two of three in this year’s Mission series, an annual discussion of who we are and what we do as a church. This year, we’ll focus each week on a particular aspect of spiritual growth. Here’s how you can prepare for this week and our discussion of the spiritual journey:

1. Read through our text, Matthew 28.

The resurrection of Jesus and the giving of the Great Commission mark the beginning of the “church age” as we know it. Jesus’ charge to us is one of faithful movement and action; persistent going, telling, and baptising.

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

CALL TO WORSHIP: Matthew 28:18–20, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

Doxology (Amen) (Bourgeois, Ken, Owens, Wickham addl. verses JD Raab)
Holy Spirit (Bryan Torwalt, Katie Torwalt arr. Jesus Culture)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 8:31–34

Jesus What A Savior (Kirby Kaple)

GREETING, SERMON, BAPTISM, & COMMUNION

O Come To The Altar (Brock, Brown, Furtick, Joye)
Kids: Joshua 1:9 (John Petterson)

BENEDICTION

It’s week one of this year’s Mission series, an annual discussion of who we are and what we do as a church. We’ll spend three weeks here, each focusing on an aspect of spiritual growth. Here’s how you can prepare for week one and our discussion of spiritual renewal:

1. Read through our text, Acts 1.

When Jesus departs after His resurrection, He tells His disciples to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the sending of the Spirit. What does this waiting look like for them? Reliance on Jesus through prayer: “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” (v.14) We’re reminded that Jesus is the one who renews us and fills us with power by His spirit.

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

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 36:5–9, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

Take A Moment (Will Reagan)
Come Thou Fount (Above All Else) (Shane Barnard, Robert Robinson, John Wyeth)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 8:31–34

Seas Of Crimson (Johnson, Bashta, Taylor, Strand)

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE

Set A Fire (Will Reagan)

COMMUNION

Open Space (Kirby Kaple, Rob Kaple)
Fall Afresh (Jeremy Riddle)

VOCATIONAL COMMISSIONING: TEACHERS

BENEDICTION

It’s our tenth and final week of this year’s Christ in the Psalms, our annual summer series where we work through the Psalms in order. The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus.

As an additional way to engage with the Psalms, we’ve had a different artist in our community make a piece each week that we’ve displayed in the foyer. Our piece for Psalm 98 was done by Tower. Read more about that here. See and read about all past Christ in the Psalms artwork pieces here. Lastly, be sure to visit the side gallery (where you get coffee) each week to see all the originals for this year’s Christ in the Psalms series displayed together.

Here’s how you can prepare for our last week in the Psalms this Sunday:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 99.

Once again, the Psalms celebrate the God of justice. His forgiveness is adored, as the reader may expect, but even when the sins of His people (even Moses and Aaron) bring about His wrath, He is not scorned but reverently appreciated. We’re reminded that He is holy, that the earth is His footstool, and that His people are to tremble and exult in awe and affection.

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

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 99:1–3, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

Holy, Holy, Holy (Reginald Heber, John Bacchus Dykes arr. Stephen Miler; addl. verse Justin Wainscott)
Build My Life (Barrett, Kable, Martin, Redman, Younker)

CONFESSION OF SIN: Adapted from The Worship Sourcebook

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Ephesians 1:13–14

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

GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE & COMMUNION:

Victory Belongs To Jesus (Todd Dulaney)

STUDENT & PARENT COMMISSIONING

Be Thou My vision (Mary Elizabeth Byrne, Eleanor Henrietta Hull, Reuben Kendall, arr. Ascend The Hill)

BENEDICTION