November 3, 2019
We’re in week nine 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. 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 32.
While Moses was with the Lord on Mount Sinai for 40 days, the people of Israel were growing impatient at the base of the mountain. The people had seen the Lord’s power to redeem; they had heard His voice from the mountain; they had committed to obeying His instructions. But when their journey didn’t proceed according to their desires, they immediately turned from Him. They demanded that Aaron make them a god that they could worship in place of the Lord, and he readily accommodated. He made them a golden calf, and they declared to one another “these are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” And they worshipped and made sacrifices to the golden calf, breaking the covenant by disobeying the first two commandments.
The Lord’s wrath burned against the people for their blatant disregard for His redeeming mercy and rejection of His good reign over them. He told Moses that he intended to consume them because of their sin and that He would accomplish His plan to build a great nation through Moses instead. Although God’s intention to wipe Israel out would have been entirely just, Moses interceded for the people, pleading for God to show mercy. His powerful plea for mercy was not merely for the sake of the people, but for the sake of God’s own reputation among the nations and for the sake of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of, but the people would experience judgment through Moses and through another devastating plague. Here we see that the ability to follow God’s instructions will require a transformation of the heart and that mercy for the unfaithful comes through the intercession of a Faithful One.
2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:
CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 105:1–4, 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!
Praise To The Lord The Almighty (Joachim Neander, Catherine Winkworth addl. verse Joel Limpic, JD Raab)
Great Is The Lord (Joseph Pat Barrett, Daniel Bashta, Ben Smith)
CONFESSION OF SIN: From Every Season Prayers by Scotty Smith
Dear heavenly Father, we come into your presence this morning only because your mercies are new every morning. We stand before you in this place only because we stand firmly in your grace. We dare call you Abba Father only because you have made us your beloved sons and daughters. We freely confess our sins to you only because you fully gave Jesus for us.
For the ways we loved poorly this past week—in our families, at our vocations, and among our neighbors, forgive us. From the foolish idols to which we cling, the broken cisterns from which we drink, and the false lovers to which we turn, free us. For not believing Jesus is enough and your grace is sufficient, and for not trusting you to be really sovereign and really good, have mercy on us. Our hope rests alone in Jesus’ finished work and your steadfast love. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON: John 10:10
King of Kings ((Jason Ingram, Brooke Ligertwood, Scott Ligertwood)
GREETING, SERMON, RESPONSE
Give Us Clean Hands (Charlie Hall)
COMMUNION
Better (Pat Barrett, Ed Cash, Chris Tomlin
Living Hope (Brian Johnson, Phil Wickham)