Exodus 32 is a familiar story for many; the golden calf is a powerful image in the Exodus story. But have we stopped to consider what’s really going on here? At what should be the most intimate point in the story between God and His people, we see…complete idolatry. This moment teaches us a lot about who we are, who God is, and His Messiah. From Ex. 32, we see that our sinful default is an unfaithful bride-to-be; but our God is a gracious God, and His Messiah is a faithful interceder.

Join us as we learn that God calls His priests to a life of discipleship; discipleship reminds us of God's narrative for our lives.

Closing prayer from The Valley of Vision.

Exodus 27:20-28:43 moves our focus today from the tabernacle to the priesthood. In this we learn more about who God has made His people to be in the midst of a world that doesn't know Him. Followers of Christ fulfill the roles of both tabernacle and priesthood today (1 Pet. 2:9), so this also directly applies to us! We'll see how, as God's priesthood, we are called to represent His image before and intercede on behalf of His creation.

// Closing Prayer: Valley of Vision, "Penitence"

As we wrap up the tabernacle blueprints today, our focus is going to shift a little more outward (just like the blueprints do!). Exodus 26 revealed how God designed the tabernacle as a physical & spiritual place, after His image, for Himself to dwell among His creation and reveal His righteousness. Today, Exodus 27:1-19 shows how God designed the tabernacle as a place of His reconciliation and gathering for His creation.

// Closing Prayer: Valley of Vision, "God's Cause"

As we dive into the tabernacle blueprints, we see what it looks like for God's people to live in His presence. Exodus 25 showed that living in God's presence requires a sacrifice of life, and how He promises us His righteousness, presence, & life in return. Today, we'll see how God designed the tabernacle as a place for Him to dwell among us in His righteousness. You could say that God made the tabernacle with an Intentional Design, Purpose, & Righteousness.

// Closing Prayer: Valley of Vision, "The Cry of a Convicted Sinner"

Exodus 24 showed us last week how trusting God leads us to adopt His image as our own and to live life in His presence. But we see a turning point in the narrative here in Exodus 25: as God called Moses to come into His presence on the mountain, He now begins to teach Moses how to show Israel what it looks like to live in His presence. From Exodus 25, we see that living in God's presence requires a sacrifice of life; God promises His righteousness, presence, and life in return.

// Closing Prayer: Valley of Vision, "The Divine Will"

**Note: the first few minutes is our charge to our graduating seniors. Skip ~5 minutes in for the sermon**

We saw in Exodus 23:10-33 last week how God calls His people to trust Him and brings about reconciliation and transformation in their daily life. Then, we heard this past week about multiple mass shootings in our nation, and the report uncovering the systematic covering-up of sexual abuse claims in the SBC came to light. This leaves us (as it left Israel) with the question, "What does it look like to trust God?" While we can't fully answer all of that in one sermon, God does leave us part of the answer as He concludes this section of giving the law to Moses. From Exodus 24, we see that trusting God leads us to adopt His image as our own and to live life in His presence.

// Closing Prayer: Valley of Vision, "The Deeps"

At this point in the Exodus story, we've seen God introduce His covenant in Exodus 20, reveal how Israel was to value His image among themselves in Exodus 21, and teach them to reconcile their image to His in Exodus 22. Now, God reminds the people of why He's revealed Himself to them and what His end goal is for them in Exodus 23. Today, from Exodus 23:10-33 we see that God reveals Himself to His people so that we ultimately trust Him, which leads to reconciliation and transformation.

// Closing Prayer: Valley of Vision, "A Disciple's Renewal"

Diving back into Exodus this week, we've arrived at everyone's favorite section... the laws. In light of our Colossians study, the apostle Paul showed how the Old Testament Law revealed our need for Christ, foreshadowed who Christ is, and gave us confidence in Christ as our life. Today, as we start in Exodus 21:1-32, we'll see how living in God's restoration leads us to value one another because God values His image in mankind.

As Colossians reveals Jesus Christ as the Messiah of the Old Testament, how does this relate back to our study of Exodus? What's the connection between the OT Law and the Messiah? How should we regard the OT Law if we have Christ as our Messiah? This was a major debate in the early church (and still is today!); a debate Paul addresses in Colossians. Throughout his letter, Paul shows how the Law revealed our need for Christ, foreshadows who Christ is, and gives us confidence in Christ as our life!