The Trails Church

In the final scenes of Exodus we find a spectacular crescendo where God’s name is proclaimed, his covenant renewed, and his glory seen like never before. Here we see a glimpse into the heart of God as to why he saved his people in the first place – so they might know him for who he is, enjoy the promises he had made, and live in response to his glorious presence. In this capstone sermon, we will rehearse three truths about the Lord seen throughout our study that I pray we never forget: that Yahweh is 1. The God who Redeems, The God of Covenant, 3. The God of Glory.

Exodus 33 details a spectacular conversation between Moses and the Lord. This section of Scripture hemmed in between the golden calf incident (Exodus 32) and the covenant graciously being renewed (Exodus 34) shines with the brightness of Moses’ intimate relationship with the Living God. Through the conversation, we also see yet another glimpse into God’s heart for relationship with his people. Springing from this passage that highlights The Glory of Knowing God are two prayers that are also meant for us to pray: 1 Show Us Your Ways (7-17), 2. Show Us Your Glory (18-23).

The story of The Golden Calf recorded in Exodus 32 is one of the darkest corners of the Bible. It is here that Israel breaks the newly sealed covenant they have made to be God’s people. Before the ink has time to dry, they deny God, forge an idol, and hold a worship service in its honor. Yet, the Lord who is gracious and compassionate, whose love will not let them go, shows them great mercy. We will look at our text under three headings: 1. The Fall of Israel, 2. The Act of Repentance, and 3. The Need for Atonement.

In Exodus 31:12-17 we find “A Reminder to Rest.” While the first part of this chapter included the supernatural way the Spirit filled people to work, the second half contains a command to rest. The lesson for both Israel of old and for us today is that the work God gives is ultimately not dependent on the workers, but on the one who ordained the work. There are three aspects of the Sabbath command I would like to draw to your attention from our passage: 1. A Sign to be Kept, 2. A Day of Holy Rest, and 3. A Tradition to be Passed Down.

In Exodus 31 we have a window into how God chose to work through his people to build the Tabernacle. He called and equipped them to fulfill unique roles in the task of building the place where God would dwell among them. What we learn from these craftsmen is that the Spirit of God enables us to serve God’s people for God’s glory and to see the kingdom advance!1 In this passage we find “A Call To Ministry” given long ago that I believe also calls out to our church today. There are important characteristics that we will see if this call to ministry: 1. A God-Given Ministry, 2. A Church-Building Ministry, 3. A God-Glorifying Ministry.

The instructions contained in Exodus 28-29 detail a majestic ordination ceremony for the priests who would minister to the Lord in the Tabernacle and describe their wardrobe. We will see the theological significance of why so much attention is given to these priests of old and how they ultimately foreshadow the final Priest to come. We will outline our sermon under three main headings: 1. The Role of the Priests, 2. The Garments of the Priest, 3. The Ordination of the Priests. Along the way, I want us to see and feel “The Heart of the Priest” that beat for his God and his people.

As we put together the pieces of Exodus 27 and 30, the whole picture of the Tabernacle comes into view. We also finally see the border of the courtyard that contained the entire Tabernacle area. In this court sat an altar for daily sacrifice and a water basin for cleansing before entering God’s presence. These elements, “The Water and the Blood” hold theological realities for Israel as God sought not only to dwell among his people – but also to meet with them by his grace. We will look at our passage under two headings: 1. The Altar and the Basin, 2. The Cross and The Cleansing. Since we are covering a bit of ground today, we won’t read each section.