Austin Chinese Church

God doesn’t call his people to cookie-cutter faith. The tabernacle was crafted with intentional detail, not to impress others, but to welcome God’s presence. In Exodus 39:32-43 we'll explore what it means to be “built differently” as followers of Jesus: shaped by God’s design, committed to his standards, and marked by his presence in everything we do. When we build our lives according to God’s blueprint, he delights to put his glory on display.

Exodus 37–38 reveals a God of perfect design and purpose. Every detail of the Tabernacle points forward to Jesus Christ, who fulfilled God’s plan with flawless precision. The same God who crafted the Tabernacle and fulfilled prophecy is faithfully shaping every detail of our lives today.

Israel’s journey through the wilderness is culminating in this beautiful project of building the tabernacle of God. As everyone is doing their part to participate in the work, there is an abundance of what they need. What can we learn today as we understand Gods abundance and what he desires for us as a church community?

God provides the tabernacle to serve as a microcosm of Creation and God’s glory. In Exodus 35, the Israelites gather the materials to build and collect everything for the construction of the tabernacle. As Exodus hinges to focus on the construction of the tabernacle, we too are called to tabernacle everywhere we go as the tabernacle, and us, are a glimpse of heaven on earth and an invitation to worship the one true God everywhere we go.

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, his face shone because he had been in the presence of God. Israel saw it, and they could not deny it: God’s glory had left a mark. In Exodus 34, we’re reminded that the God who renews His covenant also transforms His people. His presence doesn’t just stay on the mountain; it changes hearts and lives. God’s radiant presence also points us to Christ, in whom the glory of God is fully revealed. Through Jesus, we are called to reflect that glory in our everyday lives.

How do you respond when you receive incredible mercy? Do you know how much you need it? Or is mercy only for other “sinners”? Coming home involves recognizing that we need mercy and that we have mercy.

After the episode with the golden calf, Moses pleads with God not to send Israel forward without His presence. Chapter 33 reminds us that God’s presence is what sets His people apart and gives them courage for the journey ahead. Because true security ultimately comes from God’s presence, not His provisions.

Exodus 32 tells the sobering story of Israel trading the glory of the living God for the glitter of a golden calf. What looked impressive on the outside was empty on the inside: beautiful, shiny, and worthless. In their impatience and fear, God’s people built a substitute god that could never save them. We may not melt down jewelry today, but our hearts are still tempted to chase golden idols of success, security, and self. This passage calls us to recognize the false gods we fashion and return to the only God who is worthy of our worship, the One who cannot be replaced.

God not only calls His people to serve Him with skill, excellence, and Spirit-filled devotion, but He also commands them to rest in Him with trust and obedience. In Exodus 31 we see the balance of sacred work and sacred rest: Bezalel and Oholiab are filled with the Spirit for service, while the Sabbath is given as a covenant sign of God’s presence. Our lives, too, are meant to reflect this holy rhythm, working unto the Lord with all He provides, and resting in His covenant grace.

Exodus 30 shows that God’s dwelling was to be filled with the fragrance of worship: incense, cleansing, and consecration. In Christ, we are called to be his fragrant dwelling, washed, set apart, and offering lives of devotion to him alone.