the LORD

June 1, 2026

The Building of the Tabernacle

Exodus 35–40

The tabernacle is built with all its trappings, including the ark of the covenant (the lid of the ark is the mercy seat where the LORD will meet with Moses), the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, the bronze altar, the garments for the priests, the sacrifices, and the altar of incense according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, according to the pattern given to him on the mountain. A shadow of the heavenly tabernacle. And a foreshadowing of what’s to come when the Word becomes flesh and tabernacles among us. It’s no accident that John uses the same language in John 1.

But the tabernacle is not complete until the “glory of the LORD” fills the tabernacle. You see, that’s when the tabernacle becomes more than a bunch of stuff thrown together. It becomes the dwelling place for the LORD among His people.

The book of Exodus is driving toward this one goal: the LORD’s presence with His people, bringing them out of captivity and leading them to the land He promised. They will be His seghola, His treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, representing Him to the world.

Sounds somewhat familiar, doesn’t it? For those of us who have trusted in Him, the LORD has brought us out of captivity to sin and is leading us to the kingdom, while His presence goes with us as we trek down Torah Road together. Just like with Israel, it’s not a me-thing, but a we-thing. The Church as the Body of Christ, the Tabernacle of His Spirit.

The Church isn’t one of us. It’s all of us. Generously bringing the full weight of the resources the LORD has entrusted to us to bear in serving the body, where the LORD dwells among us in a special way.

That’s, of course, if you are a part of the body, the Church. And that’s only true of you if you have trusted in Jesus. You can do that today. It starts with recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior whom God promised. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. He was raised to life on the third day, proving that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, we can be saved—not because of anything that we have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Exodus series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

May 30, 2026

The Golden Calf and Moses’s Intercession

Exodus 32–34

When Moses is slow to come down the mountain, the people once again complain and convince Aaron to make an idol for them. It doesn’t take the people long to violate the first and most important commandment. Pretty shocking how quickly they’ve turned away after all that they’ve experienced through the plagues and the Red Sea, water and manna and quails in the wilderness, the defeat of the Amalekites, not to mention the LORD’s appearance on the mountain in smoke and fire.

The LORD is ready to judge, but Moses intercedes for the people, and the LORD relents. But when Moses sees the people’s idolatry and becomes angry, his response is like the LORD’s. He shares the same zeal as the LORD. He is jealous for His God.

The LORD tells Moses to go up to the land, but He will not go with the people lest He destroy them on the way because they are a stiff-necked folk. But once again, Moses intercedes with the LORD, praying that His presence will accompany them into the land. If not, then they won’t go. Super important. Without the LORD’s presence, the land is just a piece of real estate. The LORD’s presence gives purpose to that piece of property and to that group of people.

I think there’s something similar there for us. There are lots of things in this life we could pursue, things that the world would tell us give us some kind of purpose or meaning (fame, fortune, family, friends, etc.). And many of those things are not bad in and of themselves, but without the LORD, those pursuits are in vain. Treasures on earth of no lasting value. But when we pursue the LORD in this life, it pays eternal rewards. A treasure in heaven of inestimable value. 

I love the way the LORD reveals Himself to Moses. “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and faithfulness; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.”

Do you know the LORD? You can today. It starts with recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior whom God promised. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. He was raised to life on the third day, proving that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, we can be saved—not because of anything that we have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Exodus series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

May 18, 2026

Instructions for the Tabernacle

Exodus 25–31

The LORD gives instructions for the building of the tabernacle and all its trappings, including the ark of the covenant (the lid of the ark is the mercy seat where the LORD will meet with Moses), the table of showbread, the golden lampstand, the bronze altar, the garments for the priests, the sacrifices, and the altar of incense. The LORD also prepares skilled craftsmen to carry out the designs, and the sabbath becomes the sign of the covenant.

A lot of reading today, but it shows that the LORD cares about the details. He is a God of detail.

As I was reading the description of the tabernacle, I couldn’t help but think of Paul’s language for the church in Ephesians. Each part has a role to play, and each must play its part if the whole is to function as it should. Every hook, clasp, curtain, stand, loop, and base, not to mention the ark, the table, the lampstand, the bronze altar, the priests, and the altar of incense, each had a part to play in the tabernacle. And each was important to fulfill what God had designed. It was something that worked together.

Just like us. We go together. The church isn’t one of us. It’s all of us. Generously bringing the full weight of the resources the LORD has entrusted to us in serving the body. The church is the place where the LORD dwells among us in a special way.

And just like the tabernacle, the LORD gives gifted men for the building up of the body, equipping the saints for the work of ministry. Another one of those Ephesian things from Paul.

That’s, of course, if you are a part of the body, the Church. And that’s only true of you if you have trusted in Jesus. You can do that today. It starts with recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior whom God promised. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. He was raised to life on the third day, proving that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, we can be saved—not because of anything that we have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Exodus series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

December 8, 2025

The Promised Prince (Peace)

Isaiah 9:2–7 (Hebrew 9:1–6)

Isaiah pictures a time of good news for a group of people who desperately needed it. They were under the enemy’s oppression. They were defeated. They were without hope. They knew no peace. But the LORD hadn’t forgotten them. Light was coming. God Himself would rend the veil of time and space and step into the world He had created in the Person of Jesus. He would rescue them. He would save them from sin and death by sacrificing Himself in their place. He would die that they might live. He would reconcile them with their heavenly Father. He would establish a kingdom where they could live and reign with Him forever. Where they would know true and lasting peace.

And so Jesus has come…

I like the way Paul talks about it in Romans 5…“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. 6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Romans 5:1–11)

If you have not yet trusted in Jesus, make today the day. It starts with recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior that God promised would come. He lived a perfect life. He died a sacrificial death on your behalf. He was raised on the third day, showing that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, you could have forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Advent series: The Promise of Christmas. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.

November 10, 2025

And So It Begins

Exodus 7 (English) 7:1–25 (Hebrew)

The LORD has promised to rescue the sons of Israel from their captivity in Egypt, to go down and bring them up, and to deliver them to the land. And now the work begins.

The LORD makes an initial request and gives a sign before He begins His great judgments through the plagues He will unleash on Pharaoh, his people, the land, and the gods of Egypt. We can easily get caught up in the plagues and miss that, in the midst of judgment, there’s this vein of mercy that runs throughout.

The LORD gives Pharaoh the choice. Let the people go, or suffer the consequences. But because Pharaoh doesn’t know the LORD, he refuses. His heart is hardened. The LORD’s instrument for hardening Pharaoh’s heart? His mercy. Every time the LORD relents, Pharaoh hardens his heart. Sad because had he responded differently, he could have spared himself and his kingdom the total devastation that is soon to come. But because he didn’t know the LORD, he continues to run headlong down the broad road to destruction.

The LORD is merciful. He’s gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and faithfulness, relenting of evil, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. Mighty to save. But He will judge the wicked.

The good news is—anyone can be saved. Not everyone will be, but anyone can be. It’s as simple as recognizing that you are a sinner in need of a Savior and believing that Jesus is the Savior whom God promised. He lived a perfect life and died a sacrificial death. He was raised to life on the third day, proving that He had conquered both sin and death, so that by believing in Him, the Bible says we, like Adam and Noah, Abraham and Joseph, can be saved—not because of anything that we have done, but because of what Jesus did. The Innocent who died for the guilty so that the guilty could be declared innocent.

pro rege

This post is based on a sermon from our Exodus series. Download the podcast at: Central Christian Church Main Service, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X or Threads: @ccclancaster. You can also download our Central Christian app in the iTunes App Store.