Celebration Service | May 17, 2026

Obedience in Every Thread | Exodus 39

In this week's message, Eric Fults, one of the elders at Athens, walks through Exodus 39 and shows how even the smallest details of the tabernacle point us to Jesus, our perfect High Priest. What may seem like a chapter about priestly garments becomes a beautiful reminder of God's holiness, His grace, and His desire to dwell with His people. Eric also explores how our obedience flows from God's love rather than earning it. Because of Christ, we are invited to faithfully follow Him in both the ordinary and extraordinary moments of life, knowing that He sees every act of faithfulness.

Built for His Presence | Exodus 36:8-38:31

In Exodus 36:8-38:31, we see that the tabernacle was much more than a construction project. Every curtain, clasp, frame, and furnishing revealed the kind of life God was forming among His people. He was teaching them to live in obedience, to be joined together as His people, and to center their lives around His presence. The tabernacle was a reminder that God desired to dwell with His people, even in the wilderness. Ultimately, the tabernacle points us to Jesus. He is the true dwelling place of God among us, the sacrifice that brings us near, the bread that sustains us, and the light that guides our way. Through Him, God is still forming a people who reflect His presence in the world.

The Spirit at Work | Exodus 35:30-36:7

In Exodus 35:30–36:7, we see God begin to reorder what sin had disordered. The same gold, skills, and creativity that were once used to build a golden calf are now being used to build the tabernacle, a place for God's presence to dwell. Through the story of Bezalel, we discover that God not only chooses and gifts His people, but fills them with His Spirit for faithful work. Whether our work happens in a church, classroom, office, home, or job site, God cares deeply about how we use the gifts He has entrusted to us. This passage reminds us that our abilities are not ultimately for our own advancement, security, or reputation. They are gifts from God, meant to be offered back to Him for the good of others. As God's grace reshapes our hearts, we move from grasping to generosity, from self-reliance to dependence on the Spirit, and from building our own kingdoms to participating in God's work in the world. In Christ, God's presence now dwells with His people, empowering us to live faithfully in the ordinary places of everyday life.

Presence and Peace | Psalm 122

Psalm 122 reminds us that gathered worship is far more than a weekly habit; it is one of God's primary means of meeting us with His presence and peace. As the pilgrims journeyed to Jerusalem with gladness, they anticipated worshiping alongside God's people. In the same way, Christians today are invited into the joy of gathering with the church, where we are reminded that we were never meant to follow Jesus alone. Through worship, prayer, Scripture, and fellowship, God reorients our hearts and renews us through the presence of Christ among His people. This message given by special guest Ronnie Martin also highlights how the church becomes a place where God's peace is experienced and extended. Though every congregation is made up of imperfect people with real struggles, Christ continues to unite His people and establish peace among them. When we gather, we not only receive encouragement for ourselves. We become instruments of hope for others whose faith may feel thin or whose spiritual tanks may be running low. Jesus, our Emmanuel and our Peace, meets us in the gathered church and sends us out to share His presence, peace, and hope with one another.

Grace That Stirs the Heart | Exodus 35:1-29

In Exodus 35, God invites His people to respond to His mercy with willing hearts. After Israel’s failure with the golden calf, God calls them back into relationship and invites them to help build the tabernacle. In this message given by Tyler Bushhorn, we're reminded that the same people who once used their gifts for idolatry now give generously and serve joyfully because they have encountered the grace of God. Their worship flows from transformed hearts, not obligation. Before the work begins, God reminds His people to honor the Sabbath, teaching them to trust Him rather than live by constant striving. God desires more than what we can do for Him. He wants our hearts. Through Jesus, we are invited to come as we are and allow Him to rebuild us by His grace.