July 1, 2018

It’s week six of Christ in the Psalms, our annual summer series. We’re in Psalm 83.

The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus. One of the ways we enjoy and study the psalms each year is by having different artists do a piece each week for the respective psalm we’re in. Our Psalm 83 artwork is an acrylic and charcoal piece by Jennie Pitts. Learn more about her artwork and all the preceding weekly artworks right here.

Here’s how you can prepare for this week’s service:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 83.

Psalm 83 addresses a truth we don’t much like: we have may have enemies in the form of other people. But, in light of the work of Jesus, how should we read psalms like this one that request judgement on people? Didn’t Jesus call us to love our enemies?

While Psalm 83 may seem full of fire and brimstone, in Christ it is full of the glory of Gospel of God. People who make themselves our enemies are not primarily our enemies. However it looks, if they are in sin against God they are primarily God’s enemies. What do we know of God’s enemies? He is merciful to them in Christ. And since He has been merciful to us in Christ, making sons and daughters out of we who were His enemies, we can now love our enemies and plead with them to be reconciled to God.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 99:6–8a, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners.
Welcome!

Praise To The Lord The Almighty (Joachim Neander, arr. Citizens)
10,000 Reasons (Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

Lord, You come to us, but we do not recognize You;
You call, but we do not follow;
You command, but we do not obey,
You bless us, but we do not thank You.
Please forgive and help us.
Lord, You accept us, but we do not accept others;
You forgive us, but we do not forgive those who wrong us;
You love us, but we do not love our neighbors.
Please forgive and help us.
Lord, You showed us how to carry out Your mission,
but we still insist on our own;
You identified yourself with outcasts, the needy, and the poor,
but we do not bother to find out what is happening to them;
You suffered and died for the sake of all,
but we do not give up our comfortable lives.
Please forgive and help us,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery (Michael Bleecker, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15, 17

No Longer Slaves (Joel Case, Jonathan David Hesler, Brian Johnson)

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) (Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, Salomon Ligthelm)
Jesus Is Better (Aaron Ivey, Brett Land)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

Psalm 83—Artwork

Learn more about Christ in the Psalms artwork and download artwork guides here.

Person: Jennie Pitts

Originally from Austin, Texas, Jennie graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Baylor University in 2012. She started her own art business in 2014—“Jennie Lou Art”—and now works as a full-time artist in Denver. She specializes in “live wedding/event painting” and custom pieces. Her studio is in the RiNo Arts District at the Globeville Riverfront Arts Center (G.R.A.Ce.). Learn more about Jennie’s work at jennielouart.com.

Piece

Charcoal and Acrylic.

PROCESS

O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! (v.1)

Growing up, I found solitude and peace with my horses. They are majestic and immensely powerful creatures, yet their quiet strength and soft gentleness instills such comfort. Meditating on Psalm 83, I kept seeing a vision of this gentle horse in the darkness, with his kind eyes upon me. While darkness can feel all-consuming and frightening, the horse’s eyes remain steady and unassuming. It is as though he sees you in the darkness and even though he is silent, he is with you. How often do we feel the same way about our Heavenly Father, majestic and immensely powerful, but who sees us, and comforts us, even in the darkness and the silence?

How our hearts long for God’s presence, especially when we feel like He has withdrawn. When infertility or infidelity seeks to steal our joy, when our loved ones are called home without our understanding, when sickness slowly seeps life from our bones, when life just feels draining and overwhelming… how often have we each come to this place where we cry out and long for God to speak to us? “Oh Lord, give me something to hold on to, PLEASE do not be silent!!”

in Blog • Christ in the Psalms Artwork

June 24, 2018

It’s week five of Christ in the Psalms, our annual summer series. We’re in Psalm 82.

The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus. One of the ways we enjoy and study the psalms each year is by having different artists do a piece each week for the respective psalm we’re in. Our Psalm 82 artwork is by Alexander Ramsey. Learn more about his piece and all the preceding weekly artworks right here.

Here’s how you can prepare for this week’s service:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 82.

Justice matters. But who gets to decide what is right and what is wrong? How does that judgment get worked out in the context of relationships, work, family, and the local Church? If we believe that justice flows from God Himself to His image-bearing people, we must also believe that justice matters. Psalm 82 helps us see that justice is helping those who cannot help themselves. It is tested at the bounds of hospitality and sacrifice.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 99:1–5, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners.
Welcome!

Holy, Holy, Holy (Reginald Heber)
Rejoice The Lord Is King (Joel Limpic, Charles Wesley)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

You asked for my hands,
that You might use them for Your purpose.
I gave them for a moment, then withdrew them,
for the work was hard.
You asked for my mouth,
to speak out against injustice.
I gave You a whisper that I might not be accused.
You asked for my eyes,
to see the pain of poverty.
I closed them, for I did not want to see.
You asked for my life,
that You might work through me.
I gave a small part, that I might not get too involved.
Lord, forgive my calculated efforts to serve You—
only when it is convenient for me to do so,
only in those places where it is safe to do so,
and only with those who make it easy to do so.
Father, forgive me,
renew me, send me out as a usable instrument,
that I might take seriously the meaning of Your cross. Amen.

Jesus What A Savior (Kirby Kaple)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Isaiah 53:4–7

Man Of Sorrows (Matt Crocker, Brooke Ligertwood)

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

A Mighty Refuge (Martin Luther, Aaron Strumpel)
All The Poor And Powerless (David Leonard, Leslie Jordan)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

Psalm 82—Artwork

Learn more about Christ in the Psalms artwork and download artwork guides here.

Person: Alexander Ramsey

I am Alexander Ramsey—a husband, designer, entrepreneur, adventurer, and lover of God’s beauty.

Piece

Reclaimed canvas, glued and stitched.

PROCESS

This artwork is my interpretation and expression of Psalm 82. After reading and studying this psalm, the word “justice” stuck with me. The psalter calls us to defend, uphold and rescue those who are weak, fatherless, poor, and oppressed. These words made me think of the homeless, immigrants and neighbors who deserve to be loved and treated justly. The word “justice” in Hebrew is צֶדֶק.

The process of creating this piece started on a mountain bike ride in Nederland, Colorado after choosing Psalm 82 for my artwork. While riding past a campground I noticed an abandoned canvas tent and really like the faded colors, stitching and textures.

I took some photos of the campsite, went home and came back a week later to see that it was still there, so I took the tent home. I washed the canvas in my bathtub, cut it into squares, painted my art board, and glued the layers of canvas layers on top. Next I cut the Hebrew symbols into the canvas layers. During this process I realized that I was taking something that was thrown away and bringing new life to it; reminding me that God, through justice, will make all things new.

in Blog • Christ in the Psalms Artwork

June 17, 2018

We’re in Psalm 81 this week at Park Church for week four of Christ in the Psalms, our annual summer series. The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus.

One of the ways we enjoy and study the psalms each year is by having different artists do a piece each week for the respective psalm we’re in. Our Psalm 81 artwork is an acrylic painting by Whitney Ballinger. Learn more about Whitney’s piece and all the preceding weekly artworks (back through Psalm 41) right here.

Here’s how you can prepare for this week:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 81.

Even though God has rescued His people from slavery and provided for us time and time again, we often forget to celebrate our freedom and fail to trust in God’s power to satisfy our deepest longings. In Psalm 81, God calls His people to rejoice in their salvation and listen to His voice as He guides them to joy.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 81:1–4, Welcome (From Immanuel Nashville):

To all who are weary and need rest,
To all who mourn and long for comfort,
To all who feel worthless and wonder if God cares,
To all who fail and desire strength,
To all who sin and need a Savior,
This church opens wide her doors
with a welcome from Jesus Christ,
the Ally of His enemies, the Defender of the guilty,
the Justifier of the inexcusable, the Friend of sinners.
Welcome!

All Creatures Of Our God And King (William Henry Draper, St. Francis of Assisi)
Jesus What A Savior (Kirby Kaple)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

Awesome and compassionate God,
You have loved us with unfailing, self-giving mercy,
but we have not loved You.
You constantly call us, but we do not listen.
You ask us to love, but we walk away from neighbors in need, wrapped in our own concerns.
We condone evil, prejudice, warfare, and greed.
God of grace, as You come to us in mercy,
we repent in spirit and in truth,
admit our sin, and gratefully receive Your forgiveness
through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Amen.

How Deep The Father’s Love For Us (Stuart Townend)

King Of My Heart (John Mark McMillan, Sarah McMillan)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 John 1:5–7

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

O Come To The Altar (Brock, Brown, Furtick, and Joye)
We Will Feast In The House Of Zion (Sandra McCracken)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

Psalm 81—Artwork

Learn more about Christ in the Psalms artwork and download artwork guides here.

Person: Whitney Ballinger

Hi, I’m Whitney Ballinger! I recently got my master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Denver Seminary. For as long as I can remember, art has played a significant role in my life. Through the mediums of watercolor, photography, ceramics, and acrylics, I have learned to creatively express how I see/experience the world and God.

Piece

Acrylic painting.

PROCESS

As I prayed over Psalm 81, a strong theme I noticed was pride, as God calls the Israelites to turn from their idols and stubborn desires but they do not listen (11–12). He also calls them to look back and remember His faithfulness in bringing them out of Egypt (5,10). My main takeaway from praying over this passage was the picture of God calling His people to trust Him with their needs (remembering His faithfulness to deliver them in the past) and to surrender their idols—specifically the idol of following their own stubborn hearts (12).

This piece depicts the blindness of heart that occurs when God’s faithfulness is ignored. The little girl watering a dying plant reflects Israel trying to bring life apart from God. The umbrella seems safe and necessary to the girl as it is raining (reflecting her own stubborn desire to stay dry and comfortable), but ironically it is protecting the plant from exactly what it most desperately needs… life-giving water already pouring from the sky. The broken watering can more specifically represents an idol (9)—something that is supposed to bring water or life, but is broken and unable to do so.

The rain represents God’s provision and faithfulness, and that if we would open our mouths (put down our umbrellas) he would fill it (10).

Finally, the little girl is intentionally small in comparison to the rest of the painting. Ironically, if she would just gaze behind her, she would be confronted with a stark reminder of God’s faithfulness to grow a whole forest of trees…apart from her umbrella or watering can. Not only the forest, but the grass, wildflowers, and sky dance and sing praises to their creator (1–2) and are vibrant reflections of life in Him; calling the little girl to listen to God, remember His faithfulness, put down her idols, and dance in the rain of God’s faithfulness.

in Blog • Christ in the Psalms Artwork

Psalm 80—Artwork

Learn more about Christ in the Psalms artwork and download artwork guides here.

Person

Chase Hoffman

Piece

Photography—”Restore Us, O God”

PROCESS

Reading, re-reading, photography and a little bit of gardening.

in Blog • Christ in the Psalms Artwork

June 10, 2018

This is week three of our annual summer series, Christ in the Psalms. The Psalms give us a vocabulary and a “hymnal” for relating to God through the full range of human experience and emotion, ultimately pointing us to Jesus. Now in its seventh year, Christ in the Psalms has covered one psalm each week, up through Psalm 79. You can find all of those sermons here. Additionally, over the last four years, different artists within our community have done a piece of artwork for each Psalm, starting with Psalm 41. You can see and read about each of those here.

This week we’ll discuss Psalm 80. Here’s how you can prepare:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 80.

Psalm 80 teaches us to pray for God’s help in changing both our circumstances and our own hearts in the process. This beautiful prayer shows us that the change Israel needed (and the change that we need) will only come through Christ Himself.

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 42:5–6a

Fall Afresh (Jeremy Riddle)
Lord I Need You (Carson, Maher, Nockels, Reeves, Stanfill)

CONFESSION OF SIN: John 15:5

Your Name Is Good (Psalm 54) (Joel Limpic, Scott Mills)

Mighty To Save (Ben Fielding, Reuben Morgan)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Zephaniah 3:17

GREETING, SERMON, & COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

Jesus What A Savior (Kirby Kaple)
Revive Us Again (Charlie Hall, John J. Husband, William P. Mackay, Dustin Ragland)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday