September 27, 2020

We continue this Sunday in our Matthew series, discussing “Jesus and Generosity.”

Why are we in Matthew? The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the earliest biographies of Jesus, presenting Jesus not as a mere historical figure, but as “good news” for the world that should reshape every part of life.

Additionally, this Sunday, September 27, we’re joining with thousands of churches across America in what’s being called “Repentance Sunday.” During each of our services we’ll take time to pause, repent, and pray for revival across our cities and world. More on that below!

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday:

1. Read our text, Matthew 6:1–4.

See passage

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

This teaching marks the beginning of a new section in the Sermon on the Mount. The focus of this section is the call to pay attention to your inner motives for good works. Jesus is teaching that His Kingdom people ought to be driven by a healthy desire to please their Heavenly Father rather than by cravings for public notoriety and human approval. To work out this teaching in real life, Jesus gives three examples of core spiritual practices that marked Jewish religious life: giving to the needy, prayer, and fasting.

Jesus assumes that giving to the needy is a part of the life of His listeners. He doesn’t expand on the practice here, but instead focuses on the heart motivation. He says that those who perform good works like giving to the needy in order to be seen by people are like performers who may receive applause from people, but they won’t receive anything from God. On the other hand, those who freely give out of love for people will be rewarded by their Heavenly Father.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 121:1–3:

See passage

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
He who keeps you will not slumber.

Fall Afresh (Jeremy Riddle)

PRAYER OF CONFESSION: Adapted from The Worship Sourcebook:

The phrases below in regular text will be read by the leader. The bolded text will be read all-together.

Lord, You said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” Forgive us our lukewarm love and our disobedience.

Lord, You said, “You may ask for anything in my name.”
Forgive us when we think we need to solve our own problems.

Lord, You said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
We confess that our lives are often consumed by worry and anxiety.

Lord, You said, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit.”
Forgive us our barren lives, Lord.

Lord, You said, “You must testify, for you have been with me.”
We confess, Lord, that we have been too often silent.

Lord, You said, “Love each other as I have loved you.”
We confess that we are quick to anger, contempt, and division.

Lord, You said, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
We confess that we often seek first our own little kingdoms of material comforts, human approval, and personal glory.

In these and in so many other ways, we confess our failures and shortcomings. Amen.

PRAYER FOR REVIVAL: Reflection on Ephesians 3:14–21 (NIV):

The phrases below in regular text will be read by the leader. The bolded text will be read all-together.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from Whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

Father, today we kneel with our brothers and sisters around the nation, and we confess that we need You. We need Your Spirit to revive our hearts, our churches, and our cities.

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Father we pray that You would pour out Your Spirit of power on us so that we would truly and experientially know the immeasurable love that You have for us in Christ. And we pray that You would fill us up with Your fullness, that we would be a fresh and radiant reflection of Your glory to the world around us.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Father, just like You brought revival to communities and cities and nations of old, we pray that You would do it again. We can’t do anything apart from You. Let us be a generation that seeks Your face! Give us a blazing passion for Christ and His Kingdom—and do in us and through us more than we could ever ask or imagine. For the sake of Your Kingdom and Your glory. Amen.

Give Us Clean Hands (Charlie Hall)
Rock Of Ages (Augustus Montague Toplady arr. Page CXVI)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Take My Life And Let It Be (Frances Ridley Havergal, Henri Abraham Cesar Malan)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

September 20, 2020

Last week in our ongoing Matthew series, we discussed “Jesus and Loving Your Enemy” as taught in Matthew 5:43–48. We’re camping out on this passage for another week but shifting our focus to politics (next week we’ll pick up where we left off at the end of the Sermon on the Mount).

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday:

1. Read our text, Matthew 5:43–48.

See passage

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Last week, we discussed how the term Jesus uses for “love” in Matthew 5:43–48 is agape—a love of efficacy, comprised of attitudes, and actions. We also looked at the term “enemies,” seeing past our cultural, English reading of that word to recognize that Jesus includes people we disagree with and people outside our “camp”.

In an American election season, the volume level on the political discourse around us was already being turned up louder and louder day after day. Add to that a global pandemic, great unrest around racial injustice, and large-scale environmental crises like forest fires. You’re hearing a lot of voices right now, leading you to attitudes and actions.

So what does it mean to love our neighbor through engagement in the political sphere? What does it look like to love people we disagree with? If we did love them, we need to believe Jesus that we would be a light in the darkness, reflecting God’s love to the world.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 99:1–3:

See passage

The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
The LORD is great in Zion;
He is exalted over all the peoples.
Let them praise Your great and awesome name!
Holy is He!

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

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

Dear Jesus,
it is hard to forgive people
when they hurt us and our friends.
We want to hit back—
and sometimes we do.
But You teach us to love our enemies
no matter what they do.
Forgive us, Lord Jesus,
when we do not forgive others.
Help us to understand why people hurt others,
and let our hearts be filled with love for them. Amen.

King Of My Heart (John Mark McMillan, Sarah McMillan)
Crown Him With Many Crowns (Matthew Bridges, George Job Elvey, Godfrey Thring)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Micah 7:18–19

See passage

Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity
and passing over transgression
for the remnant of His inheritance?
He does not retain His anger forever,
because He delights in steadfast love.
He will again have compassion on us;
He will tread our iniquities underfoot.
You will cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Cornerstone (Bradbury, Liljero, Morgan, Mote, Myrin)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

September 13, 2020

We continue in the book of Matthew this week, exploring Jesus’ commands about loving our enemies. This is week two of Part Two of this ongoing series.

But first, why Matthew? The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the earliest biographies of Jesus, presenting Jesus not as a mere historical figure, but as “good news” for the world that should reshape every part of life.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday:

1. Read our text, Matthew 5:43–48.

See passage

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

As we come to the end of this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus brings us into the heart of His Kingdom vision. The people of His Kingdom are to be marked by a radical love that extends even to their enemies. The Law of Moses had called the Israelites to love their neighbors, but there was a lot of debate swirling around about who actually counts as a “neighbor.” Most of the Jewish rabbis agreed that this was a call to love fellow Israelites, especially the vulnerable. But nobody was teaching that they should love people like the Romans soldiers who maintained an oppressive presence in their society. Nobody would have imagined that this call to love would have included people like the tax collectors who had sold out to the Roman empire. Nobody was teaching them to love the Samaritans who had fought against the Jews in recent wars. Yet, this is exactly what Jesus says. His Kingdom is to be marked by a deep and sacrificial love, not merely for those who are good to you, but even for those whom you would consider enemies. When you display this kind of love, you represent the love of your Father in heaven who blesses both the righteous and the unrighteous. And this is exactly what Jesus came to do. He came while we were sinners, indeed, while we were enemies. Christ died for us as a transformative demonstration of the love of our Father in Heaven. At its core, the Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of love.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

Download Lyrics (PDF)

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 145:8–10:

See passage

The Lord is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Lord is good to all,
and His mercy is over all that He has made.
All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,
and all Your saints shall bless You!

Walk Among Us (Joel Limpic, David Wilson)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

O God of shalom,
we have built up walls to protect ourselves from our enemies,
but those walls also shut us off from receiving Your love.
Break down those walls.
Help us to see that the way to Your heart is through the reconciliation of our own hearts with our enemies.
Bless them and us, that we may come to grow in love for each other and for You,
through Jesus Christ. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 John 4:9–12

See passage

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

Man of Sorrows (Matt Crocker, Brooke Ligertwood) / Break Every Chain (Will Reagan)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Have Mercy On Me (David Gungor, Paul Zach) / Build My Life (Barrett, Kable, Martin, Redman, Younker)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

September 6, 2020

We’re back in the book of Matthew, taking us through until Advent! This Sunday marks the beginning of Part Two of this multi-part, multi-year series. It’s a lot of Matthew, folks. We’ll be picking up where we left off

So why did we choose Matthew? The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the earliest biographies of Jesus, presenting Jesus not as a mere historical figure, but as “good news” for the world that should reshape every part of life. To listen to any sermon from Part One of the series, visit the Matthew series archive. To listen to the first sermon from Part Two, join us online or in-person on Sunday.

However you join us, here’s how you can prepare this week:

1. Read our text, Matthew 5:38–42.

See passage

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

The concept of retributive justice—embodied in the term “an eye for an eye”—has been a hallmark of many societies throughout world history. This concept was core to the instructions for civil justice given to ancient Israel in the Mosaic Law. It seems equitable that someone who has caused pain to another human should be punished with a penalty that is proportionate to their offense. Although this approach to justice may have its place in broken human societies, Jesus is calling His Kingdom people to be marked by something far more transformative than retaliation: sacrificial love.

“Turn the other cheek” is one of the most radical and controversial teachings of Jesus. It may seem like He is calling His people to be passive doormats who allow themselves to get trampled on by others, but that’s not what He is doing. He is calling for His people to actively respond to wrongs that they have suffered by choosing to absorb the offense in order to show sacrificial love to the offender, while trusting in God’s commitment to execute justice. This kind of love, radical though it may be, has the power to bring transformation to relationships and communities. And this is exactly the kind of love that Jesus embodied in His mission to transform our hearts and redeem the world.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

Download Lyrics (PDF)

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Ephesians 2:1–2, 5:

See passage

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world… But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…

Made Alive (Brian Eichelberger, Zach Bolen) / This Is Amazing Grace (Josh Farro, Jeremy Riddle, Phil Wickham)
Shout To The Lord (Darlene Zschech)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From Thou, Dear God by Martin Luther King, Jr.:

Oh God, our gracious heavenly Father,
we thank Thee for the inspiration of Jesus the Christ.
And grant that we will love Thee with all of our hearts, souls, and minds,
and love our neighbors as we love ourselves,
even our enemy neighbors.
And we ask Thee, oh God, in these days of emotional tension,
when the problems of the world are gigantic in extent and chaotic in detail,
to be with us in our going out and our coming in,
in our rising up and in our lying down,
in our moments of joy and in our moments of sorrow,
until the day when there shall be no sunset and no dawning. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 5:6–8

See passage

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Victory Belongs to Jesus (Todd Dulaney) / I Surrender All (Judson W. Van DeVenter, Winfield S. Weeden)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

August 30, 2020

In early fall every year, we take time to revisit and recenter around the mission of our church: we exist to make disciples of Jesus for the glory of God and the joy of all people. This is the last week of this year’s “Mission” series, Following Jesus in the Wilderness. In step with our ongoing Matthew series, this mini-series has addressed the tension and “waiting” of the wilderness.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday, Following Jesus Toward A Life of Love:

1. Read our text, Matthew 28:16–20.

Read, pray, and sing through the service:

Download Lyrics (PDF)

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 63:1–4:

See passage

O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift up my hands.

Joy (Anthony Brown, Pat Barrett
 arr. VaShawn Mitchell) / Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (Ludwig van Beethoven, Edward Hodges,
 Henry Van Dyke)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

Everlasting God,
fountain of all life and the true home of every heart:
our hearts are restless until they rest in You.
Yet we confess that our hearts have been enslaved
by selfish passion and base desire.
We have sought after many things
and have neglected the one thing needful.
We have not loved You with our whole hearts;
help us to turn to You and find forgiveness.
Lead us home, that we may again find in You
our life and joy and peace. Amen.

Heart Of God (Aodhan King, Jonas Myrin)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 Peter 2:24–25

See passage

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Jesus What A Savior (Kirby Kaple)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

August 23, 2020

We’re in week two of three for this year’s “Mission” series, Following Jesus in the Wilderness. Every Fall we take time to revisit and recenter around the mission of our church: we exist to make disciples of Jesus for the glory of God and the joy of all people. In step with our ongoing Matthew series, this mini-series addresses the tension and “waiting” of the wilderness.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday:

Read, pray, and sing through the service:

Download Lyrics (PDF)

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 63:1–4:

See passage

O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift up my hands.

Doxology (Louis Bourgeois, Thomas Ken) / Better (Joseph Pat Barrett, Ed Cash, Chris Tomlin)
Lord I Need You (Carson, Maher, Nockels, Reeves, Stanfill) / The Medicine (Dee Wilson)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

Lord, we are like sheep, and we get lost.
We forget the needs of our neighbors and do not love You above all else.
We need a Savior, so we long for Jesus.
Come, fill our lives, Jesus. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: 1 John 4:14–16

See passage

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

New Wine (Brooke Ligertwood) / Sometimes By Step (Step by Step) (David (Beaker) Strasser, Rich Mullins)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

August 16, 2020

Every Fall we take time to revisit and recenter around the mission of our church: we exist to make disciples of Jesus for the glory of God and the joy of all people. In step with our ongoing Matthew series, these next three weeks will address the tension and “waiting” of the wilderness.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday and week one of Following Jesus in the Wilderness:

1. Read through our text for the week:

This week, it’s more like “texts”—this particular message doesn’t have a singular, key passage. Instead, we’ll draw on 1 Corinthians 10:1–13 and Matthew 4:18–22.

We find ourselves in a unique cultural moment that has shaken the fabric of our society. What does it look like to follow Jesus—to be a disciple—in this particular season? Throughout  history, the people of God have used the metaphor of the “Wilderness” to describe the journey through the challenges and trials of life. The wilderness is a hard place to be. It is confusing. It is disorienting. It is exhausting. It is dangerous. And it is a place where God does deep, necessary, and transformative work in the lives of His people. This week we will look at this theme in Matthew and Exodus as we consider what it means to follow Jesus through the wilderness.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

Download Lyrics (PDF)

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 63:1–4:

See passage

O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift up my hands.

You Keep On Getting Better (Dante Bowe, Jonathan Jay, Majesty Rose)
Build My Life (Barrett, Kable, Martin, Redman, Younker)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

Almighty God, we confess how hard it is to be Your people.
You have called us to be the church,
to continue the mission of Jesus Christ to our lonely and confused world.
Yet we acknowledge we are more apathetic than active,
isolated than involved, callous than compassionate,
obstinate than obedient, legalistic than loving.
Gracious Lord, have mercy upon us and forgive our sins.
Remove the obstacles preventing us
from being Your representatives to a broken world.
Awaken our hearts to the promised gift of Your indwelling Spirit.
This we pray in Jesus’ powerful name. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 5:1

See passage

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

The Lord Is My Banner (Joel Limpic) / Surrounded (Fight My Battles) (Elyssa Smith)
Blessed Be Your Name (Beth Redman, Matt Redman)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

August 9, 2020

This is the last week of 2020’s Christ in the Psalms series. We’re in Psalm 109. You can find all the other Christ in the Psalms messages from this year and previous years right here.

Our artwork for Psalm 109 is an acrylic painting by Benjamin Rogers. See the piece and read about the art and artist here. To learn more about this weekly art series for Christ in the Psalms, click here.

What will we do next week? At the end of each summer, we take about three weeks to revisit our mission as a church (you can listen to Mission series messages from 2017–2019 here—they’re rad). For our mission weeks this year, we’re focusing in on Following Jesus in this Cultural Moment, and we’re using the book of Matthew (which we’re really in the zone on from this year’s ongoing Matthew series).

But back to Psalm 109—here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday!

1. Read our text, Psalm 109.

See Passage
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

Be not silent, O God of my praise! For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause. In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin! May his days be few; may another take his office! May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow! May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit! May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil! Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children! May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation! May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out! Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!

For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death. He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him! He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones! May it be like a garment that he wraps around him, like a belt that he puts on every day! May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, of those who speak evil against my life!

But You, O God my Lord, deal on my behalf for Your name’s sake; because Your steadfast love is good, deliver me! For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me. I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust. My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt, with no fat. I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads.

Help me, O Lord my God! Save me according to Your steadfast love! Let them know that this is Your hand; You, O Lord, have done it! Let them curse, but You will bless! They arise and are put to shame, but Your servant will be glad! May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!

With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord; I will praise Him in the midst of the throng. For He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

Download Lyrics (PDF)

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 109:1–2, 26:

See passage

Be not silent, O God of my praise! For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues. Help me, O LORD my God! Save me according to Your steadfast love!

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

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook:

Lord, You are a God who keeps promises.
In our prayers and songs
we say that we want to be Christians,
but then we forget our promises.
Our actions do not match up with our words.

We say mean things to other people,
we hurt their feelings,
we think of ourselves first,
and, worst of all, we ignore You.
Lord, forgive us and hear our prayer for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Ephesians 2:8–10

See passage

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

The Gift Of God (Ephesians 2:8) (John Petterson)

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Way Maker (Osinachi Kalu Okoro Egbu)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

August 2, 2020

We’re in Psalm 108 this week, continuing our annual Christ in the Psalms series. You can find sermons for the previous 107 Psalms here. Kind of crazy to write that. So why the Psalms? The Psalms provide a “hymnal” for God’s people, teaching us how to bring the whole range of human emotion before Him in prayer and in worship.

Our artwork for Psalm 108 is an oil painting by Kari Langford. See the piece and read about the art and artist here. To learn more about our weekly Christ in the Psalms artwork pieces and see them all (they go back as far as Psalm 41!), click here.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday, August 2:

1. Read our text, Psalm 108.

See Passage

My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your steadfast love is great above the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let Your glory be over all the earth! That Your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by Your right hand and answer me! God has promised in His holiness: “With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter. Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph.” Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? Have You not rejected us, O God? You do not go out, O God, with our armies. Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! With God we shall do valiantly; it is He who will tread down our foes.

At times it feels like God doesn’t care. Though the past has proven how faithful and good He is, we long for Him to work on our behalf in this moment. And when it seems like God has rejected our pleas for help, it is easy to rely on self-made solutions that always disappoint, at least eventually. What we long for—what we need most—is God with us. And indeed He is. Jesus, called Immanuel, has taken on our rejection, has emerged victorious on our behalf, and now joins us in the struggle. We may now joyfully anticipate His constant work in our lives, hungering for His glory and pleading His pursuing grace.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

Download Lyrics (PDF)

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 108:1–5:

See passage

My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your steadfast love is great above the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!https://www.parkchurchdenver.org/2020/07/30/august-2-2020/ Let Your glory be over all the earth!

10,000 Reasons (Jonas Myrin, Matt Redman)
Psalm 108 (My Heart Is Steadfast) (Joel Limpic)

CONFESSION OF SIN: Based on Psalm 108:

Father, we confess that our hearts are often not steadfast toward You. Truth be told, our allegiances are divided and we are half-hearted creatures.

Jesus, find us in our slumbering ways and awaken our sleepy affections. Open our eyes to see Your beauty and grace with a new freshness.

Spirit, shine a spotlight on any wayward way in our lives. Plant boldness and courage and strength to love and follow You.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Psalm 103:10–13

See passage

He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does He remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him.

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Praises (Be Lifted Up) (Josh Baldwin)
Victory Belongs To Jesus (Todd Dulaney)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

July 26, 2020

This will be Christ in the Psalms week six, and we’re in Psalm 107. Christ in the Psalms is an annual series at Park Church. We started in Psalm 1 many years ago and have hit one Psalm per week (until last week, I guess!). So why the Psalms? The Psalms provide a “hymnal” for God’s people, teaching us how to bring the whole range of human emotion before Him in prayer and in worship. We’re excited to continue this week.

Our artwork for Psalm 107 is an acrylic painting by Lou Ann Summers. See the piece and read about the art and artist here. To learn more about our weekly Christ in the Psalms artwork pieces and see them all (they go back as far as Psalm 41!), click here.

Here’s how you can prepare for this Sunday:

1. Read our text, Psalm 107.

See Psalm 107

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man! For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things.

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High. So He bowed their hearts down with hard labor; they fell down, with none to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man! For He shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.

Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction; they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He sent out His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man! And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of His deeds in songs of joy!

Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; they saw the deeds of the Lord, His wondrous works in the deep. For He commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; they reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wits’ end. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and He brought them to their desired haven. Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol Him in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the assembly of the elders.

He turns rivers into a desert, springs of water into thirsty ground, a fruitful land into a salty waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants. He turns a desert into pools of water, a parched land into springs of water. And there He lets the hungry dwell, and they establish a city to live in; they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield. By His blessing they multiply greatly, and He does not let their livestock diminish.

When they are diminished and brought low through oppression, evil, and sorrow, he pours contempt on princes and makes them wander in trackless wastes; but He raises up the needy out of affliction and makes their families like flocks. The upright see it and are glad, and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

At times life can feel like an exhausting struggle. We wander around on a quest for satisfaction, all the while fighting our own sinful desires and the uncontrollable forces of life. At some point we reach the end of ourselves, and that’s the point where God tends to meet us with His redeeming love. Psalm 107 is a song of thanksgiving that celebrates the different ways in which God has delivered His people from all kinds of distress. The Psalm ultimately points us to Jesus, who has come to meet us in our brokenness and to bring us back to the joy of God’s loving presence.

2. Read, pray, and sing through the service:

Download Lyrics (PDF)

Don’t use Spotify? Click the song title below to see song on YouTube.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 107:1–3:

See passage

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

Psalm 107 (Oh Give Thanks) (Joel Limpic) / Is Is Well (Horatio G. Spafford, Philip P. Bliss)

CONFESSION OF SIN: Based on Psalm 107:

Almighty Father, we confess that each of us have wandered from You. Our sin leads us into desert wastelands with no water. Our rebellion keeps us bound in darkness. Our sinful ways reveal the true foolishness of our hearts. Our prideful hearts pursue endeavors without regard for You. This is not the sort of life we long for.

Hear our cry for freedom and deliverance! Oh God of redemption, meet us in these spaces. We thank You that You’ve shown time and time again that this is the sort of God You are. A God who meets our folly with forgiveness and freedom. A God who turns parched lands into cool springs of water, and who makes a home for the homeless. Help us not forget this reality but rather earnestly consider Your steadfast love today. In Jesus name. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Ephesians 1:7–8

See passage

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight…

PASSING THE PEACE

What is Passing the Peace?
(Click to Read)

When we’ve met as a large group on Sundays, we’ve always had a time of greeting one another after singing. Many churches call this time “passing the peace.” In some church traditions, one person will say to another, “The peace of Christ be with you” to which the other person responds, “And also with you.”

While potentially unfamiliar for some, we felt that “passing the peace” during greeting times at home could be a powerful act in this age marked by very little external peace. In Isaiah 9, Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace. He wants His kingdom to be marked by this very peace! We want to “pass” to one another this peace that only Jesus can give, especially at a time like this.

It might feel a bit cheesy, but we encourage you to actually pray the peace of God over each other during our times. We encourage you to look into each other’s eyes as you say, “The peace of Christ be with you!” and have others respond with, “And also with you.” Be open-hearted to Jesus, asking Him to fill you with His peace.

SERMON & COMMUNION

Reckless Love (Cory Asbury, Caleb Culver, Ran Jackson)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday