God’s mercy is greater than our sins. There is an awareness of sin that does not lead to God but to self-preoccupation. Our temptation is to be so impressed by our sins and failings and so overwhelmed by our lack of generosity that we get stuck in a paralyzing guilt. It is the guilt that says: “I am too sinful to deserve God’s mercy.” It is the guilt that leads to introspection instead of directing our eyes to God. It is the guilt that has become an idol and therefore a form of pride. Lent is the time to break down this idol and to direct our attention to our loving Lord. The question is: “Are we like Judas, who was so overcome by his sin that he could not believe in God’s mercy any longer and hanged himself, or are we like Peter who returned to his Lord with repentance and cried bitterly for his sins?” The season of Lent, during which winter and spring struggle with each other for dominance, helps us in a special way to cry out for God’s mercy.
– Henri Nouwen
Lent strips off layers of self-deception and self-defense that screen us from the Risen Christ.
– Peter Leithart
The religious accused him of being a drunkard, a glutton and having tacky taste in friends. It is a profound irony that the Son of God visited this planet and one of the chief complaints against him was that he was not religious enough.
– Rebecca Manley Pippert
God invites and calls us into His presence to worship Him. He enters into our busy lives to speak to us.
The Call to Worship
Praise the LORD!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.
The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
— Psalm 147:1-3 ESV
What is our hope in life and death?
Christ alone, Christ alone.
What is our only confidence?
That our souls to Him belong.
Who holds our days within His hand?
What comes, apart from His command?
And what will keep us to the end?
The love of Christ, in which we stand.
O sing hallelujah!
Our hope springs eternal;
O sing hallelujah!
Now and ever we confess
Christ our hope in life and death!
What truth can calm the troubled soul?
God is good, God is good.
Where is His grace and goodness known?
In our great Redeemer’s blood.
Who holds our faith when fears arise?
Who stands above the stormy trial?
Who sends the waves that bring us nigh
Unto the shore, the rock of Christ? (Chorus)
Unto the grave, what shall we sing?
“Christ, he lives; Christ, He lives!”
And what reward will heaven bring?
Everlasting life with Him.
There we will rise to meet the Lord,
Then sin and death will be destroyed,
And we will feast in endless joy,
When Christ is ours forevermore. (Chorus 2x)
Words & Music: Keith Getty, Matt Boswell, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker, & Matt Papa
Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
The Lord Cleanses Us
God cleanses and restores us through Jesus’ death and resurrection. We fight the temptation to hide our sin and instead acknowledge it openly to God, but we do so in light of the grace that is ours in Jesus.
Most Merciful Father,
We thank You that You give us every reason to place our trust in Your Son Jesus as our Risen King. Yet Lord we confess our tendency to doubt You and turn away from You many times each day. Forgive us for our hardness of heart. Forgive us for believing that our sin is so much greater than Your love and grace. Have mercy on our unbelief and cleanse us through the blood of the one who lived, died, and was raised for us. In his name we pray. Amen.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
—John 14:6 ESV
When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life’s fearful path;
For my love is often cold; He must hold me fast.
He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast;
For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast.
Those He saves are His delight, Christ will hold me fast;
Precious in his holy sight, He will hold me fast.
He’ll not let my soul be lost; His promises shall last;
Bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast.
(Chorus)
For my life He bled and died, Christ will hold me fast;
Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast
‘Till our faith is turned to sight, When He comes at last!
(Chorus 2x)
Words: Ada Habershon & Matthew Merker; Music: Matthew Merker
Confession of Faith | Philippians 2:5-11
We join the church in history by confessing this basic statement of what Christians believe.
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Lord Converses with Us
God speaks to us by His Word, and we respond with prayer, gratitude, and offerings.
35:1 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2 it shall blossom abundantly
and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. 3 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4 Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;
6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7 the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
In gratitude, we offer our gifts to God.
We lift up our requests to God knowing that He hears us when we pray.
Almighty God, You alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant Your people grace to love what You command and desire what You promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of this world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Vocational Prayer Focus: Healthcare
Church Prayer Focus: Trinity Chapel
Mission Prayer Focus: DASH Network
God speaks to us by His Word.
7:18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
24 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ 28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 29 (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, 30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)
31 “To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 35 Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”
Reader: The Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
“Doubters & Deniers”
Pastor Brian Davis
The Lord Communes With Us
God invites us to feast with Him at His Table.
Pastor: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Pastor: Lift up your hearts!
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Pastor: Let us proclaim the mystery of the faith:
People: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Hallelujah!
Pastor: Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed for us. Hallelujah!
People: Therefore, let us keep the feast.
Pastor: The gifts of God for the people of God.
Pensive, Doubting, Fearful Heart
Pensive, doubting, fearful heart,
Hear what Christ the Savior says;
Every word should joy impart,
Change thy mourning into praise:
Yes, he speaks, and speaks to thee,
May he help thee to believe!
Then thou presently wilt see,
Thou hast little cause to grieve.
Fear thou not, nor be ashamed,
All thy sorrows soon shall end
I who heav’n and earth have framed,
Am thy husband and thy friend
I the High and Holy One,
Israel’s God by all adored;
As thy Savior will be known,
Thy Redeemer and thy Lord.
For a moment I withdrew,
And thy heart was filled with pain;
But my mercies I’ll renew,
Thou shalt soon rejoice again:
Though I seem to hide my face,
Very soon my wrath shall cease;
‘Tis but for a moment’s space,
Ending in eternal peace.
Though afflicted, tempest‐tossed,
Comfortless awhile thou art,
Do not think thou canst be lost,
Thou art graven on my heart
All thy wastes I will repair,
Thou shalt be rebuilt anew;
And in thee it shall appear,
What a God of love can do.
Words: John Newton; Music: Wendell Kimbrough
Draw Nigh
Draw nigh and take the body of the Lord.
And drink the holy blood for you outpoured.
Offered was He for greatest and for least,
Himself the Victim and Himself the Priest.
He that, His saints in this world rules and shields
To all believers life eternal yields,
With heavenly bread makes them that hunger whole,
Gives living waters to the thirsting soul.
Approach ye, then, with faithful hearts sincere
And take the pledges of salvation here.
O Judge of all, our only Savior Thou,
In this Thy feast of love be with us now.
Words: Latin Hymn, c. 680; Music: The Welcome Wagon
The Lord Commissions Us
God blesses us and sends us out to be a part of His mission to Fort Worth & the world.
Lead on, O King eternal,
The day of march has come;
Henceforth in fields of conquest,
Thy tents shall be our home.
Through days of preparation,
Thy grace has made us strong;
And now, O King eternal,
We lift our battle song.
Lead on, O King eternal,
Till sin’s fierce war shall cease,
And holiness shall whisper,
The sweet amen of peace.
For not with swords’ loud clashing,
Nor roll of stirring drums;
With deeds of love and mercy,
The heavenly kingdom comes.
Lead on, O King; Lead on, O King; Lead on, O King, Lead on
Lead on, O King eternal,
We follow, not with fears,
For gladness breaks like morning,
Where’er Thy face appears.
Thy cross is lifted over us,
We journey in its light;
The crown awaits the conquest;
Lead on, O God of might.
Lead on, O King; Lead on, O King; Lead on, O King, Lead on
Words: Ernest Warburton Shurtleff, Jeff Pardo; Music: Jeff Pardo
God sends us out with his blessing. A benediction is not a prayer. We don’t bow our heads. We lift them up and even lift up our hands to receive his blessing as we are sent out as participants in His mission to Fort Worth.
The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
— Numbers 6:24-26 ESV
Pastor: Let us go forth to serve Fort Worth and the world as those who love our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
People: Thanks be to God!
* CCLI #5043663 – all songs used by permission
Youth Small Groups Today
Middle and high-schoolers, join us today after worship until 6:30 for youth small groups. Pizza provided!
Men’s Retreat – April 5 & 6
Head to the Church Center app to register for the Men’s Retreat April 5 – 6 at the Lone Oak RV Ranch & Retreat in Gainesville, TX. Josh Hahne, Pastor of Redeemer PCA Church in Orange County, CA is our speaker. All the details are on the registration page; sign up today!
Men’s Book Discussion
Join us as we finish out our book discussion series on parenting (order The Worry-Free Parent by Sissy Goff and read Section 1). We will meet at 7:30pm on April 2 at Andy Wood’s house (7017 Falling Springs Rd, 76116) to discuss Section 1. We will meet to discuss Section 2 on 4/23 and Section 3 on 5/14.
Young Adult Dinners
Trinity Young Adults is a group for post-undergrad, in grad school, career, single, or young marrieds. Come join us after church on the 1st and 3rd Sundays after worship. Today we will eat at Salsa Limon. Details about dinners and other events are in the Church Center app or contact Rachel (rachelkuchem@gmail.com) or Jack (jacksonkassing@gmail.com).
Women’s Bible Study
Our spring study has begun and we are studying the Sermon on the Mount. The morning study will meet this week at the new building (207 W. Broadway) Thursday morning from 9:30-10:50. Childcare is provided. The evening study meets at Becky Burt’s house on Wednesday nights 7-8:30. Contact Susan Tyner (susan@trinitypresfw.org) for more information.
Men’s Bible Study
Men, join us as we study the Sermon on the Mount this spring! You can either come to the Wednesday morning study (6:30am – 7:30am) at the home of Lee Tyner (2412 Sixth Ave 76110) or the Thursday lunch study (12pm – 1pm) located at Walt Jones’s office (Chase Bank Building, 420 Throckmorton Street, Suite 1150 [11th Floor] 76102). This is our last week of bible study.
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