Forgiving others and humbly asking for forgiveness are central disciplines for all Christian believers. Lent is an appropriate time to deepen our understanding and practice of forgiveness.

O God,

Maker of every thing and judge of all that you have made, from the dust of the earth you have formed us and from the dust of death you would raise us up.

By the redemptive power of the cross, create in us clean hearts and put within us a new spirit, that we may repent of our sins and lead lives worthy of your calling; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Pastor Bob presents the six-week sermon series: Jesus, Man of Mystery.

As Jesus’ public ministry begins, he remains a somewhat mysterious figure. Like a good spy, magician, or stealthy detective, Jesus plays things close to the vest and reveals things only when he is ready.

Paul’s letter to the Romans is addressed to people he had never met in the hopes of encouraging and building up this community to which he dreamed of traveling. He knew Christian life was a perilous one, and the world in which the church was growing and spreading was unpredictable and increasingly diverse. In this series covering some of the letter’s most intriguing and inspiring passages, we learn how God sustains us in the midst of brokenness, both within and without, helping us find wholeness and unity, no matter what crises we are facing.