[Moses] was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. Exodus 34:29 ESV
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face…
2 Corinthians 3:12-13a ESV
Being Authentic in a #Selfie World
Dear Members and Friends of Trinity Downtown:
The Old Testament tells us that when Moses came down from Mount Sinai holding the Ten Commandments, Moses’ face shone brightly. Just by being in the presence of Almighty God, Moses had absorbed a tiny bit of God’s glory which was visibly reflected from his face.
This picture has rich symbolism for our lives. Consistently spending time with God inevitably changes us; Our attitudes and desires shift, our fears subside and our joy increases. The Holy Spirit’s work is subtle but powerful, and eventually becomes visible to our family and friends.
However, like Moses, we are ashamed that our reality is less bright than what we portray, so we sometimes “hide our face” from our friends and family. We hide our deepest shame, the unpleasant, sorrowful and the unattractive parts of our lives. Social media provides an easy tool where we post only the stuff that makes us look good, wise and rich. Using today’s vernacular, social media makes it easy for us to not be “authentic.” But putting “a veil over our faces” is burdensome; it extracts a cost from our soul as we constantly monitor and adjust our veil.
We are in a sermon series at Trinity Downtown exploring how to live a Christian life in a world that is saturated with social media. This weekend, we’ll be focusing on how living a life of authenticity can lighten your burden and deepen your relationships. We’ll explore God’s boundless love for us, and how it gives us the pattern for how we can build loving relationships with each other. You can participate in-person at our contemporary worship service on Saturday at 5:00 pm or our traditional worship service on Sunday at 9:00 am. If you are not comfortable attending an in-person service, you can watch the “live stream” of our Satellite Service at 5:00 pm on Saturday, or our traditional service on Sunday at 9:00 am by clicking here. And, of course, you may also participate by watching either of these services “on demand” by clicking here.
To enhance your worship this weekend, we’ve placed this weekend’s Order of Worship and our updated prayer list on Trinity’s website. You can download them by going to www.trinitydt.org, selecting the “Worship” tab, and then selecting either the “worship folder” or “prayer list” option.
As you know, we are constantly reviewing our COVID-related safety protocols and we’ll continue to make appropriate revisions as the vaccination levels in our community increase. We are making some significant changes in these protocols starting with the worship services on May 1-2. Specifically, starting on May 1-2:
- You will no longer need to RSVP to attend a worship service. We will introduce an electronic system to allow worshipers to register their attendance when they enter the Sanctuary (the Traditional service) or the MPR (for the Satellite service);
- We will allow “open seating” in the Lectern side of the Sanctuary, while continuing to provide the option for social-distanced seating on the Pulpit side;
- The nursery will open to care for children 2 years old and younger; and
- We will begin passing the offering plate during the Traditional service.
For the time being, wearing a mask while on Trinity’s campus will continue to be an important safety precaution. And for this coming weekend’s services reservations are still required; you can see the details at www.trinitydt.org. You may also make a reservation by calling Stefanie at 713.224.0684 from 8:30-2:30 each weekday.
Come spend some time with Jesus this weekend, and let His Word brighten your face so you can share that love and peace with everyone!
I look forward to celebrating our authentic relationship with our Lord with you this weekend.
Your Pastor,
Michael Dorn