March 19, 2023 - Pender Lead Pastor Will White preached on "In the Presence" based on John 9:1-41.

Do you know what it is like to be chosen? Well, you do because you were. Our texts this week are about being chosen by God. Most of us don’t think that we were chosen, certainly not to be king like David. But surely, we chose the jobs that we do and the hobbies that we pursue and the service that we perform, didn’t we? Well, yes. But God chose too. And not just in the past tense, God is still choosing.

"In the Presence" is the fourth sermon in the Lenten series titled "Learning to Live Inside Out". Lent is a bi-directional season. Or at least it should be. That isn’t how we usually experience the season, however. Too often, we see the Lenten journey simply as a journey inward. While that is a great start or an important component to a powerful Lenten experience, it can’t be the whole story. Examining your soul is more than just looking inward; it is also considering the state of your soul as it walks about in the world. This isn’t new. Historically, the church has talked about the spiritual disciplines in two directions. Like the great commandment, these two sides of the same coin cannot ultimately be separated. That is why this series is about doing both – looking inward and moving outward. We are learning to live inside out.