No Filter

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LITURGY

Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

Introduction

Look with me at Psalm 139 — Verses 23 and 24.

Psalm 139:23–24 CSB

23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.

SHOW “THE HEART MATTERS” MAIN SERIES GRAPHIC HERE AFTER SCRIPTURE IS READ

Most of us are very comfortable with filters, aren’t we?

Filters on our photos (I’ve seen all those AI pictures you post on Facebook)

Filters on social media

Filters on how much of our real lives people people actually get to see.

And listen — I’m not immune to it. I grew up in the Millennial generation. We know exactly how to angle the camera. We know which version of ourselves to post… and we know how to crop out the mess.

And if we’re truthful — most of us don’t mind filters as long as they make us look a little better than we actually feel, right?

Now — the problem isn’t the filters themselves. The problem is when the filters become a way of life. Because over time — it’s easy to stop filtering what other people see — and to start filtering what we see about ourselves.

And sometimes — still being truthful here — we even try to filter what God sees.

We might say things like,

“God — here’s the good part of my heart.”

“Here’s the obedient part.”

Here’s the church part.”

But we don’t give Him those things we don’t want Him to see…

Maybe not this attitude toward that one person you’re so angry with.

Maybe not this habit over here you refuse to give up.

Maybe not this pattern you’ve learned to excuse.

That’s why this season can sometimes feel uncomfortable for believers. The season of Lent is a season that removes the filters. It slows us down. It invites honesty. It asks us to stop managing appearances and start paying attention to our hearts.

This new series we’re kicking off for the season of Lent is called The Heart Matters — because Scripture makes it clear that God isn’t interested in surface-level faith. He’s after transformation from the inside out. And today’s message is about letting God see us with no filters. Not so He can shame us — but so He can heal us. And we’re going to see today that when God searches our hearts — He doesn’t leave us exposed — He leads us toward restoration.

Me

In this spirit of no filters — I’ll be truthful with you. I don’t really struggle with believing that God knows everything about me… what I struggle with is slowing down long enough to sit with that reality. It’s much easier to stay busy — and “productive” — and distracted. Because when life is moving fast — there isn’t much space for God to point out what’s happening beneath the surface — right?

And if I’m not careful — repentance can turn into something vague and generic. And maybe part of the problem is that we use the word repentance a lot — but we don’t always stop to explain what it actually means.

Repentance isn’t just feeling bad about what we’ve done. It’s not guilt. And it isn’t promising God we’ll try harder next time.

At its core — repentance means a change of direction. It’s the moment we when we stop defending our sin — stop excusing it — and stop managing it… and instead we turn toward God with honesty and humility. It’s saying: “God, I was wrong. I don’t want this anymore. And I’m trusting You to change me from the inside out.”

It’s not about earning forgiveness. It’s about returning to the God who is already gracious. Real repentance doesn’t just ask God to forgive what we did… it asks Him to transform who we are.

The problem we face is that the moment repentance loses its depth — it starts losing its honesty. And when I don’t slow down enough to practice that kind of repentance — it starts sounding like this:

“God — forgive me for my sins.”

“Help me do better.”

“Thank you for grace.”

All true…

All necessary…

But sometimes also very safe.

What’s harder is praying something like,

“God — show me what I’m missing.”

“Show me what I’ve learned to tolerate.”

“Show me what I’ve justified for far too long.”

Because inviting God to search your heart means you might actually have to deal with what He reveals — right?

And I don’t know about you — but most of the time — I’d rather just manage my behavior than surrender my heart. Moments I’d rather adjust the filter than let God do deeper work.

But this season has a way of interrupting that.

“LENT REMINDS US” GRAPHIC

Lent reminds us that spiritual growth doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when we invite God to look beneath the surface: when we stop pretending — when we stop hiding — and when we stop filtering.

We

See most of us don’t wake up one day with the intention of hiding things from God, right? That’s not how it starts.

It usually starts with small compromises — and small justifications… those small habits in our lives that we tell ourselves aren’t a big deal.

We learn how to manage the outside while ignoring the inside, don’t we? We show up — we sing — we serve — and we say the right things. And all the while — there are parts of our hearts that we keep carefully filtered. Not because we don’t love God — but because honesty feels risky. Because honesty always costs us something before it heals us.

Maybe we’re worried that God might ask us to change something…

Or that He might call us to surrender…

Or that He might uncover something that we’ve learned to live with…

So repentance becomes occasional instead of continual. General instead of specific. Safe instead of searching. And our culture doesn’t help.

We live in a world that constantly tells us to indulge. To follow our feelings. To “do what makes us happy”. To avoid discomfort at all costs.

And so self-denial sounds dated — and confession sounds heavy. And repentance sounds negative. So we convince ourselves that as long as we’re not doing anything extreme — we’re probably fine.

But Lent has a way of interrupting that way of thinking. It slows us down enough to ask better questions. Harder questions. More honest questions.

Questions like:

What’s really going on in my heart?

What have I normalized that God wants to heal?

What filters am I using to avoid deeper transformation?

And that’s a truth we all need to hear:

“GOD ALREADY KNOWS” GRAPHIC

God already knows what’s in our hearts.

We’re not protecting Him from disappointment.

We’re not surprising Him with our struggles.

And we’re not hiding anything successfully.

What we really have to figure out — is if we’re willing to acknowledge what He already sees.

God

And that’s exactly what we’re going to see today in our Scripture passage. Turn with me to the Book of Psalms — Chapter 51. If you’re new to the Bible — the Book of Psalms is in just about the middle of your Bible.

And in this passage we’re reading today — we’re experiencing a prayer of King David. Through this passage — he teaches us something incredibly important: repentance doesn’t begin with doing better. It begins with letting God search us.

Look with me:

Psalm 51:10–12 CSB

10 God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.

David gives us a picture here of repentance that is honest — humble — and hope-filled. And this isn’t coming from a guy who just wants to grow closer to God — this is written after David’s sin has been exposed. There’s no hiding left — there’s no filters — no image management.

See — as king — David abused his power. He committed adultery with a woman named Bathsheba — and when that sin was at risk of being exposed — he tried to cover it up. He manipulated circumstances — he deceived other people — and ultimately — his actions led to the death of Bathsheba’s husband — that David orchestrated.

So this isn’t a private failure. This is a public — devastating sin.

And it’s important to say this — not to pile on David — but to understand the weight of what he’s confessing. David has broken trust. He’s harmed others. And he has dishonored God. There’s no minimizing this. There’s no spiritual “spin”. There’s no excuse he can use to make it seem smaller… and that’s what makes this Psalm so powerful.

Because when David finally prays — he doesn’t defend himself. He doesn’t shift the blame. He doesn’t say “God, look at all the good I’ve done!” He simply comes before God with honesty and humility. And what we learn from that is this:

“REPENTANCE ISN’T MEASURED BY” GRAPHIC

Repentance isn’t measured by the size of our sin — but by the posture of our heart before a holy God.

David doesn’t appeal to his past faithfulness. He appeals to God’s mercy. And that’s where hope enters the story. Because David appeals directly to who God is.

Exposition

v. 10

Look again at Verse 10 with me:

Psalm 51:10 CSB

10 God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

That word, create, matters. It’s not the word for fixing something broken — it’s the word for bringing something new into existence. David knows he can’t fix his own heart. He can’t clean it up. He can’t manage it better. Only God can create something new. That’s repentance. Not self-improvement. Not damage control. But surrender.

And so David asks God to do what only God can do. David is saying here, “God I don’t just need forgiveness. I need transformation.”

This echoes God’s promise to His people in Ezekiel Chapter 11. Look:

Ezekiel 11:19 CSB

19 I will give them integrity of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone from their bodies and give them a heart of flesh,

It’s only God who can make that change within us.

SHOW PSALM 51:10 AGAIN HERE, PLEASE

And then back here in Psalm 51 — David adds, “Renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

See — sin destabilizes us. It makes us inconsistent. It pulls our hearts in different directions. So David isn’t asking for emotional relief. He’s asking for spiritual stability. “God make me faithful again. Make me steady again. Make me whole again.” David is asking God to make him firm again — steady again — whole again.

He’s saying: “God — make me the same person in private that I appear to be in public.” That is repentance without the filters.

v. 11

Now look at Verse 11 with me:

Psalm 51:11 CSB

11 Do not banish me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

This tells us what David fears most. It’s not punishment — or loss of status — it’s not even the collapse of his reputation. It’s distance from God.

David understands the greatest consequence of sin isn’t guilt or shame — it’s separation. He knows that life — and joy — and wholeness are found only in the presence of God. And the thought of losing that terrifies him.

David doesn’t say, “Don’t take my throne,” or, “Don’t take my power.”

He says, “Don’t take You.”

This is what true repentance always reveals. Repentance desires restored relationship with God — not just relief from consequences.

It is possible to want forgiveness without wanting closeness with God. But David wants both.

v. 12

Look at Verse 12:

Psalm 51:12 CSB

12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.

Notice here what David asks to be restored:

Joy.

Not comfort — or success — or ease. Joy.

David knows something we often forget. Sin steals joy long before it ever brings consequences. Not because God withholds joy — but because sin disconnects us from the source of it.

David hasn’t lost his salvation — but he has lost the joy of it. Lent is often the season where God begins restoring joy we didn’t even realize we were missing. And repentance is always the pathway back.

Then he adds — asking God to sustain him by giving him a willing spirit.

This may be the most honest line in the whole prayer. David is admitting that even obedience itself has to be empowered by God.

“God I don’t even trust my own desires right now. God, give me a heart that wants what You want.”

This isn’t shallow repentance. It’s deep surrender. David doesn’t promise God better behavior — he asks God for a better heart. And he doesn’t rely on his resolve — he relies on God’s mercy. This is the heart of repentance.

Repentance isn’t trying harder to impress God. It’s trusting God enough to be honest with Him. It’s self-surrender — not self-punishment. It’s coming before God with no filters and saying, “Lord, I can’t fix this. But I believe You can.” And that belief is what makes repentance so hopeful. Because mercy and forgiveness aren’t rooted in our effort — but in the goodness of God’s character.

That is the God David returns to. And that’s the God who still receives us.

You

So what’s this look like for us?

If repentance is more than feeling bad — and if it’s more than promising God that we’ll try harder — then it has to show up in how we live, right?

Lent gives us a gift. It gives us space to practice repentance on purpose. Not because God needs this season of 40 days to forgive us — but because we need time to slow down and listen. And here’s where it get really practical: repentance begins with honesty before God.

That means creating space in our lives where we actually invite God to search us. Not rushed prayers. And not vague prayers. But honest ones.

Prayers that sound like,

“God — show me what I’ve been ignoring.”

“Show me what I’ve learned to tolerate.”

“Show me what needs Your healing.”

And listen — this can feel uncomfortable. But it’s also freeing. Because what’s brought into the light can finally be healed by grace.

Our repentance also involves turning. It’s not just naming sin. It’s choosing a different direction. And this is where Lent invites us into self-denial.

Not as punishment — or spiritual performance — but as re-orientation.

When we choose to fast or give up something during Lent — we’re practicing saying “NO” to our appetites for stuff so we can say yes to God more freely.

It doesn’t have to be dramatic — or impressive — it just has to be intentional.

Maybe it’s food.

Maybe it’s social media.

Maybe it’s entertainment.

Maybe it’s a habit that has taken too much space in your life.

The goal here isn’t deprivation — it’s attention.

“WHAT YOU REMOVE” GRAPHIC

What you remove creates space for God to work.

And in giving something up — it gives us time and space to add room for God. We have

more time in Scripture,

more intentional prayer,

more silence,

and more generosity.

Because repentance isn’t just about stopping something — it’s about becoming who God created us to be.

And here’s the encouragement I want you to hear: we don’t do this in our own strength. Remember David’s prayer when he said “Give me a willing spirit.”

Even the desire to change comes from God. So we don’t approach Lent with pressure… we approach it with openness.

“God, I’m willing. So help me.”

“God, I’m honest. Meet me with grace.”

This isn’t about perfection — it’s about posture:

A heart that is open.

A heart that is honest.

A heart with no filters.

And when we practice repentance in this way — we don’t lose joy. We recover it.

We

Here’s what I want us to remember as we walk through this season together:

“LENT ISN’T SOMETHING” GRAPHIC

Lent isn’t something you’re meant to do alone. This isn’t a season where some people are “really spiritual” and others just watch from the sidelines. This is a shared journey for the church.

Together — we’re choosing to slow down.

Together — we’re choosing honesty over hurry.

Together — we’re choosing depth over distraction.

That matters. Because repentance isn’t just a private act. It shapes us as people.

When a church practices repentance — it becomes more humble. More gracious. More patient. And more honest.

We stop pretending like we have it altogether. We stop comparing ourselves to one another. And we stop performing.

And instead — we become a community of people who are learning to live with no filters before God. That’s what this series — and this season — is all about. Not condemnation. Not guilt. But transformation.

SHOW “THE HEART MATTERS” MAIN TITLE GRAPHIC HERE

Over the next several weeks — we’re going to keep coming back to this truth: The heart matters.

God isn’t interested in surface-level faith. He’s after deep — lasting change. And that kind of change happens when we bring our hearts into the light together.

Call to Repentance

So here’s the invitation this morning:

Not to try harder,

not to just “be better”,

and not to clean yourself up before God.

But just to come honestly. With no filters.

Some of you already know what God has been pressing on your heart. You don’t need a list. You don’t need a lecture. You just need space — and the courage to stop resisting.

And maybe some of you may not feel anything specific yet. That’s okay. Repentance often begins not with clarity — but with willingness.

A simple prayer like this: “God, I’m open. Search me. Show me. And lead me.”

And here’s the promise of Scripture: when we come to God with that posture — He doesn’t meet us with rejection. He meets us with mercy. He creates clean hearts — He restores joy — and He gives willing spirits. Not because we deserve it — but because He’s good. Because the One who searches our hearts is the same Savior who gave His life to redeem them.

So as we begin this Lenten journey together — let’s do it honestly. Humbly. Together.

No filters — no pretending — just open hearts before a gracious God.

Because mercy and forgiveness aren’t found in doing better — but in returning again and again to the God who loves us. Thanks be to Him.

Prayer

Communion