“Blindness From Sin” - 5 p.m. The River Service

The Rev. Billy Cerveny uses the story of artist Chuck Close to illustrate how people can be “blind” to themselves, just as he was unable to recognize faces. He explains that sin creates a similar kind of blindness, causing us to overlook our own flaws while constructing flattering “portraits” of ourselves and blaming others. Using the story of Peter denying Jesus, the sermon shows how distance from Christ leads to fear and failure, while being truly seen by Jesus exposes the truth of who we are. However, that moment of exposure is not meant for condemnation but for restoration, as Jesus already knows our brokenness and still chooses to love us. Ultimately, the message is that grace meets us not in our polished self-image but in our honest need, where Jesus transforms us into who we were created to be.