Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs: Sojourn's Worship Set List, August 29, 2010

Welcome to sojournmusic.com’s weekly worship music set list review.  You can find links to the set lists of this church and many other churches each week in the Worship Blog Carnival at theworshipcommunity.com. And you can learn about some of the songs we sing at Sojourn Gathered each week in advance of the Sunday service by reading my “Getting Ready For Sunday” post each Thursday at Sojourn’s online journal, TravelBlog. This set list recap begins with the first song following the Call To Worship (our sets often begin with a pre-Call To Worship song that is “band leader’s choice,” and so is different in each campus).

Some additional variations in the music sets may have taken place in each service/campus.  This commentary is based on the Midtown Campus evening services, which featured an appearance by Shai Linne.

Check out Shai Linne’s blog, “Lyrical Theology,” here.

Check out Shai Linne’s music here.

Photos by Chuck Heeke, from our Midtown Campus.

I’m going to play with the format of this post.  Along with the list of songs, I’m including the text of all the readings for our various service elements.  You can always find readings from Sojourn worship services at theopensourcebook.org, categorized in the name of the various elements (Call to Worship, Benediction, etc.) Here is what it looked like for this one service (the underlined portions you’ll see represent the portions of our readings that the entire congregation reads aloud):

Call To Worship – we always begin with a Call To Worship (although the band plays a song while members are arriving.  This week it was Psalm 3 by Rebecca Dennison).  This week’s Call To Worship:

Sometimes when we think of God, the picture we envision is a god who resembles a stoic old man with a long beard, and who wears a scowl on his face as he looks down from the clouds, impatiently watching his children.  This couldn’t be farther from the truth.  The scriptures give us a true picture of a God who is passionate for His people, and who will go to the most extreme length to bring us back to Himself. Let’s be reminded of this by hearing his word:

This is good and pleases God our Savior, for He wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.  For there is only one God and one mediator who can reconcile God and people.  He is the man Christ Jesus.  He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message that God gave to the world at the proper time.

1 Tim. 2:3-6

We come to serve the God that desires that all come to know Him.  Let us sing out in light of such a gracious invitation

1. Come Ye Sinners written by Joseph Hart, arranged by Sojourn’s Brooks Ritter.

Prayer Of Confession –

The gospel call goes forth to everyone.  And though we are quick to give up on people, the gospel reminds us that there are no hopeless cases.  We are called to pray, to be hopeful, and to proclaim the truth while we still have breath. Let’s hear the following Scriptures and take some time of silence to confess the ways we don’t believe them and ask God to help us believe.  If you would like, you can take a posture of prayer by sitting or kneeling.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes”

- Romans 1:16

Confess to the Lord how you are not believing this truth. (pause for 45 to 60 seconds)

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted

and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

- Psalm 34:18

Confess to the Lord how you are not believing this truth. (pause for 45 to 60 seconds)

And Jesus said,

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

- John 10:9-10

(pause for 45 to 60 seconds)

Jesus said,

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

And the Apostle Peter later writes,

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…

- Luke 19:10, 1 Peter 3:14-15

(pause for 45 to 60 seconds)

Let’s pray this together.

Father, we cry out as many before us, “We do believe; help us overcome our unbelief!”

Let’s continue this time of reflection and prayer and let the words of the next song shape our prayer.

2. O Help My Unbelief original text by Isaac Watts. New melody and arrangement by Justin Smith.

Celebration Of Assurance —

We need help. So are we hopeless? Can we be rescued from our sin and unbelief? Read with me:

If any of us sins, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. – 1 John 2:1-2

In our weakness, Christ is our strength. Let’s lift our voices and praise God for the advocating blood of Jesus!

3. Only Your Blood written by Sojourn’s Neil Robins.  You can hear this song at Facebook.com/sojournmusic.  Download the chord sheet from our Over The Grave page here at sojournmusic.com.

Passing Of The Peace –

Christ blood is enough to make us right with God and it’s enough to unite us as a family. The bond it seals is stronger than anything else we could have in common. This bond is given to us in love, so let us reach out and welcome each other now with the love of a close family.

Following the Passing Of The Peace, Pastor Daniel Montgomery preached on 1 Timothy 4.  Then, while engaging in communion and the offering, we sang:

4. Nothing But The Blood written by Robert Lowry and Page CXVI.

Reading –

Let’s be reminded that nothing in this world can satisfy us but Jesus alone.  As Jesus said…

“Everyone who drinks this [earthly] water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

-John 4:13-14

Let’s continue to lift our voices in celebration to our God who has made a way for us to know Him and proclaim this amazing truth to all people, everywhere!

5. Jesus Paid It All written by Elvina M. Hall and John T. Grape.

6. Solid Rock written by Edward Mote, William Bradbury, arranged by Brian Eichelberger.

Benediction –

Beautiful are the feet that bring the good news of the Gospel. Go out and share what Christ Jesus has done. Go in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.

7. Jesus Is Alive written by Shai Linne.