Welcome to sojournmusic.com’s weekly worship music set list review & service recap. You’ll not only read a list of the songs we led following the Call To Worship, but also the readings and prayers from our liturgy. 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. Photos this week taken by Chuck Heeke at Sojourn Midtown.
Call to Worship:
We gather to respond to our God who has given us everything. He has given us life, His word and given us Hope in Jesus Christ:
“So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. He has revealed God to us.”
- John 1:14, 16-18
Let’s respond with thankfulness to God’s great provision for us.
Song: My Maker and My King written by Anne Steel and Sojourn Worship & Arts Pastor Mike Cosper. You can listen to this song of adoration in its entirety on our Before The Throne album page (and purchase the download or CD if you’d like, too).
Prayer of Lament
Lord, truly you have blessed us in all things.
We have no reason to doubt your provision because you always fulfill your promises. But we confess the anxiety in our hearts and the great need we have for your comfort. Before your throne we lay bear our needs and our desire for peace and assurance.
For those of us with failing health, Lord be merciful.
For those of us facing difficult trials of financial insecurity, Lord be merciful.
For the broken families that ache for restoration, Lord be merciful.
For our marriages that need reconciliation and forgiveness, Lord be merciful.
For those of the lonely and hurting amongst us, Lord be merciful
For those grieving the loss of loved ones, Lord be merciful.
Lord may we hold fast to the trustworthy promises in Jesus Christ.
Whatever we may suffer and whatever we enjoy, may your name be praise and glorified in our homes and in our hearts. Amen.
Song: In Feast or Fallow written by Sandra McCracken. We used this song as a confession of our continuous need for Christ, and an acknowledgment that our hope is in him.
Song: Blest Be the Lamb written by Sojourn’s Jamie Barnes and Rebecca Dennison, recorded “bluegrass style” around a single mic for our new album, The Water And The Blood: The Hymns Of Isaac Watts, Volume One. You can hear “Blest Be The Lamb” in its entirety at our Bandcamp page for The Water And The Blood.
Assurance/Passing of the Peace:
Though we struggle daily to believe that God is present and caring for us in all circumstances, He tells us this:
“We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
And having chosen us, he called us to come to him.
And having called us, he gave us right standing with himself.
And having given us right standing, he gave us his glory.”
-Romans 8:28-30
God has richly provided for our every need by calling us to Himself through Jesus Christ. Let’s greet each other as family with gratitude and joy.
Giving:
Hear God’s call to us towards a life of love:
“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”
-Ephesians 5:1-2
We imitate God in how we give generously of all that He has given us. Our love and sacrifices allow others both here and all over the world to know the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Let’s pray:
Gracious Father,
You care for us as dearly loved children.
Of all the gifts you have given us,
None of them can compare to the treasure of Jesus.
In Him, you have met our greatest need.
In Him, you assure us that you will not spare any other provision.
Thank you for teaching us to trust You in all things
By teaching us to pray,
Our Father in heaven,
May your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today the food we need,
And forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
Don’t let us yield to temptation,
But rescue us from the evil one.
Amen.
Instrumental
Then our pastor preached the first sermon in a two part series called God Gave, exploring God’s richly generous and benevolent actions to us, and our response. You can hear Sojourn sermons in theSojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.
Song: All I Have is Yours written by me (Bobby Gilles) and Rebecca Elliott, recorded on Before The Throne. This song of offering was our Communion hymn of the week. Listen to “All I Have Is Yours” in full, here.
Song: I Sing the Mighty Power of God written by Isaac Watts, the “Father of English Hymnody.”
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.
Reading:
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.”
-Colossians 3:1-4
Song: The World Will Know written by Mike Cosper and Brooks Ritter, based on Isaac Watts’ “Psalm 22, Part 2,” “At Thy Command Dearest Lord” and “The Wondrous Cross.” You can hear “The World Will Know” in its entirety from our The Water And The Blood page, here.
Benediction:
Go confidently knowing that God,
who gave His one and only Son to make you His own,
will care for your every need as His dear children.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Peace be with You.
