Photos by Lauren Smith from Sojourn J-Town.

Prelude: Grace Alone written by Dustin Kensrue.

Call to Worship:

Welcome and Happy Father’s Day!

Every week we gather as a family to celebrate God’s love towards his children. God’s love is like a beautiful song. Before the world began it was shared in harmony by the Trinity- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It continued to echo out as the world was sounded into existence. Today we unite our voices as his children and continue to sing out his praise along with all of creation. Hear his word for us today:

Sing out and shout aloud, people of God!

Be glad and rejoice with all your heart.
The Lord himself, the King of Israel, lives among you!

At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster.

He is a mighty savior.

He takes delight in us with gladness.

With his love, he calms all of our fears.

He will rejoice over us with joyful songs.”

-Adapted from Zephaniah 3:14-17

Because God sings over us, we can join our voices with His!  Let’s SING

Song: My Maker and My King written by Anne Steel and Mike Cosper, recorded on our Before The Throne record.

Prayer of Confession:

Pray this with me:

We praise you, O God our Father:

You created all things by your power and wisdom

and so loved the world that you gave your Son to be our Savior.

We praise you, O God the Son:

You became human like us in all things, experienced every suffering and were tempted just like we are but lived the perfect life.

You died for our sins and rose again to give us new life.

We praise you, O God the Holy Spirit:

You open our eyes to see the beauty of God and ugliness of our sin.

You work in our hearts, bringing light to darkness.

Have mercy on sinners like us, O God.

Help us to see you as more beautiful and believable than we did before.

Fill us with the vision of your glory, that we may always serve and praise you. Amen.

Song: Be Thou My Vision the anonymous hymn.

Assurance: .We allow a lot of things to drown out God’s voice and cloud our vision of Him. The accusations of our sin and the lies of Satan can speak loudly in our ears. That’s when we need to hear the truth from God’s mouth. His sings over his children a song of grace that is amplified by the cross of Jesus. Hear the good news:

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world, like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our transgressions- it is by grace that you have been saved!

Adapted from Ephesians 2:1-4

Song: Jesus Paid It All written by Alvina M. Hall and John T. Grape.

Passing of Peace

As forgiven children now at peace with God, let’s greet each other. Make a special effort to welcome all the dads here today.

Giving

Then our preacher taught from Matthew 3, on the the Trinity. This was part of our Behold Our God series. You can hear Sojourn sermons in the Sojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.

Song: How Deep the Father’s Love for Us written by Stuart Townend.

Reading

As God’s children, let’s recite this great truth together:

We have not received a spirit that makes us fearful slaves. Instead, we received God’s Spirit when he adopted us as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. – Romans 8:15-17

Song: All You Saints written by Brooks Ritter and Jamie Barnes. We haven’t recorded this one yet.

Song: Our God written by Chris Tomlin, Jonas Myrin, Jesse Reeves and Matt Redman.

Benediction

May God, the Holy Trinity, make you strong in faith and love,

defend you on every side, and guide you in truth. Peace be with you.

Song: Made Alive (Citizens) by Zach Bolen and Brian Eichelberger.

Call to Worship:

Welcome to Sojourn! We have gathered to worship a God who is not bound by time or space–or any other limitations of humanity. He existed even before time began, he spoke everything into existence and today he speaks to us, inviting us into His presence. We have great reason to praise God. Let’s echo the words of the prophet:

We have heard all about you, Lord.

We are filled with awe by your amazing works.

In our time of deep need, help us again as you did in years gone by.

Remember your mercy, O Lord.

God’s brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with his praise.

His coming is as brilliant as the sunrise.

Rays of light flash from his hands, where his awesome power is hidden.

When he stops, the earth shakes.

When he looks, the nations tremble.

He shatters the mountains and levels the hills.

He is the Eternal One!

We will rejoice in the Lord! We will be joyful in the God of our salvation!

The Sovereign Lord is our strength!

He makes us as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.

- Habakkuk 3:1-7,18-19

Song: Our Great God written by Mac Powell and Fernando Ortega.

Song: I Sing the Mighty Power of God written by Isaac Watts.

Confession of Sin:

The same God that formed the world is present with us now. God knows us through and through. He knows our shady backgrounds, our present troubles and what tomorrow holds. Yet He invites us into a relationship with Him where we can lay all our fears and doubts on Him. Let’s echo this prayer of David together:

O Lord, you have examined our heart and know everything about us.

You know when we sit down or stand up.

You know our thoughts even when we are far away.

You see us travel and when we rest at home. You know everything we do.

You know what we are going to say even before it is said, Lord.

You go before us and follow us.

Search us, O God, and know our hearts; test us and know our anxious thoughts.

Point out anything in us that offends you, and lead us along the path of everlasting life.

-Based on Psalm 139

Take a moment to silently lift up to God your anxieties, sins and troubles.

Ask God for healing and forgiveness. (Silence)

Song: Abide With Me written by Henry Lyte and Justin Smith.

Assurance/Peace:

God has given us hope for today and secured our future through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. Let’s say this together:

He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure.

-Ephesians 1:7-9

We now show kindness to one another as God’s eternal family. In love, let’s greet one another here today

Giving: Psalm 90 (BiFrost) written by Isaac Wardell.

Then our preacher taught from Psalm 90, on the eternal nature of God. This was part of our Behold Our God series. You can hear Sojourn sermons in the Sojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.

Song: Oh God Our Help in Ages Past written by Isaac Watts and Brooks Ritter, recorded on our The Water And The Blood: The Hymns Of Isaac Watts, Volume Two.

Reading:

Remember the Good news:

You have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

As the Scriptures say,

“People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field.

The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And that word is the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that was preached to us.
Praise God for his eternal love! – 1 Peter 1:23-25

We don’t have to fear anything, including death, because of God’s great love. Let’s sing out and celebrate the eternal hope given to us by Jesus.

Song: All My Tears written by Julie Miller. We recorded this on Come Ye Sinners: Sojourn Music Live At Memorial Auditorium.

Song: Solid Rock Edward Mote, William Bradbury and Brian Eichelberger.

Benediction:

Now may the God of the ages, who brought you out of your sin and into eternal communion with him equip you with all you need for doing his will. Go now in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.

Photos by Allison Rushing at Sojourn East.

Prelude: Let Justice Roll Like A River written by me (Bobby Gilles) and Rebecca Elliott. We haven’t yet recorded this song.

Call to Worship:

If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us come here today with a sense of dissatisfaction in ourselves. We’ve all experienced what Paul describes in Romans 7 when he says “I hate what I do,” and for many of us, that reality makes us wary of being here – gathering with the church. We’re all-too-well aware of our sin and brokenness.

But God’s word tells us that we’re welcome here, even as broken as we might be. Our sins deserve judgment, but God invites us to find refuge – shelter and protection – in him! So let’s lift our voices with no fear, no anxieties; God welcomes us here!

Let’s declare God’s word together!

Lord our God, You are our refuge, our savior, and our deliverer!

We will give thanks to you Lord because of your righteousness;

We will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.

- Based on Psalm 7: 1, 10-11, 17

Song: Approach My Soul written by Jamie Barnes, recorded on The Mercy Seat/The War as well as our latest record, Come Ye Sinners: Sojourn Music Live At Memorial Auditorium.

Prayer of Confession:

Our journeys are marked by a realization of our weakness and sin, and God’s glory and strength. Because of his goodness, he’s made a way for us to draw near to him in spite of our sinfulness. Let’s pray together and rejoice for what God has done.

Great and Mighty God,

It’s a good thing for us to be humbled by your greatness.

Though we are weak and overwhelmed by our sins,

your grace enables us to become more like you.

In our sin and failure,

have mercy on us, O God.

May we remember the Mighty One, Jesus Christ,

who makes a way for us to be redeemed.

His blood is our peace,

His righteousness our strength,

His condemnation our freedom,

His Spirit our power,

His Kingdom our heritage.

May our hearts be transformed by character that you have molded,

and not by anxiety, hurry, and the pressure of life’s circumstances.

May we live with a clean conscience and continual hunger for your righteousness.

Father, we ask that these things would happen by the power of your spirit and the blood of your son.

It’s in Jesus’ name that we pray, Amen.

Song: Not In Me written by Eric Schumaker and David Ward, recorded on Songs For The Book Of Luke by The Gospel Coalition. This album is a joint effort by worship leaders from many different churches, including Sojourn. Aaron Ivey of The Austin Stone sings lead on the studio track:

Assurance:

Hear God’s Word:

You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

1 Peter 1:22

If left to our own devices, we would never be able to love each other the way we should, but because of Christ’s Righteousness, our family is restored!

Song: Fellowship So Deep written by Aaron Senseman and Kinley Lange.

Passing of Peace:

Let’s welcome each other with the beauty and the depth of Christ’s love!

Giving

Then our preacher taught from Isaiah 1, about the justice and righteousness of God, as part of our Behold Our God series. You can hear Sojourn sermons in the Sojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.

Song: There Is A Fountain written by William Cowper. This was our Communion hymn of the week.

Song; Now Why This Fear written by Augustus Toplady and Doug Plank.

Reading:

God’s plan to shelter us from his wrath wasn’t something that he improvised; he had in mind, before the foundation of the world to demonstrate his love for us by rescuing us from our sin and brokenness. Hear the word of the Lord!

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.

Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

- 1 Peter 1:18-21

What a God we worship! Let’s lift our voices and sing.

Song: Let the Seventh Angel Sound On High written by Jamie Barnes, recorded on The Water And The Blood.

Benediction: Go in full assurance, clothed in the righteousness of the Lamb of God. Go in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.

Photos from Chuck Heeke at Sojourn New Albany.

Prelude: Faithful written by Sojourn’s Mike Cosper, recorded on our These Things I Remember record.

Call to Worship:

Welcome to Sojourn! Wherever you are in life today—believing or skeptic, burdened or rejoicing, hear this: God wants you to know who He is and what He has done. The goal of studying the Bible isn’t just to know more; it’s to know God. Through His word, he’s revealed himself and invited us into relationship with him.

His word speaks to us today and reminds us – in spite of the world’s suffering and the hardship that surrounds us, that God is good, that he’s faithful, and that his love endures.

Hear the word of the Lord:

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! Give thanks to the God of gods. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever.

Give thanks to him who alone does mighty miracles. Give thanks to him who made the heavens so skillfully. Give thanks to him who placed the earth among the waters. His faithful love endures forever.

Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—the sun to rule the day, and the moon and stars to rule the night. His faithful love endures forever.

-adapted from Psalm 136:1-9

Amen. Our God is faithful, and is worthy of great praise. Let’s sing in response.

Song: Compel My Heart to Sing written by our Brooks Ritter and Rebecca Elliott, recorded on The Water And The Blood.

Song: Holy written by Matt Redman, Jonas Myrin and Jason Ingram.

Confession/Assurance

Pray this prayer with me:

Lord God,

You are faithful in all your promises and are completely trustworthy.

Time and time again we have seen you fulfill your word.

But we fear whether you’ll deliver on your promises to us.

You assure us that you know our needs and will provide for us.

But we are anxious about tomorrow and worry about what we can’t control.

All your promises find their ultimate fulfillment in Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

But we doubt whether his work is enough. Lord, forgive us for trusting in our own strength rather than resting in your promises. Help our unbelief. Thank you for your faithfulness. Amen.

Song: I Have to Believe written by Rita Springer.

Passing of Peace:

Hear the good news about our faithful God, let’s say this together:

“If we are faithless, he remains faithful–for he cannot deny himself.”

-2 Timothy 2:13

God has graciously fulfilled his word and brought us peace with Him.
We have peace with God, so let’s take this opportunity to extend peace to one another as family.

Giving

Then our preacher taught from Psalm 33:1-5, in a sermon in our Behold Our God series. You can hear Sojourn sermons in the Sojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.

Song: Great Is Thy Faithfulness written by Thomas O. Chisholm and William Runyon.

Reading:

Our present worship gatherings look forward to a day where God has promised to be with us forever, where will we worship Him together for all eternity. In the book of Revelation, John was given this vision:

And they sang in a mighty chorus:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—to receive power and riches

and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”

And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” - Revelation 5:9-13

Song: 10,000 Reasons written by Jonas Myrin and Matt Redman.

Song: Love Shines written by Aaron Ivey, Philip Edsel and Matt Carter.

Benediction:

Go now, in full assurance that the God who has called you into fellowship with His son is faithful to keep you firm to the end, blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Go in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.

Photos from Chuck Heeke of Sojourn Midtown.

Prelude: Look and See written by Michael Bleecker and Ross King.
Call to Worship:

Today is Pentecost – a day that celebrates the Holy Spirit descending upon God’s people and when the first Gospel sermon was preached.  Simply put, today is the anniversary of the church. Not only is it a day for us to express our thankfulness that God dwells with His people, but it’s also a day to remember and respond with our voices before one another and our God that He is good.

The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us; we dwell in him and he in us. Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him,and speak of all his marvelous works. Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,who was and is and is to come!

—based on Psalm 105:1-2; Romans 5:5; Revelation 4:8

Song: Lord, Let Your Glory Fall written by Matt Redman.

Song: Praise to the Lord the Almighty written by Joachim Neander, Lobe den Herren and Page CXVI.

Confession:

Let’s pray together:

Gracious God, You freely pour out the gift of your Holy Spirit:

We confess before you and to each other that we have failed to recognize this most precious gift.

We have been satisfied with ordinary things and often don’t believe that You are working in us by the power of Your Holy Spirit.

Forgive us of our striving to be self-sufficient, and renew our hearts and minds today.

-adapted from the Worship Sourcebook

Song: May Your Power Rest On Me written by Joel Gerdis and Neil Degraide. We recorded this song on Over The Grave: The Hymns Of Isaac Watts, Volume One.

Assurance/Peace:

This is what the Lord promises to His people:
I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees. You will be my people, and I will be your God.

-based on Ezekiel 36:24-28, adapted from the Worship Sourcebook

Friends in Christ, live in the joy and peace of this assurance:  By the power of the Spirit, we are united with Christ and given a new spirit.  Do you know what this means? It means when a Christian shows up, God shows up. Christ in me is united with Christ in you. With this wonderful & mysterious truth in mind, let’s welcome one another.

Giving

Then our preacher taught from Psalm 34, in a sermon in our Behold Our God series. You can hear Sojourn sermons in the Sojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.

Song: The Spirit of the Lord (TGC) written by Bruce Benedict and Naaman Wood, recorded on The Gospel Coalition project Songs for the Book of Luke. We led “The Spirit of the Lord” as our Communion hymn of the week.

Song: Rock of Ages written by Augustus Toplady and Thomas Hastings. Our Brooks Ritter recorded this on The War/The Mercy Seat. You can hear that recording in full, and learn all about “Rock Of Ages” here.

Reading:

The Lord watches over those who fear him,  those who rely on his unfailing love. He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine.

We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone. -Psalm 33:18-22

Our hope is found in Jesus Christ alone. As we remember how Jesus rescues us from sin, shame, and death, let’s rejoice by singing out to Him.
Song: Refuge written by Neil and Kate Degraide, recorded on our Over The Grave.

(band leaders at each Sojourn campus had option to reprise the chorus of “Let Your Glory Fall” here)
Benediction:

Go knowing that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts so that we’re able to continuously remember and call out to our Good Father. Peace be with you all.

-based on Galatians 4:6

Photos from Chuck Heeke of Sojourn New Albany.

Prelude: Sing My Soul written by Rebecca Elliott, Brooks Ritter and T.J. Hester, recorded on our latest album Come Ye Sinners: Sojourn Music Live From Memorial Auditorium.

Call to Worship:

Happy Mothers Day! We celebrate mothers and family as a gift from God – the giver of every good gift. We worship Him and Him alone. He is  the One who provides everything for us and welcome us all into His family. Stand with me as we hear his word:

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, from east to west,

the name of the Lord is to be praised.

For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens.

Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high?

He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people.

He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children.

Servants of the Lord, give praise to Him.

Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever! – Based on Psalm 113

Song: Come and Sing written by Jeremy Quillo, recorded on our record Before The Throne.

Prayer of Lament:

Lord, Creator and giver of every good gift

we thank you for family, for the gift of motherhood,

for the beauty and order of this life.

But we recall your creation isn’t as it should be.

Sin has broken what was good and inflicted pain.

On this day, we lift up to you the hearts that ache for healing in their family;

those who long to be mothers, but mourn the absence of new life within them

those who have conceived, but suffered loss through miscarriage or abortion

those who have given birth, but endured the tragedy of burying a child.

Their grief is often hidden from us or neglected on this day of celebration of motherhood.

We pray that they may experience healing in this church family.

How long, O Lord, must death get its way at the outset of new life?

How long must joy be deferred or interrupted by such cruel sorrow?

Risen Lord of life, grant them comfort and peace,

breathe in us all the breath of new life.

Through Jesus Christ, who defeated death,

Amen.

Song: Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul written by Anne Steele and Indelible Grace founder Kevin Twit.

Assurance: A day is coming when Jesus will return, making everything new and beautiful, where he will gather his family for eternity. Hear this hopeful vision John was given:

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!”

- Revelation 21: 3-5

Song: In Feast or Fallow by Sandra McCracken.

Passing of Peace: Let’s welcome one another here today – make sure to give a special welcome to the mothers amongst us.

Giving

Then our preacher taught from Psalm 27, in the second sermon in our Behold Our God series. You can hear Sojourn sermons in the Sojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.

Song: Beautiful Scandalous Night written by Steven Hindalong and Marc Byrd. This was our Communion song this week. We recorded “Beautiful, Scandalous Night” on Come Ye Sinners.

Reading:

Let’s echo this confession about our beautiful Savior:

Christ is the head of the church, which is his body.

He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead.

So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ,

and through him God reconciled everything to himself.

He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth

by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. - Colossians 1:15-20

Song: Beautiful Savior written by Stuart Townend.

Song: You Never Let Go written by Matt and Beth Redman.

Benediction: May God the giver of life bless you, keep you and cause his face to shine upon you. Go in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. peace be with you.

Photos from this baptism service by Chuck Heeke of Sojourn New Albany, Matt Herp of Sojourn Midtown and Lauren Smith of Sojourn J-Town.

Prelude: With Every Breath written by Marc Byrd and Christine Byrd.

Call to Worship:

We love to celebrate. Whether it’s a birthday, Derby weekend in Louisville or Cinco De Mayo, we love a reason to party. Often we don’t see our church gatherings as celebrations, but that’s what they are. We sing, we gather around the Lord’s table and we recall the greatest event of history. We remember the great love shown in Jesus Christ that has changed our lives and given us hope for the days ahead. Today, let’s celebrate the glory of God together as He calls us to worship:

We will exalt you, our God and King, and praise your name forever and ever.

We will praise you every day; yes, we will praise you forever.

Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!

No one can measure his greatness.

Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;

let them proclaim your power.

We will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor and your wonderful miracles.

Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;

We will proclaim your greatness.

Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;

they will sing with joy about your righteousness.

- Psalm 145:1-7

Song: Gifted Response written by Matt Redman.

Prayer of Confession:

Lord God, you alone are holy and glorious.

We admit that we get distracted by far lesser glories – money, sex, the opinions of others  -

so many things that promise it all but fail to deliver and satisfy.

Lord, have mercy on us and cleanse us from our sin.

Lord, remind us of the never-ending joy we have as your children.

Lord, show us the abundant life that is found in Jesus Christ.

Lord, take our broken lives, reshape them and use them for your Glory.

Amen.

Song: Nothing Without You written by Bebo Norman.

Assurance:

Without Jesus, we wouldn’t have a reason to celebrate. He is our joy, our hope and the center of our worship. Hear God’s word:

The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God,

and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command.

When he had cleansed us from our sins,

he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.

Praise God for the gift of the Son. Jesus is the Savior and light of the world!

—based on Hebrews 1:1-3

Song: Your Great Name written by Krissy Nordhoff and Michael Neale.

Passing of Peace:

Let’s celebrate the family that God has given us in each other by welcoming those around us.

Giving

Then our preacher taught from Isaiah 40, in the first sermon in our Behold Our God series. You can hear Sojourn sermons in the Sojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.

Song: In the Shadow of the Glorious Cross written by our Brooks Ritter and Rebecca Elliott, recorded on our Before The Throne record.

*Baptisms*

Song: The Solid Rock written by Edward Mote and William Bradbury.

Song: Great and Mighty written by Aaron Senseman and Kinley Lange.

Benediction:

All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Peace be with you.

-Jude 25

This was a special Sending service at our Midtown and East campuses. We asked God’s blessing upon several Sojourn families that we’re sending to various parts of the world. Photos from Chuck Heeke at Sojourn Midtown.

Song: Abiding City by Sandra McCracken.

Call to Worship:
Welcome to Sojourn. We are here to respond to the God who created us and invites us into His presence. Today we will recall his promises that give us hope for our lives, our homes and our city. Hear his word:

The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does.

The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.

The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it.

When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness.

The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.

He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them.

-       Psalm 145:14-19

Song: Invitation Fountain by Michael Pritzl.

Song: O Help My Unbelief by Isaac Watts and Justin Smith, of Indelible Grace. We recorded this on Come Ye Sinners: Sojourn Music Live at Memorial Auditorium.

Prayer of Confession:

Lord, thank you for welcoming weary sinners like us

and for saving us through the sacrifice of your son, Jesus.

Lord, you identified yourself with the outcasts, the needy and the poor,

but we often reject or ignore the needs of those around us.

Lord Jesus, you gave up your life for us,

but we fail to give up our own comfort to help others.

Lord forgive us of our sin.

Open our eyes and hearts to the needs of Louisville and the whole world.

For the poor and homeless of our city,

Lord, extend your mercy.

For the lonely and forgotten of our city,

Lord, extend your love.

For the abused and the oppressed of our city,

Lord , extend your justice.

For those that do not know the good news of the Gospel,

Lord make yourself known.

May your justice roll like a river and your righteousness like a never ending stream.

In the name of Jesus Christ, heal our broken City. Amen.

Song: Let Justice Roll Like a River by me (Bobby Gilles) and Rebecca Elliott. We haven’t yet recorded this song of social justice and mission.

Assurance/Peace:

As God’s church we are to be a people that show mercy and love to each other and to our city. This is what it means to be His Church:

We are a chosen people. We are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, we can show others the goodness of God, for he called us out of the darkness into his wonderful light. – 1 Peter 2:9

Let’s show goodness now as we greet one another here today.

Giving:

Then our preacher taught the final sermon in our Song of Solomon series. You can hear Sojourn sermons in the Sojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.

Song: Come to the Feast by Jeff Lawson. Sandra McCracken sang this new song on Songs for the Book of Luke, the new album we participated on with The Gospel Coalition and worship leaders around the country.

Reading:

Let make this commitment together:

Now, in Jesus Christ, we are a light to the world – a city on a hill. Because God has made us light-bearers, we cannot be hidden, but instead He puts us on a stand for all to see the illumination of His glory. Because God has elevated us in His Son, may we be open and generous with our lives so that others will be open to God, our generous Father in Heaven.

-Based on Matthew 5:14-16

Song: A City No Longer Forsaken by Jamie Barnes, who recorded this on our double-EP The Mercy Seat/The War.

Song: Mission’s Flame by Matt Redman.

Benediction: Go and bear witness to Christ in faithfulness to the Scriptures,

in harmony with God’s mission, and in unity with all Christ’s people.

Peace be with you.

Prelude: Song of Zechariah written by David LaChance. This is one of the new songs on Songs for the Book of Luke, a collaboration between The Gospel Coalition, Sojourn Music and worship leaders around the U.S. You can learn about Songs for the Book of Luke and the Song of Zechariah in my interview with David LaChance, at TheGospelCoalition.com.

Call To Worship

Once again, the church gathers. And once again, we gather in the midst of trials, suffering, and hardship. As a nation, we’ve wept for those cut down in Boston, a story that wrenches our hearts even as it reminds us of many around the world who face similar threats every day.

But we don’t gather as a people without hope. We gather to remember our story – that God has rescued us from our sins and will one day restore the world to the way he meant it to be. Not only does he rescue us, he identifies with us; we worship a God who took on flesh, dwelt amongst us, and shared the burden of suffering with us.

Not only does he identify with us, He brings us before our Father in Heaven, inviting us to live in the presence of God even as we long to see the world renewed.

Stand with me and hear the word of the Lord:

God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many

children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus,

through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation.

So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father.

That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters.

- Hebrews 2:10-11

Let’s sing out today as children of God!

Song: Before the Throne of God Above written by Charitie Lees Bancroft and Vikki Cook. We recorded this on our Before The Throne record.

Song: Oh! Great Is Our God written by Brian Eichelberger of Mars Hill Music’s band The Sing Team. Hear The Sing Team’s music and read my interview with Brian Eichelberger at MySongInTheNight.com.

*Child Dedication* parents dedicated children to God across all our campuses and service times in this biannual Child Dedication service.

Song: All I Have Is Yours written by me (Bobby Gilles) and Rebecca Elliott. We recorded this modern hymn for the offering on Before The Throne, and frequently use it as a baby dedication song. You can learn about “All I Have Is Yours” and here it in full, here.

Assurance/Peace:

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.

Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory.

-Romans 8:14-17

As those who have been adopted into the family of God, we do not approach each other as mere acquaintances. Together with Christ, we are heirs of God’s glory! The gospel makes us a family with a hope that holds for eternity. So let’s take this time to greet and welcome one another as brothers and sisters.

Giving:

Then our preacher taught the third sermon in our Song of Solomon series. You can hear Sojourn sermons in theSojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.

Song: Raise Up Your Head written by Brian Eichelberger. This is another hymn from Songs for the Book of Luke. You can hear a sound sample of “Raise Up Your Head” here. This was our communion hymn.

Reading: (intro next song)

Hear the words of the Apostle Paul:

Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

-Philippians 3:8-11

Song: Cling to the Crucified anonymously written hymn text from Bonar’s Lyra Consolationis, arranged by Kevin Twit of Indelible Grace.

Song: Love Shines written by Aaron Ivey, Phillip Edsel and Matt Carter of The Austin Stone.

Benediction:

Go as adopted sons and daughters of the Father, through the blood of Jesus the Son,

and kept by the power of the Spirit. Peace be with you.

Photos from Chuck Heeke at Sojourn New Albany. (As you see from the photo above, this was a “parental advisory” sermon, because we’re studying the Song of Solomon).

Song: When The Savior Reached Down For Me Written by G.E. Wright.

Call to Worship

Here at Sojourn, we begin our services each week with a call to worship; it’s a reminder that worship doesn’t begin with us- it begins with God. God reaches out to us and invites us into life with Him. Today He invites us to hear his promises anew and worship His great name.

There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours.

All the nations you have made shall come

and worship before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

For you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God.

Teach us, O Lord, that we might walk in your truth,

cause our hearts to fear you alone.

We give thanks to you, O God, with our hearts,

and we will glorify your name forever.

For great is your steadfast love toward your people;

through Jesus Christ you deliver our souls from death.

-Adapted from Psalm 86:8-13

Song: 10,000 Reasons written by Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin.

Confession

This awesome God that we sing about is the One who gives us every good gift, but we can distort those gifts and pervert them into what God has not intended. Let’s cry out to the Lord for forgiveness:

O God, we can do nothing for ourselves—let the work of Jesus alone stand for us. We are full of sin. Our will is completely wrong. Our very nature is polluted. Our minds are full of perverse images; We fall into sin after sin. Without you, our imagination works against us, exploring the darkest places of our fallen nature.

Save us from the love of the world and the pride of life.

Save us from our sinful lusts and desires.

Give us new hearts that long for you and your Word.

And let Christ’s nature be seen in us day by day. Amen.

-Adapted from the Valley of Vision

Song: Shine Into Our Night written by Joel Sczebel.

Song: Only Your Blood is Enough written by Neil Degraide, recorded on our Over The Grave: The Hymns of Isaac Watts, Volume One.

Assurance/Peace

Let’s remember this good news:

…You were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.  -adapted from Colossians 1:21-22

We have so much to be thankful for. In a spirit of gratitude and grace, let’s welcome each other today.

Giving

Then our preacher taught the second sermon in our Song of Solomon series. You can hear Sojourn sermons in theSojourn Church iTunes podcast or in the Sermon Resource library at sojournchurch.com.

Song: Nothing But the Blood written by Robert Lowry and Page CXVI. This was our communion hymn of the week.

Reading: The hope of new life is only found in Jesus. Hear the good news:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Corinthians 5: 17-18,21

Song: Majesty (Here I Am) by Martin Smith and Stuart Gerrard.

Song: We Are Changed by me (Bobby Gilles), Neil Degraide and Dave Moisan. We recorded “We Are Changed” on Over The Grave.

Benediction

Go in the power of God, which cleanses you from sin and gives you the strength to live a godly life. Go now in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.