Welcome to Sojourn’s weekly worship music set list review & service recap. You’ll not only read a list of the songs we led, but also the readings and prayers. Our liturgy is written by worship director Justin Shaffer in collaboration with worship directors at other Sojourn churches. This week’s sermon is from Acts 15:1-11 It comes from Pastor Jonah Sage. Learn more about Sojourn Community Church here.
All the Poor and Powerless written by Leslie Jordan and David Leonard.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Welcome! We begin every gathering at Sojourn with a call to worship. You may think that we start worshipping Jesus when we decide to – or that our songs are a way of getting God’s attention. But the Call to Worship is a reminder to us all that God is the one who has spoken first… He gathers us and invites us to see him and respond with joyful praise. Hear the word of The Lord:
Come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
For the Lord is a great God,
a great King above all gods.
Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,
for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,
the flock under his care.
Psalm 95:1-3, 6-7
Let’s sing loud and worship the King!
All Creatures of Our God and King written by Francis of Assissi.
CONFESSION/LAMENT
Hear the Word of the Lord…
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” -Mt. 11:28-30
Lord, many of us here today are weary and broken, not only from our sins, but also from trying to find rest apart from You and Your grace.
Teach us, humble us, empower us to come and abide in You. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Come To Me written by Lizzie Akers, Jeff Capps, Michael Bleecker and Hunter Pecunia.
CELEBRRATION OF ASSURANCE
Hear this beautiful assurance of your salvation-
“So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” – Hebrews 4:14-16
Believer, where you stand today you stand free from the stain of sin because Christ has bore it all on the cross!
GIVING
Paul gives this clear admonition at the end of a beautiful benediction in Colossians 3-
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. -Colossians 3:17
One of the implications here is that no amount of saying the right thing substitutes for doing the right thing – both are necessary.
As you’ve been hearing the last few weeks, we believe we have an opportunity to give joyfully and sacrificially above and beyond our normal tithes and offerings to align our deeds with our words when we say: “You belong here… there’s a place for you here.”
We say there’s a place for you here, but if there are more than three men or women who need to use the restroom at the same time, there’s not a place for you there.
We say there’s a place for you here, but only if you can squint to see past the HVAC unit and actually FIND the place… there’s a place during the service, but not an inviting place to congregate before and after.
We say there’s a place for you here if you’re a singer, but probably not on the stage, because there’s no room for a choir.
That’s why we’re raising $150k on February 12th to put our money where our mouth is and communicate; “you belong here.” As the giving baskets…
Nothing But the Blood written by Robert Lowry.
PASSING OF THE PEACE
It’s a joyful thing to be gathered as Christ’s Church today. But true community can also be messy, and some of you may not be experiencing joy right now. Maybe you’re coming in the midst of some bitterness or conflict, maybe even with someone here. Remember that we can only experience peace with others with the peace Christ has given us. The Spirit brought us here to experience peace together, so let’s welcome one another right now.
[Sermon]
[Communion]
Raise our Song written by Bobby Gilles (me), Jonatan Barahona, Brooks Ritter.
Fellowship So Deep written by Aaron Senseman and Kinley Lange.
BENEDICTION
Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. Go in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Peace be with you. – based on 2 Thessalonians 3:16