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 from our liturgy. You can also watch the video stream of the whole service from our Facebook page or here below (you can also see a video of our sermon alone, from Vimeo).
Our liturgy is directed by Worship Director Justin Shaffer, in collaboration with our Creative Staff at Sojourn Church New Albany, our Liturgy writers, and worship staff at the other four Sojourn Collective churches in the Louisville area.
This Sunday Pastor Jonah Sage preached from Matthew 18:15-35 in our series Come Home: Full Life In A Whole Church. We begin with a short “countdown to the gathering” hosted by Deacon Lindsey Blair and Pastor Bobby Gilles. To learn more about Sojourn Church, click here. In the midst of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, we urged people to stay home and sing, pray, recite scripture, give, and listen to the sermon via our live stream on Facebook. And by early afternoon Sundays, we upload the sermon video and manuscript PDF to Rightnow Media.
May 24 2020 – Jonah Sage – Transformed Church from Sojourn Collective on Vimeo.
—Prelude: “Lord Protect My Child” Key, Justin
CALL TO WORSHIP: Liturgist
Good morning! Welcome to our gathering sojourn! I’m ______ one of the ______ here.
On one hand, joining us during Covid is paradoxically fairly easy… on the other hand, it is challenging…
Perhaps you are here today feeling like God is angry with you over your sin, and that He’s ready to just smite you. Amazingly, the Lord has a different word for us than one of condemnation. He says “Come to me. I’m calling out to You! I love you and I will forgive you. Come back. Don’t fear.” Today, let’s hear the voice of our God:
Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He is eager to relent and not punish
In Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
-The Worship Sourcebook; based on 2 Corinthians 9:15
God’s invitation to us today is to draw near and worship Him. Let’s respond and sing together to Jesus
—Song 2: “Lord, Let Your Glory Fall” Key, Leader
CONFESSION/LAMENT: Band Member
On this Memorial Day, we pause to reflect upon the blessings many Americans enjoy, and to grieve over the high cost of those blessings, to grieve and pray over the injustices and turmoil that sadly remain until the glorious day our savior returns. Let’s pause for a moment together with the rest of our nation and pray…
Gracious, Sovereign God, Lord of all nations,
For freeing us from the bonds of slavery to satan, sin, and earthly tyrants.
Father, we are grateful!
For the relative freedom we enjoy in this country, for opportunities to flourish, and for the security of our land.
Father, we are grateful!
For those who have served in the armed services of our country, risking and sacrificing their lives for our liberty and safety and that others may experience freedom from tyranny.
Father, we are grateful!
May we be more grateful for our blessings, more faithful in stewarding them well, more eager to share them with others.
Today, we grieve with families and friends of those who have lost loved ones in service to our nation. May they be comforted in their sadness.
Come quickly Lord Jesus!
Even as we remember those who have given their lives in the past, we also think of those whose lives are on the line today. Protect them, encourage them, and bring them home safely and soon.
Come quickly Lord Jesus!
Give wisdom to the leaders of our armed services, that they might know how best to deploy troops with sobriety and temperance. Guide those who lead our nation in international affairs. Help them to pursue diplomatic paths that prevent needless conflict.
Come quickly Lord Jesus!
God of peace, stir in the hearts of the leaders of all nations and in all who would use violence to further their cause. Soften their hearts and fill their minds with your grace and peace.
Come quickly Lord Jesus!
Until your kingdom is here in all of its fullness, we pray for a foretaste of the future. We ask for peace throughout our world today, we long for the day when people will “turn their swords into shovels, their spears into hoes. No more will nation fight nation; they won’t play war anymore.” (Isa. 2:4 The Message).
May your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.
Amen!
—Song 3: “Psalm 126” Key, Leader
ASSURANCE & GIVING: Liturgist
Romans 8 gives us this beautiful assurance of our right standing with God. Let’s receive it and read the underlined portions together:
What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?
Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own?
No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself.
Who then will condemn us?
No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.
Romans 8:31-34
Jesus’ death ultimately brings life to all who receive him. And as we read together, he pleads for us from the most honorable position, at God’s right hand. So as his children, we can rest knowing that Jesus has given us freedom and life in him. As a response to what God has done for us, let’s give and give generously as we continue to sing praises to our Lord.
—Song 4: “Before the Throne” Key, Leader
PASSING OF THE PEACE: Band Member
May these words of Jesus our Lord bring you peace:
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
Amen! Jesus overcame, and he has given us peace with God and with each other. Wherever you’re watching from this morning, take a second to pass along this peace with a text message to a friend or loved one, or with a comment on the facebook feed.
—————————————— [SERMON & COMMUNION] ——————————————-
—Song 5: “Power To Redeem” Key, Leader
ANNOUNCEMENTS: Reader
—Song 6: “He Reigns” Key, Leader
BENEDICTION: Liturgist
Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Peace be with you!
– 2 Corinthians 13:11 & 14