Christian Liturgy 101: How One Church Worshiped October 11, 2020

by Bobby Gilles

in Liturgy & Sermons

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 Stephen Pierce preached from Matthew 20:17-34 in our series Family Values, from Matthew 19-22. To learn more about Sojourn Church, click here.

October 11, 2020 – Stephen Pierce – God Of The Last from Sojourn Collective on Vimeo.

CALL TO WORSHIP:   Liturgist

Good morning and welcome to Sojourn! Let’s stand and read together about our great God who is worthy of all our praise: 

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.

He holds in his hands the depths of the earth

    and the mightiest mountains.

The sea belongs to him, for he made it.

    His hands formed the dry land, too.

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 95:1-7

The Lord is good! Let’s sing about what he’s done for us through his son, Jesus Christ:

—Song 1: “I Stand Amazed in the Presence” Key, Leader

CONFESSION/LAMENT:  Band Member

Before we hear God’s word, spoken through the prophet Isaiah, I encourage you to ask God to help you receive his word. Ask him to teach you his ways, which lead to everlasting life, even when his ways seem upside-down, difficult, or just different than what you’re used to. Trust him, that although his ways – his desires – are often different from ours, His word is true and it stands firm today, just as it did when he spoke through Isaiah. Let’s still our minds, and posture our hearts and bodies to receive his word:

“Is anyone thirsty?

Come and drink—

even if you have no money!

Come, take your choice of wine or milk—

it’s all free!

Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?

Why pay for food that does you no good?

Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.

You will enjoy the finest food.

“Come to me with your ears wide open.

Listen, and you will find life.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you.

I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.

Seek the Lord while you can find him.

Call on him now while he is near.

Let the wicked change their ways

and banish the very thought of doing wrong.

Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.

Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.

“And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so my ways are higher than your ways

and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

-Isaiah 55:1-3, 6-9

Jesus teaches and calls us to live according to his ways. Although we’ve all strayed away, he pursues us and is eager to lead us to life in him. Let’s sing.

—Song 2: “God in the Dirt” Key, Leader

ASSURANCE & GIVING: Liturgist

Church, hear this good news for us:

Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.

Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins.

-2 Corinthians 5:14-20 (Message)

Amen! Friends, that fresh start is extended to you, right here today! Because of Jesus, our sins are forgiven and we’re reconciled to God. That is something to celebrate! So let’s sing joyfully about the new life God has given us through Jesus! 

—Song 3: “There Is A Fountain” Key, Leader

PASSING OF THE PEACE: Band Member

Church, we’re no longer at odds with God, and we’re no longer at odds with each other since we’re united in Jesus’ name. Let’s celebrate that now by sharing the peace of God with each other.

 

——————————————   [SERMON & COMMUNION]   ——————————————-

 

—Song 5: “None But Thee” Key, Leader 

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Reader

BENEDICTION: Liturgist

Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen. [Now go in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Peace be with you!]

                                                                                                                         -Hebrews 13:20-21

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