Christian Liturgy 101: How One Church Worshiped Easter Sunday 2021

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 we celebrated Easter Sunday. And Pastor Jonah Sage preached from Matthew 27:46-28:15  in our series on Matthew 23-28: Finished: The End Of The World And Our Way Of Living With It. To learn more about Sojourn Church, click here.

April 4, 2021 Easter – Jonah Sage – Power Of Resurrection from Sojourn Collective on Vimeo.

CALL TO WORSHIP:   Liturgist

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb,

bringing the spices they had prepared.

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes.

So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.

“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men.

“He is not here, but he has risen!

-Luke 24:1-6a (CSB)

Jesus has proven himself Lord of all, reigning as a risen King who defeated death: Let’s worship him together now as we sing!

—Song 1: “Lord You’re Mighty” Key, Leader

CONFESSION/LAMENT:  Ryan

Heavenly Father, even as we celebrate the resurrection of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, our hearts and minds tend to stray toward fear and anxiety. We gaze into the empty tomb, looking for life in places that lead to death.

Risen Lord, we confess that in our brokenness, we have chosen paths that lead to death over the life you have freely given us. Forgive us and remind us that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.

As we reflect on the suffering we’ve endured this past year, all the burdens we’ve carried and the losses we’ve experienced, we feel the heavy load pulling us down. Stumbling under the weight of it all, we so easily feel as though we’ve been defeated.

Risen Lord, we confess that we have believed that sorrow and pain get the final word. Forgive us and enable us to live into the reality that you have conquered over the darkness.

Even as we sing songs of praise about your victory over the grave, numerous doubts and “what-ifs” flood our hearts, leading us to unbelief.

Risen Lord, just as you told Thomas to touch your wounds, proving that death has no sway over you, invite us to reach out to experience your resurrection, that we would stop doubting and believe.

Lord, we confess these things and pray that you would enable us to live into the freedom of the resurrection life, a life where sin and death no longer have power over us. Help us to live into the reality that Christ is risen indeed. Amen.

—Song 2: “My Redeemer Lives” Key, Leader

ASSURANCE & GIVING: Liturgist

15 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

He goes on:

20 …in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

-1 Corinthians 15:1-8, 21-22

—Song 3: “Your Love Changes Everything” Key, Leader

PASSING OF THE PEACE: Band Member

Friends, In Christ, your fears are met with assurance, your failure is met with victory, death has no grip on you, and your anxiety is overcome by his triumph over death.

Thanks be to God!

He is Risen!

He is Risen indeed!

He is Risen!

He is Risen indeed!

He is Risen!

He is Risen indeed!

As a family with shared hope & peace , let’s greet and welcome one another here today.

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

—Song 4: “This Little Light of Mine” Key, Leader

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Reader

—Song 5: “Easter Song” Key, Leader

BENEDICTION: Liturgist

May the resurrection of Jesus bring you all joy and peace in believing

so that you may abound in hope. Go in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you!

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