During this time where our public gatherings are not able to meet, each Sunday we are providing you with a liturgy that you can use at home. You can use it in a number of ways: on your own, with your family, or with others from our church community via video conferencing. Our suggestion is that you take time to move through each of the sections below, listening to the songs, reflecting on the liturgy and hearing the word preached exactly as we do on a Sunday. As you move through it why not talk with others or, if you are on your own, message someone from your City Group or DNA Group to share something that really struck you.
As you do this remember that we are still the church even when we can’t gather together as the church.
CALL TO WORSHIP
There is great joy to be found as we turn our hearts towards praise and worship. As we express our thanksgiving for who God is and what God has done it turns us out from ourselves and lets us focus on God’s goodness. Let the words of this Psalm draw you towards that joy filled worship today:
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!
[Psalm 57:7-11]
SONG: Cornerstone (Hillsong): A song reflecting on the wonderful truth of Christ as our Cornerstone. A reminder that our hope and trust should always be built on Jesus and His saving work on the cross.
LYRICS
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus' Name
(REPEAT)
Christ alone cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Saviour's love
Through the storm He is Lord
Lord of all
When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
My anchor holds within the veil
Christ alone cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Saviour's love
Through the storm He is Lord
Lord of all
When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless stand before the throne
Christ alone cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Saviour's love
Through the storm He is Lord
Lord of all
CCLI Song # 6158927
Edward Mote | Eric Liljero | Jonas Myrin | Reuben Morgan | William Batchelder Bradbury
© 2011 Hillsong MP Songs (Admin. by Hillsong Music Publishing UK)
Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Hillsong Music Publishing UK)
Hillsong Music Publishing UK
SONG: Rock of Ages (Dustin Kensrue): A reminder that God is the rock and refuge who cleanses us from our sin.
LYRICS
Rock of ages cleft for me
Let me hide myself in Thee
Let the water and the blood
From Thy wounded side which flowed
Be of sin the double cure
Save from wrath and make me pure
Not the labors of my hands
Can fulfill the law's commands
Should my passion never fade
And my efforts all be weighed
All for sin could not atone
You must save and You alone
Rock of ages
No one takes Your life
Yet You died that I might live
Costly grace You freely give
Rock of ages
You have paid the price
You were cleft to cover me
Let me hide myself in Thee
Nothing in my hand I bring
Simply to the cross I cling
Naked come to Thee for dress
Helpless look to Thee for grace
Wretched to the fount I fly
Wash me Savior or I die
Rock of ages
No one takes Your life
Yet You died that I might live
Costly grace You freely give
Rock of ages
You have paid the price
You were cleft to cover me
Let me hide myself in Thee
And while I draw my final breath
I'll rest upon Your grace
And when I close my eyes in death
I'll wake to see Your face
Rock of ages
No one takes Your life
Yet You died that I might live
Costly grace You freely give
Rock of ages
You have paid the price
You were cleft to cover me
Let me hide myself in Thee
CCLI Song # 7004664
Augustus Montague Toplady | Dustin Kensrue
© 2013 Dead Bird Theology (Admin. by Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org)
It's All About Jesus Music (Admin. by Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org)
We Are Younger We Are Faster Music (Admin. by Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org)
CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE
God is worthy of all the glory and praise and yet so often our hearts don't match our words. This is how God describes it to his people in Isaiah:
These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules."
(Isaiah 29:13)
So often our mouths say one thing, yet our hearts tell a different story. We say we love God, but the desires of our heart are so far from him. God doesn't want our empty words, he wants our hearts. So take a moment to ask God to turn your heart towards him, showing you where you might be resisting him.
Even though we turn from God and our hearts can be far from him, he doesn't turn away from us. Jesus came down into this world so that sin could no longer separate us from God. If we trust in Jesus' death and resurrection we can know forgiveness from sin and relationship with God. Let that truth reassure your heart today.
SONG: Lead us Back (Sojourn): A song of confession that we so often seek security, comfort and the worship of other idols above God. A plea that God would lead us back to life in him.
LYRICS
Falling down upon our knees
Sharing now in common shame
We have sought security
Not the cross that bears your name
Fences guard our hearts and homes
Comfort sings a siren tune
We're a valley of dry bones
Lead us back to life in you
Lord we fall upon our knees
We have shunned the weak and poor
Worshipped beauty courted kings
And the things their gold affords
Prayed for those we'd like to know
Favor sings a siren tune
We've become a talent show
Lead us back to life in you
Lord you've caused the blind to see
We have blinded them again
With our man-made laws and creeds
Eager ready to condemn
Now we plead before your throne
Power sings a siren tune
We've been throwing heavy stones
Lead us back to life in you
We're a valley of dry bones
Lead us back to life in you
We've become a talent show
Lead us back to life in you
We've been throwing heavy stones
Lead us back to life in you
CCLI Song # 4878333
Bobby Gilles | Brooks Ritter
© 2006 Gilles, Bobby (Admin. by Robert E. Gilles Jr.)
Sojourn Community Church
PASSING OF THE PEACE
Because of Christ's work on the cross, his death and resurrection, we have been brought back into communion with our God and have been made righteous. We have peace with our creator, our heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit unites us together in Jesus.
We normally express that peace with one another in our gatherings by greeting those around us. In this time where we can’t do that take a moment to pray for someone who is part of our church family instead.
SERMON The Gospel of Mark- [Mk 4:1-34] Watch the pre-sermon message and then the sermon.
This week we’re continuing our series ‘The Gospel of Mark’. Click here where you will find this week’s sermon.
RESPONSE
Take a few minutes to reflect on how God was speaking to you from his Word. Ask that the Holy Spirit would take the truth and use it to change and transform you.
SONG: Come Thou Fount: A song of praise of the God who brings our wandering hearts back to himself.
LYRICS
Come Thou Fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by flaming tongues above
Praise the mount I'm fixed upon it
Mount of God's unchanging love
Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by Thy help I'm come
And I hope by Thy good pleasure
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Let Thy grace now like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart O take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
CCLI Song # 7055916
Chad Gardner | Robert Robinson
© Words: Public Domain
Music: 2012 Asaphs Arrows (Admin. by Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org)
Moms Like Us Too (Admin. by Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org)
SONG: Oh God (Citizens): An assurance that God is present with us in our struggles, when we feel alone and far from Him he is with us. A wonderful reminder that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
LYRICS
In the valley oh God You're near
In the quiet oh God You're near
In the shadow oh God You're near
At my breaking oh God You're near
Oh God You never leave my side
Your love stands firm through all my life
In my searching oh God You're near
In my wandering oh God You're near
When I feel alone oh God You're near
At my lowest oh God You're near
Oh God You never leave my side
Oh God Your love will stand firm through all my life
Height nor depth nor anything else
Could pull us apart
We are joined as one by Your blood
Hope will rise as we become more
Than conquerors through the One who loved the world
Oh God You never leave my side
Oh God Your love will stand firm through all my life
CCLI Song # 6534493
Zach Bolen
© It's All About Jesus Music (Admin. by Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org)
We Are Younger We Are Faster Music (Admin. by Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org)
COMMITMENT READING
Use the words of this prayer to ask for God’s help as we seek to witness to those around us:
Heavenly Father we ask that you would help us to bring your light into our homes, work places, families and friendships. Would our relationships be life-giving rather than joy- sapping. Help us to be a blessing to those around us and boldly share the gospel with the people you have put in our lives. Equip us as we seek to act against injustice and oppression in our city, living lives that demonstrate the gospel to a watching world.
Amen
SONG: In Christ Alone (Stuart Townend): A glorious reminder that it is only in Christ that our hope can be found. In him our sin has been taken away, we are free from the grip of death and we stand secure.
LYRICS
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light my strength my song
This Cornerstone this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love what depths of peace
When fears are stilled when strivings cease
My Comforter my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
No guilt in life no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand
CCLI Song # 3350395
Keith Getty | Stuart Townend
© 2001 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Integrity Music)
BENEDICTION
Close your time of worship with this benediction:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
[Romans 15:13]
Peace be with you