Midweek Check-in

Below is the fourth video of Gary’s midweek check-in blog series.

SUNDAY GATHERING (26th April 2020)

An End in Sight [Mark 1:29-39]

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

The longer this strange time of lock down goes on the harder it gets to keep on going. The truth is that we feel our limited resources and find it easy to lose heart. So it is a wonderful encouragement to remember that our God does not have the same limits as us. We began our time in Lockdown as a church by holding on to the truths of Psalm 121. They are words we still need to hear and treasure: 

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

    where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—

    he who watches over you will not slumber;

indeed, he who watches over Israel

    will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—

    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

    nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—

    he will watch over your life;

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

    both now and forevermore.

SONG: All Creatures of our God and King: A song of praise and worship of our God, the author and sustainer of life.

LYRICS
All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing
Oh Praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
O, praise Him! O, praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou rushing wind that art so strong
Ye clouds that sail in heaven along
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice
Ye lights of evening, find a voice!
Oh praise Him! Oh praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, Three in One!
Oh praise Him! Oh praise Him!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

CCLI Song # 1503

St. Francis of Assisi | William Henry Draper

© Words: Public Domain

Music: Public Domain

SONG: How Great Thou Art: A song of praise that celebrates the glory and beauty of God as seen throughout his creation.

LYRICS

O Lord my God,
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works Thy Hands hath made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
When through the woods
And forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze

Then sings my soul
Then sings my soul
Then sings my soul
Then sings my soul

And when I think
That God, his Son not sparing
Sent him to die I scarce can take it in
That on the cross
My burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin
When Christ shall come

With shout of acclamation
And take me home, What joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim, "My God, how great you are!"

Then sings my soul
Then sings my soul
Then sings my soul
Then sings my soul

How great Your love for us!
You shed Your blood for us!
How great Your love for us! (Then sings my soul)
You shed Your blood for us! (Then sings my soul)
How great Your grace for us! (Then sings my soul)
You gave Your life for us! (Then sings my soul)

How great Your love for us! (Then sings my soul)
You shed Your blood for us! (Then sings my soul)
How great Your grace for us! (Then sings my soul)
You gave it all for us! (Then sings my soul)

Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great You are!
How great You are!
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great You are!
How great You are!

CCLI Song # 14181

CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE

We are in a sermon series called ‘An End in Sight’. Each week we will be thinking about a particular concern that the virus outbreak has caused. This week we are thinking about illness. 

Physical illness reminds us that the world we live in is a broken one. In the bible physical sickness is often used as a reminder that there is another kind of sickness that infects us all- the spiritual sickness of sin. Our sin is just as real and far more deadly to us than even the worst physical illness, but often we trivialise and downplay it.

So take some time now to confess your sin to God. Ask him to forgive the way we play down and minimise the seriousness of our sin.

The wonderful hope of the gospel is that even though we are spiritually sick, Jesus came to bring forgiveness and healing. Listen to how he talks about what he came to do:

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

[Mark 2:17]

Jesus came to heal the sickness of sin by dying on the cross and through his resurrection he opens up his healing to all who have faith in him. Rejoice in the forgiveness he brings!

SONG: Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy (Sojourn): A call to come to Jesus in repentance, weak and sinful, knowing that he saves us and meets us in our need.

CCLI Song # 7090498

Brooks Ritter | Joseph Hart

© Words: Public Domain

Music: 2012 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 An End In Sight- [Mk 1:29-39] An end to illness  Watch the pre-sermon message and then the sermon.

This week we’re continuing in our new series ‘An End in Sight’. We have created a dedicated page to make them easy to share with your non-Christian friends and family. 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: New Again (Sojourn): A song looking forward to the future hope we have in the gospel. We look to the day when all pain and sorrow will be over and Christ will make all things new again!

CCLI Song # 7037768

Brooks Ritter | Mike Cosper

© 2013 Sojourn Community Church

SONG: Made Alive (Citizens): A song that reminds us of the new life we can know in Christ. A celebration that we’ve been brought from death to life in Jesus

CCLI Song # 6534390

Brian Eichelberger | Zach Bolen

© 2013 E On The Eye Chart (Admin. by Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org)

Erase And Rewind (Admin. by Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org)

Songs From The Penalty Box (Admin. by Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org)

We Are Younger We Are Faster Music (Admin. by Song Solutions www.songsolutions.org)

COMMITMENT READING

Jesus’ life death and resurrection promise not only the end of the spiritual sickness of sin, but also the hope that one day all the physical brokenness of the world will end too. Hear these wonderful promises that God makes to his people in Isaiah:

“See, I will create

    new heavens and a new earth.

The former things will not be remembered,

    nor will they come to mind.

The sound of weeping and of crying

    will be heard in it no more.”

[Isa 65:17,19]

When Jesus returns he promises to make all things new; to bring sickness, sin and death to a final end. As we finish our time of worship ask that God would fill your heart with faith to believe that and live in light of it.

SONG: Lion and the Lamb (Bethel Music): A celebration of Jesus, our saviour, who is both the lion of Judah and the lamb of God.

CCLI Song # 7038281

Brenton Brown | Brian Johnson | Leeland Mooring

© 2015 Meaux Mercy (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

The Devil Is A Liar! Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Thankyou Music (Admin. by Integrity Music)

Bethel Music Publishing (Admin. by Song Solutions)

BENEDICTION 

Finish your time of worship with the confidence that because of the resurrection hope of Jesus none of our work for him is wasted:

Brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.

[1 Cor 15:58]

Peace be with you.

Redeem your time

Below is the fourth of Tom’s videos in our new Friday blog series Redeem your time. You can access the PDF of the book he is discussing for free here.

Midweek Check-in

Below is the third video of Gary’s midweek check-in blog series.