January 21, 2024
“Compelled”
WORDS OF GREETING AND GATHERING
Alexis Owens
WELCOMING STATEMENT
Sheridan Horne
RISE believes that God has open arms, and so should we. Our Creator wants us to love, accept and affirm every human being, including persons of every age, race, ethnic background, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, family or socioeconomic status, educational background, religion or creed, and physical or mental ability. We celebrate our diversity and recognize the sacred worth and dignity of all. Everyone is invited and encouraged to join us as we seek to follow Jesus with mutual respect, understanding, and love.
*Read more about “Why Pronouns Matter” HERE.
OPENING MUSIC
Maggie McClary
“My Life Flows On”
~Robert Lowry
My life flows on in endless song
Above earth’s lamentations
I catch the sweet, though far off hymn
That hails a new creation
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that Rock I’m clinging
Since Love is lord of heav’n and Earth
How can I keep from singing
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing
It finds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that Rock I’m clinging
Since Love is lord of heav’n and Earth
How can I keep from singing
What though my joys and comforts die
I know my Savior liveth
What though the darkness gather round
Songs in the night he giveth
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that Rock I’m clinging
Since Love is lord of heav’n and Earth
How can I keep from singing
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart
A fountain ever springing
All things are mine since I am his
How can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that Rock I’m clinging
Since Love is lord of heav’n and Earth
How can I keep from singing
“10,000 Reasons”
~Jonas Myrin and Matt Redman
Bless the Lord, O my soul
Oh my soul, Worship your holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I’ll worship your holy name
The sun comes up, It’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes
Bless the Lord, O my soul
Oh my soul, Worship your holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I’ll worship your holy name
You’re rich in love and your slow to anger
Your name is great and your heart is kind
For all your goodness, I will keep on singing
ten-thousand reasons for my heart to find
Bless the Lord, O my soul
Oh my soul, Worship your holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I’ll worship your holy name
And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still, my soul will sing your praise unending
Ten-thousand years and then forever more
Bless the Lord, O my soul
Oh my soul, Worship your holy name
Sing like never before, O my soul
I’ll worship your holy name
Scripture ReadingS
Daniel Green
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (CEB)
1 The Lord’s word came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Get up and go to Nineveh, that great city, and declare against it the proclamation that I am commanding you.” 3 And Jonah got up and went to Nineveh, according to the Lord’s word. (Now Nineveh was indeed an enormous city, a three days’ walk across.)
4 Jonah started into the city, walking one day, and he cried out, “Just forty days more and Nineveh will be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and put on mourning clothes, from the greatest of them to the least significant.
10 God saw what they were doing—that they had ceased their evil behavior. So God stopped planning to destroy them, and he didn’t do it.
Mark 1:14-20 (CEB)
14 After John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee announcing God’s good news, 15 saying, “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”
16 As Jesus passed alongside the Galilee Sea, he saw two brothers, Simon and Andrew, throwing fishing nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” he said, “and I’ll show you how to fish for people.” 18 Right away, they left their nets and followed him. 19 After going a little farther, he saw James and John, Zebedee’s sons, in their boat repairing the fishing nets. 20 At that very moment he called them. They followed him, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers.
THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION
“Compelled”
Chris Zepp
TABLE AND LIVE CHAT DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Look again at the scriptures we read this morning. What do you see going on in them? Why would an entire city respond to the message of a street preacher like Jonah? Why would working men like Simon, Andrew, James, and John leave their boats and devote themselves to an itinerant rabbi?
Why do you choose to follow Jesus? What do you find compelling about The Way?
What makes the choice to follow the way of Jesus different than the choice to (for example) buy a certain water bottle? Could it be that each are just the result of a moment (or a lifetime) of compulsion? How can we discern the difference?
SONG
“So Will I”
~Hillsong United
God of creation
There at the start
Before the beginning of time
With no point of reference
You spoke to the dark
And fleshed out the wonder of life
And as you speak
A hundred billion galaxies are born
In the vapor of your breath the planets form
If the stars were made to worship,
So will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve made
Every burning star
A signal fire of grace
If creation sings your praises
So will I
God of Your promise
You don’t speak in vain
No syllable empty or void
For once you have spoken
All nature and science
Follows the sound of your voice
And as You speak
A hundred billion creatures catch Your breath
Evolving in pursuit of what You’ve said
If it all reveals Your nature
So will I
I can see Your heart in everything You say
Every painted sky
A canvas of your grace
If creation still obeys you
So will I
If the stars were made to worship, So will I
If the mountains bow in reverence, So will I
If the oceans roar Your greatness, So will I
For if everything exists to lift you high, So will I
If the wind goes where You send it, So will I
If the rocks cry out in silence, So will I
If the sum of all our praises still falls shy
Then we’ll sing again a hundred billion times
God of salvation
You chased down my heart
Through all of my failures and pride
On a hill you created
The light of the world
Abandoned in darkness to die
And as You speak,
A hundred billion failures disappear
Where You lost Your life so I could find it here
If You left the grave behind You
So will I
I can see Your heart in everything You’ve done
Every part designed in a work of art called love
If You gladly chose surrender
So will I
I can see Your heart 8 billion different ways
Every precious one a child you died to save
If You gave Your life to love them
So will I
Like You would again a hundred billion times
But what measure could amount to Your desire
You’re the One who never leaves the one behind
PRAYER
~Homiletics, adapted
Chris Zepp
OFFERING AND NOMOFOMO
Abby Dotson
One of our core values is, "God gives to us, so we give back." We're called to give as a joy-filled response to what we've been given. Your financial gifts make a tremendous difference in the lives of God's beloved in Harrisonburg and beyond. Whether it's helping to make sure children in our community have enough to eat, helping to respond to the mental health crisis in our community, or providing much needed backing for the operating costs of our spaces and staff — your gift is a part of God's dream and we are grateful for everyone who partners with us on this journey!
PLEASE HELP WITH WORSHIP! We are always looking for persons willing to volunteer to assist and support our worship gatherings. If you'd be willing to volunteer to help (read, provide food, set-up, serve communion, clean-up run tech, etc) please sign up on this doc for the role and the date(s) of your choosing:
Join with RISE friends to watch the “Big Game” (And the commercials. And the halftime show!) Or just come hang out at the Zepp’s house and enjoy a night with friends with ambient football noise in the background!
Bring a snack or appetizer to share if you are able (drinks provided). Note - we do have two cats in the house. Home is fairly accessible, but please let us know if you will need accommodation for wheelchair, etc.
Contact Chris Zepp (communications@riseharrisonburg.com)
with any questions or for address/directions
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Requests for care and/or prayer can be sent via e-mail to cares@riseharrisonburg.org, texted to 833-803-0868, or submitted online via our RISE Cares form.
CLOSING SONG
“Multiplied”
~NEEDTOBREATHE
Your love is like radiant diamonds
Burst inside us, we cannot contain
Your love will surely come find us
Like blazing wildfires, singing Your name
God of mercy, sweet love of mine
I have surrendered to Your design
May this offering stretch across the sky
These hallelujahs be multiplied
Your love is like radiant diamonds
Burst inside us, we cannot contain
Your love will surely come find us
Like blazing wildfires, singing Your name
God of mercy, sweet love of mine
I have surrendered to Your design
May this offering stretch across the sky
These hallelujahs be multiplied
Your love is like radiant diamonds
Burst inside us, we cannot contain
Your love will surely come find us
Like blazing wildfires, singing Your name
God of mercy, sweet love of mine
I have surrendered to Your design
May this offering stretch across the sky
These hallelujahs be multiplied
Parting Blessing
Sheridan Horne
We are called not only to follow Jesus, but also to introduce others to his love.
So go now from this place to look,
to search,
to encourage,
to teach,
to love,
to laugh,
to cry,
to work,
to play,
to dance --
to so live before others that they see Jesus in you.
People of God, this is the Way…
Amen.