What motivates us to live as followers of Jesus? How is our discipleship formed and shaped? How can music be an active catalyst for these actions? Just as this series is a dance between the Gospel of Matthew and Paul’s letter, it is a dance of these two questions of how and why.

An excellent hymn that brings together many of the themes for this series is “A Place at the Table,” 3149 in Worship & Song. Click here to read the History of Hymns article.

Another excellent song for this series is “The Servant Song,” 2222 in The Faith We Sing, which sets forth the theme of journeying toward discipleship together and helping one another along the way.

Week 3 - To the Lost Sheep

“Draw the Circle Wide,” Worship & Song 3154, is a hymn that embraces the inclusiveness of God’s grace. Our songs should speak of the world we seek to invite, a story to tell the nations, which is everyone. It should be a part of our thinking that we don’t just seek the ones who look like us. We should try to reach the fullness of God’s creation, the many-hued complexions that surround us. But we don’t have to look far. Unless your community is very unusual, there is diversity right outside your door.

Consider a newer arrangement of “My Hope is Built” found in The United Methodist Hymnal, 368. Click here to watch a version to get your imagination going.

Other hymns to consider are “As a Fire is Meant for Burning,” The Faith We Sing, 2237, and “Who is My Mother, Who Is My Brother,” The Faith We Sing, 2225.