All the good things of Heaven.

A call to worship.

Themes

Repentance • Resurrection • The age to come • God’s in-breaking kingdom • Agents of redemption • The problems of this life • The goodness of God’s word

The resurrection of Jesus Christ was not just the resuscitation of a dead body, as remarkable as that is. It was the start of a radical new order of existence. It was the dawning of the new age to come. 

Scripture reading

Hebrews 6:4–5

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This call to worship¹ is from the writer of the Book of Hebrews. He wrote the following:

For it is impossible 
to bring back to repentance 
those who were once enlightened 
and who then turn away from God —
those who have experienced 
the good things of heaven 
and shared in the Holy Spirit, 
those who have tasted the goodness 
of the word of God 
and experienced the power 
of the age to come.

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Prayer

Father in heaven, 
thank you for the gift of your Son, 
for bringing us 
to a place of repentance, 
for opening our eyes, 
our hearts, 
and our minds 
to you, 
and to your redemptive plan, 
and to the only truth 
that really matters 
in the end. 

For the resurrection of Jesus Christ
was not just 
the resuscitation of a dead body, 
as remarkable as that is, Father. 
It was the start 
of a radical new order of existence.
It was the dawning 
of the new age to come. 

And now, Father, 
we get to experience 
the good things of heaven. 
We get to share 
in the Holy Spirit. 
We get to taste 
the goodness of the word of God.
We get to experience 
the power of that age to come…

…because your promised kingdom
has come. 
And it is still in-coming. 
And you have placed us, Father,
right in the middle of it,
right where all the action is. 

You have made us
agents of your redemption,
ambassadors for Christ,
a chosen race,
a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, 
a people for your own possession. 

So equip us this morning, Father,
to be these things. 
Awaken us 
out of the problems 
of this life 
that keep us preoccupied 
and consumed. 

And enable us again this morning,
while we are here,
in this place,
to experience the good things of heaven. 
Give us a taste again, this morning,
of the goodness of the your word. 
Help us to live again 
in the power 
of the age to come. 

In the name of the resurrected Christ,
Amen. 

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1. This call to worship was given to the small assembly of Christians that gathered in Pathway Church, Beaverdam, Michigan, on Sunday, November 7, 2021.