Themes
Sovereignty • Providence • Inheritance • Family of God • Principalities and powers • Wisdom • The cross as victory • Atonement • Resurrection • Triumph • Union with Christ • Freedom from captivity • Authority • History and destiny • Demolition of evil • Futility of idols • Perseverance in worship • Glory
No longer can these powers exert their influence over us—the people whom Jesus Christ has claimed for Himself.
Scripture reading
Ephesians 3:15 Ephesians 1:11 1 Corinthians 2:6–8 Colossians 2:15 Galatians 4:9
This call to worship1 reminds us that God is in control and that the cross and resurrection have already disarmed the powers of darkness. It invites us to live as God’s family—with confidence, freedom, and hope—because the final word belongs to Christ.
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he prays, and in that prayer, he addresses God as Father… …from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. Also, in the same letter, Paul writes: In Him, we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote: Among the mature, we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote: God disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Christ. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul writes: But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world? And finally, John writes in his first letter: The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
Prayer
Father in heaven, the Cross of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, is the pivotal point of history, for it was there, at that moment, that He won a decisive victory over every evil power. Although this is true— although Christ Himself, and we, His people, fight against these powers— never have they been or are they ever free of Your absolute sovereignty. You are the creator. And every member of every division of every angelic hierarchy, angelic or fallen, good or evil, derives a name from You alone and receives its life and being from You. You are the source of all life. There has never been a time when You have lost control. There never will be. There has never been a time when the forces of darkness have threatened to overwhelm Your providence, Your authority, Your power. You have always retained control and will always remain in control while You unfold Your purposes in history. You work out everything in conformity to Your purpose and Your will. Only You— You who have chosen a people before the creation of the world to be Your own— Only You have control over history and human destiny. Principalities and powers and authorities have a very limited understanding of what You are up to. They did not know how You would bring about Your redemption through Christ. None of them understood it— how You would use the death of Christ to atone for our sin, raise him victoriously from the dead, and create the church of which we are now a part. Principalities and powers and authorities and demonic rulers are all facing impending doom. The death and resurrection of Christ marked the beginning of their demise. They are doomed to pass away. They will become powerless. Your will abolished them. You will wipe them out. Father, You have disarmed them against us. No longer can these powers exert their influence over us— the people whom Jesus Christ has claimed for Himself. He is able to redeem us from captivity and bring us freedom because He has disarmed these powers. They thought that they could destroy Christ. But these powers and authorities and demonic rulers were astonished to find Christ rising from the dead and assuming the position of head over a new body of people that He was bringing into union with Himself. And so now, all the devices of these powers can be seen as futile, and weak and worthless. In the name of Jesus Christ, through whom You have demonstrated Your infinite superiority, Whose death and resurrection represent Your decisive victory over the powers of darkness, Who destroyed the devil’s work, Amen
Inspiring resources
A call to worship creates wonderment, amazement, curiosity, yearning, captivation, provocation, hopefulness, thankfulness, affection, rapture, delight. As these mix together, the response is worship.
If this call to worship leaves you wondering or curious or provoked or hopeful, consider diving into this awesome book.
This call to worship was given to the small assembly of Christians who gathered at Pathway Church, Beaverdam, Michigan, on Sunday, September 22, 2024.