Jesus is with us always.

A call to worship.

Themes

God with us • Jesus both God and man • Jesus as true companion • Jesus’ empathy and compassion • Jesus’ authority and power • Making disciples • Advancing the kingdom.

Scripture reading

Matthew 28:16–20

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This call to worship¹ is from the last section of Matthew’s gospel. 

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, 
to the mountain 
to which Jesus had directed them. 
And when they saw him 
they worshiped him, 
but some doubted. 

And Jesus came and said to them, 
“All authority in heaven and on earth 
has been given to me. 
Go therefore and make disciples 
of all nations, 
baptizing them 
in the name of the Father 
and of the Son 
and of the Holy Spirit, 
teaching them to observe 
all that I have commanded you. 

And behold, 
I am with you always, 
to the end of the age.”

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Enjoy this call to worship devotionally;

just change the plural pronouns (we, us)

to personal ones (I, me).

Be encouraged.

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Prayer

Father in Heaven, 
we long for a true companion — 
a truely true companion. 
A companion to get us through;
that will get us through; 
that will always get us through — 
through anything. 
A companion of constancy 
and duration;
one who is always, 
always, 
always with us 
and who will be so forever — 
who will be undeterred;
who will be undistracted;
who will never fail us. 

And Father, we do! 
We do have just such a companion.
Your beloved son. 
Our savior. 
Our brother. 
Our friend. 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 
He said to us, 
“I am with you always, 
to the end of the age.”

There is nobody with this constancy,
nobody with this duration — 
there is no friend, 
no spouse,
no sibling, 
no coach. 
Nobody but Jesus. 

Thank your, Father, 
that his compassion 
is indiscriminately given. 
When he was here, 
he gave to those 
who had nothing to offer in return. 
He gave to those 
who did. 
It really didn’t matter. 
He gives to us. 
He gives and gives and gives. 
He is always with us. 
And he will be 
to the end of the age. 

Father, it is the resurrected Jesus 
who is with us — 
truly God who is with us, 
and truly man — 
Jesus Christ now in flesh and blood, 
who is with us. 
A man touched by our infirmities. 
A man betrayed by his people 
and his friends. 
A man who grew absolutely exhausted. 
Who was hungry. 
Who suffered 
to the point where none of us have yet been: 
to the point or death itself. 
Jesus Christ, 
both God… and man, 
who knows us so deeply. 
And who has been given all authority 
and all power. 
He is with us. 

Regardless of what is demanded of us. 
Opposition. 
Persecution. 
Suffering. 
Challenge. 
Sacrifice. 
Pain. 
Sweat. 
Tears. 
He is always with us. 
Not conceptually. 
Not in our minds. 
Not only if we recall him. 
Not even if we feel him. 
He is always with us. 
Always. 
Right with us. 
Till the end of the age. 

Father, remind us 
of this reality this morning. 
Help us to cling to this reality. 
So that all we do 
and all we say 
and every interaction and reaction we have,  
enables us to make disciples — 
disciples of our kids,
disciples of our spouses,
disciples of our coworkers 
and classmates. 

So that all we do 
and all we say
and all our reactions and interactions 
accomplish your purposes, Lord. 

You will build your church, 
and when hell itself defends 
and fights back, 
hell will not prevail. 
Hell will not overcome. 

Help us not to simply muddle through. 
Keep us from being on the defensive. 
Instead, 
enable us, 
your people, 
your little local church here in Beaverdam, 
to advance your kingdom. 
Not in our strength. 
Not in our wisdom. 
Not to accomplish our goals. 
Jesus with us always, 
to the end of the age, 
to accomplish his goals. 
In and through us. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, 
worthy of all our worship 
and all our praise. 
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 14, 2021.