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The Catechism of the New Apostolic Church
- Contents
- 12.1.1 General remarks concerning divine service
- 12.1.2 Divine service in the Old Testament
- 12.1.3 Divine service in the New Testament
- 12.1.4 Further development of Christian divine service
- 12.1.5 Divine service as an encounter with God
- 12.1.6 Proclamation of the word
- 12.1.7 The Lord's Prayer
- 12.1.8 Forgiveness of sins in the divine service
- 12.1.9 Dispensation of the sacraments in the divine service
- 12.1.10 The closing benediction
- 12.1.11 Acts of blessing in the sequence of the divine service
- 12.1.12 Ordinations, appointments, reinstatements, retirements
- 12.1.13 Divine services for the departed
- 12.1.14 Music in the divine service
12.1.6 Proclamation of the word
The timely will of God is proclaimed in the divine services. This proclamation of the word is described as the "sermon".
The necessity of God's word for the life of the new creation was expressed by the Lord Jesus in the statement: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4: 4). Apostle Paul pointed out that faith cannot come into being without hearing the word of God (Romans 10: 17). In 1 Peter 1: 24-25, the transitory nature of mankind is contrasted with the eternal nature of God's word: "... the word of the Lord endures forever. Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you."