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SundaySunday School - 9:30 a.m. Morning Worship - 10:30 a.m. Evening Worship - 6:00 p.m.
WednesdayPrayer Group - 7:30 p.m. (Church) Prayer Group - 7:30 p.m. (Perkasie - location varies)
644 Allentown Rd. | Franconia, PA 18969 (215) 723-5979
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by Pastor Fred G. Zaspel
“Worship” is a well-used word in churches today. But it is an often misunderstood word also. Too often we describe the Sunday morning service as having two parts — worship and preaching. In the “worship” portion of our service we sing praises to God and other expressions of our adoration and thanksgiving. This is worship. And then, with worship behind us, we sit to listen to the sermon.
Now, of course, songs of praise and adoration and thanksgiving truly are an important part of our worship. We need to regularly and fervently express to God our understanding of his greatness and glory. But in all this we are the actor — we speak, and God listens.
But did you ever think that in our worship it is God who speaks and that we must listen? This aspect of worship seems fast losing ground. For many it is a concept that is entirely foreign. But at the very heart of our worship of God is our submission to him, and so to worship him aright we must sit still and listen reverently to him.
This is the first purpose of the preaching of God’s word. We stop to hear from God. And so we listen to his Word reverently, submissively, and adoringly. He speaks. We listen, and we bow. To bow before our creator and redeemer as we hear from him — surely, there is no greater worship than this.
Now of course this lays great responsibility on the preacher. The preacher is not there to spout his own opinions. He is there to expound and apply the Word of God. But it is the responsibility of all of us to listen worshipfully as God’s Word is opened. Is this your attitude as you come to the “worship service”?
To worship God as we meet together we must remember that worship involves first of all hearing from God, then responding in submission and in faith, and then ascribing to him all the glory due him.
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