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12. Divine service, acts of blessing, and pastoral care.
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12. Divine service, acts of blessing, and pastoralcare
613. What is a divine service?
Divine service is the activity of God upon human beings. At the same time, it is a work of human
beings for God.
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In the divine service, people come together to worship God, praise Him, and thank Him. They also
gather in order to hear the word of God and receive the sacraments.
Thus divine service is an encounter between God and man. In the divine service, the congregation
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perceives the presence of the triune God and experiences that God serves them in love.
614. What was divine service like in the Old Testament?
In Old Testament times, the divine service consisted primarily of the sacrificial service, in which the
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priests would bring gifts to God. They also had the commission to impart the blessing of God to the
people (cf. Numbers 6: 22-27).
From the time of King David it is related that singers and musicians also played a role in divine
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services and praised God with psalms (cf. 1 Chronicles 25: 6).
In the time of the Babylonian captivity— from 597 BC to 539 BC—believing Jews gathered in
specially built houses (synagogues) in order to pray and read and interpret Holy Scripture together.
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This is one of the sources of the later Christian form of divine service.
615. What elements did the divine service incorporate in the early Christian
congregations?
There is no record of any specific sequence of divine service in the early Christian congregations. It
consisted of the proclamation of the gospel, the professions of the congregation, collective prayers,
hymns, and the celebration of Holy Communion.
,616. How did Christian divine service develop further?
The Christian divine service had a liturgical character for centuries. This means that the divine service
was predominantly defined by rituals, namely firmly established words and hymns. This changed in
many religious denominations after the Reformation.
For them, the sermon became the focal point of the divine service. New Apostolic divine service
adheres to this tradition with a sermon that is delivered without notes.
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Sermon, proclamation of the word: see Questions 623. et seq. Reformation: see Questions
595. et seq.
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617. Is God present in the divine service?
Yes. At the beginning of the divine service, God is invoked with the words: “In the name of God, the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”. This invocation of God is called the “Trinitarian opening
formula”. This makes it clear to those attending the divine service that God is present, just as the Son
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of God promised (cf. Matthew 18: 20).
618. What are the basic elements of the divine service?
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Concerning the early Christians in Jerusalem we read as follows: “And they continued steadfastly in
the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2: 42). From this
we derive the basic elements of the divine service: the Apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of
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bread, and prayer.
619. What is meant by the “Apostles’ doctrine”?
The “Apostles’ doctrine” means that the Apostles proclaim the doctrine of Jesus Christ, in other
words, the gospel of the death, resurrection, and return of the Son of God. This doctrine is also
proclaimed in the divine services by the ministers acting in the commission of the Apostles.
620. What do we mean when we talk about “breaking of bread”?
, “Breaking of bread” is the celebration of Holy Communion. It is the central event in the divine service,
which is celebrated in gratitude for the sacrifice of Jesus.
Holy Communion: see Questions 494. et seq.
621. What does “communion” signify in the divine service?
“Communion” in divine service is understood as the fulfilment of the words of Jesus Christ: “For
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where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:
20).
This “fellowship” in the divine service also refers to the fact that the believers worship, praise, and
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give thanks to God together. Thus they also have fellowship with one another.
622. What is the role of “prayer” in the divine service?
Prayer is an indispensable component of the divine service.
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In the divine service, the congregation unites in the prayers spoken by the officiant. These express
adoration, thanksgiving, intercessions, and pleas. Before the forgiveness of sins, the congregation
prays the Lord’s Prayer. After receiving Holy Communion, each believer brings thanks to God in a
silent prayer.
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623. What do we mean by the “proclamation of the word” (sermon)?
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God’s word is proclaimed in the divine services. Ministers express thoughts inspired within them by
the Holy Spirit. This is called the “proclamation of the word” or the “sermon”.
In New Apostolic divine services, the sermon is not read from a previously prepared text. It is based
on a passage from the Bible, on which the officiating minister elaborates in free discourse without
notes.
624. What is the sermon capable of doing?
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