Devotional Verses From The Gospel Of Luke
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bear thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
Luke 11:24-28
Jesus here speaks the words about what the Scofield study Bible calls the "Worthlessness of self-reformation," and in response to hearing this powerful message a female listener calls out that the body parts of His earthly mother are blessed because of the fact that Jesus used them in coming into the world. To which Jesus replies that those who are really blessed are those that hear the word of God and keep it. This last statement jumped out at me because of my considering the difference of worship styles in the various Christian churches vis a vis Baptist services. As it were, the woman's reply in this text could be considered a form of sacramentalism giving emphasis to the fleshly experience over the spiritual reality of hearing and responding in the faith to the word of God. How others may worship is their choice, and these comments are not meant to be critical.
We Baptists do sing hymns, the great traditional ones of the church and modern praise and worship, giving glory to God, we pray together publicly and read Scripture in our worship. Part of our worship includes the fellowship of shaking hands, or greeting and getting to know fellow Christians. Of course, we share together in the two ordinances given to us by Jesus himself, Christian baptism and the Lord's supper. Sometimes other things are included as well, even, perhaps, the reading of the Apostles' Creed, but the central aspect of our worship is coming together to hear and keep the word of God. The preaching of God's holy word is central to all of our worship. The preaching of God's holy word.