Why the Friday prayer and the khutbah matter
Allah commands the believers to hasten to the Friday prayer and leave trade behind:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ
"O you who believe! When the call to prayer is made on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off trade." - Quran 62:9 (al-Jumu'ah)
The khutbah is not an interlude before the prayer - it is part of the worship and the week's recurring reminder (dhikra). The Prophet ﷺ warned against neglecting it:
"Whoever abandons three Friday prayers out of negligence, Allah seals his heart." - Abu Dawud 1052, at-Tirmidhi 500 (hasan/sahih)