Purpose: Examine the importance and necessity of singing in worship to God.
1. No doubt this evening there are many "worship" services going on all around the world.
2. No doubt every single one of them believe that what they are doing is pleasing to God.
3. Brethren, that simply is not possible.
4. God has always been a God who desires order (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40).
5. With this in mind, let us continue our study on the five different acts of worship.
6. Tonight, we will study the importance and necessity of singing.
"Speaking to yourselves in psalms hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord."
A. First, I want to focus on "Speaking to yourselves..."
1. Nearly every denomination in the world has "special singing."
2. This can take the form of solos, duos, choirs, and so on.
3. "Special singing" goes against the teaching of this verse.
4. We are to speak to ourselves. Not have others speak to us.
5. Colossians 3:16 tells us that we are to teach and admonish one another.
6. Should we have special contributions. Special communion. Special prayers. Obviously not.
B. Whenever this verse is discussed, there is always an issue over the meaning of the words for "psalms" and "making melody."
1. Both words can mean a striking or a twanging.
2. Therefore, they say that this word authorizes the use of mechanical instruments in worship.
3. I will not deny that this word can mean a striking or a twanging.
a. But a striking or a twanging of what?
b. Guitar strings? Piano strings? Harp strings?
c. Fortunately, for us; God answers that question for us.
4. God tells us that we are to make melody in our hearts!
a. What a blessing.
b. What a mess it would be if we all had to play a mechanical instrument!
c. Everyone can make melody in their hearts. Do you sing with the spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15).
d. Do you?
C. Having said this, I feel that there is something that I need to bring up.
1. Sometimes when I am leading songs, I see certain ones who don't sing.
2. Now the Bible tells us that we are to sing. Period. It makes no qualifications as to who does and who doesn't.
3. The only reason that I can think of to not sing would be a physical disability that prohibited one from singing.
4. "But preacher, I can't sing. I don't know how. I sound terrible."
5. We have already noticed that we are to make melody in our heart not on a mechanical instrument.
6. God doesn't care about the sounds that you make with your vocal chords, He cares about the melody in your heart.
7. Again....What a blessing!
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."
A. This verse is the sister verse of Ephesians 5:19, but it does bring out one more major point.
1. When we sing, not only is it sometimes for the purpose of praising God, but it can also be for the purpose of teaching one another.
2. Songs of praise:
a. How Great Thou Art.
b. Hallelujah, What a Savior.
c. There is a God.
3. Songs of Instruction.
a. Angry Words.
b. Tempted and Tried.
c. The Church's One Foundation.
B. Do we sometimes teach each other false doctrine?
1. Part of making melody in our heart is singing with understanding (1 Corinthians 14:15).
a. We have to try to focus our minds on what we are singing.
b. Even though there may be many distractions.
2. It is just as wrong to sing false doctrine as it is to teach it fro m the pulpit.
3. A lot of this falls on those of us who lead songs. Be careful when picking them out.
1. We should each view sing as a wonderful privilege given to us by a God who loves us.
2. He doesn't ask us to sound good to men.
3. He asks that we sing with spirit and understanding.
4. What wonderful lessons we can learn from our songs!
5. Now, we are going to sing an invitation song. Sing it with spirit and understanding.
6. Offer invitation. Please See Plan of Salvation.
-- Ralph Price, February 2000 --
|
|