I Sing Because

Psalm 96:1; 98:1; 149:1

I SING BECAUSE

Singing is as universal as any activity individuals participate in.

A seminary student was leading the music for a small church. His first Sunday "jitters" became apparent after the choir completed a beautiful special number. Relieved, he turned to the congregation and said, "Let’s all stand and sing, ’When We All Get to Heaven’ while the choir goes down below."

Did you hear about the lady who got terribly upset and quit singing in the choir? Apparently, the one Sunday she was absent, several people inquired if the organ had finally been fixed.

The Bible is filled with instances of singing. It was an vital part of the worship of Israel, and now is an essential part of the worship of the church.

However, about forty percent of churchgoers seem to have picked up the idea that "singing in church is for singers." The truth is that "singing is for believers."

Lest I miscalculated “sing” or a form of the word are mentioned some 218 times in the Bible. Our phrase "Sing Unto The LORD" appears on 16 occasions, 10 of them in the Psalms.

It was interesting to me that this phrase appeared on three occasions in those Psalms with the addition of the phrase, "a new song." The word "new" means that which is fresh. Christians are to be a singing people. Psalm 40:1-3 “I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” OUT OF THE MIRE INTO THE CHOIR.

One of the marks of being filled with the Spirit is joyful singing. See Ephesians 5:18,19. Spirit-filled people overflow with song.

Several years ago a pastor stayed overnight at the home of a young couple. He was awakened the next morning by a soprano voice singing, “Nearer, My God to Thee.” At breakfast he mentioned to his hostess how pleased he was to hear that lovely old hymn, but that it seemed to go much faster than he had ever heard it sung before. "Oh," replied the hostess, "I guess that’s because I wasn’t paying too much attention to the words. You see, it’s a good song my mother used to sing, and I’ve found that it’s a good one to boil eggs by. Just repeat the first verse five times rapidly for soft-boiled, and eight times for hard.”

Now when we sing, we must be thoughtful and sing from the heart.

I want us to look briefly at the three occasions where the Bible says “sing unto the Lord a new song” and observe some interesting connections for the Christian. I SING A NEW SONG BECAUSE:

I. I sing because of my EXPERIENCE OF GRACE (Psalm 96:1,2)

Psalms 13:6 “I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.”

Psalms 57:7 “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.”

A. Abundant Grace

“Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” His grace abounds. His grace is abundant. His grace is sufficient grace. The word "sufficient" speaks of that which is enough. God’s grace is always enough for whatever you need. God’s grace will be what you need, all you need, and sufficient for your need.

Charles Spurgeon was riding home one evening after a heavy day’s work, feeling weary and depressed. The verse came to his mind, "My grace is sufficient for thee." In his mind he immediately compared himself to a little fish in the river, apprehensive lest drinking so many pints of water in the river each day he might drink the river dry. Then the river said to him, "Drink away, little fish. My stream is sufficient for you!"

Next he thought a little mouse in the granaries of Egypt, afraid lest its daily nibbles exhaust the supplies and cause it to starve to . Then Joseph comes along and says, "Cheer up, little mouse. My granaries are sufficient for you!"

Then he thought of a man climbing some high mountain to reach its lofty summit and dreading lest his breathing might exhaust all the oxygen in the atmosphere. The Creator booms His voice out from heaven, saying, "Breathe away, oh man, and fill your lungs. My atmosphere is sufficient for you!"

Whatever the need , whatever the problem, whatever the size or degree of your situation, God’s grace is sufficient! Not only do we see that is, the abundant grace, but it is also:

B. Available Grace