Let Us Sing!

Subject: why do we sing?.... How can I keep from singing?

Complement: we sing – we celebrate -because he has done so much for us... how can I not sing!

Text: Psalm 137

Introduction:

Every 7 days I join a choir of voices to sing unto God. I’ve been doing this for over 50 years now... however I’ve never been called a “singer” ... I don’t ever describe myself as a singer... but it is something extremely meaningful to me.

My friend Pete had throat cancer a couple years ago... he also loved to sing... now he can’t... he laments the loss of his singing voice.

My son Joel joined his first worship band when he was 14(?) – as a drummer. A gentleman in our church saw him wandering over to the drums after church on Sunday’s and (after asking permission) gave Joel a drum kit for Christmas...

Since then his young upstart worship band recorded an album... and he (Joel) has written two songs and received radio play in Ontario.

A major part of “the church gathered” is spent singing praises unto God and celebrating the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection – and our having been united with Christ.

And so we –the gathered church - are described as the temple – according to Ephesians 2:22, ... the place where God dwells by his Spirit.

Gathered Christians says E Peterson, “worship with a conviction that we are in the presence of God. Worship is an act of attention to the living God ....”

Outsiders, says Peterson, observing these acts of worship, see nothing like that. They see a few people singing unpopular songs, sometimes off-key, someone reading from an old book and making remarks that may or may not interest the listeners, and then eating and drinking small portions of bread and wine that are supposed to give nourishment to their eternal souls in the same way that beef and potatoes sustain their mortal flesh.

Who is right?

“Is worship an actual meeting called to order at God’s initiative in which persons of faith are blessed by his presence and respond to his salvation?

Or is it a pathetic and sometimes desperate charade in which people attempt to get God to pay attention to them and do something for them?

P. 59 (Reversed Thunder)

“The act of worship rehearses in the present the end that lies ahead. Heaven is introduced into the present. It also conserves the past and acts as a stabilizing force, but it's dynamic function is anticipation: a community planning it's future in the light of its charter... the church at worship is centered and gathered at God’s throne, receiving the revelation of Christ, singing the great hymns, affirming and being affirmed. P. 70.

We may ask a basic question... “Why does Christian worship include so much singing?”

Every Sunday morning, all around the world…for the past 2000 years, believers in Jesus Christ have gathered for worship. In that weekly gathering, we Christians believe that Christ meets with us. It's Sunday – the day that marks the day of Christ’s resurrection. We are in his presence, and with the family of God. Though God has promised to never leave us, there remains a special and unique sense of his presence when the community gathers. We call it “church” or “having church”… we celebrate salvation…we sing to him...we listen to Him... we give to Him... we serve for Him...we welcome the stranger in his name … we may cry or even laugh…we pray to Him…

and yes sometimes the doing of church seems very ordinary and even tedious to some. The songs are too new or too old…… instead of singing out of a hymn book we now sing off the wall!

…the technology is fantastic –allowing people around the world to join in (facebook or web-casting)… but it may sometimes be out of sync and the mic might even squeal occasionally. At times we may even mutter “this is why I don’t invite my friends.” The sermon may appear dry and lacking eloquence or be seen as out of touch with modern sensibilities. The delivery lacks energy and charisma. And generally speaking it may appear difficult to sense God’s presence or hear his voice. Our collective worship may appear to be a modest or even a mediocre witness to the greatest news on earth.

And so the church struggles with its identity and style – are we too modern or too traditional? Why do we sing these songs and not the ones I like? Why is the service so long -- or so short?

And we worshippers, struggle in the tension between giving worship to our redeemer and acting like consumers at a restaurant. I like this – I don’t like this. The service was disappointing – so the “tip” will reflect my dismay and send you a message that my needs and expectations were not met.