INTRODUCTION #33
1. Open your bible to James 5:13b.
2. In a previous lesson we discussed the first part of this verse, which teaches the importance to prayer.
3. In this lesson we will discuss the importance of Christians being “cheerful” and the importance of Christians “singing”.
DISCUSSION
I. FIRST, JAMES ASK A QUESTION THAT IMPLIES THAT CHRISTIANS ARE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE TO BE A “CHEERFUL” or “MERRY” PEOPLE.
1. Let’s read James 5:13b, “Is anyone cheerful [KJV “merry”]? Let him sing psalms [ASV “praise”].”
2. The “cheerfulness” or “being merry” that James is talking about is not that of a frivilous, playful, unserious – just having a big time nature.
3. For a few moments let’s look at a few types of “merrymaking” that is not pleasing to God. The few examples are not what James is talking about.
(1) Turn to 1 Samuel 25:36a. This refers to a person named Nabal that had a feast and during that feast got drunk and became merry. God condemns this form of merry making. In the O. T. there are a lot of bible passages that bear record of this sinful way of becoming merry. Let’s read 1 Sam. 25:36a, “36 Now Abigail went to Nabal {Abigail was the wife of Nabal}, and there he was, holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk…”
(2) Turn to 1 Kings 21:7-10. This passage tells of King Ahab becoming extremely sad because Naboth would not sell or trade him Naboth’s vineyard. Ahab becomes sullen and stretches across his bed and will not eat. Ahab’s wife, Jezebel tells Ahab to be cheerful because she is going to have false accusations made against Naboth and have him killed. Jezebel tells Ahab that will give him reason to be cheerful. Certainly, we all know that we don’t want to do anything like this to become cheerful or merry. Let’s read 1 Kings 21:7-10, “7 Then Jezebel his wife said to him, “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”8 And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. 9 She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; 10 and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, “You have blasphemed God and the king.” Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.” This horrible deed was carried out and Ahab and Jezebel were made cheerful. How sad!
(3) Turn to Luke 12:19-21. In this parable Jesus tells a rich farmer that had bumper crops and was going to tear down his old barns and build bigger barns and have a merry time. God spoke out to him and told him that he was going to die and his soul would pay the price for his selfishness. Let’s read Luke 12:19-21, “19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ 21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
1) Jesus makes this parable apply to everyone who tries to find cheerfulness and merry making in the wrong ways.
2) There are many other examples in the bible that illustrate the wrong way to find cheerfulness and happiness, but these examples should be enough warn against being cheerful while doing sinful things.
5. Let’s now look a few passages that illustrate the kind of cheerfulness that God approves of.
(1) Turn to Proverbs 15:13. This passage teaches that being “merry” and “cheerful” within our inner man will be expressed by smiles and our outward expressions. This verse also teaches that an unhappy person will live a miserable life. Let’s read Proverbs 15:13, “13 A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”
(2) Drop down to the last part of Proverbs 15:15, “…But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.” This reminds us that a scripturally cheerful person can be cheerful in prison as well as in a palace. Inwardly, the cheerful person looks on the positive side of life. When this person, figuratively, receives lemons, he doesn’t just think about how sour a lemon is, he quickly turns sour situations into good tasting lemon aid.
1) Turn to Acts 16:22-25. This tells us about the attitude of Paul and Silas, as they were placed in prison. They turn a sour situation into an expression of cheerfulness. Let’s read Acts 16:22-25, “22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. 23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”
2) Paul and Silas illustrated that Christian cheerfulness is a “continual feast” for Christians that are faithful. They find reasons to be cheerful whether the outward circumstance encourage happiness or not.
(3) Turn to Luke 15:21-24. This is the parable of the prodigal son. When he repents and returns to his father and confesses his sin, the father has a feast for him and all began to be merry with this backslider that comes back home. Let’s read Luke 15:21-24, “21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”
1) If you are a backslider that needs to repent and return to your heavenly Father you will have opportunity to do so in a few moments.
2) If you will return it bring cheerfulness to you and a merry heart to many others.
(4) Turn to 2 Cor. 9:6-11. This passages commands Christians to be “cheerful” in their giving. The passage also promises the cheerful and bountiful giver many blessings. Let’s read 2 Cor. 9:6-11, “6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: “ He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.”
1) With whatever God blesses us with we must be good stewards and managers and return God’s portion with a cheerful and liberal attitude.
2) Cheerfulness and liberality will bring continued cheerfulness and Christian joy.
(5) There are many more bible passages that give other reasons for God’s people being cheerful people. {They might can be studied at some time later: Zechariah 9:19; Acts 24:10; 27:22; Rom. 12:8; 2 Chronicles 7:13; Jeremiah 30:19; 1 Sam. 1:18; Acts 5:16; 7:55; Isaiah 61:31; Acts 8:35-39}.
II. SECOND, JAMES 5:13b EXHORTS THOSE WHO ARE CHEERFUL TO SING PSALMS.
1. Let’s read the last phrase of James 5:13b, “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.”
1) James ask the question if anyone is cheerful.
2) After asking the question then he specifically exhorts cheerful Christians to sing.
3) A lot of times Christians don’t put forth much effort toward singing during the worship service. If we’re guilty is it because we are not cheerful and merry?
4) Our singing should not be limited to just while we are in the services of the church. Maybe not entire songs are memorized, but wonderful lines and messages from songs should pop into our minds quite frequently. Songs of praise and thanksgiving and songs relating to the great power and majesty of God should bring great cheer to our hearts.
2. The word for “sing” (psalleto) is from psallo. This Greek term had a variety of meanings through the ancient centuries, including the action of plucking out the hair, snapping a carpenter’s string, twanging the strings of a musical instrument.
(1) In the New Testament, it means “to sing.” Its basic meaning, to pluck or twang, is thus metaphorically (or figuratively) seen in its New Testament usage, in that the chords of the heart are to be ‘twanged’ or played upon.
(2) Turn to Ephesians 5:18&19. Here, the passage teaches us that it is not the chords of a piano or some other instrument of music, but rather the heart that is to make melody. Let’s read Eph. 5:18&19, “18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”.
3. There are those who, in an effort to justify the use of mechanical instruments of music in Christian worship today, point to earlier meanings of the word, and urge that such usage should be assigned to it today. They reason that since it was once used in connection with the “twanging of an instrument” then it should still mean that now.
(1) But those who make such an argument ignore the fact that the use of the instrument is not determined by the word psallete alone. The context the word psallete is used in has other words that tell whether the twanging is done by an instrument, one’s beard, by a carpenter’s string or by one’s heart.
(2) The instrument is either in the word, or it is not. If the use of the instrument is in the word psallete then one cannot worship God without an instrument of music; if it is not in it, then the argument fails.
(3) If one insist that the instrument is inherent in the word, the following conclusions would have to follow:
1) #1, If the false argument is correct: It is impossible to psallete (or correctly worship by twanging – by making melody) without an instrument of music;
2) #2, If the false argument is correct: since each individual is commanded to psallete, each must personally twang the strings of a mechanical instrument in worship to be acceptable;
3) #3, If the false argument is correct: to prepare people to worship acceptably would necessitate assisting every member of the Lord’s church to learn how to play a stringed instrument;
4) #4, If the false argument is correct: only stringed instruments, such as a piano, guitar, fiddle and etc. might properly be used, inasmuch as these are the only type which may be twanged or plucked.
This would eliminate all wind instruments such as flutes, drums, horns, etc....
4. Another reason that we know that the argument about instrumental instruments being inherent in the Greek word psallo is false is because that dozens of the world’s most profound Greek scholars, including all of those which have produced the major English translations, have borne witness to the fact that the New Testament meaning of the word does not include the use of a mechanical instrument; and that its meaning today is simply to sing.
5. An interesting and significant side-light on this is the fact that the Greek Orthodox Churches—whose members are for the most part, Greek-speaking people—have never used instrumental music in their worship”. (Woods Commentary, pp.297f).
6. The primary purpose of worship is to glorify God. A secondary purpose is for the edification it produces in the worshiper.
(1) Another purpose in singing is the teaching and admonishing which singing scriptural songs offers to the people in the assembly.
(2) One of the common mistakes people make in worship is to design programs or develop some activities which are pleasing to them, without any consideration to whether such is pleasing to God.
(3) The only way we can know what God wants to be offered to him in worship is by consulting his inspired word.
(4) In the N. T. there are 10 passages that teach the kind of music that God requires in our worship to Him. Each one of the 10 passages teach that Christians are to worship God by using vocal music. Not one scripture authorizes instrumental music. Folks that use instruments are mistaken and need to repent and use the word of God for their practice in worship.
CONCLUSION
2. Turn and let’s read Acts 8:35-39. As we sing the invitation hymn we hope that those who need to obey the plan of salvation will come forward and do so, so that like the eunuch of Acts 8, will go on your way from this worship service with cheer and a heart that is merry. Let’s read Acts 8:35-39, “35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing”.
3. Please come forward as we stand and sing.
Acknowledgments for a lot of thoughts in the development of all the sermons on the book of James are to go to:
(1) Bob Winton CD Commentary on Matthew 27:50-54. 464 Ridgewood Drive Manchester, Tennessee 37355. If interested in CD covering many O. T. & N.T. books call (866) 753-8456.
(2) Miscellaneous commentaries by numerous others.
