From ancient times, God’s people have been a singing people. There are 150 hymns in the
Bible – we call them Psalms. The Israelites sang them in times of anxiety and lamentation,
in times of joy and celebration, in times of victory and praise.
The Psalmist urges us, “Sing a new song to the LORD, for he has done wonderful deeds. His
right hand has won a mighty victory; His holy arm has shown His saving power! The LORD
has announced His victory and has revealed His righteousness to every nation! He has
remembered His promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God. Shout to the LORD, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for
joy! Sing your praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with
trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the LORD, the
King! Let the sea and everything in it shout His praise! Let the earth and all living things
join in. Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy
before the LORD. For the LORD is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with
justice, and the nations with fairness.” Psalm 98:1-9 (NLT).
God even provides the music! “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our
God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.” Psalm 40:3 (NIV).
Let’s consider our lives to be a song about Jesus. When your life sings about Jesus,
certain things must hold true:
I. LET THE SONG BE JOYFUL:
A. “Shout to the LORD, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!”
B. God is not a sour-pussed old grouch! God doesn’t want any of His children to
be pickle-pussed, snarly-faced crosspatches, either. However, the fact remains
that there are appropriate times for a sad song.
1. Consider Job. He was being tormented by Satan and lost his wealth, his children
and his health. His wife urged him to curse God and die. He refused to do so and
said, “My harp plays sad music, and my flute accompanies those who weep.” Job
30:31 (NLT).
2. Consider Jeremiah, the heart-broken prophet. He said, relevant to Israel’s sins,
“My grief is beyond healing; my heart is broken.” Jeremiah 8:18 (NLT).
3. Consider the Psalmist who wrote, “You know of my shame, scorn, and disgrace.
You see all that my enemies are doing. Their insults have broken my heart, and
I am in despair. If only one person would show some pity; if only one would turn
and comfort me.” Psalm 69:19-20 (NLT).
4. And most important, consider Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus. We read, “Jesus
wept.” John 11.35 (NLT).
C. There is a time to weep, but Joy is the final verse and chorus.
1. “Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones! Praise His holy name. For His anger
lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the
night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:4-5 (NLT).
2. “Shout to the LORD, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy!” Psalm
98:4 (NLT).
D. So, ok, what’s the payoff? What do we gain or impart by being joyful?
1. Joy feels a lot better than the blues.
2. Joy is attractive and draws others while negativity drives them away.
3. Joy glorifies God because, regardless of circumstances, it says, “God is still
blessing me!”
4. Joy, like the “crankies,” is contagious and adds joy to others.
5. Joy makes us productive because we cease our pity-party and engagé with life.
E. There is a story about King Richard I, known also as Richard the Lionhearted,
who in one of his adventures during the Crusades was taken prisoner and
confined within the gloomy walls of an Eastern dungeon. In England Richard had
a favorite minstrel, who was always able to lessen his master’s weariness with song.
There was one song in particular that always cheered the king, so the faithful singer
went singing this song outside the walls of many foreign prisons and fortresses,
seeking his master. At last one day he heard it echoed from within a dungeon and
knew the voice, and cried out, “O Richard! O my king!” That song had floated
around many prisons and had been heard within by many other prisoners, but it
meant no more to them than a beautiful song by an idle wanderer; but to Richard it
was a song of joy because meant deliverance and happiness and home.
So Christ moves through the world in His followers, passing the prisons of the earth
and singing His song of “Come unto me!” To some who hear His words, His song
is but that of a poor minstrel, but to those who know God, it is joy and deliverance!
(G. P. Eckman).
Paul wrote, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace
because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power
of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NLT).
Let the song be one of joy. And:
II. LET THE SONG BE HARMONIOUS:
A. “Sing your praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with
trumpets and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the LORD,
the King.”
1. A symphony orchestra is an example of harmony. Many instruments of every
shape and size, producing a multitude of sounds come together to make great
music. One thing is crucial: Orchestras are on tuned to the same note and all
together they follow the lead of the conductor.
2. The word “symphony” comes from the Greek word “sumphonia” and means
basically “harmonious.”
B. If the harp and trumpet and ram’s horn are not playing the same song, in the
same key, and if each plays the wrong part the song would sound like Friday
night at the cat fight. Each needs to harmonize with the other.
C. To that end, each singer needs to sing his or her own part.
1. Nothing ruins a good song like some discordance in it. Maybe the bass is flat or the
soprano too blaring or the alto botches the lyrics, or the tenor is half a beat behind
the score.
2. Harmony is effective and essential to music and it is crucial to our witness to the
world: Jesus prayed, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who
will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just
as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may
believe that you have sent me.” John 17:20-21 (NIV). Nothing ruins the church’s
testimony more than disunity.
D. Charles Spurgeon said, “God is not the God of uniformity. There is a wondrous
unity of plan and design in all He does, but there is also an equally marvelous
variety.” God desires unity and harmony among His people or His singers while they
blend their giftedness with that others around them.
E. Let me apply this to you and me.
1. God has gifted each of us with some spiritual ability. We can say that He has
assigned to us a part or an instrument in the song of life.
a. Some are singers, some teachers, some preachers, some are background workers,
some are assigned to unrecognized and unheralded ministries.
b. It does no good for us to envy the part God assigned to another and to neglect our
own part. Harmony in the song of life demands that we each sing our part.
c. I heard about an orchestra rehearsal where, in one song, the piccolo had just a short
trill once in each verse. As they practiced, the musician thought, “My part is so
insignificant that I’ll just pretend to play it.” When his time came he acted like he
was playing, but the conductor threw his hands up and shouted, “Where’s the
piccolo?” The Master know when we fail to produce our part of His song.
2. I must relate the “Springs Of Living Water” fiasco. Our men’s quartet sang two
songs at an evening service. The first, “Streets Of Glory,” went pretty well. We
were headed for Nashville to become the second Cathedrals! Our dream was shortlived
when we sang the second, “Springs Of Living Water!” We were out of sync
and about to sink. This song was the Titanic of our career as we hit the iceberg of
confusion. Two of us tried to hide under the pulpit and failing that, and lacking
good sense, sang the next two verses. The old saying held true: “Second verse,
like the first, but a little bit louder and a whole lot worse!” After the service, those
of us who had not sneaked out were told by one lady, “Streets Of Glory was
beautiful. But Springs Of Living water STUNK!” And that was a compliment!
Let us each find our part in the song of life and sing it in harmony with others!
III. LET THE SONG BE ENTHUSIASTIC:
A. “Let the sea and everything in it shout His praise! Let the earth and all living things
join in. Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy
before the LORD.”
1. Signs of enthusiasm:
a. Shouting His praise, not mumbling it.
b. Being full of glee, not indifference.
c. Singing out our joyful song, don’t stifle it.
2. Can I say that I am always enthusiastic? Can you? Have we always been ardent
and sincere in our conduct? Ask yourself, as I ask myself:
a. Has the song I sing by my life always “rung true?”
b. Have I engaged in pretense?
c. Am I sincere in my Christian life?
B. Paul said, “For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest
of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too,
to preach the Good News.” Romans 1:14-15 (NLT)
C. When you:
1. Talk about your faith, be bold.
2. Give a personal testimony be not ashamed.
3. Worship, be fully occupied in it.
D. Let me illustrate the affect enthusiastic living for Christ has on unbelievers. Perhaps you will
remember the movie, “”The Blind Side.” A story of a Christian family opening their home and
hearts to Michael Oher, a homeless boy, who went on to become a professional football player.
He played for the Panthers, Ravens and Titans.
Sandra Bullock loved the script but turned down the role of Leigh Anne Tuohy three times because
she had no desire to play the part of a devout Christian. The producer convinced her to travel to
Memphis to shadow the Tuohys and visit Briarcrest Christian School. “One of my biggest concerns
stepping into this was how people use their faith and their religion as a banner, and then they don’t
do the right thing,” explains Bullock. “They go, ‘I’m a good Christian, and I go to church, and this
is the way you should live your life.’ And I’m like, ‘do not give me a lecture on how to live my life
when you go to church every week, but I know you’re still sleeping around on your wife.’ I told
Leigh Anne the banner waving scared me because I’ve had experiences that haven’t been great. I
don’t buy a lot of people who use that as their shield. But she was so open and honest and
forthright. And I thought, wow, I finally met someone who practices but doesn’t preach—someone
who blazes trails, and they do it as a family.”
Bullock fell in love with the Tuohys and their enthusiasm for Christ and dove into her new role. She
reveals, “I now have the blessing of having my res — not a restored faith, but I now have faith in
those who say they represent a faith. I finally met people who walk the walk.” Their enthusiasm
was influential in Bullock’s life.
IV. LET THE SONG BE ABOUT THE LORD:
A. “Sing your praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets
and the sound of the ram’s horn. Make a joyful symphony before the LORD, the King!”
B. Norm sang,
“Why should I sing of lesser things and things that pass away,
When I’ve a friend like Jesus now to sing about each day?
I have no song to sing but that of Christ, my King!
To Him My praise I’ll bring forevermore.
His love beyond degree, His death that ransomed me,
Now and eternally I’ll sing it o’er.” (John Peterson)
C. Some people love to sing their own praises.
1. Solomon said, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your
own lips.” Proverbs 27:2 (NIV). The Message says, “Don’t call attention to yourself; let others
do that for you.” Proverbs 27:2 (MSG).
2. Like John the Baptist, let self decrease while Jesus increases; He, not we, deserves the highest
place in our lives! Paul wrote, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created
through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He
is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in
all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:15-18 (NKJV).
D. J.S. Bach said, “All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul’s
refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub.”
He headed his compositions: “J.J.” “Jesus Juva” which means “Jesus help me.” He ended them
“S.D.G.” “Soli Dei gratia” which means “To God alone the praise.”
E. One of my favorite songs about Jesus came from deep sorrow turned to joy. Joseph Scriven
fell in love, and made plans to settle in his hometown. Then tragedy struck. The day before his
scheduled wedding, his fiancé´ drowned.
Overcome with grief, Scriven left Ireland to start a new life in Canada. He met and fell in love with
Eliza Rice. Just weeks before she was to become Joseph Scriven’s bride, she suddenly grew sick
with pneumonia. In a matter of weeks, Eliza died.
Shattered, Scriven turned to his faith. Through prayer and Bible study he found not just solace, but
a mission. The twenty-five year old Scriven took a vow of poverty, sold all of his earthly
possessions, and vowed to give his life to the physically handicapped and financially destitute.
Ten years later Scriven received word that his mother had become very ill. The man who had taken
a vow of poverty did not have the funds to go home to help care for her. Heartsick, and feeling a
need to reach out to her, he wrote the story of his life in three short verses he called “What a Friend
We Have in Jesus.”
Maybe your life is falling apart right now; maybe someone has let you down; maybe you have let
yourself down, maybe your song is a dirge. But, do you know Jesus as Lord, Savior and Friend?
Wouldn’t you like to experience His friendship? Believe, trust and obey, and enter into a life changing
friendship with Jesus. Instead of singing the blues, you’ll sing. Good News! He will put a new song
in your heart and your life will sing His praise!
